Palms sweaty

[wannasmash]

WHO: Izuku Midoriya wannasmash & Katsuki Bakugo nitropowered
WHEN: After Mission 004
WHERE: The forest by a river
WHAT: Having a picnic and a gay panic
NOTES\WARNINGS: Anime rivals, MHA spoilers (anime-friendly)

Katsuki asked him out. On a date. Out of nowhere. They were in the middle of dystopian suburbia on a mission, which doesn't make for a nice time, so they didn't plan to do it right away. This left Izuku with way too much time to overthink all this.

And now it's the day of, and he's had to change his shirt to a blue button-down because he got so nervous he sweated through the black one. He keeps trying to smooth down his unruly curls (to no avail) and double checking his notes.

...He made notes.

He wasn't even sure he liked boys, but now he has to overanalyze every time he ever stared at Katsuki and wonder if that was the case all along. Izuku never thought anyone would look at him this way, so he never considered it.

He just thinks Katsuki is one of the most admirable people he knows, and he really doesn't want to blow this. He's always wanted to live up to the challenges he gives him, make sure he's happy, and give him an ass-kicking when he needs it. Isn't that what a good rival does?

He arrives by air at the appointed time with picnic supplies in his backpack. It seems Katsuki is already there in a nice shady spot with a view of the river. Figures he'd be early. Izuku descends in an arc to a soft landing with Float.

"Sorry Kacchan, were you waiting long?" he asks slightly breathless (though not from any exertion). His heart drums against his ribs. He can feel color rising behind his freckles. His instinct is to hide it, but he doesn't want to avoid eye contact with his rival either. He looks at him steadily, because when push comes to shove, he doesn't shrink.

Comments

[nitropowered]

Originally, it had just been part of the mission they were on. Dystopian suburbia apparently had homework assignments, and one of his was to ask someone out on a date, so he'd asked Izuku because it had seemed easy at the time. There's no reason for them to still be doing this, now that they're back where they belong, but here he is anyway. And he's really not sure why.

Katsuki has known for a few years now that he's just as much into boys as he is girls, so that's no surprise to him, but Izuku had never seemed like an option until he was the easiest person to ask because he had to ask someone. And then he hadn't wanted to abandon plans or ditch Izuku because he's really, really trying to be a better friend to the other boy. Trying to treat him the way a real rival and maybe friend deserves to be treated. He wouldn't ditch Kirishima, so why should he ditch Izuku?

So he planned out what seems like a good date considering what they have at their disposal, and settled on a picnic. Low-pressure. Outdoors. Not too complicated. And definitely not the generic dinner-and-a-movie type thing.

When Izuku arrives, Katsuki is there, dressed in a slightly oversize sweater and a pair of capri-length jeans and high-top sneakers, his expression thoughtful and a little serious. He lifts a hand to wave as Izuku descends, and puts down the heavy wicker basket he's been carrying since he left his own apartment a half hour ago, the contents of which he's been cooking since about 8 am after his workout and shower.

"Hey." he says, lifting his chin and looking at Izuku for a moment, feeling a little uncomfortable with the situation - about as uncomfortable as Izuku looks, with those flushed cheeks - and out of his depth. The truth is, Katsuki has just never thought about dating or relationships much, always so focused on success in his schooling and career first, and even if he had, Izuku, the object of his bullying, hadn't seemed like the best option.

But now, looking at him, he doesn't seem so bad, with his half-heartedly smoothed down curls and the blue button-up he's wearing. He's not hideous, he's a hero in his own right, he's not the skinny little nothing Katsuki had once bullied. So, this could be worse.

"Nah. Been here maybe 5 minutes. No big deal."

[wannasmash]

Izuku somewhat knows the rules of engagement, but it's just part of his deep-rooted consideration for others. He's not actually a stickler for rules. He really has no idea what he's doing. He only knows how to be a good friend, and a good friend keeps his promises.

So he's here. On a date. With his heart seeking to chestburst him. Izuku considers everyone he admires good-looking. He can't quite pick out where attraction falls in this. He and Katsuki were wrapped up in a different obsession anyway, navigating how to nurture their rivalry and friendship.

In the past, Katsuki would have reacted with revulsion at the thought of going on a date with Izuku. Today Izuku isn't sure what he's thinking about. Katsuki is pretty good about hiding how he's feeling to Izuku specifically. He hid his fear of his heart for years, considering it (and him) a reflection of his own weakness.

Izuku watches him carefully anyway. Katsuki looks like how he does when he's taking something seriously. Kacchan in neutral. Maybe. A date is a big deal to someone who's never been on one, but it could end up being nothing. Izuku expects nothing because he's used to having nothing. At the end of the day, he's still sharing a meal with a friend, and what's bad about that?

He smiles his relief in response like the sun shining gently through leaves. He's fairly sure Katsuki wouldn't appreciate a bouquet, and he said he'd take care of the food, but Izuku doesn't show up to a date empty handed. Izuku unslings his backpack and spreads the picnic blanket.

He sets his shoes neatly to the side. The weather is warm enough today that he's rolled his jeans above his ankles, his sleeves up his forearms, and his usual hoodie jacket remains in his bag. He stretches out his legs under the dappled sun and wiggles his toes experimentally in his socks. The sun and wind on his way here ensured his hair is just as unruly as ever.

What does he talk about on a date? Well, what do they like to talk about together?

"I was trying out one of my new moves this morning. I really wanna get it perfect before I surprise you with it."

He rubs the soreness in his wrist thoughtfully.

