Archive of Our Own ^beta

Katsuki didn’t hate holidays. Though he wasn’t stupid about them (like the extras in his class), he understood their societal purpose. Living without events to look forward to could make citizens become bitter, which increased the chances of normal idiots taking a route of villainy. Kids learned different lessons through holidays, or so people said. He was still on the fence about that, since he worked with plenty of brats that needed a trip to Aizawa’s class. 

Christmas seemed to be his classmates' favorite. With their last year at UA coming up, they collectively agreed the dorm needed to explode with the wintry spirit. Katsuki scoffed at the bursts of red and green decorations, and the constant Christmas music playing throughout the common room. If it had been first year, he would have holed himself in his room and refused to engage with any of their frivolous activities. But getting kidnapped, stabbed, his heart blown up, and nearly losing everything important to him, really helped Katsuki recognize his act wasn’t helping. It wasn’t a perfect transition, still twitching or snapping when some of the more energetic members of their class crowded him. Yet being willing to help string up lights or arrange the lawn decorations was a vast improvement from his old self.

With that being said, some Christmas traditions were stupid.

“Fuck no.” Staring at the idiots hanging the ugly dead plant on top of the common room’s entrance, Katsuki quickly lifted his hand with a threatening pop of mini explosions. “Get rid of that shit before I blow it up with you beside it.” 

“Aw, come on! Don’t be like that,” Denki said, waving the lanky looking clump of leaves and red berries his way. “Mistletoe is a big part of Christmas.”

“It’s a parasitic plant that can kill you if you eat it.” 

“Why do you know so much about the stuff if you don’t like it?” Mineta, with his ugly round nose and far too snooty look, turned back to continue taping it to the wall.

“Because I don’t use my brain to try and perv on every girl that would rather eat glass than talk to me.” 

Denki snickered at Katsuki’s blunt roast of Mineta, nudging the smaller man standing on his ladder before leaning on the shaky equipment to look back at him. “You didn’t do fun stuff like this when you were a kid? My parents had this stuff all over the place when we hosted holiday parties. Ended up getting my aunt her second husband.” 

Katsuki pressed his lips tighter together at the question. He had plenty of miserable memories with the dreaded plant, none that he’d ever tell the two morons. If anything, the reason he hated mistletoe started from his childhood. His mother liked pranking everyone with it, making sure the strangest combinations of friends and family ended up under the cursed foliage. Katsuki, with his ‘cute face’ as a kid, had been a target for older women that wore too much perfume and ugly shades of lipstick. His cheek and forehead were covered with the glossy residue by the end of the events, his mother cackling while his father helped clean the mess off with a smile. Nothing about mistletoe appealed to him.

Like his mind wanted to challenge his rigid thinking, a familiar scene sifted itself through the unpleasant memories. He couldn’t remember how old he was during the particular night that popped up. In the eighteen years he’d been on earth, most of his friends (except for a certain nerd) had questioned at least once why his father married his mother. They saw the surface level of their dynamic, some teasing that they knew where Katsuki got his fiery nature (and love preference, which earned Hanta an explosion to the face) from. 

But the extras didn’t see them in the soft lighting of the Bakugo living room, when his parents thought he was asleep in his bed. While he crouched on the stairs, spying to see if he could catch Santa dropping off his presents on Christmas Eve, he discovered something more magical. His father, always willing to throw his pride away to make his mother happy, proudly wore the dorky Christmas sweater that Katsuki wouldn’t get caught dead in. With his soft smile, Katsuki’s father clicked on the radio over the television, resuming the music from their earlier holiday party. He then swept across the still messy room to collect his wife into his arms, only humming at her protests before swaying her around. Katsuki had expected his mother to smack him, scolding his old man for interrupting her cleaning from their Christmas party. 

But as the seasonal tunes filled the air, Katsuki nearly fell off his staircase when his mother’s features softened, her sigh coming from a smile while she wrapped slender arms to hook behind the taller man’s neck. Like teenagers in love, the two danced along to the music, uncaring of the bowl of popcorn they kicked over or stepping on forgotten wrapping paper from opened presents. Katsuki’s little eyes couldn’t tear away from how his father spun his mother in the flickering lights from the Christmas tree, or the hint of a blush he’d never seen on the hag’s face. For a few untouched moments, his parents only knew each other, and the love that had kept them together for decades. 

And when they ended their dance under a piece of hanging mistletoe, he’d never witnessed a softer display of affection; his mother cupped his father’s cheeks, leading their love-drunk lips together in the twinkling moment. 

Like hell he’d ever admit how that moment changed his view of romance forever. But he knew that if he didn’t find a partner that carved into his soul the same way, he had no use for love.

“You really gotta relax.” Mineta’s nasally voice cut through his trip down memory lane. “Just cause you don’t want to get with the ladies doesn’t mean you need to ruin our fun.”

“And we know you won’t blow us up,” Denki continued, tongue poking out from his mouth as he finished hanging up the mistletoe before he made his way down the ladder. “Not anymore, at least.”

“Tch.” There was no denying the unpleasant truth, his maturity dimming down some of his violent tendencies. He still would kick anyone’s ass that pushed him too far, but using his quirk in the common room had the chance of messing up the decorations already set up by their classmates. “The girls are gonna rip you apart when they see how many dead plants you hung up.”

“Not all of them were us!” Denki’s genuine protest caught Katsuki’s attention. What other idiot in the class would put up mistletoe? His first thought was Kirishima, but he’d confessed to Mina last summer, and neither of them needed a reason to slobber over each other in public. Hanta was still chasing Todoroki’s tail, because he was a glutton for oblivious punishment. The only reason he doubted it was the lanky idiot was because his signature tape wasn’t on any of the plants strung up all over the dormitory. So was it one of the girls?

“If you don’t wanna participate, that’s no sweat off my back.” Like he thought it was attractive, Mineta slid his hands over the balls on his head and wiggled his eyebrows. “Gives us a better chance to kiss the ladies.” 

“You’re too proud of needing to trick women to be in the same vicinity as you.” 

While Denki blushed at the call-out, Mineta double downed with his haughty behavior. “I haven’t seen you hooking up with any babes.”

“Cause my goals are to be a damn hero, not ‘hooking up’. And even if it was, I don’t need a stupid plant to get me what I want.” 

His snarky answer made the two idiots glance at each other, and he could pick up on their skepticism despite staying silent. Annoyed at the stupid non-verbal conversation, Katsuki flipped them off before pushing past, planning to go to his room and avoid being infected by their stupidity until class. He glared up at the mistletoe, stepping to the side in order to avoid being anywhere near it. But his focus on trying to light the semi-parasitic species with his gaze meant he didn’t look ahead of him, grunting when something bumped into his chest.

“Ah, sorry!” 

