Tana-better with you [Semi-Exclusive]

This fic was written for the Written In The Stars Zine to celebrate Tanabata - the zine has over 50 contributors and is free to download! I was the one who formatted it too so check it out ^^

─────


Katsuki couldn’t help but smile fondly at his screen, watching Izuku babble away excitedly about absolutely nothing of consequence. He was always so excited when they got to talk, even though it was usually less than twenty-four hours since the last time.

“Check for cars,” he cut in quickly, when Izuku got close to a road. “Pay attention to what you’re doing.”

“I know, Kacchan! I am!”

He held his phone out for Katsuki to watch him check for traffic, grinning as he crossed the quiet street to reach the driveway.

“Home sweet home,” Izuku teased, turning the phone briefly to show him the ageing brick facade that desperately needed a good clean. “These bushes need a trim, I should offer.”

“Just find someone and I’ll pay for it,” Katsuki huffed. “You don’t need to waste your own time on it. Get someone to clean the brickwork too. And inside too, if you think they could use it.”

“You’re such a good son,” Izuku laughed, knocking on the front door but letting himself in anyway. “I’ll look into it for you!”

“Thanks, nerd.”

“Hi!” he called, covering the microphone on his phone for a moment to keep from deafening Katsuki in the process. “I’m home!”

Mitsuki laughed as she came to greet him, hugging him tight as Izuku held the phone aloft for Katsuki to watch. Katsuki rolled his eyes at them – His mother was so damn sappy with Izuku, she’d never looked so happy to see him.

“Hi Hag,” he said pointedly, waving at the screen. “Long time no see.”

“Let me look at you,” she insisted, grabbing Izuku’s phone and narrowing her eyes at the screen. “What on Earth is that on your face?”

“My nose?”

“Real funny, brat. Are you growing a beard?”

“It’s barely stubble you picky asshole. I just haven’t shaved in a few days, it’s the weekend.”

“It looks ridiculous.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

“I think it looks cute,” Izuku interrupted, ever the peace-maker. “You look fluffy!”

“No one here gives a shit if I shave or not,” Katsuki shrugged, glancing down to see his own image in the bottom corner of the screen. “But I’ll do it before my next press event, relax.”

“Put him on the big screen, would you?” Mitsuki requested, patting Izuku on the shoulder fondly.

“Of course!”

He hurried through to the living room, connecting his phone to the cable he’d put in specifically for their monthly calls, and soon Katsuki was looking at both of them framed on the screen, Izuku waving like a big dork when Katsuki popped up on his end.

“There’s our boy,” Izuku grinned, hugging the TV like an idiot. “I missed you, Kacchan.”

“We talked yesterday.”

“I missed you yesterday too!”

“Whatever, you big sap. Where’s Dad?”

“He just got out of the shower, he’ll be down any second now!”

Izuku dragged the couch closer, making sure it was framed up nicely on his phone camera, and Katsuki leaned his head on his hand to watch them getting comfortable together. Izuku was always so comfortable in the house, hanging out with his parents; Katsuki wasn’t sure he’d been that comfortable in anyone’s house but his own.

“Do you have any plans for the week?” he asked, when they both looked settled. “First time you’ve really had time off in months, right? You’ve been doing that shitty project.”

“Your father and I thought maybe we’d go away for a few days,” Mitsuki smiled, reaching to ruffle Izuku’s messy curls. “I’m sure this one will still be working, as always.”

“Mostly,” Izuku smiled sheepishly. “I have a day or two off, though! Where are you gonna go?”

“We thought we’d maybe head to Osaka tomorrow for the festival, it’ll be a bit crowded but we haven’t seen the illumination since before Katsuki was born. It’s probably a bit late to book the trip though, so we’ll see.”

“Oh, that sounds good,” Katsuki hummed. “How long are you thinking? I’ll get you a nice hotel, since I didn’t do much for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.”

“You don’t need to do that, that’s far too expensive.”

“I have plenty, they pay me well here.”

“Yeah, but if you need a sticking plaster from the hospital it’ll cost you two thousand dollars,” Izuku laughed. “Don’t you need to save it?”

“Joke’s on you, my agency has their own plasters.”

“Please tell me they have more than plasters.”

“Yeah, we have healing quirks on-site, it’s cool.”