[nitropowered]

Things get a little less awkward when Izuku finally smiles, then moves to dig out a picnic blanket and spread it out on the grass. The location is nice, with a lazy river drifting by and a nice patch of grass skirted by evergreen and leafy trees - the day is nice too, warm but not too hot, with blue skies and white clouds scudding by. Katsuki had picked a good day for a picnic, at least, and that's something. Maybe the whole thing won't be an embarrassing disaster.

Izuku gets himself settled on the blanket after a moment, and stretches his legs out, toes curling a little inside his socks, and Katsuki watches him, expression still a little serious. He's not sure what to talk about on a date either, or how he's supposed to be acting right now. Katsuki had always pictured going on a date with someone after he decided he liked them and all that crap, not before any of it.

Does he like Izuku? Like that?

Moving almost robotically, Katsuki takes off his shoes and settles down on the blanket after setting the basket he's been carrying down between himself and Izuku so he can dish it out in a bit. But Izuku tells him about one of the moves he'd been practicing to surprise him, and Katsuki blinks a little. Is that what you talk about on dates?

"Oh, really?" he asks, finding himself surprisingly interested, "What kinda move? Or is the whole thing a surprise?"

Katsuki can't help but notice the way Izuku is rubbing at his wrist, though, and withou thinking, he reaches out to take the other boy's hand and pull it towards himself, running a thumb over the spot Izuku had been rubbing. Is it broken? Fractured? Sprained? Knowing this idiot, it's probably one of those things, and he's probably making light of it.

"You better not be hurting yourself."

[wannasmash]

Izuku only has the faintest idea how to do a date. He's aware people talk about whatever activity they're doing on dates, and surely he will get to praising Katsuki's cooking in a moment. But the exercise both of them undoubtedly do in the morning was the first thing he seized upon when scrambling for something to talk about.

Nerd.

Normally Izuku experiences only a momentary flutter in his chest when Katsuki comes into his space in everyday interactions. Just admiration for his rival, surely. In this context, his heart threatens to leap into his throat.

"I—I'm not. It's just a little sore."

He'd normally wave away Katsuki's hand, downplaying it all, but... what if he didn't? Izuku feels like he's going vibrate out of his skin in a pleasant way. He is now faced with the question of what if he didn't always keep a distance? What if he, poorly socialized for most of his childhood, allows someone he trusts to run a thumb along his wrist? Krouse did encourage Izuku to seize the day.

But anyway, he remembers to answer his question.

"Only along the outside here up into my thumb. You know how Blackwhip is on the arms. The rest is a surprise."

He really does want it to be a surprise, and the corner of his mouth rises a little. The smirk is still wholesome on him, but there is a glint of challenge in his eyes like a promise. He could be persuaded to debut his move early, but he wants to try to get it just right.

His nose twitches, and he blinks. "What did you bring? It smells really good."

[nitropowered]

Katsuki kind of hates it, the way he feels like his skin is going to jitter off of him. If there's one thing Katsuki isn't used to, it's being nervous. Usually, he's naturally pretty great at whatever it is he wants to do, but this feels different. This relies on another person altogether, and the fact that the other person is someone he grew up with and bullied for years, with the weight of his recent apology on both of them, doesn't seem to help. Usually, he'd scoff and tell himself he doesn't really give a crap what Deku thinks of him, but this...it's different. More vulnerable. It's not part of the plan, dating isn't something he'd been considering dealing with til he was older.

When Izuku tells him that he's not hurt, that it's just a little sore, Katsuki runs a thumb over it again, red eyes downcast to look at the wrist, and then flicking back up to look at Izuku through blond lashes. A moment later, he realizes he's basically holding Izuku's hand, and he lets go, pursing his lips and looking away abruptly.

"Good. Last thing we need is you incapacitating yourself before the next mission just for some new moves." he says, his voice a little gruff, but sincere enough. The comment on the food has him looking back at the other boy, though, and he reaches for the basket, taking a breath. At least his cooking is something he can be totally confident in, and he smirks a little as he opens the basket.

"Katsudon. It's your favourite, isn't it?" he says, looking into the basket for a moment to make sure the food is still in good shape, "Good. It's still hot."

Reaching in, he pulls out a bowl that's been covered with a towel and a piece of string and hands it over to Izuku before pulling out his own, "I made some castella cake too."

[wannasmash]

He twists his mouth in a face at him, but he can't even argue. He has incapacitated himself unnecessarily in training before. It's annoying when Katsuki is right because he's so damn good at everything.

Izuku is slightly relieved he lets him go, for the sake of his nerves, but he also feels... slightly wanting. It's not a familiar feeling, wanting. He never wants things for himself like this. He blinks several times and looks away to dispel it. His face feels a little warm.

He doesn't want Katsuki to feel weird about this. Izuku considers him his friend, but recalibrating what that means is a long road, along which are Katsuki's apology and his insistence that he has his back. Izuku has a protective streak a mile wide, so of course he wants him to feel at ease—

"Kacchan, you remembered...! Yes, it's my favorite! That's so thoughtful of you..."

His eyes swim with appreciation, awkwardness forgotten to be replaced by his brand of unabashed feeling (which often makes other people awkward). He moves to take his bowl and help with the rest of what they need. It's inevitable they'd brush hands in the process, but Izuku resists the urge to apologize for this. He is determined not to make it awkward. (He's making it awkward.)

"We'd better start right away before it gets cold. Itadakimasu."

It's good. Of course it's good. He's eaten Katsuki's cooking before. There wasn't any doubt.