The date was finally over. At a certain point in time, Izuku would have been relieved to hear those words. To finally be free of nerves, to be free of being stuck somewhere he didn't want to be, to be free of someone he didn't want to spend time with.
That wasn't how he felt now. Despite the whole afternoon having passed, he still felt... dissatisfied. He couldn't rest knowing that he would get the chance to be with Momo again.
To put it simply, he was well and truly smitten. And he knew it.
However, he wasn't the only one aware of just how much fun he was having, as he'd been messaging Katsuki for quite a while, so much so that he'd requested the cab driver change his destination to Katsuki's house.
After all, he could easily walk back to his place once they were done talking. Once he arrived, he carefully grabbed the suit and slung it over his shoulder, walking up to their door and knocking on it, as Katsuki himself answered.
"Sup Deku. Mom and Dad went out to shop, they'll be back in about half an hour if you want to stay over." He said, letting Izuku in.
"I'm surprised Camie isn't here with you, or that you're not with her." Izuku replied, knowing how often both of them met up.
"She's at the library with some people from her course, they have a group assignment." Katsuki explained
"I thought you were the only group project she knew?" Izuku asked teasingly.
"Hey it took at least four scientists to make you in the lab"
"Excuse me, it actually took seven of them, I'm a prime specimen."
"Of course you are buddy, you're extra special."
"Aww thank you buddy, you always know the right thing to say" Izuku said sarcastically, chuckling at Katsuki's comment as they both entered his room.
"So, how much do you think the suit's worth?" Katsuki asked, watching as Izuku hung it up on the hooks behind Katsuki's door.
"I honestly don't know, all I know is that it's expensive, and tailored, so I have an excuse to not bulk up." Izuku replied, sitting on Katsuki's bed, whilst he sat on his desk chair, the breeze causing his hair and the curtains to billow slightly, prompting him to close them.
"If you think you're getting out of workouts that easily, you have another thing coming." Katsuki said with a grin, "Second of all, you're telling me you of all people didn't see a price tag in there?"
"It was a pretty fancy place, no price tags, and Momo didn't even get a receipt, since it was a favour." Izuku said, looking at the suit hanging up, his curiosity reawakening as Katsuki asked him so many questions.
"First name basis huh? You guys are getting serious, should I start planning my speech?" He joked.
"I'm on a first-name basis with your girlfriend Kaachan, and I've also seen her half naked. Maybe you want to talk about when we're gonna have a baby once she gets back?" Izuku asked jokingly.
"Did you really have to remind me of that?"
"Why, you need a few minutes with your phone and some lotion?"
"Yeah go ahead, you can start messaging Momo again, loverboy~"
"Oh shut up, this coming from the guy who snuck out in the middle of the night to see his girlfriend and almost got run over."
"I didn't say I wasn't a romantic either."
"Kaachan, I've seen you put Camie in a headlock more times than I've seen MMA fighters put each other in headlocks."
"What if she likes it~"
"I thought you were the submissive one?"
"Please tell me you don't think about my sex life in your spare time."
"I mean I'm not gonna think about my own, considering it doesn't exist yet."
"Funny. Now come on, you didn't come all the way over here to give me shit, out with it." Katsuki said, standing up and stretching a little.
"There's nothing else really, I just... had a really fun time on the date, so I thought I'd tell you about it. Not like I can go to anyone else." Izuku said.
"I'm sure Nejire would hear you out, maybe Ochako too~" Katsuki said playfully, piquing Izuku's attention.
"Why did you say her name like that?" Izuku asked, oblivious as ever, though he could at least guess what he was trying to imply.
"No reason, it's just funny that you went on a date and you go back home to two women." Katsuki replied, playing it off, deciding not to say anything else.
"I mean Eri hardly counts as a woman, I still have to feed her food and change her diapers." Izuku joked.
