Flashing Lights

“I see you decided to be extra festive this year!”

Izuku blushes sheepishly as the lady reporter grins at his suit. “Well, I liked it! You know me, I can’t be too serious about anything like this. I’d feel weird wearing a regular suit.”

The reporter nods knowingly as the cameras continue to flash pictures of his outfit. The deep forest green of the suit matches Izuku’s hair, with glittery light green spirals wrapping festively around. The same light green spirals decorate his tie.

Another reporter jumps in, cooing over the outfit. “Oh, the spirals kind of match the curls in your hair! Nice undercut, by the way- very clean! I think it was a lovely choice, especially for a Christmas gala.”

The Heroes’ Christmas Gala was a glittering event that Izuku always dreamt of attending. The entire purpose of the event was to fundraise for numerous charities, and that was important but as a child, the red carpet was always his favorite part. He’d watch wide eyed, delighted as All Might entertained everyone with his bold suits and jovial laughter; as Midnight dropped jaws and flushed faces with her simple yet elegantly naughty dresses (as a child, his mom would cover his eyes); as even Endeavor arrived with something almost akin to a smile.

This year, the theme seemed to be “hair colors”, and the styles were surprisingly clever. Mina had already spun around before him in her delightfully feathery pink dress spreading at least three feet around her in all directions. Tsuyu was artfully dressed in a dark green, shoulder-less gown with the top of it cut like a lily pad. Ochaco wore a slinky chocolate brown dinner gown, glowing with gold sparkles. Even Bakugou was wearing a light gold tuxedo top that fit him so well, even his scowls weren’t deterring the cameras.

“Oh! You’re finally here!”

Izuku turns, swallowing his disdain when he realizes that cry came from the same reporter of the tabloid that keeps asking about his love life. This reporter (he doesn’t even remember her name, for goodness’ sakes) is determined to catch him at every corner. Bought flowers for his mom? ‘Deku caught buying flowers for a secret lover’. An intense arm and chest day with Kirishima? A ‘heated, scandalous photo’ that had Kacchan ready to strangle him to death out in the field.

“Didn’t you think that Uraraka Ochaco looked lovely in her evening gown? The gold accents with the chocolate- amazing. Jaw dropping!”

Forcing a smile, Izuku nods. “She sure did. I know tonight meant a lot to her, and she wanted it to be just right. I’m happy for her.”

The lady nods emphatically. “You were seen helping her shop for the dress. How cute! Maybe the beginnings of something more special?”

No! I’ve been getting lunches with Ochaco since high school! We aren’t dating!

He swallows the burning retort in his throat. “No. We’re just friends.” Here came the part that he really hated. Even though he’d revealed to the world that he was bisexual, this woman was determined to push her candy-coated homophobia onto him.

“Aww. Don’t worry, you’ll get your shot one day. Love always wins in the end, as they say! Ah, the strong love between a man and a woman is forever-”

At this point, Izuku is trying to figure out how bad it would be for his image to simply strong arm this woman out of his way and be done with it when the energy in the room shifts, interrupting her spiel.

“Well I’ll be damned,” another reporter sighs in awe. “He really made the red and white hair combo work!”

Arriving in a flurry of cameras and reporters was who Izuku was actually waiting for. When Shouto arrives into the spotlight, it takes everything in him not to visibly swoon.

Shouto’s overcoat is a deep red, with a white handkerchief stylishly tucked at the top. Upon request of his stylist following close behind, he takes it off to reveal a white suit vest underneath, with another red button-up layer underneath. His slacks are pure white to match the vest, and in another vest pocket is a second patterned handkerchief matching the tie he’s wearing. His hair is in a Dutch crown braid, and- is that subtle red lip gloss?

A sharp jawline tempers an unaffected expression, a regal posture tying the entire look together leaving Izuku shifting in his spot with clothes feeling much tighter than they were a few moments ago. When they finally make eye contact, Shouto gives a small smile, and the onlookers begin to scream.

“Oh my god!”

“He smiled!”

“Catch it, catch it!”