The sweet apology that tickled his ear instantly chipped away at some of Katsuki’s irritation, glancing down to the welcoming sight. Green eyes shimmered in the morning light, too round and soft for someone who had saved the world (several times). Their sleepy edges proved he was still waking up, never getting into a healthy sleeping habit. Despite their older age and the scar along his face, he still held baby cheeks, freckles peppering the soft-looking skin. Fluffy hair proved he had brushed it before he shoved himself in the hideous Christmas sweater. Though UA had allowed festive apparel for the week of Christmas, Katsuki couldn’t imagine wearing something so ridiculous. He looked like the biggest nerd, but that was Izuku Midoryia’s natural ambiance. 

“Good morning, Kacchan.” Despite the trials and tribulations they had gone through, Izuku still spoke to him like Katsuki lit up his world with his presence. It shouldn’t have been so cute on a grown adult, and Katsuki had to school his face to hide the twitch of his lips over the open affection. 

Because sure, Izuku adored him. Thought of him as special. Wanted to stay by his side and continue their paths as heroes together. Yet none of those declarations were exclusively romantic. Not how Katsuki had started to see Izuku after the war. As soon as Izuku revealed he was losing One For All, his mind could only focus on what that meant for their future together. He didn’t care if Izuku became quirkless again; he just wanted Izuku to stay by his side. 

Months of self-reflection and mandated therapy helped him (begrudgingly) see the truth; he wanted Izuku as a partner, not just in the hero sense. No matter what form of Izuku he got, Katsuki would be there, pushing him to be better and pulling him along whenever he needed a pick-me-up. It was his second nature now to chase the nerd wherever he went, because Izuku had his heart. 

Except they were in a tentative part of their life. Katsuki’s arm was still recovering, not strong enough for him to feel confident in making any plans for an agency after school. Izuku was dealing with the slow decline of One For All, and the grief Katsuki knew he wasn’t ready to process. They had class, training, internships, and the normal stress of becoming a hero outside of the war’s trauma. Adding romance into the mix was probably a recipe for disaster between them. The last thing he wanted was to lose Izuku because he was too impatient to wait for the right moment. 

So, no matter how badly he wanted to snag the messy curls and yank the chapped lips to his own, Katsuki shoved his hands into his pockets and scoffed. “Morning, Nerd.”

“Are you helping Mineta and Kaminari with the decorations?” Izuku asked, rocking on his heels with a small smile Katsuki knew was uniquely for him. 

“You really think I’d hang any of this shit?” Playing up the annoyance he rarely felt around Izuku anymore, Katsuki rolled his eyes. “As if I’d ever use such tacky stuff.”

“I remember auntie always having the coolest designs for your house during Christmas,” Izuku said, stepping so close, he tilted his head up to keep their eye contact. The intimacy of their dynamic reeked from the proximity, Katsuki knowing anyone else lingering that close would get a shove and a threat. But Izuku fit in his space like a glove he wanted to wear, even if it wasn’t the right weather yet. 

“Nothing made her happier than beating the neighbors.” 

“A Bakugo being competitive?” Izuku could barely hide his smile when he pretended to look surprised. “I’d never expect that.” 

“Oi!” He caved into impulse and reached down to ruffle Izuku’s hair, causing the other to laugh and half-heartedly try to bat away the ‘attack’. “Since when did you become a sarcastic shithead? Do I gotta wash your damn mouth out with soap?”

“We’ll probably get in trouble with Aizawa for flooding the bathroom,” Izuku argued, head butting into his palm when he looked up with pure joy over the playful banter. Katsuki’s heart slammed into his ribcage from the sudden uptick, realizing he was practically cradling the nerd’s head from the new position. If Mina, Ochaco, or one of the other nosey girls came across them, they’d probably claim they were flirting. But, like he always knew, Izuku was a nerd who didn’t pick up on romantic cues.

He blushed whenever Katsuki praised his improvement in training or acing one of Aizawa’s tests. Sometimes, Izuku looked at him with the same awe he did as kids, or when they’d watch All Might fight villains on the news. However, Izuku was a hero fanboy (despite being one himself), and he could gush about several of their classmates if caught on the right day. Kirishima argued it was different when the nerd rambled about Katsuki, but his friend had always rooted for them to ‘get together’. The bias opinion, like his own heart, wasn’t helpful understanding how much awareness Izuku had over their shifting dynamic. 

Like now, as Izuku leaned into his touch without any hint of embarrassment. “So, there’s… nothing you like? About the decorations?” 

“Maybe if they weren’t all lopsided.” Katsuki glanced around the common room, critiques spilling off his tongue. “There’s no reason to drape that cheap garland over the fireplace, unless the idiots want to burn this place down. We’ll need some more lights for the tree, since the dumbasses used them all over the kitchen. And there’s about ten too many mistletoes in this place.” 

“M-Mistletoe?” 

“You didn’t notice?” Izuku’s bashful shrug forced Katsuki to rub the bridge of his nose, knowing it was too early to have a growing headache. “Yeah, Spark Plug and Grape Head have been covering the place with the shitty plant. It’s their ridiculous plan to get laid or something. I think we’re gonna end up with the hobo forcing us to go through a sexual harassment lecture. Again .” 

“Ah, well, isn’t the tradition just a kiss?” Katsuki nodded, then opened his eyes again at Izuku’s sheepish laugh. “I’ve actually never seen a mistletoe kiss in person. Movies make it seem so rewarding.”

“Hah?” At the strange response, Katsuki scrunched his nose. “What’s sweet about creeps tricking people under some dead plant so they can force them into a kiss they were too lame to get on their own?”

“Okay, when you put it like that, it doesn’t really hold the holiday magic.” Izuku’s moment of doubt quickly washed away when he leaned closer to Katsuki, hope sparking with his quieter question. “But with the right person, it can be… kind of romantic, right?”

Like the backstabber it was, his mind flashed an image he hadn’t prepared for. When speaking to Denki and Mineta, he could only think of their negligent way of using the tradition for their perverted means. But when Izuku asked his sweeter question, the freckled face popped into his mind. Katsuki wondered what would happen if they stumbled into the unique situation. Would Izuku quickly shut down the custom, not be able to look Katsuki in the eye? Or, if they were offered a free chance to act on the unspoken dynamic, would they…

Suddenly flushed, Katsuki slammed the thought back under lock and key. “H-How the hell would I know, nerd? You think I’ve tried kissing someone like that before?”

“No, I just–if you did–”

Before Izuku could finish his thought, Ochaco’s loud shout from the kitchen cut him off. “Bakugo, where are you?”

“Oi, stop yelling so early in the morning!” Katsuki barked out, glaring when the noisy woman turned her head toward him. 

“Jirou said you were going to help her out with our math homework before class. Can you look over mine, too? I never get inverted fractions right.” 

