Work Text:
1.
"Think harder. You must've noticed something that triggered the new power." Kacchan says from beside him.
Izuku's gaze remains trained in his lap, All Might and Kacchan's eyes boring into him as they wait on his answer. The room feels much smaller all of a sudden, and he feels himself start to sweat under the attention.
Of course he knows the answer. It was so obvious in the moment, the second he let himself get angry, rage swelling within him poised to strike, when Blackwhip burst out of him for the first time.
"You're frenemies with Bakugou right?"
Monoma. Mocking and taunting him. He knew exactly what to say to make him lose control.
"And since he wasn't able to take care of himself, the Symbol of Peace is gone!"
And of course Izuku fell for it. He walked right into his trap. He felt the power surge inside of him, coursing through his veins. But it was different than Full Cowling, something new. Something more. The dark tendrils of power exploded in every direction, laying waste to the battlefield and causing complete and utter chaos. If not for Shinsou's brainwashing and the chance to talk to the Fifth, Izuku isn't sure he could have reined it back in alone.
All he could think about was that hopefully Kacchan didn't hear Monoma had said. And that he was going capture him and take him out of the fight right there and then.
Thinking back on it now, is he really that transparent? That someone like Monoma knew just the right buttons to push? He could have gone after Izuku, or the other members of his squad, but no. He had to go and drag Kacchan's name through the mud, knowing how Izuku would react, and it worked.
In the end, it didn't matter whether Monoma meant what he said or not. It was a ploy, a trap set for Izuku to talk and be taken over by Shinsou or make a wrong move in the fight and be captured. Monoma wanted him to lose control, expected it even.
And lose control he did.
Of course, no one anticipated a whole new quirk to manifest, Izuku included. But that rage, that determination, that protectiveness on Kacchan's behalf, Izuku called for his power, and Blackwhip had answered.
The others thought it was just a new special move he'd been working on, asking him countless questions about it after the exercise, but Izuku didn't have a response to give. He was as shocked as any of them.
Mostly, he was disappointed in himself. For falling for Monoma's tricks and endangering his own team. They almost lost because of him.
Sitting here in front of All Might and Kacchan, Izuku feels the embarrassment take hold. Kacchan just asked him the million-dollar question, and the answer sits on the tip of his tongue, but he can't bring himself to say it.
What's important is keeping tabs on your heart.
Izuku remembers the words of the Fifth and feels his face heat.
His heart?!
His heart was set on Kacchan, and making Monoma pay for daring to disrespect him. Blackwhip manifested because of his feelings for Kacchan!
There's no way he can admit to that, not in a million years. He'd never live it down if the others found out. And if Kacchan finds out, Izuku doesn't even want to think about how he'd react.
"I—I don't... I don't know." He lies, biting his tongue and praying to any higher power they don't see the color rising on his cheeks, burning with the embarrassment. He's never been a good liar. He just hopes neither of them see through it and call him out.
"Well," All Might says with a sigh, "For now, we need to work on honing it to your abilities so we can avoid another incident like today."
Izuku gulps and nods. Kacchan stays quiet, but he can feel his eyes trained on him, his gaze burning a hole into the side of Izuku's skull.
Kacchan knows he's a bad liar. They've known each other too long, and Kacchan's too observant not to notice. He got Izuku to spill the secret of One for All for crying out loud, a secret he swore to tell no one, not even his own mother.
But Kacchan's always the exception it seems. No one has the effect on Izuku that he does, causing him to act irrationally, dangerously, without a second thought.
All Might stands. "That's all for today. We'll start training first thing tomorrow. Will you join us Young Bakugou?"
"Yeah I'll be there." Kacchan replies. Izuku looks at him then, and their gazes lock. Kacchan levels him with a glare.
This is definitely going to come back to haunt him.
2.
The next morning, Izuku is up before the sun and walking through the dark to the training grounds.
He hardly slept after yesterday despite being exhausted. There was so much on his mind, he ended up staring at the ceiling most of the night unable to shut off his brain. When he finally did get to sleep, it was restless and uncomfortable, only lasting a few hours before his alarm went off.
He arrives at Ground Beta tired and groggy, to find All Might and Kacchan already waiting for him.
"Good morning, Young Midoriya!" All Might greets, cheery as ever.
"Took you long enough." Kacchan grumbles.
"Sorry I'm late." He says, setting down his water bottle. He's actually early, but Kacchan already seems to be in a bad mood and they're just getting started. Best not to push his luck.
As the two of them get warmed up, All Might pulls out his journal of the past users, flipping to the page dedicated to the Fifth. He explained he'll only introduce his knowledge on the users as Izuku unlocks their quirks, as to not overwhelm him. Something about it rubs Izuku the wrong way, All Might withholding vital information from them, but decides not to question it. He chances a glance at Kacchan and finds an unabashed annoyance written over his face, so at least he's not alone.
The name of the Fifth is Daigoro Banjo, and his successor was Nana Shimura's predecessor. On its own, Blackwhip was primarily used as a capture weapon, similar to Aizawa's. However, like the Fifth told Izuku himself, One for All has altered the quirk to a much more powerful entity over time. It can reach across farther distances, and expel more tendrils at once with greater speed and strength.
"The first step is manifesting it." All Might says, pocketing the journal. "Even if you don't know what triggered it, try to remember where you were when it happened. You used it again when you were fighting Shinsou, so think about that too. Blackwhip is an extension of your emotions. What were you feeling when it first manifested?"
"Um…" Izuku pauses, panic rising in his chest. Shit. How does he say this without revealing the true reason why?
Kacchan crosses his arms in his peripheral, watching him closely. Izuku's heart beats loudly against his ribcage. He ends up saying the first thing that comes to mind, which happens to be the truth.
"Anger."
All Might's brows shoot up, surprised, and Izuku winces. His mentor hums thoughtfully. "Anger? From what exactly?"
Izuku once again struggles with a response. That was the wrong thing to say. Now he looks even more suspicious. "Heat of the moment, I guess?" It comes out as a question, like he isn't sure himself. He winces again when he hears Kacchan scoff. Real convincing.
All Might nods. "Alright then. Channel that feeling, then try to bring the power out."
Izuku shifts, bending his knees and balling his hands into fists. Channel the feeling. He closes his eyes and imagines the team battle from yesterday, chasing after Monoma and remembering his words.
"Then maybe you can explain. How can he smile like he doesn't have a thing to worry about, when he let himself get abducted?"
