"Wait wait wait, what?" Kat interjects. "Seriously? Are you sure that—"

"Why the fuck would I lie to ya, shithead? I want your asses outta here more than anyone else."

Silently, Dynamight grabs Kacchan by the arm and takes him far enough away that they're out of earshot from the rest. Izuku can see their lips moving, but they're too far away for him to tell what they're saying. He can tell that his classmates share his curiosity, seeing as they've all turned to watch the two—Kacchan gesturing wildly while Dynamight's face remains stoic, unmoving.

After a moment, Kacchan stops talking, and the two stare each other down. Izuku can't help the way his mind races, analyzing every little part of Kacchan expression, growing increasingly worried at the sight of the foreign expression on his face.

Finally, Dynamight lets out a loud, audible sigh, taking a step back and then turning back towards the group. Kacchan follows behind, face schooled back into his trademark scowl. "Everyone, get the fuck outta here," Kacchan says, motioning with his head towards the elevators.

"Wait, what?!" Kaminari exclaims. "All that build up and you won't even tell us what it is?"

"Yeah, c'mon!" Mina chimes in, whining, "Give us a little hint at least, don't be mean."

"Fuck off and—"

"Goodbye, Dynamight. Kat," Todoroki says, nodding in their direction. "Katsuki. Other Bakugo. It was quite the experience meeting you all, I wish you all well." He leans down and grabs Sero's hand, pulling him to his feet. "Let's go to my dorm and cuddle now," he says. Sero's cheeks glow a flustered red, but he doesn't retort, letting Todoroki pull him towards the elevators.

Kaminari and Uraraka let out synchronized whoops, wide grins on their faces as they first bump.

"I'll see you later for our study session, Midoriya-kun," Todoroki says, waving at Izuku.

"See ya!" Izuku replies, waving back as the two disappear from sight.

After a short, silent pause, Kirishima claps his hands and stands up, "Well! Now it's our turn guys, let's leave the Bakubros to their business."

A wave of murmurs sift through the air as the rest of the group relents, standing up and starting to head away from the Kacchans. Izuku—though extremely curious as to what the common factor is—follows suit, standing up and stretching his legs.

"Do you have any idea what the common factor could be, Mido?" Kirishima whispers, leaning in towards Izuku.

Izuku shakes his head, "I'm not too sure, actually. I'm still trying to think of all the common things the memories had."

Kirishima lets out a light puff of air, "It's too bad we couldn't see what they were thinking like with Katsubro and the Arikahd spell, huh?"

Izuku nods, his mind quickly spiraling down a new train of thought.

In all the memories, each Kacchan would be eavesdropping in some way or another, and he'd eavesdrop on me. Well, that world's version of me, that is. It seems like I wouldn't be aware of Kacchan eavesdropping, so I wouldn't be able to connect the memories I saw with a memory I might've had involving Kacchan, since I probably wouldn't have realized that Kacchan was listening to me. There was also the fact that animals were involved in all of them to some extent—the dragon babies, cats, dogs, all animals. And I was talking to either one of the animals or all of them. There's also the content of what I said. They were all different, but in the end they all complimented Kacchan. I mean, how couldn't they? Kacchan's amazing—no matter what universe, he's always so—

A tap on his shoulder snaps Izuku out of his thoughts. Katsuki—finger still extended out, hovering—takes a deep breath. "Could you stay?"

Izuku hesitates. On one hand, he wants the chance to properly wish them a farewell before they return to their universes. On the other hand, he's more than certain that Kacchan won't want him there, seeing as he'd kicked everyone out of the commons and refused to say what the supposed common factor is out loud.

It's probably why he messed up the spell at the end. He probably felt threatened at the idea that his memory would've likely played next. Even though we've gotten a lot closer and our friendship is way better than before, Kacchan still has times when he's really stressed or aggravated that he tends to lash out more, and he always feels really bad after the fact. I don't wanna make Kacchan get upset like that.

