The Deku-Shaped Hole - Chapter 10

Katsuki watched from the sidelines as Izuku limped onto the stage, one side still supported with a crutch. He had insisted on walking alone, on not being helped, but Katsuki still hovered as close as the nerd had deemed acceptable – just in case. A hush fell over the room, and Izuku smiled awkwardly, waiting for the tech staff to give him a nod.

"Thank you all for being here today, I greatly appreciate it!"

His voice was still shaky, the damage to his throat not entirely repaired, but Katsuki hoped it was less noticeable to those who didn't know him as well.

"As you all know, I suffered some major injuries in a fight... Two months ago?" he glanced at Katsuki for confirmation, who nodded. "Yeah, about two months ago. I was unconscious for about three weeks and I've been in hospital since. I was only discharged yesterday afternoon, and now I'm here today to show you that I am alive and well, though I still have some healing to do. I want to thank you, all of you, for the overwhelming support you've shown me in these past weeks."

He leaned a little heavier against his crutch, using the other hand to pick up a little remote from the podium.

"I also have an exciting annoucement for you all! You're the first to know!"

An excited murmur passed through the crowd, and Izuku pushed a button to light up the screen behind him.

"In my absence, I was incredibly lucky to have the aid of one Pro-Hero Bakushinchi to keep things running smoothly. He stepped in without hesitation to keep my agency running the way I wanted, not only leaving his own agency to do so, but leaving his home in a heartbeat just to be here for me. I can't thank him enough for that act."

The slide clicked over, to an image of Izuku's agency, with his huge logo on a sign out the front. Beside it, a matching image of Katsuki's building, a little less showy in nature. 

"Since I've been recovering, many things have come to light. For one, how closely our agencies operate. For another, how long it's really going to be before I'm back on my feet. And third, how much I really enjoy having another top-ranked Pro to work with and share ideas with. And so, as of today, a new company is born."

He clicked once more, and the simple new logo appeared, designed in secret by Katsuki's most trusted staff members. Their original logos had been showy, the product of two people too young to really make such decisions, this one was much more polished and professional. 

 "I present to you the Wonder Alliance. We will combine our strengths and work together to usher in the next era of heroes." 

The crowd clapped politely, some more excited than others, and Izuku smiled softly when he caught Katsuki's eye.

"We will work together, along with our most trusted colleagues, to make sure every agency under our banner operates in the best way possible for the future of this country. This world."

He flicked over to a flowchart Katsuki had spent all night finishing off, demonstrating the ideal process for moving someone from a student into a top-ten-worthy hero. Izuku pointed out different sections, explaining their purpose, and the audience seemed rapt by his words, scribbling notes furiously for their upcoming reports and shows. 

By the time the presentation ended, Izuku looked exhausted. The moment he made it off-stage, Katsuki pulled him into his arms, holding him tight and hoisting him off the ground a little. Izuku smiled softly, kissing the side of his neck and snuggling in. He'd already learned that arguing when Katsuki got protective was futile, it was better to just go with the flow and make the most of the affection it brought with it.

"Kacchan?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm really happy."

"Good."

"And also really tired."

"I figured, nerd. Come on, I'll drive you home."

"I get to go in Kacchan's car?"

"Any time you want."

"Yay."

Katsuki hitched him up a little higher, bracing him against a strong shoulder, careful to avoid the remaining injuries. He set Izuku in the car with the gentlest touch, buckling him in, and even making him drink water before he rounded the car to get in the driver's seat.

"You're very protective," Izuku teased. "It's cute."

"Deku, I almost lost you," Katsuki reminded him flatly, making Izuku's smile fade. "Give me this one thing, just for now, alright?"

"As long as you want," Izuku assured him, squeezing his hand lightly when he reached for the gear shift. "Can we go for a drive?"

"To somewhere in particular?"

"Not really, I just want to drive with you. It would be nice to go somewhere pretty."

Katsuki contemplated it for a moment, signalling and turning out onto the main road before he spoke again.

"Yeah, we can do that," he agreed. "I'm busy most of this week, but I'll pick you up Friday night and we'll go away for the weekend."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, I have people who can cover my patrols, it'll be fine."

"I can't wait, Kacchan! I'm so excited!"

"But only if you take your nap," he smiled wryly. "Gotta be a good boy."

"Deal!"

─────

Izuku was ready and waiting when Katsuki arrived at the apartment, already fed, with a backpack hanging from his crutch. He pouted when Katsuki unhooked it, slinging it over a shoulder, but got zero sympathy in return. Katsuki didn't even seem to acknowledge the expression, in fact. Too busy greeting Inko and exchanging notes on travel plans and medication times.

