It's a strange feeling, Katsuki finds, to go into finals week: on the one hand everyone is excited, even more so than usual, but on the other he's now acutely aware of the fact that this is the last week he and Ochako will be dancing together. Before it was a possibility, a looming dread that was thankfully never realised, but now he knows it'll all be over after this week, whether they win or not. The knowledge brings a weight to bear in his chest that he does his best to ignore as they start rehearsing the three dances for the show.

The judges end up picking their paso doble for them to perform again, and neither Katsuki nor Ochako can hide their joy: the paso was the first really great score they got over the course of the show and getting to revisit it as a better dancer feels like the best opportunity to have been given for the final. As well as that, the two of them have elected to dance their rumba again in their 'favourite dance' slot, and Katsuki can't wait. Even if he knows it won't be the same as the first time they danced it in Blackpool, being in a different studio and with much higher stakes now, Katsuki still feels a jolt of excitement at the prospect.

If the two of them were pulling long hours before, that was nothing compared to now. On Monday alone, they stay in the studio for twelve hours, and when Katsuki suggests (half jokingly) that they stay the night there, Ochako actually seems to consider the idea for far longer than he would have expected. It seems to set a new precedent for them: soon the pair of them frequently find themselves staying in the studio until after eleven at night, and returning before seven the following morning. On Ochako's instruction they stop for a rest (which often becomes a short nap) in the middle of the day before continuing—something the camera crew find both endearing and strangely amusing and which the pair of them end up having to answer questions about on the companion show midweek.

The hours are worth it though: Katsuki never would have thought he could be so proud of something he created but the showdance he helps Ochako to devise brings a smile to his face every time they dance it together. They, together with Eijirou, have worked hard to create a routine that should be fun to watch as well as perform. With an all but blank canvas, they throw everything they have at it, incorporating their quirks, both separate and combined, and every skill Katsuki has picked up and honed over the course of the show.

"This might be the best showdance I've ever been part of," Ochako says when they sit down to eat lunch together one day. Katsuki can feel sweat soaking the back of his top and her clothes are similarly darkened.

"Yeah?" he asks. When she nods, he adds, "How many showdances have you been part of?"

"One, this one," replies Ochako with a wry smile. "I've been waiting for this for a while."

Katsuki's heart swells. "Then we're going to fucking win this thing."

Ochako's grin seems to light the entire room. "Damn right we are," she says. "You've worked really hard and I'm proud of you."

Katsuki's stomach gives a lurch, part excitement and part the ache he's been trying to disregard. Maybe he would feel differently if they hadn't been together near constantly for the past several months, but the idea of being away from Ochako, apart from her with no prospect of doing any of this with her again, makes him feel like a kite whose string has been cut, a boat without anchor on a choppy sea. Yes, he knows he'll soon go back to his day job, and taking down villains with his best friend at his side will be satisfying—he's never hated his job, and still doesn't—but he also knows he's going to miss this and (more importantly) miss her.

"You okay?" Ochako asks now, her head tilting to one side as she peers at him. The movement looses a lock of hair from her ponytail, sending it sweeping across her face, and he reaches out one hand to brush it out of her eyes again as he nods.

"I'm fine," he says—what else can he say? 'My chest hurts when I think about this being the last week because I'm not ready to say bye to you and I'm pretty sure I know what that's about but I feel like we don't really have time to find out properly and it's bumming me out'? The idea almost makes him laugh in derision at himself. He can't say something like that. "Just tired."

Ochako raises an eyebrow at him. "You're never tired."

Katsuki shrugs. "Yeah well, we're working hard."

"Fair point." Ochako pauses, fork halfway between her pasta salad and her mouth, and looks like she might be about to say something else, but then she shakes her head to herself.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she says with a little smile at him. "Just... excited, I think."

"Only think?" Katsuki can't keep in a teasing little grin.

Ochako chuckles. "Well yeah, it's such a weird feeling getting to this point and knowing it'll all be over soon," she explains. "Like, we've worked really hard on all this and even if we win that's it."

Katsuki's heart gives a little flip flop in his chest. "Yeah I know what you mean."

"Do you think you'll keep up with dancing once you're back in Japan?"

"What, like between taking down villains?"

"Why not? You could do classes and just dance for fun, not worry about getting scored at the end."

Katsuki gazes thoughtfully at the sandwich in front of him. "I guess..."

"You don't sound very sure."

"Well if I do classes they won't be as good at teaching as you."

