Chapter Text
"Is that what I think it is?"
"It’s a beverage, Half-and-Half. Don't strain your brain."
Shoto's steps got closer to him, not too close, barely hugging his side. A bare yet warm hand— presumably shoto's left hand— came to rest on the blonde's right hand, brushing against the cold knuckles before gently taking the lukewarm can away from him.
"You're supposed to be on decaf, Katsuki... The doctor said you're gonna get a heart attack by thirty-two if you keep this up..."
Katsuki let him. It's the only time all year round that he surrenders to anyone or anything— without a fight. But well, he can still fight— verbally.
“The fuck—hey!” Katsuki snarled, jerking his hand back instinctively. But Shoto was already pulling the coffee can away like some kind of tiny-smug-ice-fairy who's in the mood for theft just for the fun.
“Who the hell gave you my medical records huh?! You keeping tabs on my heart monitor even!?? And who the fuck appointed you as my personal health police huh! I’m not dying, I’m not weak, and I sure as shit don’t need you mother-henning me like Izuku and shitty hair!”
Katsuki glared at his now-empty hand, then up at Shoto’s calm, infuriating face— that stupid concerned look with those big dumb beautiful heterochromatic eyes boring into him like he was made of glass.
“Listen here, you overrated snow cone!—” Katsuki growled, voice dropping low but sharp as shrapnel.
“If I wanna drink ten coffees and blow up a block after? That’s my damn prerogative. You don’t get to waltz in here with your perfect hair, perfect stats and all the perfect shit and start regulating my lifestyle, got it?!”
Then quieter, barely above a whisper—
“…Unless you’re planning to stick around long enough this time to actually earn the goddamn right.”
He turned towards the taller man fully now, jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth. Snow kept falling. His pulse rate did too, for different reasons now.
Shoto only smiled, taking a sip of the mostly artificial sugar made beverage, which is now lukewarm and grimaced instantly from the bitter taste of black coffee— probably even more bitter cuz Katsuki likes his coffee extra bitter, crushing the can in his fist and tossing it pin point in a nearby trash can.
"I'm a nobody... Just someone who cares about the Fourth Hero..."
Shoto murmured with a small smile, offering a sincere apology silently. Then taking bakugo's both gloved hands in his left palm now, their size comparison in physique being helpful for that.
"Can you try and not die early?"
"Please?"