Izuku remembers himself as Shouto approaches him, leaving behind the stylist to the questions of the masses. As much as he wants to twirl him into a kiss, they haven’t revealed that they are a couple to the world yet. It didn’t matter if he was on duty, if he was shopping, swimming, getting lunch- everything was always in the spotlight and in the news. As selfish as it seemed, he just wanted this one thing to cherish on his own, just for a little while.

“So, did you take fashion advice from Aoyama, or pick this out yourself?” Shouto teases, poking at the sparkly bowtie. Izuku smirks, lightly grabbing Shouto’s fingers.

“For your information, I chose it myself.” Before he can expose them by kissing his hand, Izuku reluctantly releases Shouto’s fingers.

“I bet you did. It’s dorky enough to be you.”

Izuku gives him a quick, heated up and down glance. “You look stunning, Shou,” he whispers. Shouto preens a little, chest pressing up proudly.

“Well, I didn’t really care about how I looked, but the new stylist apparently fought hundreds of other stylists for this position, so. I think they did okay.”

“They did better than okay.”

Their heated whispers are quickly cut off by the nosy reporters returning, and they both take an unconscious step away from each other. The annoying reporter takes one scathing look at Shouto, and Shouto’s lips press and he turns his nose up. 

“Oh! Todoroki Shouto.” Her tone belies displeasure. “I was just talking about how lovely Uraraka Ochaco was dressed tonight- you ought to help your friend here have more confidence to approach her! I know you’ll make the perfect best man if you actually support him!”

“Actually support-” Shouto’s incredulous expression, pupils contracted and cheeks red, at her blithe insult is immediately snapped by cameras, and Izuku knows that look is always followed by confrontation. Thinking on his feet, he points to the doors.

“Oh look, here comes Chargebolt and Earphone Jack!” When everyone turns, he grabs Shouto’s arm and makes a beeline for the nearest bathroom. It’s clean, with two fancy stalls, modern lighting, and a white marble countertop holding plush white towels. Making sure no one is inside; he locks the door and turns to a scowling Shouto. He’s unable to hold back a giggle at the challenging expression.

“You’ve been giving people that face over me ever since Hosu, Shou.”

Shouto purses his lips. “I was going to fight that detective, and I’ll fight her too. ‘Actually support’. The nerve! Isn’t that the one that’s always bothering you?”

“Yeah, once you burned her notepad right in front of her after she wouldn’t leave the danger zone of one of the crime scenes.” Izuku had no shame in that he thought it was very sexy, but only because it was her.

“Anyway,” Izuku gives a sultry smile, slowly backing Shouto up against the bathroom sink.

“You’re so cute when you’re jealous. The flashing eyes and the stare down the nose really do it for me. Lets me see this gorgeous jawline.” He accents the point by kissing up and down Shouto’s jaw, possessively holding onto the back of his neck and squeezing lightly. Shouto moans, leaning his head to expose a little more of his neck.

“Mm, thank you.” Sighing into Izuku’s hold, Shouto gives him a light smirk. “You’re going to have to undo the shirt, Zu, they’ve got me completely trapped in this monstrosity.”

The plaintive whine hits Izuku right in the heart, and quickly travels straight down. He leans for an open-mouthed kiss, licking at the gloss.

“Is that strawberry?” he murmurs.

“Shut up,” Shouto scoffs before leaning his head back in, deepening the kiss.

“There’s no need to be jealous,” Izuku practically sighs. “Between the two of us, I’m the one who needs to be on his toes. I mean, look at how you walked in today. It’s not even fair.”

Shouto pulls away to pout adorably, trying to hide how appeased he is. "Okay but that's irrelevant."

"How so?" Izuku purrs, moving a leg in between welcoming thighs.

"Because I'm not as adorable as you are- mmm, right there, like that- you’re so approachable- mmm fuck- and everybody wants you and it's irritating me because you’re mine." 