"I—uh." Izuku gives Katsuki an apologetic look, slowly turning to walk out of the commons. "I'm not sure if Kacchan would be co—"

Katsuki grabs the edge of Dynamight's cape—which is still clasped snugly, cradling Izuku's shoulders—and tugs at it slightly.

That's the only warning Izuku gets before Katsuki's grip tightens and he's dragging him towards Kacchan and the others.

"N—wait, hold on—"

Katsuki grips more of the cape, continuing to pull Izuku along with him until he stops right behind Kacchan, tapping his shoulder. Kacchan glances behind him, doing a double-take at the sight of Izuku still in the commons. "Wh—"

Katsuki interrupts Kacchan. "I want him to stay."

Kacchan glares at Katsuki, eyes hardened and jaw set—it's clear that Kacchan had made up his mind, and wasn't going to budge on this.

"Please," Katsuki whispers—his voice is desperate, achingly pleading—one hand clenched at his side and the other having a deadly tight grip on the cape. "When I go back to my world, Izuku won't be there. This is the last time I'll ever see him." He pauses for a moment to look over at Izuku. "Actually see him, I mean. Sure, I could do what I've done before at times and stop taking my pills to trick my brain into letting me see him again, but it won't be the same as this. It never will be. I—" Katsuki takes a deep breath, and Izuku's heart breaks a little at the sight of wet glistening in his eyes. "I just want to be able to properly say goodbye, without any regrets." His eyes focus back on Kacchan, pleading. "You understand, don't you?"

Though not obvious, Kacchan's posture stiffens, something fleeting flashing through his eyes—still hardened, but lighter in color. Izuku can't help the way his heart stutters in his chest, jumping up and lodging itself in the crook of Izuku's throat as Kacchan's eyes find him. Izuku holds his gaze—drinking in the sight of Kacchan, Kacchan, so pretty, Kacchan—expecting Kacchan to only look at him briefly and then look away.

Not this time, though. This time, Kacchan stares. Though his face remains completely unreadable, his eyes seem to...watch. They slowly soften, the scowl that was etched into Kacchan's face fading away, lips pressing into a thin, contemplative line.

Despite all the years of Izuku knowing Kacchan, this was one of the more recent faces that Kacchan makes that Izuku can't decipher the meaning of.

I wonder what he's thinking...

Izuku's eyes don't break away from Kacchan—eyes flickering between cold, hard crimson and tender, almost soft vermillion—as he finally lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah," he murmurs, breaking eye contact—Izuku misses it a lot more than he thought he would (I've looked at you always; I can't ever look away, would you look at me, too? Give some of your brightness and warm my soul with your gaze—), a little space hollowing out in his chest; empty, aching.

"Fine. Yeah. Whatever, he can stay."

Katsuki smiles, and it's one of the prettiest things Izuku has ever seen—his heart swells with bone-deep warmth, seeping into his veins and settling in the tips of his fingers.

Kacchan is so pretty; pretty and handsome and strong and amazing and he's smiling because I'm staying here, he's smiling all pretty because of me.

Despite the familiar heat of curdling guilt and shame bubbling up, Izuku finds the strength to bury it down and savor this feeling—I made him smile and I made him happy and I did it because it's my Kacchan, my pretty, pretty Kacch—

Izuku stills.

Wait. No.

The hot, shameful guilt rises once more, stealing away all the warmth and leaving him cold; alone.

Not Kacchan. Not my Kacchan, at least.

Katsuki finally releases the cape and s—

Izuku's mind screeches to a halt.

"Oh shoot, wait, hang on—" Izuku hurries to undo the clasp for the cape, grabbing the shoulder of the cape and swinging it off of him, then extending it out to Dynamight.

Dynamight takes the cape from Izuku—who is already missing its magical warmth (and pointedly ignoring the bitterness resting in his throat at the sight of Dynamight's ring)—and swings it around and on him in one graceful motion; it's almost enchanting to watch, the way it's so right on Dynamight, like it was made for his strong, sturdy shoulders.

Dynamight gives Izuku a smile, and it absolutely wrecks him. It's sweet and fond, soft and tender, adoring and blinding—it feels strangely intimate in a way, like Izuku isn't supposed to see this. He doesn't even bother trying to stop the flush that creeps up his face, staining it a drunken red and ears a flustered pink.

