As soon as I stepped back into my room and that little rush of adrenaline wore off, my lip started to tremble. I picked up my phone with shaking hands and pressed the dial.
"Hi."
"Hello?"
"Send me your address."
"What? Why would I do that?"
"Because I'm coming to your house."
"Are you now?"
"Well I could always call someone else-"
"No. Ugh. Fine, I'll text it to you."
"See you in a moment."
"Wait you mean right n-"
I hung up before he could argue any further. A minute later, I received the address.
"Hey, Dad and Dad. I'm gonna go out for a little while." My parents looked up at me. They were both looking at something on the laptop. Ramen glanced up lazily from his place on the table under Father's hand.
"Where?" He asked. "Why? Are you okay?"
"Who's the worrier now?" Dad asked amusedly.
"I'm just going to meet up with, uh, my friends. A lot's been going on lately. I just want to have a fun day." After sharing a brief look at his husband, Father pulled out his wallet and handed me some money.
"Have fun then. And stay safe. Call us if anything happens." He kissed my forehead gently.
"Of course."
"See you later, sweetie. Let us know when you're coming back." Dad kissed my cheek and waved as I said goodbye and left.
"Oh, hello there!" A woman opened the door. She was ridiculously beautiful. Her eyes were striking, her skin was glowing, and her hair was smooth and voluminous.
"H-hi. Are you Katsuki's sister? He never mentioned siblings." I asked nervously. She started laughing loudly.
"Oh, I love you already! Come in, come in! I'm Mitsuki, Katsuki's mother. He's an only child, couldn't you just tell?" As I stepped into the house and started to take off my trainers, she looked up the stairs and yelled. "HEY, BRAT! YOU'VE GOT A GUEST!" I tried my best to suppress a laugh of my own. They were so similar. By the time my shoes were off, Katsuki was downstairs.
"She's not said anything embarrassing about me, has she?"
"Not at all." I assured.
"Great." He grabbed my forearm and started to tug me upstairs. "Come on."
"Wait! Where are you off yo? Do you not want any refreshments?"
"Oh, no thank you Mrs Bakugo."
"Call me Mitsuki, darling!"
"O-okay." For some reason, I was shaking with nerves. I was meeting Katsuki's mother. It was terrifying, yet exciting. "Oh. I'm Hinami Hata by the way." She gasped.
"You're Hinami? Oh my goodness, let me get a better look at you!" She pinched my cheeks and started turning my face this way and that.
"Get off, hag!" Katsuki hissed angrily.
"You're so pretty! What are you doing with my son? You're way above his league." I found myself blushing profusely. "Well, I'm not going to complain. He's been so happy lately. You should see the sappy smile he has all the time!" I glanced over at Katsuki, who was as red as a tomato and clenching his fists.
"Shut up you old hag! Stop lying!" She whacked him over the back of the head.
"Don't talk to me like that you brat! Especially not in front of your-"
"Don't! We need to do our school work." After one last look at me and a forlorn sigh, Mitsuki let me go and watched us scramble upstairs.
When we got to Katsuki's room, I simply stood by the door, my head reeling. He quickly began shoving things into drawers and his closet.
"You were quicker than I expected." He explained. "And I'm sorry about that stupid hag she-" When he looked up at me, he stopped. I had a huge, probably dumb looking smile on my face. His mum liked me. As crazy as I must have seemed in that moment, I started laughing giddily. Katsuki eyed me suspiciously for a moment, before smiling alongside me.
"Sorry, I just- That wasn't what I was expecting." He made a noise that wasn't really an answer before pointing at his desk.
"Sit down. Why did you come over again?" My face dropped. In the excitement Mitsuki had kicked up, I had completely forgotten all about what had happened earlier that morning. I slowly sat down in the chair as he flopped down on his bed. "So?"
"I went to see the LOV today." He bristled at the mention of them. Once I finished recounting what had happened, a gentle hand rested upon mine.
"That was probably stupid. Anything could have happened to you, dumbass." But his quiet voice lacked the anger it seemed as though he was trying to project.
"I know. But I had to."
"I understand."
"I just... Despite everything, I can't help but feel bad."
"You what?"