“Thank goodness.”

Izuku looked up, beaming off to the side of the screen, and Katsuki watched as his father walked into frame, leaning over slightly to wave at the camera.

“Good to see you, Katsuki! How’ve you been?”

“Pretty good,” he nodded faintly, head still resting on his hand. “The time difference is kinda killing me right now.”

“Sorry, I know it’s super early there,” Izuku grimaced. “Is the sun even up yet?”

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Katsuki assured him, glancing off to one side where Izuku assumed there was a window. “I have the day off, so it’s no big deal.”

“You do? How come?”

“Nothing you should be worried about,” Katsuki smiled knowingly, a soft look that Izuku rarely got to see. “They’re all about us taking time off for burn-out or mental health and all that stuff, if I work too long they generally start pushing me to take time off for my health. Figured it was a good time, you’ve always loved Tanabata, so let’s go to a festival together.”

“Really?!” Izuku beamed at the screen, and Katsuki’s face softened even more at his enthusiasm – he really was gone for the nerd. “That sounds great! What time? Should I call you or do you just wanna call me when you’re ready?”

“Around five?”

“Are you sure? That’ll be like... Four in the morning, for you. I don’t mind going later!”

“Nah, it’ll get dark.”

“True, you might not be able to see my cute face,” Izuku teased.

“Sure, that’s it,” Katsuki snorted. “I miss matsuri food stalls, you’ll have to take me through them all.”

“Yeah! We’ll buy one of everything!”

“Sounds good.”

Masaru joined them on the couch, dishing out mugs of hot tea, and Katsuki picked up his coffee mug with a little smile, raising it to his lips. He didn’t talk as much on their group calls, not like when he and Izuku were chatting in their brief moments between work and sleep, but he and Izuku both knew that his parents appreciated the time together all the same. They regularly snatched a quick call with Inko, too – even though he wasn’t her son, she still considered him family, and Katsuki had no problem with joining the occasional catch up chat to see the joy it brought her and Izuku both.

“You should take a nap at some point,” Izuku said firmly, staring into Katsuki’s tired eyes. “You look like you’ve barely slept.”

“I will,” Katsuki assured him. “Soon, I’m pretty shattered. I knew I wouldn’t get to talk to you for ages if I didn’t call though.”

“Ages?” Izuku frowned. “What about tomorrow? Or tonight, for you.”

“That’s hours away,” Katsuki huffed. “I’m gonna get an early night tonight, make sure I’m awake enough for the festival.”

“I won’t call in the morning, then.” Izuku smiled warmly. “We’ll wait for our date.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki nodded. “That’s why I had to call now.”

“You’re the sweetest, Kacchan! I love you!”

“Love you too, nerd. It’s your turn to talk now, catch me up on you three. Is Japan coping without me?”

Izuku immediately broke into a stream of consciousness, relaying his stories from work and prompting the Bakugous to share their own. Katsuki shut his mouth, resisting the urge to close his eyes to match, and settled in to just listen to the sound of his boyfriend’s over-excited voice.

He was so stupidly in love.

─────

Izuku glanced at his phone, dithering over the cute picture of Katsuki and himself during his last visit to America. Katsuki had told him to call about five, but he’d expected to get an “I’m awake, nerd” text, or something of the sort. As much as he was looking forward to walking through the festival with Katsuki on his screen, showing off the pretty decorations and describing the amazing smells of street food stalls, he also didn’t want to wake Katsuki up too early.

A knock on his door jolted him out of his thoughts. He wasn’t expecting anyone, but he had turned down a lot of his friends who invited him out with them – as sweet as it was, he really just wanted to enjoy the festival with his Kacchan.

It was his favourite festival, he was pretty sure. All of them were great, in their own ways, but Izuku had always adored the paper decorations hanging all over town, all the pretty colours everywhere the eye could see. It was right before his birthday, too, so that time of year had been particularly exciting as a kid, not to mention the summer holidays just around the corner. He still remembered wandering through shopping streets lined with food stalls as a child, hand linked with Katsuki’s, their parents trailing just behind them, chatting as they let the kids explore.

Okay, so maybe nostalgia contributed to his love of the festival, but was that really so wrong?