"Thank you," he says, his voice somehow even softer than his smile, and dripping with affection.

Izuku can feel all coherent thoughts leaving his brain, certain that he likely looks like a tomato, ripe and ready to be harvested.

"Oh no no, haha, it's no problem, really!" Izuku exclaims, waving his hands about wildly. "I mean I should be the one thanking you, Kacchan, you're the one who was nice enough to let me use your cape even though you probably would've benefited more from the infusions and stuff, and not to mention I caused all that trouble with the first spell and all and you still let me use the cape, so really, I didn't do anything too special, I just gave it back to its rightful owner, which is you, and hopefully I didn't use up the infusions or something, I don't know how much your husband would like that, but he's not here so what he doesn't know can't hurt him right? Though his infusion magic is really good, I have to say, even though when you mentioned that you infused the katsudon with your love for him I wanted to c—"

It's like an ice bucket was poured over his head, causing Izuku to snap his jaw shut with the horrifying realization of what he was about to say.

Oh my god you MORON, Izuku scolds. How were you just about to say that, that you were jealous of his HUSBAND?! Like it's not a big deal?! Just shut your mouth, please. For your own sake.

"Alright wannabes, the Hobo mentioned to me that we gotta stand in a circle or some shit, so." Kacchan gestures to the space around him, and before Izuku can react and move out of the way, all the Kacchans formed a circle with him in the middle. Izuku feels awkward instantly; almost like he's intruding on something he shouldn't be looking at, even though Katsuki was the one to insist that he be here.

Before Izuku can even think to move or ask where he should stand, he's practically tackled to the ground by Katsuki, his arms wrapped tight around Izuku. Almost immediately, Izuku can feel the all-too-familiar sensation of tears soaking through his shirt and clinging to his skin. A familiar burn rises up through Izuku's chest, but he swallows it down before it can latch onto the back of his eyes.

"Thank you, Izuku," Katsuki whispers, voice cracking and reverent. "Thank you, for everything."

Izuku brings his hand up to pet Katsuki's hair, catching sight of the drawings on his hands. He bites down on his lip, desperately trying to keep his face from scrunching up, the wet burn back and latches onto the back of his eyes, leaving them swelling, glistening.

Get it together, Izuku, and save Kacchan, Izuku chides. Save Kacchan. Save him over and over and over again, until the world ends and time stops and the universe collapses in on itself.

Save him.

"Of course, Katsuki," Izuku murmurs, stroking his fingers gently through Katsuki's hair, "It's the least I could do."

Katsuki's body shakes slightly, and he sniffles. "I'm gonna miss you, Izuku," he chokes out.

"I'm gonna miss you too," Izuku says; his voice cracks a bit, but he bites on the inside of his cheek to stop any sobs from jumping out.

Katsuki releases Izuku, though he doesn't get far. His hand traces down Izuku's arm, stopping at the flower on Izuku's hand.

"I hope that your Eri likes my drawing skills," he says lighthearted, a wobbly smile.

Izuku chuckles, a soft smile making its way to his face. "I'm sure that she'll love it." He then lets his hand fall down Katsuki's arm. "I think your Eri will be the one completely unimpressed with my drawing skills."

Katsuki lets Izuku go, and if part of Izuku's heart breaks at letting him go, he prays it doesn't show on his face. As Katsuki takes a step back to his spot in the circle, Kacchan opens his mouth when Kat cuts him off.

"I know you want all our asses outta here," Kat starts, shooting Kacchan an apologetic look, "but..." He turns to Izuku, hands tapping nervously on his sides. "May I also...?"

Izuku nods, shifting his stance to prepare for a hug.

Instead, Kat grabs Izuku by the arms, eyes searching him for something, and while normally Izuku would be flushed to the tips of his ears from the way Kat was holding him, he couldn't help but notice the way Kat was mumbling something Izuku couldn't quite catch.