He says it without thought, but as soon as the words leave his mouth he realises how they must sound and heat shoots up his neck. Turning to look at her, he sees a wide grin on her face.

"Really?" she asks.

Katsuki blinks. "Well yeah, you're amazing."

"And no one else would be able to put up with you."

Katsuki jabs her with an elbow and she giggles, the sound reaching right inside him and twisting something unknown. "Rude."

Any further words he might be about to say die on his tongue as Ochako takes one of his hands in her own, linking their fingers together. He meets her gaze once more, her eyes wide and warm, and she gives him a little smile.

"Obviously we're going to win," she says, "but no matter what happens this weekend, I just want you to know I'm really proud of you."

Katsuki swallows around an impending lump in his throat. "Thanks."

"Also I'm going to miss you."

The lump in Katsuki's throat grows heavier and he swallows harder, squeezing her hand.

"I'm going to miss you too Cheeks."

When she leans in to kiss him—they're free from the watch of the cameras after all—he pulls her close with a hand on the back of her neck and returns it, heart racing. Her lips are soft and tender and perfect and fuck, what if this is it? The thought makes his stomach churn, the sensation rising in him and dizzying as they rest their foreheads together.

Katsuki does his best not to dwell on the tightness in his chest over the rest of the week. For the most part, he's kept too busy to think overly hard, between practice and interviews and recording more stupid bits (the aspect of the show he's going to miss the very least), and he's grateful not to have to confront the ever growing ache inside him properly. A couple of times, like when she told him she'd miss him, he's come close to saying something to Ochako, or messaging her or calling at stupid hours of the night, but every time he talks himself out of it, going back to his usual silence and focusing on the task at hand. If he lets all of this get the better of him, it could cost them the win, and fuck right off if he's going to let that happen.

He refocuses every morning, every day, keeping his attention firmly on the competition and practising the steps unendingly until they're second nature to him. Eventually the steps are no longer the main focus and he thinks hard about performing, about enjoying the routines, about his facial expression and emotional intent. It all works well for him... until Friday.

He's just been fitted for his showdance outfit and is leaving to go find Ochako to grab some lunch and then get back to rehearsing when he nearly walks into Eijirou.

"Hey bro," Eijirou greets him with a grin, falling into step beside him. "You got clothes for tomorrow?"

Katsuki nods, thinking of the outfit he just had fitted: a spangly spandex version of his hero costume. "Yeah it looks pretty cool."

"That's good," says Eijirou. He pauses briefly before adding, "Are you busy right now?"

"Uh..." A strange dropping feeling comes to Katsuki's stomach and he swallows. "No, I was just going to look for Ochako."

Eijirou nods. "I won't keep you long," he says, stepping into a side corridor and waiting for Katsuki to follow. "I just wanted to talk to you about her."

"What about her?" Katsuki's heart gives an odd thump like it missed a step going downstairs.

Eijirou looks into Katsuki's face, a strange look passing across his eyes before he asks, "What are your intentions towards Ochako?"

Katsuki's mouth drops open as he looks at Eijirou. Is he pulling some kind of protective dad thing on him? "I... What?"

"What are your plans once the show is over?" Eijirou asks, his expression caught somewhere between seriousness and his usual pleasant smile, settling somewhere in the region of gentle concern. "You guys have been carrying on through all this and you know I'm all up for you doing so but what about once it all ends?"

"Uh..." Katsuki's stomach lurches painfully. "I... I don't know."

"What do you want to do once the show is over?"

Katsuki shifts his weight from one foot to another, the impact of the direct question discomforting him when he's spent all week so far avoiding it. "Well I... don't—"

"You can tell me," says Eijirou, giving Katsuki one of his kind smiles. "I give you my word as a man that I'm not going to tell anyone anything."

Katsuki swallows, knowing Eijirou isn't lying. "I really don't know."

"Okay... well, how do you feel about Ochako?"

"She's... I really... She's amazing."

Eijirou grins. "She is."

"But..." Katsuki frowns, finally letting himself voice the thoughts he's been trying not to think over the last few weeks. "What I want seems... hard."

"What do you want?"

"I... I don't want to lose her," Katsuki says, his face hot at the admission. "I really like her and I feel like... like maybe it could be something good if we tried."

Eijirou nods. "What's the problem then?"

"Well..." Katsuki gulps again. "I have to go back to Japan and... well, she'll still be here."

"You know long distance relationships are a thing right?"

"No duh," says Katsuki with a roll of his eyes. "What if it doesn't work out?"

"Don't know until you try right?" asks Eijirou. "Are you willing to put in the time to make it work?"

