Izumi was practically glowing the next morning. Her cheeks carried a soft flush, and her hands kept fiddling with her backpack straps as she checked her reflection one last time.
Today was the day—her first official day at U.A. High. Her mother, Inko, smiled warmly from the kitchen doorway. "Don't forget your lunch, sweetie."
"Thanks, Mom!" Izumi chirped, practically bouncing on her heels. She reached for the doorknob when—
"Kacchan?!" she squeaked.
Right outside her front gate, Katsuki Bakugo stood stiffly, arms folded, scowl firmly in place. His crimson eyes flicked toward her before darting away just as quickly.
Flustered, Izumi clutched her bag tighter. "W-What are you doing here?"
Katsuki's ears burned red. "Tch… Don't make me say it. I'm not lettin' you get molested again by some damn pervert on the train."
The words tumbled out harsher than he intended, but Izumi froze, her breath hitching. He was worried for her. He actually—
Her heart pounded, and before she could stop herself, she stepped forward, arms twitching as if reaching for a hug.
But halfway there, she hesitated, her voice tiny. "Kacchan… does this mean… are we… y-you know, in a…"
She couldn't finish. Katsuki didn't let her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her closer, and kissed her. Deeply, firmly, with none of his usual hesitation.
Izumi's eyes widened, face exploding into crimson. Her knees nearly buckled as he pulled away only to wrap his arms around her, pressing a softer kiss against her forehead.
Her mind went blank. Completely fizzled out. She just stood there, dazed, lips parted.
A small giggle broke the silence.
Both turned toward the doorway to see Inko leaning against the frame, eyes misty but a teasing smile on her lips. "Oh, my little girl's got someone to love now. Mitsuki wasn't lying yesterday when she said I'd be a grandma soon."
"M-MOM!" Izumi squealed, slapping her hands over her face. She darted forward, yanking Katsuki out of the house, slamming the door shut behind them.
Inko's laughter followed after them as they left for school, hearts racing.
…
The walk to school was surprisingly quiet. Neither spoke much, but the silence wasn't awkward. Katsuki's hand brushed against Izumi's once, then again.
Finally, she swallowed her nerves and laced their fingers together. He didn't pull away. If anything, his grip tightened.
By the time they reached U.A.'s massive gates, their palms were warm and damp, but neither let go until they absolutely had to.
Izumi reluctantly slipped into her seat behind Katsuki. Their classmates buzzed with chatter, the usual first-day nerves mixed with excitement.
Classes went as expected—lots of orientation, lots of explaining rules. But everyone's energy shifted when loud, heavy footsteps shook the hallway.
BOOM! The classroom door slammed open.
"I AM… HERE!!"
All Might's booming voice thundered across the room, and everyone jumped up in excitement. Izumi's heart soared. It's really him… All Might, as our teacher…
All Might beamed. "For your hero training, we'll begin by giving each of you your hero costumes! Please, get changed and meet me at Training Ground B!"
The class erupted into cheers. Izumi followed the girls into the changing room, clutching the case that contained her own custom suit.
The moment she unlatched it, two figures loomed over her.
"Spill it," Mina Ashido grinned, arms on either side of Izumi's locker. Beside her, Toru Hagakure leaned closer, her clothing practically vibrating.
Izumi froze, cornered. "W-What… what do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb," Mina sing-songed. "You and Bakugo walked in together this morning."
"And you were holding hands," Toru added. "So… details!"
Izumi's face flamed. She flailed helplessly. "I-I… we're… just friends, we've always been friends since birth, our moms are childhood friends, so it's natural we—"
Mina leaned closer, eyes sparkling. "That's not what I asked."
Izumi wilted. After a beat, she whispered, "I guess… we weren't in a relationship… until yesterday."
Both girls squealed loud enough to shake the lockers. Mina practically grabbed Izumi by the shoulders. "You HAVE to tell us at lunch!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am," Izumi squeaked, barely managing to wriggle into her costume after they let her go.
…
When she stepped out of the locker room, tugging nervously at her light-green tracksuit-style suit, most of the class was already admiring each other's designs.
The fabric clung tighter than she expected, the respirator-style mouthpiece hanging loosely at her neck.
Katsuki scanned the crowd impatiently. Where the hell is that damn nerd—
His thought cut off when she stepped into view.
His chest seized. The outline of her undergarments showed faintly through the snug fabric. Nobody else seemed to notice, but his blood boiled instantly.
"Oi, you idiot!" He stormed over, grabing her hand and draging her with him.