"Sorry, are you talking to me? I can't hear you," Izuku says, slightly sheepish.

Kat blinks twice, then his lips curve ever so slightly upwards. "Ah, nothing. It's just..."

Izuku's brain proceeds to shut down as warm, calloused fingers stroke gently against Izuku's face, brushing his unruly bangs off his forehead. He can practically feel himself overheating; bright red coloring his cheeks and across his nose once more, spreading down the back of his neck and up to the tips of his ears.

Despite the faint ache in Izuku's chest at the sight of Kat's scar and cloudy eye, he can't help but stare at him in fond, reverent awe.

No fair, Izuku whines, internally pouting at the sight. How is he so stupidly pretty? And all he's doing is just looking at me.

Kat's hand stops moving, simply holding Deku's bangs in place off his forehead.

"My Deku..."

Izuku's heart leaps into his throat, threatening to tie his lungs into one gnarly knot as it hangs against his ribs like a war drum.

This is it. I can die happy now.

Kat lets out a small sigh, his eyes dulling slightly. "After everything that he went through, even after all the therapy and healing and shit, he...he's not like how he was before. He's a lot more...dull."

Before Izuku can will himself to muster out a coherent response, Kat tugs Izuku into his chest, wrapping his arms around him and burying his head into Izuku's shoulder.

"It made me really fuckin' happy to see your eyes look like that again," he whispers, voice more raw and open than Izuku's ever heard in his life. Though he's confused as to what exactly Kat was talking about, Izuku sinks into the hug, heartbeat racing and stomach wrenching itself into nervous knots, fluttering. He gives Kat a quick squeeze of reassurance. "I hope that your Izuku keeps getting better."

Kat pulls away from the hug, eyes heavy with something painful that Izuku can't quite describe—not exactly mourning, but not just sadness. He smiles, and Izuku's chest glows with the warmth of it.

Before Kat can pull away, a force slams into them both from the side, forcing a startled yelp out of Izuku and a loud curse from Kat.

Bakugo just giggles, pressing his cheek against Izuku's. He can feel more than see Bakugo's wide, teeth-baring smile. "I'm gonna miss you, Izu-kun!" Bakugo exclaims. "I can't wait to tell Yami all about you, and all the other Bakugo's. Especially you." He lifts a finger up, tapping Kat on the nose. "Boop!"

Izuku momentarily wishes that his quirk could be photographic memory, so he could replay this scene over and over again with perfect clarity.

Kat scoffs, rolling his eyes and gently shoving Bakugo's face away from him. "Of all the copycats here, you're the biggest dweeb I've ever met in my entire life."

Bakugo pouts, his lower lip jutting out as he takes his arm off of Kat and wraps it around Izuku, embracing him in a full hug as he squishes his cheek against Izuku's once more.

"I was gonna say something nice about you, but I take it back. Your Izu-kun is way cooler than you." Izuku yelps as he feels a sudden warmth in his hair. "And this Izu-kun is probably even cooler than your Izuku! So take that."

Kat groans, "My God, you're even worse than fucking Spark Plug."

"Can you two stop acting like fucking children and hurry the fuck up?" Kacchan snaps, clearly impatient, rapidly tapping his fingers against his sides. Izuku could tell that he was nervous.

"Uh, yeah," Izuku starts, "we don't want to keep you guys away from your worlds for too long. Everyone there is probably wondering where you all are."

"Oh, that's right," Dynamight says, turning to Kacchan. "Did Aizawa inform you of whether any time will have passed in our worlds?"

Kacchan pauses for a moment, then shrugs his shoulders. "Dunno. The quirk user's never hit someone with her quirk twice, so it's not like she can fucking ask the alternates."

Dynamight hums, "True, that's a good point. Then I should probably—"

Dynamight moves his hands in seemingly random motions, murmuring something under his breath. His hands begin glowing red, and Dynamight begins to rub them against his skin. After a moment, Izuku gasps in realization—Dynamight's scars were slowly disappearing, the raised tissue seemingly melting away into smooth, supple skin, not a single indication of the scars remaining.

