Birthday Plans [Belated Izuku Birthday 2021]

Izuku felt his face split into a grin when the door opened, Katsuki’s handsome face with its ever-present frown appearing in his view. He wrapped his arms around the pretty wicker basket he’d gone out and bought earlier in the week, hurrying to greet Katsuki in the entryway.

“Thanks for coming!” He beamed up at Katsuki, pausing to kick on his shoes. “I’ve been looking forward to this!”

“I could have done all this,” Katsuki said quietly, poking the basket. “It’s your birthday.”

“I don’t mind! It was fun! Your gift is to come and eat it with me!”

“I could’ve done more than eat it,” he huffed, stepping aside to let Izuku out first. “I’ll lock up.”

“Thanks, Kacchan!”

Izuku hummed to himself happily as he headed toward the car, letting Katsuki lock the door behind them, then hurry ahead to open the passenger door.

“Where to, nerd?” he asked, hovering as Izuku got himself belted in. “Anywhere in particular?”

“Maybe that park we used to hang out in as kids?”

His voice got quieter as he asked, a little squeaky, but Katsuki just nodded once.

“Got it,” he agreed, closing the passenger door and rounding the car to his own seat. “One park, coming right up.”

“Thanks, Kacchan!”

Izuku couldn’t help but watch him, as he started the car and pulled out smoothly. Katsuki had always been handsome, but over the years he had grown more and more into a devastating young man. Piercing eyes, long lashes, smooth skin, and a chiselled jawline to boot? It didn’t seem fair.

“I’m really excited,” he admitted, when they stopped at a red light. “We don’t get to have lunch together very often, these days, and I don’t think we’ve ever been on a picnic together. I love picnics, I’m glad I can finally share one with my- My best friend. We are, right?”

“Yeah,” Katsuki admitted, without even a hint of reluctance. “Should’ve just told me you wanted to.”

“I always want to spend time with you! But you’re so busy all the time, I wouldn’t want to drag you away from more important things.”

“No big deal,” Katsuki shrugged. “If I was too busy, I’d tell you. You can always ask.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Okay!” Izuku beamed at him. “I’ll ask in the future, then!”

It didn’t take long to get to the old park, where a few stray toddlers played on old plastic playground equipment, their parents hovering close at hand. Katsuki snatched the basket the moment Izuku opened his car door, and despite his little pout, Izuku allowed it. They didn’t need to discuss where to go, didn’t even need to say a word – they both headed for the same spot regardless. Through the trees, across the wobbly old log that neither of them much liked to talk about, into the little patch of wildflowers that always seemed to be in bloom.

Izuku took a blanket from the top of the basket, spreading it out carefully for them to sit, then he was opening the lid, letting Katsuki set it between them to explore.

“You’re meant to have your favourites,” Katsuki huffed, when he found spicy chicken skewers and his favourite potato salad sitting on the top of the pile. “You’re not very good at this birthday shit.”

“I like them too!” Izuku insisted. “And I brought some of my favourites too!”

Katsuki grunted his acknowledgement when Izuku shoved a container of breaded pork at him pointedly, but still he rolled his eyes as he laid containers out on the blanket between them.

“Next time I’m making the food.”

“Next time?”

Katsuki froze, only the faint sounds of forest life around them daring to break the tension, but after a moment Izuku smiled warmly, offering him a plate.

“It’s okay, let’s dig in!”

“Next time,” Katsuki repeated, much more quietly. “Next time I’ll cook.”

“Okay,” Izuku agreed easily. “Next time!”

It was all he could do to keep from dancing in his seat; being surrounded by pretty nature with his best friend and a bunch of good food just made him way too happy. He wanted to sing, or at least hum, but he knew Katsuki wouldn’t be pleased with him if he did.

“You first,” Katsuki said stubbornly, handing him a paper plate from the basket.

“But-”

“No buts,” Katsuki cut him off, eyebrows dropping lower over his pretty eyes. “You’ve done too much already, eat your food.”

“Okay, okay!” Izuku laughed, grabbing a spoon to scoop out some potato salad. “Really though, Kacchan, all I want is to spend my birthday with you, like we did as kids. I don’t care about planning it out or making the food myself, I just want to have fun with my best friend!”

“You’re such a sappy nerd-ass.”

“I love you too!”

Katsuki burned bright red, stammering when he tried to find a retort, and Izuku couldn’t help but keep prodding.

“What’s wrong, Kacchan? You don’t like hearing those words? We grew up together, of course I love you!”

“Don’t say that gross shit,” Katsuki huffed, looking away pointedly. “You’ll make people think you’re confessing or some shit.”

“Would that be so bad?” Izuku teased, poking him with his toes. “You wouldn’t want to date me? You don’t think I’m cute?”

“Shut up,” Katsuki snorted, slapping his foot away. “Eat your damn birthday picnic.”

Giggling, Izuku picked up his porkto take a bite, watching Katsuki out the corner of his eye all the while. It was so rare that he managed to make Katsuki blush or laugh – it only ever seemed to happen when they were alone together, when he wasn’t constantly aware of everyone around them watching and waiting, ready to tease, or worse, take photos and spread them to the world. There were few things that terrified Katsuki more than the thought of his image being ruined – he’d worked so hard to be the staunch, stern hero who never faltered for even a second.