He can practically hear that snarky tone in his mind. They were ambushed. All Might had already given One for All to Izuku and he was going to lose his power anyway. Monoma wasn't there when it happened, and he has no right commenting or inserting his opinion on things he doesn't understand.
Full Cowling comes easily, emerging with a low hum and turning the air around him electric. Green lightning dances over his skin and glows behind his eyelids. Blackwhip swirls just below the surface, a dark tide pooling in his core. He can see it now, feel it. He reaches out.
"And since he wasn't able to take care of himself, the Symbol of Peace is gone!"
The rage comes back in full force, the energy of Blackwhip growing stronger within him. He grasps it, visualizes it expelling out of him, and then lets it surge forward.
He opens his eyes with a gasp, breathing hard. He scans the space in front of him, but Blackwhip is nowhere to be seen.
"What?" He deflates. "I thought—"
He pauses at the look on All Might's face, the abundant shock written over his features. But he's not looking at him. Izuku follows his gaze to Kacchan instead.
Kacchan, who is locked in place, two tendrils of Blackwhip wrapped tight around his arms.
Oh god.
"What the fuck, nerd." Kacchan growls, eyes wide. He pulls against it, his fists balled and muscles flexed, but Blackwhip holds, stretched taut between the two of them.
Izuku almost combusts on the spot, his face bursting to flame.
"Uh—!" He scrambles, finding where the power emerged from his side and grabbing onto it. "Sorry—"
"Let go!"
"I can't!"
Izuku tries to release it, concentrating on pulling the tendrils back into himself, but they won't budge. He wills the power away with all his might, and then physically yanks them towards himself. To his horror, this just makes Kacchan stumble closer, unable to break free even with the help of a few blasts from his hands. The tendrils shake with the force, like the two of them are stuck in a game of tug-of-war.
"Release it like you would Full Cowling, Young Midoriya!" All Might calls.
Izuku grits his teeth and tries to focus. Over the blood roaring in his ears and Kacchan's agitated explosions, it's not easy, but soon the lightning of Full Cowling dissipates, and the energy from Blackwhip begins to lessen.
However, much like how they went away during the team battle exercise, Blackwhip comes swirling back into him at amazing speed, and it still hasn't let go of Kacchan.
They're panicked gazes lock for a split second, realizing what's about to happen. And then Kacchan is yanked off his feet and flying through the air right for Izuku. They crash into each other and Izuku topples over, Kacchan on top of him, and they collide with the ground hard.
Izuku groans, trying to breathe around Kacchan's weight on his chest. Kacchan moves, pushing on Izuku's shoulder to ease himself up, and Izuku groans again.
"What the fuck was that?" Kacchan heaves.
Izuku struggles to catch his breath, still on his back and Kacchan hovering above him. "I don't—"
"Well done!"
Both heads turn to All Might, walking up to them and clapping. "You successfully manifested it, targeted an opponent, and then released it. This is great progress."
Kacchan scoffs and climbs off while Izuku sits up. He didn't even mean to target Kacchan though. He was just trying to let it out, and then it found its way to him and wouldn't let go. All Might didn't seem to notice it was an accident, but is that the same for Kacchan?
Was it because he was thinking about him?
This quirk really has a mind of its own.
"Hey."
Izuku looks up. Kacchan stands above him with an outstretched hand. Izuku takes it, and Kacchan pulls him to his feet. "Next time it won't be so easy."
Izuku smiles, newfound determination taking hold. "Right."
The corner of Kacchan's mouth tugs up in the barest hint of a smile. Izuku's heart thuds at the sight. It's so rare to see that look on Kacchan, especially directed at him. Izuku sets a goal in his mind to see it more often, hopefully to be the cause of it. He wants to be the hero that puts a smile on people's faces. Selfishly, he wants to put a smile on Kacchan's face the most. All the time.
"Alright." All Might announces, pulling Izuku out of his thoughts. "With this in mind, I know exactly what our next exercise will be."
The two of them stand side by side as All Might explains the exercise. It's more of a game really, like a glorified, more dangerous version of tag. He introduces it as "Catch-a-Kacchan" which makes Izuku cringe. The nickname sounds weird coming out of his mouth.
Izuku is 'it', while Kacchan is the one running away. They can both use their quirks, but Izuku only wins if he catches him with Blackwhip. They'll go in one-minute rounds, keeping track of how many times Izuku is able to capture him and how many times Kacchan gets away.
They're also limited to a one block radius, which Izuku should theoretically be able to reach all the way across with Blackwhip, but that's all up to him.
"Let's start the first round. Ready?"
Both boys nod, then face each other.
"Set..."
Izuku shifts into position and calls on Full Cowling. He'll need it to match his speed before he can think about capturing him. Kacchan pops explosions in the palms of his hands, grinning menacingly.
"Go!"
Immediately, Kacchan blasts upward, and Izuku follows close behind. They're shimmering flashes of orange and green, darting this way and that as they fly through the air, ricochetting off the buildings and pavement while keeping in mind the boundaries of the drill. True to his word, Kacchan doesn't make it easy. He's fast, and while Izuku matches him in speed, his movements are unpredictable. He can't focus on calling on Blackwhip long enough to stay in range, and before he knows it, All Might's calling time before he even attempts a capture.
Izuku lands, chest heaving. Sweat beads on his forehead and the back of his neck. A second later, Kacchan hits the ground beside him.
"You're not even trying." He says with a smirk. Izuku glowers.
"This is all about multi-tasking." Says All Might. "Using two quirks at once will be difficult at first, but you'll need to learn, especially when you begin to unlock the powers of the other users."
Izuku's shoulders sag slightly. One for All on its own took him a long time to master. And now he has all these new quirks he's going to have to learn and utilize together. He doesn't even know what the other past users have in store for him.
"Full Cowling should come as second nature to you by now, so focus on Blackwhip. Remember to channel your emotions and expel them through the power. Let's get into the next round."
With that, All Might walks off to the side as the boys face each other once again.
Kacchan is the target, but Izuku takes a different approach in his thinking this time. Instead, he envisions the team battle and what Monoma had said. He envisions Kamino, Kacchan slowly disappearing into Kurogiri's portal, and how bad Izuku wanted to, needed to reach out to him and get him back.
Blackwhip swirls in his core in response, rising closer to the surface. There may be hope for him yet.
The countdown starts, and they're off.