"I was transported to this world while in the middle of enemy territory, after all," he explains, rubbing at the scar on his chest, watching it slowly disappear from sight. Strangely, it makes Izuku's heart ache—though he's not sure if he would describe it as a bad ache or not.

"I didn't plan or think. My body just...moved on its own."

Kacch—Dynamight's sacrifice, to Izuku. For Izuku. Not his husband, or one of his other friends. Izuku.

You sick bastard, the voice hisses. You're happy that he has that scar because of you? You're insane, what is wrong with you?

Izuku shakes his head in a feeble attempt to dispel the thoughts, though it doesn't do much as the familiar quiet voice speaks up.

You're sad because now there's no more proof of YOU on him, aren't you?

Izuku bites on his lower lip, shoving down the voices and thoughts as deeply as he can—a problem for Future Izuku. He shouldn't be having these kinds of thoughts about Kacchan, especially since Dynamight isn't his. He doesn't belong to Izuku.

"Izuku."

Izuku's head snaps up so quickly, he's almost certain that he's given himself whiplash. "W-yeah?"

Dynamight's eyes watch Izuku, gently. "There's two vials of love blessings in the kitchen for you, in case you ever need the extra flavor in your meals. And a little reminder for you—you're doing great, just the way you are. Overworking yourself to death isn't the answer to everything. Your worth isn't just how much of a hero you are, remember that."

Izuku swallows the sudden lumps that swell up in the back of his throat, pointedly ignoring the faint pink blush slowly crawling its way up Kacchan's face. "I'll remember, Dynamight, and thank you. I—" Izuku chews on the inside of his cheek, willing the bitterness threatening to seep into his tone to be swallowed back down. "I wish the best for you and your husband."

"Thank you, Izuku," Dynamight says; he smiles without restraint, every inch of his expression shining with tender fondness, gently soft devotion, overflowing love.

It does terrible things to Izuku's heart.

Cracking and shattering and breaking, sickly crimson staining his ribs a pretty thing.

"Enough of this fucking sappy shit, let's get this over with," Kacchan says, glaring at Kat and Bakugo until they're standing back in their respective spots in the circle.

Kacchan glances up at Izuku, and despite the urge to look away, he holds his gaze. He gives him a small smile. "I can cover my ears if you want, Kacchan, or I can leave. I don't mind either wa—"

"It's whatever," Kacchan interjects, looking down at the ground. "Do whatever you want."

Izuku is about to leave the circle when he spots Katsuki, and his heart twists between his lungs. "I...think I'll stay, if you don't mind."

Kacchan nods, clearing his throat and ducking his head down. "You wannabes ready?"

A chorus of agreement ripples through the circle. After a moment, Kacchan takes a deep breath. Izuku watches his lips move, but can barely hear a single sound leave him.

Ah. Izuku deflates. He really doesn't want me to hear the common factor, huh? Is it that he doesn't trust me enough? Or maybe he's just embarrassed? We've been back to being friends for a little while now, but maybe Kacchan still needs more time to warm up to talking about stuff like this. I just need to be patient. I've stuck by Kacchan's side this long, no way am I going to leave it over something like thi—

"Oh shit, it's working!"

Izuku's head snaps up, eyes widening.

All the Kacchans are glowing—a soft, iridescent light coloring their skin and clothes and hair.

"We did it!" Bakugo exclaims, jumping in his spot. "We figured out the common thing between us all!" He then waves enthusiastically at Izuku. "Bye, Izu-kun! It was super fun to hang out with ya, you're a real cutie."

Izuku sputters, instinctively covering his face with his hands. If my Kacchan was like that, I think I would've died of a heart attack YEARS ago, he muses.

"Izuku."

Izuku peeks through his fingers, then startles as two cool hands hold Izuku by the wrists and bring his hands down from his face.

"Dynamight," Izuku breathes out, unable to bring himself to look away—a shameless part of him desperately memorizing the sight of Kacchan's face so calm and soft and looking at him like there's nobody else in the room.

Dynamight's bordering on transparent now; the couch and wall behind him almost visible and his skin is eerily cold.