“I am.” Izuku is past words, kitten-licking at Shouto’s lips again as his fingers try to crack the puzzle that is all the layers separating their bodies. He’s two burning seconds from just tearing off the annoyingly well-fitting suit to show Shouto just how much he is loved when the door handle begins to wobble violently.

“There’s always another way we can let them know,” Shouto whispers, warm fingers pressing under Izuku’s waistband. Izuku wants to think he’s teasing, but the heat in Shouto’s eyes suggest that he’s completely serious about having sex in this public restroom, media and this poor person needing to go be damned. Leaving a chaste kiss on his cheek, Izuku untangles from Shouto’s grasp.

“Shou, as much as I’d love to fuck you right now, this is not the best time.” The disappointment is clear in his voice. “And besides, they-” he points at the handle. “-really must need to pee.”

As soon as the door is unlocked, a yellow suited Kaminari falls inside and scrambles to a stall. A calm Tokoyami follows soon behind, wearing a simple navy blue and black tuxedo and draped by a teary-eyed Dark Shadow. Looking between Shouto and Izuku, his eyebrow raises.

“Hiding from the media,” Izuku deflects, wiping off his lips as he answers the unspoken question. “You know how the paparazzi get.”

Tokoyami nods. “Understandable. The constant flashes leave Dark Shadow quite distraught.”

Groaning in relief, Kaminari wobbles back out to the sink. Shouto is no longer leaning against it and is now replacing the lip gloss, managing to look crisp and completely nonplussed as if he wasn’t previously begging to be publicly-

“It’s not so bad!” Kaminari cuts into Izuku’s reverie, smiling widely. “I kind of like all the energy out there. Besides,” he whispers mischievously. “Kirishima and Bakugou are being interviewed right now, and you know they always do something dramatic to hog the spotlight from the rest of us.”

True to form, when they all exit the bathroom, the cameras were flashing like lightning as Bakugou held Kirishima in a grand kiss. He makes eye contact with Izuku, and scowling, somehow deepens the kiss further.

------

That night, Izuku dreams of waiting in the foyer of a grand mansion, white marble stairs curving toward the upstairs. He’s dressed in his suit from the gala and holding a large bouquet of roses.

“Izuku! Are you ready to go?”

Looking up, Shouto is at the top of the stairs holding his overcoat and smiling. Somewhere in Izuku’s subconscious he knows that he’s seen this outfit before, yet it doesn’t stop him from gawking at how magnificent Shouto looks. The dream shifts, and suddenly he’s out on the gala dance floor, twirling him around proudly to the passionate violin melody and pop beat as everyone looks on. Before he can give Shouto a kiss to rival Kacchan’s dramatics, an aggravating high-pitched voice breaks in.

“Love always wins in the end…”

The dream shatters, the entire mood ruined, and Izuku wakes up scowling. Luckily, it’s his day off, so he shoves his face into his pillow, trying to force his brain to recreate the dream. Sadly, now that he’s awake he can’t help but think about how different his dream was from the real gala. Giving up on sleep, he jumps out of bed and starts to stretch. Unfortunately, he and Shouto were sat some distance apart, and immediately after the gala they each were swept away in different directions by reporters, stylists, and eventually made their ways home separately. It was incredibly disappointing, nothing at all like the lovely dream where he had arrived with Shouto and danced all night.

Izuku’s throat tightens as he realizes that Shouto probably wanted the same thing that night. He’s been incredibly supportive of Izuku’s desire to keep private despite his own misgivings with the idea. Shouto grew up in a hero family, was used to keeping things ‘private’, and was averse to the idea of hiding away a loved one for reasons other than safety. On the other side, he wasn’t a fan of paparazzi and understood just how annoying they could be.

The first time he’d brought up the idea of being quiet about their official relationship, they’d fought about it.

Devastation was clear on Shouto’s tear-stained face, fists tight against his sides.

“I’ll be damned if I’m anyone’s dirty little secret! Next, I’ll be in a psych ward too, huh?”

The hissed words were saturated with hurt, impacting Izuku’s heart like bullets. How did it come to this? What had he said, what had he done to bring Shouto this much pain? He quickly ran to block Shouto’s exit as he twisted to leave, holding his hands out in a plea.