"Well... I don't know. I still can't help but feel sorry for the League. They've been through a lot."
"I think you have Stockholm syndrome." I simply shrugged, not in the mood to give my usual teasing response. He examined my expression for a few moments. "You're being serious?" After thinking about a response, I hesitantly replied.
"I just want to forget about it. I was hoping you'd cheer me up."
"What do I look like, your personal cheerer-upper?" Despite his grumbles, he pulled me out of my seat and into his arms.
"Well you don't tend to do it on purpose." I nuzzled into his firm chest and let myself get lost in the warm caramel that was him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" With a content smile, I ran a soothing hand down his arm.
"It was a compliment, calm down. Even though you annoy me to the ends of the Earth, you make me happy. I feel as safe as I feel frustrated when I'm around you." I didn't get a response, but Katsuki hugged me just a bit closer and a bit tighter, and that told me all I needed to know.
After a few moments, I plucked up the courage to do something I had been wanting to do for longer than I care to admit. I leant forward and pressed my lips against his cheek in a brief kiss. When I pulled away, he was shocked, and the tips of his ears were glowing pink.
"W-what was that for?"
"You're stuttering." I pointed out with a smug smile. He pushed me backwards so that I was laying down on his bed, his arms trapping me on either side.
"Answer the fucking question, dumbass." My breath hitched in my throat.
"I just wanted to."
"What kind of shitty excuse was that?" Even though he was scowling, I knew that he wasn't mad.
"It isn't an excuse. Why do I need a reason to show you affection?" He stopped for a second to think about it. "Would you rather I hadn't done it?"
"I didn't say that." He murmured, leaning even closer to me. Before I could register what was going on, he had already kissed my cheek in return. "Now we're even."
"We don't need to be 'even', Katsuki." I chuckled.
"No. You're right." He swooped down and kissed my other cheek, quickly and gently. "Now I'm winning." My stomach fluttered pleasantly. I felt euphoric. Slowly, I brought my hand to his cheek and cupped his face.
"I think you'll find, I'm the winner here." I teased. We were staring into each other's eyes. It felt like I was in a trance. Best damn trance I've ever been in. Katsuki's hands were beside my head and on my waist.
"You know I said that I wanted to talk to you before."
"Yes, I remember."
"It was about this. About us."
"Us?" I breathed.
"I know that you said before that you didn't want to be close. But you're not dangerous! That's bullshit! And even if you were, I'd still be by your side, as long as you promised to always be by mine. Plus, I'm not some weak extra, I can look after both of us just fine. I want to look after you..." It took a second for me to register what he was saying.
"Y-you want to... You want to be by my side?"
"Now you're the one stuttering, dumbass." He smirked, leaning just a tiny bit closer. "I want to be by your side. Forever." I was beyond shocked. A part of me thought it could be a trick. A cruel prank. Or something more sinister. Maybe Shigaraki set it up.
Who was I kidding? Looking into those ruby eyes I adore was all I needed to do to know that he was being completely genuine.
"And I want to be by yours. So, so much." The biggest grin I've ever seen broke onto his face.
"You're serious?" He asked nervously.
"Deadly!" I responded enthusiastically. Smiling like idiots, our faces became even closer.
Just as our noses grazed, a loud noise came from my pocket. We both froze but it continued to play the noise of a storm. I gently pushed Katsuki upright and fished my phone out.
"Who is it? We were having a moment! Which extra ruined it?" I raised my eyebrow and answered the phone.
"Hey, Midoriya!" Katsuki's eye twitched and it was all he could do to not snatch the phone out of my hand and start yelling down it.
"Hey there! Are you doing anything today?"
"Well I'm with Katsuki right now. Why?"
"Oh! That's great, actually. Me and the others are going to the arcade in town. Do you two want to come? You can also invite Sero, Kaminari, Mina, and Kirishima as well."
"That sounds fantastic! What time?"
"About half past one."
"Great! I'll phone them now. See you there!"
"Bye!
"What sounds fantastic?" Katsuki fumed.
"Want to go to the arcades?"
"With Deku? Why would I want to spend time with that shitty nerd?"
"Everyone will be there."
"Everyone?"