"I can take care of myself," Izuku insisted. "I'm an adult, you know!"

"Shh, the grown ups are talking," Katsuki replied, straight-faced. "Be patient, Deku."

Izuku huffed, but his stubborn pout was broken quickly when Katsuki shot a gorgeous smirk back over his shoulder. Izuku's heart thumped extra hard, just once, and he blushed as he clutched at his chest.

"Traitor," he muttered. 

Soon enough, Katsuki was holding out a hand, and Izuku felt himself gently pulled to his feet when he accepted. He reached for his crutch, but when he looked at his bag, Katsuki only smirked again. 

"One hand for the crutch, one hand to hold mine, right?"

Izuku blushed again, but nodded firmly, squeezing tightly at Katsuki's strong grip. There was something so comforting about holding on to him, so reminiscent of their childhood days when Katsuki was constantly dragging him around, when the little ball of blond spikes and too-much-energy had come up with enthusiastically stupid plans and convinced Izuku to join him just by taking his hand.

"I'll bring him back safe and sound," Katsuki assured Inko, as he opened the apartment door. "Purely vacation, I assure you."

"I trust you, Katsuki. You don't need to make promises, you're always welcome to take care of my Izuku."

"Thank you, that means a lot."

She hugged them each one last time, then Katsuki led the way to the elevator, ushering Izuku through the sliding doors. Izuku watched him curiously the whole way down, waiting for the doors to slide open and offer him a potential escape before he asked the question.

"Since when do you let my Mom hug you?"

"Who do you think looked after her while your shitty ass was unconscious?" he scowled. "You think I shoved her off when she was bawling her eyes out over her only son being near death?"

"Okay, okay, ouch. Point taken."

Katsuki grumbled a little as he shoved Izuku into the passenger seat, but Izuku only smiled at him as he fussed. The seat was slid back to give him the maximum legroom, and Katsuki slipped his backpack behind it, making sure it was close enough that he could reach out and grab it if he needed anything. He pulled a blanket from the back, tucking it stubbornly over Izuku's legs, and handed him a little travel pillow he usually used for long flights. Izuku hugged it, smiling warmly, and for a moment Katsuki had to look away to compose himself. 

"You're so sweet, taking care of me like this."

"Whatever, nerd."

He opened the glovebox, wordlessly waving to a collection of snacks inside, and Izuku couldn't help but giggle.

"You're the best, Kacchan."

"Whatever," he repeated. "You comfortable?"

"Uh-huh!"

He pulled the seatbelt over to fasten Izuku in place, and Izuku didn't bother to point out that he could have done that part himself. With his crutch tucked away between his seat and the doorway, his gear stowed, and everything taken care of to keep him comfortable, Katsuki finally closed the door and rounded the car to the driver's seat.

"Tell me if you need anything," Katsuki said firmly. "Bathroom break, drinks, more food, whatever. Just make sure you tell me, alright?"

"I will! How far are we going tonight?"

"At least four hours, maybe if traffic is bad. You can nap if you want, I don't mind."

"No, I want to talk to Kacchan!" Izuku insisted, making Katsuki blush again. "I can do four hours, no problem!"

"Alright, well, the offer stands, anyway. Maybe we'll stop in a couple anyway, when we're out of the city. We could stop to... Watch... Uh... You know."

"What, Kacchan?"

"The s-sunset," he grumbled, keeping his gaze carefully averted. "We have a little over two hours, we could get out of the city and find somewhere to watch from."

"Yes! Please!" Izuku's eyes shone as he grabbed at Katsuki's arm, squeezing tightly. "I want to watch the sunset with Kacchan!"

"Yeah," Katsuki mumbled, nodding. "Okay, let's do that."

Izuku leaned over to plant a kiss on Katsuki's cheek, grinning when the whole pale face flooded with red again, his cheeks heating up quickly under Izuku's touch.

"Are you my boyfriend now, Kacchan?"

"If you want."

"I do. You make an amazing boyfriend, I'm so happy."

"I'll, uh, keep trying, I guess."

Katsuki finally started the car when he'd composed himself a little, and Izuku retracted his hands, making sure Katsuki could focus as they pulled out into the streets. He waited until they were on the highway, cruising in a nice straight line, before he reached out to lace their fingers together. Katsuki glanced at him, and Izuku caught a glimpse of a smile before he looked away again, staring dead-straight out the windscreen.

"Tell me if I'm in the way."

