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Supposed to feel like? ⸻
The morning after, their necks stiff from sleeping semi-reclined on the couch. Some people still snoring in the room, Yuuga opened his eyes first; a grimace forming on his face as Neito’s weight pressed against his shoulder. The pillow in place as a substitute, now he had to extricate himself from the pile of cuddles they’d formed while watching their movie last night (the memory of some scenes still sent shivers down his spine, his eyes carefully avoiding anything that might causes death like these characters… Poor Tod…).
On tiptoe, he stepped over Ochako and Tsuyu, then around Himiko, Izuku, and Shoto before finally reaching the kitchen.
Himiko’s teacher and guardian, Vlad King, had left a plethora of sticky notes in the kitchen, listing what remained in the cupboards and fridge, reminding the teens not to skip breakfast if possible and to respect each other’s sleep. They were almost at the end of adolescence, but these little notes warmed the heart.
Especially the last one, stuck on the freezer. “Hope you have a great evening, have fun Himiko! Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow evening <3”
The youn man smiled before taking a sip of water and starting to prepare breakfast. The smell of pancakes drew Ochako into the kitchen. A hug from the brunette, and the table was set. A few minutes later, the still-sleepy murmurs of Tsuyu and Izuku joined them, the freckled boy nuzzling into the blond's neck at the stove while greeting the others with a smile. It was light, the physical affection flowing according to each person’s desire and the soft words spoken or not. The frog, content with hugs, moved closer to Shoto as he got up and joined them; plump cheeks enthusiastically recounting what she liked about the movie last night to the green-haired boy. Soon, Himiko grabbed her plate and headed to the fridge for her other breakfast; Neito woke last, pouting, arms wrapped around Aoyama.
It was a morning without much structure. Shoto listened to an impassioned voice message from Bakugo, his heterochromatic eyes softened as he replied patiently, sending along a photo of Ochako laughing. Tsuyu and Izuku ate in silence, Himiko sandwiched between them.
It was calm, simple ⸻ lovely.
In this scene, he couldn’t name what they all were, together.
But it didn’t matter ⸻ words had never been necessary, not for this. Not with them.
He loved when Neito and he sought out affectionate gestures from each other, but also from their respective partners; he loved when Tsuyu never said the words “I’m in love”
but accepted kisses on the cheek from Ochako and Himiko. He loved when Shoto called them in turn his friends, life partners, and lovers; constantly navigating the boundary between platonic and romantic. He loved when Izuku, his arospike heart occasionally tingling, felt amorous with them, and he loved when that peak of romance faded, but the attentions never did. Even without everyone experiencing romance in the same way, their bonds were real, warm, and alive.
Outside, the sun climbed, filtering through the curtains as minutes and hours passed. The scent of coffee, pancakes, and syrup gave way to spices, vegetables, and hot rice; Tsuyu laughed at something Himiko had said, Ochako watched Destination Finale video edits with Shoto, the sound of dishes being washed by Neito and Izuku echoing as their voices responded to each other… Yuuga closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the moment sink into his skin.
Maybe this was what love felt like. No words, no names needed — just being there, together.
Not feeling attraction between everyone and their partners had never stopped them from caring for each other. It was discovering new dynamics, new ways to love and to desire being alongside the people closest to your heart.
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The blond passed a bowl to Izuku, their fingers brushing briefly as they continued washing and drying the dishes.
Izuku chuckled softly, a bit nervously, then said thoughtfully, “Sometimes I feel like we could almost get lost in… all this, all of who we are.”
He looked at him, a calm smile on his face. “Maybe… but I think we always find our way, one way or another.”
Yuuga, who had joined them to dry the last cup, added with a quiet chuckle,
“Even if none of us feel romance the same way, it doesn’t change how much we care for each other.”
“Yeah…” Izuku murmured, passing a plate to Neito. “Even in the chaos, it’s… comforting.”
“Comforting,” Neito repeated, the smile turning satisfied and proud, of himself and the people sharing these moments with him. “That’s the word.”