“No, no! That’s not it- I would never treat you like that Shouto! I’m not like him, I wouldn’t do that to you! That’s not it at all! Please!”

“Then what is it?! What’s wrong with me that I-” Shouto bites down on the rest of the sentence and turns away again, recognizing his old fears bubbling over and trying to contain them.

“Shou. Shoucchan, please. Listen to me. There’s nothing wrong with you. I’m so sorry for triggering old memories, I didn’t mean to- please believe me. That’s not it at all, it’s nothing to do with you. You’re perfect. You’re one of the best things to ever happen to me, I would never even dare not to love you the way you deserve!”

Ever since then, he’d made sure to praise Shouto whenever he could- no room was ever left for doubt in how valuable he was. Despite his positive feedback, he could see Shouto’s patience waning, and with valid reason.

Heavy fists bang on the townhouse door, interrupting his thoughts. When he opens the door, Shouto shoves past him in a huff.

“Um- everything okay? Did you lose your key?”

“Lose my key? Do I have a key? That would imply we were dating, which we clearly can’t be doing according to this.”

Brow furrowing, Izuku walks over to see the article pulled up on Shouto’s phone as Shouto collapses onto an armchair, legs splayed across the back and long hair hanging to the floor.

The description is in bold green letters- “Who would be ideal for Hero Deku?” It’s followed underneath by more details, including ‘sweet; bubbly; intelligent; good-looking; a good listener’. Izuku chuckles, looking at Shouto with mirth.

“Well, they aren’t completely wrong, though they could have at least asked me first. Also, babe you’re literally all of these.”

Shouto purses his lips, scowling. “I’m not even remotely sweet or bubbly.”

“Oh, really?” Kneeling on the floor, he lifts Shouto’s face off the ground and begins to cover him in kisses until he begins to giggle.

“Okay, okay!” Shouto cries, laughing. “Zu! You’ve made your point!”

“Have I? I heard a few giggles there, but I’ll need to double check to be sure.”

Izuku continues to ply him with kisses until Shouto pushes his face away, flushing with a small flame on his left cheek.

“I love you too, Zu, but I just- I’m ready.” The happiness in his tone fades as his voice lowers. “I want the world to know who the number one hero really belongs to.”

Stomach twisting, Izuku tries to inject some humor. “How possessive of you, Shou!”

Shouto rolls his eyes, fidgeting with his nails. “There was a dating list if you kept reading. A ‘compatibility’ list of heroes. It said we aren’t compatible because I was ‘too aloof and cold’, and that I’d end up making you cry. Ha- as if it’s not easy to make you cry. You cry at cute ducklings at the park! That you were too ‘nice’ for me. I think the author was that same lady who made the joke at the gala.”

Izuku sighs, rolling his own eyes. “‘Too nice’, what does that even mean? I can’t stand that woman. Though, you did introduce yourself by threatening to beat me up, so.”

When Shouto growls and turns away, Izuku realizes he probably shouldn’t tease about it anymore. Instead, he lifts him off the armchair and sits down, curling Shouto into his side. He gently pulls Shouto’s face toward him when they’re adequately cozy, staring into his eyes.

“Look. She doesn’t know anything about you, let alone what or who you deserve in your life. You are wonderfully sweet in your own Shouto way, and even a little bubbly when you’re feeling safe. You’re sharply intelligent and an honor to have on the battlefield. You’re an excellent listener when you want to be, and I can’t imagine having anyone else by my side when I need to talk about my day. As for looks? Have you seen yourself? You could wear that Gala tux, these wonderful workout leggings, a trash bag, or nothing at all and you would leave any and every one begging for more. You’re that gorgeous.”

Blushing, Shouto leans away. “You’re just being nice, now.”

“Nice? I’m ashamed I can’t come up with anything better. I must be distracted because I’ve got such a man in my lap.” He squeezes Shouto’s thighs for good measure, chuckling.