They go through several rounds in rapid succession as the sun slowly creeps above the horizon. Izuku finally manages to get Blackwhip under his control, making valiant efforts at catching Kacchan as the rounds progress. Kacchan may not have been expecting it the first time, but he's ready for it now. Each time, he sees the attacks coming and skillfully dodges, blasting out of the way and leaving explosions in his wake. Even when Izuku is right on his heels and has a clear shot, Kacchan always somehow evades him.
By the end, Izuku doesn't catch him once. Both boys sit on the curb with their water in hand, sweaty and panting. It's a clear day with the sun now high in the sky, the heat beating down on them. They have class in a few hours.
All Might gives them some pointers to work on for next time and then bids them goodbye. Izuku is a bit disheartened that he lost every round, but he knows this is good training for Kacchan too. His time isn't wasted here just helping Izuku at least, which is comforting. He gets to help Kacchan as well. It gets him excited for next time.
They walk back to the dorms side by side in tired silence. Izuku's reminded of the lack of sleep he got last night, and wants nothing more than to shower and crawl back into bed for a few precious minutes before he starts getting ready for the day.
"Hey nerd."
Izuku turns to the boy beside him. "Yeah?"
"You were fighting Monoma when the power first came out, right?" His tone lacks the usual anger to it, more reserved and calculating.
Izuku swallows and nods, afraid of where this is going.
He assumed Kacchan had been watching the battle with the rest of the class, though he hoped he hadn't been observing so closely. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. One second, he's fighting Monoma one-on-one without any of their teammates nearby, and the next, Blackwhip is spiraling out of him in every direction, several meters above the arena and completely out of control.
"It didn't just happen. Something made you mad." Kacchan says inquisitively. "What did he say?"
Red eyes lock onto him, fiery and captivating. Izuku suddenly feels like prey backed into a corner. Admitting the truth feels like accepting his fate to be slaughtered.
That confirms his theory that Monoma's words couldn't be heard from the sidelines at least. Although it's a small relief, since Kacchan saw it all from the cameras and was able to put that much together.
What's important is keeping tabs on your heart.
It's embarrassing enough that Izuku bought in to Monoma's mockery. They've been trained to keep a level head in battle, lest they lose sight of their goal and risk people getting hurt. Izuku can get pretty fired up in a fight, like with Overhaul, but it's been a long time since he's felt such rage, all-consuming and passionate. Hateful, even. And it wasn't even a villain, just a fellow classmate.
Come to think of it, the last time he let his emotions take hold of him that way was the night the League kidnapped Kacchan.
Kacchan, with Dabi's hand around his throat and real fear in his eyes, disappearing through a portal leading god knows where. Izuku, absolutely helpless to stop it, his bones shattered and broken, letting out a blood curdling scream of agony that rang out through the forest alight in blue flame.
There's a common denominator here, Izuku thinks dumbly. If it's something surrounding Kacchan, he's bound to lose his cool like clockwork.
It's not a weakness per se, because Kacchan isn't weak whatsoever. He's the strongest person Izuku knows. But it is dangerous. In the future, should a villain know how to wield that information as a weapon like Monoma did, it could be compromising.
He really needs to work on getting those emotions in check, especially when it comes to Kacchan.
"Well?" Kacchan pushes, his patience running thin. Izuku's mind scrambles for an excuse. The dorms are in sight, their classmates beginning their respective morning routines. Izuku prays the distraction will save him from this conversation.
"He said a lot of things." He answers finally. "I told you I don't know what triggered it."
Kacchan scoffs. "Fine. Keep lying to me, see where that gets you."
Izuku flinches at the accusation, heart pounding at the other seeing right through him. He follows him inside the building holding his tongue, simply not strong enough to deny it.
Kacchan heads for the stairs, turning back at the last second with a glare. "If you won't own up to it, I'll just figure it out myself."
He stomps up the staircase grumbling, leaving a shell-shocked Izuku at the bottom.
He feels eyes on him from the kitchen, classmates up early settling down for their morning tea and breakfast. The rest of their class is always privy to his and Kacchan's squabbles.
They don't even know the half of it.
Izuku sighs and begins his own climb up the stairs. More things to worry about.
3.
The days continue on as normal. Classes, assignments, and now their work studies. Training with All Might becomes scarce because Izuku just doesn't have the time. Endeavor puts a lot on them, patrols and paperwork and more practice. He never seems to be satisfied, and now knowing the Number One hero up close and personally, Izuku feels even more sympathy for Todoroki having to grow up with him as a father.
The three of them end each day exhausted, Izuku so depleted of energy he simply can't train with All Might after hours. Kacchan and Todoroki don't fare much better. Izuku wonders how the rest of the class is handling their own work studies.
"It's a lot of work, but I'm learning so much!" Uraraka tells him over lunch on a day they stayed at the school. "How is yours going? What's it like working with Endeavor?" She asks excitedly.
"It's interesting!" Izuku dons a smile, resting a hand at the nape of his neck. "He's definitely tough on us."
Frankly, he has mixed feelings regarding the Number One hero. It doesn't take much brains to know Todoroki dislikes him at best and loathes him at worst. Given the terribly awkward tension over the dinner they had to sit through with the rest of the family, the other siblings feel more or less of the same.
Kacchan has also taken the same approach, quick to sass back and always glaring when the old man isn't looking. One day over tea, All Might pointed out the two of them are somewhat similar, and Kacchan nearly had a fit.
Izuku—albeit less outwardly—also disagrees with the sentiment. Kacchan and Endeavor may both be short tempered and therefore a bit (a lot) unapproachable, but that's about where the similarities end.
Izuku respects him as a hero, sure. He's no doubt strong and capable. As an overall person and father? Not so much.
One day, Endeavor tells them he'll be taking Shoto to scope out a mission alone. Whether it's sentimental to spend time with his son or just to focus on honing his skills, Izuku isn't sure, but none of them are happy about it. He and Kacchan want in on the action too, the latter scowling at the idea of being left behind. Todoroki begrudgingly follows his father away, knowing he'll be the center of Endeavors attention (and critiques) without the buffer of his friends.
Alone at the agency, Kacchan huffs. "Come on." He turns away before Izuku can respond.
Izuku follows him to the sparring rooms, which are practically deserted at this hour given all the pros are out on patrol. It's newly renovated with plenty of space and top of the line equipment, a bonus of working at the Number One hero's agency.
They stretch and warm up on the mats quickly. Kacchan sheds the extra pieces of his hero costume, leaving him in a tank top, pants, and boots. Izuku looks away and does the same, pointedly trying to avoid staring at the boy across from him.
He steps forward with a shy grin on his face. "Catch-a-Kacchan?" He asks.
