Sweetheart

Chapter 2

Katsuki hated to admit it, but Deku had been right. Everything he'd eaten had been delicious, even the things he'd given a skeptical look when they were set down on the table. He practically licked the plates.

Deku had watched on gleefully as Katsuki enjoyed himself, waiting until dessert was on the table before he broached the subject.

"I'm gonna be in town for a week," he began, watching Katsuki tense up."You need a place to stay?" Katsuki asked awkwardly. "I mean, yeah, I guess- I only have one bedroom, but I can sleep on the couch, I'll probably be up before you in the morning anyway.""I have a hotel," Deku grinned. "But thank you!""Oh."

Katsuki blinked, oddly concerned. Why did the nerd feel the need to mention it if not for a bed?"Could we hang out again?"

Katsuki wasn't sure why the words shocked him so much."I guess," he huffed. "You gonna take me on another dinner date?""If you want," Deku giggled. "But you'll have to dress up nice for me again!"Katsuki's fingers gripped at his shirt lightly, strangely self-conscious all of a sudden."This cheesecake is so good," Deku marveled, humming to himself as he took another bite. "I had this stupidly expensive cheesecake in America and it was great, but not nearly worth the price tag. This is just as good – maybe better."

Katsuki watched as Deku reached across the table and took Katsuki's spoon, scooping off a big piece from the untouched side and holding it across the table."Try it, Kacchan!"

The nerd didn't offer him the handle, and for some stupid reason, Katsuki played along. He leaned in and accepted, licking it off the spoon and nodding his agreement."Yeah, that's good. Super sweet though."

"Uh-huh, that's why I only eat a little piece," Deku grinned. "How's yours?"Katsuki's dessert was less sugary, a fluffy little coffee cake topped with caramel toffee. His first bite had made him reconsider his stance against dessert.

"Really good," he admitted, as he accepted his spoon back. "Um, do you want to try some?""If Kacchan doesn't mind sharing!"His eyes glittered as he said it, and Katsuki huffed quietly."I learned to share in kindergarten," he argued, reaching for Deku's spoon. "The only thing I won't share is-"

"The number one spot and your eating utensils, I know," Deku grinned. "Wouldn't want nerd-germs."

"Shut up."

All the same, he scooped off a generous piece of his cake, making sure it had plenty of the sticky caramel on top before he held it out. A small part of him expected the scarred hand to reach for it, but it was sorely mistaken.

Deku leaned in, moaning sinfully when he took the bite of cake between his lips, covering his mouth and closing his eyes as he savored it. Katsuki watched with wide eyes as he swallowed, licking toffee from his lips.

"Amazing," Deku agreed. "I don't even like coffee much – I know you do, Mister Caffeine Addict – but that's so soft."

"Yeah," Katsuki agreed, setting the spoon down on Deku's plate. "You, um, chose well.""I know you, Kacchan," Deku teased, his smile much softer than his earlier ones. "I've always known you, you think I don't know what you like to eat?""I never said that. Just... You did good, is all."

Deku refused to let Katsuki see the bill, when they wrapped up their dinner. He just slid a pile of cash across the counter and made a ridiculously obvious attempt at distracting him, blocking his view while the lady counted notes.

"You're an idiot," he huffed. "But, um, thanks. For dinner.""Thanks for coming!" Deku beamed. "I had so much fun! Can we have dinner again tomorrow? My treat again, of course!"

Katsuki found himself nodding before he'd even really considered it, and Deku was grinning again, eyes squinting to accommodate it as the soft restaurant lights danced on his freckles."Let me walk you to your car," Deku smiled. "I don't want it to end!""I, uh, walked here."

"Oh! You live nearby? I had no idea!""Near enough."

They stepped through the front door, and Katsuki froze, staring up at the dark sky."I'll drive you," Deku insisted, bowing when one of the parking attendants approached with an umbrella to cover them. "It's no trouble, I swear, I have nothing to do until my meeting in the morning!""You drive?"

Deku grinned again, nodding."All Might taught me in America! It's a little different here, but I got the hang of it quickly! I like it better, actually. Drivers in America are so rude! People here are much more polite."The rain was pretty heavy, Katsuki had to admit. He could run home, sure, but in his leather shoes and fancy shirt, it would be a pretty unenjoyable experience."Fine," he conceded. "Drive carefully, nerd.""I always do!"

And so he found himself in the passenger seat of a sleek forest-green car, sneaking glances at the freckled face beside him, at the shining smile lit up by passing streetlamps and headlights as they made their way down the road.

"Thanks," Katsuki choked out, when they pulled up beside his old apartment complex. The building was almost embarrassingly rundown, he was pretty sure the nerd's car cost more than it would to buy his apartment outright. "For dinner, too.""My pleasure!" Deku assured him. "I'll pick you up here tomorrow at seven, don't back out on me!"

"Oh, you don't have to pick me-""I want to!" Deku interjected. "Then we can talk more on the way there!""Alright. Tomorrow, then."

Deku waited, smiling and waving, until Katsuki was safely inside the lobby. He didn't start to pull away until the door was closed behind him – a stupid gesture, really, considering Katsuki was a HERO. Habit, though, he supposed.

As he kicked off his shoes and tore off his clothes in his apartment entryway, he found himself thinking about that damn smile. It was so GENUINE and he kind of hated it. When was the last time someone had been so happy to see him?

His friends, maybe, the last time he'd visited his parents. He'd conceded to Eijirou's nagging about going out for drinks, and they'd all bombarded him with hugs and tears as they whined at him for not visiting often enough.

Deku hadn't done that, he realized. No tears, no hugs, just the brightest of smiles and his typical glow of joy. He wasn't sure Deku had EVER forced a hug on him, in fact, even though he knew he could get away with it. So damn considerate.

As he lay back on his bed in his boxers, letting out a long sigh with a hand on his comfortably full stomach, he couldn't seem to get that damn face out of his head.When had the nerd gotten so cute?