H-Hey! Kacchan—!" Izumi stumbled as he tugged her along, but he didn't slow down. His grip was firm, almost too tight, but not painful—just enough to make it clear she wasn't going to shake free even if she tried.
"Shut up. Just come with me," he muttered, eyes narrowed ahead, jaw tense.
He didn't stop until they reached their classroom. It was empty by now, quiet except for the faint hum of lights.
He let go of her hand only long enough to stride over to his desk and snatch up his blazer. Then, without a word, he turned back to her.
Izumi blinked in confusion as he stepped closer, before she could ask what he was doing, he draped it over her shoulders. The fabric was warm, heavy with his familiar scent—sharp smoke, faint spice, something undeniably him.
Her breath caught as he tugged the front together and began buttoning it up himself.
"K-Kacchan…?"
"Don't talk." His voice was gruff, almost embarrassed, but his hands didn't falter. He fastened the last button with a decisive tug and then leaned back, scowling at her. "There. Now no one can see."
Her face went red instantly, her fingers clutching the edge of the blazer as if to make sure it wouldn't slip off. The sleeves hung long past her hands, the hem nearly to her knees, making her look swallowed in it.
"You look like an idiot," Bakugo muttered, but his ears were pink. He turned away, pretending to rummage through his bag just to avoid her wide, flustered smile.
Still, Izumi's heart thudded against her ribs. She knew what he really meant—knew this was his way of shielding her, of making sure no one else's eyes lingered on her the way his had.
And somehow, that made her want to smile even more.
Izumi blinked up at him. "Kacchan? W-What are you—"
He avoided her eyes, face burning. "I could see your damn underwear lines, alright?! Don't just stand there flaunting it for everyone to—"
Her entire face went tomato red. "K-K-Kacchan!!" She smacked his arm repeatedly, squealing in embarrassment. "Don't say it out loud!!"
"Shut up!" he barked, but his voice softened when he caught her trembling.
Bakugo let out a sharp breath through his nose, then jerked his chin toward the door."Come on. Let's go back before they start running their mouths."
Izumi nodded quickly, still flustered, still clutching the blazer wrapped snugly around her. She followed him out, the sleeves dangling comically past her fingertips with each step.
She tried to push them up, but they kept sliding down again, useless against the weight of the fabric.
Bakugo noticed almost immediately. "Tch. Dumbass."
Before she could ask what he meant, he stopped in the hall, grabbed her wrist, and started rolling the oversized sleeve up with quick, practiced motions. He folded it once, then again, sharp and neat, until her hand peeked out properly.
"There," he muttered, moving to the other arm without hesitation. "At least now you won't trip over your own damn clothes."
Izumi's face burned hotter with every careful tug of fabric. He wasn't looking at her—just focusing on the task, jaw tight, brow furrowed like this was the most serious thing in the world.
When he finished, he let go and stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You can move now, right?"
She flexed her fingers experimentally, lifting her arms, and gave a small, shy nod."Y-Yeah… Thank you, Kacchan."
He clicked his tongue again and turned away, starting forward without waiting. "Quit saying dumb crap. Just keep up."
But the faint red still dusting his ears betrayed him.
Izumi hurried after him, gently, he guided her back toward the group, the blazer still heavy and warm around her, the sleeves folded just enough that she could swing her arms freely.
And even though Bakugo's stride was rough and impatient, his hand brushed against hers once—close enough that she knew if she stumbled, he'd catch her.
When they returned, All Might had already begun explaining the rules for the upcoming exercise. Izumi tugged the blazer tighter, trying not to meet anyone's eyes.
But Mina and Toru noticed anyway. "Why are you wearing a boy's blazer?" Mina whispered, smirking.
Izumi opened her mouth to explain, but Katsuki turned on them with a glare so sharp it made them both squeak and spin away.
He grabbed Izumi's wrist and marched her a few steps off to the side, muttering under his breath.
…
The lots were drawn. Izumi ended up paired with Ochako against Katsuki and Iida.
As the match began, Izumi whispered quickly to Ochako. "You go for the bomb. I'll distract Kacchan."
Ochako hesitated but nodded.
The instant they moved, Katsuki blasted through a wall, eyes locking on Izumi. "Deku!"
The fight was explosive—literally. Izumi dodged, ducked, and countered with water-stream rock smashing fist, her fighting instincts guiding her.
She refused to tap into One For All, fists trembling with the restraint.
Katsuki grew more frustrated, explosions rattling the walls. Finally, one blast caught her in the ribs, burning through fabric. She staggered, coughing.
"Use your damn quirk already!" he shouted, sweat dripping. "Don't insult me like this!"