Kacchan grunts an affirmative, shifting into a fighting stance. They've done this here before. Without All Might's supervision, they stray from the rules a bit, not bothering to keep track of time or score.
Izuku prepares himself as Kacchan closes in, blasting forward and attacking in close quarters. Without the time limit, there's no point in running away, and when has Kacchan ever not faced an opponent head on, teeth bared and palms ablaze?
Izuku kicks backward and shoots out Blackwhip in two jagged streaks. He's gotten better at calling it on at will, though his accuracy needs work. Kacchan dodges with a blast directed at the ground, rocketing up into the air in an instant, and thank god the mats are fireproof, along with most of the equipment. And the surrounding wall of windows. The whole place would have been decimated by now.
Izuku focuses back in with just enough time to scramble out of the way, avoiding Kacchan's explosions raining down on the spot he stood seconds before. He huffs a breath and curses himself for letting his guard down, even for a second. It's an easy way to lose—especially against Kacchan. He whirls, scanning the space to find the other already closing the distance once again.
"Stuck in your head, nerd?" Kacchan goads, swinging a fist at his face. Izuku blocks and says nothing, gritting his teeth. Kacchan's eyes flicker down, then he smirks. "I'll get you out."
They trade blows, quirks temporarily forgotten. Izuku follows his movements easily, all too familiar with Kacchan's fighting style. Watching him from afar and scribbling nonsense into notebooks all those years had its uses after all.
It's Kacchan's turn to scowl, likely annoyed with Izuku's competence or whatever else he can think up in that head of his. Since their first fight at Ground Beta, they've taken to sparring hand to hand a lot lately. And now with the emergence of Blackwhip, they fight with their quirks too. Whether it's with All Might or at their work study or on their own free time, they're always together these days, and Izuku's combat skills have drastically improved. It fills him with satisfaction, knowing he can keep pace with Kacchan, stand by his side instead of chase after him.
As usual though, Kacchan is full of surprises. In a renewed burst of energy, he ducks under and snatches a fistful of Izuku's undershirt. Izuku jolts, struggling to get free, but Kacchan's iron grip keeps him locked in place. With a sweep of his leg, Izuku's feet leave the ground and he catches air before crashing down to the mat on his back.
Izuku coughs, heaving deep breaths, and stares up at the boy above him. Kacchan huffs something like a laugh, his hold on Izuku's shirt unrelenting.
"I win." He grins.
Izuku glares. He bats his hand away, feeling the oxygen finally returning to his lungs. "You cheated." He pants. It's a lie and they both know it.
Kacchan laughs openly this time, stepping away to give Izuku room to sit up. "Let's go for a round two. I'll just beat you again."
Izuku deigns not to respond to Kacchan's taunts, instead letting his eyes wander over the boy from top to bottom. A gleam of sweat has broken out across his forehead, droplets slipping down his cheeks and the curve of his neck. His face is flushed from exertion and his chest stutters with the effort to control his breathing. He may try to hide it, but Izuku knows he must be tired.
Maybe it's the lack of oxygen getting to his brain, Izuku thinks, as he peers closer. The compression shirt squeezes Kacchan's physique in a tantalizing fashion, accentuating the muscles in his shoulders and arms. God, it has to be the quirk training and Izuku's frazzled mind talking, but Kacchan has arms for days.
And his waist? Don't get him started. It's unnaturally tiny, Izuku doesn't know how you even get it that small. If he wrapped his hands around it, he could probably touch his own fingers. He wonders if Kacchan would let him—
A sound, someone clearing their throat, yanks Izuku out of his head. He looks up and finds Kacchan staring. Staring at him. Staring at Izuku staring. Oh no.
Blazing red eyes bore into him as Kacchan crosses his arms and raises a brow. The subtle smirk is gone, replaced with an all too familiar frown. Izuku half expects Kacchan to yell, scoff in disgust or annoyance, maybe throw an explosion his way. But the furrow between his brows isn't as sharp, the look on his face rather calculating. He's thinking. Izuku wishes he would stop.
A stir inside of him makes its presence known, and Izuku realizes with a start that it's Blackwhip rising to the surface. That's weird. He definitely didn't call it on. He's just sitting here locked in a staring contest with Kacchan, trying with all his might to rid any lingering thoughts of his rippling muscles and tiny waist—
The feeling suddenly spikes, jolting Izuku in his place on the floor. To his horror, dark, swirling tendrils of energy come shooting out of him at lightning speed. Straight for Kacchan.
The boy in question has no time to flee, inhaling a sharp breath as the tendrils slither around his waist, coiling like snakes and squeezing slightly.
Izuku stares on, mouth agape. There's no way he just did that. Is this another instance of the power demonstrating that mind of its own? Against Izuku's will?
Or was it responding to his conscious thought?
He's immediately on his feet, scrambling and sputtering. "I didn't—! I can't control it sometimes—"
"I know." Kacchan says, his tone calming and steady. He's not mad, at least. Izuku lets his shoulders relax. He eyes Blackwhip warily at its place around Kacchan's waist. Wow. It somehow makes him look even smaller—
Then it's tightening, wrapping around twice more and thrumming with energy. Kacchan lets loose another gasp. He raises his arms and holds back his explosions, as if fighting it would only make it worse. Frankly, Izuku isn't sure what would happen, but if this power is alive to some extent, best not to make it mad.
"Can you let go now?" Kacchan asks, voice strained from the pressure.
Izuku nods frantically and carefully reaches out. Like taming a wild animal, he takes caution as he calls the power back to him. Thankfully, the coils around Kacchan begin to loosen, and then fall away, before returning and disappearing inside of him.
Kacchan takes a deep breath, doubling over with his hands on his knees. Izuku breathes a sigh in relief before rushing to him.
"Are you alright?" He goes to touch the other boy's shoulder, and Kacchan bats it away half-heartedly.
"I'm fine." He says, straightening.
Izuku swallows, still feeling somewhat frantic. Why isn't he mad? "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to—"
"I told you I know." Kacchan cuts in. "You're still getting used to it. S'fine."
Izuku stares baffled as Kacchan catches his breath, wondering why he isn't dead yet. Blackwhip just practically attacked him, and he's acting like it was a slap on the wrist.
All because Izuku was thinking about- things. Things he should not be thinking about when he looks at his friend. Things he should stop thinking about right this second, lest they have a repeat incident of what just happened.
Blackwhip is an extension of your emotions, All Might has said. It has no mind of its own, merely a trigger in response to Izuku's.
