Chapter Text
It was nearing the end of August when they returned back to the dorms. There were still a few days before classes were due to start back up, and luckily their schedule was pretty much clear aside from a couple training sessions with All Might that they’d just arranged. Katsuki hadn’t thought Endeavor was going to send them back this early, but apparently he’d decided to whisk Todoroki away on some kind of long weekend family vacation, much to the annoyance of both Icy Hot and his brother.
Katsuki had only laughed in their faces a little.
“I’m going to find Uraraka,” Deku said, the second they stepped through the door to the dorms. They hadn’t even dropped their bags off yet. “She said she was coming back this morning.”
“Eager much?” Katsuki asked. He held out his hand. “Give me your bag. How’s your arm?”
Deku handed his duffel off to Katsuki. “I just want to get it over with, I’m tired of things being awkward with her.” He looked down at his arm, extending it, bending it back in, and then flexing his hand. It wasn’t like he’d been in the sling for long or anything, but Katsuki was still pretty sure his injury was actually the main reason Endeavor had booted them back to school already. “Feels fine. I told you it wasn’t a big deal, Kacchan.”
“No normal person busts up their damn body as much as you do and thinks it isn’t a big deal.” Deku huffed at him but Katsuki easily ignored it. “Find me later?”
“Sure. Want to get dinner?”
“Yep.”
“Hey, uh,” a voice spoke up from the common room. Katsuki and Deku both glanced over to find Kaminari peeking at them over the back of one of the couches. “Uraraka’s not here. She and Sero went out to grab lunch.”
“Kaminari!” Deku greeted, bounding over to the couch and grinning down at the other boy. “We didn’t see you!”
Katsuki trailed over after him. “Why so damn quiet, Pikachu?”
“You were talking,” Kaminari said with a laugh. He sat up a little straighter, and Katsuki noticed he had his handheld game in his lap. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“How was your break?” Deku asked.
Kaminari snorted. “Not much of one, dude. I’m fucking exhausted. Remind me again why we chose this career?”
“Willingly chose,” Katsuki said, leaning forward to brace his forearms against the couch. “So quit your bitching.”
“I saw you kicked the crap out of some robots or something,” Kaminari said.
Katsuki smirked. “I heard you knocked the power out downtown again.”
“Ugh, Sero,” Kaminari grumbled darkly, folding his arms over his chest and pouting. “That dick. He’s such a traitor.”
“Kacchan,” Deku chided lightly, before turning back to Kaminari. “We also saw how you fried that whole underground base. We only found out about the other thing because Kacchan was worried and checked in with Sero because the news broadcast mentioned something about a hospital.”
Kaminari brightened at that, shooting Katsuki an annoyingly wide grin. “Awwww.”
“Oi,” Katsuki said, scowling at Deku. “No one asked for a fucking play-by-play.”
“Nah, that’s sweet,” Kaminari said. “I was fine, though! I’ve gotten the short-circuiting thing under control – mostly. Sort of. But I overloaded that time, kinda knocked myself out for a bit.”
“Sero told us,” Katsuki muttered. “Kirishima back yet?”
“He’s in his room, but I wouldn’t bother him.” Kaminari’s grin turned into more of a leer as he waggled his eyebrows. “He’s with Mina. They spent, like, a whole three weeks apart or whatever. So now they’re busy canoodling.”
Deku chuckled at that, while Katsuki scrunched his nose up. “The fuck is canoodling.”
“You know.” Kaminari held his fists together beneath his chin and started making obnoxious kissing noises that instantly had Katsuki shoving a hand in his face.
“Holy shit, you moron, I wasn’t seriously asking!”
“So you’re just–” Deku started to ask, but then he paused. Katsuki watched as he took a look around the room, and caught the exact moment he noticed what Katsuki already had – that Kaminari was down here by himself. “Um.” He tried to recover, meeting Katsuki’s eyes briefly and then glancing back to Kaminari. “Have you seen Iida?”
Kaminari groaned a bit. “Yes. He’s in his room, studying or something. What the hell is he even studying – we haven’t had class in, like, a month?? He was complaining about my music being too loud, so I came down here.”
Deku scratched at the back of his head and let out a sheepish laugh, as though it was somehow his fault that Glasses was occasionally a giant stick in the mud. “Ah, yeah, he gets like that sometimes…” He looked at Katsuki again. “I’m gonna go say hi. I’ll talk to Uraraka later. Still meeting up for dinner?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Alright, then.” Deku stepped in close and leaned up to press a soft kiss against Katsuki’s cheek, one of his hands curling gently, briefly, around Katsuki’s wrist at the same time and giving him a light squeeze. He didn’t linger, just gave the pair of them a quick smile as he pulled back and then headed off for the elevator. “See you guys later,” he called over his shoulder.
