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Chapter Text

The bitter sting of alcohol soothed Kirishima’s nerves dangerously. It was good in a way because everything coming out of Kaminari’s mouth sounded like a brag and it’d been making him tense. Now the words just slid over him. However, considering how ridiculously pent up Kirishima had been feeling and every detail falling from Kaminari’s mouth, it wasn’t making it easy to keep that hot feeling under wraps.

He felt loose and prickly, constantly running a hand over his neck to trick himself into the concept of intimacy.

“You guys cannot tell Shinsou I’m saying any of this, alright?”

“You already know,” Sero agreed, tipping back a beer. “Whatever we say on guys’ night-”

“Stays at guys’ night,” Kirishima, Bakugo, Kaminari, Midoriya, and Tokoyami all said in unison. Their little get-togethers always varied, but at its core, it always had the original high school bakusquad.

“Good deal,” Kaminari said, smiling triumphantly after relaying the nights he most enjoyed with his boyfriend. “But come on… you guys are telling me you don’t use your quirks when you…?”

“Mm. You’d be surprised how many people don’t like getting blasted in the face,” Bakugo said. Kirishima bit the inside of his cheek. He knew damn well Bakugo was still a virgin just like he was. He was the only one who did though. In Bakugo’s words, it wasn’t his fault everyone else had assumed.

“Sero, my guy. Come on. You’ve got tape. No bondage?”

Sero laughed around the lip of the bottle. “Right but my quirk doesn’t zap people,” he said. “Besides, I thought under Shinsou’s mind control you couldn’t remember anything?”

“Oh, but I feel it and he always leaves proof.” Kaminari tugged his shirt up and revealed a deep bite mark that had the others laughing and groaning in exasperation.

But Kirishima just stared at it, his stomach twisting with longing. He wanted to know what that was like. To have someone who bit him and marked him up with proof of affection, or better yet to have someone showing the imprints of shark teeth to their friends proudly. He wanted to know what the suggested intimacy that went with a bite like that was like. He gulped down half of his drink and ignored the demanding heat that crawled up his neck.

“Midoriya, you’re awfully quiet over there,” Kaminari said. He wiggled his eyebrows and sidled up against their friend as his freckled face turned bright red. “Anything to dish?”

Midoriya gulped and lowered his gaze. “Yeah, he uses his quirk,” he mumbled.

“Fucking knew it!” Kaminari shouted with glee. “It’s fun right?” Midoriya just laughed.

Meanwhile Bakugo caught Kirishima’s eyes, a slight hint of frustration. Kirishima knew exactly why. As someone who made everything a competition, it must have driven him wild to know Midoriya was getting more action than him. Kirishima just answered with a slight quirk of his lip.

“Kiri? What about you? Hardening comes in handy for you I bet,” Sero asked with a big toothy grin.

“Haven’t fucked,” he answered bluntly. He took another large gulp of his drink as everyone’s eyes turned to him. Even Dark Shadow popped out to stare. “What?” he nearly growled. It wasn’t that weird. He didn’t have time. He’d had crushes but they’d gotten nowhere, and yeah he’d kissed a couple people, but with everything that happened, with his line of work, dating wasn’t easy. And he couldn’t fathom a one night stand with a stranger.

“Just… dude you’re at the top of like every popularity poll. I know you’ve got guys and girls and everything between waiting to ride you to unbreakable,” Kaminari said. His comment had the others laughing, but Kirishima just finished his drink and started fixing himself another.

“Coulda sworn you and Kacchan had fooled around,” Midoriya said simply. It only had the others howling with laughter.

“What the fuck, Deku?” Bakugo snapped, roughly shoving Midoriya until he toppled over from the arm of the couch to the floor.

“Wha- I’m not the only one, right? They had one bed at I-Island!”

“Dorms next to each other too,” Tokoyami said helpfully.

“Oh fuck you all,” Bakugo growled, flipping them off.

“Nah,” Kirishima said simply. “Virgin.” He was used to people thinking he and Bakugo had something more, but aside from the crush he’d had on him for a while in their second year, nothing had ever happened.

“No wonder you’re so tense all the time, man,” Sero said. “You’re out here fighting villains and bulking up but nowhere to let loose.”

“S’not a big deal,” Kirishima said with a scowl. “Can you drop it?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry dude,” Kaminari said. He frowned for a moment then immediately delved into another random topic.

He felt a sharp poke on the outside of his thigh and found a socked foot nudging him. He followed the leg up to Bakugo who was staring at him with furrowed eyebrows, a silent question in his eyes. Kirishima rolled his eyes and shook his head before drinking from his refilled cup. Bakugo didn’t seem satisfied with that, but he didn’t prod.

The rest of the night, Kirishima let the alcohol buzz through him, making his limbs heavy as a steady heat pooled through him, making his movements lazy. He wasn’t drunk. He was too big to get drunk off the alcohol shared between their group, but it was something. His skin itched in a way that made him feel like he was vibrating. His mind kept going back to Kaminari’s bite.

God, did the girls ever have these kind of talks?

He stood up and ravaged the pantry for something to eat, something to bite, something to occupy his mind. Kaminari followed after him, humming to whatever song Midoriya had begun to play on his phone while Sero and Bakugo argued over something Kirishima hadn’t paid attention to.

Without thinking, Kirishima turned to Kaminari with his bag in hand and poked his side. “What was that like?”

“Huh?”

“The bite. Being bitten.”

“Oh,” Kaminari laughed. “I can’t remember getting it, just the sting after he dropped the hold. But other times he bites it’s just… I dunno a bit of a sting, I guess.” He nudged Kirishima playfully. “I bet it’d be real interesting for someone if you bit them. You’d need someone who’s into pain.” Kirishima ran a tongue over his teeth before he shoved chips into his mouth, but Kaminari just tilted his head curiously. “Actually, yeah how does that work? Especially when you kiss?”

“I don’t use my teeth when I kiss,” Kirishima said.

Kaminari held out his arm. “Bite.”

“ What?” he asked loud enough to draw the other’s attention.

“Not like that,” Kaminari said. “I’m just curious. Your teeth aren’t exactly filed, but they’re sharp. It must feel different.”

“What are you idiots doing?” Bakugo asked.

Without answering, Kaminari just shook his arm out in front of Kirishima’s face. He had been itching to bite since he saw those indents in Kaminari’s side. He wiped his mouth grabbed Kaminari’s arm, looking at him uncertainly. He opened his mouth over his wrist and bit down, just hard enough to make Kaminari yelp.

He pulled back, feeling his face heat up, but Kaminari had just dissolved into a fit of laughter. “Oh, that’s interesting!” he said gleefully.

As if by some unspoken agreement, the others crowded around Kirishima. Sero held his arm out next, wide grin on his face as his eyes drooped. “Oh, they’re not as sharp as I thought!” he said as Kirishima sunk his teeth into his forearm. “But very pointy- ah! Okay!” Kirishima let him go.

Tokoyami offered his arm next. “My beak is sharper,” he decided, wiping his arm off on his jacket. Then Midoriya. Even in his forearm, he had a bulk of muscle that was oddly satisfying to bite into.

“They’re still sharper than a normal canine tooth,” he noted, wincing as Kirishima bit harder. “Oh, ow!” he laughed as Kirishima pulled away.

Bakugo stepped up to him, bringing his arm up and arching his eyebrow. Kirishima grabbed his arm and bit, only to hear Bakugo scoff. “This what you all were yelping about?” Narrowing his eyebrows, Kirishima bit down harder, staring Bakugo in the eyes. Bakugo’s jaw jumped, but he remained unimpressed. Kirishima bit harder, throwing caution out the window until Bakugo gasped and a little pop came from his hand. He let go, grinning triumphantly at having broken Bakugo, catching the red indents of his teeth on Bakugo’s forearm, deeper than the ones he’d given the others.

“How exactly did this turn into all of us getting bitten by Kirishima?” Tokoyami asked.

“I was wondering because of his teeth,” Kaminari said simply. He walked back to the living room, with the others trailing behind him.

Meanwhile Kirishima stayed where he was, stuffing his face with chips and smirking at Bakugo.

“The fuck you smiling at, idiot?” Bakugo snarled.

“I broke you,” Kirishima said proudly.

Bakugo looked at his arm. “Don’t need a set of sharp teeth to be a biter, dumbass.” With that, he locked his fingers around Kirishima’s wrist and surged forward to bite his arm mercilessly, making Kirishima yelp before he let him go and walked away casually.

Kirishima looked down at his arm and saw the deep indent of Bakugo’s teeth circling his wrist like some sort of vampire mark. He gulped as he forced his body to recall that Bakugo was his friend, and just because he was apparently jumping to get his dick wet didn’t give him a pass to get flustered over a competitive bite. He needed to be alone in his room. He needed to be alone so he could get the goddamn energy out of his system and stop feeling so itchy and stuffy and overheated.

Further into the night, the group slowly peeled away to get to their homes, to their partners if they had one. Once the last person left, Bakugo stood up and started helping Kirishima clean up.

“You coulda just let them think you’ve had sex.”

Kirishima looked over at Bakugo as bottles clinked together in a trashbag. “I don’t care that they know I’m a virgin,” he said.

“Then why’d you get all pissy afterward?”

Kirishima groaned, rubbing his neck again. “I just feel wired all the time. I wanna know what it’s like. I’m, like, horny and hot and lonely all the time. The more they talked about fucking bondage and electricity and biting and-” Kirishima groaned into his hands. “Most I’ve done is kiss, man. Most guys mess around in high school and shit, being dumbasses, but we were too busy getting fucking traumatized. Kaminari and Midoriya are dating fellow heroes, so they don’t gotta worry about people being with them for the gossip or the fame. Sero seems perfectly happy with a few one night stands. Tokoyami- I dunno his deal man, but-”

“Sero has an agreement with Raccoon Eyes,” Bakugo interrupted. “Not random one night stands.”

“ What?”

Bakugo nodded. “Ashido’s not into dating. Not super into sex but she seemed more than happy to help Soy Sauce experiment.”

Kirishima tossed the trashbag in a corner and crossed his arms. “And how do you know this?”

With a smirk, he answered, “I saw a message from her on his phone and interrogated him. It’s like a friends with benefits thing. If Ashido’s up for it, Scotch Tape goes to her.”

“What the hell?” Kirishima muttered. “Doesn’t that… I dunno man, people usually catch feelings like that. Seems like a way to get hurt.”

“Look, I dunno all the details, but they figured it out. So maybe you need something like that, or a one night stand, or maybe just try dating?”

Once the apartment had been cleared, they moved to the couch. Kirishima felt stupid. “You never feel like this? Like you’re gonna jump out of your skin? Or even just curious about things?”

Bakugo’s cheeks tinged bright red. “Well, yeah, dumbass. ‘Course I do. Just not all the time. And I workout or jack off to get over it.”

“And for things you can’t try alone?”

“I just try not to dwell on those, Kiri,” Bakugo said in frustration.

Kirishima let out a frustrated growl as he sunk further into the couch. “Dude, I know this won’t last forever, but right now, it’s really fucking annoying. I feel like a fifteen-year old again instead of a fucking twenty-five year old. I don’t want a one night stand alright? I don’t want some random person. I don’t know how they’d… look at me. Especially with it being a first time thing….” Old insecurities crept up his spine, wrapping a cold hand around his throat. “A-and I don’t trust dating. I’m a pro-hero now, I’m in magazines, how do I know… someone’s with me ‘cause they wanna be and not just to get money or publicity?”

“Sounds like that leaves a deal like Sero’s.”

“Yeah, with who? You? I don’t think so.”

“Oi. What’s wrong with me?”

“We’re roommates first of all. Besides, you wouldn’t be into it obviously. Kaminari is taken. I can’t imagine being with Momo like that. Guess Tetsutetsu is an option-”

Bakugo scoffed. “That verges on selfcest, Kiri,” he said with a smirk.

“ I know,” he groaned. “‘M just gonna take a shower and go to bed. Alcohol buzz already went away.”

“I’ll put on headphones so you can have some privacy,” Bakugo said with a smirk.

“I fucking hate you,” Kirishima muttered as he got up to go to the bathroom in his room.

--

They were just watching TV. Bakugo kept rubbing his shoulder because he was sore after using his gauntlets for so long. While he was used to them by now, there were days when the smallest wrong move had him aching for days.

Suddenly, Kirishima blurted, “Can I bite your shoulder?”

“What the fuck?”

Kirishima blushed the color of his hair and shrugged. He chomped at the empty air. “I’ve got an urge to bite something.”

“So bite a fucking apple, Hair-for-Brains!”

He huffed and scrunched his nose. “Not the same at all. Anyway, d’you want some ointment for your shoulders?”

Bakugo grunted in affirmation, and Kirishima immediately got up from the couch. Meanwhile, Bakugo looked down at his arm. It’d been about a week maybe, and the bruise from Kirishima’s bite was barely starting to fade. The sting of it had lasted for two days as it went from red to purple. After that it was just a steady soreness. Kirishima’s teeth weren’t razor sharp, but they were still pointy as hell.

As Kirishima came back with the ointment, Bakugo levelled him with a glare. “What’s with you and biting?”

“I dunno, it’s just satisfying,” he answered. “Like, Midoriya’s arm is super bulky because of his muscle, so-”

“My shoulder has way more muscle than Deku’s scrawny arms.” Sure Deku wasn’t exactly scrawny anymore, but the asshole had already gotten laid before him, and he needed a fucking win.

Kirishima grinned, all sharp-toothed and playful. “Is that your way of saying I can bite you?”

“Make it fast, weirdo.”

Just like that, Kirishima leaned over and bit his shoulder firmly, not as hard as he’d bitten his wrist, but still enough to make Bakugo flinch. And then he was pulling away, clearly content as he went on watching the movie. With a roll of his eyes, Bakugo wiped at the bite and proceeded to smear ointment over himself.

He supposed that’s where it started. He was competitive by nature, and Kirishima just seemed to worm his way into a free pass of doing things Bakugo would kill anyone else for. They’d been grocery shopping and Kirishima kept asking for the shopping list, but Bakugo knew he would lose it, so he refused to hand it over. In a short game of tug of war with the surprisingly resilient paper, Kirishima had bitten his hand, shocking Bakugo into letting the list go. Without thinking, he retaliated with his own bite on Kirishima’s bicep, merciless and annoyed, but it didn’t deter him at all. Kirishima had just gone on and lost the damn list by the time they were in the next aisle.

After that, it became an unspoken game of seeing who could bite without being bitten back in public. It wasn’t really fair because it wasn’t Bakugo’s first thought to try and bite Kirishima like it seemed to be with him and his damn shark teeth. Then it began happening around the apartment until it slowly became a language of its own.

An impatient nibble on his shoulder meant that Kirishima wanted a taste of whatever he was cooking for dinner before it was ready. A small, weak bite on Kirishima’s arm was a way of asking about his day when he flopped on the couch in exhaustion. And of course the playful, demanding bites that came from fighting over the remote or in retaliation to a teasing, snarky comment.

Eventually Kirishima took to biting him whenever the urge appeared, and Bakugo only bit back if it made him wince. Still, he was used to the feeling relatively quickly.

It was during one of those infamous tousles for the remote that the biting led to more. Bakugo had latched harshly onto his shoulder, maybe too harshly, because Kirishima proceeded to yank him away by pulling at his hair with a yelp.

The sting of it, the shock, the shiver it sent down his entire body made Bakugo gasp shakily as his eyes rolled back instinctively. He froze as he realized that his gasp had been more of a moan. Kirishima was frozen too, legs no longer kicking, but hand still wrapped tightly around his hair.

“Not. One. Word,” Bakugo growled, feeling his cheeks heat up.

To his credit, Kirishima didn’t say a single word and let go of Bakugo’s hair. However he did dissolve into laughter, which only made Bakugo’s face heat up more. Annoyed, he ditched the fight for the remote and pulled away from Kirishima to go to his room.

“Aw, Bakugo, wait! I’m sorry! I just didn’t expect that!” Kirishima called after him. Bakugo slammed the door and pressed his fingers to the tingling spot on his scalp. Soon Kirishima’s voice was right at his door. “Hey, come on. I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you, I swear.”

“Fuck off,” Bakugo spat.

There was a brief pause. Then he heard something thud on the door. “That happened to me when you first bit me. That one guys’ night.”

Curious, Bakugo opened the door, making Kirishima stumble forward. “What?”

Kirishima looked flushed. It felt a little like payback, so Bakugo decided to indulge him. He nodded, signaling for him to continue. Kirishima took a breath and said, “Yeah. When you bit me back I wasn’t expecting it and y’know I was a mess, I told you about that. It was a shock and… yeah. So it’s cool. I’ll just be careful about not pulling your hair like that again.”

“Wait, do you… get turned on every time I bite you?”

“No! No, no, it’s not- that time was because I didn’t expect it. I swear I’m not like, secretly getting off on it or something.” Kirishima scratched his head awkwardly. “Do you? Get turned on anytime someone pulls your hair?”

“I dunno, that’s the first time that’s happened,” Bakugo muttered. He rubbed his head tentatively. “That doesn’t happen to you?” He knew that particularly sharp bites from Kirishima, the ones that liked to bruise, did often leave him a little restless, but like Kirishima said, it wasn’t like he was jacking off at night thinking about it.

Kirishima shrugged. “Do you wanna try it on me? I don’t think it does.” Bakugo raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I meant as payback, but also now I’m just curious. I know I like when people play with my hair. Jirou and Ashido used to do it a lot. And Todoroki is really good at head scratches. But I’ve never had anyone pull-” Kirishima cut off as Bakugo reached forward and pulled hair at the nape of his neck. “Huh. Nothing.”

With a furrowed brow, Bakugo let go and clenched his fist along the side of his head, clenching the roots in his hand. Kirishima winced at that.

“That one just hurts a little.”

Bakugo thought of the remaining tingly feeling on his scalp. He moved his hand, threading his fingers through Kirishima’s hair.

“You know, maybe it’s just not- whoa- oh shit,” Kirishima breathed out. He’d lurched onto the tips of his toes as Bakugo tugged. He closed his eyes as a crimson blush spread up his neck, laughing nervously. “Okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay.”

“What was that? Nothing?” Bakugo asked with a smirk, tugging more. Kirishima’s head tilted with the movement.

“Alright, okay you found it. You got your payback,” Kirishima said breathlessly. Bakugo let go and laughed a bit as Kirishima lowered himself back down, his cheeks the same red as his hair. “I’m assuming I’m forgiven then?”

“Sure. I’m hungry, should we order something?”

Their little discovery found its way into their playful competition. In addition to bites, there were teasing little tugs at strands of their hair, not to elicit a reaction, but just to remind the other I know your weakness. It wasn’t more than that.

At least it wasn’t until Kirishima had delved back into that touch-starved state that had him jumping if Bakugo so much as bumped his arm.

To be fair, Bakugo had gotten so used to their competition that he hadn’t really thought anything through. He’d just noticed Kirishima sitting on the couch,head resting on one fist as he watched TV.

He passed by, grabbing a fistful of hair and pulling as he muttered, “Dinner’s ready.”

Before the words were even out, Kirishima had gasped and tilted his head, following the pull. It hadn’t even been a hard pull, closer to a caress than anything.

“Shit. Shoulda thought before I did that,” Bakugo mumbled, pulling his hand away slowly.

“‘S fine,” Kirishima said breathlessly.

Without responding, Bakugo moved away and went to the kitchen to grab plates. After serving one and putting it down, he felt a tug at his sleeve. He turned to see Kirishima, slouching against the counter with his gaze on the floor.

“What?”

Kirishima pulled him again, and Bakugo let him. “Can you just…?” Without more explanation, Kirishima wrapped his arms around Bakugo’s waist and pressed his face against his shoulder. “Just needa be touched for a second.”

Hesitantly, Bakugo wrapped one arm around Kirishima. He recalled him saying he liked having his hair played with, so he slowly put the other at his head and scratched gently. He felt Kirishima’s face shift until he felt his lips on his shoulder. A small, barely noticeable bite pricked his shoulder. Bakugo didn’t say anything. Then another bite along his collarbone made him take a sharp breath. Maybe Kirishima hadn’t heard it.

Gradually, the bites trailed closer to Bakugo’s neck, getting more and more confident as Kirishima’s arms tightened around him, pressing him closer. Without really realizing it, Bakugo had tilted his head in invitation.

At the same time Kirishima’s teeth sunk sharply into the curve of his neck, one of his hands had twisted into his blond hair and tugged, pulling a ragged moan from him. Kirishima inhaled as if he could breathe the sound in. Equally starved, Bakugo found himself pulling Kirishima closer, at least for a moment before he pulled away breathing heavily.

“Kirishima, what- what the hell are we doing?”

With his hands still in the air, Kirishima’s gaze seemed to clear a bit. “I-I…. Sorry. Shit. I’m sorry.”

Bakugo touched his neck, biting his lip as his fingers felt the ridges of the bite. “Easy, dumbass. I knew what you were doing and I didn’t stop you. I just… we don’t do… this. Right?”

“No. We don’t,” Kirishima said with a gulp. “I just….”

Seeing him struggle to find the words, Bakugo just grabbed the plate with food and pushed it into Kirishima’s hands. “Let’s just eat dinner. We can talk about this after.”

Dinner was tense, to say the least. Bakugo could bring himself to meet Kirishima’s eyes. The bite at his neck throbbed, demanding attention, taking him right back to that moment he’d melted and pressed forward for more.

Kirishima had once asked if he ever experienced that skin-crawling, overheated sensation, that desire to be touched. He absolutely had- but it was never as prominent as it was now. Before he knew it, the food on his plate was gone and he was still sitting there, half stuck in a different moment as everything in his body screamed at him to press Kirishima’s hands against himself.

“D’you want me to leave for a few nights?” Kirishima asked softly.

“Don’t be stupid,” Bakugo snapped. He leaned forward and pressed his fingers to his temples, half-tempted to detonate a small explosion if it cleared his head. “I know the feeling, alright? S’not like you forced me into anything.”

“Okay, but… you won’t even look at me.”

“Because this is confusing!” he shouted. He pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes as a tell-tale heat pricked his ears. “The competition and jokes, sure, it’s what we do, but… that? Kiri, that was… dangerously close to something else, and I don’t….”

“Don’t want that?”

“I don’t know how to handle it,” he said, avoiding the question. “I don’t know what it means.”He ran a hand through his hair and gulped. “But I know… you’re the only person I feel comfortable with. The only who knows as much as you do. I haven’t gotten any fucking action either, dumbass, I’m just as pent up as you, and I don’t want that fucking up our friendship.”

There was a brief pause, heavy and suffocating. Bakugo felt his hands curl into fists, his nails digging into his palm to keep himself from exploding on the spot. He kept his eyes on his empty plate, jaw clenched as his face flushed, regretting every word. He didn’t even know what he was saying. He liked what Kirishima did, and Kirishima was probably the only person he’d even let do something like that, but did he want Kirishima doing that to him at all? What did it mean if he did?

“Doesn’t have to if we set boundaries,” Kirishima mused softly.

Bakugo finally let himself meet his gaze. There was no jolt, no stomach churn, no fluttering in his heart. Just a tightening in his stomach and an insatiable itch just under his skin that yearned for more careless bites and hair pulls.

“You’re that desperate?”

“You aren’t?” Kirishima pointed out.

With a scowl, Bakugo stood up and put his plate in the sink. “Your turn to clean the kitchen. Goodnight.” He ignored the heavy sigh that came from Kirishima and shut himself in his room to get ready for bed. As he brushed his teeth, he noticed the red circle composed of two crescent marks, serrated edges traced on his skin. He bit his lip and rinsed his mouth, turning away from his reflection.

--

As fate would have it, their schedules clashed for a week. Maybe it was for the best, considering how much Kirishima had prodded. From his come on to the suggestion, he’d sensed Bakugo would want some space.

Bakugo still left him dinner packed up nicely, which was a good sign at least. Typically, their patrols had them away from each other, and the few hours they were in the apartment together, Kirishima slept in and Bakugo went to bed early.

It wasn’t until the weekend that they had to share the space again. The bite Kirishima had left on Bakugo’s neck had turned fuschia. The sight of it gave Kirishima a smug feeling quickly squandered by guilt.

It had been a very busy week, full of pointless little skirmishes with low-level thugs, but all those fights still managed to leave Kirishima restless, and for some reason he always felt hornier after busy patrols. Even so, after his last shared dinner with Bakugo, Kirishima had restrained himself even in private, as if that could atone.

Kirishima had grabbed a snack from the kitchen and Bakugo was flipping mindlessly through TV channels, glaring at it like its lack of entertainment was a personal offense. Kirishima sat down on the other end of the couch, but it elicited no response from Bakugo.

“Hey. I hate this.”

Bakugo finally looked over at him, brows furrowing. “Huh?”

“This silence.” Kirishima nearly tried to scoot closer before thinking better of it. It felt like there were new walls up now. They hadn’t had a stupidly competitive game of bites and mischievous hair tugs all week. They hadn’t watched a movie together, hadn’t had dinner together. Granted, they didn’t always do those things daily, but it felt different this time. “I really am sorry. I was... honestly, man, I was horny and lonely and a little sad-”

“I told you that’s not the problem, idiot,” Bakugo said, looking away from him again. “I coulda stopped you if I wanted to.”

“Then why haven’t we talked?”

“‘Cause we had different shifts?” Bakugo frowned and shut off the TV before turning to Kirishima. “Stop pouting.” He rubbed his neck, rubbed the bite, as his cheeks reddened. “My head’s been hazy since the whole thing. Especially after what you suggested.”

“You can forget I asked that, man, It was stupid-”

“It wasn’t,” he interrupted. He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “I’ve been… considering the idea. The whole friends with benefits shit. I just can’t… figure out the difference.”

Kirishima forced himself to calm down. He was aching to touch and be touched, but he didn’t need that clouding his head and making him do something stupid again. “The difference?” he echoed.

“Yeah. Like. Between that and dating. We live together. Eat together. We’re best friends- don’t make that face like you didn’t fucking know, dumbass- so we’re already closer and trust each other. So adding… adding sex to that is just… a relationship. I don’t want a relationship.”

Kirishima ran a hand through his hair and nodded in agreement. “Well, yeah, but there’s some stuff people who date do that we wouldn’t if we made that kind of arrangement. Like casually holding hands or dates or couple pictures. We wouldn’t be public about it, you know?” He frowned and bit his thumb as he thought. “We can also make rules.”

“Like what?” His arms slowly loosened across his chest until they rested easily in his lap.

“Like… I dunno…. If we messed around, would kissing be allowed? Would we have to sleep separately after whatever we do? Would we keep it secret from the rest of our friends or not really care if they found out?”

“You’ve thought about this a lot, haven’t you?” Bakugo asked flatly. Kirishima shrugged, but he absolutely had. It’d gone through his head the entire time during their last dinner and despite his best efforts the idea remained in his head throughout the week. Bakugo huffed and shifted to face Kirishima. “I don’t know. I mean I don’t really care about kissing. And I mean… how far would this go for us to end up sleeping in the same bed?”

“Okay, before figuring that out,” Kirishima said, already getting a headache with all the ifs and hypotheticals. “Do you… want to try being friends with benefits?” It felt strange putting it out there, but at the same time, his entire body was thrumming with the promise in the question.

Bakugo glared at him, his jaw clenching as he let out a steady breath. “Yeah. But no dating.”

The agreement had Kirishima’s breaths hitching. “Okay,” he said softly. “Is there… stuff you wanna try?”

“I did just fucking tell you that I don’t know, right? I don’t even know where we would start with this or how far-”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Kirishima interrupted. He cleared his throat and gestured vaguely. “Clearly we’re both into the whole biting and hair pulling thing.” Bakugo let out an amused scoff. “I… I know I like marking. I think I’d like to try that with… y’know hickeys and more bites.”

Again, Bakugo’s hand flew up to the bite at his neck. He narrowed his eyes, but the redness in his ears gave away his embarrassment. “Fine,” he muttered. “But keep them where I can at least cover them up. It’s unprofessional.” Kirishima nodded. “I’m not doing any of that being tied up shit,” he said immediately. “Or gags. Not on me. You can try them on yourself if you want, but I’m not being tied up.”

