Chapitre 1
The snow was falling softly, clinging wherever it could, offering the townspeople a beautiful sight. Young and old alike could delight in the scene, warming their fingers around a cup of hot chocolate while the children built makeshift barricades to fend off snowball attacks. It was a joyful time, even though the holidays were long over and, on the contrary, one would have expected a timid spring sun rather than a freezing storm.
It was downright depressing, making Katsuki Bakugo grumble his discontent at the whims of the weather, constantly shaking his blond hair to get rid of the flakes. He didn’t like snow! To him, it was nothing more than frozen rain, and it had no purpose other than soaking him...
He could feel his feet crunching beneath the flakes, almost as if he were sinking into concrete, forcing him to test each step to make sure he wouldn’t fall. It was a miserable sight, worsening his mood as the other students in his class seemed nearly insane, already planning a snowball fight once they got back to the dorms—something he would obviously avoid, no matter the knowing looks his best friend threw his way.
The students of U.A. were attending, like most other high schoolers, a prevention seminar. The boring kind, where adults talked to teenagers as if they were completely stupid—which, admittedly, was probably true for some—about topics they themselves barely mastered and were even a little ashamed of... Watching adults present a condom while being just as embarrassed was completely ridiculous! No one dared ask questions, leaving them to awkwardly use a poor banana, just so it would all be over quickly!
The only class of this sort that had been genuinely interesting was the one from just a few weeks ago, taught by Midnight! The heroine wasn’t shy at all, tackling all kinds of delicate topics and opening real discussion. Katsuki had actually been interested that time, even asking questions when homosexuality was mentioned. He didn’t care if people labeled him that way—he had nothing to be ashamed of—but he had been surprised to realize he wasn’t the only one in the class. That one had truly been useful, and the heroine hadn’t forgotten to warn them not to believe everything they saw in adult films, even giving them website addresses where they could talk freely and more healthily, according to her.
But today, it would only be about some stupid play, and he already knew he was going to die of boredom... On top of that, other schools were attending too, meaning they would be the center of attention, subjected to whispers and overly curious glances from a bunch of insolent preteens.
All of this already annoyed him...
After enduring a long and tedious lecture about proper behavior from their homeroom teacher, they now had to follow their assigned seating order, which meant he ended up next to Deku. And he wasn’t stupid enough not to understand that the burning, warning look and the clenched fist of the pro hero supervising them were very much directed at him.
Yeah... he got it. He’d better behave with the nerd.
And yet, things had genuinely improved between them! The past year hadn’t been easy, and he was aware of his mistakes toward Izuku.
Awkwardly, he had tried to find a way to approach that painful subject, but it hadn’t gone well. He truly wanted to at least make amends, face his flaws and own up to them—but above all, make sure he would never impose that on anyone again. Especially not him... But if there was one thing he was terrible at, it was communication!
That was probably why it had taken him so long to understand why he couldn’t stand his childhood friend!
He had realized it only recently. After that cursed war had ended, they had been able to resume their training, finally completing their first year together—though they deliberately ignored counting that other idiot who had eventually joined their class!
But now that things were calmer and more peaceful, he had taken the time to think about many things—especially why, from the very beginning, he had felt betrayed by his most loyal friend.
He didn’t have a Quirk...
At first, he had put Izuku in the same category as everyone else. He admired him, that was all! Like the others, he expected a lot from him without looking any deeper. But he had been wrong—the green-haired boy had always cared about him, constantly trying to follow him on every adventure, always reaching out his hand, even when it trembled... No matter when he looked back, Izuku was there, never leaving him alone!
And when they finally understood that he would never have a Quirk, he hadn’t tried to see things any differently. Whether Izuku took it badly, watching his dreams shatter, was completely secondary in his mind! He had selfishly understood only one thing: they would never become heroes together...
As a child, it had been one of the worst things he had ever had to face. Even now, he could still remember the rage that had always burned in his fingers when he realized that from then on, Izuku wouldn’t just be there, following in his footsteps anymore...