Kaminari waited until Deku disappeared around the corner before he gave an inelegant snort. “Oh, he absolutely did that on purpose.”
“Just let him have it,” Katsuki said, rolling his eyes. “In another life, seeing you kiss me like that was probably his villain origin story.” He shouldered both his and Deku’s bags and arched his eyebrows at Kaminari. “Wanna play Smash?”
“What, really?” Kaminari lurched up onto his knees and clutched at the back of the couch like it was some kind of lifeline. “Right now??”
“Yeah, dumbass. Come on, we’ll crank it up and annoy the shit out of Kirishima until he’s forced to join us.”
They headed upstairs and Katsuki hauled out his old gaming system, quickly getting it set up. Normally when he returned from a school break, he liked to take the time to get unpacked and make sure his room was freshly cleaned and shit, but…this was fine. He could get to the other stuff later, no big deal.
Kaminari chattered excitedly through the first few rounds, updating Katsuki on every-fucking-thing that had happened during his work-study. And since he wasn’t an asshole, Katsuki mostly returned the favor – though with noticeably less embellishments. They each took turns interrupting the conversation with vicious cursing, and there was plenty of shoulder jostling and elbow jabbing, as well.
So a typical gaming session, really.
“God – fuck off, you sparky disaster!” Katsuki snapped at one point, swaying sideways, hard, into Kaminari and trying to throw him off. “That character’s broken as shit, you can’t play him anymore.”
Kaminari just cackled. He leaned away from Katsuki, lifting a foot and planting it in his side in an attempt to hold him off. “Suck it up, Blasty, you’re just pissed because I’m winning again.”
They were sitting on the floor in front of Katsuki’s bed. Katsuki kept pressing his weight against Kaminari until the other boy finally buckled and they went down in a tangle of limbs.
“HA!” Katsuki crowed, immediately taking advantage of how Kaminari fumbled his controller. His character dashed towards Kaminari’s and, with another mashing of buttons, sent him blasting off the screen.
“Noooo!” Kaminari whined. He flopped onto his back and let his arms spread wide in defeat. “Come on, man, what the hell was that? You totally cheated!”
Katsuki just shrugged and innocently sat up again, as though he hadn’t just attempted to flatten Kaminari into a pancake beneath him. “All’s fair.”
“All’s bullshit,” Kaminari countered, but he was laughing. “Fuck you, dude, I’m gonna kick your ass next round.”
“You’re sure gonna try,” Katsuki said, and Kaminari kicked at him again before he heaved himself up.
He fell silent as they started another battle, and for a moment, there was only the sound of buttons clicking between them. Kaminari’s voice was soft when he finally spoke again. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.”
“What do you mean?” Katsuki asked. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, focused on the TV.
“This,” Kaminari said. “I know what it looked like downstairs. You walk in with your soulmate, Kiri’s hanging out with his soulmate, Sero’s out with his girlfriend – I get it, okay? But I’m fine.”
“I didn’t think you weren’t.”
Kaminari slid him a doubtful look out of the corner of his eye. “Katsuki.”
“Denki,” Katsuki returned, a mocking lilt to his tone. He scowled. “Have you considered that maybe I just wanted to hang out with you? For fuck’s sake.”
“Okay, but I’m just saying–”
Katsuki didn’t let him finish. He just punched the pause button on his controller and turned to give him a glare. “Hey. This isn’t a fuckin’ pity playdate or some shit, asshole.”
“Okay,” Kaminari said again, looking equally as annoyed. “I’m just saying, you don’t have to feel bad for me or something.”
“I don’t!”
“GOOD.”
“GREAT.” Katsuki slumped back against the bed, his hands limp in his lap, the game in front of them still frozen on the screen. His mouth twisted in a frown. “…It’s just–”
“Ah!” Kaminari interrupted, pointing at him. “See!! That, there. Don’t even start with that.”
“But–” Katsuki tried again, and Kaminari shook his head.
“Dude, honestly. Honestly. I’ve been glued to Sero’s hip for the past month, I’m fine hanging out by myself for a few days while everyone else splits off with their husbands and wives.” He gave Katsuki a half-grin kind of thing and a little shrug. “I could use some time alone, even. Do you know how many phone calls I got stuck overhearing between Sero and Uraraka? She’s feisty, did Midoriya ever tell you that?”