Smirking, Shouto turns to poke Izuku in his freckles. “When did you learn to be so smooth? I remember when I could say anything, and you’d blush so hard you looked like a tomato.”

Of course, Izuku flushes at being caught, hiding his face in Shouto’s neck. Sure, he’d been doing in depth research on how to flirt successfully. In the beginning it was to find newer and better ways to express himself in a loving way, but soon he realized how addicted he was to watching Shouto melt under his praise.

“But you love me anyway,” he murmurs, smiling.

Shouto pulls away, looking down. “Zu, just… I want to support you in this, I do. But also… I just want you to think about it, okay? Please?”

Determination shines on Izuku’s face. “Of course. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, Shou. I’m sorry for not giving it more thought before.” 

They cuddle in silence for a little bit, just enjoying the warmth of the other, when Izuku twitches with a new thought.

“Hey Shou, whatever happened to your gala outfit?”

“I auctioned it off. Charity purposes, apparently people really wanted it.” Frowning, Shouto stares into space. “It’s a little weird to me, but it went to a good cause, so I wasn’t concerned.”

“Oh.” Pouting suggestively, Izuku’s hand lingers on Shouto’s side. “Well that’s a shame. I never got to tear it off you the way I wanted.”

Catching onto the suggestive words, Shouto shifts in Izuku’s lap, now straddling him in the small armchair, eyes burning with desire.

“Hm, I remember you said that you wanted nothing more than to fuck me in it, right?” Grabbing both sides of Izuku’s face, Shouto pulls him into a heated kiss, biting down on his lip as he slowly grinds his hips down.

“God, yes,” Izuku moans. “I was about to rip the entire suit open just so I could get to the beautiful body underneath. All those stupid layers.”

“And do you remember what I said?” The love bites Shouto leaves on his neck are almost painfully chilly, followed by a warm caress of tongue, and it’s taking every ounce of control in Izuku not to come from them alone.

“You said that-” he gasps, a cold finger now pressed on one nipple and a hot one on the other. “-that you knew of a way to show everyone we’re together.” Lust fills his eyes as he gives Shouto a lascivious grin.

“You really wanted to fuck on the sink, in front of all of those people! What would the fans say?”

“Fuck the fans,” Shouto growls. “I want you, Zu, then and now.”

His impassioned tone is enough to force Izuku out of the chair, wrapping Shouto’s legs around him. He only lets him go once he’s in front of the bed, and the wanton sight in front of him is one to behold. Shouto’s face is flushed, lips bright red, long hair seductively splayed in all directions around him. His body is completely open, hips wide and knees in the air.

"Don’t give me that look, Shou," Moaning again, he tosses off his shirt and reaches hungrily for the gorgeous neck above him. “I can’t take it.”

“Sure you can.” Grabbing Izuku’s hand, Shouto sucks lightly on two fingers. “Please do. Come take what’s yours.”

Literally leaking with desire, Izuku immediately dives into Shouto, devouring his lips as if he were starving for the other man.

“Do you care about this shirt?” he whispers roughly. Shouto quickly shakes his head, and Izuku takes two hands and tears it down the middle. A beautifully muscled chest is exposed, and Izuku places his thumbs over both stiff nipples. Taking his time, he begins to leave love bites all over Shouto’s chest, leaving specifically dark marks on his collarbones.

"Don’t be so rough, Zu,” Shouto teases, gasping with pleasure despite his sarcasm. “There can't be any marks if you’re trying to keep this a secret." He whines again when Izuku only bites harder.

"I don’t really care; you look hot and I'm trying to pace myself and not immediately fuck you senseless right now."

The lewd moan that spills from Shouto in response almost makes Izuku tear apart the leggings next, but he knows that his boyfriend really likes these. As he goes to pull them down, Shouto twists in his grasp and presses his ass up into Izuku’s sweats, using one hand to grasp tightly into Izuku’s hair.