And now, at nearly seventeen, he understood just how selfish that had been! He had never listened to his friend’s struggles, even though he had suffered so much!
And later, when they had drifted apart because of his damn temper, hearing that crazy rumor had completely set him off!
The nerd still planned to join U.A.?
Years had passed, and he had put him down at every turn, becoming a real jerk... But the moment he heard that, it wasn’t anger that twisted his stomach—it was fear!
What if that idiot did better than him? Worse—what if Izuku got seriously hurt...?
A quirkless nobody—what could he possibly do?
Nothing!!
And yet, the nerd had a Quirk...
Still trapped in his selfishness, he refused to understand. He must have lied—that had to be it! But why? Weren’t they friends? Sure, he had become a monster in his eyes, but as kids, they had been inseparable!
So Deku must have messed up first!
It was stupid and selfish to think that way, but he had done it anyway—hiding like an idiot behind his own weakness, even when that fool had told him the truth... He hadn’t tried to follow through on his thoughts, simply accepting his place as his mentor’s successor! But it never stopped...
It made him sick! Watching him break his bones without a second thought drove him into a furious rage he could never calm! Because of that, he couldn’t even look at him without wanting to knock some sense into him! He didn’t care anymore about that nonsense of betrayal or forgiveness—he only wanted one thing: for the nerd to stop hurting himself...
And just like those damn snowflakes falling all around him, making everyone laugh while Aizawa looked ready to knock them out, he understood.
He was in love with Izuku...
“You still don’t like snow, huh, Kacchan?”
Without his legendary composure, he would have jumped. He realized he had been staring at his childhood friend throughout his entire train of thought and must have looked like an idiot.
They were standing in line, waiting to enter the building. Behind them, the others laughed together, trying to help the class representative who couldn’t take two steps without slipping on the snow. But he was at the front, silent until now. He hadn’t paid him any attention—and yet, he had felt his gaze the entire time.
Yes... now they understood each other. One had finally realized his feelings and even accepted them, while the other could finally try to have something close to real conversations with his oldest friend without being brushed off.
Still, the blond didn’t always respond! But that seemed to suit Izuku just fine, as he calmly stayed by his side, smiling.
But at that moment, as he got lost in his thoughts about him, he suddenly wondered how he had gotten there!
Izuku was a crybaby and never thought about the consequences of his actions! And yet, as he looked him straight in the eyes, he couldn’t deny the truth.
He loved that olive shade, shining like stars, tracing a path like a treasure map toward a unique emerald hue—one ready to disappear, like a well-kept secret, the moment he closed his eyes, only to reveal another, completely different yet just as extraordinary. The green lights within those vast depths warmed hearts—and his had been utterly enchanted!
And if one resisted that journey, it was easy to get lost in those wild freckles scattered across his cheeks, always enhancing one of his many smiles, giving him that adorable, innocent look—yet somehow capable of carrying the weight of the world!
Yes... in truth, Izuku was a blend of all that, completely contradictory. He seemed weak and strong, gentle and sharp, as well as terribly happy and terribly sad...
“Is something wrong, Kacchan?”
Still without answering, he simply placed his hand on his cheek, his thumb gently tracing the starlike path of each freckle as he tried to understand how he even worked.
He smiled all the time, at everyone, hiding behind his white teeth everything he thought he had to lock away deep inside a closet. Katsuki was one of the few in front of whom he regularly broke down in tears. And it wasn’t because of the way he spoke—he knew it was often harsh. No... he rather felt that Izuku had nothing to hide from him. So his smile was different around him...
Far more precious.
He liked to believe he was right about that. It was interesting that, despite all the crap he had put him through, he still had a chance. But beyond that, he sincerely wanted the nerd to have at least one person he could lean on, someone he could let himself fall apart with. It didn’t matter who—as long as he wasn’t alone when he needed to give up...