He can blame the quirk all he wants, but this was his doing and his alone.
The distant sound of chatter outside the training rooms alert them of company nearby. Pros returning to the agency off the first shift. The tension in the room breaks like shattered glass. Kacchan steps away from the mats, packing his things without another word.
Izuku swallows dry and dutifully follows, recounting the events in his head. They were sparring, Kacchan won, Izuku started having, uh, thoughts, and as a result, Blackwhip responded by nearly squeezing the life out of Kacchan.
And the most insane thing about it all is that Kacchan wasn't mad at him. He was unconcerned, understanding even. If he is angry with him, he's doing a fantastic job of hiding it. And when does Kacchan ever hide when he's mad? If he really was, Izuku would know and probably be getting an earful about it.
Whatever Kacchan thinks, Izuku just hopes he doesn't look too hard into it.
And, in however way he can, Izuku needs to get this new power under control.
4.
Things are not going well so far.
Well, that's not entirely true. He's gotten better at utilizing Blackwhip in the training aspect. His morning practices with All Might have shown progress, and he's even begun using it in class exercises. Two days ago, they ran through a 4v4 capture the flag exercise, and Izuku's team came away with an easy win against Kaminari, Aoyama, Tsu, and Shoji. Izuku ran the defense, using Blackwhip to subdue three of them at once while his teammates secured the victory.
Aizawa told him to keep up the good work, and the rest of his classmates were awestruck with the progress he's made since the team battles with Class B a mere week ago.
So yeah, in that aspect, he's really coming into this new power and making it his own.
It's just... the other aspects that are still causing him some trouble.
In training, he can focus. He has a goal in mind and is able to direct Blackwhip to the desired targets, call upon it, and release it at will. Full Cowling helps spread his energy across both powers, which makes it easier to control both of them.
Off the battlefield though, Izuku's mind is more likely to wander.
It started in his dorm, thankfully away from the watchful eyes of others. He was asleep actually, but it was fitful and restless, plagued by nightmares of the League descending on their camp, wreaking havoc and lighting the forest on fire. In his dream, he was hurt and useless once again, his arms broken from his fight with Muscular. He's still running, chasing after Kacchan, who is being taken again.
This time though, there's no portal erected by Kurogiri, and it's not Dabi holding Kacchan hostage. Instead it's Shigaraki, grinning like a maniac as he wraps gloveless fingers around Kacchan's throat.
Izuku screams, but there's no sound, and he watches helplessly as Kacchan decays before his eyes, crumbling into dust and disintegrating into nothing.
He wakes with a jolt, sitting straight up in bed to find Blackwhip swirling around him in a frenzy. The lamp on his nightstand clatters to the floor. Loose papers on his desk go flying. He thinks at first he was under attack before realizing the power had awakened in response to his panic.
The sheets are soaked with sweat. Izuku wills his racing heart to slow, heaving in lungfuls of air. Eventually, Blackwhip recedes.
He hardly sleeps the rest of the night, afraid if he closes his eyes, the nightmares will find him again. The next day, he nods off during morning classes with bags under his eyes. He gets an earful from Iida about how he'll fall behind in his studies if he doesn't pay attention in class, to which he nods along, only half listening. He misses the pair of red eyes stealing suspicious glances at him.
When they break for lunch, Izuku's packing his things when Tokoyami approaches him.
"Dark Shadow was alerted of a noise in the middle of the night coming from your room." He explains solemnly. "Did something happen?"
Izuku blanches, his face heating. He should've known someone would hear. "No! Nothing happened! Everything's fine!" He rushes. "Sorry if I woke you and Dark Shadow."
Tokoyami relaxes, flashing a rare small smile. "No worries. Just making sure you're alright."
Izuku returns the smile and thanks him, before he's quickly dragged away by Uraraka and Iida with Tsu and Todoroki in tow.
In the cafeteria, Izuku picks at his food and listens to the conversation flow around him. At the next table over, he steals glances at Kacchan and his friends, talking and laughing. Well, Kacchan isn't laughing, but there's an easiness about him that tells Izuku he's enjoying himself.
More importantly, he's here, safe and sound and far out of the hands of the League. Despite those recurring nightmares that won't seem to leave Izuku alone, just looking over at the other boy once and a while helps calm his nerves.
At that moment, Kirishima drapes an arm over Kacchan's shoulders and says something into his ear. It must be hilarious, because Kacchan snorts and ducks his head, biting his lip to keep the smile off his face. A dark and twisted feeling sinks like a stone in Izuku's stomach.
It's not that he's jealous of Kirishima. It's just that- Izuku chased after Kacchan for years, tried everything to win his friendship, and for years Kacchan rejected him. Even now their rivalry is only based on Izuku's newly obtained quirk from All Might. He's finally relevant in a way Kacchan simply can't ignore, not in their shared goal of reaching the top.
All that work Izuku had to do, and Kirishima strolls into Kacchan's life and immediately becomes his best friend. It was so easy for him, and the worst part is Kacchan accepted it like it was easy for him too.
So why is it so hard for Kacchan to accept him?
Izuku looks away, deigning to no longer torture himself. So maybe he is jealous. But what can he do? It's not like it's gonna change anything.
He huffs unhappily and resumes picking at his food. Then he realizes the chatter around him has stopped.
He looks up, confused by the sudden silence. Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, and Tsu are staring at him with wide eyes and jaws dropped.
His heart begins to pound. "What?"
Slowly, Uraraka raises a finger, pointed in the direction of the table next to them. Izuku follows it with his eyes.
Kacchan and his friends stare at him with the same shock plastered over their faces. Kirishima's arm is held high in the air above Kacchan from where it was previously draped over him. And then Izuku sees it: dark tendrils of Blackwhip around his wrist holding it in place, and several more secured around Kacchan's ribs.
Oh my god.
If Kacchan doesn't kill him first, he's going to die of embarrassment.
"Uh, dude?" Kirishima calls. "Can you let go of me?"
"Uh—!" Izuku stumbles in his scrambling out of his seat. Other tables around them have quieted, turning towards the commotion. All eyes are on him now, the cafeteria plunged in a mortifying silence. Izuku feels a sweat break out on the back of his neck.
He calls the power back to him hastily, and nearly sobs in relief when Blackwhip listens, releasing Kirishima first and uncoiling around Kacchan's middle before disappearing completely. Izuku sags, heart pounding and breathing heavily, and then tenses up again just as fast when he notices everyone is still staring.
