The two kinds of people - Part 2

Izuku wasn't sure when it was that things had started to shift between them, but Kacchan seemed to have gotten softer over time. It happened so slowly, so gradually, that for a long time he didn’t even notice it was happening. Ignoring him entirely when they met in the kitchen each morning turned into little nods of acknowledgment, which graduated to grunts, and finally to a mumbled “morning” as they dished out their breakfast side by side. Complaints and grumbles when they were paired up in class became a quiet, begrudging acceptance, which in turn became red eyes darting to him when they were told to pair up, silently asking him to willingly work together. Even the cranky shoves as they passed each other in the halls turned into the occasional pat on the shoulder when he did something good, surprising Izuku every time and making him grin brightly in return.

It all came to a head one cold night in the middle of winter, when Izuku fell asleep under the kotatsu that had been kindly supplied for their common room for the season. He’d been studying with his friends and apparently dozed off in the warmth, only jolting upright when he heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

The room was dark around him and a blanket was draped around his shoulders – apparently his friends had decided to tuck him in where he was and let him snooze. He couldn’t say he was upset about it – he hadn’t woken up so warm in weeks.

He looked up just in time to see a bright green onesie approaching, cracking a smile at the sight. Kaminari had bought the thing on a whim – the long tail that dragged behind it and wiggled as he walked was apparently hilarious to him – and Izuku hadn’t realised he even wore the thing beyond the day-one fashion show where he’d showed the class his new purchase.

When he sat up properly, though, the golden eyes and tired smile he’d expected were non-existent, instead replaced by a familiar set of rubies that Izuku was stunned to find staring back at him. The room was dead silent, Izuku’s eyes slowly adjusting to the dark, finally making out the spiky head of hair that sat atop the fluffy green suit.

As much as he wanted to produce words, wanted to at least say hello if not ask whether everything was okay, they all seemed to stick in his throat. His eyes roamed over the fingers curled inside long sleeves, the slippered feet poking out from baggy pants, and finally landed on the ridiculous spiked tail that swayed behind him every time he shifted his weight. Finally it was all too much, and Izuku started to laugh. It was a little giggle at first, almost coverable if not for the silence of their backdrop, but it grew in strength when  Kacchan just stared at him. He didn’t say a word, just watched silently as Izuku laughed so hard he could hardly breathe, clapping his hands over his mouth in an attempt to calm it.

Just as he was opening his mouth to apologise, to choke out a quick “sorry” before Kacchan snapped and bit his head off, the sleeve-pawed hand moved, reaching over his shoulder. He pulled up a bright green hood, plush spikes sticking up along the top of his head, and looked Izuku dead in the eye.

“Rarr.”

He walked away without another word, and Izuku lost it again, doubling over as he laughed so hard his lungs began to hurt. He gripped the edge of the Kotatsu, pressing his forehead to the surface for some kind of stability, and for far longer than was probably appropriate for the situation, he just laughed.

He honestly couldn’t remember the last time something had made him laugh so uncontrollably. Between the stress of school classes and exams, the pressure of internships and work studies, and the constant weight of villains on his shoulders, he rarely got the chance to just let go anymore.

He was still laughing when the footsteps returned, watching him hiccup and stutter, watching tears pour down his face, but still just standing there silently, not a word of greeting or confusion or sarcasm leaving his lips.

“Oh my god,” Izuku spluttered, almost sobbing the words with how limp and exhausted his body suddenly felt. “You’re adorable.”

He realised the words too late, head quickly popping up, wide-eyed, to see Kacchan’s reaction. He expected anger, expected Kacchan to wake the entire dorm up with his yelling, but to Izuku’s disbelief, Kacchan blushed. His cheeks burned a pretty shade of pink, eyes widening in alarm, and for a moment they just stared at each other. Izuku opened his mouth, willing some kind of apology or something to come out, but still his voice refused to co-operate. Before he could choke anything out, Kacchan whirled around, tail swishing as he hurried out of the room with his water bottle and escaped to the safety of the stairs.

Izuku’s heart was pounding extra hard as he watched the green lump retreat, and it took him a moment to realise it was no longer from being out of breath from laughter. His heart was thumping at a frantic pace completely of its own accord, his stomach swirling, and it wasn’t until he turned the kotatsu off and hauled himself up that he began to think about it, began to question why the feeling was yet to leave him alone.

In the peace and quiet of his own room, as he crawled into a cold bed and layered up with blankets, Izuku finally understood.

He’d fallen in love with Kacchan.