That said, he definitely wanted that role.
And right now, he was casually touching his face, making him blush without being able to react or even ask a question, probably afraid of breaking the moment. They simply looked into each other’s eyes.
Then reality quickly resumed, their teacher announcing that they could go inside—CALMLY—as he yelled like a bull. Katsuki pulled away, following the movement without a word, while poor Izuku tried to massage his cheeks to get his heart rate back to normal... unsuccessfully.
The building was quite old, but surprisingly well maintained, leading the students through a maze of hallways and empty counters, walls covered with various posters. The most recent one was clearly the show they were about to see: a performance made up of several sketches about respecting others—something that looked incredibly dull. Katsuki vaguely wondered how many students would actually listen to that nonsense. Still, he said nothing, standing straight as he noticed students from the next line pointing at them. Not knowing whether it was him or Deku they were staring at, he simply shot them a glare, stubbornly stepping closer to the green-haired boy as he looked down on them.
“Kacchan? Are you sick? You’re acting weird!”
Bold question. He could’ve snapped at him that it was none of his business, innocent idiot that he was—but Izuku’s cool hand landed on his forehead, trying to check what was wrong. So he could only calm down, shrugging as they were finally allowed to enter and take their seats.
“I’m fine. Come on.”
The wooden floor creaked loudly beneath them, as if it might collapse at any moment. The room was already crowded, and the U.A. students were guided to the center, ordered to stay quiet. Like some kind of ridiculous play, they took their seats as properly as possible, especially under the sharp red gaze of their pro hero, while the other students openly stared at them. Katsuki couldn’t wait for the lights to go out so he could finally be left alone, settling into a surprisingly comfortable seat. Red velvet—old, sure, but clean. There was enough space for him to stretch his legs, and the armrest was perfect for resting his head and going unnoticed. Perfect.
The show could finally begin, the actors even introducing themselves while the last students from another school took their seats. And as they enthusiastically presented the theme of their performance, the blond was already tuning out...
This was so boring...
It was childish nonsense. Everyone here knew it wasn’t okay to act like that! Writing insults on a student’s desk or locking them in the bathroom—that was something only a complete asshole would do! He didn’t know anyone in his class capable of that!
Even though he himself had done things like that... even going as far as suggesting that someone so dear to him should jump off the roof...
Startled by his own thought, he turned toward the seat next to him—and froze.
This was all nonsense... his nonsense.
And Izuku was the one who had suffered from it! And there he was, sitting next to his tormentor, watching scenes that mirrored his own past, lips pressed tight as he bit the inside of his cheeks to keep from crying.
“Shit...”
Instinctively, he leaned toward him, grabbing his hand while catching his gaze. Everything in those jade eyes shimmered with sadness, screaming the same question over and over: why?
And even though he had never properly apologized, he had never even given him a reason. Not that there had ever been a good one! Izuku deserved an answer. So he squeezed his fingers tightly, completely losing his composure. This was his chance—he had only ever run away before, never taking it.
And yet, the words wouldn’t come, stuck painfully in his throat as if he needed to scream his apology endlessly. He wanted to spit it out, to tell him he had been a complete asshole, how much he didn’t deserve him! He wanted to say he was terribly sorry, that he never should have said those things. That he knew he was the one who had ruined everything between them—and that he truly regretted it now...
All of it was right there, burning on his tongue! He knew he had to say it, frustrated that he couldn’t, angry at himself for not being strong enough to finally face it all. Lost in the eyes of the person he cared about most—the one who stirred so many feelings within him, the one he had almost lost...
“Izuku...”
And it was pathetically little, barely more than a plea for help he had no right to ask for. He should be facing his mistake, accepting that he had lost the right to love him. He didn’t want to think about the way his stomach had leapt with joy when Deku had told the class he was pansexual, instantly burying every hope he had ever had of trying his luck...
