ᗪOᑎ'T TOᑌᑕᕼ ᗰY ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ

Restarting

Izuku Midoriya 

"I'm coming back earlier than I expected,"  Katsuki's voice sounded tired over the phone and I couldn't help but frown. I kicked my foot up on the coffee table and tugged at my shoelaces. I had just got back from a run only to see a missed call from Katsuki flashing on my cell.

"Is everything okay?" I asked while continuing to kick off my shoes. My phone had to be tucked between my ear and shoulder to keep from falling to the floor as I hopped around on one foot -- tugging at my other shoe.

"Yeah, I just can't stay here any longer. My parents are being  -- difficult,"  He spoke with a tight voice and I finally sat down to avoid face-planting while trying to multitask."Plus -- I miss you," Katsuki added a bit softer and my heart did that weird stuttering thump that seemed to grow butterflies in my core. 

"I miss you too," My voice came out breathy and Katsuki chuckled softly on his end. The deep baritone sound made a smile crack on my face as I leaned back into the cushions and pulled my knees to my chest comfortably. "Are you coming here or going to the dorms early?" 

"I was planning on going to the dorms. It will be nice to get set up early and not worry about the move-in week clutter," Katsuki had been talking about school a lot lately. I could tell he was excited to be doing something productive. He had a lot of drive to succeed and I wanted nothing more than to see him do just that.

"Why don't you come here for a few days before moving in?" The offer was always available to him. My apartment was small and didn't have much room for us both, but I always liked when he was with me. It got quite uncomfortable being alone all the time. Sometimes I thought about going back to working at the office rather than from home just so that I could be around more people.

"Yeah? That sounds nice. I didn't think two weeks away from you would make me this anxious to get back," He huffed a short laugh that sounded just as surprised as I suddenly felt. But I knew what he meant. Two weeks apart was nothing compared to the four years of our youth and then these last six months. Two weeks had been short compared to that. However, things had never been this good between us during a period of distance. I was itching to see him -- smell him -- and touch him again.

"I know what you mean," I said softly and had to press a hand over my mouth in an attempt to physically wipe the smile off my face -- it didn't work. I dropped my hand to my lap and chuckled quietly at my giddiness. "When will you be here?"  

"Later tonight, I think. I started driving a few hours ago and it takes about eight hours to get there," I nodded before remembering that I was talking on the phone.

"Okay, that sounds perfect," We talked for a few more moments before I told him to stop talking on the whole while driving. We hung up after saying a quick goodbye and I began cleaning up around the apartment before my mate arrived and saw the mess I had been living in these last two weeks.

***

Katsuki's car pulled up in the parking lot. I had to stop myself from running out to him like some lovesick puppy. Instead, I pulled open the front door and waited for him with my feet planted to the ground -- security that I didn't catapult myself into his arms how I was dying to.

I saw his hair first, peeking out from under a navy blue knitted toboggan on his head. The air was always crisp this time of year at night. Yet somehow I didn't feel an ounce of ice over my skin as I watched Katsuki unload from his car and look up -- locking eyes with me and breaking into a wide smile.

In fact, I felt nothing but warmth; total, magnetic warmth that was provoking me. My face burned and I was unsure if it was from the wintry breeze or from my own blood rushing to swelter the flesh of my cheeks. 

This was how I imagined most people felt when meeting their mates for the first time -- when there was nothing holding them back from loving each other wholely and unshackled. I imagined it to be a feeling similar to this; where my feet didn't dare carry me towards him, not for lack of desire but rather that they felt frozen to the floor where I stood.

I wished this had been the first time we laid eyes on each other rather than the horrid moment we shared some years ago. Katsuki smiled at me this time as he made his way to me. There was no anger or confusion in his eyes. I felt safe with him. Realization of that caused a sharp intake of breath to invade my lungs before a puff of steam fogged past my lips as I exhaled slowly.

Katsuki walked up the steps of the apartment complex and I watched him with bated breath paired with an unsuppressed smile. Once he reached the top step, he dropped his two bags and before I could blink I came crashing to his chest in an incandescent embrace. 

As suspected, he was hot to the touch -- fevered and torched. I melted. How could I not? My arms moved blindly until they found purchase around his neck and my feet were swiftly lifted off the ground; the hex that forced them to become stuck to the ground just moments prior had been thoroughly broken by Katsuki's touch.

The only thing better than sweltering in his embrace was the moment Katsuki's scent stormed my senses. Sweet caramel and smoke. Part of me wondered how long he had been holding me. Time seemed to choke and stutter, not fully freezing but becoming a sort of jagged and blurry mess as those fascinating sparks popped over my skin from my mate's touch.

I pressed my face to the tender spot where his neck and shoulder met, inhaling his addicting scent and letting my body mold to his. I didn't realize when my legs wound themselves around his waist. Or when he picked up his bags with me still clinging to him. Or how we eventually got inside with the way our bodies were hooked together. But the cool breeze suddenly vanished and was replaced by the heat of my apartment. Or was it the heat of Katsuki's arms around me?

I didn't realize when his coat suddenly was lost on the floor. Or when his toboggan got discarded in my hallway. Or when my fingers had become caught, tangled, twisted in his hair. I didn't believe it when his lips came crashing down over mine. Or when I couldn't tell my own gasps apart from Katsuki's. Or when my back became flush with the bedroom wall as he delved into my mouth with his tongue.

I couldn't breathe when Katsuki moaned my name against my throat and playfully nipped the tender skin there. Or when he caught my bottom lip between his teeth, only to release it and leave my head spinning. I thought I was dreaming when Katsuki somehow ended up in my bed. Or when he abruptly pulled my body on top of his; his hands on my waist as we kissed. Or when we both pulled apart with swollen lips and heaving chests. 

But I wasn't dreaming and I wasn't confused. Katsuki didn't push for more or seem disappointed when I had to pull away with my skin ablaze, pink with desire. He didn't ask me why I stopped or if he had gone too far because we both know he hadn't. Neither one of us said a word, and if we did, we were too far gone to remember.

The only thing I remembered was the way Katsuki kissed my lips after pulling me into his chest. Or when he told me to sleep and that he'd be there when I woke up. I remembered when he rubbed my back and pressed his face into my hair, inhaling my scent and telling me how much he missed it. 

I thought he must have been dreaming when he told me that I was beautiful. But he wasn't dreaming -- or even asleep. Because his eyes were wide open and fixated on my face as he spoke, and I swore my heart stopped -- or maybe it was just restarting.