He pulled open the door, his best placating smile already waiting on his lips, but when the strong hand reached out to ruffle his hair, he froze. That big, warm, familiar hand landed on him, and without even a greeting he nudged his way through, letting the door swing closed behind him as he dropped a backpack in the entryway.

“Do you mind if we make it five-thirty?” he asked, already stripping off an old t-shirt. “I really need a shower, I smell like airport.”

Izuku’s eyes filled with tears, and when Katsuki glanced back over his shoulder, a sharp-toothed grin took over his face.

“Come on then, get over here.”

He opened his arms, and Izuku fell into them with tears streaming down his face, sobbing wordlessly into Katsuki’s shoulder. The strong arms wrapped around him, holding him tight, and Katsuki just held him, really held him, because he was there, with Izuku. It was all too much, too overwhelming, and Izuku couldn’t even find the energy to choke out a hi.

“Been a while, huh?” Katsuki said knowingly, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I missed you.”

“You’re here!” he finally spluttered, squeezing handfuls of Katsuki’s back as if he might fall apart or vanish without the support. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Surprise, nerd.” Katsuki laughed, kissing Izuku’s messy curls. “I’m not the one who talked about calls, I just said we should go together.”

“But we always call for special events!” Izuku protested. “Of course I assumed!”

“Sorry, should I go find a hotel room and call you from there instead?”

“No!”

“That’s what I thought.”

“I just can’t believe you’re actually here. It’s been so long.”

“I know,” Katsuki said softly, a little apologetic. “Things got busy for a while. For both of us, if I remember correctly. We have jobs to do, people to take care of, but I’ll always come back to you eventually, you know that.”

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

“But you really need a shower,” he laughed breathlessly, finally stepping out of Katsuki’s grip. “I’ll wait as long as you want.”

“I won’t be long,” Katsuki assured him. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

“Do you have anything to wear? You’ve just been on a plane!”

“What, you threw out my old stuff? Don’t I still have a yukata in your closet?”

“You’re gonna wear it for me?!”

“It’s a festival, isn’t it? May as well.”

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

“Damn right,” Katsuki teased. “But seriously, can I go shower now?”

“Yes! No! Wait! One more thing!”

He stepped closer again, leaning in, and Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk. He should’ve known Izuku wouldn’t let him get away without a welcome home kiss, he was far too sappy for that.

“Fuzzy,” Izuku grinned, rubbing his cheek against Katsuki’s. “Not as soft as I expected though, you’re all prickly.”

“Seriously, nerd?” Katsuki huffed, shoving him off lightly. “I thought you wanted a kiss, not to rub my damn stubble.”

“But you always shave when you come home,” Izuku pouted. “Wanted to see how it felt, first.”

“What, you want me to keep it?”

“No,” Izuku snorted. “You look silly.”

“Thanks, asshole.” Katsuki shoved him, grinning all the same when Izuku laughed brightly. “Go get our damn yukata out, let me get clean.”

“Okay!”

Despite his agreement, he stood dead still as Katsuki walked away, making himself at home in Izuku’s apartment. He’d only been there once before, almost a year prior, but Katsuki’s memory had always been amazing, after all.

Well, that and it was a pretty small apartment.

Izuku hurried to his bedroom once the bathroom door was closed, opening his closet and digging out two hangers with long, lightweight yukata hanging on them. He gave them a quick sniff, relieved to find they weren’t too musty, and laid them out side-by-side on his mattress. Even though they rarely wore them, Izuku had always made sure to keep them safe and clean – he liked just being able to look at them, sometimes; to remember the festivals they’d been to together, through their childhood and beyond. Together with their families, as childhood friends, when they were young; as classmates, with all their friends from school, when they were a little older; and finally, as a couple, alone together, once they got a little older again. They’d been through a few outfits over the years, from tiny All Might-themed jinbei to larger, patterned yukata, but Izuku was pretty sure that the most recent ones were his favourites of them all.

Izuku’s one was simple – he hated standing out in a crowd, after all. Dark grey, with ruby-red lines that reminded him of the branches in a tree, sprawling and splitting into new shoots as they progressed down the fabric. He loved the simplicity, loved the pattern, and most importantly, loved that the design was the exact shade of Katsuki’s eyes – his favourite colour in the world.

“What, you need me to dress you now?”