“Oh we’re jumping to that now,” Kirishima said with a laugh, which only led to Bakugo throwing a pillow at him. “Alright! Jeez, I’m just saying. I was trying to start slow.”

“We can figure it out as we go,” Bakugo mumbled. “Build up to it. Just gotta swear to be honest about what you don’t wanna do and what you do.” Kirishima nodded in agreement. “So… how would it… start?”

“Is there anything you wanna do to get off right now?”

The red blush seeped into his cheeks, down his neck, and speckled across his chest. Bakugo covered his mouth with a hand and turned away. It took an excruciating amount of time before he finally answered.

“Can you do the hair thing again?”

A smile spread on Kirishima’s face. He scooted closer to Bakugo and pushed his fingers into soft, blond hair, earning a soft sigh. He clenched lightly, not really pulling yet. He tightened his grip as Bakugo began to relax, causing him to turn tense and rigid. He pulled harder until Bakugo’s mouth fell open then let go slowly.

“Shit,” Bakugo breathed. He shifted his legs, spreading them slightly as he slouched into the couch.

“D’you mind if I…?” Kirishima pointed at his lap as Bakugo opened his eyes.

Bakugo’s hands spread as if to say go ahead, and Kirishima put a leg on either side of him as he sat to face him. It was a very new view. Bakugo didn’t know what to do with his hands, and eventually simply let them rest on the couch.

Kirishima pushed both of his hands into Bakugo’s hair, watching his expression as he pulled.

“God, don’t look at me,” Bakugo muttered, shoving a hand against Kirishima’s face.

“Where am I supposed to look then, man?” Kirishima pointed out, snapping lightly at his fingers.

Suddenly, those fingers clamped around his jaw. “Put those shark teeth to use, dumbass. You said you wanted to try marking.”

Without being asked, Bakugo got rid of his shirt, giving Kirishima free reign. He had to think about what parts Bakugo’s costume covered up, but in the meantime, he ran his teeth along Bakugo’s muscled shoulder, only lightly scraping as he moved. He pushed his hands back into Bakugo’s hair.

He inhaled the scent of burnt sugar, the smokiness of his cologne which was so familiar after living with him for so long. He clenched his hands around his hair, and Bakugo jolted at the movement, rubbing up against Kirishima’s crotch.

The shiver of pleasure that sent through Kirishima had him rocking his hips down without thinking, chasing the friction. It was so much better than a pillow.

The sounds that came from Bakugo weren't exactly moans or gasps. They were choked, cut off sounds, hesitant. His body tensed under Kirishima, turning stiffer with every tug of his hair, every nip of Kirishima's teeth, and every roll of his hips.

A wave of embarrassment and shame overcame Kirishima as he pulled away and stopped moving. He met Bakugo's twisted expression and gulped. "Is this too weird?" he whispered. "We can stop if you're not into it. Just pretend nothing in the last twenty minutes happened." Kirishima started to move to get off of Bakugo's lap, but then he felt two hands wrap around his hips with an iron grasp.

Searing red eyes bore into him, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Without a word, Bakugo grabbed Kirishima's wrist and led his hand to the inseam of his jeans.

There, Kirishima felt a warm bulge, and he spread his fingers across to gauge the length without breaking eye contact. Bakugo's eyes fluttered as Kirishima rubbed the palm of his hand against the bulge.

"I am into it. That's the issue," Bakugo said through clenched teeth. "The fuck does it mean that it's you turning me on?"

"You trust me. And I can help." He pushed his hips down again, watching Bakugo press himself into the couch with a sharp inhale. “This deal’s supposed to give us a chance to feel good.” He leaned down to sink his teeth into one of his hard pecs, smiling when Bakugo’s grip on him tightened. “How can I get you out of your head, man?”

Kirishima twisted his hand into the short hair at the nape of his neck, pulling so Bakugo’s head tilted back.

“Keep moving,” Bakugo breathed, eyes shut as his cheeks flared. Before Kirishima could start rocking his hips, he felt Bakugo’s hands pull him in and push him back. Heavy breaths fell from his mouth as he let his head fall back, leaving his throat open.

Kirishima leaned in, biting lightly at the exposed skin. He pushed Bakugo’s hair back, pulling harshly once he’d grabbed a fistful of hair from the top of his head. Bakugo’s hips pushed upward, and suddenly he was moving Kirishima faster, fingers digging into his skin even through the basketball shorts he had on.

Every rub had Kirishima taking in a loud breath. He could feel the flex in Bakugo’s arms, and without thinking, he turned his head to sink his teeth into his bicep.

Suddenly, Kirishima felt the hands at his hips shove him to the side, pinning him down on the couch. He felt a sting at the juncture of his shoulder and neck as Bakugo bit down and he put a hand to his mouth immediately stifling the moan that managed to pull from him. As Bakugo jutted his hips quickly, rutting between his legs, Kirishima could feel more bites along his neck.

“Fuck,” he breathed, pushing his body up to meet every grind.

Bakugo kept his face buried in his neck, biting and growling against his skin, and Kirishima pulled on his hair, twisting harder when he felt the tense heat in the pit of his stomach grow. He hooked a leg around Bakugo’s waist, arching his back as he chased his release.

“Close?” Bakugo asked gruffly.

“Uh-huh,” Kirishima grunted. “Fuck, fuck. ” It was so close. He didn’t care that he was about to blow a load in his shorts like a pubescent kid, this feeling was burning him up from the inside out. It was so much better with another person’s heat, another person’s weight. The hot breaths at his ear and the harsh, grabbing hand at his side were making it easy to get lost in the sensation. That itch he hadn’t been able to scratch with any porn videos, or his own hand was finally being sated.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Bakugo growled in his ear. He let out a choked sound as he ground his hips down, and when he bit down on Kirishima’s shoulder that time, it was unrestrained and demanding, and the shock of the pain traveled right down to Kirishima’s core as that pressure burst. “Kiri, ease up,” Bakugo grumbled.

Belatedly, he realized that he had his arms around Bakugo in a death grip. “Oh. Sorry,” he breathed. He draped one hand across the back of the couch and let the other dangle to touch the floor. He unhooked his leg and winced when that drew attention to the slimy feeling between his legs.

Meanwhile, Bakugo remained where he was, only shifting to properly lay his head against Kirishima’s chest as his breaths returned to normal.

“Wait, did you finish?”

“Mhm,” Bakugo mumbled. His arms tucked under Kirishima’s back. “Sh.”

“What?” There was no answer. He didn’t sound upset…. “Bakugo?”

A palm pressed against his face. “Shush. Sleepin’.”

“ What?” But again, no answer. He could feel his release drying on his thighs, making his shorts stick to him uncomfortably. “Aw, man, dude,” he whined, but he kept it quiet. The remote was too far away to grab without jostling him. His phone was just out of reach on the table. “Can’t believe you fell asleep that fast, Blasty,” Kirishima muttered. But with nowhere to go, he let one hand drape over Bakugo’s back, and shut his eyes.

His body, satisfied and sated, quickly succumbed to much needed rest.

--

Bakugo woke up to familiar soft snores. He pulled his head up and found Kirishima’s sleeping face inches away from his. He expected to be racked with guilt. People didn’t… just rub up against their friends to get off. But it had been Kirishima’s idea, and really, who else would Bakugo even consider letting near?

In the years of their friendship, and especially living together, he’d walked in on the guy changing more than once. He’d overheard a few times when he was getting himself off, but he just put his earphones in and ignored it. This was different, he knew. But it didn’t feel wrong either. If they both wanted to try things out and trusted each other with it, then what was there to lose?

“Oi. Kiri.” He sat up, nudging his shoulder. “Kirishima , wake up.”

Kirishima grumbled and yawned before opening his eyes sleepily. “Oh. Hey, you’re awake.”

“I wanna do it again,” Bakugo said bluntly. Kirishima’s eyes went wide, suddenly very awake. “D’you want to?”

“I-I mean yeah, but I’m still dirty from the first time-”

“Yeah, if we’re already dirty, may as fucking well.”

Kirishima nodded, a smile tugging the edge of his lips. “Yeah, makes sense.” He arched an eyebrow and put his hands on Bakugo’s thighs. “Did you wanna try anything new?”

As he slotted his legs on either side of Kirishima, he shook his head. “Nah. Just wanna make you finish first this time.”

“Well, I’m not saying no to that.”

With that permission, Bakugo shifted so he could push his groin down against Kirishima’s. Curiosity got the best of him, and he let his eyes trail up to Kirishima’s face. He watched the slow way his blush filled his face, his eyes locked on the movement of Bakugo’s hips. He pinpointed the moment that the little spark became a flame- he saw it in the flutter of his eyes, the part of his lips, and he felt it in the rising bulge underneath his basketball shorts.

He caught sight of the red mark of his teeth against Kirishima’s neck, but he didn’t even remember biting him that hard. Kirishima’s hero costume was a lot more revealing than his own, so it was a little hypocritical of him to have left a mark on such an obvious spot.

Warm, calloused hands spread across his abdomen. “Faster,” Kirishima whispered. As he rolled his hips faster, Kirishima’s hands trailed up his chest. One finger traced the fading red mark of the bite on his pec. His hands moved to rub along his arms as he grunted and pushed his hips up.

“Am I too ugly to look at?” Bakugo sniped.

Immediately, Kirishima’s red eyes were on his face, blown wide. “What? No!”

“Then fucking look at me, idiot.”

“You told me not to!”

Bakugo let out a grunt and pushed his hips down harder, watching as it made Kirishima’s eyes roll back in his head. He grabbed him by the chin and used his other hand to pull Kirishima’s hand to his mouth. “It’s fine,” he breathed out as a ball of tension coiled in his abdomen. He opened his mouth, letting Kirishima’s fingers slip into his mouth before biting down on them.

“Bakugo, holy fuck,” Kirishima breathed out.

Hearing his name said like that sent a surge of pride through him. He closed his lips around the fingers in his mouth and rolled his hips faster, watching as Kirishima’s wide eyes followed his movements. Broken moans slipped between Kirishima’s ragged breaths, and Bakugo chased them. He would make Kirishima finish first this time.

He liked the awe-struck look in Kirishima’s eyes as he stared at him. It made him feel powerful. It reminded him of the citizens who watched him fight. A look like that was an acknowledgement of his abilities. In this case, it was even more satisfying. It drove him crazy when he heard his name being moaned out, like it was the only thing Kirishima could think to say.

Bakugo grinned, running his tongue over the fingers hooked on his jaw.

“Louder, Kiri.”

“‘M close again, Bakugo. Fuck, I’m so close,” Kirishima panted.

He needed to see it. He needed to see every change of his expression as he got closer, as he finished. He would need it later when they did something like this again.

His eyebrows scrunched together. He almost looked like he was in pain, but the noises falling from his mouth proved otherwise. His head tilted back, red hair splayed across the couch cushion.

Bakugo hadn’t realized just how intense his own pleasure had been building but it was quickly becoming distracting. He panted and moaned around the fingers in his mouth ignoring the pain of the incessant rubbing of his jeans against his sensitive length. The pleasure and the promise of his climax was too much, too good.

Finally, a roll of his hips had Kirishima gasping, his back arching. Bakugo could see the dampness in his shorts, the movement of his bulge as it pulsed the release.

“I’m gonna keep going,” Bakugo said, not stilling his hips. Kirishima’s free hand dropped across his mouth, and Bakugo watched him bite into his own palm until finally, finally, that wave of pleasure clenched and released in the pit of his stomach, the pleasurable shiver spreading slowly through the rest of his body.

He dropped his head, letting Kirishima’s hand fall from his mouth, covered in spit. He wiped his mouth after realizing how much drool had dripped down his chin.

There was a large wet spot on his jeans, but he could bring himself to care as he slumped down to collapse against Kirishima’s chest. It really was so much better than doing it alone.

“No, no, no,” Kirishima whined, struggling to catch his breath. He pushed Bakugo back up and narrowed his eyes. “You are not falling asleep again, man. I need to change. If you wanna sleep in come-soaked jeans, go ahead, but I am taking a shower.” With an annoyed grunt, Bakugo wiped his face with one hand. “You always get this sleepy after getting off?”

“I guess? I usually jack off at night, so I’m going to bed anyway.” He shoved Kirishima’s arms off him and laid down again. “Just for five minutes.” Blindly, he reached for one of his hands and tossed it over his back. It was a comfortable weight.

Beneath him, Kirishima let out a husky little laugh. “Oh, you like cuddles.” Again Bakugo shrugged and grunted. “Alright, well I can still cuddle you after you clean up. Please, I feel sticky, man.”

“Fucking hell, Kiri,” Bakugo groaned as he pulled himself up and stood up. As he stretched, Kirishima stood up, threading his fingers in his hair lightly. Immediately, Bakugo felt himself calm down and lean into the touch.

“Go change. You can lay on me with clean clothes.”

“Fine,” Bakugo grumbled as he went to his room. He changed out of his pants and soaked the stain on his jeans, hoping he hadn’t just ruined one of his good pairs. He wiped his legs clean then went to put on a long sleeved shirt and a pair of sweats.

Kirishima was already back on the couch, wearing the same tank top and a fresh pair of sweatpants. He had a box of Pocky sticks in one hand and the remote in the other. Without looking, he extended his arm, wordlessly inviting Bakugo to huddle against him.

"Isn't this shit couples do?" Bakugo mumbled even as he took up the space beside him. He slumped forward, laying against Kirishima's side as he shifted to be more comfortable.

"I guess? Friends cuddle too. Like Sero and Kaminari. Do you want to make a rule about it?"

"Nah," Bakugo said with a yawn. He felt himself start to fall asleep but jolted himself awake before he could. "Sorry I bit you," he said suddenly.

Kirishima burst into loud laughter that only made Bakugo groan. "It's cool. I don't mind it. Plus it definitely pushed me over the edge, so...."

"Hah. Good to know, dumbass." With that cleared, Bakugo fell asleep to the mindless chatter on the TV and the distant crunching of Pocky sticks.

When he woke up again, Kirishima was scrolling through his phone and running his fingers absentmindedly through his hair.

He pulled away from Kirishima and stretched his arms out. "What time is it?"

"You slept for like an hour. I was going to wake you to see if you were hungry once this show ended."

They decided to go to a small restaurant nearby. As they ate, Bakugo couldn't help but look up at Kirishima's face, trying to discern what he felt now.

He knew what that face looked like in a fit of euphoric pleasure. He knew that voice when it was breathing out his name. Those fingers had been in Bakugo's mouth. Just thinking of their couch adventure made him blush and stuff his face with food to focus on something else.

But Kirishima knew him better than anyone. Bakugo felt a nudge on his foot and he looked up to see Kirishima's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at him worriedly. For an instant the image of that same furrow flashed in his mind, paired with an open mouth and deep blush running down his neck. He shut his eyes and shook his head.

"What? What is it?" Kirishima asked.

With a frustrated sigh, Bakugo put his chopsticks down and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's… a little different now, dumbass. Can you really look me in the eye and say today is the same as… I don't know, two weeks ago?"

Kirishima's eyes scanned his face, and a telltale flush crept up his neck. Bakugo wondered what images flashed through his mind.

"No, I guess not," he admitted. "So do you want to stop?"

"No," he answered immediately. He crossed his arms and mindlessly touched the fading mark from Kirishima's bite the week before. "I feel comfortable with you. I don't think I'll find that somewhere else right now. And what we do feels way better than fucking my hand."

Kirishima laughed as a more sheepish blush filled his cheeks. "Yeah. Same thoughts here. So then what do we do? Because you're overthinking."

With a scowl, Bakugo kicked his shin under the table. "We come up with some rules. We gonna have a schedule or just run to each other the second our dicks twitch?"

"Hey, man, I have more restraint than that," Kirishima said with a frown.

"How can we be sure we don't get our feelings hurt? How far are we gonna go? Is this just in our apartment?"

"Okay, we have a lot to figure out," Kirishima said. He nodded and bit the inside of his cheek. "So let's finish dinner and we can head back to the apartment to figure out boundaries and rules and all that. Yeah?" Bakugo grunted and picked up his chopsticks again. Again, he felt a nudge against his foot. He looked up at Kirishima with an arched eyebrow. "We're good, though? Like… you don't see me like an entirely different person? Not weirded out?"

Bakugo smirked and shoved a dumpling in his mouth. "You're still a dumbass, Kiri, don't worry."

Kirishima flashed a toothy grin and kicked him under the table in retaliation. With that cleared, Kirishima took the liberty of filling the silence like he always did. It was easy and comfortable, like everything was when it came to Kirishima

Chapter Text

The next day, Kirishima and Bakugo had their breakfast then proceeded to huddle together in front of Bakugo’s laptop to figure out where to start with a set of rules. The first link that came up gave a series of accounts of people who had attempted a friends with benefits deal, and the more the two of them read the tenser they got. 

“So… either we fuck up and lose touch-” 

“Or we get a happily ever after,” Kirishima finished. “Is it really that complicated?” 

“Kirishima, I can’t lose you,” Bakugo said bluntly. “All this time together- if fucking around is going to take that away, I don’t want to fucking do it.” His eyes narrowed as he looked away from the laptop to Kirishima. 

The stubborn, determined look in his eyes made Kirishima smile as he nodded. “I agree. I just also think if we talk to each other and actually, you know, say how we’re handling this we’ll be fine. Look, this one says they dated and broke up. This one says they got caught up in their head about it. This one did it twice no problem.” He left the article and scrolled as he looked for another link. 

“Alright, so being honest,” Bakugo said. “If something feels off or isn’t working, it’s better to just stop and… leave it at that. So there’s no bad blood.” 

Kirishima nodded, skimming the new article quickly. “Okay, this one seems better. Consent-” 

“Well duh, I thought that was a fucking given,” Bakugo grumbled. 

Ignoring him, Kirishima quickly read the rest of the rules listed. “Seems pretty straight forward. Be honest, get consent, don’t get jealous. We already established the no-dating thing.” 

Bakugo’s fingers started drumming against the table top. “Okay. How… how far are we supposed to go?”

“How far are you comfortable going?” The question brought a blush to Kirishima’s cheeks, but he figured he’d find himself in more precarious situations than this with Bakugo, so he just had to push through it. 

“I asked you first,” Bakugo said with a scowl.

With a roll of his eyes, Kirishima slouched into his chair. He had never imagined he would see Bakugo the way he’d seen him the day before. Sure, he’d had a sex dream about him before, but Kirishima experienced that with lots of people he was close to. He’d had one with more than a couple of his friends, but they didn’t mean anything, mostly consisting of blurs and confusion.

He tried to picture it now. Could he see himself crowded up behind Bakugo or folded in half beneath him? The speed at which heat rose up to his neck and face answered for him. He absolutely could now. 

Kirishima swallowed and bit his lip nervously. “Uh. Well, I personally wouldn’t mind going all the way. I-I wanna try being on top and bottom. But if you have a preference or something, that’s cool, and if you don’t wanna go that far, that’s cool too-” 

“Okay so we go all the way,” Bakugo cut in. His eyes were still narrowed, but he had a blush of his own filling him up all the way to his ears. “Dunno if I have a preference, idiot, I haven’t tried it.” He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat as he shut the laptop and pushed it away. “So are we trying to keep this a secret from everyone else?”

“Well, I don’t want to make an announcement or something, but I don’t mind if they know.” 

Bakugo grimaced and grunted low in his throat. “I don’t want ‘em knowing. They’re nosy fucks, and I don’t want our business out for them.” 

“Okay,” Kirishima ceded. “So we keep it secret. What do we do if they ask or if they figure it out somehow? Should we make up fake people?” 

“What? No!” Bakugo kicked his leg lightly. “Don’t make it complicated. If they ask, just tell them they can think what they want. If they figure it out- fucking Deku would probably be the first- then fine. I just don’t want them asking questions about it. I don’t want to give them details.” 

“Oh! Okay, gotcha, man.” 

Bakugo nodded stiffly and took a breath. “Alright so how often we doin’ this?” 

“I’d say whenever we feel like it? I think we’re smart enough to know when we have time to do something, and as long as we’re alone in the apartment, what’s it matter? We just gotta ask.” He watched as Bakugo nodded quickly. A small movement drew Kirishima’s eyes to Bakugo’s hand where he was wiping his palm on his sweats. “You good, man?” 

A stiff shake of his head had Kirishima raising an eyebrow. “I’ve been burning up all fucking morning.” 

It was strangely satisfying to see Bakugo, usually so composed if he wasn’t screaming murder threats, looking so flustered. Kirishima smiled to himself and leaned over, biting his shoulder playfully before whispering in his ear, “You just gotta ask.” 

“Fuck,” Bakugo growled. “Can we do what we did yesterday?” 

Kirishima answered with a light nip against his neck before shifting to sit in his lap. “Yeah.” 

Immediately, Bakugo’s hands were at his hips, rocking Kirishima’s hips for him. Just long enough to feel the hardening under their sweatpants. 

“Shit, wait, I like these, I don’t wan-wanna stain ‘em,” Kirishima panted. The chair scraped against the floor and toppled backward as Bakugo pressed him against the edge of the table. Kirishima hooked his fingers around the waistline of Bakugo’s sweats first, eyes flitting up to meet his gaze. “Can I?”

Wordlessly, Bakugo nodded. “B-but not the boxers,” he said. 

Kirishima nodded and crouched down to tug the sweats down to Bakugo’s ankles. When he came back up, he licked a stripe up Bakugo’s bare torso, punctuating it with a gentle bite against his neck that made him moan. Then he shoved his own sweats down and suddenly, Bakugo had his hands hooked behind Kirishima’s knees as he lifted him and settled him on the table, yanking him nearer until they were rubbing against each other with only thin fabric between them. The feeling was heightened now that so many layers were gone, now that he could feel the bare skin of his thighs press into Bakugo’s, the shared heat. 

Frustrated, Kirishima pulled the hem of Bakugo’s shirt upward. He wanted to bite and with it on, he had no free space. Bakugo’s hips stilled just enough to lift his arms up so Kirishima could pull his shirt off for him. 

When his hands came back down, they didn’t rest at Kirishima’s hips again. Instead Kirishima felt them cup his ass and squeeze, tugging him forward to meet another frantic thrust. 

“F-fuck,” Kirisihma wheezed. He took handfuls of Bakugo’s hair and tugged, letting out ragged breaths at his ear. “Bakugo, faster,” he breathed out. He brushed his mouth against Bakugo's chest, barely coherent enough to bite. The table began to thud against the wall it was pressed up against, but it didn’t matter.

What mattered was that Bakugo’s hands were grasping and squeezing, and Kirishima didn’t even know he liked that, but the pinch and pressure of it had him yanking Bakugo’s hair and panting his name. 

As Kirishima lifted his legs to wrap around Bakugo, something snapped and suddenly he was falling sideways, knocking his forehead against Bakugo’s as something clattered to the floor above their heads. 

“Ow! Did you activate your quirk?” Bakugo snapped breathlessly. 

“No!” Kirishima rubbed his forehead and pulled himself up on one elbow. One table leg had snapped in half, leaving it lopsided. “Oh shit.” 

Above him, Bakugo let out a huff. “Fix it later?” 

Kirishima looked at him and smiled. “Yeah, sounds good, man.” 

They remained sprawled along the floor, rutting together with Kirishima pulling his hair. While he’d stopped palming at Kirishima’s ass in favor of holding himself up over him, Bakugo made up for it by leaning in to lick up his neck and suck insistently, grazing his teeth over each mark. 

“Just like that, faster,” Kirishima breathed out in a low, gravelly voice that had Bakugo stilling on top of him for a moment before pressing against him with a purpose. Bakugo’s hips stuttered, but he didn’t stop. Not until Kirishima was holding him tightly as broken moans were pulled out of him, stifled against Bakugo’s neck. 

With a grunt, Bakugo rolled over, shoving the broken table leg out from under his back before they stared at the ceiling. “Fucking hell.” 

“That one was even better than the last two,” Kirishima breathed out. 

“That voice was new,” Bakugo noted. 

Kirishima looked over at him and smiled past the blush in his cheeks. “For me too. Also, grabbing my ass? Keep doing that next time.”

“Noted.” Bakugo lifted a fist, keeping it held up between them until Kirishima got the message and bumped the back of his fist with it. 

Kirishima pulled himself up, picking up the laptop as he stood. He kicked at Bakugo’s leg gently, but with enough force to make him scowl. “Don’t fall asleep on the floor. And fix the table.” 

“The hell? Why me, asshole? It was your ass that broke it!” 

“You’re the one who couldn’t wait to get to the couch or a bed, Blasty,” Kirishima said, pulling his sweatpants up. “Okay, I’m going for a run.” 

Bakugo sat up, sputtering as Kirishima went to his room to clean up and get his running shoes. 

By the time Kirishima had come back from his run, Bakugo was asleep on the couch and the table was upright again. 

--

Wednesday had been an exhausting patrol day. Kirishima had taken a farther northern part of the city known for its crime spikes, but enough people had a quirk that managed to give Kirishima a hard time. He got home spent, exhausted, stressed, and a little annoyed with himself. He knew he could’ve done better. He knew he was strong enough to handle petty thugs and alleyway fights, so he shouldn’t have struggled so much no matter what quirks had distracted him. 

Evidently, Bakugo had a worse day. When Kirishima got home, Bakugo was out on the balcony, pacing back and forth with a scowl on his face. He always did that on bad days. 

Kirishima walked over and knocked on the window, making Bakugo turn. He just shook his head and kept pacing, waving Kirishima away. 

Bakugo preferred to be alone, but Kirishima knew he’d talk himself into a hole if he left him out there. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the daily news headlines online. 

The third article read Amateur Villain Gets Away from Number Two Hero Dynamight! 

With a sigh, Kirishima put away his phone and stepped out onto the balcony. 

“I wanna be alone, Kiri,” Bakugo grumbled as he paced to the other end. 

“Okay, well maybe I had a bad day too and just need to see my best friend.”

“Yeah? Did a dumbass start up villain slip right through your fucking hands? Goddammit.” 

Kirishima took a breath and shook his head. “Alright. For what it’s worth, man… you’re a good hero. People know that. I’ll be inside if you need anything.” Kirishima went back inside and only stopped when he heard a clanging thud. He turned to see Bakugo’s fist against the railing. As Bakugo reared his fist back to hit it again, Kirishima turned away with a wince. 

He fixed himself a sandwich and ate it in the kitchen, watching from his peripheral as Bakugo went through the stages of grief. Finally, once the view was basking in city lights and stars, Bakugo came inside. His knuckles were bruised and bloody, but he didn’t pay it any attention as took the sandwich Kirishima had left for him on the counter. 

Kirishima waited for him to be done before ducking under the sink for the first aid kit. He grabbed Bakugo’s hand, holding it over the sink as he poured hydrogen peroxide over his knuckles. 

“Ow! Fucking hell, Kirishima!” 

“Maybe you should stop punching the railing,” Kirishima answered. Bakugo didn’t fight him as he cleaned his knuckles and dabbed a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory ointment over them. He let him go and put away the kit.

Before he could get to his room, Bakugo called, “What about your day? What happened?” 

Kirishima turned back around and shrugged. “Just tiring. I felt like I could do better, but I was… struggling. Small things, but those… can be frustrating.” 

Bakugo walked over to him and crossed his arms. “For what it’s worth, you’re a good hero, Kiri.” 

Kirishima smiled and nodded. Even as an echo of his own words, he knew Bakugo wasn’t the type of person to say something just to make someone feel better. He only said things if he meant them. “Thanks, man.” 

Bakugo tilted his head and gestured to the door. “I’m up for a comfort food run if you are.” 

His smile widened further. “Let me get my jacket.” 

--

The next day, the news was buzzing with the fact that Bakugo had not only caught the villain that got away, but he’d managed to find the entire little gang of them. A group of wannabe League of Villains revived. Kirishima had an easy patrol in another part of the city where he only had to stop to take pictures with fans, so he’d just been lounging on the couch reading up on the news when Bakugo got home. The victorious energy permeated the apartment the moment he stepped in. 