Katsuki squinted at him. “No?”
“God, ask him sometime, because–”
“I’m not going to ask him, what the fuck?” Katsuki said. “I don’t wanna know that shit.”
Kaminari snickered a bit. “Alright, alright.” He glanced down at his arm where his words were plainly visible and absently trailed his fingers over them. “…Can I tell you something?”
“Doubt I could stop you.”
“I think…” Kaminari hesitated, chewing on his bottom lip. Katsuki just watched him, not saying anything, and eventually he blurted out, “I think Jirou might be my soulmate.” He peeked at Katsuki immediately after he said it, clearly trying to gauge his reaction. The tips of his ears had gone red and there was a pink splash across his nose, and shit, Katsuki was just so stupidly fond of this idiot.
He smirked. Or, well, it was almost a smile, but whatever. No one had to know. “Yeah?”
“I mean. I’m probably – I could be wrong,” Kaminari said. “But I don’t know. I just have this feeling.”
“She get her words yet?”
“Yeah, beginning of August. She’s got ‘em covered, though. I saw her earlier.”
Katsuki’s eyebrows arched. “And you didn’t ask what they were?”
“Nah…” Kaminari shook his head. “She looked at me funny, though? I can’t explain why it… I don’t know.” He glanced at Katsuki again and then looked away just as quickly, his blush deepening. “It’s probably just wishful thinking,” he mumbled.
“Maybe not,” Katsuki said. He let his head fall back to rest against the mattress behind him. “Seriously, you never know. If something in your gut is telling you it’s her, then it might just fucking be her.”
“Maybe,” Kaminari whispered. “I think – I think we’re just not ready to know yet. Or, like, maybe she’s not ready. That’s how it goes sometimes, right?” He stared down at his arm again, brushing his fingers over the inky scrawl there once more before exhaling in a rush and covering the words entirely with his palm. When he grinned over at Katsuki again this time, his eyes had brightened. “One day, though!”
“One day,” Katsuki agreed. He tipped his head in Kaminari’s direction. “You could try asking her out.”
“Ehh, she’s got that whole thing with–”
“She’s not with Ponytail,” Katsuki said, cutting him off. “I think Half-and-Half’s gonna try his shot with her again.”
Kaminari’s eyes went wide. “Wow, look at you with the gossip,” he said, snickering, and Katsuki groaned.
“Fuck, I keep telling everyone I don’t wanna know this crap!” he said, exasperated and throwing his hands up. “AND YET. –Oh.” Katsuki leaned forward so suddenly that Kaminari actually startled a bit. “Holy shit, did I tell you that candy cane asshole fucking kissed me??”
“What?!” Kaminari yelped, laughter immediately bubbling out of his throat. “What the fuck, why? When??”
Katsuki promptly launched into that tale, probably (definitely) making the whole thing sound worse than it actually was. Kaminari was doubled over by the time he finished, damn near crying from laughing so hard, and he only calmed down when Katsuki’s door flew open and Kirishima came barreling through.
“Okay, I heard Smash earlier and Denki’s been cracking up for, like, ten minutes – I want in!” he demanded.
“Took you fucking long enough,” Katsuki said. There was no point trying to stifle his grin, so he didn’t bother. He was genuinely happy to see his shitty-haired loser of a friend.
Mina slipped in behind Kirishima and flung herself directly into Katsuki’s lap, her arms circling his shoulders. “Baku! I missed you!” she cried, and then before he could even blink, she pulled back just far enough to shove her arm in his face. “Look at my words!!”
“I saw them already,” Katsuki grumbled, leaning away. He hadn’t pushed her off him, though, so that had to count for something.
Of course, he regretted that when Kirishima bulldozed into his other side, effectively dogpiling him. “Look at her words, Katsuki!”
“Oh my god.” Katsuki made a show of elbowing both of them until they finally tumbled off, then he grabbed Mina’s arm and attempted to glare a hole into it. “I’m looking, goddamn. Congratulations or whatever.”
They both beamed at him. “Where’s Midoriya?” Mina asked.
Katsuki paused, concentrating for a second. “On his way up, I think.”
Kaminari gave him an owl-wide look. “You can do that, too, huh? That’s so wild.”
“We were trying to show Denki earlier,” Kirishima said.
“But it’s not super exciting to watch from the outside,” Mina added.
“It’s a fucking trip when you’re out in the field,” Katsuki said. “Guessing you haven’t had to deal with that yet?”