“What do I look like, a damn nerdy tutor?” When his snarky answer didn’t change her pleading face, Katsuki huffed out his annoyance. “I’m giving you and Ears five minutes of my time, and then I’m done.”

“Thank you. See you in class!” With a far too cheerful wave so early in the morning, Ochaco quickly scampered out of the conversation. 

“That was nice of you,” Izuku said, and Katsuki looked away from the familiar fondness to keep his ears from burning.

“Shut up and get moving; I can’t wait to see Caterpillar’s shame when he catches you in that ugly sweatshirt.”

And if they walked to class a little too close for friends, neither said a word.

~**~

Though Aizawa gave Izuku a look that reeked of judgment, the lack of harsh words proved that the old man really did play favorites, no matter what he claimed. Despite the awful attire, Katsuki still sat with Izuku during lunch, a part of their new norm that he refused to give up. He let the nerd ramble between classes about some quirk documentary he had watched the night before, and only forced the hideous clothing off Izuku when they went to after school training. Despite One For All having an eventual ending point, it still burned brightly during their spar, and Katsuki’s shoulders felt lighter on the walk back to the dorm. 

“When did you learn that new kick? Did you pick it up from Tenya? Oh, wait, or maybe Mirko? I can’t wait to try that tomorrow!” Izuku’s excited rambling as they walked hadn’t slowed since they left the training area. Katsuki barely answered, tossing out a grunt or one-worded response whenever Izuku needed to take a breath. Despite hating when most of the extras went on long tangents, he never tired of hearing Izuku’s thoughts spilling out.

 “If you can,” he taunted when reaching the door, smirking at Izuku’s pout before opening the door. He didn’t acknowledge the romantic implication when letting Izuku go first, though noticed Izuku’s face grew a little pink as he mumbled his thanks. Katsuki’s moment of victory quickly died when Izuku was halted mid-way through by a bulkier body. 

“Whoops!” Kirishima grabbed Izuku’s shoulder to keep them both upright, offering a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that, Midobro. Should have looked where I was going, but something Hanta said distracted me.”

“You good?” Hanta asked, peeking from just outside of the doorway.

“I’m okay!” Then, Izuku laughed, and Katsuki knew a dorky joke was coming from the twitch of his smile. “Guess it’s a good thing Kirishima didn’t have his quirk going, huh?” 

“Aw, I’m sure you’d be able to take it. You’re a strong little dude.” Katsuki scowled when Kirishima leaned down to ruffle Izuku’s hair, his hand twitching without permission by his side. “You gotta be, if you can handle Bakubro.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, though Hanta cut in before Kirishima could finish his thought.

“Uh oh. Looks like Denki and Mineta got their first victims.” 

“Hah?” Katsuki glanced up to where Hanta pointed, his stomach going sour when seeing mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. He wasn’t sure how the idiots even got it up there; he doubted Ochaco would assist in their trap, and it was too high for even the ladders to reach. Who would they have asked to dangle it over the entrance?

“Oh.” Izuku’s laugh missed a beat after his whispered response, lip pulled between his teeth nervously. “That’s a… thing.” 

“Hey, don’t sweat it!” Kirishima’s quick glance to Katsuki reminded him of the ‘secret’ he’d told their classmate months ago, when he was feeling insecure about his scars and Izuku finding them unattractive. He knew others were aware of the growing dynamic between him and Izuku, but Kirishima was the only friend he’d confessed to. That information seemed to bubble up when the bulky man held his hands up in innocence. “I know Mina wouldn’t care, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Consent is important, even between bros.” 

“You’re not fucking him,” Hanta said with a snicker, elbowing Kirishima’s side with his very annoying grin. “And it’s tradition; you two can’t disrespect the spirit of Christmas by not following tradition.” 

“Flat Face, if you don’t shut the fuck up–”

Before Katsuki could finish his threat, Izuku quickly cut in. “I-It’s fine!” 

Then Izuku stepped forward, and Katsuki’s teeth clenched together when the nerd’s lips met Kirishima’s cheek. It wasn’t anything beyond a friendly peck, and from how high Kirishima held his arms over his head, nobody could mistake it for a romantic exchange. Katsuki might have even appreciated how much dedication Kirishima was making if not for the lead settling in his stomach. Annoyed at himself for being jealous over a cheek kiss that lasted only a second, Katsuki looked away, shoving both Izuku and Kirishima out of the doorway before he stormed through it.

“Kacchan, wait–!” 

He ignored Izuku’s request when moving through the dorm, not acknowledging any of his classmates. His mind was set on getting the hell away from everyone, shutting himself in his room like he did as a brat. It was pathetic, his pride shouting at him to grow up and manage his feelings like an adult. How could he look death in the face and handle it better than some stupid exchange forced by the ugliest plant in the universe?

Katsuki ignored his phone for the rest of the night, knowing the consistent vibrations were from Izuku and Kirishima. The latter would be begging for forgiveness that he didn’t need to request, since he’d done nothing wrong. The former, probably too oblivious as to why Katsuki wanted to stay a curled ball on his bed, would want to work on homework together. It was another new routine in their lives, something Katsuki normally enjoyed. Tonight, he stared at Present Mic’s stupid assignment alone, pretending his mind didn’t scramble after every noise from the device across the room. 

The hope that going to sleep early would fix his bad mood went down the drain when he realized his brain refused to shut off. Logically, there was nothing to think about; Kirishima was affectionate, sure, but the idiot only had eyes for Mina. In the years they’d all been classmates, Izuku had never picked Kirishima for any school projects or asked to hang out with him without Katsuki. Nothing about their friendship hinted at anything beyond classmates that resembled over-loving dogs. 

They have a lot in common , his ugly side thought, the night fueling more negativity than normal. Don’t have any of that shitty trauma, either. Wouldn’t have to work through old demons and all the other bullshit I have with Izuku. 

It bugged him how, outside of the fact he was head over heels for Izuku, Katsuki recognized Kirishima and Izuku weren’t the worst duo in history. Even if he’d never say it to either of their faces, he could see their positive similarities. Both were optimistic, empathetic, and could make a partner happy. Somewhere, buried in the deepest part of his heart, he knew Kirishima and Mina were gonna stick together long after graduation. There wasn’t anyone who could handle either weirdo better. But if they were in a different universe, would it be that unreasonable to witness Izuku and Kirishima as a couple? It was probably a lot easier to imagine them working out over…

I ain’t like Shitty Hair at all. Was his final miserable thought before he forced his brain to shut off to sleep.

The next morning, Katsuki woke up with a headache and fatigue clinging to the back of his eyes. Forcing himself out of bed took more effort than fighting All For One. He had never missed class before, but the temptation lingered while he yanked on his blazer and pushed from his room. The only reason he didn’t chalk the day up as a wash was the hunger coiling in his stomach, reminding him he had skipped dinner the night before. Even if he was having a romantic, existential crisis, he refused to let his health suffer.