"In every universe, your hand is held, Izuku. You are loved, in this world, and in all the other worlds out there, hanging between the cosmos."

Izuku nods, though his limbs ache with a heavy throb.

In every world except this one, that is. Izuku bites down on his tongue as his eyes latch onto Kacchan, whose head is still titled towards the ground, eyes hidden away from sight. The one person's hand that I want to hold is the one person who wants nothing like that from me.

Dynamight then squeezes Izuku's hands, eyes snapping back up to him.

"Even in this world, Izuku," he says, almost knowingly.

Izuku blinks twice.

Wait a minute.

"Even you."

His eyes widen.

"Wait—"

In the blink of an eye, a bright, red light shoots out of Dynamight's fingertips, hitting Izuku square in the forehead. It sends an electric shock down Izuku's spine, settling in his chest and buzzing about, causing him to jump in his spot.

"Wh—"

Izuku watches as another streak of light leaves Dynamight's fingertip and heads straight for Kacchan.

"Hang on, Kacchan—!"

"What the fuck?!" Kacchan yells, stumbling back a step as the light hits him in the forehead, sinking underneath his skin. "You fucking bastard, what did you do to m—"

Dynamight had completely disappeared—not a single trace of him left in sight.

They—

Izuku whips his head around, spinning in a frantic circle.

They're all gone.

Izuku's eyes meet Kacchan, and his head explodes.

What if he rejects me, what if he hates me and says I can't be his friend anymore, what if he starts to ignore me and calls me Deku again but with disgust in his voice, what if he stops caring about me, what if I become another extra, he'll hate me, he'll hate me and he'll call me a gross disgusting creep and ask me what's wrong with me and everything will break and shatter and it'll be all my fault, all my fault, why do you always ruin the good things, Izuku, you stupid, stupid—so stupid and Kacchan deserves better than you, he deserves a friend who doesn't want more from him, you're so selfish and why can't you ever be grateful, Kacchan died for you and you took Kacchan's eye and Kacchan cut his skin because he's ridden with guilt over you, is that not enough for you, why do you keep insisting on taking, taking, taking, all you do is take and ask for more, you can never be grateful for what Kacchan gives you and he's not yours, not yours, not yours—

Izuku's eyes widen, heart dropping to his feet. He's not moving his mouth, he's not saying the words out loud, yet they ring out loud and clear into the space between them. "Ka—"

D&D Bitch married him in his world, does he know, did he realize, did he know that the blessings shit was me, it was my love, Izuku could taste it, they all could taste it they could taste my love, there's two bottles of my fucking love in the kitchen cabinet and he hugged them, he hugged them all like he fucking cares about them, like he cares about me, Izuku held them so tenderly in his arms and he smiled at them like he was the sun they were the moon and God, no wonder we all realized in the same way, I couldn't stop looking at you like a fucking creep and would he maybe look at me like that too? Hold me and let me hold and could you smile down at me and play with my hair like you did with the Crybaby? Your hands just moved on their own and pet his hair so gently and he was sinking into your touch like it was melting him, I need that, I want your hands to melt me too—

Kacchan's staring at Izuku, eyes blown wide open and jaw dropping. His mouth isn't moving though—he hasn't made a single sound, yet his voice is echoing out into the room, and it has Izuku's head spinning with the force of it.

How can I hear him if he's not talking? And my thoughts—I didn't say them out loud, but they weren't just in my head, it was definitely like I said them out loud, it's almost like—

Izuku's thoughts screech to a halt.

Dynamight hit us both with a spell and it hit us in the head, but I could only feel it in...in my chest—

In my heart.

Izuku grips the fabric around his chest, feeling the searing warmth of the spell on his heart.

Oh.

Oh.

"M—Kacchan," he gasps, desperately pressing against his chest in an attempt to make Kacchan understand.