Izuku jumped, looking back to see Katsuki freshly washed and shaven, a towel hanging low around his hips as he smirked at Izuku from the doorway.

“That was quick,” he squeaked.

“Told you, wanna spend time with you.”

He reached for the handsome fabric Izuku loved so much, holding it up pointedly, and Izuku quickly tore off his jeans to get dressed. Katsuki just watched him with that same affectionate smile that seemed entirely unlike him and yet exactly like him, all at the same time. Izuku liked to call it the floaty period – the hours after they reunited where it just felt like everything was right and perfect in the world, like nothing could possibly ruin it no matter how hard the world might try.

Izuku stepped in, slotting his arms through the sleeves, and Katsuki carefully wrapped it across his front, eyebrows dropping slightly in his moment of focus. It wasn’t fair that he could look so handsome when he was smiling and when he was frowning, he needed to just pick one!

Soon it was tied in place, and Katsuki was reaching around him, wrapping a dark obi around his hips and fastening it like he’d suddenly become an expert. He was already reaching for the other yukata before Izuku even realised he was done, throwing it on without even asking if Izuku wanted to help him.

“Can you go grab me some underwear?” he requested, jolting Izuku out of his daze. “From my bag. Anything in the big pocket is clean.”

“Got it!” Izuku nodded, hurrying out to the entryway to rummage.

When he returned, Katsuki was all but finished, accepting the plain black boxer shorts and stepping into them with a quick nod of thanks. He straightened up, ready to go, and Izuku had to take a moment to stare.

Katsuki’s yukata were usually a lot louder than Izuku’s – like the ones he’d worn throughout high school that had all been roaring tigers in red and gold. His more recent pick, though, had been more grown-up, more mature, and Izuku felt like it reflected exactly how much Katsuki had grown as a person – he was no longer the kid roaring at people for every little mistake, he was a real, honest-to-god hero. And the grown-up Katsuki had picked out a beautiful emerald green, covered in big, white dragonflies. Izuku wondered if he knew how much those dragonflies suited him – symbols of courage and victory, just like Katsuki had always been, to him.

“You look perfect,” he said softly, when Katsuki raised an eyebrow at him. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Says the number one hero in Japan,” Katsuki snorted, grabbing a handful of Izuku’s hair and giving him a shake. “You beat Hawks.”

“It doesn’t count until I beat you!” Izuku pouted.

“Well that ain’t gonna happen, so make the most of it while it lasts!”

“Hmm... But when I lose it, it’s because you’re back, so I win either way, right?”

“Shut up,” Katsuki said softly, resting his cheek on Izuku’s hair. “You’re such a sap.”

“And you love me.”

“More than anything.”

“Now who’s the sap?” Izuku teased. “You ready to go? I can’t wait to eat all the yummy food with you.”

“God yes, I’ve been starved for good Japanese food. You never think you’ll miss it, but then you get handed a casserole and you’ve never been more homesick in your life.”

“Casserole?”

“You can’t just throw everything in a pan and shove it in the oven! That’s not how food works!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, well, don’t ask. It’ll ruin your appetite.”

He laced his fingers through Izuku’s, and Izuku couldn’t help but give him a tight squeeze – he was really there. Standing in Izuku’s apartment, smelling of his soap, holding his hand.

“I’m not dreaming, am I?” he asked, as Katsuki dragged him out the door. “I would ask you to pinch me, but I don’t want to wake up.”

“I’m here, idiot,” Katsuki snorted. “Glad you’re happy, I guess.”

“Kacchan...”

Katsuki froze, turning around to look at him, softening all over again when he saw the little smile waiting on Izuku’s face.

“That’s the first time you’ve said that since I got here,” Katsuki informed him, kissing his forehead quickly. “Come on, lock your door.”

“Is it really?”

“Yeah, I guess I’ve kind of missed it.”

“You’ll be sick of it by the end of the night,” Izuku grinned, locking up obediently. “I love you, Kacchan.”

“I love you too, you sappy nerd.”

─────

Alive with music and laughter, the beautifully decorated street was everything Izuku could have hoped for. Massive streamers hung all around them, dancing on the breeze, and bamboo branches hung with coloured paper sat outside every storefront, holding the dreams and wishes of the people of the city. Izuku wished he could sit down and read them all, see what he, as a hero, could offer to the local citizens. It would have taken weeks – maybe months – to get through them, though, and Izuku, for once, had better things to do than worry about civilians. After all, he still had warm, strong fingers laced through his, guiding him through the crowds.