“I’m gonna get that number one spot back, Kiri,” Bakugo announced. “Deku should enjoy it while he has it.” 

Kirishima smiled and lifted a hand to beckon him over. Bakugo sat down, and Kirishima sat up to be able to face him. “I saw the news. Congratulations, Dynamight.” Bakugo grinned back, wild and proud. “I was thinking…. I wanted to help you celebrate.” 

The hesitation in his voice made Bakugo look at him suspiciously. “In a let’s get dinner and get wasted kind of way or…?” 

He managed a nervous, toothy grin. “In a… let me give you a blowjob kind of way?” 

It was almost comical how quickly Bakugo’s expression changed into one of pure, dumbfounded astonishment. “O-oh.” He gulped and squeezed Kirishima’s thigh. “You don’t have to, Kiri-” 

“I want to. I figure if I have a boyfriend at some point, I’d want to know how to do it without looking stupid. But also, you did something amazing today, and I wanna try and help you feel amazing…. I’ll be careful with my teeth.” Bakugo laughed, but it was a strange, choked, and nervous sound that didn’t seem natural coming from him. “If you really don’t want to, I could just give you a handjob? I’m pretty experienced at that part.” 

“Why don’t we just… do what we always do? No broken tables this time.” 

Kirishima frowned and pulled back, watching him carefully. “Uh… what’s going on?” 

“The fuck do you mean?” 

“You just seem off. I’m cool with not doing anything, but you just…. You were really excited then I brought that up and you… just panicked.” 

“Listen, dumbass, I’m not panicking,” he answered way too defensively. 

Kirishima rolled his eyes and got up. “Alright, man whatever.” He didn’t want to bear the brunt of whatever Bakugo was keeping to himself. He could bring it up later.

A hand wrapped around his wrist pulling him back. “Kiri, wait.” 

He let himself be turned around and covered Bakugo’s mouth with his hand. “I’m not mad,” he assured him.

Bakugo pulled his hand away and tugged him back down to the couch. “I’m gonna say this once, so listen. It’s not that I don’t want to. I nearly fucking creamed my pants by the suggestion alone.” Kirishima frowned and nodded, staying quiet so he could continue. “It’s just… no one’s ever seen me naked… that way. I’m not… I don’t want….” He scowled and cursed under his breath as he turned away from Kirishima. “What if you don’t like what you see? If it’s disappointing or something?” 

It was almost unreal. Bakugo had gone his whole life claiming he was the best at everything, and he’d proved it several times too. He never took an easy win, and he was always working hard to do better, to be better. While he had his inner demons, things Kirishima only knew because he’d been the one to help him through the nightmares since high school, he’d never doubted his abilities. Even flopping back and forth between number one and number two hero with Midoriya practically every other year, Bakugo was confident in himself. 

Kirishima had assumed that was the case for everything- quirk, abilities, skills, intelligence, and looks. Everyone at UA recognized Bakugo’s unfair attractiveness, something only muddled for most by his anger and outbursts and pride, and his merchandise always sold so quickly and adoring fans flooded the internet with pictures and stories of him. Growing up, he’d only become handsomer, filled out, more muscular, more powerful, and a little more level-headed. 

But it seemed that confidence didn’t extend to his own view of his body. Not entirely. 

“Bakugo.” With a frustrated sigh, Bakugo eventually turned to face him, expression twisted into a sneer. Kirishima tilted his head and offered a reassuring smile. “I wouldn’t… do what we do or offer to do things with you if I didn’t at the very least think you were attractive. I mean, I figured you just knew you were hot.” 

“Hot?” 

Kirishima frowned. “Dude, you’ve been named hottest guy of the year like five times in a row. You win all the popularity polls. People have your face on their walls. Yes, hot.” Bakugo grunted and crossed his arms. “How exactly were we supposed to get to a point where we could have sex if you weren’t planning on letting me see your dick?” he asked with a playful smile. 

“I want to,” Bakugo answered, a low growl in each word. “Just… not yet.” 

“Okay. We can wait. I just think we should cool it with the dry-humping because I’m gonna start chafing, man. That’s not fun.” 

“Well… if you’re cool with letting me see you, I could give you a blowjob.” Just as Kirishima started to protest, Bakugo cut him off. “Not because I didn’t let you, it’s ‘cause I fucking want to. Besides, you had a rough day yesterday, and since today was good for me, I could make it good for you too.” 

Kirishima laughed and ran his fingers through Bakugo’s hair. “It was supposed to be a reward for you, Blasty. Maybe we should just get drinks-” 

“It would still be a reward,” he insisted. “I bet I can get your voice to do that thing again.” Kirishima raised an eyebrow as Bakugo’s expression slowly melted into that familiar cocky smirk. “I want to. Can I try?” 

Kirishima licked his lips as heavy breaths fell from his lips. “I- Are you sure?” Bakugo hummed and leaned in to kiss his neck as he nodded. “Shit.” He was already getting hard. “Yeah. Yeah, yeah, okay.” 

Bakugo stood up and pulled Kirishima up with him before pressing a hand against his chest until his back was against the wall next to one of the bedroom doors. As he bit gently along his neck, he unbuttoned Kirishima’s pants and unzipped them slowly. Just having his hand so near was enough to make Kirishima struggle to breathe. Bakugo slowly slid his hand under the waistband of his boxers, and as his hand cupped over the growing bulge, Kirishima let out a shaky sigh. 

Someone else’s hand was on him. Warm and soft. It always seemed strange to Kirishima how soft Bakugo’s hands were considering how much he worked out, how hard his work was, how those hands were the same ones that could make deadly explosions. He pressed himself further against the wall, trying to feel more solid, more in control of himself. 

But then Bakugo smiled before falling to his knees and Kirishima squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold himself together. The fabric of his jeans slid slowly down his legs. Hands crept up his thighs, and Kirishima pressed a hand to his mouth so his heavy breathing wasn’t so damn obnoxious. 

Heat encased him, a steady pressure against his groin that had him letting out a string of breathless curses. He looked down and bit into his hand at the sight of Bakugo’s mouth pressed against the tent in his boxers as his hands slid further up his thighs. 

“Ba-Bakugo, ‘m not gonna last if you keep teasing like that, man.” 

Bakugo only grunted, but he pulled away and tugged his boxers down carefully. Kirishima looked up at the ceiling, feeling embarrassment burn through him at the thought of Bakugo staring right at his dick. 

“Fuckin’ hell, Kiri,” Bakugo breathed out. 

Before Kirishima could overthink it, he felt a hand wrap around the base, then a hot tongue licking the underside slowly. Bakugo’s hand moved up and down lazily. Suddenly the sharp pinch of teeth digging into the inside of his thigh had Kirishima’s knees buckling as shaky gasps fell from his lips. 

At first Bakugo just pumped his hand, too slow to give relief, but enough to keep Kirishima on his toes. His tongue would lick against him, each time a little more certain. 

“Bakugo,” Kirishima groaned at the ceiling. “You’re killing me over here.” 

“Maybe if you fucking looked at me, I could do somethin’ about that.” 

Kirishima let out a humorless laugh and gulped before he looked back down. A trembling breath left his lips as met Bakugo’s narrowed eyes, irises blazing with hellfire as they bore into him. Kirishima grit his teeth together and watched with a furrow in his brows, body tense with anticipation as Bakugo’s mouth fell open and wrapped around the head of his cock. 

“Oh f- fuck,” Kirishima covered his mouth to muffle the groan of the sensation. 

Bakugo’s mouth was hot and wet and tight. He pulled back for a second, eyes now focused on the task in front of him, and he sunk back down, taking in more. As Kirishima watched him, he noticed he had that same stubborn determination in his eyes that he got when he was pushing himself in training and workouts. He pulled away and tried again a few times, each time managing to do it a little more smoothly. Each time before sinking down, he’d suck the head a bit, then go back to filling his mouth. The sight had Kirishima’s neck and face heating up with need.

When Bakugo pulled away again, his eyes flickered back up, one eyebrow arched. “What do you like? What do you want me to try?” 

But Kirishima was too distracted to answer. Bakugo’s parted lips were shining with spit as he looked up at him. A gentle blush dusted across his cheeks, and it suddenly hit Kirishima. 

The number two hero in all of Japan was on his knees for him. This man, this powerful man who incited fear in villains and awestruck admiration in civilians was on his knees, trying to please him. 

“ Oi,” Bakugo said with a growl. 

Kirishima gulped and raked a hand through Bakugo’s soft blond hair and brought the other to his mouth to run his thumb along his shiny lower lip. “Open your mouth,” Kirishima said, pushing his thumb into his mouth. He traced his teeth until he reached his molars and pushed down, making Bakugo’s jaw drop open. 

The blush on his cheeks had saturated. Bakugo’s eyes fluttered as Kirishima pulled on his hair gently to pull him in closer. He stuck out his tongue to lick the tip before pulling Kirishima back into his mouth. 

To think he was worthy of the number two hero’s worship. That’s all he could think to call what Bakugo was doing with his mouth. His eyes had shut, but Kirishima kept his eyes on him. He watched Bakugo’s struggle to swallow around him and pull off, a string of saliva connecting him to Kirishima. 

As Kirishima pulled Bakugo’s head closer again, Bakugo moaned and squeezed his thigh. “Hang on a fuckin’ second,” he said breathlessly. While he rested on the heels of his feet, he pumped his hand along the length of Kirishima’s shaft slowly. He leaned forward and bit into the flesh of Kirishima’s thighs while he worked his hand, and Kirishima clenched his fist in his hair as he breathed out his name. 

Suddenly a rock song started blaring, startling them both. 

“What the fuck?” 

“Phone, ‘s my phone,” Kirishima said, gesturing vaguely at his pants on the floor. 

With a growl, Bakugo fumbled in his pockets until he found the phone and shoved it into Kirishima’s hand. 

Kaminari’s face smiled back at him on his screen, and Kirishima ignored it. As he silenced his phone, Kaminari’s face came up again. “Dammit, Kaminari, not now,” Kirishima growled. 

“Answer it,” Bakugo mused, his mouth pressed against his thigh. His thumb rubbed over his slit as he looked up at Kirishima with a very clear dare in his eyes. 

“You said you didn’t want them to find out,” Kirishima reminded him, biting his lip when Bakugo licked around the head. 

“So don’t let him find out,” Bakugo muttered. 

The call faded and then started back up just as quickly. With a groan, Kirishima answered and pressed the phone to his ears. “What is it, Kam?” he breathed out. 

“Dude! Aren’t you looking at the group chat?” 

“No? Why?” Kirishima’s eyes widened as Bakugo’s mouth sunk down on him. He returned his free hand to his hair, tugging in warning. 

“Well where’s Bakugo? He’s not answering either.” 

Kirishima jolted forward and bit back a moan. “Busy, I guess,” Kirishima answered in a breath he hoped sounded steady enough. One of Bakugo’s hands had gone around to cup his ass, squeezing with vigor. “ A-ah!”

“Are you okay?” Kaminari asked. 

“Yeah. Just hurt myself,” he answered through gritted teeth as Bakugo massaged him and drooled around him with a victorious gleam in his eyes. 

“Okay, well anyway,” Kaminari continued. “If you would look at the fucking group chat, you’ll see that we wanted to go out for drinks this weekend. We saw the news about Bakugo busting all those villains, and we wanted to celebrate! But he’s not answering so I was hoping he’d be with you.” 

“Ha.” Kirishima squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Bakugo scoot closer, tugging him forward. “No, sorry he’s not. I was in the middle of working out.” 

Below him, Bakugo choked and pulled away to stifle a laugh in Kirishima’s thigh. 

“Alright, well ask him when you see him, would ya?” 

“He’ll probably answer when-” Kirishima took a sharp breath as Bakugo swirled his tongue and pumped his hand. He cleared his throat and looked up at the ceiling, trying to keep his voice from betraying him. “Sorry. Whenever he sees the messages.” 

“Yeah, but still. Okay, I’ll let the chat know, you get back to your workout, bye!” 

Kirishima didn’t even bother saying goodbye, he just hung up and threw his phone in the general direction of the couch as he gasped and buried his other hand in Bakugo’s hair. 

“Fuck, Bakugo. Fuck, come on.” He put one hand against the wall, bracing himself. He could feel his legs shaking with the effort to stay upright while Bakugo languidly bobbed his head back and forth. “ I’m so close, Bakugo,” Kirishima growled. He let out a gravelly grunt, tightening his hold in Bakugo’s hair and against the wall. 

He felt the reverberations of Bakugo’s moan around his cock and looked down. One of Bakugo’s hands was working himself frantically. The sight of Bakugo getting off to him was enough to have Kirishima digging his fingers into the wall. 

“Bakugo, get off, I’m gonna come.” They hadn’t talked about swallowing, so he figured a little warning would be helpful. 

Bakugo pulled away but only to bite Kirishima’s thigh and suck a hickey into it while his other hand continued to stroke him. Then he looked up at Kirishima, eyes glazed over, face flushed, and mouth panting unabashedly. 

A broken sound fell from Kirishima’s lips as he came. Bakugo shut his eyes and flinched, but otherwise didn’t move away. He was still panting, still jacking off out of sight, and once the spurts stopped, he opened one eye to look up at Kirishima. Choked moans fell from his lips.

Kirishima pulled his hand from the wall, shaking off the drywall debris as he sunk down to his knees. He kept his eyes on Bakugo’s flustered face as he used his thumb to clean the come splattered over his eye. He wiped his bottom lip, and only stopped when Bakugo’s mouth opened further to pull his thumb in. He suckled the pad of Kirishima’s thumb, licking it clean. 

He knew Bakugo didn’t want Kirishima to see him yet. He knew he could make Bakugo anxious if he tried to touch him. He kept his eyes on his face, hesitating for a moment. “I wanna try something, but if you don’t like it, just tell me to stop,” he whispered. 

Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows, but the expression didn’t stay long before his eyes rolled back and his arm moved faster. 

Meanwhile, Kirishima leaned forward, running his tongue along his jaw where his come had landed. He followed the trail, half licking, half kissing his face. He threaded his fingers into his hair and tugged softly a few times. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Bakugo grunted, hissing through clenched teeth as his free hand dug into Kirishima’s shoulder. 

The only trace of come left on his face was on his chin trailing up to the corner of his mouth. He hesitated there. He licked the bit on his chin, but he paused near his mouth. He lifted his gaze from Bakugo’s parted lips to eyes. They never discussed kissing. 

But Bakugo only stared back, fire blazing in his eyes. “Well? Clean up your fucking mess.” 

Kirishima leaned forward, licking into Bakugo’s mouth, gasping when Bakugo immediately sucked on his tongue and grazed his teeth along it. It pulled a moan from Kirishima as he pressed harder against him, letting his tongue explore his mouth, letting it slide along the back of his teeth and against Bakugo’s tongue. When he pulled back, he bit down on Bakugo’s lower lip and tugged with a growl. Bakugo surged forward, panting against his mouth for a moment before crashing their mouths together again almost violently.

“Come on, Bakugo,” Kirishima whispered against his insistent mouth. “Let me see you finish.” 

“K-Kiri-” Bakugo let out a groan as his arm slowed and he slouched against Kirishima before finally stopping. “Fuck,” he breathed. “Give me a sec,” he muttered. 

While Bakugo pulled himself together, Kirishima tugged his boxers and pants back up then laid back on the carpet. Bakugo collapsed to the floor beside him once he’d zipped himself up and wiped his hand clean on his shirt. 

“That was…. Holy shit, man. You got the hang of that fast.”

Bakugo grunted and dropped an arm over his eyes. “Just gotta pay attention to your reactions. ‘S pretty easy.” Kirishima laughed at that. “Why do we always end up on the fucking floor?” Before Kirishima could answer, Bakugo pulled himself up and quickly added, “Did you break the fucking wall?” 

“What?” Kirishima sat up and stared at the indents of his fingers where he’d scraped at the wall. He hadn’t even realized he’d activated his quirk. “I… guess so.” 

“You’re fixing it,” Bakugo stated bluntly. “You did it, you fix it.” 

“Alright, alright,” Kirishima said, waving it away. “Was that all… good for you? Anything we should do different next time?” 

Bakugo ran a hand through his hair and stretched upward. “Be in a bed, maybe? I dunno. I liked the hair pulling. I just got frustrated when you tried moving because I was still figuring out how to get used to it.” Kirishima nodded and made a mental note to be careful not to move next time. “And thanks for telling me when you were gonna finish. Uh. What about you?” 

“Man, it was great. All of it. Seriously.” He looked over and laughed. “But maybe no more calls in the middle of our stuff?” 

Bakugo snorted and nodded. “Sure. What’d Spark Plug want anyway?” he asked as he stood up, clearly trying to stay awake. 

“The group wants to go for drinks this weekend to celebrate what you did today. They just wanted to see if you were up for it.” 

Bakugo smirked down at him. “Well, I already celebrated, but yeah, I guess a night out sounds good.” Kirishima stood up after him, blushing despite himself. “I’m gonna shower. Figure out what you want for dinner.” 

He went to his room, leaving Kirishima in the living room. He went to get his phone from the floor and started googling how to fix small part of a wall. 

---

Getting a chance to be with the group always felt nostalgic for Kirishima. Sure, they could legally drink now and all seemed to have homes and apartments of their own, and they’d all grown up a bunch, but…. When they were all together like this, acting dumb and talking over each other, it almost felt normal. Like they were kids again. 

“Kacchan, are you sweating?” Midoriya teased as his and Bakugo’s arms trembled at the center of the table. 

“Shut the fuck up, Deku,” Bakugo growled, managing to push Midoriya’s hand back a bit. Midoriya struggled a bit, but he managed to get them back to the center. 

“They’ve been going at this for five minutes,” Ochaco said with a worried furrow between her eyebrows. 

“I don’t see it ending soon either,” Todorki said with a faint smile. 

“C’mon, man,” Kirishima said, nudging Bakugo’s shoulder. “All these celebrations and you can’t win an arm wrestling match?” 

Bakugo froze for a moment, and Midoriya took advantage of the lapse in focus to nearly pin Bakugo’s hand down. “Son of a bitch,” Bakugo snarled before pulling them back to the center. He shot Kirishima a glare before focusing on Midoriya. His eyes narrowed as they struggled in the center again for a while. 

The others began chanting for them, shouting encouragements as they drank from glasses and bottles. Kaminari started taking bets on who would win. 

Then Midoriya started losing ground. A wicked grin spread on Bakugo’s face as he slowly managed to push his hand down until it hit the table and caused a few empty bottles around them to topple over. A series of exclamations filled their little corner of the bar before it dissolved into playful chatter. 

“I think I earned myself a drink,” Bakugo said with a victorious smile. Kirishima followed him to get one of his own. Once they were at the bar and had ordered their drinks, Bakugo let out a flat laugh. “That was dangerous,” he said, only meeting Kirishima’s eyes when he’d finished his sentence. 

“Gave you motivation, though, didn’t it?” Kirishima answered with a cocky smile. “I’ll behave,” he promised when Bakugo only arched an eyebrow, unamused. 

The bartender gave them their drinks and they turned back to their group. Ashido and Hagakure were already on the small platform stage, singing along to some new pop song. Ashido was always the one who started these things. She didn’t have to be drunk, her energy just seeped into all of them until everyone had sung at least one verse in a song- drunk or sober. 

A very tipsy Jirou had taken the mic next, encouraged by Kaminari, Ochaco, Tsu, and Momo. As always, when Jirou sang, almost everyone paid attention. The guys’ chattering quieted, and even some of the other people in the bar lowered their voices to whispers as they watched. 

Ashido ended up standing beside him and she elbowed him with a smirk on her face. “Spill the details, Kirishima,” she whispered. 

“What?” 

“You picked out the wrong foundation color for your neck.” She looked over at him, eyes bright with amusement. “So? Who gave those to you?” 

Kirishima touched his neck briefly, feeling his cheeks heat up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said nervously. 

Ashido crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “C’mon Kirishima, I think I know you pretty well by now. Maybe not as well as Bakugo, but- ooh, does he know?”

“Do I know what?” Bakugo’s gruff voice asked behind them as he moved to stand by Kirishima. 

“Who’s been leaving little presents on Kirishima’s neck,” Ashida said.

To his credit, Bakugo had an excellent poker face. “I’m his roommate, of course I fucking know. Not telling you though, dumbass.” 

Kirishima leaned over to keep the soft words private. “Seriously, Ashido, I don’t wanna make a big deal about this. Please don’t say anything.” 

Ashido narrowed her eyes, but she eventually nodded. “Alright, secret’s safe with me. But at least let me help you find a decent concealer!” 

He agreed with a laugh and threw an arm around her shoulders in thanks. Bakugo just rolled his eyes and took another gulp of his drink.

As the night went on, Kirishima settled into one of the booths, which had more of a sideline view of whoever was on stage. Now it was Kaminari, and he seemed to be having the time of his life. Iida sat across from him, apparently treading the line between tipsy and drunk with the way he kept blinking and asking for the glasses that were settled on his nose. Bakugo was next to him, quieter, but still brooding. It seemed he’d had quite a bit to drink too. 

Midoriya had taken to rambling about some kids he knew who’d made it into UA along with Eri, and Bakugo never once bothered to interrupt or shut him up. He kept talking until Todoroki pulled him away because Ashido insisted they were the only ones left along with Shinsou and Tokoyami to sing something. 

As they left the booth, it was quickly filled by Kaminari and Sero who were both drunk off their asses. Even their obnoxious shouting wasn’t enough to make Bakugo snap at them. Kirishima elbowed him and snapped his fingers in front of his face. 

“Bakugo, you alright, man?” 

Bakugo blinked and shoved his hand away. “I’m drunk,” he muttered. Kirishima frowned, wondering exactly how much he’d had to drink. Bakugo was a big guy, and he didn’t get drunk easily, much less in the span of a few hours. Before he could offer to get him a glass of water, Bakugo turned to him, gaze distant and tired. “Can we go home?” 

“Yeah, man, of course.” He gestured for Bakugo to get out of the booth and turned to get Kaminari and Sero’s attention. “Hey guys, we’re gonna head out. Bakugo’s a little out of it.” 

“No way,” Sero said, looking over at Bakugo. “He seems fine, dude.” 

Kirishima shrugged and stood up to go say goodbye to the group who had taken to dancing enthusiastically to the guys’ embarrassed singing. He only gave them a wave and a smile, but Ashido pulled away, her face flushed with the exertion and probably the alcohol. 

“Leaving already?” Kirishima gestured to Bakugo who was resting his forehead against the wall and keeping himself up by holding the back of Kaminari and Sero’s booth. “Oh yikes. I’ve never seen him like that. But okay! I’ll text you tomorrow so we can go get you something that’ll properly hide all those marks on your neck. Right now it just looks like patches of discoloration.” 

“Ah, gimme a break, Ashido,” Kirishima said with a light blush. “But sure, just text me.” 

She waved with a bright smile then returned to shout encouragement for Todoroki. Kirishima grabbed Bakugo’s arm and pulled him along with surprising ease. 

“Geez, Bakugo, how much did you drink?” 

“Lost count after the fifth shot.” 

“Shot?” Kirishima hadn’t seen him take any shots. Just mixed drinks. He frowned and carried most of his weight as they waited on a taxi cab by the sidewalk. The cold outside seemed to wake Bakugo up a bit. Kirishima was finally able to hail a cab and had it go to their building. Granted, it wasn’t that far from the bar, but he didn’t think it would be easy to lead Bakugo when he was stumbling the way he was. 

He led him into the elevator and pulled him along to their apartment. 

The moment he’d managed to close the door, Bakugo had him pressed up against it, hands at his hips. “Kiri, I’m burning up.” 

“Wha- hey, Bakugo, hold on,” Kirishima said, nudging him back gently. “Was this drunk thing an act to get away from the bar?” he asked with a laugh. 

Bakugo shook his head and rested his forehead on Kirishima’s shoulder. “Dumbass. I want you to touch me. ‘S fine now, ‘m not nervous.” 

The smile on Kirishima’s face dropped. Again, he pushed Bakugo back, putting space between them. “Bakugo…. No. I’m not gonna do anything with you when you’re like this, okay?” 

“I’m not a dumbass, I know what I’m doin’. I’m saying you can-”

“I’m saying no,” Kirishima said sharply. Bakugo froze and his glossy eyes met Kirishima’s. “You can’t say yes when you’re drunk. Not for something new. And I don’t like the idea of…. It would feel like I’m using you, and it’s gross.” He pulled away from Bakugo and went to the kitchen to fill a glass with water. He walked back to him and handed the glass over. “Drink this.” 

Bakugo scowled, but he took the water and drank it, glaring at Kirishima the whole time. When he finished he shoved the glass back into Kirishima’s hands. “The fuck’s the point of a fuck buddy if he won’t fuck me,” he muttered as he turned away, stomping like a child in a tantrum toward his room. 

“Goodnight,” Kirishima called, ignoring his outburst. 

His only response was a door slam. 

---

The next morning, Kirishima woke up and went for a run. When he returned, Bakugo still hadn’t woken up, which wasn’t like him. Kirishima grabbed a glass of water and walked over to his room. He knocked and called his name, and he heard a vague grumbled out stream of words. He opened the door and peeked in, finding Bakugo with a pillow over his head, blocking out the sunlight streaming through his window. 

“Brought you some water.” 

“Thanks,” he said, muffled by the pillow. “Can you close the fucking blinds? Light hurts my head and I don’t want to get up.” 

Kirishima walked over to the window and shut the blinds and tugged the curtain over for extra measure. “There you go.” 

Bakugo threw the pillow off his face and sighed in relief. “Thanks.” 

“You feeling alright? Aside from the headache?” 

“A little nauseous, but I’m not fucking throwing up.” He groaned and sat up, taking the water from Kirishima’s hands. 

Nervously, Kirishima sat at the edge of the bed. “Can we talk about last night? Doesn’t have to be now, but just…. I think we need to.” 

Bakugo’s voice was a bit softer when he answered. “I won’t do that again. I just felt rejected and it pissed me off, but you were right. If you’d listened to me… I’d probably be really pissed off now.” 

“It’s me, man. You don’t gotta drink to not be nervous with me. And you don’t gotta rush being ready.” Bakugo scowled at his water and nodded. “So new rule- no messing around while drunk. Either of us.” 

“Sounds good,” Bakugo agreed. “You mad at me?” 

Kirishima shook his head. “Nah. Just wanted us to be on the same page. I’ll go pick up some food for you to eat. Finish the water.” 

He left the room, smirking at Bakugo’s exhausted grumbling. He stopped at the local restaurant near the apartment and ordered two bowls of breakfast fried rice to go. By the time he was walking back home, Ashido had texted him asking what time she could go over. 

He messaged back that he was about to eat breakfast, and he’d let her know when she was done. 

Back home, Bakugo had managed to relocate himself to the couch. “Fuck, that smells good,” he groaned. He sat up and reached out as Kirishima handed over his bowl. 

They sat together eating their breakfast while an old hero movie played on the television. They kept making snide remarks about the plot or laughing when something in the effects were off. Bakugo was good at guessing what would happen next even though they hadn’t seen the movie before. 

He’d finished his food well before the movie ended, but only remembered to text Ashido back once it was over. He apologized, but she didn’t seem to mind and promised to be at his apartment in a few minutes. 

They’d been scrolling through a series of available movies when a knock came at the door. Ashido grinned when Kirishima opened the door for her. “Ready to go?” she asked. 

“Yeah, lemme just get my jacket.” He grabbed one of his lighter jackets and joined Ashido at the door as he tugged on his shoes. “Drink water, Bakugo.” 

“Don’t tell me what to do,” he sniped. He flipped him off, and with that as a goodbye, Kirishima shut the door and followed Ashido back out the building. 

“Y’know now that the makeup is gone, I’m kind of surprised, Kirishima,” Ashido said, poking at his neck. “This is wild. How long has it been going on?” 