Kirishima and Mina shared a faintly alarmed look that meant they definitely had not even considered what it might be like having that kind of connection while doing hero work. “I, uh… I didn’t think about that,” Kirishima said, laughing a tad sheepishly. “That’s gonna take some getting used to.”
Mina reached out to cup his cheek, stretching across Katsuki to do so. “We’ll work it out, babe, don’t worry. We’ve got time.” Kirishima smiled dopily back at her, starting to lean in, and Katsuki was quick to lurch forward and smack a palm against both of their foreheads.
“Do not,” he growled. “Go literally anywhere else in the room but NOT in front of my fucking face, thanks.”
“Um.” Katsuki snapped around at the sound of Deku’s voice, finding him poking his head through the open door. “We’re not interrupting, are we?”
“Fuck no,” Katsuki said. He held out his arms. “Get over here, save me from these morons.”
Deku grinned, happily stepping over the bodies scattered around Katsuki’s floor now and falling in at his side. Katsuki let one of his arms wrap around Deku’s waist, shoving down the slight discomfort that still reared its head a bit when he tried showing affection in front of other people. He’d gotten a lot of practice in front of Todoroki, luckily, but this was a whole different crowd.
They were his friends, though. People who’d seen him at some of his lowest points. Allowing them to see how he was letting his soulmate snuggle into his side and lean in to steal a quick kiss was hardly the end of the world.
“Awww,” Kaminari cooed, and goddammit, okay – Katsuki was still allowed to flip him off, though.
“I brought Iida,” Deku said, turning back to wave the taller boy into the room. He’d been hovering awkwardly in the doorway, as though he wasn’t sure if he could enter without an explicit invitation.
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Quit fucking lurking, Glasses. Get your ass in here.”
“Such harsh language is unnecessary, Bakugou, but I appreciate being allowed into your personal space!”
Things descended into chaos after that. Mina wrapped Deku up in a hug that left him flailing, but before long he was gushing with both her and Kirishima over her words and trying to guess what Kirishima’s might be when October rolled around.
Iida was apparently familiar with Katsuki’s ancient gaming system, which threw Katsuki for a whole loop, if he was being honest. His brother had had one when they were younger, he said. It was one of the things they’d been able to enjoy together despite the difference in their ages. Kaminari challenged him to a Smash battle after he heard that, and they were still duking it out when Sero showed up with Uraraka in tow.
Deku was quick to steal her away while Katsuki caught up with Sero. When they returned about fifteen minutes later, both of their eyes were red-rimmed – but they were also smiling, and something in Katsuki’s chest eased so noticeably that he didn’t even pretend he was pissed when they threw on the racing game and Cheeks whipped all their asses.
Maybe being released from their work-study a few days early wasn’t such a bad thing, really.
Maybe Katsuki was okay with having the extra time to spend with their classmates.
Still, as the afternoon slowly started to bleed into evening, his patience began to wear thin. Despite how much he was actually enjoying himself, his social meter was dipping fast. He just didn’t have the energy to put up with so many people in his bedroom when he hadn’t mentally prepared for it.
Deku noticed as he got quieter and quieter, because of course he did. Eventually, he shot Katsuki a smile and then graciously took on the task of kicking everyone out.
Except, you know – politely.
“We still need to unpack and stuff,” he was saying apologetically as he ushered everyone towards the door. “Maybe we can all watch a movie downstairs later!”
“Oh, you’re good,” Kirishima said, grinning. He was hand-in-hand with Mina as they skirted past Deku to take their leave.
Kaminari ambled out next, though he paused to briefly clamp a hand on Deku’s shoulder. “Kacchan’s lucky he’s got you, huh?”
“Damn straight,” Katsuki said from where he’d dropped onto his bed, lying spread-eagle across the comforter.
Deku spluttered, waving his hands in front of him. He’d gone pink beneath his freckles. “No, I – what?? No! I’M the lucky one!”
“And yet, somehow, you’re both still so dumb,” Kaminari said faintly, in a sort of amused disbelief. He gave Deku’s shoulder another squeeze and then slipped out the door.
Katsuki snorted. “I don’t know how he thinks he’s got any right telling other people they’re dumb.”
“He’s pretty perceptive, actually,” Deku murmured. He shut the door and then moved to join Katsuki on the bed, flopping down beside him and curling around one of his arms.
“Well yeah, I know that. But he’s still dumb.”
“We just hung out with both of our exes and nobody died,” Deku said, craning his head to look up at Katsuki. “That was fun, wasn’t it?”
“It was fine.” Katsuki shifted, turning onto his side so that he was facing Deku. “Kinda miss having you all to myself.”