Between them, the container contents soon dwindled, and as Izuku began to pack them into the basket, Katsuki reached into his bag. Without a hint of fanfare or even a “here, nerd” Katsuki set down a box of his own, nudging it across the blanket as Izuku blinked at him stupidly.

“Happy birthday,” Katsuki said quietly. “I uh, I’m glad you chose to spend it with me.”

“Of course I did, Kacchan! What is this? A present?”

Katsuki unclipped the lid in answer, revealing two huge muffins, covered in frosting and chocolate and sprinkles galore. They were beautiful, with smooth frosting piped in perfect swirls and coated in the rainbow sprinkles, each one decorated with a little chocolate flower, fashioned from thin layers of chocolate all wrapped together into a spiralling rose.

“Where did you get these?” he gushed, picking one up with the gentlest touch that his scarred hands could muster. “They’re amazing.”

“I made them,” Katsuki mumbled, eyes darting away as he flushed pink again. “I tried making bunnies like your mask, or All Might faces, but they didn’t hold any detail, they just kinda looked like blobs. So I had to fall back on flowers, since they’re easy.”

“Easy? No way, these look so finicky. I think I would crush them before they even made it on the cake! Can I eat one?!”

“You can eat both.”

“Don’t be silly! One for me, one for you!”

A small part of Izuku expected him to protest – he had a lot of friends who picked at their own baking as they made it, eating the imperfect ones as they went, so by the time they presented their final creations, they’d already eaten their fill. Those friends would have turned green at the thought of eating more, of eating one with him, but Izuku knew Katsuki better than that. One muffin would have been a meal for one. Six muffins would have been a set for Izuku to share with his friends. But two was too deliberate, two was an invitation.

“This is the perfect way to finish our picnic,” Izuku beamed, sliding the container back to Katsuki with the second one within. “Thank you so much, Kacchan!”

“I’m not singing the dumb song.”

“Even more thank you!”

Katsuki cracked a smile finally, and Izuku bounced a little as he lifted it to his lips, unable to keep his excitement at bay. He took a massive bite, sinking his teeth into soft, fluffy cake, and he couldn’t stop the moan that came out of him when it hit his tongue.

“Shogoog!”

“Chew first, nerd,” Katsuki complained, though his tone was incredibly fond. “You sure you don’t want them both?”

He swallowed hard, getting the cake down, then flashed Katsuki a big smile.

“Of course I want both, I’m a greedy pig,” he laughed. “But I’d rather share my birthday cake with Kacchan!”

Katsuki huffed a quiet laugh, but he picked it up all the same, taking a bite of his own masterpiece. Izuku didn’t dare to ask how many attempts had been made, how many batches had been thrown at his friends because they weren’t perfect enough, but he quietly enjoyed the knowledge that there had to be some – he knew Katsuki too well to believe that there had been two and only two.

“You should know,” Katsuki began quietly. “Your idiot friends are throwing you a surprise party.”

“Oh no,” Izuku groaned. “Is that why Ochako kept asking about my plans for tonight?”

“Mm-hm. I told them you hate surprises, but they’re convinced you just don’t know that you want one, or something. I know if it was me, you’d tell me, so I had to do the same.”

Katsuki wasn’t wrong. They had a shared hatred of surprises like that, always needed to know things and plan things, and especially, needed to budget the social energy for them ahead of time. If Izuku had walked in on a genuine surprise party, he no doubt would have been exhausted within five minutes. Unfortunately, his friends were all weird extroverts.

“Thank you for telling me,” Izuku said, after a moment. “I know it can’t have been easy to decide.”

Katsuki shrugged faintly, but he didn’t argue – Izuku knew that meant he was right.

“Will you be there?” he continued.

“They wanted me to bring you,” Katsuki snorted. “Because that ain’t gonna be suspicious, me picking you up without telling you anything.”

“Yeah, that would be a bit weird,” Izuku laughed.

“They told me ‘if it’s his Kacchan, he won’t question it’,” he explained, imitating Ochako – Izuku assumed – with a ridiculously high-pitched squeak of a voice. “I guess they’re not entirely wrong. I’m the only one who would tell you to get your ass dressed and in the car, and actually expect you to do it without an explanation.”

“Kacchan wouldn’t ask me to do something without good reason,” Izuku agreed quietly. “Ochako could just be taking me to a bar, for all I know.”

“Speaking of bars,” Katsuki smirked. “They wanted to have your party in one.”

“Are you serious?”

“They got talked down from that one. It’s a restaurant, private room at a nice place downtown. They told everyone to meet by six, so I’ll come to your place again about then, we’ll get there around half past.”

“You could just come hang out for the afternoon, if you want. We can play some video games, maybe watch a movie? If you have other plans that’s totally fine, though!”

“No plans,” Katsuki assured him, smiling faintly and making Izuku’s heart pound a little quicker. “I brought my change of clothes, figured we’d probably get caught up in something.”