“I don’t even like dango that much, but I want it.”

Izuku glanced over at where Katsuki was standing, eyeing a food stall from a distance, and he grinned at the look of longing on Katsuki’s face.

“We can get some,” he offered. “Or we could go a few more metres to that yakitori stand up ahead.”

“Oh hell yeah,” Katsuki grinned, dragging him on ahead. “I want twelve.”

“Save room for everything else!”

“I have plenty of room!” Katsuki assured him. “I want okonomiyaki, and yakisoba, and karaage, and-”

“And everything?” Izuku laughed. “Taiyaki would be nice. And kakigori.”

“Hell yeah! And choco bananas! I never thought I’d miss choco bananas, they’re so easy. Why are they not everywhere?!”

“You’re so cute.”

“Shut up, nerd, I haven’t been home in a year!”

“I know, tell me about it,” Izuku grinned. “I know we have jobs to do, important jobs, but I miss you so much when you’re gone.”

“I miss you too, you know that,” Katsuki tugged him closer, hugging him lightly. “It’s only for a little longer, okay?”

“I know. It’ll be worth it, you’re doing such a good job, it’s just hard sometimes.”

“Yeah. I probably don’t tell you enough that it’s hard for me, too.”

“It’s okay, you tell me in other ways, I don’t need you to spell it out for me.”

“I’m glad. Now hurry up and buy me twelve yakitori, I forgot to get cash out. I already miss debit cards.”

“You really want twelve of them?”

“Maybe three.”

“Three sounds good,” Izuku grinned, digging his wallet out of his yukata. “Come on then.”

The stall was thankfully well-manned, with no massive queues to wait in, so Izuku walked straight up to the people running it, handing over a coin and getting five sticks in return. He handed three to Katsuki, watching fondly as he dug in like his life depended on it, and kept two to munch on himself.

They continued their way down the street once their skewers were finished, Katsuki’s all but torn apart with how he licked them clean, and Izuku squeezed him extra tight when they passed a group of kids fishing for beetles and goldfish in little plastic pools. They’d spent hours on those games when they were young, picking out the best of each and trying to catch them to take home as pets.

“Okonomiyaki!” Katsuki announced, face lighting up as he dragged Izuku off in a hurry. “They’re huge, it’s perfect!”

“Can I have a few bites?” Izuku grinned, as he dug out a few more coins to pay for one. “I don’t need a whole one to myself.”

“Fine, but only because I love you.”

“You’re such a dork,” Izuku laughed. “I’m glad you’re having fun.”

“How could I not be?” he asked, squeezing Izuku’s hand a little tighter, conveying a lot of words that Izuku knew he would never say out loud.

“Me too,” he answered simply. “Let’s get you that food.”

“Now I extra love you.”

Unlike the yakitori stand, the okonomiyaki stall had a short queue of people waiting. Izuku half-expected Katsuki to start throwing their hero names around to cut to the front, but it seemed the yakitori had calmed his stomach enough to have a little patience about it; unbelievably, he waited without even a word of complaint. Soon Katsuki had his massive concoction of cabbage and pork in hand, barely managing to keep himself from drooling over it as they stepped aside to make room for new patrons - but despite his struggles, he still offered it to Izuku first, shoving a big bite in his mouth to make sure he got it while it was still hot.

“You know that call last night?” Katsuki asked, through a mouthful of okonomiyaki. “With the old folks.”

“Yeah?”

“Was in a hotel in Taipei.” He huffed a quiet laugh. “Had a stopover for a few hours, so I booked a room in an airport hotel to take a nap. Was like five o’clock.”

“In the evening?” Izuku asked, jaw dropping. “I was asking you about the sunrise and you were only an hour behind me?!”

“Yeah.” He snorted, looking far too pleased with himself. “Had to find a spot plain enough to look like it could be my place. I figured you wouldn’t question it too much, since I move a lot anyway, but I had to be careful how I phrased shit.”

“Like what?”

“Talked about where I was working, rather than where I was.”