“You’ve got me now,” Deku said, smiling. Katsuki hummed and reached out to grasp Deku’s right arm, letting his fingers brush over the familiar words written there. Deku just watched him for a moment before he continued cheerfully, “Kirishima and Ashido are so cute. That’s gotta be so exciting, don’t you think? Knowing who your soulmate is but not knowing your words yet. They’re gonna have fun trying to guess.” He let out a delighted little sound that made Katsuki’s heart clench in a painful way. “I’m so happy for them!”
Katsuki stayed quiet for a moment. It wasn’t that he didn’t agree – he did, and that was the…well. Not problem, per se, but it was just sort of eating at him. Making something twist guiltily in his stomach. “Do you think I should’ve told you?” he finally asked. “When I first found out?” It was a question that had basically been on his mind ever since Mina had traveled all the way to fucking Kansai the second her words came in just so she could share her joy with her actual fucking soulmate.
He was still staring at Deku’s arm, but Deku used his free hand to tip Katsuki’s chin up and forced him to meet his eyes. “I think our journey was very different from theirs,” he said softly. “And I wouldn’t change anything about it. You did what you had to do, Kacchan.”
“You’re too fuckin’ good,” Katsuki muttered. “I feel like I ripped all the excitement out of it for you.”
“That’s not true!” Deku insisted, scooting closer. “That first night was rough, but we cleared up a lot of our issues literally the next day. Kacchan, my birthday wasn’t even over before you came to talk to me, and I couldn’t even wait a week before deciding I wanted to be with you. Always. Forever. Trust me, I’ve been plenty excited about it – I’m STILL excited.”
Katsuki went warm, his eyes darting over Deku’s face. The corner of his mouth tugged upwards. “Yeah?”
“Yes! And actually, I – I want to tell people.” Deku flushed again, but continued determinedly, “I want to tell everyone. I want to – to scream it from the rooftops even. I want the whole world to know I’m with you. That you’re mine.”
“Holy shit,” Katsuki choked out, his eyes widening. “You’re serious?”
“Yes!” Deku cried. “Are you – can we? If you’re not ready, it’s fine, I just–”
“No, yeah,” Katsuki said in a rush. “Go for it. Fuck, if you want people to know, then we’ll fucking…I dunno, write it in the damn sky or something.”
“I don’t want to hide it,” Deku said. He was starting to tear up, fucking predictably, but Katsuki’s heart just swelled as he watched it happen. “We didn’t have to hide it when we were with Todoroki, and everyone who was here earlier knew and it was just – it was so nice. I want it to always be like that.”
“You don’t have to convince me, nerd.” Katsuki lifted his hand, cupping Deku’s cheek and swiping gently beneath one of his eyes. He let out a low chuckle. “I’m already onboard.”
Deku jerked forward, pressing into him for a kiss that was almost too hard. Katsuki met him eagerly, though. Now, forever, always. Katsuki would always be there to take whatever Deku could throw at him. “All Might, too,” Deku murmured against his lips. He pulled back a bit, meeting Katsuki’s gaze. “I want him to know. He’ll be so happy.”
Katsuki barked out another laugh. “Alright, god. Deku, you can tell anyone you wanna tell. I literally do not give a shit – I want ‘em all to know, too.”
“What about my words?” Deku asked. “Are you okay if I don’t cover them anymore?”
Something inside Katsuki went a little cold at the idea, squirming uncomfortably. It was that familiar combination of shame at what he’d once so carelessly said to the other boy, fear of how others would react once they found out, and the ever-present horror and guilt at the knowledge that Deku was just always going to have to live with Katsuki’s shitty fourteen-year-old self’s painful actions emblazoned on his body.
That was always going to be their past, though. It was etched in stone. Unchanging and unavoidable.
But they’d worked so hard to make sure their future was going to be different, and Katsuki had long since chosen to embrace it. He could live with Deku’s words being that stark reminder of how far they’d come.
They’d get through it.
They had gotten through it.
They were going to be okay.
“Yeah,” Katsuki rumbled, voice low and throaty. “It’s fine. If you’re good with it, I’m good with it.”
“I’m good with it,” Deku whispered, and Katsuki leaned in to claim his mouth again.
They traded lazy kisses for a while, hands skimming across each other’s arms, sides, shoulders. Katsuki found himself palming the back of Deku’s neck at one point while Deku buried his fingers in Katsuki’s hair, and it was actually insane how well they fit together. He couldn’t get enough of this nerd.
He doubted he ever would.