But any thought of food and nutrition shot out the window when seeing Shinso bending over to place a kiss on Izuku’s forehead. “What the fuck?”

“Ka-Kacchan!” Like a magnet, Izuku’s head whipped away from the soft interaction, turning to Katsuki. Relief filled his expression as he abandoned Shinso, quick to cross the open kitchen and flutter around Katsuki. “There you are! I was waiting– I mean, you didn’t answer any of my messages last night. Is your phone broken?”

Though his heart warmed over the concern, he had bigger problems to address. “Why the fuck were you and Eyebags making out?” 

“Mak-Making…huh?” Izuku’s mouth dropped open in surprise, as if he hadn’t been practically pressed into the quiet man’s chest during their kitchen cuddling. The frustrating thought curled his fingers into a fist, though he shoved it into his pocket when he glared over Izuku’s frantic mumbling at the exhausted man watching them.

“Nice to see you too, Bakugo.” Even his tone lacked energy, his arm sluggish when he lifted a finger toward the ceiling. “And it wasn’t anything romantic.” 

Sure enough, when Katsuki looked, a piece of mistletoe swung around the slowly moving fan on the ceiling. Anger boiled inside him as it mocked him in its rotation, and he threw out his hand over Izuku’s head to blast the stupid plant out of existence. 

“Kacchan!” 

“I’m not having that shit in my kitchen,” he snarked back, glaring down at the pout Izuku wore. “Out of all of you idiots, I’m the one in this kitchen the most. The last thing I’m gonna have is some stupid plant hanging over me like a damn omen.”

“Oh.” Izuku’s face lost its spark when his shoulders slumped, and Katsuki hated the sudden hesitance that rarely showed itself in their conversations anymore. Katsuki had never seen a sad bunny before, but Izuku embodied it without effort. “You… you really don’t like mistletoe? At all?” 

Izuku’s deflation made Katsuki freeze, unsure how to answer without lying or souring the other’s mood more. Shinso’s scoff and quiet mutter of ‘idiot’ didn’t help the situation. 

“Not in the damn kitchen, Nerd,” he finally said, weaving his words through the current tension without giving away how down bad he was for the hopeful eyes watching. “If you want to toss your weird plants in places that I’m not messing with fire and sharp objects, then… whatever. Guess it’s fine.”

He wondered if Izuku noticed the flush from his excitement. “Thanks, Kacchan.”

“Don’t act like I’m a part of this!” But when Izuku smiled at him, with the unique tilt of his lips that Katsuki knew was only for him, his heart begged to smother the nerd with affection. Forcing his arms to stay still by his sides, Katsuki rolled his eyes, moving around Izuku to use a different method to express his unspoken love. “You eat? I’m not training with you later if you skipped breakfast.” 

“Ah, not yet. Can we have omelets?” Izuku forgot personal space when he chased after Katsuki, chest bumping the back of his bicep. Katsuki groaned, reaching over to flick on the speaker connected to his phone. If he was making actual breakfast, he needed music.

As an old Christmas song popped on, he moved to collect a pan. “Ugh, you’re so annoying.” 

But, just like Katsuki knew how to read Izuku like a book, the other was an expert, too. “Thank you. Oh, Shinso! You’ve got to try Kacchan’s omelets. He’s the best!” 

“Really now?” Katsuki knew Shinso understood the offer wasn’t for both of them, but the sneaky bastard only smirked when leaning his hip against the opposite counter. “Can mine have cheese, chef?”

“I’ll fucking give you something …” Katsuki muttered, though most of his annoyance melted when Izuku laughed and leaned more against him. 

If wasting his time making the prick breakfast earned him that pleasant noise, maybe it was worth it. 

~**~

“This thing’s scrawnier than Sparkplug.” 

Katsuki scowled as he scanned the skimpy tree, hands pressed on his hips. Maybe he had been spoiled as a kid with his mother’s picky nature, but the tree offered to the students was seriously lacking. He would have to design a masterpiece to mask the holes and missing pines he never had to deal with from a Bakugo family tree. Then again, with the heathens he lived with, maybe the teachers knew not to waste their money on something that might not last a week. 

“I take offense to that,” Denki said, one cheek full of the popcorn he was supposed to be stringing together for the tree.

“Stop eating the decorations!” He barked at the dazed idiot staring at him, then sent his irritated glare toward the other moron laying in a mess of blinking lights. “And what the hell are you even doing? They’re more tangled than when I threw them at you, Tape Face.”

“I’m trying to figure out what pattern looks the coolest.” 

“Or you both got high with Jirou,” Kirishima said, laughing from where he stood holding the ladder. 

Mina giggled from the highest rung while she fluffed the garland along the smaller branches at the top of the tree. “If so, they're gonna be useless for the next hour.” 

“When aren't they?” Katsuki asked, narrowing his eyes at her work before he scoffed. “Don’t put the red next to the blue. Put the silver between them.” 

Denki didn’t bother to close his mouth, half-filled with chewed kernels, when he spoke. “Who knew Bakugo loved decorating Christmas trees?” 

“It’s cause he gets a hard-on over ordering people around.” Hanta’s mouth had zero filter when he was stoned, which was why Katsuki usually steered clear of him after getting a whiff of the smoke clinging to his clothes. “That shit’s practically foreplay to him and Midoriya.” 

“Could you shout that shit a little louder?” Katsuki asked, trying to remind himself why murdering Hanta would be a bad thing for his hero path. “I don’t think the other side of Japan heard you.” 

“Bakubabe, don’t be so mean to him. You know his brain’s mushy like ramen when he smokes.”

Katsuki looked at Mina, though his eyes didn’t focus on the stupid nose scrunch or her tongue peeking out from her lips while fixing the previously mentioned garland. His stare stuck on the headband she wore, and the tacky mistletoe she had glued on to the accessory. It didn’t make sense to him, because Mina and Kirishima were dating . Why the hell would she want to kiss anyone but her dumb boyfriend? Then again, the two were far too forthcoming with affection for their friends, and Mina loved kissing anyone that made her happy. Cheeks, foreheads, noses and even chins weren’t safe with the mischievous woman around. The more he thought about it, Mina wearing the stupid headband with the hanging plant made annoying sense.

“There.” She cheered when she finished, shoving back with more force than Katsuki though she needed to look at him. “How’s that for the perfect tree–”

“Hey, be careful!” Kirishima shouted a second too late; the unexpected shift of the weight meant he hadn’t braced the bottom of the ladder, and it tilted too far to the side for him to correct in time. Katsuki swore when Mina yelped before she fell off the top, but before he could rush to catch her, a flash of green flickered through the common room. Izuku appeared like magic, jumping over the couch to catch the falling girl before she slammed into the ground. His socked feet slid a few inches when he touched the ground, though he still managed to stick the landing perfectly. 