"I—I'm sorry—" He backs away and trips over a leg of his chair again. He curses under his breath. Come on legs, work. "I'm gonna..."
"Deku?" Uraraka calls after him, but he's already moving. He needs to get out of here.
He feels eyes follow him as he hightails it out of the cafeteria, speed walking at a pace that very well may be a new world record. He doesn't even know where he's going. His feet are carrying him faster than he can think, his heart is still beating like a drum, and there's a growing chance of a panic attack on the horizon.
He bursts into a deserted bathroom in the academics hall, rushing to the sink and gripping the sides in shaky hands. He chances a glance at his reflection. Wide green eyes stare back at him, his chest heaving in uneven intervals. He thinks for a moment he might be sick.
He should've stayed and at least tried to explain himself, but he can't go back now. And what would he have said? Sorry I attacked you guys, I was mad Kirishima was touching Kacchan in a perfectly natural and friendly way. Seriously, what is wrong with him?
Because apparently Blackwhip is now triggered by just about anything when it comes to Kacchan. Including a friendly little lunch with his friends.
He could really use a word with the Fifth right now.
If the rest of his unknown quirks are going to be like this, maybe he's not up for this whole successor thing after all.
The rest of the day's classes pass by agonizingly slow. Izuku keeps his head down and his gaze away from wandering eyes that are no doubt stealing looks at him. His friends give him space, but whether it's because they know he's embarrassed or they're nervous about his quirk going off the rails again, he doesn't know. He sincerely hopes it's the former. The thought of his own classmates being afraid of him because he can't control his powers makes him feel sick all over again.
He has tea with All Might in his office later that evening, and they talk about training and his studies and more comfortable topics. He doesn't bring up the incident. The whole school probably knows by now, and he'd rather not relive it again.
When he makes it back to the dorms, the sun has set and his classmates have almost all retired to their rooms. He's barely to the stairs to do the same when Kirishima catches him.
"Hey Midoriya, can we talk?" He asks hesitantly.
Izuku freezes and slowly turns. Right. He should say this now. "Yeah. I'm so sorry about earlier. I really didn't mean to- you see my power's been giving me trouble lately and—"
"Woah, dude, slow down." Kirishima cuts in with a wave of his hands. "It's all good, I'm not mad or anything. It's just... did I do something wrong?"
Izuku blanches, then flails. "What— no! No, you did nothing wrong! It was all my fault, seriously. I—" He pauses, searching for the right words. "Please don't think it's anything you did."
Kirishima laughs and scratches the back of his head. "Alright, if you're sure." The smile doesn't reach his eyes, like he's not quite convinced.
Then the smile fades, and Kirishima's face turns serious. "You should probably talk to Bakugou too. Not that he's mad! Neither of us are, we totally get it, trust me. Just— uh, I think he— er— I think you two should also just talk it out."
Izuku sighs. "You're probably right."
A beat of silence passes between the two of them. Kirishima rings out his hands.
"We're all good right?" He asks.
Izuku's head snaps up. "Yes! We're good. Great. I'm sorry again."
"No worries bro. It scared me a bit, but I can take it." He raises a hardened fist in the air and flashes a grin. A real on this time.
As Izuku crawls into bed that night, all he can think about is the horror of having to talk to Kacchan about all this.
He must think I'm insane. Reckless. Sick in the head. The thoughts plague him well into the night, and the more he thinks about it, the more he dreads having to face Kacchan again.
How many more incidents is he gonna be able to explain himself out of?
5.
Despite Kirishima's sound advice, Izuku avoids Kacchan like the plague the next day. And the day after. And the one after that.
The stars seemed to have aligned (or the universe is finally taking pity on him) because they're not needed at the Endeavor agency the rest of the week, and All Might is busy on matters with Tsukauchi, which means no work study or early morning training for a while. For Izuku, that means less opportunities to get trapped in a conversation with Kacchan.
Instead, he trains on his own, catches up on assignments, and hangs out with his friends. None of them bring up the lunch incident, for which he's grateful. They treat him as they always do, and Izuku is happy to spend a few blissful days carefree and devoid of any quirk mishaps.
It doesn't last as long as he'd hoped.
On Saturday, Class 1A has their weekly movie night to unwind after the busy week. Kacchan loudly declares he'll be making dinner, which stirs up a chorus of cheers from the rest of the group.
Izuku's sitting on a couch in the common room, wedged between Ashido and Shoji, when Kacchan barks, "Deku! Get your ass over here," from the kitchen.
Izuku goes rigid in his seat, every potential bad possibility playing through his mind. Ashido bumps his shoulder with hers, urging him upwards.
"Go! Before he decides not to feed us!"
To his dismay, Izuku rises and walks stiffly to the kitchen. Kacchan's back is to him, standing over the stove and stirring something around in a saucepan that smells heavenly. Izuku's mouth starts to water.
Like an idiot, he stands there waiting until Kacchan turns abruptly, about to call out for him again. He stops short when they lock eyes.
"How long have you— ugh, whatever. Start dicing the vegetables over there."
He jerks his head to a cutting board on the adjacent counter. Izuku nods wordlessly and gets to work.
Or, he tries. You'd think having so much free time in his house growing up and his mom always working double shifts, he'd pick up cooking at some point. But most of his dinners were instant ramen as a child, and in the kitchen, he's about as useless as one.
He stares at the knife in his hand like it's a foreign object, which is almost laughable. How many life-or-death situations has he been in? But his weapons have always been his fists, and he's dicing vegetables, not fighting a supervillain.
He cuts up one carrot, and the little discs are messy and uneven. Is he holding the knife right? And what's the difference between cutting and dicing? And why the hell did Kacchan ask him to do this and not Sato or anyone else for that matter?
"What are you doing?"
Izuku nearly jumps out of his skin. Kacchan's standing behind him (when did he get there?) peering over his shoulder at his amatuer work.
"Cutting the..." He follows his gaze back down to the poor carrot. It's a sorry sight.
Kacchan takes the knife and hip checks him out of the way. "Watch."
He grabs another carrot and cuts it so fast Izuku's eyes can barely keep up, each piece small and cleanly cut. The knife is so close to his fingers Izuku thinks he'll nick himself, but each stroke is calculated and perfectly placed.
Once all the carrots are chopped up, he pushes them together in a little pile and brings one end of the knife down over and over, making the pieces infinitely smaller. Dicing, Izuku realizes. He watches in awe as Kacchan works. He makes it look easy.
Kacchan's a master at everything he does it seems. Whether it's preparing a meal or fighting on the battlefield. It just goes to show why Izuku looks up to him so much. He's amazing.