"Fair, well I'm glad you came over here Deku, it's nice to see you finally getting somewhere in your dating life, I'd say you deserve it more than most of the people we know." Katsuki said with a warm, genuine smile on his face.
"Thanks. Honestly I just... it was close to perfect. She was funny, smart, pretty, like, I can still remember every detail of every second we spent with each other. It was just... fun and easy, plus, she really likes me, so that helps too" Izuku said, with an uncontrollable, lovestruck grin.
"Well, first of all, congratulations. If you keep this up you'll be the richest man in Japan, or just a trophy husband." Katuski joked, before his tone shifted ever so slightly, "But, tell me something I don't know" He said.
"W-what do you mean?" Izuku asked, giving Katsuki a quizzical expression.
"Tell me something I don't know." He reiterated as if it was obvious, before carrying on.
"I have no doubt that the date went well, and I expected it to. You're a very considerate and nice person, and Momo's a confident and outgoing person, and the fact that she asked you out, and not the other way around, and you being the way you are, I expected you two to carry it on." He explained.
"So, what are you trying to say?" Izuku asked tentatively, leaning forward as Katsuki spoke.
"Everything you described until now is how you'd expect a good date to go. And I'm not saying that I'm an expert on dating or love, but I know you, and you're not the kind of person who'd want to date casually, not that you can't, this was a more light-hearted date, at least that's how you described it. But in my experience, the best times I've had with Camie, I couldn't explain to you. I don't even know how to put it into words off the top of my head. It's something irrational, inexplicable, and unique to my own experience." He replied, with a wistful smile on his face, no doubt thinking about her, before carrying on.
"The reason I asked you to tell me something I didn't know was to see how you'd attempt to describe that same feeling. You'll feel the same way, but you'd see it differently." Katsuki explained.
"Is this your way of telling me you don't think we're serious?" Izuku asked, looking at Katuski dead in the eye, though without any malice or ill intent.
"Not at all. Like I said, it's unique. It's just, I.... I know you too well not to ask." He replied, "If anyone deserves someone else who cares for them the same way Camie cares for me, and I care for her, it's you. I mean that. And I'll root for you no matter what. But if we can't have discussions like this, well, what's the point of me calling you Deku, right?" Katsuki said, sitting next to Izuku, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Izuku took a second, flashing his best friend a smile, before responding, "I get that Kaachan, thank you. But seriously, you don't need to worry. Look I know how I spoke about love and all that stuff before, but, I need to be open to at least try and expand my perspective, right?"
"Fine, I'm just happy you're happy. Also, if you get me a lousy Christmas present this year, I'm blaming your girlfriend." Katsuki joked, lightening the mood a little.
"Hey I already know exactly what I'm gonna get you, don't worry, it'll be great." Izuku said with a grin.
"Let me guess, a matching suit for me? You'll probably ask the old hag for my measurements." Katsuki guessed, though at this point for him, it was more like answering a multiple-choice question.
"See now you ruined the surprise. Are you proud of yourself?" Izuku said, feigning a dejected expression.
"Very much so. Now you have to think of a new gift" Katsuki said with a devilish smile.
"Do you really want something else other than the suit? That was my best idea." Izuku said with a sigh.
"Well normally I'd only want the suit, but if it's to piss you off, I'd accept coal in my stocking." Katsuki replied.
"What if I just gave you a Christmas stocking as a gift?" Izuku asked, half serious.
"Then you're getting condoms for Christmas, I know you're too much of a pussy to use them."
"Screw you, I'm buying you a French maid's outfit and insisting you wear it."
"Why, wanna see what a real man looks like?"
"I mean I do get tired of looking in the mirror every day."
"Can you even see the mirror without a step ladder?" Katsuki asked, standing over Izuku.
"Can you even-" Izuku said, before being cut off by the loudest sound known to man, otherwise known as Mituski Bakugo.
"HEY KATSUKI! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH THE SHOPPING!!"