“Take those off, and come up here,” he whispers. Following command, Izuku kicks off his sweats and reveals his almost painfully swollen member. His eyes widen when Shouto licks his lips and then opens his mouth, and when he slips into the warmth he’s tempted to cry. Tightening his fingers in Shouto’s hair, he thrusts back and forth, mewling at how good the tongue wraps around him. Soon, his legs are shaking, and before he can finish, he pulls out, spit still connecting them. He flips Shouto over so that he can start to prep him.

"You’re so fucking lovely, Shou," he croons, panting as he kisses down the strong back, pulling Shouto up into his chest so he could feel his warmth. "No one could make me feel as good as you do."

Shouto chuckles, voice low. “Mm, maybe you need to tell the world that, and not just me. Otherwise, I’m just a warm body with none of the benefits, huh.”

An undercurrent of hurt lies vulnerable in the statement, the implication laid bare. Horrified, Izuku pauses in his voracious need. Shouto is hardly looking at him, instead looking down at the bedspread.

“You- I-” Struggling to find the words, Izuku takes a breath and tries again. “I wouldn’t do this with you if I didn’t love you, Shouto. And I don’t ever want you to feel like that’s all you are to me- like a fuck buddy. You are worth so much more. You mean the world to me, I love you so much, and I’ll tell them all that if it means you never feel like this again. Today, if you want. I don’t ever want you to actually feel jealous, to ever feel like someone else could take your place, because they can’t.”

Looking from under his eyelashes, Shouto swallows. “Today?”

“Today.”

A rare, bright smile graces Shouto’s face, and he laughs softly as all his worries float away.

“All right. Thank you, Zu. I mean it. I won’t let you down if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I could never.” Izuku’s warm smile warping into something desirous. “But before we do that-”

Shouto’s breath catches as he’s suddenly back on his knees, with Izuku kissing down his thighs before spreading them. A cap unclicks, and he hears a generous amount of lube being squeezed out of a plastic bottle. 

“You wanted the world to know who I was with, right? Okay. I want you to scream my name so much, so loudly, that no one can ever deny who’s in your arms. Just pretend we’re at the gala again.”

It’s one of the most erotic things Shouto’s ever heard, and he’s flushed as a warm, liquid finger enters. He’s left gasping salaciously as a few minutes later another, and then a third are driving inside him.

“I can’t hear you, Shou.” Izuku teases, fully aware that all he’s capable of doing now is mewling and writhing on the bed. “How would the world know we were in that bathroom if you’re so quiet?”

“Zu,” Shouto whispers, fingers still grasping the sheets. “Shit, yes, Izuku,”

Knees shaking, over and over he gasps Izuku’s name, each way different than the last. Finally, when he’s done prepping him, Izuku flips him back over and lines up. When he pushes in, Shouto’s head slams back into the mattress.

“Do you want me to start, Shou? I can start if you need me to.”

Pushing Shouto’s knees back, Izuku leans all the way down until they’re chest to chest. His lips land hot at Shouto’s ear, and he moans as he thrusts in. It takes a few thrusts, but soon Izuku starts to hear what he was looking for.

“Zu-”

“Ah, Iz-Izuku-”

He’s completely full, his eyes rolling back in his head with pleasure. This is part of what he wanted; to be possessed with a love this overpowering. Soon, his calls are in tandem with the shake of headboard, a fast, punishing rhythm as he begins to cry out Izuku’s name. The longer they make love, the more the cries turn into whines, then breathy gasps, and soon Shouto is keening out Izuku’s name.

“Yes, Zu! Fuck!”

“Oh, fuck, Izuku, please, keep going, right there, ah-”

Reaching down, Izuku begins to stroke Shouto until he comes loudly, voice breaking. Breathing heavily, they both are silent for a few moments.

“Good job, Shouto. So sexy.” Izuku groans and lays down on the bed, socked feet hanging off the end. “My knees kind of hurt, so I’m going to lay down for a second-”

Before he can finish, Shouto rises from the bed and is sliding back on top of him, hair wild and eyes glowing with intent. Izuku begins to lean back up in concern.

“Um, are you o-” The question is cut off as he is roughly pushed back onto the bed and held down by a firm cold hand. Shouto’s chest is heaving, and his voice is rough as he whispers, “Your turn.”