Just then, something catches the corner of his eye. A tendril of Blackwhip emerging from his wrist, slithering leisurely right for Kacchan.
Not again. Izuku acts fast, grabbing it and yanking it backward. It wriggles in his grip, trying to get free. He pulls both hands hastily behind his back just as Kacchan looks up.
The other boy eyes him, frowning. Izuku keeps his hands locked behind his back, Blackwhip out of sight, and tries his best for a casual smile. It's more of a guilty grin though, like a kid with his hand caught in a cookie jar.
Kacchan rolls his eyes and resumes dicing. He didn't see it. Izuku finally feels Blackwhip release, and exhales in relief.
Kacchan scoops up the carrots into a large bowl, then hands Izuku the knife and an onion. "Now you try."
Izuku gets to work peeling the onion while Kacchan grabs another knife and starts in on the garlic. They work side by side in relative silence, the sound of distant conversation from the common room serving as background noise. Izuku tries to focus on the knife in his hands and the onion in front of him, but his thoughts are scattered. At any moment, he expects Kacchan to bring up the lunch incident from a few days ago. Or worse, Blackwhip makes another unexpected appearance.
He finishes dicing the onion and is proud to say it doesn't look half bad. He's not as good as Kacchan, but you know, small victories.
He looks over to find Kacchan has finished dicing the rest of the vegetables in the time it took him to do one, and he deflates slightly.
But Kacchan just nods and scoops the onion into the bowl with the rest, then takes it to the stove and dumps it in the wok to cook.
He's out of a job now, but Izuku lingers anyway, moving to stand next to him at the stove. It's mesmerizing watching him work. He's so obviously in his element here, shaking in various spices and stirring the vegetables around as they sizzle. With all the meals he's made for the class, Izuku's surprised he's never seen him actually cook before.
Subconsciously, his mind begins to wander into dangerous territory. It's so domestic, watching Kacchan cook for himself and his friends. For Izuku. It's one of his hobbies, something he takes pride in, and Izuku gets a front row seat to seeing a side of Kacchan he never has. Would he cook just for him if he asked? If he wrapped his arms around him from behind as he watched-
Kacchan pauses, turning to look at him with both brows raised high on his forehead. Izuku frowns. Then he looks down and chokes.
A coil of Blackwhip has snaked its way over Kacchan's hips and simply rests there. One end swishes the hem of his shirt this way and that. God damn it how many times—
"Oh my god." Izuku grabs it and pulls. "Sorry I—" He chokes again when Blackwhip refuses to let go, holding on tighter as Kacchan is yanked sideways with a grunt, his side becoming flush with Izuku's front. The wooden spoon goes clattering into the wok.
"Deku—"
"I'm trying—"
Kacchan grabs his arm. "Just release it—"
"It won't let go!"
The coil finally loosens, and Izuku wrenches it off of him. The power dissipates immediately, and the two of them grab hold of each other to gain their balance.
Kacchan stares at him, unnervingly quiet. The ongoing chatter in the other room means hopefully no one saw what just happened. The look in Kacchan's eyes is unreadable. Izuku doesn't know what he's thinking, but they were having a nice moment, and Izuku had to go and ruin it. Again.
He looks down, ashamed and unable to meet Kacchan's gaze any longer. "I'll just..." He sidesteps him and begins to head out of the kitchen, feeling disgusted with himself.
"Hey."
Izuku pauses and turns with bated breath, bracing himself for the worst.
"Training with All Might tomorrow morning. Don't be late."
Kacchan turns back to the stove, and that's that.
Izuku walks away dejectedly. All Might usually doesn't schedule their training on the weekends, but he could clearly use the practice. When will this nightmare end?
He wants to enter the vestige realm, walk right up to the Fifth, and drop Blackwhip at his feet. He can keep it. Izuku doesn't want it anymore. Ever since it manifested, all it's done is cause him trouble.
Dinner's ready not long after that. The class eats, cleans up, and then they all move to the common area and crowd together on couches and chairs and floor as they settle in for the movie.
The film plays on in the background of Izuku's restless mind. Across the room, Kacchan sits quietly. He wonders if he sat so far away from him on purpose. Is he disgusted with him? Annoyed? Uncomfortable? Any way he puts it, Izuku can take any more chances of those happy and domestic moments between them and kiss them goodbye.
Throughout the movie, he steals furtive glances at Kacchan. Sometimes, he's watching the movie, bored and unbothered. Other times he's already looking right at him. Red meets green across the darkness, only illuminated by the glow of the television. And despite it all, Izuku's treacherous heart skips a beat. Every time.
+1.
Izuku doesn't sleep.
He lays awake, staring at the ceiling and listening to the leaves rustle in the wind outside his window. He shuts off his alarm when it goes off and sits up, swings his feet on the ground, and stares at the floor.
The thought of skipping morning training with All Might and Kacchan emerges. If he just crawled back under the covers and closed his eyes, there may be a chance for him getting some rest.
But he knows sleep won't find him. And he can't leave Kacchan and All Might like that. They're doing this for him. He doesn't have classes today. He can sleep later.
So he gets ready and walks out of the dorms in the direction of Ground Beta with droopy eyelids. The sky is a dark blue, slowly brightening from the pitch black of night, but it'll be a while yet before the sun starts to rise. He hopes All Might will focus on something else other than training Blackwhip today, but it's unlikely. He's been so enthusiastic about the newfound power, it's all he talks about these days.
That makes one of us, Izuku thinks pitifully.
When he arrives to the training grounds, Kacchan is there waiting. He's surprised to see their mentor is nowhere to be found.
"Where's All Might?"
Kacchan turns to him, his face pinched together in a frown.
"All Might isn't coming."
Izuku freezes mid-step. All Might isn't...? Then what are they doing here?
Unwanted memories of their last showdown at Ground Beta come flooding back to him. Did Kacchan draw him out here for a fight? Is this payback for all the incidents with Blackwhip regarding the boy in front of him?
Forget what Kirishima said. Kacchan's definitely mad. And after last night, he's probably brought him out here to settle the score.
Kacchan doesn't go on the attack just yet though. Instead, he saunters over, closing the distance until there's only about three feet between them. He crosses his arms.
"You wanna tell me what's going on?"
Oh. So they're here to talk. Kacchan's aura suggests a calming demeanor, but his eyes are sharp and questioning. Ruby red irises bore into him, and Izuku feels naked all of a sudden.
