When the Leaves Begin to Fall

Chapter 1: The Fall Festival

The crisp autumn air enveloped the bustling streets of Musutafu, signaling the arrival of the much-awaited Fall Festival. Izuku Midoriya couldn't contain his excitement as he weaved through the colorful crowd, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Dressed in a simple green hoodie, he was on a mission to find his elusive best friend, Katsuki Bakugo, amidst the sea of festival-goers.

"Izuku!" a familiar voice called out, cutting through the clamor of the festivities. Turning around, Izuku's emerald eyes widened with delight as he spotted Katsuki striding towards him, his signature scowl etched firmly in place.

"Hey, Kacchan!" Izuku greeted, his voice tinged with unspoken warmth. "Isn't this festival amazing?"

Katsuki grunted in response, but the faint twitch at the corner of his lips betrayed a hint of amusement. "Yeah, yeah, it's not bad," he grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You're way too hyped about this stuff, Deku."

Izuku laughed, a nervous tinge coloring the edges. He had long grown accustomed to Katsuki's gruff demeanor, but his heart raced with a flutter of nerves every time they interacted. With each passing moment, the weight of his unspoken feelings for Katsuki seemed to grow heavier.

As they strolled through the festival, their laughter mingling with the lively music and the tantalizing scents of food stalls, Izuku stole occasional glances at Katsuki, unable to shake the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He had been carrying this secret for far too long, unable to muster the courage to confess his feelings.

"Izuku, there's a haunted house over there. Let's check it out," Katsuki suggested, his eyes alight with mischief as he pointed towards a dilapidated building draped in fake cobwebs and eerie lights.

Izuku's heart skipped a beat at the prospect of being alone with Katsuki, even if it was in a spooky setting. Nodding eagerly, he followed Katsuki's lead, trying to suppress the swirl of emotions bubbling within him. With each step they took, the walls seemed to close in, and Izuku's courage wavered. He knew he had to say something, anything, to break the heavy silence that surrounded them like a suffocating shroud.

The creaking door of the haunted house swung open, and they stepped into the darkness, the only source of light being the intermittent flashes of simulated lightning. Izuku's hand brushed against Katsuki's, sending a jolt of electricity through his veins. His breath caught in his throat, his mind racing with the unspoken words that begged to be released.

Before he could muster the courage to speak, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the narrow corridor, and Katsuki instinctively grabbed Izuku's arm, his touch searing through the fabric of Izuku's hoodie. The warmth of Katsuki's hand sent Izuku's heart into overdrive, and in that moment, amidst the dim glow of eerie lights, Izuku realized that he couldn't keep his feelings buried any longer.