A Calming Effect [Part Two]

[Previous Part] 

Izuku marvelled at the colourful lights strung through the tree branches, lighting up a park full of pretty wooden stalls, each carrying delicious-smelling foods or little handmade trinkets. Laughter and chatter rang out through the space, full of joy despite the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, and Izuku smiled to himself softly as they stood back for a minute and just looked.

“It’s more crowded than I expected,” Katsuki said apologetically.

“You might have to hold my hand so we don’t get split up,” Izuku teased, bumping their shoulders together playfully. “What if I get lost, Kacchan?”

Katsuki just snorted at him, leading the way toward the first group of stalls, but Izuku couldn’t help but notice the way those red eyes darted back every few seconds, making sure he was still close by, not getting swept away in the crowd.

It only took a few seconds for Katsuki to stop, to glance back again, and grimace a little as he held out his hand.

“Seriously?” Izuku asked, eyes widening.

“Don’t make a big deal of it,” Katsuki huffed, cheeks turning pink. “Don’t want to spend our whole date searching for you in the crowd, Shortstack.”

Izuku grinned, linking his hand with Katsuki’s, and Katsuki squeezed him back lightly before he quickly turned away again, dragging Izuku through the masses.

They didn’t manage to go very far, considering the number of people jamming them in and blocking their view, but Izuku didn’t even mind – standing there under the soft, coloured lights, with Katsuki’s strong hand clutching at his, was more than enough already.

They’d barely made it to the first stall, peering over shoulders at the cute little trinkets it contained, when Izuku felt the first drop of water land on his cheek. He looked up, as if there might be some weird explanation for it, and another one hit him straight in the eye, making him cringe.

“Oh,” he said softly. “Kacchan, it’s starting to-”

The universe seemed to hear his words, cutting him off before he could even finish his sentence, as the skies opened up on a torrential downpour, the likes of which Izuku had never seen before. The crowd scattered, hurrying for cover, and Katsuki dragged Izuku after them, huddling under a gazebo with other drenched patrons.

Sodden blond hair stuck to Katsuki’s forehead, limp spikes trailing droplets down his face, and Izuku couldn’t help but giggle at him, relieved to see Katsuki’s face soften a little rather than get mad at him for it.

“It’s okay,” Izuku assured him, when he opened his mouth to apologise. “I’m having fun.”

“You’re too easily pleased,” Katsuki huffed, dropping his hand in favour of ruffling his wet curls.

“I’m with Kacchan,” Izuku grinned back. “How could I not be pleased?”

“Damn nerd.”

He draped his arm around Izuku’s shoulders lightly, a little awkward and tentative, but Izuku leaned in quickly, letting Katsuki hold him to his side. He was warm, despite his soggy shirt, and Izuku felt oddly comfortable just letting that warmth seep into him.

“At least the lines have cleared up,” Izuku grinned.

As if he’d summoned it, their world lit up with a bright flash of lightning, the roar of thunder drowning out any kind of conversation they might have had. The stall owners quickly began pulling their shutters down, protecting their wares, and Katsuki let out a long sigh.

“There are some restaurants nearby,” he suggested, when Izuku looked up at him. “Maybe we should just go grab some dinner?”

“That sounds nice!” Izuku agreed immediately. “Maybe we can worm our way over there without getting caught without shelter.”

“Worm?” Katsuki chuckled. “What, you gonna lie down and wriggle along the concrete?”

“You know what I mean,” Izuku laughed, shoving him lightly and immediately regretting it when he almost crashed into another shelter-huddler. “Would you still like me if I was a worm?”

“I don’t even like you now.”

“Would you like me better if I was a worm?”

“Maybe. You’d probably be quieter that way.”

“But I wouldn’t have any hands.”

Katsuki glanced down knowingly at the hand hanging between them, still holding a little of Katsuki’s residual warmth in it.

“True,” Katsuki conceded. “I guess you have your advantages either way.”

“So you like me as a human?”

“You’re alright.”

“And as a worm?”

“Sure, nerd, I’d like you as a worm.”

“Would you carry me around in a little worm pocket to keep me safe?”

“Only if you sew the worm pockets onto my pants yourself, I hate sewing.”

