𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐊𝐔'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄✓

XII: Chat

XII: Chat

Third POV

It was 8:30 PM when Katsuki finally arrived home, a lot later than he usually would, but for some reason, that conversation Keiko had with Izuku really left him thinking about his past.

As such he couldn't help but feel so out of place.

But when he did finally grow a pair and entered his home, he noticed that there was absolute silence which was odd.

He'd expected to hear the tv in the living room blaring with sounds but nope, nothing.

He headed to the living room first, greeted with a sight he would've never expected to see.

In the living room the tv was on, except it's been turned down low and on some random kids' tv show, but on the couch were both Izuku and Keiko. Both fast asleep.

Izuku slept closer to the edge, using his sweater that was large enough to cover Keiko's body like a blanket as her face was buried into his white shirt, holding each other close.

He watched both of their chests rise and slowly fall with each light breath.

It would've been nice if everything here was sweet and as calm as it seemed, but if he was being real with himself he knew that there was an invisible wall between them.

That conversation Izuku had with Keiko may or may not have stuck with him.

He gently leaned over Izuku and picked Keiko up and over his shoulder before quietly trudging upstairs to give her a bath and put her back to bed.

He'd leave Izuku alone so he could rest.

. . . 30 minutes later . . .

Izuku woke up, except instant dread flooded his system when he realized Keiko was no longer enveloped in his arms and it was just his sweater.

He quickly sat upright, placing a hand on his forehead from the sudden rush of blood moving as he then stood up and began to call out Keiko's name.

"Keiko..? Keiko, where are you?" Izuku called out, stumbling towards the kitchen, to be greeted by a tall and muscular blond figure.

It was Katsuki.

"If you're looking for Keiko, I already put her to bed."  He spoke lowly, turning his body to completely face the daycare teacher who seemed to have a wave of relief wash over him.

"Thanks for looking after her." Katsuki's started, "I mean it." As he then went into his pocket and pulled out his wallet for Izuku's payment.

"Oh um no that's not necessary." Izuku quickly declined, warning a raise of the brow from the blond,  "I know you said you'll pay but I wouldn't feel right if I accepted your money."

"Call it even-; I still owe you for not snitching on me to faculty after my display of favoritism towards her."

Katsuki stared deep into Izuku's eyes, before stuffing his wallet back into his pants, not wanting the awkward silence to fall between them again...

"Are you hungry?" He suddenly asked, making Izuku shrug with reluctancy.

"It's late and I'm sure you're tired of doing hero work, so the less of a pain I am towards you the better I suppose..." Izuku muttered under his breath.

For one reason or another, Izuku's words seemed to impale Katsuki's like a two-pronged fork being stabbed into meat. Especially the last part.

"Yeah well I'm hungry and usually I'd eat with Keiko but she's already lights out so you might as well save yourself some time and eat now." He responded, ushering for Izuku to have a seat.

Well as long as Katsuki insisted, Izuku took a seat. Food was cooked, and the next thing Izuku knew, he and Katsuki were eating together.

At first, there was radio silence on both ends, when Izuku couldn't help but just ask,

"Seeing as how we're both here, I might as well ask what you wanted to talk about?"

"There's gonna be this mission I'm about to do, I don't know when though, and there sounds to be a good chance I might not return." He sighed out, watching a flicker of heartbreak on Izuku's expression before it went back to a poker face.

Katsuki stood up and put his bowl into the sink, taking Izuku's along with him.

"Is this about Keiko?" Izuku questioned concerned for the little girl's well-being only to see katsuki shake his head no.

"No, this is about us and where we are with each other." He muttered, waving a hand for Izuku to follow him out of the kitchen and over to the living room.

Sitting only a couple of inches from one another.

"We've been tiptoeing around this for a while using Keiko as a coverup but I'm tired and I know you are too." He gruffly muttered, "that day after the sludge villain attacked me and we first met all might, you completely changed on me."

Izuku nodded, "You changed on me first, don't forget that."

Katsuki shook his head in acknowledgment, knowing for a fact he also had a hand in all of this.

Izuku faced his palms, "I just stopped reaching for what wasn't obtainable for someone of my stature."

His heart hurt to say that, knowing that having a hero title wasn't the only thing he'd been gunning for all this time.

Katsuki eyed Izuku who hesitated from his gaze, as he then pulled out his phone.

'10:38 PM'

"Enough with the small talk, it's late so I should probably take you home." Katsuki then spoke, getting up from his seat.

"Actually I was just planning on calling a cab or taking the bus..." Izuku followed up, trying to stop Katsuki but the blond wouldn't have it.

They headed into the elevator and down to the car garage, entering a fancy white car and exiting the residence.

The drive was quiet but abnormally calming for both parties. Giving them enough time to gather their thoughts and make quick side glances at each other.

It had already hit 11 pm when they arrived, as Izuku thanked Katsuki and wished him a good night, but with only one foot out the door, Katsuki asked a final question.

"I need to know before we go out tomorrow," Katsuki muttered, this time he forced eye contact, as he reached out and grabbed Izuku's thin wrist where his ring was.

"Have your feelings for me-; have they changed at all?"

Izuku released the hitched breath he'd been holding during the car ride.

If there was ever gonna be a proper moment to tell Katsuki how he felt, he might as well do it now...

"Well..."