“It’s not that bad,” Kirishima insisted, swatting her hand away. “I just mark easy.” He really liked what it felt like when Bakugo left those marks, but if it was going to get people’s attention like this, he might have to reconsider. 

“You’re avoiding the question,” she said. “It’s fine, I’ll get you the right thing to cover it up.” She hooked her arm with his and started explaining the different makeup lines and qualities, but Kirishima didn’t think he’d be able to remember any of it. He just needed to know which one he’d have to get. 

The store had samples that ranged in color. There was a section of natural skin tones and then another section with pink, purple, blue, and everything else that had become more common with quirks. 

“Is it serious?” Ashido asked as she tested a shade on the back of his hand. 

“Is what serious?” 

“This person you’re seeing! I’m surprised you haven’t told any of us about it, but if you’re getting this much attention, it must be getting serious, right?” 

“Uh, not exactly?” Kirishima answered. He wasn’t sure what he could and couldn’t answer. It wasn’t like she knew who it was about, and the questions were vague enough that they wouldn’t point to anyone in particular. “It’s really not a big deal.” 

“Oh so just a heated little makeout! That’s fair,” she said. She went a shade darker and smeared it on his hand. “Okay I think this one might work. Tilt your head up.” Kirishima did. Ashido smeared the makeup on his neck. “Yep! This is the one for you. Let me just get the bottle.” 

She turned away and grabbed a small tube which she handed to him. Kirishima grimaced and looked up at the spot she’d grabbed it from. Wordlessly, he grabbed a handful more and turned away. 

“Wait, wait, Kirishima, you don’t need that much, really! Just a little goes a long way.”

“Uh, yeah I do.” 

Ashido frowned, and Kirishima looked around for a second before lifting his shirt to expose his torso. Fading hickeys and bite marks were littered all over. He’d struggled to hide those with his hero outfit which was the whole reason he’d looked for something to cover it up in the first place. 

She clasped her hand over her mouth as she gasped. “Kirishima, this isn’t just a makeout sesh!” She grabbed his shoulders. “Oh my God, do you have a friend with benefits?” Her eyes widened and the pitch of her voice went up. “Oh my God, is it Bakugo?” 

“What! Why would you assume that so fast?” Kirishima exclaimed. He looked around again and whispered, “Keep your voice down!” 

“Okay, let’s go pay, and then we’re going to find a bench and you’re gonna tell me everything!” 

“Ashido!” 

She pulled him along, and grinned when they dumped the makeup on the counter. As soon as they were out of the store, she hooked her arm with his again. “So how’d it start?” 

Kirishima grimaced and pulled his arm away. “Ashido, you’re assuming a lot of things-”

“Well, yeah. You’re not really a one night stand kinda guy, and like I said, I think you would’ve told us if you were dating someone. Since it was clearly way more than a makeout, it leaves a friends with benefits kinda thing.” She counted off on her hands. “Kaminari’s dating Shinsou, Jirou’s with Momo, I know it’s not Sero, it’s not me, I might have wondered about Todoroki if he wasn’t with Midoriya, Iida doesn’t seem like a friends with benefits kinda guy, but you never know, but I also know you’re not close enough to him or Ochaco or Tsu to have something with them. I guess there’s Tokoyami, but I don’t think his beak would leave human bites. Bakugo’s the only one left that makes any sense, and you’re roommates, so it’d be so easy.” She grinned and blinked up at him with her big black eyes. “So? I’m right, right?” 

Kirishima covered his face briefly and ran his hand through his hair nervously. “I- I’m really not allowed to say anything, Ashido. We made a deal, no answering questions about specifics and stuff.” 

Ashido’s excitement faded as she pouted. “Aw, no fair. I was hoping we’d get to share stories.”

Right, her thing with Sero. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. 

“No worries,” she said, just as brightly as before. “Secret’s safe with me.” She tugged him along and stopped at an ice cream cart. “Also, I totally called it.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. 

“Just figured something would go on with you two at some point. What flavor do you want?” 

Kirishima shrugged off her comment. Everyone seemed to think as much just because Kirishima was better at reading Bakugo than most of them. The assumptions that they were dating were something that even appeared in tabloids and fan stories. He was used to it by now. 

Since they were already out and about, Kirishima joined Ashido as she looked for new clothes and sat with her for lunch while she showed him new music. A few fans recognized them and asked for pictures and autographs. Thankfully, Ashido had already helped him cover up whatever marks were visible.

He got a series of texts while Ashido was smiling for a selfie with a few girls as they were leaving the mall. 

I’m feeling better what time you getting back??? 

Think I owe you something for dealing with my dumbass last night 

Movie or BJ your choice

Kirishima felt a blush flood up his neck and into his face. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and hoped he didn’t look as flustered as he felt when Ashido rejoined him. They hailed a cab to get to Kirishima’s apartment building with all of Ashido’s bags. 

“I’d get out with you, but this is a lot of stuff,” she said as Kirishima got down. “You’re a fun shopping buddy! Don’t tell Momo, but this was probably my favorite shopping spree.” 

“Ha, I’m glad,” he said. “And also- thanks for… you know, always keeping my secrets.” 

Ashido winked. “Of course, Kirishima.” She waved and he shut the cab door before it sped off to drop Ashido off at her place. 

Kirishima went up to his apartment and opened the door to find Bakugo in the kitchen. The texts hadn’t left his head, but Bakugo seemed unfazed as he glanced up and returned to washing the dish in his hands. 

“Hey,” Kirishima said, biting his lip as he walked over to him. 

Bakugo put a soapy hand against his face to stop him. “Offer expired when you left me on read, dumbass.” 

“Wait, I was in public, I got nervous!” Kirishima said, pushing his hand away. “Besides I…. I gotta tell you something.” 

Bakugo looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. “What?” 

Nervously, Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck and walked around to the bar so he could face Bakugo. “Uh, while shopping… Ashido sort of… figured out… what we’re doing.” 

The water shut off and Kirishima looked up to Bakugo’s exasperated expression. “Are you fucking kidding me?” 

“I didn’t answer anything! She just sort of kept rambling and then did this internal detective thing, and she figured the only thing that made sense was that it was this friends with benefits thing with you! She won’t tell anyone, but I… figured you’d wanna know.” Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you mad?” 

Bakugo huffed and dried his hands. “I really thought if anyone found out, it’d be Deku. As long as Raccoon Eyes doesn’t start gettin’ nosy it’s whatever. She’s got her thing with Scotch Tape so.” Kirishima nodded and turned away to sit on the couch. A few moments later, he felt a light punch on his arm. “Oi. Relax.” 

Kirishima tilted his head back to look up at Bakugo as he looked down at him from behind the couch. “I just feel bad,” he said.

Above him, Bakugo frowned, narrowing his eyebrows. He leaned down slowly, and Kirishima parted his lips in invitation. His tongue pushed into Kirishima’s mouth as his hands ran under his shirt and down his chest. 

“Thought you said the offer expired,” Kirishima whispered as Bakugo’s mouth moved to the side of his neck. 

“You want me to stop?” 

“No,” Kirishima breathed. 

Even so, Bakugo pulled away. Before he could protest, Bakugo walked around the couch and dropped to his knees between Kirishima’s legs. “You seem stressed, so I’m gonna get you to fucking relax before you drive yourself crazy overthinking.” 

“Hah. Okay,” Kirishima breathed out. His shirt was pushed up, and Bakugo set to leaving new marks on his torso before unbuckling Kirishima’s pants.

Chapter Text

Suddenly everything was tinted in a different, lust-red, confusing light. As Bakugo breaded the chicken on the counter, he felt Kirishima pass behind him, pressing a hand to his side gently as he reached for a cup in the cupboard. 

The brush of his fingers made him tense. Kirishima had always been touchy, especially with him. This wasn’t a new development. In fact, it was such a common occurrence that he would bet money that Kirishima hadn’t even realized he’d touched him at all.

But since their arrangement, he felt so much more aware of the smallest touch. He always expected it to turn into more, half hoped it would even if he was busy. Those touches he was so used to felt new now, and it was strange. 

 “I really want to go see that new movie coming out tomorrow,” Kirishima said. “You don’t have to do patrol this weekend, right?” 

“No,” Bakugo said tensely. They used to go to movies together all the time but now it sounded and felt like he was being asked out on a date. He focused his attention on the chicken slice he was coating in egg wash.

“So?” Kirishima asked, elongating the word. “D’you wanna go see it?” 

The deal was communication. If he wasn’t honest, their deal could go sour quickly, and Bakugo wasn’t ready to end it just yet. It still felt so new and fresh. He sighed and focused on preparing the chicken as he spoke. “Isn’t that a bit like a date?” 

There was a pause before Kirishima answered. “We always go to the movies together. It doesn’t have to be different.” 

“Yeah but… with everything else we’re doing, it feels different.” He felt Kirishima’s presence beside him and forced himself to maintain a neutral face. “Bunch of shit feels different.” 

“Like what?” 

Bakugo took a breath and shrugged. “Like… like cooking for you. Even though I always have since before we even moved in together. Or you putting your arm around my shoulders when we’re with friends even though you’ve done that since high school.” He growled and turned away from the food to rinse his hands so he could face Kirishima. “It’s fucking stupid, but it….” 

Kirishima bit his lip and nodded in understanding. “Well, I’m not doing any of that with other intentions, man. ‘S just what we always do. Do you want me to stop doing certain things? We could go to the movies with a group.” 

Bakugo shook his head stubbornly. “No. We shouldn’t have to change what our friendship was like. I guess I’m just in my head and wondering if it means more now.” He scratched his head and looked Kirishima in the eyes. Goddamn puppy dog eyes that they were. “I told you, Kiri, I don’t fully get what stops this from being like a relationship. We’re not strangers fucking around. We’re roommates, we’re friends.” 

“We’re not romantically interested,” Kirishima said. “That’s the difference.” It seemed so simple to Kirishima. The separation was so clear for him, but it was all muddled for Bakugo and it pissed him off. “Okay, well, I’m not really reading into you cooking for us. I’m a shit cook, so I’d starve otherwise.” Bakugo smirked at that, allowing himself to relax a bit. “And I promise you, there’s no romantic intentions at all. If I started feeling that I would tell you. We agreed to that right? So we don’t hurt each other.” 

“Yeah,” Bakugo said with a nod. “Then as long as neither of us mentions feeling romantic things, there’s nothing more to the things we always do.” 

“Right! As friends or in our bedrooms.” He held out his hand. “Deal?” 

Bakugo took his hand. “Deal. Now get out of the kitchen so I can finish cooking.” 

“Fine, but what about the movie?” Kirishima asked as he left the kitchen and went around to lean against the bar.

“Yeah, we can go see it, dumbass.” 

Kirishima let out a victorious laugh, and Bakugo rolled his eyes before continuing to make dinner. 

Once the chicken katsu was ready, they ate at the table while the television played, mostly serving as white noise. Kirishima had managed to scarf down the food faster than him and took it upon himself to talk until Bakugo finished his food. He kept going on about some show that Sero had binged and suggested, still talking even as he picked up the plates and set to cleaning the kitchen. 

Bakugo paid attention, but he was exhausted, and he was just waiting for Kirishima to finish the last bit of cleaning so he could go to bed. 

“-and just before the gun goes off the dog starts talking-” 

Bakugo jerked back from the counter in confusion. “Where the fuck did a dog come from?” he muttered. 

Kirishima laughed and shook his head as he wiped down the stove. “Just checking to see if you were listening. You look dead on your feet, man. Go to bed.” 

“‘Course I’m paying attention, idiot. Too many names at once for me to follow, but I get the gist. Murder, mystery, past versus present timeline, killer soundtrack.” He waved a hand dismissively. “So do they shoot her?” 

Kirishima laughed again and shrugged. “You’ll have to watch it, dude.” He reached up to shut off the stove light and turned to the sink to wash his hands. “Go to sleep. See, I’m done.” 

An unimpressed grunt fell from his lips, but the prospect of sinking into his bed and sprawling out was becoming more and more tempting. “‘Kay, g’night, Kiri. See you in the morning.” 

He shuffled over to his room and shut the door, barely shoving his jeans off before collapsing into his bed with a groan. He was asleep almost immediately. 

At some point, Bakugo woke up shivering. He hadn’t gotten under the covers and hadn’t bothered to get pajama pants. Though he typically ran warm, Kirishima was hyper-sensitive to heat especially at night. Because of it, the apartment was always freezing while they slept. Checking his phone, Bakugo realized he’d only been asleep for about four hours. 

With an agitated grumble, he got up and went to the bathroom then grabbed a pair of plaid-patterned bottoms before pulling his covers back and settling in with a sigh. Curiously, he checked his phone to catch up on whatever dumb conversation was going on in the group chat. It wasn’t surprising that Shinsou, Ashido, and Kaminari were all still awake and currently spamming the chat. 

He rolled his eyes and put his phone on the table by his bed and rolled over to fall back asleep.

The sound of feet padding outside his room drew his attention. He sat up in bed and saw a shadow moving back and forth across the doorway. There was clearly only one person it could be, but the pacing was new. He kept waiting for the knock and turn of the doorknob, that quiet whisper of his name to wake him. Instead, the pacing continued. 

Bakugo stood and opened the door to find Kirishima frozen as he stared back at him with tear-filled eyes and a wild mess of hair. 

“Which one was it?” Bakugo asked gently, and though a little annoyed and confused, he reached a hand out for him. 

“Kamino,” Kirishima croaked. He closed the space between them by colliding against Bakugo, wrapping his arms around him. “He ripped you right out of my hands. I watched him… and then you- I couldn’t do anything, Bakugo-” 

“Hey, I’m right here,” Bakuo said. “In one piece.” He pulled away from Kirishima only long enough to lead him by the arm to the bed. “Let’s do the routine.” 

Kirishima sat across from him, still shaking as tears fell down his face. He nodded and reached out to put one hand on Bakugo’s face and the other against his chest over his heart. He began to count the thumps softly. He got to 34 before he was able to get his breaths under control. 

“Look at me,” Bakugo said, letting his voice remain firm, but making sure Kirishima didn’t think he was angry. “I’m safe.” 

“You’re safe,” Kirishima repeated.

“I’m alive.”

“You’re alive….” 

“I took your hand and we got away.” 

Kirishima nodded, but his brows were still furrowed together. “You took my hand and we got away.” 

He pulled Kirishima’s hand from his cheek and clasped his own around it in the same way he’d taken it when he was sixteen. Bakugo squeezed Kirishima’s hand and breathed in and out slowly, knowing their breaths would eventually sync up. 

Whenever they had nightmares some variation of this would happen. They’d seek the other out and find a way to anchor themselves to reality in hopes of getting pulled out of that suffocating world their subconscious latched onto. There was never any hesitation in it. No matter the hour, they could reach out to each other. 

So why had Kirishima paced outside his bedroom door for so long? 

“I think I can go back to bed now,” Kirishima whispered. 

That only left Bakugo more confused. Typically, a nightmare meant staying with each other. Ever since they were at UA, they’d share a bed after a nightmare. Their beds were small, but they managed with one staying along the edge and the other against the wall. Eventually they got over something as stupid as keeping space between each other, and all that mattered was that they didn’t hit each other or throw the other off the bed in the middle of the night. But they stayed together because that kept the rest of the terrifying images away. Because if it happened again, proof of being okay was in arm’s reach. 

“What the fuck?” Bakugo asked flatly. 

Kirishima shrunk into himself, his long, loose hair draping along the sides of his face. “I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable,” he said softly. “Lately we’ve only been sharing a bed if we’ve been messing around-” 

“ You said there were no connotations in what we did whether as friends or fuck buddies,” Bakugo said, trying hard to keep his frustration out of his voice. He didn’t want to make Kirishima feel worse. “We always share a bed after a nightmare. That shouldn’t change just because we also share one if I suck you off.” 

A choked noise came from Kirishima as his face turned red. It was ridiculous that he got so flustered if Bakugo mentioned these things when Kirishima wasn’t expecting it. He stammered and fumbled and blushed like a scandalized old man, but if he was heated, he was all dirty words and sultry gazes. Fucking idiot. 

“I just….” 

Bakugo raised an eyebrow and waited. When Kirishima resorted to picking at his fingernails, Bakugo tried prodding him along. “What?” 

The words seemed to elude him, but before Bakugo could try thinking of something to ask, Kirishima surged forward, gently toppling them both against the bed. He wrapped one arm tightly around Bakugo’s waist while the other tucked itself between their bodies. With his ear pressed against Bakugo’s chest he whispered, “Is this alright?” 

It was surprising. They never really cuddled to sleep if it wasn’t after their little experimentations. But it wasn’t bad, because by now Bakugo was used to the cuddles. He tucked Kirishima’s head under his chin and rubbed his hand along his shoulder blades soothingly. “Swear to God, Kiri,” he muttered. “You ever hesitate outside my door again-”

“I won’t,” Kirishima promised. “Why were you awake?” 

“I was cold and had to use the restroom, then I started scrolling through my phone. Then I heard you.” He stilled his hand and tugged Kirishima closer. “Go back to sleep.”

There was no response, but Bakugo could hear his breaths shudder as Kirishima gripped the fabric of his shirt with the hand tucked between their chests. Slowly his breathing evened out and his grip slackened. Before long, Bakugo could hear the light snores and little puffed out exhales telling him that Kirishima had fallen asleep. 

The pattern of the snores eventually lulled him back to sleep too. 

When he woke up, he was on his back with Kirishima tucked against his side, one arm thrown over his torso as Bakugo’s wrapped around his shoulders lazily. He couldn’t get his arm out from under Kirishima without jostling him, so he stayed put and started scrolling through his phone. 

Eventually Kirishima stretched out his legs and shifted, pulling himself up in confusion before seeing Bakugo. “Morning,” he said in a raspy, sleep-addled voice. 

“Sleep okay?” Bakugo asked, finally getting his arm back. He stretched it out to get the blood flowing again before sitting up.

Kirishima nodded, ruffling his own hair with both hands before yawning. “Yeah. No more nightmares for now.” 

“Good.” 

Without prompting, Kirishima plopped back down on his back next to Bakugo, peeking at his phone screen. “What’re you doing?” 

“Nosy shit. Just looking through all the posts and trending stuff.” He left Instagram and pulled up a streaming service. “What’s that show you were talking about last night?” 

Kirishima typed in the name and clicked it as it pulled up. It might’ve been smarter to just go to the living room to watch it, but the apartment was still so cold and the covers were warm.

They watched a couple episodes on Bakugo’s phone before Kirishima’s stomach growled obnoxiously. 

“We gotta eat, get up.” 

“No, I’m comfortable,” Kirishima mumbled. 

Not bothering with mercy, Bakugo kicked his feet toward Kirishima, shoving his shoulder until he toppled over the edge with a yelp. An amusing thud had Bakugo holding back a snort. “Still comfortable?” he asked. 

“Why do you hate me?” Kirishima groaned. He sat up and disentangled himself from the sheet as Bakugo got up. 

With a half-hearted apology and an amused smile, Bakugo went to the kitchen and started making breakfast. They sat cross-legged on the couch and continued the show which absorbed Bakugo faster than he cared to admit. They quickly reached a point where Kirishima had left off, so every episode after that had Kirishima mumbling and making guesses out loud. Though Bakugo was pretty good at guessing storylines, he really wasn’t sure what to predict with the show. 

Somehow, they ended up sprawled on the couch, with Bakugo leaning on the arm of the couch and Kirishima using his hip as a pillow. It couldn’t have been comfortable, so Bakugo shifted, letting Kirishima settle more comfortably between his legs, head resting on his stomach as he watched the show. It was like having a weighted blanket on top of him. 

They only paused to get snacks or use the bathroom, so by the time the sun was going down in the afternoon, they’d managed to watch the entire first season. Before they could start the second, Kirishima’s phone rang. He reached for it where it rested and settled his head back in Bakugo’s lap as Bakugo resumed lazily threading his fingers through the red locks. He looked at his fingers, tinged pink. He hadn’t realized Kirishima had touched his hair up so recently. 

“Tonight?” Kirishima asked, blindly reaching for the bag of candy they’d brought to the living room. He looked over at Bakugo. “You up for heading to Shinsou and Kam’s? They’re doing a game night with a bunch of the crew.” 

“What are we, a fucking dance group?” he muttered. Kirishima just waited for a yes or no. “Sure, do we need to take anything?” 

Kirishima turned back to his phone and figured out a time and everything else with whoever had called him. When he hung up he pulled himself upright and counted off on his fingers. “Okay, so we can get there whenever but food will be ready at eight. Kami says we just gotta take whatever alcohol we wanna drink and any snacks or games we wanna play. You get mean with Monopoly and UNO, so I don’t think we should take them.” He stood up and pulled his hair into a low ponytail, ignoring the strands that were too short to stay. “We should get out of our PJs, dude.” 

“We can’t fit in one more episode?” Bakugo asked, drawing his gaze over to the TV where season two had decided to start with someone bleeding out as one of the main characters watched in horror with a suspicious amount of blood on them. 

Kirishima bit his lip, clearly just as curious. “Okay, one more then we head out. We’ll have to pick something up to eat or eat cold leftovers.” 

“Whatever,” Bakugo said, pressing play as Kirishima jumped back onto the couch beside him. 

--

They got to Kaminari and Shinsou’s place nearly two hours after they were supposed to be there. In part because of the show, but getting ready, getting drinks, and the drive to their homey little place across town had taken up the other hour. 

Kaminari hadn’t really seemed upset, and he immediately led them to what was left of the food and the large array of snacks that came from everyone else. Pinky and Scotch Tape were playing Jenga on the floor, and it collapsed when Ashido turned to see them and hit it with her knee. Deku and Half n’ Half were talking to Frog Face and Eyebags at the table littered with chip bags and cups. Jirou was in the kitchen grabbing a beer out of the fridge. 

Raccoon Eyes hopped over to them and threw an arm around Kirishima with an annoying, know-it-all grin. “Take a wrong turn? Flat tire?” she asked, keeping her voice low as she grabbed a cookie. 

“Funny,” Kirishima mumbled. “No, actually, we were watching that show Sero suggested and got caught up.” 

She huffed and tucked a neon pink curl behind her ear. “He’s on the second rewatch of that, it’s driving me nuts,” she muttered. Then she turned to Bakugo and flashed another wide smile. “I have a gift for you.” She dug in her pocket and pulled out a little tube that looked like the ones Kirishima had stashed in his bathroom. “Had to guess on the shade, but I chose between Sero’s and Kirishima’s,” she said. 

“You’re gettin’ cheeky, dumbass,” he muttered, clenching the tube tightly in his hand. She only laughed and turned away to jump onto Jirou’s back and ask for a sip of her beer. Wordlessly, Bakugo slipped the tube of concealer into his pocket. He elbowed Kirishima’s side to get that dumb smug look off his face as he moved to sit at one of the couches. 

They had apparently been the only ones the group had been waiting for. After their arrival, they crowded together at the table with their drinks and bags of chips and a game of Cards Against Humanity was started. To Pinky’s credit, she didn’t make any more snide remarks that would arouse any suspicion. 

In fact, they’d managed longer without some sort of gossip about bedroom secrets, but he was more than certain it was because Eyebags was there and it was usually Dunce Face who started those kinds of talks anyway. He just always seemed to be bouncing with adoration for Shinsou in the sweetest and the dirtiest light, and as his friends, they had to listen to every bit of it. 

Though it seemed he had spoken too soon. They’d finished Cards Against Humanity, and IcyHot suggested Monopoly. As they were setting up, Spark Plug turned to Kirishima with a glint in his eyes. 

“So I was thinking,” he started. 

“Denks,” Shinsou warned beside him. 

“What? It’s a good idea. Sero agrees!” 

“Oh no,” Jirou and Ashido groaned in response. 

“Okay, have some faith in me?” Kaminari said with a roll of his eyes. “So, I was thinking about what you said that last time we were at your place.” 

Kirishima’s brows furrowed. “What’d I say?” 

At that, Kaminari seemed to hesitate, glancing over at the girls nervously. “Y’know, when I was… when we were talking about… quirks and stuff.” He seemed to be trying not to embarass Kirishima, but it only made him sputter like an idiot, drawing confused looks from the girls. 

Bakugo had figured out exactly what part he meant, but it seemed to take Kirishima a bit of time to piece it together. He could tell the instant it clicked for him because his face turned the color of his hair. “Oh. You mean that I haven’t had sex.” 

Across the table, someone started coughing on a drink. Bakugo turned to see that Jirou was holding her nose and wiping her mouth. As Frog-Face patted her back, Ashido blinked her big black eyes at Kirishima in confusion, only very briefly glancing at Bakugo. 

“I’m sorry what?” Raccoon Eyes asked, tampering down a smile. 

“Hey, don’t make fun, he’s sensitive about it!” Kaminari said. 

“No I’m not-”

“I was trying to be discreet, but whatever Anyway. I wanted to offer my services as a wingman.” 

Bakugo let out a snort. “You’re gonna be his wingman? To get him laid?” 

“Yeah,” Kaminari said, crossing his arms. “Guess that should be you, but you’re clearly not doing anything about it.” Bakugo raised his eyebrows and sipped from his drink leisurely as Kaminari turned back to Kirishima. “Look, I was thinking, there’s that dating app specifically for heroes, but we could also have nights out at bars-”

“I’m really not looking to date, Kami,” Kirishima said with a wince. “And hey, I appreciate you looking out, but really-” 

“Hold on, I’m still catching up. How- What do quirks have to do with’s Kirishima’s sex life?” Tsu asked, her cheeks tinging pink as she spoke.

“Yes, Denki, please tell them what you were talking about,” Shinsou said flatly, lifting a cup to his mouth. 

Kaminari took a deep breath. “Excuse my tongue, ladies, but…. Okay we were talking about using our quirks in bed-” 

“Oh my God,” Ashido blurted. Bakugo only caught the hard pinch she gave Sero because he’d been waiting on it. 

Jirou had her head on the table, shoulders shaking as Tsu covered her face. IcyHot watched Deku who was red faced and drinking greedily from his cup. Bakugo laughed into his own soda. 

Suddenly Jirou’s head came up, flushed red from laughter as she looked at Kirishima. “And you haven’t- really?” 

Kirishima’s face reddened further and Bakugo found his hand slipping to squeeze his knee. Except instead of helping, that seemed to fluster him further. 

“Not that that’s a bad thing,” Ashido said over them, shooting them all looks. “I think… we’re just surprised. Because you’re… well, Kiri, you’re kind of hot and I would’ve expected you to get some action forever ago.” 

“Well there’s that,” Tsu said, forefinger against her chin as she mused. “I just figured Kirishima and Bakugo had been together at some point.”

That time, even Bakugo felt his cheeks heat up. Deku laughed obnoxiously, apparently satisfied that his original theory was shared with someone else. Ashido was wheezing as she leaned into Jirou, knowing too damn much for her own good. Even Shinsou and Todoroki had to stifle a laugh while Sero and Kaminari howled with laughter. 

“For fuck’s sake, you’re all fucking idiots,” he grunted. There was no way in hell Bakugo would tell any of them what was going on ever . They were all shit heads. 

The thing was, he had no grounds to refute it because they had eventually… done everything they’d done so far. Shaking the thought from his head, Bakugo pulled his phone out and typed out a text while the others started debating the usefulness of a hero dating app as a booty call service. 

Shut em up by showing them what’s under your shirt. 

He kept scrolling through his phone as Kirishima pulled his out to read the text. 

?????? you sure dude???? 

With a slight kick to Kirishima’s ankle under the table he typed back, They don’t gotta know who. Just so they can stop fucking with you.

Kirishima didn’t answer, but his foot pressed against Bakugo’s. 

“Fine, no dating app,” Sparky finally relented. 

“Frankly I don’t think he needs a wingman,” Half n’ Half said. “Kirishima’s got the charisma and the looks to get whoever he wanted whether as a date or a one night type of thing.” 

“Well, yeah, we all know that,” Sero said. “What he lacks is the confidence to go out and do it.” 

That seemed to be the final straw. Bakugo could sense it. It was like heat radiated from Kirishima. The tension in his limbs could’ve fooled Bakugo into thinking he’d activated his quirk. 