“Woah,” Hanta said, then laughed from the absurdity (or because he was high, both were plausible). “Nice catch!”

“Are you okay?” Izuku asked Mina, who looked up from the bridal carry with a dumbly awestruck look on her face. 

“Tch.” Unwilling to admit how warm his stomach was from the blatant display of quirk control, Katsuki crossed his arms. “Show off.” 

Izuku peeked up to give him a sheepish shrug, but Mina’s loud cry and hands cupping his round cheeks cut off their moment. “My hero!”

Then, with the stupid plant smashing into Izuku’s forehead, Mina leaned up and popped a kiss onto Izuku’s nose. She exaggerated the smack of her lips with a ‘mwah’ after, her pink lipstick leaving smears on his paler skin. The butterflies from before quickly shriveled up at the exchange, Izuku’s smile lacking any shyness over her blatant display of affection. 

“I like your headband,” he said instead, then stepped over to hand the giggling girl back to her boyfriend. Not seeming to mind the princess treatment, Mina snuggled into Kirishima’s chest before she grabbed the back of his head and pressed her lips to his smile. It was clear as day the difference of intent between the two kisses, Kirishima closing his eyes before returning her love. 

“Gross,” he muttered under his breath, nose crinkled with his fake disgust. Without reason, his attention drifted from the couple his friends were wolf-whistling over, finding his favorite thing to look at. Izuku’s fondness while watching the couple danced over every freckle, but the hint of something darker peppered the edge of his smile. Longing, a desire that the kindest of humans couldn’t hide, seeped into the green gaze. Like he was envisioning himself in the same position, with a phantom lover in his head. 

Then, as if summoned by his pining, Izuku’s attention flickered to him. Surprise over Katsuki’s already focused stare melted into other emotions that he was hesitant to trust. Izuku wasn’t shy around him, years of struggle and embarrassment washing away their shiny polish. But the bashful hope didn’t feel the same, more a siren’s call to lure Katsuki closer. What the result would be if he caved into the urge and let his impulses win, he wasn’t sure. Maybe, from how Izuku’s face started to darken with their prolonged eye-contact, he had ideas of his own. 

Well, he thought, his brain going down a strange track despite being in the common room with their friends. The nerd’s brain is the best part about him. Bet he’s got lots of ideas for… stuff. 

If love made him dumber than a high version of Hanta, he wasn’t sure what’d happen if he actually dated Izuku. 

“Oh, wow!” Toru’s excited voice broke through their moment, and Katsuki slowly turned from Izuku’s full attention to look at the others entering the common room. The invisible girl’s skirt swished next to Tsu. “That’s so pretty!” 

Tsu tapped the side of her mouth, tilting her head as she glanced between their classmates. “Do you need any help?”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” Izuku moved over to guide Hanta out of the lights he had somehow wrapped around his neck. “We’re supposed to have a movie night in an hour; we could surprise the others with the set-up.” 

“Momo and Sato are working on the gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate right now,” Tsu said, and the group hummed at the pleasant information. Everyone enjoyed their sweet treats, and Katsuki doubted any of the idiots would miss out on the late-night event. 

“Then let’s get to work.” Mina, finally detaching herself from Kirishima’s dopey smile, shouted her battle cry. “For the gingerbread!”

The cheers and laughter that followed made Katsuki groan, unsure how any of them were considered heroes. How had these idiots helped save the world against the biggest villain in history? But while he stood back and watched everyone rush into the Christmas spirit, working to finish the tree with terrible ideas he would have to fix later, Katsuki felt his shoulders relax. They were dumb, kinda childish for eighteen-year-olds, and had way too many strange behaviors to blame on their trauma. But they were alive , and that thought made it a little easier to breathe.

After an hour of working on the decorations, which had drawn every missing member of the class in to help, blankets and pillows were spilled all across the common room. People were laying over each other in pig piles that Katsuki doubted actually felt comfortable, but nobody complained when latching onto their friends to share warmth from the wintry chill. The night through the window was almost too dark to see the snow falling, and he wondered if Todoroki had used his quirk to create ambiance for the movie night.

With everyone distracted getting settled for the film, Katsuki planned to sneak back to his room to avoid the corny holiday movie. But before he could escape, Izuku’s idiots were in front of him like a prison wall. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ochaco asked, and he tried to imagine how the bold woman in front of him came from the mousey girl of his first year.

“To my room. Got a problem with that?”

Tenya cleared his throat, pushing his glasses up as he spoke. “I would request that you participate in our class event.” 

“It’s a fucking movie,” he answered flatly, unsure why Izuku’s friends were so adamant about him joining on the social gathering. He’d missed plenty of them throughout the years without anyone saying a peep. 

But Shoto’s blank face acted like Katsuki just threatened to spit in his soba. “A movie we were told to select for you.” 

“For me? Who the hell would–” Katsuki’s mouth snapped shut before his brain caught up with him, head turning to track down his childhood friend. It wasn’t hard to find him; Izuku sat on the love seat across the room, an empty space and far too many blankets for him to use by his side. Caught watching them, Izuku’s eyes went wide before he ducked his head, pretending to be focused on whatever Tokoyami and Shoji were discussing on the floor. 

The behavior wasn’t exactly strange, since Izuku was a stalker by nature. What caught his attention was the mugs sitting on the coffee table in front of Izuku’s couch. Not one, but two, as if waiting for someone else to join him. One of the hot chocolates was piled with far too many marshmallows, making Katsuki’s teeth ache. He enjoyed sweet treats, despite what others thought, but even that was too much for him. Just looking at the monstrosity made him want to schedule a dentist appointment. When he looked at the other mug, it didn’t have the normal whipped cream or chocolate shavings most people would request. Instead, even from his distance away, he could see the reddish spice floating on the top and clinging to the ceramic sides of the cup. 

Cinnamon. Katsuki’s favorite seasoning for hot chocolate.

Still staring at the mug, Katsuki tilted his head back to acknowledge the extras behind him. “What movie?”

“ A Year Without a Santa Claus .” 

Tsu’s answer proved what his mind already knew; Izuku had asked to watch Katsuki’s favorite childhood holiday movie. He really loved the biggest dork in the universe, if this was his way of flirting. The confirmation rattled something inside of him, bringing him back to that wonder he felt on the stairs when watching his parents dance around together. Something so small shouldn’t have rocked him with the same intensity as Shigaraki’s hit against his heart. Even if he hadn’t known his feelings before, he would bet Edgeshot’s repaired heart that the moment would solidify it for him. 

But he wasn’t letting any of Izuku’s lame squad know how important the information was. “Ugh, fine. If it will get you weirdos off my back, I’ll watch the damn movie.” 