"Yeah," says Katsuki without a hint of hesitation. "But what about Ochako?"

Eijirou gives a soft little laugh. "Have you talked to her about this?"

Another flush creeps up Katsuki's neck. "No."

"You should," says Eijirou. He looks briefly like he might be about to add something else but then Mina appears from around the corner.

"Eiji there you are!" she greets him. "We need you to come finish blocking your part in the group routine."

"I'll be right there," says Eijirou, giving Katsuki one more smile. "Just think about it, yeah?"

He leaves with Mina and Katsuki gazes after them both, his thoughts a jumble. Should he just bite the bullet and talk to Ochako? With a sigh, Katsuki shakes his head to himself. He can't think about this right now: he has a competition to win.

The following day, Katsuki's body feels oddly light and a little jittery, like he's had one too many coffees and can't process the caffeine. The quiet solitude of his morning routine feels like the calm before a storm, his stomach roiling as he eats his breakfast and waits for the car from the studio. The routines play on repeat in his head, the steps and spins and lifts and tricks flowing together over and over; by the time he gets to the studio he can't keep one of his feet from tapping constantly, barely realising that he's doing it.

Everyone else seems to be in the same hyped up state as him, excited with an undercurrent of nerves, and utterly hectic. Katsuki finds himself moving from person to person and room to room with conversations happening around him more than with him. The words don't really register with him as he wanders through the studio in search of Ochako. He greets people as he passes by them but doesn't stay for long, eventually getting to the main ballroom itself and feeling his heart give a funny little hiccup when he sees her sitting on the edge of the ballroom floor with Eijirou and Mina. As Katsuki hesitates before approaching, he meets Eijirou's eye and Eijirou smiles at him before nudging Ochako and gesturing to Katsuki.

When she looks over her shoulder and gives him a wide grin, Katsuki's stomach flips over and he prays that it doesn't show on his face. Instead, he heads over to greet them, nodding to Eijirou and Mina and putting an arm around Ochako's shoulders as she stands up to hug him.

"Morning," he says, squeezing her shoulder slightly with one hand, thankful that Eijirou and Mina lapse back into their own conversation and he can talk to Ochako a little more directly. "You excited?"

"Obviously," says Ochako, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed. "Today's the day we win this thing."

Katsuki can't keep in a grin at that. "Fucking right."

"Glad you're still feeling really confident," smiles Ochako before casting a quick glance at Eijirou and Mina. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Katsuki feels the bottom drop out of his stomach—what could she want to talk to him about?—but he follows her to one side of the ballroom floor, out of earshot of the others. "Sure, what's up?"

A flush rises in her cheeks. "It's... nothing really, just—"

"Ochako, you're needed in Wardrobe!"

Ochako pauses, mouth still open, and turns to look over her shoulder at the runner who just called to her. A small dark cloud seems to pass over her but then she sighs.

"I'll be there in a sec!" she says, turning back to Katsuki properly and giving him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, looks like we'll have to talk later."

"It's okay," says Katsuki, feeling her squeeze his hand before she heads to Wardrobe.

Watching her go, Katsuki's throat fills and he swallows around the fullness. What was she about to say? His heart pummels against his ribcage like a butterfly under glass, even as people continue to pass by him and rush to and fro. She said it was 'nothing' but did she actually mean nothing or did she just say it in her hurry to go?

"God fucking dammit," Katsuki mutters to himself, shaking his head. Once again, he tells himself, he's going to have to think about this later.

The day flies by: before any of them know it, it's time for the show to start. Katsuki gets into position for the opening number with Ochako beside him, giving her a savage smile when she flashes him a grin.

"You ready?" she asks.

"Born ready," replies Katsuki.

As he gazes at Ochako, taking in the sight of her sequinned gold dress and the pink flush in her cheeks, Katsuki wants nothing more than to bend down and kiss her, never mind that they're literally about to be on millions of TV screens up and down the country. Instead, he squeezes her hands, listening to the calls of runners and techies, and puts on his game face.

Time to kick ass.

Every dance feels both long and much too short, drawn out but constricted; even as Katsuki tries to enjoy and savour every moment of the final show, burning the memory into himself like a brand, he feels it all slipping away from him. Even when they're not dancing, he and Ochako are constantly busy, changing or sitting in hair and make up, running around backstage to make it to their next mark or otherwise engaged.