"I'LL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE YOU OLD HAG! DEKU'S HERE STOP YELLING!" Katsuki yelled, the irony not being lost on Izuku.
"I'll help you guys, come on. Maybe buy me some earbuds for Christmas, I'll need them if I'm having dinner here like usual." Izuku joked, before heading down and helping the rest of the Bakugo family, reminiscing about the days he used to live with them.
"So, the little shit here told me you had a date with that Yaoyorozu girl? How'd it go?" Mitsuki asked as Katsuki and Masaru put away the rest of the shopping, as well as getting into a slight argument about what to eat for dinner.
"It went really well, apparently I have to plan the second date." Izuku said proudly, "How have you been anyways? It's been a while since I've been over here." He asked.
"I'm fine dear, just a little busy going around pitching with Masaru, but other than that, things are nice. Though you seem to be doing well too, it seems like you can't wipe that grin off your face" She pointed out, happy for her pseudo-son.
"Yeah, it's been a perfect day." Izuku said, unable to hide his expression even for a moment, "In any case, I'll get out of your hair, I'm sure Eri and Ochako are waiting for me, I'll just get my stuff from upstairs." He added.
"Well it was nice to see you either way and if you ever feel like introducing your girlfriend to me again, let her know the second date's here" She replied, watching as Izuku rolled his eyes.
Once he grabbed his suit and phone, he said goodbye to both Katsuki and Masaru, stepping out to walk home, surprised to see that it had already begun to get dark, though with the winter season approaching, it wasn't too shocking.
Within five minutes he finally got home, closing the door behind him and kicking off his shoes, before calling out, "Ochako, Eri! I'm home! Have you guys eaten yet?"
Ochako, who was upstairs working, heard Izuku come home, almost jumped out of her seat and rushed to see him, forgetting to put on her slippers and hoodie, only wearing a pair of baggy sweatpants and a tank top.
"Hey Izuku, Mina and Tsu came over earlier, so they all went out with Eri after she finished some kind of project. I haven't eaten yet, I thought I'd wait until you two were back." She replied, immediately trying to read his face, a mix of happiness and anger flooding her body when she saw that same magnetic smile that made her fall for him.
"Yeah she sent me a picture of that earlier, but I was kinda busy. Why didn't you join them though? Have a little girls' night out like before?" Izuku asked, surprised that Ochako would turn down the chance to hang out with her old friends.
Truth be told, Ochako was in no mood, had she gone out, the only thing that would be on her mind was him.
"I was busy." She replied, lying through her teeth, and not being the best at it either, "I had assignments and studying I wanted to do, plus it's rare I get the whole place to myself, you have no idea how relaxing it is to bathe without hearing you two bicker so much~" She teased, trying to draw attention away from how she really felt.
"Fair enough, still though, would have been fun. I'll have to message Eri to ask her if she's gonna come back soon, otherwise, I can cook something for the two of us, if you're hungry that is." Izuku said, whilst taking out his phone and quickly messaging her, before putting it back in his pocket and setting the suit down on the table so it didn't crease.
"I'm fine, I've been snacking all day. Are you hungry?" Ochako asked, already aware of the fact that he wouldn't be, but she didn't want to focus on that.
"A little, but I can wait. Any idea what you want to eat?" He asked, forgetting to tease Ochako as usual for being so indecisive.
"Hmm, we can have some Udon, I bought Sichuan peppers and chilli oil with Eri a while back, I guess we can put it to use." Ochako replied, surprising Izuku a little.
"Sounds good, it'll be nice to have something spicy after a while." Izuku said excitedly, before carrying on, "Did you finish studying? I don't wanna distract you if you were still going."
"I'm done, I still have an assignment to do, but I mean, that's future Ochako's problem" She said with a chuckle, "So, what's in the bag? Did you two go clothes shopping?"
"Kind of, she took me to a tailor, and he gave me a three-piece suit. It's super expensive though, so I'm trying not to ruin it." Izuku said, that same smile reappearing on his face, causing Ochako's to wither ever so slightly.
