To Stand by Your Side (DekuBaku)

Chapter 28: BLAZE IT (with feelings)

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Katsuki was reaching for his phone in a haze as it went off for what had to be the fiftieth time that morning. He was fairly sure that he'd woken up at least once, maybe twice to the sound, or that the ringing had wormed its way into his dreams– even after all that time, though, it still wasn't stopping.

Who the fuck is calling me at...

Katsuki glanced at his bedside alarm clock, and upon recognizing that it was already eleven in the morning, understood.

...oh. makes sense.

He'd been trying to wake up earlier– really, he had, especially considering that the new semester would be starting in only a couple days– but for as much as Katsuki liked early-morning jogging, there was something special about sleeping in till noon with the knowledge that there was nothing on his plate.

Not like I get the chance to do it that often, anyways.

But he gave in, grabbed his phone, checked to see who it was, and was almost immediately overwhelmed by notification after notification on his home screen. Texts from friends, acquaintances, extended family who he saw once a year, and all with the same message.

Happy... birthday.

"...oh." He swallowed, suddenly far more awake than before. Usually, he wouldn't care all that much. Another birthday, another year, another chance to give it his all. And yeah, maybe it was just another birthday– but.

It's... my eighteenth. And that means...

"Shit...!"

I have plans today, and I'm nowhere near ready!

Katsuki (metaphorically) blasted himself out of bed, scrambled to his closet, and spent a wild, frantic few minutes searching for something that wasn't dirty to wear. He'd meant to do the laundry this morning– and with a sigh, realized that that was probably one of the other reasons his alarm had been screaming.

We... we're gonna meet up at noon. Go out for lunch, then to the beach together, and head to his apartment afterwards so we can have...

Well, all Deku had said was that he had something special in store. That meant he needed to look good, right? Or at least, not like he'd come wading out of a dump?

Fuck, I can't look like garbage, not when I think we're gonna get to...

Katsuki yanked the nearest muscle tank from his closet (Deku liked this one, right?) and pulled it on, then grabbed a pair of slim-fitting, probably-clean sweatpants (for easy access?) and did the same.

Good enough, yeah? Maybe?

The tank did provide a nice outline of his chest, and he knew that Deku was fond of that, but...

Doesn't feel like it's... enough.

But it would have to do for now, because Katsuki had not given himself enough time to do much of anything else.

I hope Deku doesn't mind. Er, well, that he likes it enough. Likes me enough.

A part of him wondered if Camie would be disappointed– after final exams were all over, he'd let her and a disgruntled Yaoyorozu in on what Deku had said at the end, a promise regarding something special for his birthday. And while Yaoyorozu hadn't been in a great mood after barely passing the final via other points, even she was excited. Because it was no secret, none at all, that 'something special' almost always meant—

Sex.

It still hadn't hit him.

I mean, it wasn't like he explicitly said we were gonna have sex, but the chances are... uh... pretty high? I think?