Their showdance gets exactly the reaction the pair of them wanted: the routine casts them both as pro heroes fighting against unseen villains and they've filled it with as many tricks and lifts as they can, along with unabashed use of both their quirks. By the time they get to the end, they're both panting, exhaustion trying to take root in their bones, but Katsuki can't hold back a loud shout of delight, punching the air as they share an exhilarated hug. The judges marvel at the energy the two of them sustained right to the end of the routine as well as the creativity of the choreography. When they head upstairs, Katsuki and Ochako get a 40 for the dance, and the ache in Katsuki's muscles is worth it for the shining smile on Ochako's face.

Along with the 40 they also scored for the paso earlier in the evening, by the time they go into the rumba they're sitting at the top of the leader board. As they get ready to start the dance and the VT plays for everyone in the audience at the studio and in their homes, Ochako squeezes Katsuki's hand.

"You okay?" he asks.

Ochako nods. "Yeah, just... it's the last dance, and I wanted to tell you I'm really proud of you."

Katsuki's insides liquefy, melting at the look on her face and her words. "I've really enjoyed it."

"So have I," she says. "This has been amazing." She looks contemplative, as though weighing her words, before adding, "Just enjoy this last dance. I know you know it and so do you, so just relax into it."

"I will," Katsuki promises as they're called to their marks and head out onto the floor. There's more he wants to say, more he wants to do, but he can hear the band counting in the start of the song, and so he gets into his starting stance.

By the end of the routine, when they're in the middle of the floor, breaths mingling between their close together lips, Katsuki can barely hear the cheers and applause around them for the mad, excited laughter bubbling up from inside him.

"Well done," Ochako says softly, a wide grin on her face. "You did so well."

"Yeah?" he asks, beaming too.

"Yeah, that's the best it's ever gone," she enthuses.

Words fizz up inside Katsuki, keen to escape, but they can't linger here any longer. Instead, he goes with her to their mark by Tess to await the judges' comments. All are positive, praising his attention to detail and the confidence in his movements, along with the connection between them on the floor. When they go to the green room and get another score of 40 for their rumba, Katsuki has to hold onto Ochako tightly to stay upright. Three perfect 40s in one night!

The rest of the wait until the end of the show is maddening—Katsuki sits through music performances, a group dance of all the pro heroes and dancers who've already left the show, and seemingly endless talking about the results and how exciting it is. He can't deny that it is exciting... or would be if he wasn't sitting right in the middle of it waiting to find out whether they've won or not. By the time they're standing on the ballroom floor again, waiting to find out who's won, the room seems charged, not just the air but the floor, the walls, every camera and light and person. Katsuki's heart is racing again, adrenaline flooding his body as he stands with Ochako. Everyone around them, contestants and audience alike, seems to hold their breath, all waiting for Tess to give the name of the winning couple.

"And the winners are..."

Please, Katsuki thinks. Please, we worked so hard and she deserves this so much.

Ochako fidgets ever so slightly and he squeezes her shoulders, an instinct at this point.

Ochako, whether we win or not I—

"Katsuki and Ochako!"

The world comes to a silent stop as the words, the shape of them, the sound of them, finally hit Katsuki. For a moment, he stands stock still, not entirely believing his own hearing, but then sound explodes back into existence, cheers and applause and wordless shrieks and shouts deafening him. Everyone is around him, hugging him and jostling him and congratulating him, and Ochako's arms are tight around him, and his face is buried in her shoulder, and he doesn't even know what to say so he simply gives in to the impulse inside him and breaks into wild laughter.

Later, after the trophy and the victory dance and endless conversation and interviews with anyone and everyone and changing out of his dancing outfit, Katsuki looks at his watch and feels a jolt when he sees that it's nearly one o'clock in the morning. The studio is still a hive of activity, with crew and runners and techies already taking down the set to put into storage until the next series. When it comes, Katsuki knows he and Ochako will be invited back to perform at the launch show, as Mina and her previous partner did this year.

As if by magic, just when Katsuki finds himself starting to think about Ochako again, she comes out of a dressing room just ahead of him with Eijirou and Mina; his heart skips.

"Oi Cheeks!"

Ochako looks round, a smile breaking on her face as she sees him. Before Katsuki can say or do anything, before either Eijirou or Mina can say or do anything, Ochako races towards him, jumping up with her quirk to aid her and throwing her arms around his neck as she kisses him full on the mouth. The kiss is over quickly and as she pulls back again, still floating, she grins.

"Well done," she says softly, hands still tucked behind his head. Katsuki can't help but smile back.

"Oh my god!"