They parted naturally eventually, settling onto their sides and watching each other with heated stares. Katsuki was having a hard time catching his breath, honestly. He almost wanted to dive right back in, but he found himself stroking against the soft skin of Deku’s right forearm again.
It was like he couldn’t stop touching him. Couldn’t stop marveling over the fact that his words, no matter what they were, were branded onto Deku’s skin.
He didn’t know why he was so amazed by it right now. It obviously wasn’t anything new.
Katsuki dragged the pads of his fingers over the writing again, tracing each individual character with a strange sort of reverence.
“If you did ever jump,” he started to say suddenly, but then he paused.
No, that wasn’t right.
Deku taking that swan dive was something Katsuki never wanted to think about. Not then, not now, not ever.
“If you ever fall,” he tried again, “I’ll be there to catch you.”
Okay, so words still weren’t his strong suit but fucking whatever. He was pretty sure that got the sentiment across, lame as it was.
Deku was grinning, at least. Straight up beaming, really, as he lifted a hand to cup Katsuki’s cheek and leaned in to steal another kiss. He seemed to melt against him after that, body arching into Katsuki’s until he somehow managed to sneakily maneuver him onto his back. Katsuki grasped at his hips and went with it, pulling Deku on top of him and letting the other boy press him back into the mattress as their kiss grew in intensity and started to turn desperate and not a little messy. All the languid, slow-burning energy that had been simmering between them vanished, replaced instead with a new sort of intoxicating urgency.
“Deku,” Katsuki panted against the other boy’s mouth. “Deku, fuck–”
“Ow,” Deku hissed abruptly, out of nowhere, drawing back. Katsuki blinked up at him, pathetically out of it and too warm and sort of hazy – all from making out for, like, two minutes.
For fuck’s sake.
It took him a hot second to scrape together some clarity, and when he finally did, he realized that Deku was clutching at his arm.
His right arm.
“What is it?” Katsuki asked, trying to sit up. Deku still had his knees bracketing Katsuki’s thighs which made it a little difficult, but he managed to get himself upright without completely dislodging the other boy. He was holding his arm tight against his chest. “Deku, what? What happened, let me see.”
“I don’t know,” Deku said shakily. He’d gone pale and there was something alarmed in his gaze. “I don’t know, Kacchan, it just felt – I don’t know.”
“Deku,” Katsuki said again. He reached for Deku’s wrist, trying to pull his arm back to see what the fuck was going on. What, did a bug get him or something? Was he nursing a giant spider bite? Was there a poisonous snake in the fucking bed?? WHAT. “Izuku, come on.”
Deku finally relented, letting Katsuki tug his arm down into the open space between them. His breath instantly caught in his throat, and the bottom dropped straight out of Katsuki’s stomach.
There was nothing there.
Deku’s arm was blank, skin wiped clean as though there’d never been any words there to begin with.
And Katsuki fucking panicked.
“What the fuck,” he muttered, gripping Deku’s wrist probably too tightly. He’d gone ice cold from the inside out, and his vision was rapidly beginning to tunnel in on Deku’s unmarked goddamn arm. “What – what the fuck. Deku, what the FUCK.”
“I-I-I don’t, I’m – Kacchan, it’s – it’s okay,” Deku stuttered out. He was trembling, Katsuki belatedly noticed, and clutching at Katsuki’s shoulder just as tightly as Katsuki was holding him. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I still – we’re still – oh my god what the fuck is happening, Kacchan, where’d they go, why–”
“Wait,” Katsuki said sharply. He bent lower, eyes narrowing as he examined Deku’s arm. “It’s doing that thing.”
Deku ducked his head, as well. “What thing?”
There was something blooming across his skin. A darkening bruise making itself known, just as it had the night of Deku’s birthday.
A stroke here, a curve there, no one word more legible than the rest until everything was visible.
“Oh my god,” Deku sobbed.
if you ever fall I’ll be there to catch you
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Katsuki breathed, eyes wide. “Is that – is that even possible?”
Deku was full on blubbering now. He threw himself against Katsuki, arms wrapping around his shoulders as he pressed his wet face into the curve of Katsuki’s neck. “Kacchan,” he sobbed again, chest heaving against Katsuki’s as he squeezed him within an inch of his life. Katsuki returned the hug in a daze, hauling Deku in even closer, pulling him right into his lap so that they were plastered together from top to bottom.
“I didn’t know soulmate words could change,” Katsuki mumbled. He was still reeling, his brain scrambling to catch up with what had happened. “Can they change? Deku – Deku. Can soulmate words fucking change??”