“Great!” Ochaco’s cheer made him quickly spin away from the smiling group, ignoring their knowing looks to move across the room. He didn’t let himself think twice about mowing his way through the bodies on the ground, uncaring if he kicked Denki on the way to the couch. He didn’t look at Izuku when he plopped onto the sofa, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest while staring down at the untouched hot chocolate. Even without picking up his head, he could feel Izuku’s focus drilling a hole in the side of his face.

“That movie? Really?” He asked, knowing he didn’t need to explain himself. 

“Well, they really wanted everyone here, and I know you don’t like most Christmas-themed films, so…”

“Tch.” Finally, he leaned forward to grab his mug, waiting until the ceramic pressed to his lips before he looked at Izuku’s worried face. “No matter how old we get, you’re still a little stalker.”

“It’s not like that!” When Katsuki arched his brow and wiggled the cinnamon-dusted beverage, Izuku grimaced and waved one hand as if to dismiss the evidence. “I just k-know a lot about Kacchan because of our childhood.” 

“What, you write all my Christmas facts in one of your notebooks? Gonna publish them when I get to number one before you?”

“I wouldn’t do something so mean–and who said you’ll get there first?”

“If you keep shoving your face with gingerbread cookies, I will.” Hooking his mug’s handle around one palm, he reached over to poke Izuku’s side. “You’ll lose your muscle, and then I’ll destroy you.” 

“That tickles,” Izuku said, trying to squirm away when Katsuki only spread his fingers and shoved them under the loose sleep shirt. “No, please, Kacchan!” 

“See what I mean? Already losing your touch.”

“I-I’ll spill my cocoa!” 

“No mercy on villains, Deku .” He snickered when his small brush of fingertips on the underside of Izuku’s armpit made him shriek and jerk back, the mentioned drink spilling over his hand. Finally, he relented, though didn’t move when the playful banter ended with him leaning against Izuku’s side. 

Izuku didn’t pull away, sucking in a few deep breaths he lost during the ‘attack’ before he turned to peek over his shoulder at Katsuki. “Does it bother you?”

“What?” He asked, tilting his head to the side when Izuku winced and looked back to the cocoa dripping from his hand. 

“That I still try to know everything about you?” The openness about his low-key obsession threw Katsuki off. How did Izuku get flustered about a compliment, yet could make such a brazen comment without any embarrassment? “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to really stop learning things I care about, but if it makes you uncomfortable–” 

“Oi, don’t put words in my mouth.” He tugged Izuku’s ear, cutting off his rambling before he got too far in his own head. “Just cause I point something out doesn’t mean I hate it.” 

Izuku didn’t wince at the pain, caught off guard with a new thought. “So does that mean Kacchan’s also fine with me… using my knowledge to do nice things for him?”

“Like the movie and shit?” After Izuku nodded, Katsuki hesitated, trying to keep his shrug casual to ignore the racing of his head. “Guess it ain’t that bad. But don’t try to go easy on me in training or anything, because that’ll piss me off.”

“Right.” Izuku practically beamed at the clarification, then rushed to his feet while holding up his wet hand. “I should probably wash this off before the movie starts. Are you… would you want to sit with me during the movie?”

“Somebody’s gotta take one for the team and listen to your commentary about the claymation and lyrics.” 

“I promise I won’t cry during Blue Christmas.” The memory of a smaller Izuku bawling over the ‘sad moment’ played in his head, and he couldn’t hide the quirk of his lips in unspoken fondness. Izuku wouldn’t stop crying until Katsuki held his hand and promised he’d never be alone for Christmas. If that played a part in why he made Izuku watch the film every year before they lost touch, he would never say. 

“Stop dripping everywhere.” He kicked Izuku’s heel for emphasis, and the nerd laughed before using float to hop over the group on the floor between the couch and kitchen. With a spark of cockiness, Izuku kept eye contact with Katsuki when he landed on the other side, walking backwards toward the kitchen. 

Which meant he didn’t notice Todoroki’s sudden appearance in the doorway, both men slamming into each other without fail. 

“Oh.” Todoroki blinked and looked down at Izuku’s quickly turning frame, Katsuki rolling his eyes at the confused look. “Is this a new style of training?”

“Ah, sorry!” Izuku bowed to Todoroki, then waved his sticky hand at his friend. “I was trying to clean up before the movie and I…got distracted, I guess.” 

“Which was why you were walking backwards.”

“Yes, exactly!”

“I see. Then I apologize for not announcing my arrival in the doorway.” Todoroki nodded, and Katsuki wondered how someone that was comparable to himself and Izuku in skill was still such an idiot. 

Before he could shout at them to stop wasting time (as he wanted to make up for his terrible sleep the night before), Jirou let out a low whistle. “Hey, boys? You better look above you.” 

“No fucking way.” 

Katsuki didn’t need to follow the order to know why the class started to snicker and cat-call. The scene was becoming all too familiar, especially with Izuku and people that weren’t him. His fist clenched on his thigh as he watched Izuku stare up at the ugly plant for a few seconds, an unreadable look on his face. Lashes fluttered closed before Izuku shook his head, turning his soft (but lacking) smile at Todoroki. 

“Sorry about you getting caught under it with me,” he said, like kissing him was some sort of burden. Katsuki’s leg twitched, heel digging into the ground with the urge to push out of his seat. His hands nearly smoked from his growing emotion, though everyone’s attention was on the two men standing beneath the mistletoe. 

Todoroki didn’t notice his ire, stepping up to collect the clean hand by Izuku’s side. “It’s not a problem at all. The tradition requires a kiss, right?”

Then, like he came from the cheesiest romantic comedy, Todoroki raised the scarred hand to his mouth, pressing a quiet kiss against the back of it. Katsuki could hear the girls in the class swoon at the display, while groans from some of the guys contrasted the moment. The only reaction Katsuki cared about was Izuku, whose wide eyes and parted lips proved he wasn’t impervious to Todoroki’s oblivious charm. Katsuki’s stomach caved in on itself, unsure how to take the new information.

“Man, Shoto makes it impossible,” Denki said, flopping over Jirou’s lap on the floor while he groaned. “Everyone else is gonna look like chopped liver compared to him. I’m not even into guys and I want to get my hand kissed by him.” 

“There’s a reason all the underclassmen are always talking about him,” Shoji replied, carrying several cups of hot chocolate to share with the various classmates in the common room. 

And just like Kirishima, Katsuki could see it; how Todoroki could complement Izuku’s personality. Except Izuku did enjoy hanging out with Todoroki alone, and they’d grown close over the years. Sure, he had begrudgingly accepted a friendship with Todoroki as well. Fighting by his side almost as much as Izuku forced his hand. But he also knew how deeply Todoroki cared for his friends. His loyalty to Izuku far exceeded simple classmates. And though he had his own family trauma, Katsuki could see the scars of the elemental user lightning around him. Todoroki was healing, and there was no doubt the man had learned from his past how to maintain a healthy relationship.