"Well, the Bakusquad and the Dekusquad." An idea popped into my head. "Okay, well, I guess I'll just spend the day with them without you. I'm sure Mido will play the new Mr Magnificent game with me-"
"No!" He growled. "I'll come with you." I smiled at his little pout and, despite him tutting at me, he also ended up smiling.
After a few phone calls to confirm our other friends would be able to come along, we got ready to go.
"Hey! Hag! We're going to town." Katsuki yelled, putting his head into the living room.
"Are you going on a date?"
"Tch. No we aren't."
"Well why not?" Mitsuki yelled back. I also peered into the room, giving who I could only assume was his dad a wave.
"We're meeting our friends at the arcade. Also, hello Mr Bakugo. Pleasure to meet you." He smiled at me and waved back.
"A pleasure." He was much more reserved than the other two members of his family.
"You have other friends? Other people put up with you?" Mitsuki pressed. "You never tell us about your other friends. You don't even talk about Izuku anymore."
"That implies that he only talks about me?" I couldn't help but point out. Katsuki's ears went red again.
"Oh, he does talk about you. When you came back from that woodland training program thing, he wouldn't shut up-"
"I think it's your turn to shut up!" He interrupted.
"Don't be ridiculous." I sat next to Mitsuki. "I want to know what you've been saying about me."
"We'll be late!" He whined.
"They can wait a few minutes!"
"I like this one!" Mitsuki laughed, putting an arm over my shoulders. "He was complaining about someone saying you two cuddled on the coach trip." I smiled at the memory. "And he was saying that he couldn't believe he had to cook with you. Which, in his language, means he had tons of fun cooking with you. Our Katsuki's a talented little chef."
"Yes, he is. Everyone was complimenting our meal."
"And a while ago, he was suddenly miserable. He said he couldn't talk to you."
"He was ignoring me." She gasped.
"Why were you doing that you little-"
"No! It was just as much my own fault. We had an argument. But I'm just as stubborn and hot tempered as he is."
"Oh, aren't you just the sweetest!" She pinched my cheek affectionately. It was hard to believe that Katsuki didn't get hugs from her often. "And he says you get panic attacks sometimes, poor thing. I can always tell when because he gets so worried. I'm surprised he hasn't worn a trail on his carpet." I looked at Katsuki, who was bright red and was gritting his teeth.
"You really get that worried about me?"
"Of course I do, dumbass. Now can we go?" Yet another smile tugged at my lips.
"Yeah, I suppose we should. Thank you for having me!"
"You're always welcome here!" Mitsuki exclaimed.
After saying our goodbyes, Katsuki dragged me out of the house and started rushing down the road.
"Are you alright?" I asked. "Are you embarrassed about your mum? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have got her to tell me."
"No. Not exactly." He took my hand but refused to look at me.
"Then what is it?"
"I'm just... Not used to this. I'm always the loud angry one and that's how I like it. So I don't want you to know that I get worried about you and sappy stuff like that."
"I see." I nodded.
"You do?" He asked in surprise.
"Yes. Being loud and angry all the time is the way you defend your true feelings. You put up walls because you don't like coming across as vulnerable in any way."
"H-how-"
"Any time we made some sort of breakthrough in our relationship, you'd turn cold and try to push me away. So it was an easy guess." He stopped walking.
"Why did you stay?"
"Huh?"
"I tried to push you away, you're right. I thought you were just dense or something. But you knew that I was trying to get rid of you. So why didn't you leave me alone?" He looked into my eyes as if trying to search for an answer in them. I took a deep breath.
"I have no idea. I didn't want to leave you. I always knew there was more to you and I wanted to find out what it was and why you was hiding it. You're really intriguing. You've always pulled me in. I don't think I could have left you behind if I tried."
"It means a lot to me. That you stayed." He said in a small voice. I kissed his cheek, still feeling butterflies at this new level of affection..
"I'm happy. Because you mean a lot to me." Even after what had happened in his room, he still looked taken aback by my words.
"Well- Come on. They'll be waiting for us." He tugged my arm and started walking. To anyone else, things like that would sound rude or harsh or dismissive. But I knew him better than that. So, I happily trotted alongside him.
By his side. Where he wanted me.