Tears pricked her eyes. She shook her head. "I… I don't want to hurt you, Kacchan."
His breath caught. Her trembling, teary-eyed face twisted something deep inside him. He clenched his fists, voice breaking. "Then fine—but if you're gonna fight me, don't you dare hold back!"
Her chest heaved. Finally, she let a spark of relief surge through her, a smile flickering faintly on her lips. Their blows collided again and again, shaking the training ground.
By the time the announcement of "Hero Team Wins!" rang out, both were battered and bruised, staring at each other in breathless silence.
Izumi's chest heaved, sweat clinging to her temples, stray strands of green hair sticking to her flushed cheeks. Katsuki, panting hard himself, scowled as his eyes dragged over her—then froze.
The cheap track suit she'd started the match in was nothing but tatters now, ripped wide from the explosions, the impacts, and the roughness of the fight.
His blazer, already straining to cover her before, was scorched and half hanging off one shoulder. Every exposed patch of skin made his jaw clench tighter.
Izumi followed his gaze downward—her breath caught, her face going crimson as she realized just how much was showing. Her hands shot up to clutch the fabric closed, but it barely helped. "K-Kacchan—!"
"Shit." His voice came out low and rough, but before she could blink, he stepped forward. Without hesitation, he grabbed her wrist, yanked her flush against him, and held her there—blocking the view from every angle the cameras could catch.
Izumi squeaked, her face practically buried in his chest, heat flooding her ears. The steady thrum of his heart pounded under her cheek, strong and grounding despite the chaos of the match.
Above, All mights voice rumbled, announcing the end of the exercise, but Katsuki wasn't listening.
His arm stayed locked tight around her shoulders, his other hand tugging what remained of his blazer across her front to shield her completely.
"Don't. Move," he muttered, voice sharp but softer than his usual bark.
Izumi couldn't bring herself to look up. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt, knuckles white. Every second stretched unbearably long, awkward and embarrassing, but also… safe.
When the silence finally broke with the scrape of the observation room door opening, Katsuki's glare shot toward it first. His arm didn't loosen an inch.
No one was going to see her like this. Not while he was here.
After the exercise Katsuki and Izumi were awkward as Izumi almost exposed herself to both katsuki and the entire class.
…
Izumi was hoping that eating her embarrasment away would help, but lunch brought no relief. Mina and Toru Imidiately cornered Izumi again, squealing as she reluctantly admitted to "what happened yesterday."
The cheek kiss, the hug, even Mitsuki barging in with embarrassing comments—every detail poured out under their interrogation.
By the end, Izumi had her head on the table, whining, "Please, stop…" while the girls giggled mercilessly.
…
Classes ended. Izumi waited near the gates for Katsuki. Minutes passed. Then longer. Eventually, she sighed, deciding to head to the station alone.
Her steps slowed when a faint cry echoed from a nearby alley. "No… please…"
Heart leaping, she darted toward the sound. A shadowy figure darted past her—a man with a long red scarf, twin blades flashing.
Her eyes widened, but her gaze snapped to the collapsed hero bleeding on the ground. "No… no, no, no!" She dropped beside him, fumbling for her phone, calling emergency services.
Later, at the police station, she sat trembling, eyes red and puffy.
She called the only person she could, her phone buzzed. He answered "Izumi where did you go?"
"Tch—dammit."
He kicked at the floor irritably, leaning against the wall just outside of Aizawa's classroom. The old man had ordered him to stay behind, help organize some crap after school, and it'd taken longer than he thought.
By the time Bakugo finally shoved the last box into place and got the half-hearted "You can go," the campus was nearly deserted.
He stalked down the hallway, every step echoing. By the time he hit the front gate, the usual crowd was gone.
No Izumi waiting, no familiar green mop of hair bouncing impatiently. Just the empty street stretching past the iron bars.
"Where the hell is she…?" His scowl deepened, fingers curling at his sides. She wouldn't leave without at least texting him. Right?
For a second, he hovered at the gate, debating whether to just head home. But something gnawed at him—he couldn't pinpoint it but something was off.
With a low growl, he walked out of the school gate, eyes darting up and down the road. Maybe she just forgot something. Maybe she'd—
His pocket buzzed. The sharp ringtone cut through the quiet, and he yanked his phone free. Her name lit the screen.
"Izumi?" He answered instantly.
On the other end, her breath hitched. A wet sound—sniffling. Crying.
"K-Kacchan…?" Her voice cracked, small and trembling. "I-I'm sorry… c-could you—could you come get me?"
Every muscle in his body went rigid. "What? Where the hell are you?"
"…The p-police station," she whispered, breaking into another sob.