“Actually, I did perfectly fine on my own,” Kirishima said shortly. Everyone’s eyes went to him. “I don’t need a wingman because I already have someone, so thanks but no thanks.” 

“What? Who? No way. We just talked about this-”

“What three months ago, Kam? Shit happens,” Kirishima said. Sero and Kaminari shared a look clearly trying to call his bluff, and Bakugo simply took another long gulp of soda as Kirishima huffed and yanked off his shirt. 

The chaos from before had nothing on the shrieks that came from seeing the marks scattered across Kirishima’s bare torso and chest. Monopoly was forgotten as paper money drifted to the floor and reactions varied around the table. 

“Who- who the hell are you seeing?” Kaminari shrieked, reaching out as if to touch a deep purple hickey on Kirishima’s chest before Shinsou pulled his arm back with a snort. 

“How have we not noticed that before?” Tsu asked. “Your hero costume doesn’t exactly cover those up.” 

Kirishima shrugged. “Little concealer goes a long way.” At that, Sero’s head whipped over to Ashido. She smiled and drank the rest of whatever she had in her cup. 

“Do they have a vampire-like quirk of some kind or… are those pleasant?” Todoroki asked, tilting his head curiously, looking inquisitively at the bite marks and splotches of hickeys that littered Kirishima’s toned chest.  

Kirishima hesitated, scratching his neck. “Very pleasant, man. Not quirk related.” 

“You know who it is. You have to. You’re the roommate,” Kaminari said, focusing on Bakugo. 

He arched an eyebrow at Spark Plug and shrugged. “If I did know, I wouldn’t tell you until Kiri did. What’s that dumbass Bro Code you and Soy Sauce are always on about?” 

“Bro Code is telling your bros when you’re banging someone!” Kaminari said. 

“Missing a game night is like missing an entire season of a show,” Jirou muttered. She arched an eyebrow and leaned onto the table with crossed arms. “You having fun at least? With this fling or whatever?” 

Kirishima’s response was immediate. “Hell yeah.” 

Bakugo couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at his mouth, so he hid behind his soda can. He looked over at Jirou who only nodded and smiled back at Kirishima. 

As Bakugo’s gaze shifted, he noticed Deku staring at him a little too analytically for his comfort. His big, stupid, green eyes flitted to Kirishima for a moment before looking back at him and a bigger, stupider, annoying smile stretched across his face before he busied himself with the paper money he’d arranged in front of him. 

The motherfucker . 

Bakugo sighed and ignored him, knocking against the table to get everyone’s attention. “We playing or you gonna keep talking about SharkBoy’s sex life?” 

“You guys really wanna risk Monopoly with Bakugo?” Kirishima asked, turning to get his shirt from the floor. With his back turned, the table got a perfect view of light streaks of faded scratches, clearly in sets of four. That time, even Bakugo choked on his soda, feeling his face heat up. There were now two people who knew exactly where those came from and he needed Kirishima to cover up now. 

“ Kiri!” Ashido shrieked with glee. 

“Oh my god, not only are you suddenly not a virgin, but you’re that good off the bat?” Kaminari said with a proud smile that betrayed the playful pouting of his tone. 

“Bites, scratches, and hickeys,” Deku mused. “You got yourself a wild one, Kirishima.” 

Bakugo had half a mind to blow that smug look off his face. Thankfully, Kirishima had finally tugged his shirt back on and sat back down red-faced. 

“I should really come to more of these,” Tsu said with an amused grin as she tallied up her money. 

“That was so much information in a short amount of time, I’m too drunk for this,” Jirou said, pushing a hand through her hair. “Give me the Titanic thing.” 

Aside from a few nudges and random comments begging Kirishima to spill some sort of details about who he had been rolling in bed with from both Scotch Tape and Sparky, the rest of the group had focused their attention on the board game in front of them. 

Something about game nights always made Bakugo feel like he was a rowdy teen again. Maybe just the nostalgia as he fed off the others’ energy, or the choice of game, or the light buzz in the back of his brain, or maybe a mix of all of it. All he knew was that he was screaming at the top of his lungs anytime someone beat him to a property he wanted or whenever someone landed on one of his railroads. Kirishima kept accusing him of cheating as the banker, but it wasn’t until Bakugo slowly went bankrupt that he lost it and felt his palms sparking. 

“That’s our cue to end this,” Kirishima said with a laugh as he curled an arm around all of his stupid property and money like a greedy dragon. 

“This is a stupid fucking game,” Bakugo growled. 

“Really? It was the game for smart people just two turns ago,” IcyHot said with a smirk. 

“I will flip this fucking table.” 

“No more broken tables,” Kirishima said, putting his hands on the surface as if that would stop Bakugo from flipping it. 

For a split second, Bakugo thought he was alluding to something entirely different. Then he remembered the time they’d gathered around for an arm wrestling tournament and he and Deku had ended up destroying the table because of their quirks. They paid for the new one, but it wasn’t exactly the last table they’d ruined during a game night. 

Flustered due to where his mind initially went at the comment, Bakugo shoved the bank money towards Shinsou and stood to get a glass of water and something to chew angrily on. As he stuffed his face and checked his phone, he noticed someone else turn the corner to get in the kitchen. 

He met Deku’s smug face. He was silent for once, but that idiotic grin never fell. He moved around Bakugo with a sort of unconcerned air about him. But after he fixed himself another drink, he tilted it towards Bakugo and sighed contentedly. “Told you so.” 

Bakugo turned to him, face red and eyes narrowed. “If you say one fucking word-” 

Deku had the nerve to laugh. Of course, it’d been a long time since any of Bakugo’s threats held any real animosity or heat, but this threat sure as hell was not empty. Deku could come back from a blast to the face, he was sure of it. 

“Easy, Kacchan. Don’t forget how long I kept One For All a secret.” He frowned and listened for the laughter from the table. There was a wall separating the kitchen from the dining room, but Deku lowered his voice a bit more anyway. “Why’s it a secret? How long have you guys been together?” 

Bakugo felt his face heat up again. “We’re not. It’s not a couple thing. It’s none of your business.” Deku raised an eyebrow and took a slow sip from his cup, crossing one bulky arm across his chest. Bakugo growled and released a few small pops to relieve some of the embarrassment and nervousness and frustration he felt. “It’s a friends with benefits thing, dumbass. Just a safe way to figure out what we like.” 

“We?” Deku repeated. Before Bakugo could rephrase, Deku’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no way,” he said with unrestrained amusement. “You- Oh man, of course you were still a virgin too! There’s no way you’d let anyone do that unless there’s a lot of trust and a sense of equality, I mean that’s why I had assumed before that something was up ages ago, but I guess I figured the popularity of being a top hero might’ve changed that, but- ow!” 

“Shut the fuck up, Deku.” Deku rubbed his bicep where Bakugo had let off a small pop, a warning. He couldn’t exactly blast his face here with witnesses ready to ask what happened. Then he’d really be in deep shit. “This stays between us,” he hissed. 

Footsteps caught their attention and they looked to see Kirishima coming in with Kaminari trailing behind him. “Why does it matter?” Kirishima groaned as he went to grab a handful of snacks. 

“What do you mean why? Why wouldn’t it?” Spark Plug nearly shrieked. 

“What’s he on about now?” 

Before Kirishima could answer, Kaminari turned to Bakugo, looking frantic. “I just want to know what this person looks like. I don’t even need a name. Or, I don’t know where they met? How this started? Maybe some fucking tips to end up looking like that?” 

“Not that hard to respect my privacy, Kami.” 

“What privacy? We don’t do privacy since our third year when I had that really bad-” Kirishima shoved his hands to his ears and let out a loud no to drown him out. “C’mon, we were the OG trio, how can you just leave me out like this?” Spark Plug asked. 

“Okay, okay!” Kirishima said, clearly won over by Kaminari’s killer puppy dog look. Bakugo frowned, but stayed quiet. “She’s someone I know from a while back, and she’s short and has really nice brown hair and… and a huge chest.” Bakugo couldn’t help but share a confused look with Deku beside him. 

Suddenly, Kaminari’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god, is it Uraraka?” 

The outburst had Deku choking on his drink as he hunched over and coughed into the sink at the same time Kirishima yelled out a horrified “ No!” and Bakugo grimaced and cursed under his breath. 

While Dunce Face stammered out an apology, Deku pulled himself upright, red-faced as he busied himself searching for something to clean where he’d spit out his drink. Suddenly he let out a high-pitched sound and stood up stiffly, eyes closed. 

“Kaminari… do I want to know why there’s lube in your kitchen cabinet?” he asked slowly. 

Finally, Kaminari had the fucking decency to turn a bright scarlet color. “I-Well… See normally people don’t look through our cabinets, Midoriya.” As the three of them stared back at him, Kaminari cleared his throat. “Look, sometimes you just don’t make it to the bedroom okay?” 

Bakugo let out a low chuckle and lowered his gaze before he could do anything to give himself away. 

“You- you cleaned the counters before we got here and put food on them right?” Deku asked. 

Bakugo looked back up to see a small zap flit between Kaminari’s fingers. “Duh! We’re not animals, man!” He grabbed the bowl nearest to him and turned away. “See you at the table, and shut up.” 

“We will if you do!” Kirishima called back. Kaminari only responded with a thumbs up. As Kirishima’s attention returned to them, a cocky little grin spread on Deku’s face. “What?” Kirishima asked with a confused furrow between his eyebrows. 

“He knows,” Bakugo supplied before Deku could open his damn mouth. “Told you he’d figure it out.” 

Kirishima’s cheeks reddened. “What’d I do?” he asked guiltily. 

“Wasn’t you. It was Kacchan,” Deku said. “He just looked a little too smug with everyone’s reactions to the… evidence under your shirt.” 

“I will Howitzer you without fucking hesitation, Deku,” Bakugo growled. 

“Alright, I’m done, I’m done,” he said as he took the rest of his drink back to the table. 

Kirishima leaned against the counter, offering Bakugo a sheepish smile. “So the ‘secret’ thing’s really working out great, huh?” 

Bakugo shrugged. “The fuckers are smart.” 

Before Kirishima could answer, Sero peeked around the wall. “We’re starting a game of SmashBros, you guys in?” 

“Yeah! Who’s sitting out this round?” Kirishima asked, following Sero out to the living room. Bakugo trailed behind them before plopping onto the couch. 

He watched as Half n’ Half demolished nearly everyone in the game with ease, listened to Raccoon Eyes’ voice get increasingly higher as she lost lives, listened to Kirishima’s and Sparky’s laughter, and had Deku trying to sabotage him when it was his turn to play. Frog-Face was surprisingly good at the game and kept ending up pitted against IcyHot most rounds. Jirou wasn’t playing, but she was letting Kirishima use her as a pillow as she played with Kirishima’s hair. Eyebags seemed unfazed by Sparky’s jerky reactions as he played, content to drape over him as he watched too. 

It had never been easy for him to let someone in. He always felt like there was some ulterior motive behind people’s friendliness. With Deku, he assumed the nerd just looked down on him, found him weak just because he’d known Bakugo since they were small, since before he even had a quirk. With his friends in middle school, he knew they only hung around him because he was smart and strong. He was their safety net in the turmoil of middle school. No one messed with Bakugo, and if they were his friends, no one would mess with them. 

It was hard to break that thought process even in high school. It always felt like people saw him as less than he was. He was somehow too much but too little all at once. Too temperamental, not friendly enough. Too dangerous but still not strong enough to become number one. He could never find a balance, could never find that middle ground of just enough. 

For a long time, he still thought Deku had been lying to him, mocking him. He thought the people who hung out around him just kept him around for laughs. He thought those who stayed away found him insufferable. He thought Kirishima just had some sort of white knight or savior complex. 

None of that was true. Sure, a lot of people found him intimidating and unstable, but those were the people he rarely even gave a second glance to. His friends enjoyed his company. Somehow they’d figured out his nuances, and they’d somehow found them endearing enough to stick around for, regardless of how much he screamed at them over Monopoly. He’d been told that he inspired others, pushed them to work harder. The dumbasses cared about him. And Bakugo cared about them.  

His eyes returned to Kirishima during a match where he wasn’t playing. Most relieving was that they were still the same people, still the same friends. 

Kirishima had always been different. From the start, he’d never tiptoed around Bakugo. He just understood and met him where he was at. Even when it took Bakugo time to believe him to be genuine, Kirishima managed to make it easy to be around him. The friendship he’d built with Kirishima was special. It was something Bakugo cared about, something he refused to lose. 

Adding the sexual component to their dynamic had been a little terrifying, however enticing and tempting. As he felt how normal and mundane this moment of late night gaming was, relief swept through him. 

They went home a little after one in the morning. Bakugo woke up at some odd hour to the feeling of Kirishima sliding in beside him, sniffling lightly as he fisted his hand into his shirt. Kirishima’s nightmares always came in sets, like a series of dominoes collapsing, until it was finally over. Wordlessly, Bakugo tucked an arm around him and began to breathe in and out deeply until Kirishima’s breath matched his own. 

--

Without worrying about double meanings in their actions in or outside the bedroom, Bakugo was able to enjoy their encounters so much more. There was no nagging voice, no worry, no trepidation. Just that all encompassing, electrifying pleasure that burst from every pore of his body, made a million times better by the comfort he felt around Kirishima and the reassurance that there was nothing more to it to complicate things. 

“Bakugo?” Kirishima whispered, barely managing to snag Bakugo back from the precipice of sleep. 

“Mm?” Bakugo grunted. He just wanted to sleep. It was the whole point of doing these things in a bed now. He could fall asleep and shower in the morning. 

“What do I gotta do for you to let me touch you?” 

That made Bakugo’s eyes open, his mind suddenly alert. 

Kirishima hadn’t pressed since that first time he’d offered a blow job about a month before. Bakugo had gotten him off with his hand, with his mouth, once even just with whispers, hickeys, and a few gentle touches, eager to give, to offer, to become an expert in making Kirishima dissolve. Meanwhile, he always got himself off by riding Kirishima’s thigh or with his own hand while Kirishima kept his attention on his neck or on their vicious kisses.

That night, Kirishima had slid his hand down Bakugo’s arm, wrapping his fingers around his wrist as he moved his hand for him. It shouldn’t have spiked Bakugo’s body temperature the way it had, but it did. He sped up and slowed down as he pleased, keeping control of the pace despite Bakugo’s impatient grunts. Even so, he was careful and respectful, never looking down or trying to peek. 

It wasn’t like he didn’t want Kirishima’s hands on him. He was dying to know what his mouth would feel like around him, how he’d work his tongue. It was just… terrifying to think of someone seeing him that way. He was proud of his muscles. While his body had scars from fights and training, he’d never felt self-conscious about them. It was… everything people couldn’t typically see that made him nervous. How was he supposed to just expose that? 

“I don’t know,” he whispered honestly. Kirishima turned in his arms until they were face to face. “I look different from you.” 

“I don’t think anyone has identical penises, man.” 

Bakugo rolled his eyes and shoved him before turning to lay on his back. “Fuck off.” 

Kirishima pulled himself onto his elbows so he could look at Bakugo. “But really- take your time being ready. Just… if there’s anything you need me to do… I’ll do it.” 

“I’ll think about it,” Bakugo said. He pulled Kirishima against his chest and put a hand over his mouth. “Now shut the hell up and go to sleep.” 

Without another word, Kirishima wrapped his arms around Bakugo’s torso like he was some kind of body pillow and fell asleep. 

He woke up with a frown as he replayed his dream in his mind. He only had flashes left, but he entirely blamed Kirishima and his stupid fucking question before bed. Of course he’d woken up with a goddamn boner after a dream like that. It wasn’t the first time he’d dreamt of Kirishima in some way, but it had never been so explicit. Logically, he knew it was due to their conversation and their deal and the fact that Kirishima was splayed out on his stomach beside him. 

He just didn’t give a shit about logic at the moment. He was annoyed with himself, and he was annoyed with his dream, and if he didn’t do something about it now, he’d explode. 

Bakugo turned over to face Kirishima, poking his arm insistently. Kirishima grunted, but otherwise seemed dead to the world. 

“Kiri. Kiri.” 

“Huh?” He tilted his head, but his eyes remained closed. “Hm?” 

Frustrated, Bakugo growled and sat up, clambering over Kirishima’s body to get off the bed. “Whatever, I’ll just jack off in the bathroom, dumbass.” 

A hand wrapped around his arm, tugging him back until he collided against Kirishima’s front. He shifted behind Bakugo until his mouth was at his ear. “I’m awake,” Kirishima grumbled, sleep mixed with arousal and an unspoken apology. “I’ll help.” 

His mouth pressed to the curve of his neck. Occasionally, he’d graze his teeth, but he wouldn’t bite. Not the neck. 

“I have that stupid tube of makeup,” Bakugo reminded him. 

Kirishima hummed behind him, but the next open mouthed kiss lingered. Bakugo felt the light sting of Kirishima sucking the skin, nibbling lightly to make sure the mark stayed. His hands slipped under Bakugo’s sleeping shirt, trailing over his stomach lightly as Bakugo melted more and more into the touch. Kirishima’s hands trailed to his thighs, staying clear of his groin as he tugged Bakugo back. 

Clenching his jaw, Bakugo put a hand over Kirishima’s and slid it along the inside of his thigh, up to the waistband of his sleeping pants. He dipped their fingers underneath before he felt Kirishima tense. 

“Are you sure? This isn’t because I asked last night, is it?” 

“‘M tired of rutting on you like a teenager.” He let his head fall back on his shoulder. “Touch me.” 

A hot breath ghosted over his neck. “Come lay down,” Kirishima said, pulling his hand away. There was a smile in his voice, a sort of excitement that made Bakugo want to shove him off the bed. Instead, he laid down while Kirishima shifted away. He crowded over Bakugo the second his head hit the pillow, straddling him as he leaned in to nip at his neck. “I’ve been waiting for this,” he said a sharp smile. “Kinda got it in my head that it would go a certain way.” 

“Daydreaming about me now?” Bakugo huffed out as Kirishima pushed his shirt up until he could tug it off. 

“Well, you were so nervous about it,” Kirishima said, planting kisses over his chest between words. “I couldn’t help but think about what I wanted to do when you finally let me get a look at you. Finally let me touch you.” 

“Fucking- stop talking, dumbass,” Bakugo said with a growl, struggling between relaxing with the touches and tensing at the nervousness that began to pull at his gut again. 

A sharp nip at his hip bone brought him back to what Kirishima was doing, silencing the war in his head. Despite the permission, Kirishima left his boxers on as he tugged the rest of Bakugo’s sleepwear away. He settled himself between his legs and began to litter his stomach and thighs with kisses and small nips as his thumbs massaged into his hips. 

The attention to his body had him squirming restlessly. It seemed to amuse Kirishima who just huffed out a laugh against the inside of his thigh. “Turn around?” he requested. 

The nervousness was back as Bakugo lifted his head to look down at Kirishima’s delighted expression. “Why?” 

“Can you just trust me?” Kirishima said with a crooked smile. 

Bakugo let his head fall back on the pillow as he scowled at the ceiling. A gentle kiss pressed against his thigh and he shut his eyes in defeat as he rolled over and pulled himself up onto his elbows. “Now what?” 

Kirishima’s body heat hovered over him again as his chest pressed to Bakugo’s back. “Now relax,” Kirishima said with a playful smile before he bit Bakugo’s shoulder lightly. “If you don’t like something I do, just tell me to stop. Deal?” 

“No shit,” Bakugo muttered before easing into the mattress. He sighed when he felt Kirishima’s mouth trail along his back, his tongue occasionally licking a strip along his muscles. 

He could tell by the way Kirishima lingered in some spots that he was kissing battle scars. He wasn’t embarrassed about those; they were proof of his victories and strengths. Having Kirishima focus on them made it feel like he was praising him for his efforts, rewarding him, acknowledging the things he did and how hard he worked. More tension seeped from his body. 

“You have dimples,” Kirishima murmured, his thumbs pressing into two spots on his lower back. “I’m gonna pull these down now, alright?” 

Bakugo groaned and shot a look at Kirishima over his shoulder. “Just do it, don’t give me a play by play.” 

An apologetic kiss was pressed between his back dimples. “Okay, okay.” 

As he tugged the waistband of his boxers down, Bakugo hid his face into the comforter, refusing to let himself turn red. He heard a sigh, but before he could figure out what it even meant, he felt Kirishima’s mouth press to the round swell of his ass. Bakugo gasped and twitched at the sting. His face heated up unbearably, but he didn’t even care when one hand came up to palm the cheek that wasn’t having hickeys pressed into it. 

He jerked his hips down, moaning at the attention from Kirishima’s mouth and the tingle of pleasure that came from rubbing against the bed. 

Then the sharp pinpricks of Kirishima’s teeth dug into his skin and he let out a surprised, muffled yell. Kirishima only responded by opening his mouth and biting down again while his fingers dug into the muscle. 

“Fuck, fuck,” Bakugo panted, lifting his head to breathe properly. Kirishima shifted to give the same treatment on the other side, allowing the sting to settle into soreness. “God, Kiri- a-ah!” Bakugo pushed his hips against the bed and curled his fist into the covers. 

Suddenly, Kirishima’s hands were on his hips, rolling him back over as he pulled Bakugo’s boxers off fully. His gaze raked over him, but Bakugo was too pent up to remember he was nervous. He just wanted to be touched. He arched his back slightly, watching Kirishima’s breaths stutter as he slid his palms up Bakugo’s thighs. 

He moved down with a quick, jerky movement before freezing. “Can I keep going?” he asked, all playfulness gone. In its place was a sense of urgency, maybe even impatience. 

Bakugo nodded, and Kirishima’s hand wrapped around him immediately as he lowered himself to settle between his legs. His tongue lapped over the tip a few times, making Bakugo’s legs twitch as he gasped. Kirishima’s hand worked up and down his shaft a few more times before he opened his mouth.

A series of small pops flickered along Bakugo’s palm as he succumbed entirely to the warmth, the heat, the pressure, the fire spreading through him with more vigor than before. Why had he ever put this off in the first place? 

And Kirishima seemed to be having the time of his life moaning around him, drooling around him, making a fucking mess that felt like Elysium. He squeezed his thighs around Kirishima’s head, bucking his hips up against him. 

He looked between his legs to see Kirishima with a dazed expression, cheeks flushed a deep crimson, mouth glistening with spit as he wrapped around Bakugo’s cock. Before Bakugo could loosen the grip his thighs had gotten around him, Kirishima nuzzled into one, hooking his free arm around it to keep it in place. 

“ Fucking hell, Kiri,” Bakugo groaned, reaching down to thread his fingers through his hair. He followed every bob of his head with his hand, climbing higher and higher as the wet, sloppy sounds filled the room. 

He hit the back of Kirishima’s throat, but the gag didn’t seem to deter him from pushing himself just as deep the next time he sunk down. The convulsion at the back of his throat had Bakugo tightening his thighs and tugging at the hair tangled between his fingers.

Bakugo lifted one hand, finding purchase on the headboard above him to push himself closer to Kirishima. “C’mon, I’m so fucking close, shit.” 

Kirishima grunted around him, firmly hooking his other arm around Bakugo’s other leg as he pushed his tongue up against the weight in his mouth. Gasps were punched out of Bakugo as he got more desperate for the fire coursing through him to reconvene in the pit of stomach and explode. He breathed out some semblance of Kirishima’s name as his legs began to shake with the effort, the need, the anticipation. 

Kirishima’s lips tightened as he sucked in his cheeks, and Bakugo yanked his hair. “Get off, get off, get-” 

Kirishima let go of on of his legs to wrap his hand tightly around Bakugo wrist. He pulled off for a moment, keeping Bakugo right at the edge without his hand to finish the job. 

“I could’ve been doing this the whole time and now that I get to, you want me to get off?” he growled out in a low, husky voice. His morning voice had absolutely nothing on this rumble that had Bakugo’s breath catching in his throat. “Let me finish what I’m doing. I want to.” He rested his cheek against Bakugo’s thigh, blinking with his lidded, bright red eyes at him like he already knew the answer before he even breathed out, “Please….” 

Bakugo found himself nodding desperately before he even knew what he was doing. Kirishima grinned, but this one wasn’t playful so much as it was… wolfish. He bit down on his lip as Kirishima swallowed him down again, resuming his previous messy, frantic pace. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Kiri- Kirish- a-ah!” Bakugo bucked up weakly as his legs tensed around Kirishima before losing all their strength. He let his hand slide from the headboard and brought it back down to his side with a slight wince. 

Kirishima swallowed around him, but just like everything before, it was gloriously messy. He pulled off only to continue licking all around the shaft until Bakugo was clean. 

“‘M getting soft,” he grumbled, twitching as Kirishima’s tongue swiped along his length. “Easy.” 

Kirishima hummed and resorted to pressing kisses against Bakugo’s thighs again while he caught his breath. Finally, he pulled himself up to hover over Bakugo, eyes bright with pride as he beamed with his crooked smile. “You look so out of it.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“I offered this forever ago.” 

“Shut up.”

“What were you even nervous about, man?” 

Bakugo threw his arm over Kirishima, pulling him down to stifle him against his chest. “Would you shut the fuck up already?” He mumbled something against his chest before he wriggled out of the grasp. “Not another stupid comment,” Bakugo warned. 

As Kirishima opened his mouth, his gaze flickered to something above Bakugo’s head. “Dude, did you scorch my headboard?” 

Bakugo tilted his head back to look upside down at the headboard only to see a black burn where his hand must’ve been. “Guess so.” 

Kirishima laughed, pulling Bakugo’s attention back to him. “We’re gonna destroy this entire apartment,” he said, lowering himself to rest his chin on Bakugo’s chest. He reached up to tug on a strand of blond hair near Bakugo’s ear. “You going back to sleep, Blasty?” 

“Mm. Maybe,” Bakugo said, letting his eyes fall shut. He pulled his leg up to rub against Kirishima’s only to realize he was stark naked while Kirishima continued to lounge in baggy sleeping shorts and a muscle shirt. He felt his face heat up and nudged Kirishima aside. “Lemme get my clothes.” 

A little pout coated Kirishima’s features before he rolled over. As Bakugo pulled himself up to find where his clothes had been discarded he heard Kirishima curse under his breath. When he turned around, he saw Kirishima’s eyes glued to his lower half. 

“Is there any chance you might let me take a picture of that?” 

His voice had dropped to that entrancing, husky voice that sounded like it was pulled out of his chest. It made Bakugo want to say yes before it even clicked in his head that he was talking about his ass. 

“Hell no,” he answered, tugging on his clothes. Kirishima groaned and buried his head into his pillows. Once he was dressed, he snuggled back under the covers. “Did you… want to finish too?” 

A sheepish, toothy grin spread on Kirishima’s blushing face. “I kind of already did,” he said, lazily draping an arm around Bakugo. “Something about having my head trapped between thighs, I guess.” Bakugo laughed, slightly embarrassed. Thankfully, Kirishima didn’t catch the blush dusting over his cheeks because he was already curling into his chest. “I’ll shower in a sec, just wanted to stay here for a bit.” 

Bakugo grunted and scratched Kirishima’s head gently, shutting his eyes as he soaked up Kirishima’s warmth and let himself relax into the sleepy buzz that came after a fucking fantastic orgasm. When he woke up again, he was hugging a pillow and he could hear Kirishima’s shower running. 

He got up and went to the kitchen to get started and what was now lunch with how late they’d slept in. There was a gentle sting all over his ass, akin to the feeling of bruises which made Bakugo’s cheeks flare again. Kirishima came out with a gym bag over his shoulder. He had patrol this evening, which meant they wouldn’t get further on their show. 

He barely had time to sit and eat with Bakugo before he had to leave for his agency so he could get into his hero costume. Once he was gone, Bakugo went to take a shower of his own, only to blush at all the new marks Kirishima had left over his torso and along his thighs. Bakugo had told him to keep these things where he could hide them, but he sure as hell took advantage of the fact. 