“You look exhausted, and you have to be sensitive, Shou. Are you sure about-”

He sees stars, moaning as Shouto lifts and slams back down.

“My name. Now.” Shouto’s growling command is hoarse, voice almost completely gone, but the longing in his eyes is enough to completely disarm Izuku. Grabbing the discarded tights, he ties them around Izuku’s wrists- he wants to possess as much as he wants to be possessed. Happily conceding power, Izuku lays back as Shouto bears down with the same type of unyielding rhythm from before. Soon, he’s consumed with desire for the touch that he’s been refused.

“Shou, Shouto, Shoucchan, my love, please, I want to touch, I want to thrust, I want to- ahh it’s so good, fuck- let me just-”

Izuku’s knees are still on the bed, and he can’t bend them enough to meet Shouto’s thrusts because every time he tries to lift his hands or hips, Shouto mercilessly slaps them back down.

“What if it wasn’t me?” Shouto whispers, pettiness slipping through. “No need for my touch. It doesn’t matter, does it?”

Izuku’s babbling quickly becomes desperate. “No, no no no- it’s only you, just you! - please- I- let me Shou, please, I-ahh, fuck-”

As soon as Shouto shifts to loosen the leggings, Izuku’s knees are up and his grip is firmly attached to Shouto’s sides, almost bruising.

“You look so good on me Shou- fuck- look at all those love bites- was that me? Ahh- I’m, I’m all yours Shouto, don’t ever let me go, yes, I’m yours, I’m yours-”

Using the last of his energy, Shouto pulls Izuku up so that he’s sitting in his lap. Watching this bewitching man ride him with the last of his strength, face contorted in silent moans, brings him to tears. Izuku wants to make sure he gives Shouto everything he’s asking for.

“God, Shou- I could never, never hide someone as wonderful as you- fuck- thank you- thank you- so much for being with me, for being patient- oh, ahh yes - for loving me! Shouto, Shou, yes, yes-”

By the time he comes, he’s sobbing out the other’s name. Triumphant but completely spent, Shouto collapses onto Izuku’s chest. They can only imagine how scandalized the paparazzi would have been to have heard any of that at the gala.

------

Izuku lazily runs his fingers through Shouto’s hair. The steaming hot water and lavender salts in the deep tub relax their exhausted muscles, allowing the energy of what they’d just done to sink in and die down. Completely satisfied, Shouto quietly turns to snuggle in deeper to Izuku’s arms, smiling. Meanwhile, Izuku was happily babbling away. 

“Do you think an Instagram post was the best way to go about it, Shou? I didn’t take you for an ‘after-sex selfie’ kind of guy. I can’t wait for that one reporter to see it; she’s going to have a coronary at how wrong she was.”

Shouto’s chest rumbles, like he’s laughing, and Izuku knows that underneath his lids he’s rolling his eyes. They’d decided to throw caution to the wind and just reveal their relationship in the most risqué way possible, and while normally that would leave Izuku anxious, his mood was so jubilant that shame couldn’t touch him.

“I suppose we can’t really do an interview right now anyway, since your voice is completely shot. Though you hardly speak anyway. So, food! We should probably eat in tonight, then, since I’m willing to bet the paparazzi are swarming outside my front door. Oh- you should definitely plan to move your things in. No need to be separate. Sides, we can be loud as we want here versus in your apartment. It works out! Also-”

His rambling is cut off by a languid kiss, Shouto hardly putting any effort into holding himself up. It’s a kiss that says Shut up; you’re ruining the moment. Of course, Izuku doesn’t stop talking, only boosted by the extra affection.

“I can’t help it! I’m so happy. You should be happy too; I’m practically admitting you were right.”

“Mm.” Shouto takes an extra moment to re-warm up the water, and then closes his eyes, resuming his cuddling. If hearts could be floating around their heads, Izuku just knows they would be.

“Love you too, Shou. No worries. We can just relax. I’ll handle everything later.”