“You’re not gonna go to dinner in an old tank top and jeans?” Izuku teased, nudging him with his toes. “You like me so much that you’re gonna get dressed up for me?”

“Shut up or I’ll drop you off at the door and leave.”

“Rude! On my birthday!”

“Birthdays don’t give you immunity when you’re being a little bitch.”

“It’s my biiiiirthdaaaaaay.”

“Birthday Bitch.”

“You’re the worst best friend ever.”

“Damn right.”

The playful bickering and tasty cake was somehow more than Izuku could ever have hoped for. It was so simple, so nothing if he’d asked anyone else, but to Izuku it was the best thing he could have possibly had.

“Let’s head back to your place,” Katsuki suggested, when they’d finished their cake and wiped their hands. “We can hang out, find something to do.”

“Okay!”

He packed up his blanket, tucking it away in the basket, and Katsuki snatched it from his hands, tucking it under one arm as they headed back along the little forest path. When the path narrowed out, Izuku dropped back a little, following along behind just the way he always had. From the time they were tiny toddlers waddling across the grass, right up to pro-heroes on their rare patrols together, as they walked single-file along busy streets, Izuku had never hesitated to drop back and let Katsuki take the lead.

When they reached the old log, Katsuki stopped, Izuku almost running into his back with how abrupt it was.

“Birthday Bitches first,” he mumbled, jerking his head toward the log.

“What? Why?”

“Just... Because I said so, nerd. Go, you know the way.”

“Well... Okay. If Kacchan says so!”

He hopped up on the log, balancing his way over, and Katsuki followed close behind. He resisted the urge to shove Izuku in, seeing as it was his birthday, instead stepping down lightly on the other side and giving Izuku another little nudge.

“Keep moving, nerd. I need to piss, let’s get back to your place.”

“Okay, okay! I’m going!”

He giggled to himself the entire way back to the car, with Katsuki poking at his back playfully every time he caught up, moving them along a little quicker each time until it became a mad dash, Katsuki trying valiantly to keep up the poking while Izuku did his best to escape. He fell against the car in a heap, laughing so hard it made his chest ache, and Katsuki’s grin was the brightest Izuku had ever seen it as he dropped the basket and tackled Izuku to the ground.

“Kacchaaaan!” Izuku whined between laughing fits. “I thought you needed to pee!”

Before he could say another word, warm lips were pressed to his, and his eyes widened when he found bright red right in front of them. It was like a stupid, sappy movie, the kind Katsuki would hate, and Izuku would make fun of right along with him. Time stood still, and Izuku swore he saw actual sparkles hanging in the air around them, like Katsuki was the love interest in some cheesy series.

They broke apart when Izuku’s laughter bubbled up too much to contain, but when the look of fear flashed across his face, Izuku grabbed hold. He looped his arms around Katsuki’s neck, holding him close, refusing to let him back away far enough to let regret seep in.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, forcing his giggles under control. “Best birthday gift ever.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, Kacchan.”

“You... Of course you do, nerd, I’m the best.”

“Uh-huh,” Izuku grinned, tugging him closer. “Again, please.”

“Already? You really are greedy.”

“I’m the birthday boy.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki smiled softly. “You are.”

He planted the quickest kiss in the world on Izuku’s lips, gone as quickly as it came, and then he was climbing off, back to his feet, picking up the basket to check it for damage.

“Time to go home, Birthday Bitch. I still need to pee.”

“And then I can have more kisses?”

“That sounds like a damn good use of our time.”

“And then you’ll come with me and help me pretend to be surprised?”

“We could just blow it off.”

“That’s so mean! They tried hard, even if they were a little... misguided.”

“Whatever, we’ll see how you feel about it when we’re occupied.”

“Try your best, Kacchan! Let’s see how persuasive you can be!”

With a grin that Izuku could almost call feral, Katsuki unlocked the car, grabbing Izuku by the hand and hauling him back onto his feet. He opened the passenger side door, shoving Izuku in and handing him his slightly-dented wicker basket, then hurried around his own side to get settled.

“One more kiss to hold me over?” Izuku requested, batting his eyelashes. “Pretty please, Kacchan?”

“Alright, alright,” Katsuki huffed, leaning over to give him a fond peck on the lips. “You gonna be this needy for the rest of our lives?”

“Is Kacchan gonna have me for the rest of our lives?”

“Course I am, idiot. Haven’t I so far?”

“Then yes, yes I am.”

Katsuki snorted, grabbing Izuku by the cheeks and giving him a little squeeze.

“Fine,” Katsuki said fondly. “Then I guess I’ll just have to put up with it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Katsuki smiled to himself, finally releasing Izuku’s squishy face to start the car instead. He belted himself in, and in a moment of weakness, he reached across to squeeze Izuku’s hand.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, nerd. Happy birthday.”

“I love you, Kacchan.”

“I love you too. But I really do need to pee, so put your damn seatbelt on.”

Izuku laughed, but he clipped himself in obediently, giving Katsuki one last smile as he pulled out from the kerb.

“Best birthday ever.”

“Damn right it is.”