“I don’t know.” Deku finally loosened his hold and backed off just far enough so that he could study his arm. He dragged the back of his other hand across his cheeks, wiping away tears as he released a shuddery exhale. “I mean, I guess? They must be able to, right? Or else how…” He waved his arm as though Katsuki’s eyes hadn’t been glued to it since the second he’d pulled it back into view.
“Give me your phone,” Katsuki said suddenly.
Deku blinked at him. “Huh?”
“Your phone, Deku, give me your phone!”
Deku fished it out from wherever it’d disappeared on the bed and turned it on before handing it over with a confused frown. “Are you checking the internet?”
“No.” He could, but he knew someone who probably had an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge about soulmates. Katsuki quickly scrolled through Deku’s contacts until he found the name he was looking for, then he punched the call button and turned the speaker on.
She answered after only two rings.
“Good evening, Midoriya!” Yaomomo said cheerfully. “I heard you’d returned to school already. Welcome back!”
“It’s me, actually,” Katsuki grunted. “Both of us. We’re both here.”
“Hi, Yaoyorozu,” Deku added meekly.
“Oh!” She sounded surprised, which was fair. Katsuki didn’t think they’d ever actually spoken on the phone before. “Bakugou, hi. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Katsuki didn’t waste any time beating around the bush. “Can soulmate words change?” he demanded, and then held his breath.
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Yaomomo let out a deep sigh. “You know, I really must insist you read at least one book on soulmates. There’s just so much information–”
“Ponytail,” Katsuki cut in impatiently. “Is it possible for the damn words to change or what?”
“…I’m going to leave one of my books by your door,” she said, in a tone that was probably about the closest she would ever get to grumbling. “In fact, I think I’ll suggest to Iida that we make it required reading for everyone. Honestly, they really should teach us at least some of the basics in school.” Katsuki let out a frustrated sound, and he could practically hear Ponytail rolling her eyes in response as she huffed lightly. “Oh, Bakugou. Of course your words can change. It’s perfectly normal. Granted, it's also rare. But it’s certainly not unheard of.”
Katsuki’s entire body wilted in relief.
Which was stupid because Deku’s words had very obviously morphed from one phrase into something completely different. The proof was right fucking there.
But it was still reassuring to hear that it wasn’t some kind of shitty accident.
He hadn’t gone and somehow fucked up something else between them.
Soulmate words could ACTUALLY change.
“Did something happen with your words?” Yaomomo asked gently. “Or Midoriya’s maybe?”
“Mine,” Deku replied. Katsuki curved in toward him, dropping his forehead to rest in the crook of his neck, and Deku soothed a hand through his hair. He chuckled softly. “It, uh… Took us by surprise.”
“I can imagine,” she said. “Soulmates are really so fascinating. Our words are usually quite deliberate, did you know?”
“What do you mean?” Deku asked. He’d perked up a little and when Katsuki glanced up at him, he noticed he had that nerdy gleam in his eyes that meant he was ready to devour some brand-new information.
“Well,” Yaomomo said, taking a breath. Katsuki refrained from groaning and just settled in for what was probably going to be a whole-ass lecture. “Our words are meant to lead us to our soulmate when we’re ready to meet them. Or when we’re ready to know they’re our soulmate. That’s why for some people it’s their first greeting, and for others it’s something they’ll say in the future to a person who’s already been a presence in their life.”
Katsuki thought about what Kaminari had said earlier. About how he thought Jirou was possibly his soulmate, but she might just not be ready to know that yet.
Huh. Maybe he’d been on to something.
“Seventeen is incredibly young,” Ponytail continued. “Not everyone is ready or mature enough to take on the responsibility and weight of knowing who their forever person is when they’re not even out of high school. But for those whose words are instantly familiar, and they know right away who their soulmate is, then that usually means it must be the right time for them to come together. Like it was for Mina and Kirishima!” she said excitedly. “Or you two!” Katsuki felt himself flush – he was glad this wasn’t a fucking video call. “And once that’s happened, once your words have more or less served their purpose, then yes, there have absolutely been recorded instances of a person’s words changing to something else. Oftentimes it’s something that’s perhaps better suited to you and your soulmate, but there are no real explanations for it. There’s nothing scientific about soulmates, after all.”
Katsuki snorted. “Yeah, no shit.”
“Better suited…” Deku mumbled.
It seemed obvious, in retrospect.
Like, fucking duh, obviously whatever your words were, the entire point of them was to make it clear who your soulmate was.
For his parents, it had been the first thing they’d ever said to each other.