So. New plan, Izuku's going to play dumb and hopefully walk away from this with a stitch of dignity left in him.
"I... It's nothing, really—"
"Quit lying to me." Kacchan snaps. "I'm sick of it."
Alright, he's out of ideas. Great, this is going really well. Izuku can say goodbye to that dignity of his, and then he's gonna get reamed for being disgusting and inappropriate. Kacchan's never gonna want to so much as look at him ever again, and Izuku's gonna drop out of the Hero course and run home with his tail between his legs.
Maybe that's a little dramatic. Izuku sighs, defeated. There's no getting out of this. He's even more mortified when he feels the hot prickle of tears gathering in his eyes.
"Would you believe me if I said it has absolutely nothing to do with you?"
Kacchan eyes him incredulously, one eyebrow raised.
"No."
Izuku nods solemnly. He takes a step off the sidewalk and lowers himself to the curb. He needs to be sitting down for this.
Miraculously, Kacchan follows suit. He plops down right next to him, quiet, and waits patiently for Izuku to talk. Their knees knock together.
He might as well start from the beginning.
"Monoma was talking about you." He says. "When I was fighting him."
"What did he say?"
Izuku hesitates, biting his lower lip. Even now, he wants to protect him, but he deserves to know.
"That it was your fault All Might had to retire."
Kacchan's face doesn't change. He only stares down at the pavement, expressionless and unreadable.
"He's wrong." Izuku continues. "He doesn't know the whole story. Doesn't even know what happened. He was just trying to get a rise out of me, and he knew exactly how to do it."
A light breeze comes through, rustling their hair and cooling Izuku's heated cheeks. He feels goosebumps break out over his arms.
"It just kept happening after that. Every time I feel a strong emotion or my mind begins to, um, wander." He doesn't specify what it's usually wandering to.
"But only around me." Kacchan says, and it's not a question. His eyes remain glued to the ground, but Izuku knows he can still see him in his peripheral. He gives a short nod.
"What about the time with Kirishima?"
Izuku blows out a breath and thinks to hell with it. He's already embarrassed himself enough the last few weeks, why not a little more? "I was angry about the way he was touching you."
Kacchan looks at him then, not bothering to mask his surprise. "Why?"
"I don't know. You two are so close. He got close to you so easily. I was jealous I guess."
The admission feels like a breath of fresh air. Kacchan told him not to lie, so why not just get it all out in the open now?
"Is that what you want?" Kacchan asks. "With me?"
Good question. Izuku rolls it around in his head, running his thumb over a scar across his hand as he thinks. He should stop here. All he's ever wanted was to be Kacchan's friend, and if Kacchan were to accept that, he should take it gladly and forget the rest. It wouldn't be a lie exactly.
But the feelings he's long since shoved away come rising to the surface, and Izuku can't help but imagine the possibility of more.
His blind rage when Monoma threw dirt on Kacchan's name. The recurring nightmares about losing him. The complete loss of control over Blackwhip in the sparring room and the cafeteria and the kitchen. That possessiveness, jealousy, anger, and... something else. It happened with no one else because Izuku doesn't feel this way about anyone else.
"No." He says finally. "It's not all I want."
He doesn't want Kacchan the way Kirishima has him. He wants him the way nobody else can. Is that selfish? Probably. But it's just how it is.
"Then what do you want?" Kacchan asks, barely above a whisper.
The words hang on the edge of Izuku's tongue. You, all of you. But his throat closes up as his heart pounds furiously in his chest. Suddenly, a thought occurs.
Maybe he can show him.
He glances down at their hands rested on the curb, only centimeters apart. Izuku reaches out, his pinky inching closer until he shyly curls it over Kacchan's.
When he doesn't move away, Izuku moves, brushing across the knuckles of Kacchan's hand, flips it in his, and carefully weaves their fingers together.
Oh my god. Izuku thinks over the ringing in his ears. I'm holding Kacchan's hand. His palm is clammy from his quirk, and their callouses rub together. Kacchan's porcelain skin contrasts his own tan, scarred fingers. And it's perfect.
He feels Kacchan's hand move in his, and he thinks for a fleeting second he'll pull away and this fantasy will be whisked away as quick as it came, but then that hand tightens in his. Kacchan's thumb brushes back and forth over his knuckles softly.
A blush emerges in full force over Izuku's face, across his cheeks to the tips of his ears and down his neck. He calls upon Blackwhip, and watches it snake over Kacchan's wrist and stay there, this time on purpose.
He looks up and is met with dark, blown out pupils, ringed with slivers of red. Color dusts Kacchan's cheeks as well. They're so close, he's almost looking at him cross-eyed, feels his breath on his face.
His own breath catches when those eyes flicker down to his lips, but Kacchan doesn't make a move forward. Izuku musters up all the courage within himself, and leans in.
It's barely a peck, all innocence and uncertainty as lips brush against lips. Featherlight and soft for a brief moment, before Izuku pulls away and opens his eyes. His lips are tingling.
Kacchan stares, red in the face and mouth slightly open, and then he smirks.
"I knew it."
Izuku's jaw drops, and then he just about bursts into flames.
"You're so mean." He whines, bringing his hands up to cover his reddened face. Their fingers remain intertwined, Izuku using three hands to hide from the embarrassment. Kacchan throws his head back and cackles.
"Took you fuckin' long enough nerd. Was wondering how many times were gonna let Blackwhip caress me before you made a move." He teases.
Izuku groans. "Let's not talk about that."
"Seems like you've got the hang of it now." He jostles their hands in emphasis, where Blackwhip still hasn't let go of him. "Not to mention all the shit you're mumbling about me when you think I can't hear."
Izuku didn't think his face could get any hotter, but it does. He brings their hands down and sighs, glaring half-heartedly. "So why..."
Kacchan shrugs. "I wanted to hear you say it."
Izuku frowns again. "And... do you..."
Kacchan stares at him like he's an idiot. He scoffs and rolls his eyes, shaking their joined hands in the air again. "The fuck you think this is? Yes. You think I'd put up with your bullshit otherwise?"
Izuku stares, the tension in his shoulders ebbing as a smile creeps across his face. Kacchan likes him. They're holding hands, Kacchan likes him, and they just kissed.
Maybe this power isn't so bad after all.
The sun is peeking over the horizon, and Izuku laughs, carefree and happy. Kacchan joins him in soft chuckles, the white in his eyes glimmering. As the light of the morning paints the asphalt orange, Izuku leans in again, still giggling, and Kacchan meets him halfway.