"You're not. Not unless I have to change gear, but I'll figure it out."

"I'll let go when you need to change gear again."

"I said I'd figure it out, dumbass, don't go spouting this 'letting go' shit."

"I'll hold your hand again after, Kacchan," Izuku giggled. "You don't have to worry about losing it."

"I wasn't worried, shithead!"

"Uh-huh, okay," Izuku teased, leaning his head on a strong shoulder lightly. "Be safe, alright? We can be affectionate whenever you want, it's okay to stop for safety."

"I'll figure it out," Katsuki grumbled again, a little less firmly this time. "I'll tell you if you should let go."

"Okay!"

─────

Katsuki pulled into a parking lot on the top of a hill, climbing out and rounding the car before Izuku had even undone his seatbelt. He bundled the nerd up in his blanket, hauling him up despite giggles and protests and squirming, and carried him to a little patch between the trees where they could look out at the horizon. 

Izuku squeaked when Katsuki sat down, pulling him straight into his lap, but soon he was relaxing into the warm chest behind him, nuzzling the side of his neck as the orange glow of dusk began to spread across the sky. 

"It's so pretty," Izuku gasped, watching the light scatter into an array of magnificent hues. "Kacchan, look!"

"Really pretty," he agreed, looking straight into Izuku's eyes. "I'm glad we came."

"You're not even looking," Izuku pouted. "You're being cheesy again."

"I can see it," he argued, swiping his thumb across Izuku's cheek. "There's orange here, and pink up here, and all sorts of golds here." 

He combed his fingers through Izuku's hair with the last one, admiring the way the lights made his dark hair shine like the fanciest of gemstones. 

"Super cheesy," Izuku blushed, snuggling in closer all the same. "Have you always been like this?"

"No, I just realised recently how much I had to lose, how much I could have missed out on."

"Thank you for coming to take care of me," Izuku hummed into his neck. "I know you could have just stayed at your own place and let my sidekicks take care of it, if you'd wanted. But you jumped and ran straight to me to do all you could to help."

"I'm glad I did. I might never have worked out what I was missing, otherwise."

"But you were happy anyway, you wouldn't have known."

"No, there was always something missing," Katsuki shook his head, finally looking out at the sinking sun. "I never considered that it might be a person, or love, or whatever, but there was a hole there all the same."

"And now?"

"You were the perfect size and shape to fill it in," Katsuki smiled surprisingly genuinely, kissing Izuku's curls. "It was a very precisely Deku-shaped hole, as it turns out."

"I'm glad I could fill it," Izuku grinned. "What made you realise?"

"Aizawa, really. He went through it too, once."

"Oh! You saw him?!"

"A bunch. I barged in on his classes twice, and we've caught up for drinks and dinner outside of work hours a few times."

"I didn't know you were still so close! I'm really glad!"

"Yeah, he's alright," Katsuki acknowledged. "I saw All Might too. I made him lunch, he was super happy."

"You're so cute," Izuku praised, turning sideways to hug Katsuki tightly. "Such a big softie!"

"Shut up."

"Never!"

Katsuki ruffled his hair, grinning when Izuku laughed his protests out, and for a long time they just sat, tangled in each other, savouring the way it felt to be pressed against the other so comfortably.

"We should get going," Katsuki sighed, when the sky grew dark. "Still got a couple more hours to the hotel."

"Are you gonna be okay to drive all the way there?"

"Nerd, I normally do this trip on my own and all in one go, I can handle two more hours. Come on, get off, I can't get up with your huge ass on me."

Izuku rolled off with another giggle, and by the time he looked up, Katsuki was already reaching for him, throwing him over his shoulder again.

"Kacchaaaan!" he whined, kicking his feet lightly. "Stop manhandling me!"

"I will when you can walk unaided, dipshit."

Izuku pouted, folding his arms stubbornly when Katsuki set him back in the car, quickly broken when Katsuki slapped a sloppy kiss on his temple. 

"Get comfy, nerd. We're not stopping again. Oh, wait, do you need to piss while we're here?"

"Nope, I'm good!"

"Alright, then we're not stopping again! Unless you need to piss, shit, or puke, because I'm not having that nonsense in my car."

"It's a nice car."

"Exactly, don't fuckin' mess it up, you hear me?"

"Understood!"

With a little pat on the head, Katsuki closed the door again, letting him settle in. He crawled back into the driver's seat, glancing over to find Izuku belted in and waiting, and giving him an approving nod.

"Good boy," he smirked, reaching over to ruffle already-messy hair. "You're catching on."