third-year!katsuki x shiketsu!reader (drabble)
five times bakugo katuski didn’t know that eijiro kirishima was watching. and one time he did.
one.
eijiro knew he’d regret staying up late playing games, but he kept going anyway.
he glanced at the clock on his phone. 2 a.m. great. his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything since dinner. he sighed and pushed himself off the couch.
as he padded toward the kitchen, the dim yellow light caught his eye. it shouldn’t have been on. his steps froze, heart beating a little faster than normal.
he crouched behind the staircase railing, pressing himself into the shadows. squinting through the glow, he made out two figures.
and then he saw you. you were perched on the bar stool, legs swinging slightly, a soft smile tugging at your lips. you were watching katuski at the stove. the heat made his hair stick a little to his forehead, the light catching the sweat on his brow.
“katuski?…” eijiro whispered, hand flying to cover his mouth. his knees were shaking a little, and he pressed himself further into the shadows, afraid the two of you might notice him.
then you laughed. soft. warm. easy. it wasn’t loud, but it filled the space in a way that made eijiro’s chest tighten. he couldn’t hear the words, only the tone, the happiness that seemed to radiate from you.
and katuski… katuski wasn’t scowling. not at all.
he was smiling. a little, quiet, rare smile. the kind of smile eijiro had never seen on him, the kind that made eijiro’s chest squeeze because it was so… soft. katuski’s eyes softened too, a fraction, as he stirred the pan slowly, focused but calm.
eijiro blinked, dazed. maybe it was the lack of sleep. maybe it was the late-night gaming haze. maybe he was seeing things.
he leaned back against the wall, heart still racing, taking in every tiny motion— the tilt of your head, the way katuski’s hand flexed around the spatula, the way you laughed again at something small and quiet.
he backed toward his room, careful not to make a sound, heart hammering. he lay awake for the rest of the night, replaying it in his mind over and over, the image burned in front of his eyes: katuski, grumpy katuski, smiling for you.
two.
eijiro wanted nothing more than to lie down on his bed and rest after a long day of class. the sun was low, painting the school grounds in soft orange and gold, and he could already feel the soreness in his shoulders from carrying his bag.
he had just stepped ot of the schol gate when he noticed— shit— he left something in the classroom.
he groanes, letting the weight of his bag sag on his shoulder, and turned back. the hallways were empty, the faint echo of his footsteps stretching longer than usual in the quiet. it was peaceful.
as he reached the classroom door, something made hm pause. a faint flicker rof movement through the window. he froze, tilting his head, and pushed the door open just enough to peek inside.
there you were, sprawled across one of the tables, arms folded beneath your head, hair falling messisly over your face, and the warm lightfrom the windows made the dust in the air shimmer. eijiro could almost see each tiny speck floating, suspended in the quiet.
and then he noticed katuski.
he was sitting on the seat of the desk across from you, arms also folded, with his head resting on them, eyes locked on you like he couldn’t look away.
he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. the ever so alert katuski did not even notice eijiro because of how focused he was on you.
eijiro squinted, certain his eyes were deceiving him. the way katuski’s jaw was relaxed, the tiny twitch of his finger, the way he leaned forward slightly wehn you shifted.
you stirred in your sleep, and katsuki’s head turned just slightly, following your movements. eijiro swallowed hard, hear hammering. he knew katuski. he knew the signs— he knew when he’s angry, frustrated, tired, or bored. this was none of those. this was nothing else entirely.
the sunlight was fading, sreaking across your figure, highlighting the curve of your shoulders, the relaxed tilt of your head. katuski didn’t move, didn’t blink, didn’t speak. he just watched.
eijiro felt like he shouldn’t be seeing this. so he left.
three.
eijiro had asked katuski if he could join him tomorrow on his early morning run.
”nah, i run alone,” katuski said, crossing his arms, eyes narrowing like it was obvious he didn’t want company.
eijiro laughed, already expecting his response. “fine.”
but now, early the next morning, eijiro dragged himself out of the bed anyway. the air was crisp, cold enough to make his breat puff out in little clouds. he trudged toward the track, still half-asleep, expecting to be alone.
he froze.
you were there, stretching lightly by the edge of the track, hair messy from sleep, the early sunlight brushing over your form. everything looked quiet and soft, the field empty except for the two of you.
and katuski… katuski was already there, jacket zipped halfway, jaw tight, hands shoved into his pockets. he muttered something under his breath about the cold, like he hated it, but eijiro noticed the way his eyes flicked toward you more than the path ahead.
you shivered slightly, and katuski’s fingers brushed the edge of the folded windbreaker in his hands. he tossed it toward you without looking directly at you.