It wasn’t until he was standing in front of his mirror, wiping away the fogginess with his forearm that he remembered the new marks Kirishima had left along his neck. They bloomed a deep purple, like bushels of flower petals scattered against his throat. He really hoped that unused tube that Raccoon Eyes had given him the week before would work. If not, then maybe all of the idiots on their group chat would easily put two and two together. 

As he pressed his finger to a hickey that rested in the dip of his collarbone, he thought of the other places Kirishima had left his marks. Slowly, Bakugo turned around, keeping his head turned toward the mirror as he lowered the towel wrapped at his waist. The pale flesh of his ass was littered in pink bite marks and indigo colored splotches. Bakugo felt the blood rush into his face starting from his ears. 

His gaze fell on his phone where his music blared from. All it took was the memory of Kirishima’s hungry gaze and that rumbling voice he fell into without realizing it before he was reaching for it. It was difficult, but eventually Bakugo managed a picture of himself perched up on the sink counter with his back turned to the mirror, water droplets still sliding down his back with his damp hair falling over his forehead. The phone hid his face, but what mattered was the prominence of all the purple, pink, and red shapes painted across his pale skin, somehow accentuated with the curves of his muscles. 

He sent it to Kirishima, knowing he wouldn’t get a chance to see it until his shift ended later that night. He wouldn’t be off patrol until around midnight. He typed out a text then set to drying himself off properly and getting dressed so he could get started on his laundry. 

Wake me up when you get home.

Chapter Text

True to their nature, the photos after a patrol became a game. 

That first night, Kirishima had gotten off patrol feeling exhausted. Midoriya had managed to embody the Symbol of Peace almost as well as All Might had, so crime rates weren't as high as they'd become after All Might's retirement, but they weren't exactly as low as they’d been before either. Villains got stronger with each generation, just like the heroes, and with all the junk they added to their system to give them boosts, even one small group of thieves could put up a fight that exhausted Kirishima. 

He had every intention of getting home in a cab and dropping into his bed as soon as he made it to his room. Instead, after his shower at the agency’s locker room, he unlocked his phone to find two texts from Bakugo. 

He nearly broke his phone with the way he clenched his hand around it at the sight of Bakugo’s bare back in a foggy mirror, covered in proof of everything Kirishima’s mouth had done to him earlier that day. The hickeys had gone from gentle fuschia to a deep violet, and the outlines of his teeth remained in soft pink indents, all prominent against Bakugo’s pale skin. 

Wake me up when you get home. 

Without another thought in his head except the prospect of Bakugo all marked up and waiting for him with a promise for more, Kirishima had yanked his clothes on without drying off and practically ran home, unable to wait for a cab. 

Back home, he barged into Bakugo’s room only to find it empty. The confusion lasted for all of five seconds before he went into his own room and found Bakugo sleeping soundly. The look of peaceful slumber on his expression managed to pull Kirishima back a bit, and he figured whatever they were going to do could wait until morning. 

Then he pulled back the covers and was greeted with the same sight from the photo. Bakugo had gone to sleep in his bed, naked. He woke Bakugo up with insistent kisses against his cheek and along the nape of his neck until his gruff voice muttered out a sleepy, “Surprise.” 

The next time Bakugo went to work, Kirishima sent him a photo of himself in the shower with soapy suds running over his muscles. When Kirishima had work again, Bakugo sent another of himself, hard cock in hand while he lounged on the couch. 

It went like that for a couple weeks, getting the other riled up enough that by the time they got home, the other was being pushed up against the nearest surface with wandering hands and an insistent mouth. 

“Hey, Bakugo?” Kirishima whispered, hoping to break through Bakugo’s usual post-orgasm drowsiness. 

He groaned, a mix of frustration and exhaustion mixed together, just to let Kirishima know he’d heard the questioning lilt in his voice. 

“What do you want it to be like? The first time you have sex?” 

“Kiri, what the fuck?” Bakugo grumbled into his shoulder. 

Kirishima turned in his arms to face Bakugo and found him furrowing his eyebrows, eyes lidded with sleep but focused on him. “We haven’t talked about it. About what we expect.”

“I don’t know what to expect,” Bakugo whispered. “What do you mean what do I want it to be like?” 

“I think… maybe we should just talk about the way we imagine it.” He shifted so he was level with him instead of looking up. “Hard and fast, slow and deep, gentle, rough…. Maybe the first time might be different but… what else do we want to play with? What else do we want to try?” He kept his eyes on the pillow as he spoke but let them shift to Bakugo when it was quiet for too long. “‘M not saying we gotta… go all the way soon. Just… that we should probably talk about it before we get there.” 

“Why’re you nervous?” Bakugo murmured, boring his gaze into him. 

Kirishima took a deep breath. “I dunno if you still wanna. And if you do… dunno if it’ll be good. If I’ll be good.” 

“Don’t expect you to be a sex god off the bat, Kiri,” Bakugo said, his voice a little clearer. “Don’t expect me to be either. We’re both new at this. We’re both figuring it out. I think… once that first time is out of the way, we can talk more about things we want to try.” Suddenly, he dug his knuckles into the side of Kirishima’s head. “Stop stressing, dumbass. We’ll get there.” 

With that, Bakugo pulled Kirishima in closer, planting a hard kiss against the corner of his mouth as he grumbled out a command for him to fall asleep before turning around, effectively becoming the small spoon. There was no arguing with that, so Kirishima simply wrapped his arm around Bakugo and rested his forehead on the nape of his neck before letting himself fall asleep. 

Since then, Kirishima took it upon himself to scour the internet any chance he got for information. Sure he knew the basics- lube, condoms, A goes in B. It was everything else. While he’d seen a few porn videos, he was positive things never worked like that in real life, and the videos usually started in the middle of the whole thing. They weren’t exactly tutorials. 

He read article after article about cleaning, prepping, bottoming, topping, fingering, and aftercare. He read threads full of first-time experiences. He made a list in his phone about recommended products. 

After stuffing his hair into a beanie then covering up with a hoodie and face mask, he took advantage of Bakugo’s evening shift to buy said products. Hopefully he was covered up enough that Red Riot wouldn’t be making any scandalous, gossipy headlines. 

Bakugo got back home around dusk, a few minutes after Kirishima had gotten out of the shower. The door shut harshly, pulling Kirishima’s attention from his phone. 

“Bad day?” he asked worriedly. 

While Bakugo’s eyes were narrowed, they lacked the stress and anger that came from a hard day of patrolling. He leaned over Kirishima, forcing him to press himself further into his seat. “Where the fuck is my picture, Kirishima?” 

“Your-? Oh!” Kirishima let out a laugh as Bakugo crossed his arms. “I got a bit distracted and forgot,” he said. 

One of Bakugo’s eyebrows arched up questioningly. “Distracted with what?” 

Kirishima cleared his throat and stood up, gesturing for Bakugo to follow him to his room. He grabbed the bag of things he’d bought and dumped it onto the bed. Tubes of lube, a packet of condoms, wipes, and even gloves for extra measure plopped onto the bed. 

When he looked back at Bakugo, he’d turned a bright red, the color far more saturated at his ears. “You haven’t… brought sex up since that one night a couple weeks ago,” he said slowly. 

Kirishima nodded. “Right. Because I was… researching.” 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes as he tore his gaze from the things on the bed to Kirishima. “If you’re calling porn research, dumbass-” 

“No!” Kirishima pulled up the notes on his phone and turned it to Bakugo. “See? Research.” 

Bakugo took the phone from him and scrolled through, skimming everything Kirishima had copied from various web pages. After a while, he looked back up, eyes squinted suspiciously. “You had to take a history test three times our second year because you wouldn’t study, but this you study meticulously?” 

The comment made Kirishima laugh nervously. “I just… wanna be sure that whenever we do this it’s good,” he said.

The squint in Bakugo’s eyes disappeared, melting into something softer. He sighed and lifted the phone. “You mind if I read through this, then?” 

Kirishima shook his head and watched him leave the room with his phone. He followed him out, waiting nervously as Bakugo read. He had the furrow between his brows that he would get when he studied, and though he didn’t have a pen or pencil to chew on, he kept his thumb between his teeth. There were very slight twitches in his face and an occasional blush that would give away his reactions. 

Finally, Bakugo handed the phone back over. “Okay. How long have you been building those notes up?” 

“Since we talked about it. Just in case.” 

Bakugo nodded. “I think you should top first.” 

“ What?” Kirishima blurted. “I- Are-? Why?” 

“What, did you want me to?” 

If he was honest, Kirishima assumed Bakugo would want to top first. He didn’t really mind either way, but he’d been fully prepared to be on the receiving end of it all. “I don’t mind, I just… you’re sure?”

With a frustrated huff, Bakugo sat up and went to Kirishima's room. "Oi! Get your ass in here, Kiri!" he called when Kirishima failed to follow him.

"W-wait, now?" Kirishima stood and swooped into his room to find Bakugo sorting through their supplies. 

"Well I'd say after dinner, but those notes you took said people can feel bloated if they fuck after eating, so yeah. Now." He peered up at him and reached out a hand. Kirishima took and let himself be pulled to the edge of the bed. “I meant if you wanted. I just assumed since you got all of this…. But we can wait.” 

Kirishima looked down at him, swallowing his nervousness. “‘Course I wanna, man. Just… don’t wanna fuck up.” 

With a squeeze of his hand, Bakugo stood up. “We’ll figure it out, Kiri. Gimme a few minutes.” He walked past him and went into the bathroom. 

Meanwhile, Kirishima turned to the bed, keeping the lube and a condom in one corner. He kept the wipes and gloves out, and tried to steady his heart rate. This was just like every other thing they’d experimented with. There would be a moment of awkwardness, and then they’d melt into it.

When Bakugo returned from the bathroom, he sat down on the bed and looked at Kirishima. “Everything good to go?” 

“I- Oh, a towel!” Kirishima remembered. He left the bed and found a towel in his closet that he could lay out on the bed. Bakugo watched him from the corner of the bed, one eyebrow arched in amusement. “I- Yeah. Guess all the preparations aren’t exactly… sexy foreplay.” 

A low laugh reverberated from Bakugo’s chest as he tugged Kirishima hard enough to make him topple onto the bed. Without wasting a second, he threw a leg over Kirishima’s middle and pressed his hands to each shoulder, easily pinning him down. “You read up on how to do this stuff and made sure we have everything we might need so it can be good.” He leaned down, just before their noses could touch. “It’s manly as hell, you idiot. Wouldn’t have expected any less from you.” 

Before he could think of what to reply, Bakugo closed the space between their mouths. His mouth moved slowly, easing Kirishima into the kiss until the nerves disappeared and all he could think of was the easy slide of Bakugo’s tongue and the graze of his teeth. 

“Better?” Bakugo murmured. Kirishima nodded as he opened his eyes. “Should we try that thing with the stacked pillows?” 

“Yeah, that should help make it easier,” Kirishima said. Bakugo nodded and clambered off of Kirishima to get rid of his pants. With a playful smile, Kirishima added, “You could at least give me a show.” 

Blazing red eyes flashed back at him as he unceremoniously removed his boxers. “You didn’t send me a picture today. You don’t get a show.” 

“But I had a good reason!” Kirishima said as Bakugo got back on the bed and began stacking pillows up. “I’ll make it up to you.” 

“I’ll believe it when I see it, dumbass.” He leaned onto the pillows and shifted until he was comfortable. “Now what?” 

Kirishima walked on his knees toward him and ran a hand up and down his back. “Now relax,” he said softly. He leaned in to press a kiss to Bakugo’s pale neck as his hand grazed his side. “You can’t be tense.” 

“No shit,” Bakugo muttered. Still, he took a breath and tried to ease further into the pillows. 

Nervously, Kirishima grabbed the lube bottle with one hand as his other slid down to Bakugo’s ass, tracing the fading hickeys. Bakugo hummed and took a deep breath. The sound of the lube being opened had both of their breaths hitching. 

This had to be more anxiety-inducing on Bakugo’s end, so Kirishima willed himself to get it together and man up. The bright red color of Bakugo’s ears were proof that he was just as nervous about everything, and it was up to Kirishima to help him through that. 

Slowly, he pushed Bakugo’s shirt up until Bakugo pulled it over his head. Kirishima placed his hand on his hip and rubbed his thumb in circles. He pressed a series of open mouthed kisses to his shoulder-blades and softer kisses against the pale streaks of battle scars. He kissed each of the three faded pink star-marks that formed a triangle in the middle of his back, infusing each scar with a sense of urgency. Each of them was proof of a time he could’ve lost his best friend. Still, the man splayed out for him was so headstrong and stubborn that even when death and danger had him in their clutches, he flipped them each off and only came back stronger. He survived. Each time. 

“Kirishima?” 

He realized his grip on Bakugo’s waist was hard enough to cause his fingers to dig into the skin and eased up. There was a knot in his throat that he forced down, knowing Bakugo would hate it. 

“You’re so strong,” Kirishima whispered. “It’s incredible. You always have been.” He squeezed his waist gently and lowered his hands to knead his ass, causing Bakugo to gasp and moan into a pillow. “So many people would kill to have you in bed, you know? It’s crazy to think it’s me who gets to.” 

“Why crazy?” Kirishima scoffed and busied his mouth with kissing his neck. “Oi, I want an answer.” 

“Sh. I gotta concentrate. Tell me what feels good or if something feels wrong, okay?” 

As Bakugo huffed in frustration, Kirishima put a generous amount of lube on his fingers. He gently rubbed the pad of his middle finger against Bakugo’s entrance, catching the way the skin across his shoulder-blades turned a soft pink. He let his other hand run soothingly over Bakugo’s lower back, running a finger lightly into the dip of his back dimple. 

“Breathe,” he reminded him as his finger slipped in. There was more resistance than Kirishima had imagined. He worked his finger to the first joint, stopping when he saw the tension in Bakugo’s shoulders. “Talk to me, man.” 

“Just-” Bakugo let out a growl. “Keep goin’. ‘S fine.” 

Kirishima let out a soft breath and slowly pushed his finger in further. It was so… tight. He had no idea how his dick was supposed to fit and feel good when his middle finger was already struggling to go in smoothly. “Bakugo, you gotta relax. This isn’t gonna work if you’re so tense.” 

“I know,” he said. But there was no change in his posture or relaxation in the muscle clenched around Kirishima’s finger. He pulled out, hoping that with more lube it would be a bit easier. “Fuck, that feels weird,” Bakugo muttered. “Are you- Your finger-?” 

Kirishima looked at his hand, glistening with lube. “It’s clean. You’re good, man.” 

“Kirishima.” 

The tension in his voice made Kirishima freeze before he could try grabbing the lube. “Yeah?” he said gently. 

It took a moment before Bakugo answered, but he eventually turned to face him with bright red cheeks and an angry furrow between his narrowed eyes. “Can we….” 

Kirishima grabbed the wipes to clean his hand as he scooted closer to Bakugo. “D’you wanna stop?” 

“I- Not stop, just…. Do something else.” 

“Did I hurt you-?” 

“No, dumbass,” he said with a roll of his eyes. But his expression softened when he met Kirishima’s eyes. “No. You were fine. I just… think I want to try getting used to that feeling alone first. So I’m not… in my head about it. Dunno, didn’t think it’d feel like that.” 

“Oh!” Kirishima smiled at him and nodded. “Of course, man. Sex can stay on the backburner for now.” He reached over and pulled the corners of his mouth up only to have Bakugo slap his hand away half-heartedly. “Why’re you mad? I don’t mind doing something else or stopping completely.” 

“‘Cause I’m the one who was pushing to do this right now, and now I’m backing out like a fucking dumbass,” Bakugo said with a scowl and a deep blush. 

“It’s not dumb, Bakugo,” Kirishima assured him. “It’s why we’re doing this right? It’s not always gonna work out the first time.” Kirishima offered him the packet of wipes. “D’you want me to clean you up or you wanna do it yourself?” 

Wordlessly, Bakugo took the packet and got off the bed to go to the bathroom again.

While he was gone, Kirishima fixed his pillows and laid on his back, waiting patiently. When Bakugo came back, still nude and the picture of a million people’s hero fantasy, he flashed him a wide grin that had Bakugo stopping in his tracks. 

“What?” 

“Wanna sit on my face?” 

---

He should’ve known something was up when Kaminari invited himself over for dinner in the middle of the week. 

Just off of patrol, he arrived at their place shortly after sunset with the excuse that Shinsou had a night patrol and he didn’t feel like being alone. Not too long after he’d situated himself and started watching television with Kirishima on the couch, Kaminari pointed out one of his newer hickeys 

“So that’s still going,” he noted. 

“Yeah,” Kirishima said cautiously. “Still not telling you who it is.” 

Kaminari threw all pretense out the window and let out a groan. “Dude, what gives? Is she ugly? Is she famous? I don’t get why you wouldn’t wanna talk about it, especially if this is all new for you. I mean, isn’t it exciting? How are you not bursting to talk about this with us?” Kaminari shifted, suddenly turning serious. “Does she not want to tell anyone about you? If she’s the one saying this isn’t serious and that you have to keep it secret, that’s not cool, Kirishima.” 

“What?” 

“I just mean- You should be with someone who’s not ashamed of you or trying to hide you. Someone who takes you seriously.” Kaminari smiled and punched his shoulder lightly. “I know you told Jirou you’re having fun, but… sometimes it’s not just physical.” 

“Kami-”

“Bakugo!” Kaminari called. Bakugo grunted a response from the kitchen. “How long until dinner’s ready?” 

“Fuck off, it’s ready when it’s ready,” he said. 

Kaminari rolled his eyes then hopped over the back of the couch to walk over to the bar. “Hey, without divulging any identities, you ever see this person Kirishima’s messing around with? Like do you know her since you’re the roommate?” 

“The hell you asking me for?” Bakugo asked. 

Kirishima sighed and walked over to join Kaminari and hopefully save Bakugo from the interrogation. “Kami, I appreciate the looking out, I do, but this thing isn’t serious. It’s not gonna turn into a relationship, it’s just fun and experimental.” 

Kaminari crossed his arms and regarded him carefully. “So this girl is just a go-to booty call? Kirishima, tell me you didn’t rush into this because we put you on the spot-” 

“Oi!” Bakugo snapped, turning around. “If he wants to tell us about it, he will. He’s a grown ass man, he can make his own choices,” he said, with evidently waning patience. 

But the sharp tone did nothing to deter Kaminari. Instead, he just pointed at Bakugo as if he’d supported his claim. “See! You don’t even tell Bakugo! Something’s off.” 

“Kaminari, just because I don’t talk about my sex life as openly as you doesn’t mean something wrong with the… thing I have going on with this girl,” Kirishima said. “Why are you so worked up about this anyway?” 

“He’s a nosy fuck, that’s why,” Bakugo muttered from the stove. 

Kaminari narrowed his eyes at him, but only turned back to look at Kirishima. “I’m not trying to pry into your life. I just think you should be with someone who’s excited about being with you. You’re Red freakin’ Riot, dude! Anyone would be jumping to brag about getting to bang you! So if someone isn’t, of course I’m suspicious.” 

Kirishima grinned and shook his head. “Yeah, well maybe this person’s way more accomplished. There are bigger, more famous names than Red Riot all over the world, Kam.” 

The sound of bowls being placed on the counter too harshly made them both flinch. “Dinner’s ready,” Bakugo said flatly. 

“So then this girl’s ashamed of you ?” Kaminari said. “Or- okay, fine. This is just a fun sex thing, sure. But I’m still surprised you’re not telling us anything about the experiences. Was your first time fun? Comfortable? Do you need advice on anything? It just seems weird that not even Bakugo knows much about this girl.” He served himself and pulled the bowl to his nose. “Man, Bakugo, this smells fantastic,” he said as he went to the table.

Kirishima served himself and gave Bakugo an apologetic wince before going to the table. He sat down beside Kaminari, hoping the food would distract him long enough. As Bakugo sat down though, Kaminari hashed through the food in his mouth and asked, “Now that I think about it, you never told us who you lost your virginity with, dude.” 

“Think hard before you ask me another dumbass question, Sparky.” 

Kaminari turned to Kirishima. “See with him, I get it,” he said. “I’ve got my money on Shindo from Shiketsu.” 

“I’m gonna kill you, Dunce Face-” Bakugo started as he stood from his chair. 

Kirishima nudged him back down, unable to restrain his laughter. “ Shindo? Why him?” Kirishima asked. 

Still stuffing his face, he shrugged. “I just got the sense that there was a lot of sexual tension. Like when you can’t stand someone so much you just gotta fuck ‘em.” 

“Do you ever think before you talk?” Bakugo muttered into his hands. 

“Plus, I mean vibration, come on.” Kaminari waited until he was done chewing and smiled blindingly. “So how far are you guys into that series Sero put in the group chat?” 

Kirishima gratefully followed Kaminari’s line of thought far from the questions about his sex life. Kaminari helped clean up after dinner, talking endlessly about his shift that day then about a concert he’d gone to with Jirou over the weekend, then about a new costume upgrade he’d asked Hatsume for. With Kirishima to bounce off of, they easily talked well into the night, even when Bakugo passed out on one of the couches. 

“Shoji showed me this one. Jirou’s gonna help me learn it, and I’m gonna serenade ‘Toshi with it.” He beamed happily, and Kirishima listened to the song intently. 

“That’s a sweet song,” Kirishima said. “Your anniversary’s coming up right?” 

“Yep. I really wanna learn it by then. Jirou’s a good teacher, so it should be a piece of cake.” Kaminari looked at his phone and his eyes widened. “Whoa, didn’t mean to stay so long, dude. Are you patrolling tomorrow?” 

“I’ve got afternoon shifts this week, so I can sleep in. Bakugo’s off, I think, but he’s going in mornings this week.” 

Kaminari nodded and stood up. “You think he’d mind if I took some of the leftovers for ‘Toshi? I wanna be sure he eats when he gets home.” 

“Yeah, man, feel free to take the leftovers. Bakugo doesn’t need to pack food for tomorrow anyway and I can pick something up on my way to the agency.” He followed Kaminari as he took the plastic container from the fridge and walked to the doorway to put on his shoes. “Be careful, it’s pretty late.” 

“I will be. I’ll text you when I’m home.” He sighed as he stood upright with his shoes on and hesitated. “And hey… I really don’t mean to be overwhelming or nosy, dude. I just worry about you, and I really want you to have some good experiences. Whether this is something genuine or a fling, I just… wanna know you’re being treated right. You’re my friend, Kirishima, and I’d hate for someone to walk over you or for you to feel like you had to rush just because I made a dumb comment-” 

“Hey, it’s cool, man.” Kirishima put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Look, I can’t go into specifics because I wanna respect her privacy, but… I promise I’m having fun. They’re good experiences, learning experiences. And it’s good. I don’t feel used or hurt or rushed. I’m good, dude.” 

Kaminari smiled and nodded. “I’ll take your word for it. And if you ever do wanna talk, you know I’m ready to hear all the details.” Kirishima laughed and nodded before engulfing him into a hug. “Alright, I’ll get outta your luscious red hair now. Thanks for having me over.” He opened the door and left the apartment, whistling the tune to the song he’d shown Kirishima. 

He couldn’t help the affection he felt for Kaminari. He’d always been a dependable friend, and it meant a lot that he seemed to worry so much, even if he didn’t know the best way to express it. 

He walked toward Bakugo and nudged him gently. “Bakugo?” Slowly, Bakugo opened his eyes and looked around. “Kam left. You should get to bed, man.” He turned away to turn off the TV. 

“Oi.” Kirishima turned his attention to Bakugo. He was hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked over at him. He jutted his chin toward the other couch. “I wanna talk to you about something.” 

The words had Kirishima’s stomach twisting into knots, but he sat down. “Everything okay?” 

“What’s with you and…” Bakugo sighed and leaned back to cross his arms. “Listen, dumbass. You and me, we’re equals. As heroes, as friends, and whenever we’re in the bedroom. Equals.” 

Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows. “Except we’re not. You’re literally the number two hero, man.” 

“Kiri, you’re number eight. And either way, the ranking are a fucking popularity contest-” 

“But you still wanna be number one.” 

“That’s not-” Bakugo growled and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Not the fucking point, Kiri. Those rankings don’t measure your values as a hero. They don’t measure how much you’ve grown or hard you’ve worked. You’re a protector, Kiri, defensive. It’s what made you such a big deal in your debut- you were protecting people without hesitating. These ranks, they….” Bakugo groaned and clenched his fists. “You’re a good hero. A top hero. That comment you made this past weekend about it being crazy that it’s you or the one today about me being more accomplished was fucking stupid.” 

Kirishima took a deep breath, finally realizing what sparked this conversation. “Oh. That… yeah, that wasn’t a….” 

“Listen to me. I said I didn’t wanna tell all the other shit heads about us because they’re nosy as hell, half of them already assumed we’d dated or fucked or something, and if we told them, they’d never get off our backs. I already have Deku smiling like a goddamn cat whenever we have shifts together.” Bakugo kicked his leg lightly, and Kirishima looked up to meet his eyes. “I didn’t say that because I was… ashamed or because I saw you as lesser.” Kirishima nodded, but he didn’t respond. Bakugo narrowed his eyes. “You don’t believe me.”

“I do!” 

“Do you?” He pulled his phone out. “I’ll tell the whole fucking groupchat about us right now if it means you’ll believe me.” 

Kirishima felt his face go red as Bakugo shoved the image of their group chat in his face. “You don’t have to do that,” he said with an exasperated smile. “I swear I believe you.” 

Bakugo grunted and put his phone back in his pocket. He stood up and crouched over Kirishima with a scowl. “I’m going to bed because I’m fucking exhausted.” He grabbed Kirishima’s chin and narrowed his eyes. “ Equals.” 

“Equals,” Kirishima agreed. 

Bakugo huffed and let him go, easing the sharp tone with gentle fingers sifting through Kirishima’s hair before he went to his room. Kirishima smiled to himself as he watched Bakugo shut the door behind him. He went to his own room to get ready for bed, and got a message from Kaminari while he brushed his teeth letting him know he’d gotten home. 

The next day during his patrol, Kirishima found himself infused with energy the entire time. He felt invincible, like he was going around the entire day in unbreakable mode. Kaminari’s words about what a big deal he was echoed in his head, and Bakugo’s words about his growth reminded him how and why he’d gotten as far as he had. The kid from middle school would’ve never thought he’d become a top hero, never would’ve imagined people coming up to him wearing variations of his merchandise for a picture or autograph. 

By the end of the night, Kirishima didn’t feel as tired as he usually did. He took a shower and changed into his civilian clothes and grabbed his things from his locker. There were a few notifications on his phone from the group chat, a bunch of tags from the people he must’ve taken pictures with, and a text from Bakugo. 

“Hey, dude, you were great today!” 

Kirishima looked up and smiled at his patrol partner for the day. “Thanks! Yeah, it wasn’t as busy today-” 

“You kidding? Smaller jobs, but we were plenty busy. I think you had enough energy for both of us though,” Pietro said. 

“Aha, yeah, that too,” Kirishima said with a wide grin. “Some stuff my friends said just… guess it pumped me up.” 

Pietro returned the smile and offered a fist bump. “Sounds like some good friends, Kirishima. Alright, see you tomorrow!” 

Kirishima waved and watched him leave before looking around to be sure no one else would sneak up on him. He opened the text message and tapped the image to let it load. 

“Holy shit,” Kirishima whispered under his breath. 

The photo showed Bakugo on his knees in bed with his back to the camera, one arm hooked onto the headboard and the other reaching behind him. His body was flushed pink, his face hidden like it always was in these pictures. Two fingers disappeared into his body, the skin glistening with lube. 

Think I figured this shit out. 

Kirishima bit into his lip and took a steadying breath. He knew Bakugo had another morning shift, so it was a given that he shouldn’t wake him up when he got home, but… how was he supposed to just go to sleep when he was full of energy and after a picture like that?

With a groan, Kirishima tucked his phone in his pocket and left the agency in search of a cab home. 

---

It’d been a joke, really. Ashido had begged him to go shopping on his day off, and since Bakugo was working, he really didn’t have anything better to do. They stopped at a store full of hero merchandise just out of curiosity and to laugh at the action figure renditions of themselves and their former classmates. Then Ashido nudged him and pointed to a doorway with a beaded curtain. Above the entrance it said NO MINORS. 