“But I won’t have hands to sew with if I’m a worm.”

“Well then if you’re really so convinced you’re gonna turn into a worm, you should probably get started sooner rather than later.”

“Do you think I’d keep my quirk as a worm?”

“I think you’d explode if you tried to use it.”

“What if it scaled with my size?”

“Then sure, you can have a worm quirk.”

“I’ll try not to use it in your worm pocket, it might rip the seams.”

“You’d have to get used to working underground.”

An incredibly unattractive snort burst out of him, and Katsuki just smiled smugly, extra pleased when Izuku’s face burned. He opened his mouth to apologise, or make some kind of excuse, but Katsuki managed to beat him to the punch before he’d managed to form a coherent sentence.

“You’re cute,” he mumbled, blushing a little himself.

“You really are Ace,” Izuku grinned, shoving his bright red face into Katsuki’s shoulder to hide it. “No Allo person would ever call that cute.”

“Damn right. Ace as fuck. Don’t you go doubting me, Worm For All.”

“Worm For All,” Izuku squawked, laughing so hard that his stomach quickly started to hurt. “Kacchan, stop!”

“You started it, nerd.”

He held Izuku a little tighter, and Izuku dared to slip his arms around Katsuki’s waist, squeezing him briefly.

“Is this okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Katsuki nodded. “I’m used to you being clingy.”

“Shut up,” Izuku chuckled. “Shall we go find food?”

“Sounds good, Worm-Face.”

Together they slipped out of the huddled masses and hurried across to the next shelter, spraying muddy water all around as they splashed through the puddles. Lightning flashed again overhead, and Katsuki linked his hand with Izuku’s, leading the way toward a street full of local restaurants and fast food places.

Izuku realised their mistake the moment they turned the corner, almost crashing into an older couple waiting outside the first set of restaurant doors. With the storm rolling in, every other member of the market crowd had made the exact same decision as them, along with a number of people who had been there from the beginning.

“Well,” Izuku chuckled. “I guess great minds think alike?”

“God damn it,” Katsuki sighed. “I’m sorry, this is all fucked up.”

“Don’t be sorry!” Izuku squeezed his hand lightly. “I know it’s not exactly what you had in mind, but I’ve still had a lot of fun!”

“We’re soaking wet, starving, and have nothing to show for it.”

“But I got to spend time with Kacchan!” Izuku beamed. “That’s the most important thing. It doesn’t have to be perfect, I just like hanging out with you!”

“You’re too damn nice,” Katsuki grumbled, a hint of fondness sneaking into his expression all the same.

“Honestly, I’m kind of impressed,” Izuku continued. “You didn’t get angry or yell at anyone when your plans didn’t work out, and you even had back up plans ready!”

“I was just trying to think on my feet,” Katsuki shrugged. “Maybe I should have planned more in advance.”

“Really? You were so calm and collected! You’re so good at being adaptable, I’m impressed!”

“Stop fawning, nerd,” Katsuki complained, standing a little taller all the same. “How about we cut our losses and head back home to dry off?”

“Sounds good to me,” Izuku grinned. “Maybe we can just grab something from the konbini and hang out in your room? No one will bother us there.”

“Deal.”

As they stood on a train, dripping puddles onto an already wet floor, Katsuki glanced down at Izuku with a little smile quirking at his lips.

“You were really nice tonight,” Izuku said softly. “I hope you didn’t have to hold yourself back too much just for my sake.”

“Your sake?”

“You know, meeting my image of what a first date should be like, doing all the sappy stuff, all that kind of thing.”

“No,” Katsuki shook his head slowly. “I um, was feeling pretty good, I guess. I had fun, even if it didn’t work out right.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hm. I guess I don’t get mad at you much, these days.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Izuku tilted his head back slightly, meeting Katsuki’s little smile with a grin of his own. “Does that mean we can go on another one some time?”

“Sure,” Katsuki nodded. “But it’s your turn to plan it, this time.”

“You know the deal,” Izuku laughed. “You can’t make fun of any of it!”

Izuku offered up his hand, and Katsuki rolled his eyes despite the chuckle that came with it, linking his little finger with Izuku’s.

“Deal.”

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