Kacchan's eyes flick down to Izuku's chest, then they come back up to his eyes as he brings his own hand up to his chest. "Izuku," he says; his given name coming out of Kacchan's mouth sends a shiver down Izuku's spine, nearly shaking his entire being with the force of it. "Izuku, I—"

I love him, I love him, I love him I love him I love him so much it hurts, oh FUCK don't look at me like that, don't look at me with those eyes, keep them on me always, always watch me please, please, PLEASE, I can't live without you, I want you I NEED you, my soul ACHES without you, would you still smile at me and call my name in that voice, would you still smile at me if you knew what I was thinking, would you let me have you, just one time let me be yours I want you to be mine, let me hold you gently just one time, play with your hair, hold your face, love you and will you love me too? Just one time, one time, one time and it'll be enough, it'll never be enough but it'll be something, I will get to call you mine just one time, kiss your palms, trace your face, love you, love you, love you—

Izuku's vision quickly blurs into fat, fuzzy splotches of color as a sob bursts out of his mouth, squeezing at his heart as he stumbles forward and trips, only to find himself being steadied by warm, shaking arms.

"Kacchan, you—do you really—" Izuku chokes out, unable to stop the sobs that shake through his entire body.

He loves me? I love him and he loves me too, don't let this be a dream, please, I don't want to wake up, he loves me, he loves me and he's holding me and he's shaking and can I hold you, too? Can I hold you and kiss your tears dry and finally see if your hair is really as soft as it looks, can I love you without shame or guilt and be loved too? You're my best friend and you've always been there, I can't imagine a universe where you don't exist, I'm not me without you, I can't be me without you, Kacchan, my pretty, pretty Kacchan, I don't ever want to let you go, crawl into my chest, Kacchan, in the little space shaped just like you, please, I want you be mine and I want to be yours, I love him and he loves me and I LOVE him, I love him, I love you—

A choked out sound leaves Kacchan, and Izuku thinks his heart breaks a little at the sound of it; so completely wrecked and breaking, falling apart and clutching onto Izuku like he's a lifeline.

"Izuku," Kacchan gasps, voice wet and quivering, "I—fuck, Izuku—why would you—I'm not—"

He's crying, he's fucking crying because I love him, GOD, he's in my arms and he's so fucking warm and could I have this always, could I always have the warmth of you and I love you, I can't stop thinking about you and needing you and you love me, too? You also want to hold and touch and kiss and why would you choose me? I burnt you, I bruised you, I insulted you, and if you had jumped that day, I would've died, I would've never forgiven myself, it's selfish to want you after everything I've done but could you maybe want to be selfish about me too? Do you really think I'm the one who deserves to love you and be loved by you and Izuku, I fucking love you, please say you love me as fucking desperately as I do, I love you, I love you—

"Kacchan," Izuku cries, feeling his entire soul shake with each word from Kacchan's heart, "I've never wanted anyone else. I don't want anyone who—I don't need anyone who isn't you." Arms trembling, he brings them up to crush Kacchan in a tight embrace, burying his face in the juncture between Kacchan's shoulder and neck, tears falling wet and warm on Kacchan's exposed skin. "You've always been in my life, Kacchan, I—even when we weren't talking, you were there. You were there and you were amazing and I couldn't stop looking at you." Izuku takes a trembling breath, his heart ready to jump out from his throat and into Kacchan's palms. It's yours, he wants to say. It's always been yours. "You're right here, Kacchan, and you're absolutely beautiful. Imperfectly perfect, angry and brave, and—and beautiful, how was I supposed to have ever looked at anyone else?"

"Fuck, Izuku." Kacchan's arms are quick to grip Izuku back, like he's afraid to let go. "I've hated myself so fucking much for wanting you like this. Not only was I a complete asshole, I pushed you away. I hurt you. And you still stayed, and you still forgave me, and you still wanted to be friends, and I went and had the fucking audacity to fall in love with you." Kacchan dips his head down onto Izuku's shoulder, salty tears sinking past Izuku's shirt and down into his bones. "Sometimes it made me feel like I haven't changed at all; that I'm still that shitty bastard from middle school who doesn't care about anyone except himself."