“Oh. I didn’t even notice.”

“Good, wanted to surprise you.”

“You did,” Izuku smiled softly. “You went through so much effort for this.”

“Worth every second.”

“Did your parents go to Osaka? I haven’t talked to them today.”

“Yeah, they’ll be there by now. Managed to talk my way into a fancy suite right by the river, they complained about me paying for it and shit but they’ll love it.”

“That’s really sweet,” Izuku grinned, leaning in to rest his head on Katsuki’s shoulder. “I called someone to trim the bushes and wash the house, they’ll be there tomorrow.”

“You’re great. Let me know how much it costs, I’ll pay you back.”

“Don’t worry about it, it was a lot less than a plane ticket.”

“I’d be concerned if it wasn’t.”

Izuku made grabby motions with his free hand, and Katsuki tilted the food his way immediately, letting him take another big mouthful of okonomiyaki before he finished it off himself.

“There’s a little shrine a few streets over where we can write our tanzaku, if you want?” Izuku suggested, as Katsuki threw away his trash from the food. “I figured we could do our walk through the festival, head over to write a wish, then head home for an early night, probably – I’m sure you’re still jetlagged.”

“Sounds perfect. I want more food though.”

“I’ll buy you all the food you want,” Izuku assured him. “I told you I’d buy you one of everything, after all.”

“Hell yeah.”

A group of dancers worked their way past, and Izuku tugged Katsuki over to one side to make room, watching the ladies in pretty outfits dance their way by. Katsuki seemed too preoccupied by the food to watch, but Izuku took a moment to just take in their surroundings as they walked – from groups of kids to couples in love, it seemed like everyone was out to celebrate, and it only made him feel immeasurably more special to have his partner at his side, despite all the odds being against them.

Vendors of the local stores stood in their doorways, calling over the chaos to advertise their wares. Kids, over-excited and hyped up on sugary treats, ran back and forth and almost tripped the people around them. Shiny, sparkly streamers caught the light and glittered as they swayed. And most importantly, mouth-watering smells wafted on the breeze, making Katsuki perk up in interest everywhere they went. Everything about it was so lively, bursting with energy, so beautiful.

By the time they made it to the end of the street, the sun was already setting. The crowds thinned out quickly once they left the main festival area, and Katsuki seemed contentedly full, so Izuku led the way toward the little shrine he’d scouted out in advance. He’d expected to pick up two tanzaku and write out both their wishes, getting Katsuki to dictate his over the phone, but instead he got to actually stand beside him, and he still couldn’t quite wrap his brain around that fact. It was so surreal, so unexpected, and he was so damn in love.

“I want a yellow one,” he said firmly, as they approached the shrine with its small cluster of people gathered around. “What about you?”

“Me too.”

With a smile, Izuku squeezed through and picked up two bright yellow papers, finding a secluded spot in the little garden where they could write their wishes out in peace. Izuku crouched down to use his leg as a table, scrawling out his wish in his typical messy handwriting, but Katsuki took a little more time, inking his words much more carefully.

“Out of practice?” Izuku couldn’t help but tease. “I’m sure the gods will understand if you have to write it in English.”

“Real funny,” Katsuki scoffed, elbowing him sharply when he was sure the pen was off the paper. “Just trying to make it a good one, nerd.”

“You don’t already have a good one?”

“Tell me yours, maybe it’ll inspire me.”

“Can’t you guess?” Izuku laughed, carefully inking his name on the back of the paper. “I wished for lots more time to spend with Kacchan!”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”

“You guess?”

“I was just kinda thinking that I don’t have anything to wish for, right now. You’re already here.”

“Awww, you’re so cheesy.”

“Shut up!”

Despite his scowl and his bright pink cheeks, Izuku still thought he was the most handsome man in the world.

Katsuki finished inking his wish, then sought out the tallest bamboo branch on the grounds, carefully scrutinising each one with Izuku in tow. Izuku offered him his own wish, when he’d found one he deemed satisfactory, and flashed him the biggest smile he had.

“You’re taller,” he clarified. “Can you put mine at the top?”

“Nah,” he smirked, stuffing his own into Izuku’s hand. “You’ve gotta do both.”