And yet, the moment he said his name, Deku’s eyes widened, sadness swept away so easily by a shameless hope. As if to hold onto him, Izuku dared to slide his fingers along his jaw, slowly moving up toward his ear.
And in that uncomfortable position, Katsuki sighed in response, almost apologizing for his own weakness, grimacing in shame—while his old friend accepted it all with one of those smiles, the ones he only gave him, the ones he loved so much.
His gaze was soft, ready to accept all his moods, just like always. His lips forgave everything, gently curved into that calm, adorable expression, offering him a refuge he would probably never be able to refuse...
Because that’s who Deku was.
And he... couldn’t live without him anymore.
“I’m in love with you, Izu. I think I always have been.”
The surprise showed in every shade of green as his eyes filled with tears again, a single drop escaping and falling to his lips.
“Kacchan...”
He stammered, his voice trembling, making him look unbearably adorable, just as unable as him to find the words—let alone say them. And yet, he timidly puckered his lips so tightly that even if he answered that shy, flustered invitation, he would probably only reach his chin. There was nothing cuter than him in that moment—an undeniable fact!
Was that his answer? Did it mean he loved him too? Did he even have the right? After all the pain he had caused, after hurting that radiant smile so many people now relied on—could he really stand by his side and enjoy who Izuku was?
Was this how he could make up for it? By taking care of him, loving him as much as he deserved?
And yet, he couldn’t resist. No matter the answers, he wanted that role! If Izuku was willing to give it to him, then he would take it—and fight to keep it!
And right there, seeing the troubled look in Izuku’s eyes, he could only feel the strength of his resolve. He was flushed, burned by his own shyness, his brows twitching with worry as he struggled to meet his gaze. And yet, he didn’t move, his fingers still clinging to him, as if daring him to pull away.
“Deku?”
Startled, he opened his eyes wide, his bright jewels fluttering as he searched for words, parting his lips as if to answer. But Katsuki had nothing left to say. He knew he was too much of a coward to speak—so he simply leaned in, taking what was being offered to him, even if he didn’t deserve it.
And the nerd... he kissed him, right there, in front of everyone. He didn’t care at all!
Even though the room was dark, offering them a bit of privacy, the students nearby still saw them, bursting into surprised laughter, creating a low buzz around them.
He didn’t want to pay them any attention. Because right now—his lips were on Izuku’s.
It was clumsy, he knew. He had never kissed anyone before. And yet, he didn’t want it to end. And it seemed the same was true for the green-haired boy, whose hand slid to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Even when they parted slightly, he couldn’t resist going back, trying to memorize the overwhelming sensations that made him almost deaf.
Because their breaths met, collided, becoming one.
Because their noses brushed together softly.
Because, shyly, he felt Deku’s tongue trace his lips, asking for entry—something he could only grant in the end...
And as they deepened the kiss, the idiots next to them started whistling, even applauding their boldness. The blond raised his middle finger, triggering another wave of laughter...
“Bakugo! Midoriya!”
And that was the end.
They broke apart abruptly, frustrated at being interrupted like that.
“What? We weren’t talking!” he shot back, unable to stop himself—even though he knew it was too much.
Still, he didn’t push it further. Their teacher tilted his head silently, probably signing his death warrant in his mind. He knew he wouldn’t get away with it. So he slowly pulled away from his—probably—boyfriend, who sat there stunned, unable to move or react to the teasing around him, licking his lips as if trying to taste the remnants of their kiss.
Katsuki struggled to process what had just happened.
But he was happy...
He turned slightly toward Izuku, offering him a small smile as he placed his hand on the padded armrest, fingers turned upward—clearly inviting another hand to slip into his.
Then he looked forward again, focusing on the show that had continued without them, as if they hadn’t just put on a far more interesting one themselves.
And as if answering that unspoken invitation, slowly and hesitantly, Deku’s hand found his, their fingers intertwining...
Yes... they were probably more than friends now...