If he and Deku had their first ever words to each other branded on their arms, they might’ve never fucking figured it out. It was probably some inane child’s greeting. Cheerful squealing, animated rambling about All Might, god only knew. That was an entire lifetime ago.
They’d been given words they couldn’t possibly ignore. Or misinterpret.
“Actually,” Deku spoke up again, “I think I would like to read more about all this.”
“I’d be happy to lend you a book!” Yaomomo said, and she really did sound thrilled that someone was finally taking her up on her offer. “I’ll bring one downstairs with me later. Are you two joining us for movie night?”
“Maybe,” Katsuki said, reaching for the phone. “We gotta go now.”
“Oh – okay! I hope I helped.”
“You did,” Deku assured her. “You really did, Yaoyorozu, thank you.”
“My pleasure. Enjoy your night!”
Deku finally shifted off Katsuki as they ended the call, but he stayed pressed against his side as he looked down at his arm.
“Better suited,” he said again. “I like that. I like these words, Kacchan.”
And, well, so did Katsuki. They were much better than what Deku had been burdened with before. He wasn’t going to be stuck with any cruel reminders staining his skin for the rest of his life, and no matter what Deku had said and insisted, no matter how much Katsuki had worked on accepting something he’d thought was out of his control, there was nothing but desperate relief washing over him now as it truly sunk in that Deku wasn’t going to have to look down at his arm every day and see Katsuki telling him to jump off a roof.
This was absolutely a good thing.
…But.
“They’re so fucking sappy!” Katsuki complained in a tone that was dangerously close to becoming a whine. Ugh, god, he felt awkward just looking at them. THIS was the shit everyone was going to see, and that was fine, completely and totally fine, they were infinitely better than the other option, but still!! “Dammit, I have one fucking moment of weakness–”
Deku snorted. Loudly. “You say sappy things all the time, Kacchan.”
Okay. Wow.
For one thing, rude.
And for another, Deku was seriously just going to call him out like that?! The sheer fucking audacity.
Katsuki gave him the stink-eye, making sure to dial it up a few notches, but Deku didn’t even notice. His gaze was still pinned on his arm and he looked completely enraptured.
Seriously, he was practically glowing and Katsuki found himself staring as his heart did a few backflips and some fucking pirouettes or some shit behind his ribcage. Deku must’ve noticed his sudden silence because he finally managed to tear his eyes away from the new words scrawled across his skin and looked up at him, and Katsuki – for some goddamn reason!! – felt his face go brilliantly hot.
Deku was…
Fuck, he was beautiful. He looked so damn happy and his eyes were – just – so fucking green and his cheeks were flushed which just made his freckles stand out even more and Katsuki’s entire soul chose that moment to fizzle with a sort of jittery giddiness that somehow felt completely new but also achingly familiar.
He had no idea what to do with any of it. What the hell, he already knew how he felt about Deku, how was he this freaking flustered right now?? Why?! FUCK.
Katsuki lurched sideways, fumbling for a pillow and promptly burying his face in it once he’d successfully grabbed one. He could hear Deku laughing because he was an asshole, the light, bubbly sounds increasing in volume as he laid down near Katsuki and burrowed into his side, his arms snaking around Katsuki’s waist.
“Kacchan~” he sang. “Are you embarrassed?”
“NO,” Katsuki lied, his voice muffled.
Deku snickered. “You’re such a dork. Let me see your arm.”
Katsuki stubbornly kept his face mashed into his pillow for another moment just to be a jerk, then he turned enough so that he could peer suspiciously at Deku with one eye. “Why?”
“Come on,” Deku wheedled. He propped himself up on one elbow and let his right arm rest between them. Katsuki huffed, but barely two more seconds passed before he relented and twisted around until he could lay his arm next to Deku’s.
you looked like you needed saving
if you ever fall I’ll be there to catch you
“Now these are some good words,” Deku whispered.
Katsuki couldn’t even pretend he didn’t agree. “You’ve got me. I’ve got you.” He hesitated for a moment, then lifted his eyes to meet Deku’s. “Forever. Right?”
“Forever, Kacchan,” Deku said, nodding eagerly. Another burst of warmth rushed through Katsuki and there was no stopping the grin that instantly stretched across his face.
Deku nudged Katsuki’s arm with his own, then clasped his hand around him. Katsuki returned the gesture so that their words pressed together. “No backing out, nerd.”
“Impossible.” Deku smiled, big and bright, and his grip on Katsuki tightened. “I promise. You’ve got it in permanent ink.”
FIN