Before he could ask, Katsuki grabbed him around the thighs and hauled him up off the ground, laughing when Izuku squeaked and flailed in his surprise. Every eye on the shrine grounds turned to look their way, but still Katsuki just held him aloft, nudging him at the bamboo stubbornly.

“Okay, okay!” he conceded, cringing when a leaf poked him in the eye. “Just hold me still!”

With spectators giggling around them, and Izuku’s face burning as red as his yukata patterns, he quickly tied their wishes side by side at the very top of the tree, sneaking a peek at Katsuki’s wish as he fastened them securely in place.

Help me take care of Deku, even when we’re apart.

His indignance melted away immediately, and by the time his feet touched solid ground again, he was back to the mushy, squishy, pathetic pile of love-sludge he’d become the moment Katsuki walked through his apartment doorway.

“C’mere,” Katsuki said, and it took Izuku a moment to realise it wasn’t directed at him. “Tie it nice and tight, you hear?”

He looked up to see Katsuki holding a little girl way up in the air like he’d just done to Izuku, watching her tie it on with clumsy fingers as her mother watched and laughed.

“Gotta get them closer to heaven,” Katsuki grinned, when he set her back down. “Now the gods will see our ones first, and we can guarantee all our wishes come true.”

“Thank you, Mister Dynamite!”

“My pleasure, kiddo. Take care.”

He waved as she walked away, hand in hand with her mother, and when he turned back he found the sappiest look in the world waiting on Izuku’s face, unable to resist the urge to smoosh his chubby cheeks to make it go away.

“You’re adorable,” Izuku told him, the words muffled by Katsuki’s pokey hands. “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too. You almost done getting those words out of your system?”

“Never, I still have another three hundred days worth to work through.”

“Lucky me.”

Despite his words, he pulled Izuku into another hug, taking a moment to just feel the strong figure held tight in his grip, to remind himself what it felt like and make sure to remember it for the future.

“Ready to head back home?” he asked quietly.

“I don’t want it to end,” Izuku pouted a little. “But you’re staying over, right? I won’t say no to cuddles at home, I’m sure you’re getting tired by now.”

“A little. Let’s grab some choco bananas and head off.”

“Okay,” Izuku laughed brightly. “You really want those bananas, huh? Let’s go see if there are any left.”

“I want one with sprinkles.”

“Of course you do,” Izuku grinned, taking Katsuki’s hand again to lead the way. “I’ll put on my best number-one-hero voice and make sure they get you a sprinkle one.”

“Hell yeah.”

It took every ounce of Izuku’s willpower to not skip back down the festival street, so overwhelmed by happiness that he just needed to let it all out somehow before he burst with it. He settled instead for squeezing Katsuki’s hand, grinning when Katsuki squeezed him back a little tighter, quickly turning it into a little squeeze-war between them as they walked.

“Hey, do you see that?”

Izuku looked up, giggling when he saw a familiar shade of green hanging above them, his own hero mask grinning down at the crowds from a paper mache model.

“I want a photo,” Katsuki said quickly, grabbing his phone from inside his yukata. “Take a photo for me, need to show everyone back in the US.”

“Like they know who I am,” Izuku laughed, brushing it off. “Don’t be silly.”

“Trust me, they all know who you are. I made damn sure of it.”

He shoved his phone in Izuku’s hand, and Izuku held it up with a sigh, framing his handsome boyfriend with the cartoony looking model of himself hanging above.

“Say cheese,” he instructed, snapping a couple of pictures when Katsuki grinned at him. “Gorgeous, as always.”

“Damn right.”

He handed the phone back for him to check, watching him swipe across a couple of pictures and nod his approval.

“Now one together,” he added, flipping the phone to selfie mode and holding it at arm’s length. “C’mere.”

“Here, let me!”

A young woman scurried over, bowing as she took the phone from Katsuki’s hand, and Izuku sighed faintly when Katsuki pulled him in close. With an arm around his waist he couldn’t help but smile, leaning his head on Katsuki’s shoulder, and after a moment the lady nodded.

“Perfect!” she told them, offering them back the phone. “Thank you for protecting us, Mister Deku!”

“Thank you for the support,” he answered automatically. “And the photo, of course!”

“Look at you, all popular and recognisable,” Katsuki grinned, nudging him teasingly. “I picked a good one, huh? Got the number one hero in Japan on my hook, most sought-after man in the country, and you’re mine.”