For a second, he didn't move, didn't breathe. The words hit him like a fist to the gut. His grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles ached.
"I'm coming." His voice was sharp with panic. "Stay where you are, Deku. Don't you dare move until I get there."
Moments later, he burst into the station, scanning wildly until he spotted her. She leapt up, colliding into his chest, sobbing silently as he wrapped his arms around her.
Neither spoke much on the walk back, but when they got to his house and with her apartment still being another 3 miles away, he tugged her hand. "Come inside Izu"
She agreed softly. At his house, Mitsuki turned from the kitchen just as the door opened. She froze at the sight of Izumi, eyes swollen, clinging to Katsuki's arm.
"What happened?" she asked, voice tight.
Katsuki only shook his head, gently steering Izumi toward his room.
As they disappeared down the hall, Mitsuki's phone buzzed on the counter. She glanced at the screen and picked it up.
"Inko? …Yeah, she's here," Mitsuki said softly, glancing toward the stairs. "She came in with Katsuki, clinging to his arm and crying her eyes out.
Don't worry—Katsuki's calming her. I'll find out what happened and update you as soon as I can, okay?"
There was a pause, Inko's frantic voice muffled through the receiver. Mitsuki's expression softened, though her tone stayed firm.
"No, you don't need come rushing here. Let her calm down first. I promise I'll call you the moment I know more."
She ended the call with a quiet sigh, muttering under her breath, "That girl… breaks my heart."
Back in his room, Izumi still hadn't let go of Katsuki's arm. Her fingers clung to him like he was the only thing keeping her steady.
He closed the door with his free hand and guided her to sit on the edge of his bed.
"What happened?" Katsuki asked, voice low but direct.
The question made her whole body jolt. Izumi flinched hard, shoulders trembling. Katsuki's eyes narrowed—not in anger, but in sharp awareness.
He didn't push her with words. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her firmly against his chest, grounding her in the warmth of his hold.
"Calm down, nerd," he muttered, his chin resting against the top of her head. "I've got you."
Izumi's breathing came in shaky bursts before she finally spoke, her voice small, muffled against him.
"W-when I was walking home… I-I heard someone… shouting in an alley." Her fingers twisted in the fabric of his shirt, gripping tighter. "I ran over, thinking I could help—but I… I saw a man running away. He had a red scarf and two swords."
Katsuki's jaw clenched at the description, but he didn't interrupt.
"When I looked down, there was… there was a hero lying there." Her voice cracked. "I knew his face—I'd seen him on the news before.
He was bleeding everywhere, in a huge puddle of blood. He was still alive—but…" Tears welled up again, hot against Katsuki's shirt. "By the time I called the police and their arrival with the paramedics, they annouced he was already dead.
He d-died, right there. And then they… they asked me to come with them to testify. To tell them what I saw…"
Her words crumbled into sobs, and Katsuki tightened his hold, one hand cradling the back of her head.
"There was nothing you could do, Izumi," he said quietly but firmly, his voice rumbling against her ear. He kissed her forehead softly. "You're safe now. That's all that matters."
Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted asleep in his arms. Katsuki stayed awake longer, jaw clenched, eyes burning with a fire he didn't fully understand.
He glanced down at her, the faintest crease softening his usual scowl. Her lashes were still damp from tears, her grip on his shirt slack but not fully gone—as if some part of her feared he'd vanish if she let go.
"Tch… stupid nerd," he muttered under his breath, but the words held no bite. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his chest tight.
"I won't…" His voice was barely above a whisper, meant for no one but himself. "I won't let you cry like that again. Not if I can help it. I swear it."
The vow lingered in the quiet room, raw and unshakable.
Only when the weight of the day finally pulled at his eyelids did he allow himself to ease back against the pillow.
Still holding her close, still unwilling to let go, Katsuki's breathing slowed. The fire in his chest simmered but never faded, even as he slipped into sleep beside her.
A little while later, soft footsteps padded up the hall. The door creaked open just enough for Mitsuki to peek in.
She stopped in the doorway, her chest tightening at the sight—her son, usually so loud and brash, curled protectively around Izumi, both of them finally at peace.
"…Guess you're more of a softy than you think, brat," she whispered with a smile.
Quietly, she shut the door and reached for her phone.
"Inko? Yeah… don't worry. Looks like Katsuki calmed her down—seems like Izumi's sleeping over tonight."
(A/N)[Well, here is the update on the fanfic that I said I would post. Chapters will be released very slowly as I'm Very busy (sorry) and please keep reading while supporting the fanfic. Oh, and if you like it, please leave a review.]