Katsuki looks past Ochako and she looks over her shoulder to see Mina's jaw practically on the floor, while Eijirou is grinning, clearly delighted.

"You two?! When? How?" Mina sputters, looking between their faces before turning to Eijirou. "Did you know about this?!"

Eijirou laughs. "Maybe."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"I promised I wouldn't," says Eijirou, exchanging a look with Ochako as Mina thumps him on the shoulder.

"Shall we go?" Ochako asks Katsuki as Mina starts laying into Eijirou.

Katsuki nods. "Yeah, we should... probably talk."

The two of them leave together, the sounds of Mina's shrieking and her thwacking Eijirou's shoulders following them down the corridor until they're out of the building.

Back at Ochako's, Katsuki toes his shoes off as she hangs up his coat. The quiet of the flat feels strange to Katsuki after being in the studio, surrounded by noise and lights and people, and the pounding of his heart feels stronger and more frantic here. Following Ochako to the living room, Katsuki sits down with her on the sofa, wrapping her in his arms when she leans against him.

"Well done," she says with a grin, resting her cheek against his chest. "I'm so proud of you."

"You should be proud of yourself," he replies. "No one else would have been able to get me to do any of this."

"Well the potential was always there," she says. "I just pulled it out of you."

Katsuki pulls her close, kissing her forehead. "Still, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Ochako turns her head, pushing herself up so she can kiss him on the mouth, moving her lips against his before pulling back with another little smile.

"We might not be interrupted now," she says thoughtfully, "if you can still put aside some time to talk?"

"I think I can," says Katsuki, nerves chewing on his stomach again as he remembers their non-conversation before the show earlier today.

"Well..." Ochako pauses, apparently thinking through her words. "What are your plans now that the show's over?"

Katsuki shrugs. "Well I guess there's some PR stuff to do here but I'll be going back to Japan at some point."

"Yeah, I figured," Ochako says. She bites her bottom lip for a moment before asking, "So where does that leave us?"

Katsuki's heart picks up speed under his jumper. "Us?"

"Yeah," she says, meeting his gaze, a hint of uncertainty in the set of her mouth. As he watches her, she seems to grasp some resolve and says, "I don't want to lose you and never see you again, and I'm pretty sure you don't either."

"I don't," Katsuki says, keen to make sure she understands. "I don't want that either."

Her smile returns, smaller but relieved. "No?"

"No," he says earnestly. "I can't imagine not seeing you again. Truth is, I..."

The next word sounds in his mind and the gravity of it stops him, pulls him back into himself. Why is it so hard to get out?

"You what?" Ochako's eyes are wide and curious; Katsuki knows he can't not tell her. He sighs, steeling himself.

"I... I love you."

Ochako's mouth drops open—for a brief moment Katsuki wonders if he's completely blown it, but then she kisses him again, arms around his neck to pull him close. He kisses her back, hands on her waist roaming up her back, one of them tangling in her hair as she takes his tongue into her mouth. Katsuki's mind races, swept up in the moment of her in his arms and soft, sweet lips on his own, but soon they part again and she grins.

"I love you too," she says, voice quiet but earnest, and her smile breathtaking. "I wanted to tell you earlier but I didn't know how."

"Me too," says Katsuki. His heart is quickening again; if being around her always affects him like this he might have to start taking some kind of medication. "I didn't want to leave without telling you."

"Well now you won't have to." Ochako climbs more firmly into his lap, stealing more kisses and still grinning. "And you can't leave just yet—like you said you'll have a victory lap to do as the winner."

The win comes back to Katsuki again and he grins in satisfaction. "Exactly, and I get to do it with you by my side."

"There'll probably be a lot of travelling up and down the UK," she adds, hands trailing down his chest and stomach. "Lots of overnight stays and time together."

"Sounds fucking great." Katsuki grips her hips in both hands, marvelling at how warm her skin is under her jeans. "Time together with my sexy girl."

Ochako giggles softly. "Yours?"

"If you'd like to be."

With a nod and an ecstatic smile, Ochako closes the distance between the two of them again with yet another kiss. It feels different to kiss her now, in light of their confessions to one another: he can hear and taste and feel every little hitch of her breath, attuned to her much more closely than before. She too seems more responsive, her back arching further and hands grasping at him tighter. Their kisses turn hastier, hands slipping up under each other's clothes and starting to cast them aside. When Katsuki takes off Ochako's bra and palms her breasts in both hands, she lets out a soft little moan and tugs harder on his hair.

"Bed?" she asks between kisses.

"Definitely," Katsuki replies.