“Do I wanna know?” 

With a devilish smirk, Ashido nudged him over. As soon as they got through the beaded curtain sectioning the area off, Kirishima’s eyes went wide. In the dimly lit room, there was a wide array of sex toys and outfits all with hero themes. From Eraserhead’s binding scarf as a bondage toy to lingerie with a pink aesthetic and even a wig to imitate Pinky, to an All Might inspired dildo. 

“Nope, nope, nope, this feels so wrong,” Kirishima said, ready to bolt and go stare at action-figure-Sero’s goofy smile. 

“Oh, c’mon,” Ahido said. “Oh man, do you think people wear these?” She poked at the wig of bright pink curls complete with rubber horns. “I wonder what they have for you.” 

With a sense of morbid curiosity, Kirishima followed Ashido as she scoured the merchandise. He looked away any time he saw merchandise featuring his friends. 

“Oh. My. God,” Ashido whispered. “I- Huh.” 

Slowly, Kirishima looked up and saw an extremely large toy emblazoned with double R’s, advertising its sturdy and unbreakable quality. “That… doesn’t look safe,” he said, slowly taking in the rest of the section. Muzzles, chains, leather straps, even sets of sharp teeth. “Ashido, I suddenly want to change my costume design.” 

“Eraserhead has the most modest hero outfit and there’s still stuff inspired by him in here,” she pointed out. “Changing your costume won’t save you from this.” She looked along the wall and added, “The whole wall’s dedicated to the top ten. Which means….” She followed the wall further back, and Kirishima realized it went backwards in number. 

The higher the rank, the more merchandise. Todoroki had a whole selection of things that had Kirishima blushing up to his hairline. Then they reached the number two hero’s section. 

The wall was covered in green, orange, and black themed merchandise. Dildos, vibrators, plugs, harnesses, collars, whips, paddles, lingerie, corsets, everything. “This is…. Fucking hell....” 

“ Ki-ri!” Ashido said with a singsong voice. Kirishima turned to her, already suspicious. She held up a packet with a harness that imitated the straps on Bakugo’s costume. “You should try it on.” 

“What? No!” 

“It’s not more revealing than your costume! Besides I have a feeling Bakugo would be really into it.” 

Kirishima stared at the harness and the print of Bakugo in his hero costume on the plastic cover to show the resemblance. “I dunno,” he said. “He has the harnesses himself. If he ever wanted me to try that, he’d just shove his costume at me. Besides, what if someone sees me in here?” 

“Maybe he doesn’t know he wants to see it ‘till he does,” Ashido said. She held out the harness and waited until Kirishima gave in and took it from her. More morbid curiosity. 

He dipped into the changing rooms at the far back of the room. There was a list of rules taped up on the wall explaining what could and couldn’t be tried on or opened in changing rooms, and after making sure the harness was okay to open, he took off his shirt and pulled it out of the packaging. 

The harness had clips and latches in strange spots, a sort of one-fits-all deal that had Kirishima struggling to widen it properly. The orange straps crossed into an X over his chest with the name DYNAMIGHT printed in black. A green strap rested over his hips, and Kirishima pulled off his pants to clip the green leg straps around his thighs over his boxers. 

“This is ridiculous,” Kirishima called. He felt himself blush as he looked at himself in his best friend’s sex toy merchandise, with very evident hickeys and fading bites made by said best friend staring back at him. 

“Lemme see!” Ashido answered. Kirishima opened the changing room and Ashido turned a deep magenta color before letting out a playful shriek. “It looks so good on you!” 

“I’m taking it off now,” Kirishima said, shutting himself back into the changing room. Ashido’s laughter bounced off the walls. 

He took a minute to stare at himself in the mirror before pulling out his phone. Holding his phone with one hand and flexing his bicep playfully with the other, he took a picture of his reflection then another with the camera toward his chest, showing off the hickeys and the orange straps with Bakugo’s hero name. He sent them both to Bakugo and added a text that said, youll never guess what i found ahaha. 

He took the harness off and did his best to place it back into the plastic packaging. Once he was redressed, he left the changing room and grabbed Ashido’s arm to drag her out before she could find something else that would make it hard to look his friends in the eyes. 

“I’m never helping you shop again,” he muttered. 

“Sure, sure,” she said with an amused grin. “Let’s get some food.” 

After looking through a few more stores for normal things and normal clothes, Kirishima felt his phone buzz incessantly. He pulled it out to find a series of texts from Bakugo. 

Where are you? 

You still out with Raccoon Eyes??

When are you coming home? 

Fuck it I’ll get started. 

Kirishima frowned and messaged back, wdym? U okay? I already ate a couple hours ago so no worries about lunch! 

He didn’t get a response, so he continued giving Ashido thumbs up or thumbs down for different outfits she tried on. About twenty minutes later, his phone buzzed again. 

You dumbass. 

A media file was loading and when Kirishima clicked it, a video came up. He froze as he watched Bakugo struggling to keep his phone still as he sunk his fingers into himself. A light groan had Kirishima scrambling to lower the volume and hide the screen. Once he was sure no one was looking at him, he slowly looked at the phone again. Another media file, this time a picture. Bakugo had his face half buried into a red pillow- Kirishima’s pillow- eyes hooded as he glared at the camera. 

Don’t keep me waiting too long, dummy. 

“Ashido!” 

She poked her head out of the curtain she was behind, eyes wide as she looked at him. “What? What is it?” 

“I gotta go home. Like right now.” 

Her huge gold irises flickered from his face to his phone, brows furrowed before it seemed to click for her. She smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Wanna get that harness on the way out?” 

--

All of Ashido’s lighthearted teasing in the cab as he got back to the apartment didn’t even faze him. He practically jumped out of the cab with a feeble wave as he updated Bakugo on his location. 

“Have fun!” Ashido called out with a laugh before the cab pulled away. 

Kirishima didn’t have time for elevators. He bounded up the stairs, apologizing when he bumped into a man in a suit, and barely kicked his shoes off at his door before he was rushing to his room. 

“Really fucking hightailed it over here, huh?” Bakugo said breathlessly where he was splayed out on the bed. “Good. I was gettin’ tired.” 

“Fuck, fuck,” Kirishima breathed out, drinking in Bakugo’s blushing body, and the hand between his legs. “Let- let me wash my hands and I’ll- don’t move.” Bakugo laughed softly as Kirishima burst into his bathroom and washed his hands thoroughly. He shed his shirt and pants as he walked to the bad, impatient and eager to catch up. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” 

Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows and touched his bare chest. “Where’s the harness?” 

A smile spread on Kirishima’s face. “You did like it.” 

“You didn’t buy it?” 

“I didn’t know if you were into it!” Kirishima said, crowding over Bakugo with a smile. “If I’d known….” 

“Shut up,” Bakugo muttered, shoving a lube bottle in his hands. “I think I’m good, but… you wanna try?” 

Kirishima nodded and leaned in to kiss his neck. “Talk me through it?” 

Bakugo nodded and rolled over, pulling himself up to lean against the headboard as he spread his knees apart. “Don’t push in and out yet. Just go in slow and I’ll tell you how it feels.” 

After coating his fingers, Kirishima pressed his middle finger against Bakugo, rubbing the rim before sliding his finger in. There was significantly less resistance than the last time they’d tried, and he was able to push in steadily with ease. Instead of tensing up, Bakugo relaxed against him and shifted his hips gently. 

“Move around a little. You might find my prostate easier than I did with that ang- oh, fu-uck,” Bakugo rocked his hips down against Kirishima’s finger. “Lucky shot,” he growled. 

“Sure,” Kirishima said with a proud grin. “Can I try another?” Bakugo nodded, grunting when Kirishima slipped out of him. 

Two fingers was a tighter fit, but Bakugo seemed to have figured out a way to relax against the feeling enough to let Kirishima’s fingers push in entirely. “Crook your fingers a little. Not too much just- ah, yeah, you got it.” 

“You really figured out what you like, huh?” Kirishima whispered, running his free down his back. 

Bakugo looked over his shoulders with a challenging smirk. “With fingers, sure. Still not sure how I’m s’pposed to handle your fucking cock. You really take your quirk seriously, huh?” Kirishima crooked his fingers again, managing to distract Bakugo so he wouldn’t see the way his words caused a deep crimson color to creep up his neck. Bakugo reached back to stop Kirishima’s wrist as he nodded. “Okay. Okay, I’m good.” He turned back around, and leaned against Kirishima, sucking hickeys into his chest. “Are you up for this?” 

“You’re asking me that now?” Kirishima asked with a soft laugh. 

“Shut the hell up, okay, I just meant we could still stop and do something else. If you’re not ready for… this.” 

Kirishima pressed his hand to the nape of his neck, pulling him in closer until their lips collided into an easy kiss. “In case it wasn’t evident with the speed at which I nearly ran here- I’m really fucking ready,” he whispered. 

Bakugo scoffed as his mouth pulled into a smirk. “Dumbass. Lean against the headboard.” Kirishima switched places with Bakugo and pushed the pillows aside to do as he was told. Bakugo’s hands went to his boxers, snapping the waistband against Kirishima’s hips. “Off,” he said flatly. 

Arching an eyebrow, Kirishima shifted to shove his boxers off. Without further preamble, Bakugo put his hands against Kirishima’s hips and leaned down to swipe his tongue along the length of the half-chub. With a sigh, Kirishima let his hand fall to Bakugo’s hair, tangling into the roots. 

Like in all things he did, Bakugo had only improved since that first blowjob. He knew how to have Kirishima shaking within minutes, how to make it last until Kirishima was bursting at the seams. Which was why Kirishima was surprised with how slow and unassuming he was being now. This wasn’t a blowjob meant to get him to finish; it was teasing, a way to rile him up and nothing more. 

Sure enough, once Kirishima was fully hard, Bakugo pulled away, licking his lips as he smirked. He handed Kirishima a condom and watched him slide it on before asking, “Which position are we doing this in?” 

Kirishima pulled Bakugo in by the hips, tugging him into a straddling position. “This way should be easier. Gives you more control,” Kirishima whispered, rubbing circles into Bakugo’s hips. “Tell me if you wanna stop at any point, okay?” 

“I’m good,” Bakugo breathed out, resting his hands on Kirishima’s shoulders. “Lube?” 

Kirishima nodded and uncapped the lube, putting a generous amount on his fingers to slick himself up and squeezing some onto Bakugo’s fingers for him to spread along the cleft of his ass. 

Bakugo leaned back, holding himself up with one arm as he started to lower himself. Kirishima kept one hand on his hip and the other held his length to help ease it in. Just the tentative press of the tip had Kirishima holding his breath. Bakugo took a deep breath and pushed himself lower, face contorting as the head pushed in slowly. 

“Easy, easy,” Kirishima murmured, trying to hear something outside of the blood rushing in his ears as the pressure and tightness overwhelmed his senses. 

Little frustrated grunts fell from Bakugo’s mouth as he shifted to use Kirishima’s thigh as a support instead of the bed. “Fucking- ah….” His brows knitted together as the blush on his face deepened. He bit into his lower lip and screwed his eyes shut as he tried to push himself further only to let out a shaky gasp as the head pushed through. 

“Okay, hey, hold on,” Kirishima said, panting through the sensation. He hated that pained look on Bakugo’s face, hated that while he was fighting the pleasure, Bakugo was gritting through discomfort. “Take it slow, there’s no rush.” 

“Stop… fucking telling me what to do,” Bakugo growled. He took a breath and pushed lower only to wince and pull back up. “I’m fucking fine. Doesn’t hurt too bad.” Before Kirishima could say anything, Bakugo pulled up and lowered his hips again too quickly, causing him to let out a short cry stifled by his gritted teeth. 

The shock had Bakugo clenching, which made Kirishima grab his hips to stop him. He let his head fall back against the headboard, letting the shock of that small burst of heat fade before he met Bakugo’s eyes again. 

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Kirishima said softly. 

“I want you to fucking enjoy this-” 

Kirishima wiped his hand on the towel beside him before reaching out to cup Bakugo’s face, pulling him forward gently with a light pressure at the nape of his neck. “Hey. Easy. Just take it slow, Bakugo. You gotta get used to it. I want you to enjoy this too. This- you feel incredible.” He pressed a kiss to Bakugo’s forehead. “Slow, okay?” 

Bakugo nodded, leaning into Kirishima’s hand as he slowly repositioned himself for a better angle to hold himself up. He shut his eyes and pushed down lower, narrowed eyebrows twitching slightly at the feeling. He stayed for a moment, breathing through it before pushing down more, this time able to take more before he had to stop. 

Seemingly able to keep himself up with his legs alone now, he placed his hands on Kirishima’s shoulders again and opened his eyes as he clenched, causing Kirishima to curse and tighten his grip on his hip. 

“Are you okay?” Kirishima asked through the haze. 

Bakugo nodded and let out a soft moan as he lowered himself further. “Fuck. I get it now.” He raised his hips a bit before dropping down slowly, fingers digging into Kirishima’s shoulders. He let his head drop back, exposing all the hickeys Kirishima had left along his throat as he slowly pushed himself lower, needing less time to get accustomed. “Oh, fuck,” he breathed out. 

Kirishima let his eyes roam his body. He took in every fading and new bite mark, each battle scar, every swell of muscle, looking lower and lower until he saw his half-hard cock and managed to watch as Bakugo took the rest of his length before sagging forward. 

Heat crept up along his back, up his neck, and flooded into his face. He wrapped his arms around Bakugo, supporting his weight as they caught their breath. Kirishima didn’t think anything could feel as good as this. Not a blowjob or a handjob or even the space between his thighs. This all-encompassing pressure interspersed with an occasional spasm Bakugo couldn’t seem to control was warm and smooth and so fucking tight.

“I don’t know how long I can make this last, Bakugo,” Kirishima whispered into his collarbone.

One of Bakugo’s hands slid into his hair as he let out a husky little laugh. “That’s fine, dumbass.” He tugged at the roots of his hair to tilt Kirishima’s face up to him. “Katsuki.” Kirishima’s eyes widened. “We’ve been friends for nine years. And considering what we’re doing....” He rolled his hips lightly, breaking the amusement in his face with fluttering eyes and a shaky moan. It took everything for Kirishima to stay still as he breathed heavily through the feeling of Bakugo rocking his hips in a slow, shallow way. “I think using my given name is fine.” 

"Yeah, that makes sense." Kirishima grunted as Bakugo raised himself up again. He watched himself disappear inside of Bakugo slowly, but he caught the subtle wince on Bakugo's expression. "Don't do that if it hurts…." 

"It doesn't hurt . It's just… I can't go faster." 

"Okay, okay, we don't have to go fast. Seriously, this…. Fuck, B- Katsuki, it all feels so good ." 

Bakugo nodded and let himself go slow, letting out heavy breaths and whispered curses between grunts. Kirishima ran his hands along Bakugo's sides. 

"You gonna make me do all the work?" Bakugo grumbled as he took a moment to rest. 

"I don't wanna hurt you. I want you to take this at a place that works for you-" 

Bakugo cut him off with an insistent kiss, shoving his tongue into Kirishima's mouth and threading his fingers through his hair. "Kirishima-" 

"Eijirou." 

Bakugo hummed into his mouth. "Eijirou. I can fucking take it. I'll tell you if it hurts." The doubt must have been clear on Kirishima's face because Bakugo added a soft, "I promise." 

With that soft breath, Kirishima found himself nodding and pushing his hips up against Bakugo, slowly, shallowly until Bakugo was panting into his mouth.

"I can handle more," Bakugo whispered. Without waiting, Bakugo lifted his hips and let them fall to meet Kirishima's upward thrusts. " Ah, fuck!" 

"Shit, are you okay?" Kirishima asked, immediately freezing. 

Bakugo nodded quickly. "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's good. Really good, fuck. Keep going." 

"Okay, I'm- I'm adding more lube just in case, alright?" 

Bakugo nodded and winced as Kirishima pulled out of him. He grunted and rolled over onto his back in the time it took Kirishima to grab the lube again. 

"That… uh, that position might not be as-" 

"I'm tired, Eiji. Had patrol all morning and my thighs have had their share of a workout. Just come on." 

Kirishima felt a smile tug at his face before he settled between Bakugo's legs. "Alright, just keep talking to me," he said, pressing his fingers into him. 

Bakugo groaned softly before relaxing into the touch. "I'm good," he breathed out. 

He pressed into Bakugo again slowly, watching his eyes shut as he arched off the bed with a curse. Kirishima grit his teeth and grabbed onto the headboard, willing the fire in the pit of stomach to hold off. 

"Legs up, Katsuki," he muttered, watching a deep flush flood Bakugo's cheeks. 

He bit his lip and slowly raised his legs until he could hook his knees over Kirishima's shoulders. "F-fucking hell," Bakugo moaned. 

"I'll go slow," Kirishima promised, sliding out almost fully before carefully sinking back in. Bracing himself with one hand on the mattress beside Bakugo and the other on the headboard, Kirishima rolled his hips languidly, breathing through clenched teeth as the hot, coiled feeling tightened in his core. 

Suddenly, Bakugo jutted his hips up, letting out a sharp gasp as his hands reached up to grasp his shoulders. He looked up at Kirishima with dazed, glossy eyes, eyebrows furrowed together, the apples of cheeks a deep crimson. His hair fell across his forehead and haloed around the pillow, pale and soft. “Right there. Go- go faster, just… fuck, just don’t pull out as much.” 

Kirishima nodded and did as he was told. He let his hips thrust forward a little faster without pulling out fully, rolling in deeper when his thighs hit the soft flesh of Bakugo’s ass. 

“Fuck, Eiji, a- ah, God,” Bakugo panted, digging his nails into his shoulders. “You found it, you fucking- h-ah-” 

He felt the walls surrounding him tighten abruptly, and he let out a growl in the form of Bakugo’s given name, barely registering the snap in the headboard before he let himself fall over Bakugo, shielding him from the fragments of wood falling. He took a second to catch his breath before pulling himself up and watching the hardening disappear from his arm. 

Bakugo looked up and let out a breathless laugh. “Ei, did you just fucking break your headboard?” 

“Is it even a surprise anymore?” Kirishima answered, smiling down at him as he plucked away the stray pieces of headboard around the pillow. “You okay?” 

Bakugo nodded and reached up to remove a piece of wood from Kirishima’s hair and flick it aside. “Stay like this,” Bakugo whispered, wrapping his arms around Kirishima, his palms running up along his back. “Shit, but my leg’s about to cramp, let me-” Kirishima helped him lower one leg, biting back a laugh as Bakugo stretched it out. He arched his eyebrow, and suddenly a small sting popped against Kirishima’s back just under Bakugo’s palm, making him gasp. “What’s that crooked smile for, dumbass?” Bakugo asked with a smirk of his own. 

Without responding, Kirishima simply pulled out and pushed back in slowly, watching Bakugo’s mouth drop open. “How’s this angle?” 

Wordlessly, Bakugo nodded, panting through the movements as Kirishima slowly sped up, keeping the thrusts shallow. Sporadically, Bakugo would tighten around him as if he were trying to keep him from pulling out, managing to stoke the heat coiled in his Kirishima’s belly into a wildfire. 

Knowing he would be close to the edge soon, Kirishima shifted his weight onto one elbow, using his free hand to grab Bakugo’s chin for his attention. When his eyes fluttered open, Kirishima murmured lowly, “Touch yourself, Katsuki.” 

Dazed, Bakugo let one hand fall from Kirishima’s back and let it fall between their bodies, tugging himself to a full erection quickly. “F-Fuck. Fuck, Eiji-” 

Kirishima let the hand at his chin slide to cup the side of his face, gently brushing his thumb along his cheek. “Yeah? Feel good, Kats?” 

Bakugo nodded vigorously, scraping his fingers down Kirishima’s back. As Kirishima dipped down to kiss along his throat, he felt the absence of the hand at his back and heard a light crackling, the smell of burnt sugar suddenly flooding his senses. He would’ve teased Bakugo about losing control of his quirk if he hadn’t split his own headboard in half less than five minutes earlier. 

“Hurts so good,” Bakugo panted. A growl reverberated under Kirishima’s lips as Bakugo’s thighs tensed and shook lightly against him. 

Bakugo’s release hit Kirishima’s stomach, and he kept rocking into Bakugo through it, breath trembling as he felt the spasms around him. “Can I- can I keep going?” Kirishima whispered when he felt Bakugo go limp beneath him. 

Bakugo nodded slowly. “Hurry,” he whispered.

He agreed with a gentle bite against his shoulder before bearing his own weight on both elbows, forearms caging Bakugo’s head as he panted into his neck. A soft grunt and a small twitch in Bakugo’s leg told Kirishima he was close to pushing him too far. Just before slipping out of him to finish himself off, Bakugo nuzzled his head closer to Kirishima and bit down on his shoulder with a low, rumbling moan. 

Kirishima felt the pressure finally burst, continuing with arrhythmic, lazy thrusts until he slumped against Bakugo, breathing unevenly. 

He could feel Bakugo’s heart thumping in his chest against his own skin. The sweat on his back began to cool, leaving him cold. They had to clean up. Kirishima needed to take off the condom. But he didn’t want to do anything except lay there, catching his breath, feeling an electric buzz flowing through his entire body that was managing to lull him to sleep. 

“Holy fuck,” Bakugo breathed out, sounding more awake than he usually did after getting off. 

“Gotta help clean you up,” Kirishima grumbled. 

Bakugo’s arms wrapped around him. “Yeah, just… in a minute. Stay still.” 

Worriedly, Kirishima lifted his head. “Are you-” 

“Don’t look at me!” Bakugo pushed a hand to his face, and Kirishima rolled over onto his back, freezing as he looked up at the ceiling. “I- Just let my head catch up.” 

“Right. Yeah.” As the buzz of the afterglow faded, Kirishima suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment. Or rather, disbelief. Shock. He’d had this deal with Bakugo for the last few months, so it wasn’t really new, but…. 

“We just had sex,” Bakugo said flatly. “Like. Sex- sex.” 

“Yep,” Kirishima said. 

“You and me. With each other. Officially. For the first time.” 

“Yeah, I was here for it, man.” 

He felt a hard punch against his shoulder. “Don’t call me that right now, dumbass.” 

Kirishima let out a short laugh. He took a minute to remove the condom with a grimace before tossing it in the bin beside his bed. He laid back and scratched his head nervously. “Can I look at you yet?” Bakugo didn’t answer, but he turned on his side to face Kirishima. Kirishima did the same. After scanning Bakugo’s face for a moment, he asked, “Was that… good, at least? For you?” 

Bakugo frowned. “You- fuckin’ seriously? I thought you said you were there.” 

“I just want to be sure!” He buried his face into the pillow and groaned. 

After a moment of quiet, Kirishima pulled away from the pillow to find Bakugo staring at him in exasperation. Bakugo nodded and shifted to scoot in closer to Kirishima. “Can’t imagine a better person to have had a first time with, Ei,” he said. “It was… it was amazing.” 

Kirishima let out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t imagine having a first time with anyone else either. He pulled Bakugo in and rubbed his back soothingly. “You feeling okay? Aside from… well sticky and sweaty?” 

Bakugo grumbled and nodded. “I’m sore, but not a bad sore…. Like I’ll just feel it for a while, but it’s not painful.” Kirishima frowned, unsure of what he meant. “Few more minutes and we can clean up.” 

“Okay. I’m… also really hungry.” 

“God, me too,” Bakugo said with a breathy laugh. “We’re getting takeout, I’m too tired to cook.” They stayed that way for a few more minutes before Bakugo stretched and slowly pulled himself up out of bed. “I’m gonna take a quick shower. Meet you in the living room when we’re ready to go?” 

Kirishima nodded and watched him grab his clothes which were scattered along the bed before he left the room. He sat up and tossed the towel in his basket of dirty laundry then used a wipe to clean off his stomach and part of his thighs. After spending a few minutes in the bathroom cleaning up and refreshing himself, he got changed and managed to remove the headboard from its place. He shook out his covers and gathered the broken bits. 

There was one slightly chipped piece about the size of his forearm, and he noticed the black scorch mark Bakugo had left on it a while back. It didn’t feel right to throw that piece away. Instead, he put it in the corner of his closet then gathered the rest of the headboard pieces and left the apartment to throw it out in the dumpster. 

Chapter Text

The attack on the Hero Resource Administration began during the last hour of his shift. One of the villains had taken down their communications and alarm system, so they’d only been alerted because of the fire seen by passersby. By the time Bakugo had gotten there, the damage had been substantial. Pink-Cheeks had gotten there faster because her patrol route was closer, and she only managed to explain that these villains were new, so they had no information on their quirks aside from the one who’d started the fire. Despite Uraraka’s reassurance that everyone else had been evacuated, Bakugo had gone right into the burning building in search of the attackers.

A few sparks crackled in his palm as he put the frustration into the release of his power as he made his way to the agency locker room. Most of what happened inside was a blur. He’d tried to make a plan, tried to prepare an attack, but the fire-quirk one, a girl with blue hair, had pointed out how easily that could backfire and he’d… just listened . He should’ve risked it anyway. A decent blast and he could have knocked the girl back, let the building collapse, and used the momentum to propel himself to safety. But he hadn’t thought fast enough. The whole situation felt muddled.

He turned on one of the showers and let the steaming water soothe the tension in his shoulders. With villains getting out of his grasp so often, there was no way he would be able to get his spot as number one back.

Once he was dressed, he turned his phone back on and waited as it loaded all of his notifications.

There was an image from Kirishima, followed by a video. He clicked the photo first.

Surprise!

He swallowed thickly as he stared at Kirishima in that goddamn harness with Bakugo’s hero name on it, the comforter twisted beneath him as he beamed at the camera with that crooked smile. He swiped to load the video and felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched Kirishima pushing something inside of himself.

“I’m thinking- h-ah, aha- you can replace this when you get home,” Kirishima said before leaning over on all fours, showing off his handiwork. The base of whatever he’d pushed in had the image of a cartoon explosion and the letter D in the center of it. He pulled himself back up and looked over his shoulder. “You like it?” Then he had the audacity to laugh as he reached for his phone to end the video.

Bakugo could feel how red his face was. There was no way Kirishima had gotten Dynamight-themed butt plugs. There was no way those existed. But as Bakugo replayed the short video, his doubt dissipated, leaving only the anticipation of getting home and pouncing onto Kirishima the second he saw him.

Except as he exited the video, he saw a couple more texts from Kirishima.

Kami and Sero came over don’t do anything horny when you get home !!!! Ill let you know if they leave before you get here.

Are you okay????? We saw the news

With a groan, Bakugo texted back that he was perfectly fine and on his way. He really didn’t want to relive the disappointment of the day. On the way to his apartment, the cab’s radio played a shortened news report about the attack, promising more information later that night on TV. Bakugo growled and focused on fixing his scarf over his neck.

The second he stepped into the apartment, all three of his dumbass friends were rushing toward him.

“Dude what happened with the Resources building?” Sero asked.

“Are you okay?” Kirishima added.

“Fuckin’ fine,” he answered. “Some newbie group decided to send a message by burning down the HRA.”

“Yeah but that fire-”

“Okay, can I at least use the restroom and make it to my couch before you idiots start bombarding me?” Bakugo walked past them and went to his bathroom, unwinding his scarf.

He made sure to cover up any lingering fading marks on his neck before going back to the living room and sitting between Kaminari and Sero on one couch while Kirishima lounged on the other, watching the television with worried eyes.

“Nobody died, right?” Spark Plug asked. “No one was in the building when it collapsed?”

“No. Everyone had gotten out by the time I got there. Apparently the group wasn’t trying to kill anyone. The one who started the fire was telling one of her friends that they’d agreed on no fatalities. She said it was their ‘big debut,’ which is why we didn’t know shit about their quirks. I only caught one name. Mute. She’s the third one I saw with some sort of teleportation quirk. She helped them get away.” Bakugo ran his hand through his hair, not wanting to divulge how stupid and slow he felt inside that building, suddenly unable to think, unable to figure out a way to capture them.