She could tell just how happy he was. Just how happy she made him. The fact that she wasn't the one to put that smile there killed her on the inside, but he wouldn't dare show it.
"I'm glad you enjoyed your date, she seems really nice, and you're not so bad yourself~" She teased, almost forcing herself to banter with him, despite the urge to just shower him with compliments, to replace all thoughts he had of Momo with thoughts of her.
"Thank you~ Honestly it was a lot of fun, and... we're having a second date, so it sounds like it went well. I would have been back home earlier but I stopped by Kaachan's place before I got here." Izuku replied, thinking back to his conversation with him before.
"Of course, you couldn't cheat on your boyfriend and not tell him now could you?" Ochako asked playfully, before glancing at the balcony outside, the city lights catching her eye for just a second.
"Hey we have an open relationship, it's fine, I mean he's allowed to see other women too." Izuku joked, before seeing that Ochako was looking outside, "Wanna sit out there?"
Ochako just nodded, forgetting to grab her hoodie from upstairs as they went onto the balcony, the sun had fully set now, and the moonlight illuminated them, with the city lights sparkling and shining like the finest pearls. It was a truly mesmerising sight, especially for Ochako, who wasn't as used to the city's skyline as Izuku was.
Though the sight that truly mesmerised her wasn't of the city, but of the man that looked over it. The way all of the light reflected in his green eyes, his lips slightly pursed and his chest rising and falling.
She still fondly remembered the night he slept next to her, how peaceful he looked, how his arms fell when he wasn't moving them, the way his hair settled, the way he breathed, all of it was burnt into her mind.
"Hey, Izuku." She said softly, like an angel breaking him out of his trance, "Do you ever get tired of looking out at the city like this? I know when I used to live with my parents I'd get tired of the views."
Izuku took a second to think about her question, looking over at her, before seeing her face in much more detail now that they were this close. Her soft, almost milky skin. Shoulder-length hair that flowed so effortlessly, plump lips and a little red on her nose.
For just an instant, he thought of Momo, those same feelings reawakening as he fixated on Ochako.
"I mean, I'm tired of the view, but at the same time, I'm not. I mean if I just look at it, I see it all the time. But... the idea that every night there's something different happening, that's interesting no matter where you are." He replied, his eyes shifting down to see goosebumps had formed around Ochako's arms, before realising that she was only in a tank top the entire time.
"Do you want my shirt?" He asked, taking his overshirt off and handing it to her.
Ochako was about to decline, after all, if she was with anyone else that's what she'd do, and then she'd get her own hoodie.
But this wasn't just anyone else.
"S-sure thing, thank you." She said meekly, taking it from him and putting her arms through the sleeves, not too surprised to see that they were a bit long for her, but the feeling of his warmth around her travelled all the way through her body and soul.
"It's fine. Eri told me you spoke to her on your first night here, I'm guessing you enjoy this spot too huh?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, it's growing on me." Ochako replied, letting out a sigh of contentment, turning to Izuku again, "Hey, I've got a question, mind if I ask?"
"Not at all, go ahead." Izuku said, assuming she was going to ask about the date, after all, both Mitsuki and Katsuki had asked him about it today.
"Can you tell me something no one knows about you?" She asked candidly, instead of playfully as she might have normally done, her feelings of attachment evolving into curiosity. More than anything, she just wanted to know Izuku. To know everything that made him... well, him.
Izuku was certainly taken aback. He certainly had secrets, but none of them had anything to do with him as a person, he was surprised that today, Ochako seemingly cared more about him than his date with Momo.
"That's a tough one, I mean between Kaachan, Eri and Nejire, those three pretty much know everything about me." He replied, the answer itself being honest.
"Hm, in that case, tell me something I don't know." She asked again, as Izuku felt the deja vu from her phrasing, smirking a little as he remembered Kaachan.