"But you care about me, don't you?" Izuku whispers. The sudden need to see Kacchan overtakes him, and he gently pushes Kacchan's head off his shoulder, arms still hugging him tightly as he stares into glistening carmine eyes. "You care about me, and you love me, right?"

"I'll fucking die before I stop loving you," Kacchan says, tears streaming down his face—he doesn't bother holding back, doesn't bother hiding them from Izuku. "I wanna be a part of your life, and I wanna be with you, as long as you'll fucking let me. If you want me to leave, I'll do it. I'd fucking do it for you, if it would make you happy. It would hurt like hell and I'd be fucking miserable, but you'd be happy."

Izuku's heart aches and it's like all his insides are burning at each and every one of Kacchan's words. Without giving it a second thought, he holds Kacchan's face in his hands—like the precious thing it is—wiping away at Kacchan's tears with his thumbs. "Then please, don't ever leave me, Kacchan. Please be mine, be mine always, Kacchan—"

"Yes," Kacchan gasps, not an ounce of hesitation or reluctance in his voice—only a desperate yearning. "I love you too, Izuku, I love you so fucking much, I'll be yours, as long as you fucking want, I'll be yours, Izuku, I wanna be yours—"

Those words leaving Kacchan's mouth finally snap Izuku's last string of hesitation; one of the hands on Kacchan's face slides down to the back of his neck, and he yanks him towards him, pressing a teary, bruising kiss against Kacchan.

Kacchan lets out a sound that's a mix between a gasp and a sob, and Izuku steals it right out of his mouth. Kacchan's lips are soft and wet and salty and Izuku's never tasted a better thing in his entire life. His whole world is falling apart and coming together again endlessly, but none of it matters—Izuku can't be bothered because Kacchan's right here, he's here and he's in Izuku's arms and he's kissing Izuku back like the world's caving in, like if he lets go of Izuku then everything will end—like the universe itself will collapse in on herself, taking out everything in her without an ounce of remorse.

The need to part for air quickly burns in Izuku's chest, forcing him to part from Kacchan. He doesn't have a chance to mourn the loss of it, though, because Kacchan's hands are coming up—one holding onto the hand holding Kacchan's face—and cradling Izuku's face like he's a treasure and pulling him back in for another kiss, and another, and another, little whispers breathed out into the space between them.

"I love you, I love you, Izuku, I love you, I'll never fucking let you go, I'll hold your hand, Izuku, always, always, always, always—"

Izuku still has so many things he wants to say, to do, but the only thing on his mind right now has him reaching for Kacchan's hand, lacing his fingers between his, openly marveling at how they fit against each other so perfectly—like they were made for each other.

Izuku looks up at Kacchan, about to say something when he realizes Kacchan is staring down at their hands too, a pretty pink flush high in his cheeks, his face the most purely, openly raw and vulnerable Izuku has ever seen it, and almost forgets what he wanted to say.

Almost.

"Do you think they fit so well in every other world?" Izuku whispers, eyes aching and limbs heavy and heart soaring.

Kacchan brings their hands up to his mouth, pressing an unabashedly adoring, reverent kiss on the back of Izuku's hand. "Your hand in mine is the only perfect thing, in every world." He gives Izuku a wide, victorious grin. "I'll fight the universe my fucking self if it tries to tarnish it."

Izuku's heart swells, his soul warms, and his eyes shine.

With kiss swollen lips tingling with an electric buzz, heartbeat thundering in Izuku's ears, and Kacchan in his arms looking at him just like that, Izuku thinks that no universe out there can ever be as perfect as this one.

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and that's a wrap, ladies and gents.
for all the readers who have been here since the first chapter, thank you so much for joining and staying with me on this wonderful journey. i hope this ending does it justice.
Also, I'm thinking about doing little oneshots from each of the alternate Kacchans. I'll do a poll on my writing tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/panpanicatmha), so be sure to check it out!
now for your regularly scheduled memes.

EDIT (9/15/2023): in case you didn't know, i wrote a oneshot for Katsuki's AU! It's posted on here, under the title The Screams All Sound The Same. Here's the link:

https://www.wattpad.com/1376414744-the-screams-all-sound-the-same