Izuku deserved an excellent partner. Maybe better than–

“Kacchan?” Izuku had returned while he was lost in thought, hands cleaned of the cocoa that caused the entire incident. For a ridiculous moment of bitterness, he wondered if Izuku avoided cleaning his other hand. “Are you okay? The movie’s about to start.” 

“I’m fucking fine,” he snapped back, harsher than he’d been in months. When Izuku flinched like he hadn’t expected the rare bite to his words, Katsuki held in his wince, glancing at the television when Momo dimmed the lights. 

He knew his mood radiated off his skin throughout the movie. While the nostalgia of watching the long-memorized plot of the holiday film tickled his chest, Katsuki’s heart couldn’t focus. Izuku, to his credit, tried to keep the ambiance before the kiss, erasing the distance between them to engage in his normal commentary about the movie. With their thighs pressed against each other, and the soft voice caressing his ear in the darkened room, Katsuki wanted to enjoy their private moment together. But each time he relaxed into Izuku’s obvious attention, the flashes of different kisses shared with their classmates plagued his mind. He had no right to be cold and shut off from Izuku over the platonic displays, but when did his heart ever make logical sense?

The effect on Izuku’s dwindling smile and weaker comments dug into his skin. It was just another reminder for him not to chase anything romantic between them for now.

When the movie ended, and everyone excitedly chirped about their favorite parts of the film, Katsuki quickly shoved off the loveseat and escaped from the common room. Thankfully, nobody questioned it, knowing his dedication to his strict sleep schedule. He went through his nighttime routine with sharper movements than normal, slamming his drawers and yanking the blankets over his head to force himself to sleep. His eyes squeezed tightly in the darkness, needing a reset on what felt like an ongoing nightmare. 

Except, just like the night before, sleep didn’t come easy. He wasn’t sure how many minutes ticked by without being able to pass out. His body ached for it, knowing he’d really suffer if he went another day without his needed rest. But like the world wanted him to finally snap, his fatigue didn’t entice his brain enough to shut down. Growling, Katsuki kicked his comforter away, shoving off the bed and dropping his feet onto the chilly floor. Goosebumps covered his arms from the cold air of the hallway, but Katsuki ignored it to walk through the eerily quiet dorms. He was going to chug some water, wash his face, and stop thinking about—

When he stepped into the kitchen, Katsuki froze, unsure what he was witnessing. He had expected an empty space for him to wallow in his misery, not to see a gremlin on top of the counter. The All Might sleepwear was a dead giveaway to who was currently leaning toward the ceiling fan, nobody but Izuku shameless enough to wear his fanboy status. What really threw him off was what was in his hand; mistletoe hung off a string Izuku looked to be trying to hook over the fan blade.

“What the hell?” 

“Ah.” Izuku stared at him, hands stilling their movements like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar. For a moment, neither spoke, as if time trapped them both in its grasp. His brows furrowed, knowing what he was seeing but not processing it. None of it made sense. Why would Izuku, out of everyone, be adding more mistletoe in the dorm? And out of all the places, why had the nerd picked the one location Katsuki had banned? What was he trying to do, other than piss Katsuki off?

As if reading his thoughts, Izuku’s face flushed in the dim light of the kitchen. Panic taking over, the nerd seemed to forget where he was, shouting when his weight toppled off the counter and onto the floor. Dumbstruck by the stupid display, Katsuki blinked before he scoffed, finally kick-starting his body into action. He walked across the frigid floor to lean over the splayed out man, hands casually curling onto the hips he cocked to the side.

“Smooth move, Deku,” he said, shaking his head. “Did you forget you have a quirk that literally makes you float?”

“That’s…possible,” Izuku admitted, looking far too idiotic for someone who struck fear in All For One. Sighing over the pathetic man who held his heart, Katsuki reached down, holding his hand out to pull Izuku back onto his feet. 

“Thanks.” Despite being steady, Izuku didn’t pull his hand back, their thumbs awkwardly hooked together between their close chests. “Um, Kacchan? What are you doing up?”

“Could ask you the same thing, Nerd.”

Izuku ignored the attempt to avoid the topic, worry leaning him closer to Katsuki. “Are you having nightmares again? You looked like you didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night, either. If we need to check in with your therapist—”

“Oi.” Annoyed at Izuku’s fretting over an imaginary problem, he flicked his head, then finally shook the rough hand off his to move to the refrigerator. Snagging two water bottles from the bottom shelf, he yanked the top of his with his teeth while shoving the other into Izuku’s chest. He spit out the cap, waiting until the nerd accepted the offering with a quiet thanks before he spoke. “I told you I’d be honest with you if they came back, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” Picking at the water bottle’s label, Izuku chewed on his lower lip while leaning against the counter. “I can’t help but worry about you.”

“What else is new?” When Izuku didn’t respond, only lowering his lashes to stare at the floor, Katsuki took a swig of the cool water and sighed. “So, you wanna tell me why you’re being a creepy decorating elf in the middle of the night?”

“It wasn’t creepy.” The blush catching the curve of Izuku’s cheek proved he didn’t fully believe his protest. “And I needed to do something with my energy.”

“So you decided to deliberately piss me off?”

“No it was—” Izuku cut himself off, the bottle crinkling from the tightened grip around it. 

The late hour and lack of sleep made Katsuki antsy. “Was what?”

“I guess I was hoping it’d make you come talk to me. During the movie, it felt like you didn’t want to be anywhere near me. And you left right after, so I couldn’t ask!” Finally, Izuku looked up at him, too much honesty in his expression. “Whenever I think Kacchan’s mad at me, I… I don’t feel right.”

“I never said I was mad—”

“But you were.” As if offended Katsuki tried to downplay his assessment, Izuku shook his head. “I know you, better than I know myself. Sure, I don’t always understand , but I still know you. And you’ve been off since yesterday.” 

Stuck in another situation where he needed to straddle the sensitive line of a truth and a lie, Katsuki tried to redirect the conversation. “What does that have to do with you fucking with my fan again? I told you I don’t want that shit in the kitchen.”

“Well, that’s cause…” For all of Izuku’s blabbering about ‘knowing’ Katsuki, the same applied in the reverse. The nervous tapping of fingers against the water bottle and Izuku’s shoulders hiking up near his ears were neon signs for him hiding something. Disliking secrets between them, Katsuki dropped his half-drained water on the counter before he stormed across the kitchen. His hands dropped on the counter behind Izuku, trapping him like an avoidant mouse. 

“If you don’t start talking, I’m gonna bury your head in the snow outside,” he threatened, and Izuku curled even deeper on himself with a squeak.

“But then I’ll get sick, and Aizawa will get mad—”

“I’ll get him a new sleeping-bag and he’ll forget all about you in dreamland.”

“Pretty sure he said we give him nightmares…”

“ We? Don’t drag me into your problematic nature.”

“You’re problem child two!”

