Bakudeku/Dekubaku Oneshots AU

Christmas Special: Together

Izuku waved to his friends, wishing them a good night and a Merry Christmas as they piled into the elevator. Their dorm Christmas party was a blast, filled with gift exchanges, plenty of snacks, and a few helpings of punch (with a dash of booze that Sero and Hagakure smuggled onto campus). This was the final year they would spend the holidays together, and though the party was filled with merriment, there was a definitive sense of melancholy throughout the night as well. Only three months until they all went pro and dispersed.

Most everyone had been signed to an agency. Some decisions were expected, while others were a surprise. For one, Ochako signed with Miruko when everyone thought the gravity defying girl would stick with Ryukyu. Even Kacchan had decided to join Best Jeanist despite the offers to sign with agencies that would be a better fit for his quirk. But the blonde was as loyal as they came, and after some thought, Izuku decided that his choice made sense.

Class A was excited to graduate. They'd been fighting villains since first year, and prominently featured in the media often, so going pro would be an easy transition. The hard part was finding a new support system. Sure, they would keep their class chat going, but they'd be scattered across the country. Finding time to catch up would become more difficult and that thought had been rolling around the back of Izuku's mind all night. Not seeing Kacchan every day would be a shock and though he couldn't fully imagine it because he'd never experienced being without the grumpy blonde for more than a few days, that impending split loomed over his consciousness. He expected to see Kacchan every day. They were friends again...and flirting with the possibility of becoming something more. But with the inevitable day of their rookie debuts on the horizon neither seemed ready to commit to anything more serious. And it was killing Izuku.

The freckled boy wrapped up the last tray of leftover cookies and flicked off the kitchen light. He intended to head up to his dorm, but the outline of someone lounging against the armrest pulled his attention. With only the soft glow of the multicolored lights that decorated the massive tree in the common room, Izuku approached. There, curled up under a fleece blanket and softly snoring was Kacchan.

"I thought you went to bed hours ago," the greenette whispered. His hand reached out, fingers gently pushing back blonde bangs. Kacchan arched into his touch, pulling a small smile onto Izuku's lips. But that depressive vice wrapped around his chest a moment later, heart clenching at the thought of not seeing his favorite person for months. A shuddering breath shook in his lungs, and he pulled his hand back like he's been burned. "What am I doing? Only going to make this harder for yourself," Izuku huffed under his breath. But even as he said the words, his feet remained firmly in place, emerald eyes taking in the soft glow against Katsuki's skin, the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept. He was beautiful like this, frown nowhere in sight and brow smoothed of the tension the grumpy boy often held in the waking hours. So Izuku stood, committing this image to memory. Peaceful, relaxed Kacchan illuminated by the pretty Christmas lights. And when a lump formed in his throat, eyes stinging with tears for a future that loomed on the other side of the new year, Izuku finally turned away, intending to wallow in his dorm until sleep took him.

But a familiar warmth decorated with callouses gripped his wrist, stopping the freckled boy in his tracks. With a turn of his head, he caught Katsuki's sleepy gaze, multicolored lights reflected in his scarlet eyes. Electricity filled the air between them, buzzing with energy despite the exhaustion that weighed on their bodies.

"Kacchan," Izuku started, only to let out a squeak when he was pulled toward the blonde. His knee hit the edge of the couch, sending the freckled boy tumbling awkwardly into Katsuki's waiting arms. Despite the heat that radiated from the blonde, Izuku shivered. "What are you-"

"Shh, 'm sleepin'," Katsuki answered groggily, voice accented by a heavy rasp that had the greenette's heart rate picking up.

"But wouldn't you rather sleep in your own bed?" Izuku asked while trying and failing to extricate himself from the explosive blonde's hold. "You're going to have a really sore neck if you stay on the couch all night."

"It's fine...long as you're here."

And there was that lump again, lodged firmly in him throat and preventing Izuku from coming up with some kind of response. He swallowed and swallowed, but still, he could not clear it. His eyes stung and his lungs shuddered until he pressed his face into Katsuki's firm chest, the boy's heartbeat strong and steady against his cheek. With strong arms around his back, surrounded by the warmth and familiar scent of Kacchan, Izuku slowly began drifting off.

"You shouldn't worry so much about what things will be like once we're pros," the blonde grumbled. With his ear pressed to the boy's chest, Izuku could both hear and feel the statement.

"Can't help it," he sighed. "It's hard to think about not seeing you every day. Makes me sad."

"Tch, makes it sound like you're anticipating my death."

"Nooo, Kacchan, that's horrible," Izuku whined. "I just mean I'm gonna miss you cuz we'll be so busy and working in different parts of the country."

"You're an idiot," Katsuki snorted. "We'll both be in Shizuoka. Bet we'll run into each other on patrol so much it'll feel like any other day."

The freckled boy pulled his head back to look up at his best friend turned crush. Tired ruby eyes watched him through pale lashes and Izuku was struck once more with how pretty Kacchan was. "You promise?"

"Stupid Nerd," the blonde smirked. "You'll never get rid of me." The freckled boy felt an energy in the air, like something in the universe shifted. "I'm tired of playing this stupid game. Be my boyfriend. We'll figure out logistics later."

"Ye-"And before Izuku could finish his answer, his mouth was silenced by the gentle press of Katsuki's lips against his. Warmth flooded his face, trickling down to the rest of his body and making his fingers and toes tingle. The kiss ended far too soon for Izuku's liking, but the blonde stayed close, their foreheads pressed together and lungs sharing the same breath. "Merry Christmas, Izuku."

"Merry Christmas, Kacchan," he grinned and leaned in for another kiss with his boyfriend.

END