“I didn’t know you were so proud of me.”

“You kidding me? Of course I’m proud of you, asshole! You’re number one. You beat out Hawks, you made Endeavour retire, and you’ve become the hero that little kids look up to, the way we followed after All Might for so many years. How could I not be proud of you?”

Izuku dropped his head to Katsuki’s chest, breathing slowly and deliberately to keep himself calm, and Katsuki just rubbed his back slowly, giving him a minute.

“I’m gonna buy you so many choco bananas,” he whispered, thumping his head against Katsuki’s chest lightly. “Come on, let’s go.”

The stall had a line when they arrived, a bunch of young couples queued up to get their bananas, but Izuku didn’t even care. He was on top of the world after Katsuki’s praise, floating in the clouds, walking on sunshine. Whoa oh. He hoped Katsuki was as happy as he was, though he supposed the surprise element probably added to his own emotional state a little.

“Can I please get two with sprinkles?” he asked, when he reached the front of the line. “And two of the blue ones with the stars, and two of the pink with the drizzle. Oh! Is that a rainbow one? Two of the rainbow ones too, please!”

He handed over some coins and got a fistful of bananas in return, grinning up at Katsuki’s shining eyes as he held them out in offer.

“Your bouquet, Sir.”

“God you’re cute.”

He accepted the bundle, clutching it in his hand like the most precious roses, and planted a big kiss on Izuku’s cheek before they started back toward his apartment.

“For the record, I’m only being this gross because it’s been so long,” Katsuki informed him, as they escaped the crowded street. “It ends the moment the novelty wears off.”

“Noted,” Izuku grinned, linking their arms together fondly. “I’ll have to be extra gross to make up for it.”

“Aren’t you always?”

“But now I have an excuse!”

“Like you need one.”

He finished two bananas by the time they got back to Izuku’s apartment, walking inside to the relief of air conditioning and the comfortable quiet of no more crowds. Izuku reached for his obi, but Katsuki halted him, smirking as he planted a kiss on Izuku’s lips.

“You look good,” he explained. “Keep it on for me.”

“You think?”

“Very handsome.”

Izuku blushed, and Katsuki’s smirk just grew wider, other than a brief pause to bite a banana.

“You want one?” he offered, holding out his bouquet.

“I assumed we’d share, but if you want them all it’s okay.”

“Nah, take one, share with me.”

“Just one?”

“I guess you can have two, if you really want.”

“Thank you, you’re so generous.”

Katsuki laughed, but he picked out the two biggest, nicest looking bananas, stuffing them in Izuku’s hand before he headed for the bedroom. Together they snuggled in on the bed covers, pillows propped behind them and bodies pressed together, side by side. Izuku had spent so many nights alone in that bed, but just two minutes with Katsuki there wiped the whole slate clean. He would no longer think about those cold, lonely nights there, it would all be overwritten by Katsuki with a handful of chocolate-coated bananas, grinning to himself as he munched on rainbow sprinkles.

When their dessert was gone, their sticks tossed one by one into the trash can across the room as they competed for stick-in-bin supremacy, and their cellphones were silenced for the night to give them some peace, Izuku turned the air conditioner to low and pulled up the blankets, getting Katsuki tucked in to finally get some rest.

“You know,” he said softly, as he curled into Katsuki’s arms. “Even if it’s only for one day a year, I’m really glad I get to see you again.”

“Yeah?” Katsuki smirked, turning his head to kiss a warm, freckled cheek. “That’s cute, but I never said anything about one day, nerd.”

“You’re not just here for the festival?”

“Nah.” Katsuki stretched out again with a sigh, sprawling across Izuku’s mattress with little room left for its owner. “Figured I’ll hang around until after your birthday.”

“Really?!”

“Really, nerd. But I’m crashing here, ain’t gonna pay for a hotel for that long, so you’re just gonna have to put up with me.”

“Yeah, that’s gonna be so hard,” Izuku smiled, rolling on top of Katsuki for another hug. “I’m glad you’re here, Kacchan. This is the best surprise ever, thank you for doing this for me.”

“Well, how could I resist?” Katsuki said softly, snuggling in a little closer. “After all, Tanabata is my favourite festival, too.”