Slowly they get to their feet, kisses still going back and forth, and stumble their way to Ochako's bedroom. There, Katsuki sinks down onto the bed with her, hurriedly helping her undo her jeans. As he pulls them and her underwear off and settles between her legs, she gives him another smile, cupping his face in both her hands.

"I love you," she says again, sending a thrill up Katsuki's spine at hearing those words once more. He runs one hand down her chest and stomach, eventually lightly tracing one finger between her legs, making her gasp softly as he finds her clit. "Katsuki!"

Katsuki grins. "I love you too."

Continuing to tease her clit, Katsuki lowers his head, catching one of her nipples in his mouth. She moans softly, tangling her fingers in his hair as his tongue flicks over her skin, and he drinks in the sound, loving the breathlessness behind it. When he slips two fingers into her cunt, she shudders, whining in the back of her throat. He relinquishes her nipple, leaving more kisses to her chest.

"You're so beautiful," he breathes over her skin, circling her other nipple with his tongue to make her moan all over again.

"Katsuki," she says again, voice catching on his name. "Fuck, feels so good."

Her stomach muscles twitch under more of his kisses as he continues his way down her body, wanting to worship every little bit of her. When he starts leaving kisses and licks to her clit, fingers still moving in and out of her, she lets out a tremulous whimper, body jolting into his touch. He knows he would happily stay here until he makes her come, but soon feels her tugging on his hair, lifting his head up.

"You okay?" he asks, licking his lips and getting a nod in response.

"I want you," she says with a little blaze in her eyes.

Katsuki comes back up to kiss her, lifting one of her knees to his hip and sliding inside her. The moan she lets out in response seems to go right through him, shivering down his spine as he feels his hips meet her thighs.

"Oh fuck," Ochako sighs against his lips, her voice thin and aching.

"I know," Katsuki rasps back, squeezing her thigh with one hand as he starts rolling his hips, thrusting shallowly to begin with.

Ochako lets out more pleasured sounds, more moans of his name as he starts to build up speed. "Harder," she groans, practically yelping when he obeys. "Oh god Katsuki!"

Her cunt tightens around him, making Katsuki growl against her neck. "Fuck, you enjoying yourself?"

She lets out a weak little laugh, nails raking over his back. "Was it that obvious?"

Katsuki grins wolfishly. "God you're gorgeous."

"You too, I love you."

"I love you too."

Katsuki kisses her again, slipping one hand between them to circle her clit with her thumb and she rewards him with another little moan into his mouth as she wraps her arms around his neck. It doesn't take much longer before her thighs tremble either side of his hips in warning and she comes, breaking the kiss to cry out. He keeps moving his fingers over her clit to help her ride out the wave of pleasure, following suit and coming too with a gasp of her name and uncontrollable thrusts of his hips. Slowly they come down from the high together, trading more kisses and giddy smiles.

"You okay?" Katsuki asks. His voice sounds strange to him, a little light and far away.

She grins again, letting out a breathless laugh. "I'm great."

Katsuki brushes her hair back from her face, pulling out and lying down beside her. A tired little sigh leaves her lips as she rolls into him, cuddling into his side. He wraps his arm around her, kissing her on the forehead.

"I'll be honest," he says, voice slow and sated, "I'm not sure where we're going to go from here but... well, I want to try and make it work."

Ochako nods, fingers tracing his pecs. "I do too," she says. "I'm glad we've got a little while to try and figure it out together though."

"Yeah," agrees Katsuki. He pauses thoughtfully before thinking of something. "So... now that Mina knows, how long do you think we have before everyone else does too?"

Ochako laughs softly. "Possibly not long, it kind of depends if Eiji's managed to keep her quiet and whether she waits until tomorrow..." She pauses before shrugging. "Though technically it's already tomorrow."

Katsuki checks his phone for the time. "Half two," he says with a half surprised chuckle.

"Whoops," Ochako giggles. "So possibly only a few more hours if she hasn't already told people."

Katsuki pulls her close, kissing her on the forehead again and letting out a soft grumble. "Should we try and sleep or make the most of the time before the hurricane hits?"

Ochako hums thoughtfully. "We could stay here for a while and enjoy the eye of the storm?"

He feels her lift her head and looks down to meet her gaze. Her eyes are warm and bright, full of care and excitement; Katsuki feels his heart full of her and so much more love than he could ever have imagined feeling for anyone before. His pulse races so fast his body seems to tremble and he leans in to steal yet another kiss to try and ground himself again.

"I can't think of anything better," he says.