“Like I’d ever be number two to you—” Katsuki paused, unsure how they even got into such a pointless argument. Growling, he leaned closer, grabbing his chin to force Izuku to meet his narrowed gaze. “Why did you try putting that shit on the fan again? You trying to make me kiss some stupid extra?”

“No!” Like he couldn’t stomach the thought, Izuku’s mouth suddenly broke the quiet hum of the room, a fierceness backing his words. “I don’t want anyone kissing you but me. That’s why I put up the mistletoe to begin with!”

“What?” Stunned, Katsuki couldn’t get another thought out while watching Izuku turn candy cane red, trying to hide his flush behind the water bottle. 

“No, wait, I didn’t—”

“ You’re the idiot who started this?” 

Suddenly, his thoughts flipped back to the entrance of the dorm. Izuku wouldn’t need a ladder or Ochaco to help him out; he could just float up there and do it himself. And of course Mineta and Denki would keep his identity a secret; despite still not understanding why, Izuku was one of Mineta’s only defenders in the class, and Denki probably thought he was wingman-ing for Katsuki.

Izuku shrugged, a defeated tone picking at his explanation. “I’m not always the best at telling Kacchan how I feel. It’s something I’m working on! But with something so important, I needed to… test the waters, I guess. And then when I heard Mineta and Kaminari talking about their plan, I realized it might be a good way to see if we were at least in the same book. To find out if feelings were… mutual. I knew if you didn’t like me, even if we got stuck under mistletoe, you’d never…you know.”

“So why the hell did you keep kissing other people?” Katsuki asked, wanting to blow up the water bottle that Izuku kept using as a shield between them. 

“Because you were there.” Izuku closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the plastic. “If you saw me turning down others, then you would have thought I wasn’t participating in the tradition. How could I then use it as an excuse only when we were under it? I couldn’t make it that obvious and ruin our friendship if you didn’t think of me like I do… do for you.”

Katsuki scanned the dejected posture of Izuku after his confession, mind pulling up a moment from earlier in the day. Izuku’s fondness when watching Kirishima and Mina wasn’t simply because they were together; he probably was thinking of his own happy ending. Which, if he believed Izuku’s explanation, included him under the ugly plant. Had Izuku been pining in the same pathetic way he had? Did Izuku also hold himself back, not willing to ruin everything they had worked to rebuild together?

Izuku perceived the long stretch of silence negatively, wincing before he looked away again. “It was a stupid plan. I saw how it looked in the movie, and I got fooled into thinking we—but Kacchan told me he didn’t like things like this, so of course it wouldn’t work. I’m sorry, please don’t let this ruin our friendship.”

He hadn’t let a thought anywhere near that cross his mind, but from the tears starting to form in Izuku’s eyes, Katsuki realized how out of sync they were. As he stared at Izuku’s growing sadness, he realized he was at a crossroads. His plan had been to wait, to hold off until their futures were secure and more wounds had fully healed. He wanted to give them both time to spread their wings before facing the real reason they could never stop chasing each other.

But this was a moment that Katsuki couldn’t let slip between their fingers.

“You idiot.” 

He took a step back, noticed how Izuku’s hand jerked forward, as if to stop him from going too far away. But the nerd caught himself and dropped the arm to his side, turning away to push the water bottle onto the counter. Izuku started to spew nonsense regarding an apology and ‘being stupid’, but Katsuki tuned him out to focus on his current mission. He moved to where his speaker sat across the kitchen, easily flicking it on before pulling out his phone. It took one search to find the song he wanted, dropping the phone onto the counter once the gentle Christmas piano entered the air. 

Izuku’s rambling paused at the new noise, slow to turn back toward Katsuki with an awkward hesitance. “Kacchan? What…”

He ignored the question Izuku didn’t fully ask, finishing his plan by stepping in front of the nerd. Slow with his movements, he placed one hand around his hip, the other brushing down Izuku’s arm to capture his hand. Unlike before, he linked their fingers together, using the connection to pull him against his chest. The confusion radiated off the nerd when Izuku finally looked up at him, but he didn’t fight the silent direction. Because, like the idiot he was, Izuku always trusted Katsuki to take care of him. Fueled by the intimate revelation, Katsuki forced himself to breathe when he led them to move to the slow tempo. 

Unlike his parents, their movements weren’t fluid, teenage anxiety and lack of practice leaving both of them fumbling in the dance. But even with the sloppy swings of their body that no respectable hero would admire, Katsuki couldn’t stop watching Izuku’s teary eyes go dry with hopeful wonder. As the woman sung about a lover being apart, and wishing to be by their side, Katsuki held his own soulmate closer without reservation. Izuku gained a new air about him, blooming right before his eyes. He squeezed Katsuki’s hand in his own before lifting their connection over their heads, and Katsuki couldn’t hold back his snort when Izuku twirled like a ballerina. 

Izuku spun away far enough for their arms to straighten between them, and Katsuki instantly hated the distance. With a soft tug, Izuku twirled back to him, losing his balance from the spinning before stumbling into Katsuki’s chest. Placing his hands on Izuku’s forearm and the bottom of his spine, Katsuki moved to tease him about his terrible balance. But the words melted off his tongue when Izuku looked up, his smile twinkling like Christmas lights in the kitchen’s low light.

“What’s got you so happy?” He asked, though the warmth felt contagious from how his own lips started to curl. 

“We’re under the fan,” Izuku asked, almost sheepish in his shrug. “If you hadn’t interrupted me, there would be mistletoe above us.” 

“Tch.” Peeking over Izuku’s shoulder, he caught sight of the forgotten nuisance sitting on the counter across the room. He stared at it for a moment before turning his attention back to Izuku, whose face flushed when he leaned down. “So you ain’t gonna blame tradition if I…”

He didn’t finish his murmured comment. From how Izuku popped up onto his toes to bump their mouths together, maybe Katsuki didn’t have to. Lips that had no expertise slid with an awkward eagerness that only came from first kisses, and Katsuki closed his eyes to savor it. Izuku’s mouth was warmer than he’d envisioned, but just as sweet as his dreams suggested. Izuku’s little hum while tilting his head to deepen their connection sent goosebumps down his spine. Even if their technique needed practice, Katsuki knew nothing would ever compare to the soft exchange that lingered in the kitchen.

When their kiss ended, Katsuki didn’t let Izuku go far, cupping the back of his head to mutter against his parted lips. “I’m blowing up every piece of mistletoe in this damn place.”

“Really?” The distracted tone proved Izuku was more focused on connecting their mouths together again over their conversation. “Why?” 

“Cause it’s that, or I’m killing all the extras. Those are the only two options to make sure you never kiss another lucky bastard again.”

Izuku’s laugh danced through the air before he threw his arms around Katsuki’s neck, pulling him back down into another kiss. 

And that was a tradition Katsuki would never grow tired of.