“put it on. don’t freeze.”
eijiro’s chest tightened. that was katuski’s way of showing care— grumbling, pretending he didn’t care, but still making sure you were alright. he noticed the way katuski lingered for a brief moment as you tugged the jacket on, the subtle glance at you that disappeared the second eijiro shifted his weight.
as you started jogging slowly along the track, katuski fell into step beside you. not too close, not hovering, just beside, moving carefully to match your pace. eijiro pretended to tie his shoes, heart hammering in his chest. katuski hated mornings. hated cold. hated being considerate for anyone. and yet here he was.
he had changed. small, subtle, almost invisible to anyone else— but not to eijiro. and it was all because of you.
four.
eijiro had stopped by the library after class, thinking he might grab a quiet spot to organize his notes. the hallways were nearly empty, the muffled hum of distant chatter fading as he stepped inside.
he froze at the sight in front of him.
you were already at a corner table, books spread out around you, scribbling something carefully in your notebook. katuski was sitting across from you, papers in disarray, a scowl on his face that eijiro had seen a thousand times. only this time… something was different.
katuski muttered under his breath, a rough sound like he was trying to keep himself from snapping. “damn it… i don’t get this part.”
you glanced up, tilting your head, eyes soft but focused. “oh, that one? try looking at it this way.”
and then… katuski did something eijiro had never seen before. he grunted, leaning closer, and asked you— gruff, impatient, almost embarrassed— “you… can you show me again?”
eijiro’s jaw dropped. katuski asking for help? from anyone? let alone you? it was like the world had tilted on its axis.
he stayed in the doorway, pretending to sort through his own bag. he could see the tiny flickers: katuski’s jaw unclenching just slightly when you explained, the way he shifted his weight so he could see better, the faint softening of his glare into something… curious, attentive.
you leaned forward, pointing to a diagram on the page, and katuski followed your movement with a subtle nod. eijiro noticed how he mirrored your motions almost unconsciously, adjusting the angle of his hand, the tilt of his shoulders.
and then there was the moment that broke him quietly inside— katuski’s eyes flicked up at you, just for a second, soft, and then away again as if he hadn’t meant to.
katuski hated asking for help. hated relying on anyone. and yet here he was, doing it for you, paying attention in a way he never had for anyone else.
five.
eijiro was coming back from training, dragging his bag over one shoulder, feet echoing softly against the empty dorm hallway. the lights flickered faintly, casting long shadows along the walls, and the quiet hum of the building made the space feel almost too still. he was thinking about grabbing a drink from the vending machine by the lounge before heading up to his room.
he stopped a few steps away.
katuski was in front of the vending machine, one foot planted forward, fingers hovering over the buttons, scowling like the machine personally offended him. the familiar hum of the machine made the space feel louder somehow, and eijiro pressed himself lightly against the wall, leaning just enough to see without being noticed.
he noticed immediately: two drinks had dropped into the tray. one was katuski’s usual— bitter energy drink, sharp like him— and the other was bright and sweet, a flavor he hated.
eijiro’s eyebrows shot up. katuski doesn’t like sweets. never.
and then he saw it happen. katuski muttered something under his breath, a gruff sound meant for no one. “vending machine messed up…”
you stepped up to the machine just then, shifting your bag. katuski grabbed the sweet drink, and without looking directly at you, shoved it your way.
“here. don’t drink it all at once,” he muttered, voice low, tone gruff as always.
you blinked, surprised. “oh… thanks?”
katuski huffed, turning back to the machine, pretending to check the buttons again. scowl firmly back in place. but eijiro saw it— the way his shoulders relaxed just a fraction when you smiled, the subtle flicker in his eyes as he watched you take the drink.
one time.
eijiro had stopped by the infirmary hallway, thinking he’d quietly check on you. the place was almost silent, faint beeping of monitors coming from the rooms ahead.
he froze when he saw katuski sitting on the bench outside your room, arms crossed over his chest, jaw tight, fingers tapping against his knees. he never sat still like this. pacing, muttering, scowling— fine. but sitting, waiting, tense, like the world had stopped? that was unusual.
eijiro shuffled closer, bag in hand, and sat down beside him, careful not to startle him. katuski didn’t look up, just continued glancing at the door, muttering under his breath.
“you’re worried, huh?” eijiro said softly, sliding a small packet of food across the bench. “she’s gonna be fine.”
katuski growled low, a sound that was more frustration than anger. “i’m not worried,” he muttered, but his fingers clutched the packet tighter than necessary, knuckles white.
eijiro leaned back, watching him quietly. he noticed everything: the tight jaw, the restless tapping, the way katuski’s eyes flicked toward the door every few seconds. he even noticed the subtle hitch in his breath whenever he thought you might be in pain.
“look at you,” eijiro said, nudging him lightly. “sitting here like a damn statue. you’re gonna give yourself a heart attack before she even wakes up.”
katuski huffed, finally glancing at him, eyes sharp and defensive— but eijiro saw it. the tiny flicker of vulnerability, the edge of worry lurking beneath the scowl. he scowled back, muttering, “i just… can’t leave her.”
eijiro chuckled softly. “yeah, i know.”
and eijiro realized, fully this time, that it wasn’t just little gestures anymore. katuski was aware. conscious. he wasn’t just acting differently around you without knowing it— he was worried about you, all the way, and he’d never admit it to anyone but himself.
he sat there with katuski in silence, letting him stew, letting him watch the door. and for the first time, eijiro saw the full weight of how much you mattered to him.
small, subtle, and completely unspoken— but crystal clear to anyone paying attention.
bakugo katuski, explosive, stubborn, grumpy katuski… completely undone by you.