"That I can do." He said with a smile, "I mean the most basic thing I can think of is the first time I ever learned how to make food."
Ochako could feel her heart beat faster as he smiled, her eyes seemingly sparkling under the moonlight whilst she spoke, "What did you make? Udon by any chance?" She asked with a chuckle.
"No, I learnt how to make Okonomiyaki. I was twelve and Eri was eight. Mum always used to love it any time we went to a street market, that and takoyaki, she was a big fan of street food." He said, reminiscing about the good old days, though the slight sorrow in his eyes was certainly apparent as he continued to recall the story.
"She was showing me how to mix up the batter whilst chopping up all the other stuff, and Eri kept trying to jump up and help, but all she did was throw flour on me, so Mum had to stop her, but then I ended up slipping and getting the batter everywhere. It got to the point where after me and Eri had a shower, we just went out and bought some Okonomiyaki instead." Izuku explained, letting out a small sigh as he finished speaking.
"Sounds like you three were close, and Eri was a mischievous kid." Ochako said, giggling a little bit.
"I mean she still is, she's just a bit less clumsy these days." Izuku replied playfully.
"Still though, it's a cute story, and... I'm glad that you have good memories to look back on. I'm sure that must keep you going, especially when times are tough, right?" Ochako asked sincerely.
"Yeah... I mean, all you can really do is remember the good times. If I didn't, then well, she'd really be gone. So long as we keep them in our minds, the people who have passed on will always stay with us... at least that's how I see it." Izuku replied, prompting Ochako to give Izuku a side hug.
"I think that's really admirable, honestly. I'm glad you told me all of that, it really is nice to know you trust me so much." Ochako said, letting go of Izuku, and gazing at him for another few seconds.
"Hey, do you want to hear something about me that you don't know?" Ochako asked tentatively, to which Izuku simply nodded.
She mustered up the courage, turning around to face him properly, still looking at his eyes, getting ready to finally say it.
Until the front door swung open.
"Hello! Thanks for opening the door assholes!" Eri called out, having knocked on the door several times, as both Izuku and Ochako stepped into the main room.
"Sorry Eri, we were talking on the balcony." Izuku replied, feeling a lot better now that he was inside and warm, though Ochako felt the opposite, still warm due to Izuku's overshirt, but she'd lost her chance.
"It's fine, I had my keys anyways, just hard to find them in my handbag" She said, setting it down on the sofa, noticing the bag laid out across the table.
"Is that a suit?" She asked, walking over to it and taking a look at the bag, and lifting the suit out of it slightly.
"Yup. Momo gave it to me as a gift." Izuku said, as Eri turned around with puppy eyes.
"You think she can get me some new stuff as well?"
"Depends, you have to go on a date with her for that to happen."
"Fine by me, I'll be a much better partner than you anyways."
"Well in that case I'll let her know that she should get used to long distance."
"Why?"
"Because she can only talk to you on the phone every day from prison, I mean if she's dating a minor that's where she'll end up."
"Yeah yeah, you're just annoyed because you know I'm right"
"Remind me, how many dates have you been on? Or do you and Kota have an announcement for us?" Izuku teased, finally getting Eri to give in, as she yelled at her older brother with a red face, causing Izuku and Ochako to look at each other and start laughing.
Eventually, after dinner, washing up and a bit of planning for the next day, all three of them ended up in their beds, with Izuku barely able to sleep.
The entire day had gone by so quickly, it almost didn't feel real. Whilst recounting the entire date in his head for the umpteenth time, he couldn't help but stick to the conversation he and Ochako had on the balcony.
It was relaxing, and yet he still felt like he was... free. Like the conversation gave him rose-tinted glasses, making everything seem a little warmer.
Though that thought reminded him of Momo's sunset analogy and his mind was hung up on his new girlfriend once again, though it would soon subside once sleep took over him, excited to start a new day.