help me / bakudeku omegaverse /

part 13

The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the lingering sounds of noble chatter from the dining hall. Katsuki exhaled a long breath, rubbing a hand down his face. Izuku stood near the entrance, fingers curling around each other, unsure if he should speak first. 

The conversation with the council had left his nerves slightly frayed, but Katsuki's steady presence beside him had made it bearable. Now, in the quiet of Katsuki's personal chambers, the silence between them was less tense. It felt almost suspended, like the hush before something new. Something important. Katsuki turned around, arms folding across his chest. But the sternness Izuku had seen back in the council chamber was gone. His face was softer now, less guarded.

"So," Katsuki began, voice lower now, more hesitant than usual. "I know things got a little intense back there. You okay?"Izuku nodded slowly. "Y-Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed. But... thank you. For explaining. For being there." Katsuki grunted, almost affectionately. "Course I was there. Where else would I be?"

Izuku looked up at that, something warm flickering in his chest.Katsuki cleared his throat, stepping forward. "That whole council mess... It reminded me of something. Something we haven't started yet."Izuku blinked. 

"Our deal," Katsuki said, his expression turning serious, but not unkind. "Ten dates. Five each. We said we'd give this a shot, right?"Izuku's eyes widened. "O-Oh. Right."Katsuki gave a small shrug. "I was thinking... maybe we start tonight. Unless you'd rather wait. We don't have to rush it."Izuku hesitated, then smiled faintly. "No. I'd like that. To start. Tonight."Katsuki's grin spread slow, boyish and sharp all at once. 

"Good. Then give me ten minutes."Izuku blinked as Katsuki practically marched past him, disappearing into a side room. It was only after a moment that he realized Katsuki was muttering to himself about needing to change clothes. Left in the room alone, Izuku shifted slightly, taking a moment to admire the small details of Katsuki's quarters. They were warmer than he'd expected. Not cold or austere like he imagined a royal suite would be. There were warm red tones, rich golds, and soft fabrics scattered throughout. A single picture frame sat beside the bed—an older photo of a younger Katsuki and Kirishima, arms thrown over each other's shoulders. He smiled softly to himself, heart fluttering. A date. They were really doing this.

Katsuki returned moments later, not in his usual black and crimson royal attire, but in something more casual—a fitted dark red tunic and black slacks. He looked... softer. More like himself. And maybe more vulnerable, too.

"Ready?" he asked.Izuku nodded. "W-Where are we going?""Not far," Katsuki smirked. "Come on." He led Izuku through a side hallway of the palace, one Izuku hadn't explored before. The evening was quiet, the golden torches casting soft shadows along the stone walls. There was something intimate about walking beside Katsuki like this, without an audience, without guards, without expectation. 

Eventually, Katsuki stopped in front of a tall double door with carvings of mountains and rivers etched into its dark wood. "This," he said, pushing the doors open, "is the observatory."Izuku gasped. The room was massive, with glass arching high overhead in a grand dome, giving a perfect view of the night sky. A few low lanterns burned near the edges, casting just enough glow to see. The stars above twinkled in clusters, and the full moon poured soft silver light across the polished floor. In the center of the room was a low, circular table, surrounded by plush cushions and covered in a simple but elegant spread of snacks and warm drinks. Izuku turned slowly in place, breath catching. 

"It's beautiful." Katsuki rubbed the back of his neck. "Figured we needed something quiet for the first one. Somewhere you could breathe." Izuku smiled at him, eyes shining. "You were right. This is perfect." 

They sat down together, the warmth of the drinks and the soft silence wrapping around them like a blanket. For a while, they just looked at the stars. Katsuki broke the silence first. "You always been into the sky stuff?" Izuku blinked. "Sky stuff?" 

"Stars. Planets. Constellations. You know." Izuku chuckled softly. "I used to be. When I was little, my mom would point out the constellations. I forgot most of them. But sometimes, in caves, I'd pretend I could see the stars. It made the dark less... endless." Katsuki was quiet for a moment, his expression unreadable. 

"You can learn them again," he said finally. "I can have someone bring you books on it. Or hell, we could make it a date. Go stargazing somewhere higher." Izuku looked down, his fingers curling in his lap. "You keep doing that." 

"Doing what?"

"Thinking of things to give me. To do for me. You don't have to try so hard." Katsuki looked at him then, truly looked at him. "It's not hard. I want to. I want to see what makes you smile." Izuku swallowed thickly. 

"You're going to make it hard not to fall faster." Katsuki's smile was lopsided and a little shy.

 "That's kind of the point." They both laughed, soft and quiet. A sound that echoed gently under the dome. As they continued to talk, the awkwardness eased, replaced by shared memories, scattered jokes, and the occasional quiet moment that said more than words could. 

Eventually, Izuku leaned back against one of the cushions, gaze lifting again toward the sky. "Can we stay here a little longer?"

"As long as you want." Katsuki sat beside him, shoulder to shoulder, warmth sinking into the spaces between them. And just like that, their first date began under the stars—not with grandeur, not with declarations, but with quiet laughter, soft words, and a shared promise that maybe, just maybe, this could really work.