“Wait. You knew no one was left in the building?” Kirishima asked.

“Well, no one but the villains.” He glanced over in time to catch a slight jump in Kirishima’s jaw. He didn’t say anything else; he just turned his attention to the television, watching a recap of the situation. Pink Cheeks was on TV, explaining that right now they knew very little about the villains who attacked and why that required extra precautions.

“This feels bigger than most of the other low-level villains. If this is a group and it was planned…. Maybe they’re taking after the League,” Scotch Tape said, frowning as he cracked his knuckles. “You said she called it a debut?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Bakugo spat. “They won’t get away from me again.”

“I gotta say, I do love seeing you and Uravity work together,” Dunce Face said. “She pinned down one of them on TV and we just about lost our minds!”

While he went on about Uraraka with Sero, Bakugo looked over at Kirishima to find that while he was looking toward the TV, he wasn’t really watching it. He seemed to be looking through it with how distant his gaze seemed.

“You up for that, man?”

“Hah?”

“Movie night this weekend,” Sero explained. “You okay? You seem a little tired.”

At the comment, Kirishima’s eyes returned to him, eyebrows furrowing worriedly. Bakugo waved away the comment. “‘M fine, just annoyed with today. Movie night sounds good.”

Kirishima looked away and stood, heading to the kitchen. It was a casual thing, but Bakugo knew something was off. It was in the set of his jaw. In the heavy exhale he let out as he stood up. Spark Plug and Soy Sauce didn’t notice and just bounced back and forth between watching the news and talking about the latest hero stats.

On the television a reporter was talking to the camera in an annoyingly chipper voice. “-today’s events. Despite this, we still have no comment from Number Two hero Dynamight who took on the three unknown villains. Currently, pro-hero Uravity is working with law enforcement to gather what information we do know in order to alert civilians of the threat. In the meantime-”

Bakugo switched the channel to get a break from idiot reporters and reminders of the day’s failures. “Are you dumbasses staying for dinner?” Bakugo asked.

“No, ‘Toshi and I have a date tonight.”

“I’ve got patrol,” Sero said. “We ate before we got here, so we’re good, dude.”

Bakugo grunted and watched the game show on the television without paying it much attention.

“We should head out soon, I wanna have time to get ready,” Spark Plug said as he stood up. “Kirishima! See you during patrol tomorrow!”

“Bye Kam,” Kirishima said with a wave and a smile that didn’t slant off to one side. He walked to meet them at the door and gave them each a fist bump. “Good luck on patrol, Sero.”

Their friends left the apartment and Kirishima shut the door before turning back to the kitchen without another word.

“Kiri?”

“Yeah?”

“You good?”

“Yeah.”

Bakugo frowned and planted himself in front of Kirishima where he busied himself with carefully rolling up a bag of chips. “Why’re you lying to me?”

Kirishima stared at him with wide eyes and sighed. “Sorry. Just a long day. The news made me nervous and…. You know, I think if I go on a run, I’ll be okay. But I’m good, man. I don’t wanna worry you.”

Before Bakugo could question him further, Kirishima turned away to go to his room. Bakugo followed, still unsure about his response. He watched while Kirishima took his jeans off in favor of a pair of jogging pants. “You can just talk to me, Ei.”

“I know,” Kirishima said as he pulled up his jogging pants. “But I’m good. I’ll be back in like thirty minutes, alright?”

“Sure,” Bakugo muttered, giving in as Kirishima walked past him and left the apartment. He sighed and went back to the living room to watch something to pass the time while he thought of what he could make for dinner.

By the time Kirishima came back, Bakugo was chopping up vegetables for curry while onions and slices of chicken sizzled away in a pan. He looked over his shoulder where Kirishima kicked off his shoes as he pulled out his earbuds. The tension he’d noticed in his jaw earlier was gone, and when Kirishima looked up and smelled the air, his crooked smile was back.

“That smells so good,” Kirishima breathed out. “D’you want any help? You had a long day, I should’ve offered to pick something up for us.”

Bakugo raised an eyebrow as Kirishima walked over. He smelled like outside- fresh cut grass and the sharp, salty scent of his own sweat mixing lightly with his deodorant. “You wanna cook after you just came back from a run?” He shook his head. “Go shower, dumbass.”

“Wha- I wouldn’t sweat all over the food, dude!” He turned to the sink and made a show of washing up to his elbows. “See, nice and clean.”

“Idiot,” Bakugo muttered. He handed the cutting board over. “Toss the carrots in and stir.”

With a victorious grin, Kirishima did as he was told, humming along mindlessly to the music still blaring from his headphones. Bakugo didn’t really consider himself a teacher, and curry was one of the easier dishes to make, but Kirishima seemed really proud of himself as he served two plates of steamed rice and chicken curry.

“Well you didn’t burn it or undercook the potatoes,” Bakugo said with a grin after eating a few bites.

“Would it kill you to just say good job, Kats?”

Bakugo laughed and put more food in his mouth, avoiding a response to the comment. Kirishima only rolled his eyes.

Despite how badly Bakugo had been itching to see what he’d seen in a picture and video in person, once Kirishima went to take a shower, exhaustion seeped into his bones, and he was barely able to keep his eyes open while he sat on the couch and watched a rerun of some medical drama. It wasn’t until Kirishima nudged him awake and sent him to bed that Bakugo gave in and accepted some much needed rest.

The next day at the agency, he and Deku were called into the main office after their usual street patrol.

After All Might’s health began to decline, he had to stop teaching, but he wasn’t quite ready to let go of the hero world. Once Deku and Bakugo became pros, All Might was quick to set up an agency with the two of them as the first heroes to sign on. It was easy to get more heroes and interns and workers for the subdivisions with the former Symbol of Peace and Japan’s most popular top two heroes in one place. Still, it wasn’t like All Might to call them in after a patrol shift.

“What’s going on?” Bakugo asked.

All Might took a deep breath that only managed to send him into a fit of coughs. Once he settled down, he cleared his throat and gestured vaguely. “After the attack on the Hero Resources Administration, we were able to take most of Uraraka’s witness account to the Research and Security Department. After some digging, they think they have some information on the suspects. While they’re new as a group, they each have a track record in the past, most of it centered around North America.”

“Where’s this goin’, All Might?” Bakugo asked in exasperation.

“Mexican officials will be coming to Tokyo for a briefing. You two and the rest of the top five heroes will be going to get some information on these individuals. From what I understand, despite their group’s rookie status, they’re also dangerous and hard to catch.” All Might’s words only had Bakugo’s jaw clenching. “You’ll leave Monday morning. It’s only a few days-”

“If they’re known around Mexico, then what are they doing here?” Deku asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” All Might said, pausing to cough into a handkerchief. “We do have most of Japan’s top heroes here, and considering the destruction of the HRA headquarters, I’d imagine it has something to do with that.”

“Would it be smart to leave Musutafu in that case?” Bakugo pointed out.

All Might grinned, tired and fond. “While the two of you are Japan’s favorite heroes, we have many who are very capable of defending the city should they attack again.”

“I’ll go,” Deku said. “What time do we leave?”

All Might handed them each an envelope. “The information on who’s who, time, hotel stay, and everything else is there. We will be meeting at this agency, and we’ll handle transportation.”

With a bow, the two of them left the office and headed to the locker rooms.

“You saw the three of them, didn’t you?” Deku asked as they reached their lockers. “You never talked to the reporters.”

“What, and give them the satisfaction of asking me why I wasn’t able to catch the low-lives? I didn’t have any useful information. Uraraka already knew what I did and she told the reporters. The only thing I gotta worry about is catching them.” Without another word, Bakugo grabbed a towel and went to the showers, secluding himself in a stall.

---

Kirishima arrived at the apartment about twenty minutes after Bakugo with two pizza boxes in hand.

“Hey man, how was your shift today?” he asked as he came through the door.

“That a meat lovers’?”

Kirishima held out the box with a sideways grin. “You know it.”

Bakugo opened the box and pulled out a slice, taking a large bite as he went to grab drinks while Kirishima placed the boxes on the little table in the living room. “Today was fine. Nothing big, just a lot of walking. Usually like that when I’m patrolling with Deku.”

“Can’t imagine criminals wanna test their luck with the top two on the lookout,” Kirishima said. He took a soda from Bakugo. “Thanks.”

“‘M goin’ to Tokyo on Monday.”

“What for?” Kirishima asked past a mouthful of pizza.

“It’s about that stupid trio,” Bakugo muttered. “They’ve got a past in Mexico so a bunch of representatives are coming to Tokyo. The top five heroes gotta go meet ’em and get a briefing so we’re prepared on their next attack. I’d ask you to come with me, but I wanna know there’s enough competent heroes in the city in case they pop up again.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Just until Wednesday.”

Kirishima huffed. “Damn. Figures you’ll be gone the two days I don’t have to patrol.” He shrugged. “Oh well, guess that harness will just have to wait.”

“Why the hell-? I don’t leave for three days, dumbass.”

“Yeah, but I’m on night patrol tomorrow and Sunday because I switched with someone. You’re on afternoon shift.”

“Actually, my weekend was just cleared to prepare for my trip,” he said with a smirk. “So our schedules aren’t clashing this weekend anymore.”

Kirishima only laughed and winked at him before ripping into his pizza. Bakugo had every intention of seeing that damn harness in real life, and whatever other surprises Kirishima had decided to purchase.

Frankly, there’d been a building frustration in his body since Kirishima’s text the day before. Kirishima had insisted he was curious to try things the other way around the next time they had a day off together. Bakugo, knowing what a shock the initial feeling could be, had insisted that Kirishima try figuring some parts out on his own before they tried it together just so he knew what to expect or so he could tell Bakugo what felt good.

It was clear that he’d had plenty of fun figuring that out, and Bakugo had been itching to make Kirishima fall apart the way he had.

After scarfing down a pizza each, the probability of anything like that happening that night had declined exponentially.

Eventually, Bakugo shifted his glare from the pizza boxes to Kirishima. “At least let me see what it looks like when it’s on in person.”

The corner of Kirishima’s lip quirked up. “You’re really that into it?” Bakugo knew he was just prolonging it. Kirishima knew just how into it he was- he wouldn’t have bought it otherwise. “You’re all red, Kats,” Kirishima said with a cocky little chuckle.

“Don’t get all high and fuckin’ mighty, dumbass.” He planned on leaving all kinds of marks across Kirishima’s skin with that thing on, and he knew Kirishima would enjoy every single one. Bakugo knew that Kirishima enjoyed the attention just as much as he liked being watched and worshipped.

He got off the couch and took the pizza boxes, resting them on a counter in the kitchen. He looked back at the couch where Kirishima had decided to search for a movie to watch. Swallowing his pride, Bakugo took a deep breath and walked back to the couch, coming around Kirishima’s side as he slid a hand along his shoulder.

He stopped in front of him, blocking the TV before pinning Kirishima’s shoulder back and leaning down. He stared at him with one quirked eyebrow. “You want me to fuckin’ beg or something, Eiji?” he said in a low voice. Kirishima’s ruby-red eyes stared back at him in shock, mouth gaping open slightly. Bakugo could see the red flush slowly creeping up his neck. “S’not fair y’know? Getting my merchandise and then not even letting me see how nice it looks on you in person.” He pressed his hand harder against Kirishima’s shoulder and heard his breaths hitch in his throat. “Not lettin’ me touch you.”

Bakugo nudged Kirishima’s knees apart with his leg before slowly getting to his knees. He let his eyes trail from the rise and fall of his breaths to his face, catching the way his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.

“I can beg. I bet the sight would be worth it,” he continued. “That what you want, Eiji?”

Kirishima’s breaths turned even more erratic as he bit his lip, eyes flitting all over Bakugo’s face as if he were looking for a tell for his bluff. But Bakugo wasn’t bluffing. He wasn’t one to ask for something down on his knees, but Kirishima had always managed to get him out of his comfort zone. He’d beg to see that fucking harness all snug across Kirishima’s pecs.

Slowly, he slid his fingers under Kirishima’s shirt. “This okay?” he whispered, wanting to make sure Kirishima was still with him considering his lack of response. A very enthusiastic nod of Kirishima’s head had Bakugo smirking as he pushed his hands up Kirishima’s torso. He pushed himself up so he could latch onto Kirishima’s throat while his hands wandered along his skin.

He was careful to keep the kisses soft and unassuming, waiting until he heard a relaxed sigh from Kirishima before biting down harshly on the meat of his shoulder. Kirishima’s hands moved to grip his waist as he gasped.

Bakugo took advantage of his position to graze his teeth against Kirishima’s earlobe. “Please,” he whispered. A shiver ran through Kirishima. “Please, Eijirou. I wanna see it on you.” He pulled back enough to cup Kirishima’s face, looking him in the eyes as he allowed his lust-driven desperation show on his face. “ Please-”

Suddenly, Kirishima surged forward, meeting his mouth with a soft growl. “Not fair,” he grumbled against Bakugo’s lips before letting his tongue slip past them again. “Fucking-” The word dissolved into Bakugo’s mouth. Kirishima pulled back, staring at him with hungry eyes. “Stay here.” He got up from the couch, pulling his shirt over his head as he walked to his room.

Bakugo pulled himself up to sit on the couch, smirking victoriously to himself. He waited, listening to the rustling of fabric with growing anticipation.

Even having seen the photos, even having looked up images of the damn thing online, Bakugo wasn’t ready to see it on Kirishima in person.

The guy was ripped, there was no doubt about it, and it was clear whenever he walked around without a shirt and whenever he wore his hero outfit. Bakugo had touched and kissed and bitten and scratched those muscles for the last several months. It was all familiar territory, something he was pretty sure he could map out in his sleep.

There was just something about having his colors, his style, his hero name outlining each of those muscles. There were no clothes beneath the harness this time- just Kirishima. His thighs, his half-chub, his lean torso, his wide chest. Every strap pressed gently into his skin, streaks of orange and green, and of course his hero name printed across one of the straps over his chest.

Bakugo stood up and walked over to him, tugging him closer the second he could loop a finger into a strap. “These colors look good on you,” Bakugo said with a smirk, sliding one hand down his chest. He arched an eyebrow as his gaze fell to Kirishima’s dick. “You liked having me beg for you, huh?”

“Not so much the begging, just….” He trailed off into a sigh as Bakugo started stroking him. When he didn’t finish his sentence, Bakugo hummed, encouraging him to continue. “Kats….”

“Tell me,” he insisted. “What got you half hard for me so fast, Eiji?”

Kirishima’s breaths turned heavier, but he didn’t answer. Bakugo opted to stop his hand’s movement, which only made Kirishima curse under his breath. When he looked up pleadingly, Bakugo only raised an eyebrow. “It’s….” When he trailed off again, Bakugo leaned in to kiss his neck, hoping to ease the tension in his shoulders with his lips. Kirishima let out a long exhale as his hands moved to grab Bakugo’s waist. “The fact that you were even… willing to…. Just you wanting to see me and…. ‘S flattering, so I wanna do it.”

He pulled away from Kirishima’s neck to catch his eyes, but they were downcast, pointedly avoiding his gaze. Bakugo took in the nervous way his eyebrows knitted together and the way his jaw clenched, and he knew Kirishima didn’t need another lecture about being equals. He could kick his ass for it later, but now, Bakugo just needed to bring Kirishima back to him, back to this moment where he could just make Kirishima feel good.

Bakugo kissed the curve of Kirishima’s jaw. “Told you this sight would be worth begging for. Guess you’re pretty good about making me get on my knees.” He took advantage of Kirishima’s sudden sputtering to push him onto the couch before he dropped to the floor between his legs again, fully prepared to take a mouthful of him.

“Wait,” Kirishima said, keeping a hold of Bakugo’s elbow. He tugged him back up, pulling him onto his lap. His hand spread over the expanse of Bakugo’s thigh as Kirishima licked his lips. “There’s actually something I wanna try.”

“What?”

“Lube’s still in your room, right?” Kirishima whispered.

Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows and nodded. Without another word, Kirishima tucked his hands under Bakugo’s thighs and stood up.

“What the fuck?”

“What?” Kirishima asked as he practically carried him to the room.

“You-” Bakugo looked down as if to confirm that his feet were not, in fact, touching the ground. “No. How?”

Kirishima’s eyebrows knitted together as his lips quirked into a sideways, toothy grin. “Y’know strength is like… my thing right?” He hefted him up further, grinning wider when Bakugo clung to him with shock flitting across his features. “I bench press twice my weight, which is more than you weigh, Kats.”

Fury and lust warred inside him for all of two seconds before he tugged at the chest strap with his name on it. “Whatever the fuck you wanna do, I’ll fuckin’ do it,” he breathed out.

A small laugh rumbled in Kirishima’s chest as he laid Bakugo down on the bed gently. He unbuttoned and tugged Bakugo’s jeans and boxers down his legs. “Kinda wanted to try this since I first got my head between your thighs,” he whispered. Bakugo bit his lip and searched blindly for the bottle of lube he’d left tucked under his pillow. Kirishima took it from him with a wide, sharp grin. “On your knees.”

“Of fuckin’ course I gotta be on my knees,” Bakugo muttered as he sat up and pulled himself onto his knees.

That same throaty laugh reverberated near his ear as Kirishima pinched his side playfully. “Turn around, facing the wall.” Bakugo shifted, turning his back to Kirishima. Before he could spread his legs, Kirishima grabbed his ankles. “Keep them together,” he said softly.

The lube bottle clicked as the cap opened. Kirishima’s hand found its way between his thighs, gently massaging the lube along it. Bakugo realized what Kirishima wanted and braced himself against the wall. He waited as the hand between his legs kneaded and squeezed the insides of his thighs a moment longer.

“Still good?” Kirishima asked gently.

“Yeah.” Bakugo felt his breaths turn shallow as Kirishima crowded up behind him, legs on the outside of his own. The tip of his length pressed between his thighs and slowly slid into the crevice.

“ Fuck.”

Bakugo squeezed his legs closer together, letting out an exhale as he felt the rub of Kirishima’s girth sliding against the slick, sensitive skin. Kirishima’s hands rested at his hips, fingers digging into the bone harshly. His serrated teeth skimmed the expanse of his throat, and Bakugo tilted his head to give him free reign. A hot tongue swirled against his skin before the sharp pinpricks of his teeth biting down had Bakugo gasping and jerking back.

One of Kirishima’s hands slid around to his front, cupping him gently as he started to tug Bakugo to a full erection.

“These thighs are unreal,” Kirishima breathed against his throat, pushing forward harder so that Bakugo’s nails scratched down the wall as he balled his hands into fists. “Open your mouth for me, Katsuki?”

Before he could drop his jaw, Kirishima shoved two fingers into his mouth, hooking them against his teeth. Immediately, Bakugo wrapped his lips around him and bit down gently. The rub of Kirishima’s cock was a tantalizing, teasing sensation that only had Bakugo clenching his thighs tighter.

“Faster,” he moaned, letting his cheek press against the wall. His eyebrows knit together as the pace of both Kirishima’s hand and his thrusts increased.

All the while, Kirishima let out his heavy panting breaths against his neck, his moans reverberating against the skin. Drool began to dribble over his lip around Kirishima’s fingers, falling down his chin. As much as Bakugo wanted to care, he just couldn’t give enough brain power to it. He just slumped against the wall, preferring to focus on keeping his thighs pressed tightly together and not blowing up the wall.

Suddenly, Kirishima’s fingers slipped out of his mouth, opting to turn Bakugo’s chin toward him instead. He skimmed his face for a few seconds, broken up by punched-out breaths and soft grunts before he leaned in and invaded Bakugo’s mouth. Sharp teeth grazed his lips, and Bakugo decided he needed to run his tongue across every canine-pointed tooth. Kirishima sucked his lower lip into his mouth, pulling back and letting go right before the suction began to hurt.

Bakugo screwed his eyes shut as he fucked into Kirishima’s hand, pulling his hands away from the wall until they pointed toward the ceiling. Little sparks popped along his palm as he unleashed the energy and tension building in his body.

Kirishima used his free hand to pull one of Bakugo’s back until it wrapped lightly along the back of his neck.

“Use it on me,” he whispered.

“Wh-What?”

“Your quirk.” He put his hands against Bakugo’s hips, kneading his fingers into his back dimples. “If it hurts, I can just harden. I can handle the small explosions.”

“You’re crazy-”

Kirishima thrust his hips forward, letting out a playful, breathless laugh. “We’re well past that, don’t you think, Kats?” He tilted his head to trail kisses up Bakugo’s neck until he could pull his earlobe between his teeth. Then he whispered against the shell of his ear, “D’you want me to beg?”

A full body shiver tore through Bakugo. “Fucking- you’d better harden if it’s too much, dumbass,” he growled. He’d used his quirk against Kirishima in training when Kirishima had to work on stamina, but this was different. Using it in this sense against his very soft, very vulnerable skin was… different.

“I will,” Kirishima promised. “Just try?”

Bakugo ignited a small pop, one he tended to use when his friends got on his nerves and he just needed to divert their attention. Kirishima let out a relieved exhale against his ear. The next time his hand ignited, he let it become a series of three crackling explosions, just a little bit stronger than the first.

Kirishima buried his face into Bakugo’s neck, groaning before he took Bakugo in hand and started pumping again. “More,” he growled.

The next one was stronger, piling up the power of the last three in one explosion. That time Kirishima gasped, letting out a pained moan. He could feel the skin beneath his hand harden until it felt like he had his hand against a stone wall before it slowly turned warm and pliable again.

“Too much?” Bakugo whispered through his panting breaths.

“‘S good,” Kirishima groaned. “Fucking-” He pulled out from between his thighs and planted a quick kiss between his shoulder blades. Then he turned Bakugo around with a quick flip before tugging him by the hips. “Can I blow you?” he asked in a single exhale.

“I- yeah, but didn’t you-?” Bakugo stopped talking as Kirishima shifted to get off the bed. While he turned, Bakugo could see the irritated red mark along the curve where his neck met his shoulder. “Eijirou, are you-”

“I’m good, I’m so fucking good, Kats,” he assured, turning back just to plant an impatient kiss on his lips. He tucked his hands under his knees and pulled Bakugo until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Kirishima dropped to his knees and grabbed both of Bakugo’s wrists. He placed them on his shoulders, blinking up at him with a subdued crooked grin. “Keep it at that level, I can take it.”

Before Bakugo could argue, Kirishima wrapped his hand around his cock and proceeded to wrap his lips around him. He worked his way down the shaft with an enthusiasm that was oddly addicting. Biting his lip, Bakugo ran his hands lightly down his back, tracing the edges of the harness’ straps.

“Fuck, Ei, you’re so good at that.” Bakugo fought the urge to thrust his hips up into his mouth as Kirishima hollowed out his cheeks. He didn’t stop the explosion that burst from his hand, watching as Kirishima jerked forward and choked momentarily before moaning.The skin turned jagged, hard, and cold before softening again with a faint tint of red.

“Dammit,” Kirishima breathed out as he pulled back. “I’m torn between wanting you to use your quirk and wanting to hook your legs over my shoulders.” He placed a feather-light kiss against his thigh, smearing the lube with his thumb.

“I can give you both,” Bakugo said. Kirishima’s eyes met his immediately, gaze dark and heavy with lust. Bakugo laid back and put his legs over Kirishima’s shoulders, and he could’ve sworn Kirishima moaned. When his hands came up to rest on the outside of his thighs, Bakugo pulled them up higher until they rested on his waist. Then he wrapped his hands around Kirishima’s forearms. “Good?” he asked, lifting his head to look at Kirishima between his legs.

Kirishima let out a shaky breath. “ Fuck yeah.” He grinned, flaunting his teeth before he pulled Bakugo back into his mouth, quickly reducing him to soft growls and husky moans.

It wasn’t long before small explosions flickered along his palm, and he could feel Kirishima’s skin hardening and softening in response. When the pressure in the pit of his stomach burst and spread through his body, leaving his legs shaking and his vision blurry, he let go of Kirishima’s arms, knowing he wasn’t in a headspace to control the strength of his explosions.

Kirishima set to caressing his torso under his shirt as he caught his breath. As he stood, Bakugo noticed Kirishima’s very painful-looking hard on, and he pulled himself onto his side. He reached one hand out for Kirishima and said, “Finish fucking my thighs, Ei. Just too tired to hold myself up.”

“I can work with this,” he said, laughing softly as he curled around Bakugo’s back, spooning him tightly. “Cross your ankles, Kats.” Bakugo did, and he felt Kirishima’s hand lather his thighs again before slipping between them, resuming with slow, gradual thrusts.

With his eyes closed, he was more aware of everything else- the press of the straps against his back, the flex of Kirishima’s abs and thighs as he moved, the soft grunts in his ear which hitched at the end when something felt particularly good, the heat of the arms wrapped tightly around his torso. He could pick up on the way Kirishima slowly increased in speed, his breaths suddenly shallow as he chased his own release.

Without warning or prompting, Bakugo squeezed his thighs together, and Kirishima cursed softly. Hot and sticky spurts spread along Bakugo’s thighs, turning messier as Kirishima continued to thrust through it.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Kirishima groaned into the nape of his neck. “Okay, gimme a sec… I’ll clean you up.” Bakugo grunted in acknowledgement, waiting for Kirishima to catch his breath.

Eventually, he stood up, leaving Bakugo cold and gross. He turned to look over his shoulder, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. Kirishima’s figure appeared in the doorway to the bathroom, holding a towel and the depleting stash of wipes.

“You okay?” Kirishima asked. The bed dipped as he sat back down, and Bakugo turned to face him, grimacing at the stickiness of his thighs. “I know, I know, sorry.”

“D’you feel good?”

Kirishima raised an eyebrow as he started cleaning him off. “Uh, yeah. Kinda cleaning up the evidence of how fucking good that felt.”

Bakugo grinned and relaxed further into the bed. “Then don’t fucking apologize, dumbass.”

Kirishima laughed and nodded as he continued wiping him down. “Want your boxers?”

“Yeah.” He reached out to grab them from Kirishima’s hand, only to stop at the sight of a red mark standing out against his skin. “What the fuck?” He sat up and turned around, yanking Kirishima’s other arm toward him. “I hurt you-”

“No! No, it’s fine,” Kirishima assured. But the evidence was right there. A red welt on each forearm where Bakugo had wrapped his hands around him. “It doesn’t hurt, I hardened before you could do any damage-”

“Bullshit.”

“Okay, hey,” Kirishima said, voice suddenly firm to get his attention. “Look, it… it hurts a little, but in a good way. I know what I can handle, man.”

Narrowing his eyes, Bakugo tugged on his shoulder to look at the spots where his hands had rested before. Irritated, pink welts glared back at him. “Dammit, Eijirou,” he muttered. “Stay here.”

“Kats, I’m fine,” he called after him. Bakugo wasn’t hearing it though.

After tugging on his underwear, he went to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit from under the sink and returned with a burn ointment. “Shut up and let me try and at least heal these. You can’t hide these with some fucking concealer, dumbass.” Kirishima sighed as he pulled his hair out of the way for Bakugo to smear the ointment. “They’re gonna hurt tomorrow if you just leave them like that.” He unlatched the harness so Kirishima could take it off and brushed his fingers along the light indents they left against his skin.

Kirishima didn’t talk until Bakugo had lathered every red spot in the ointment. “Can we sleep now?” he asked with a sheepish, sideways smile.

“Yeah, dumbass. Let me just get you a sweatshirt or something so the ointment doesn't come off.” He left the bed and raided his closet for a hoodie that would fit Kirishima comfortably and an extra pair of boxers. He tossed them over, and once Kirishima was dressed, Bakugo tugged the covers so they could both tuck themselves in. He wrapped an arm around Kirishima’s torso and pulled him in. “This good?”

“Yeah.” Their legs tangled together easily, and it wasn’t long before Bakugo fell asleep with his cheek pressed against the nape of Kirishima’s neck.

Typically, when his dreams were an expanse of black nothingness, it was a relief. It meant his mind could rest, it meant no memories, it meant deep and restful sleep. But this darkness was different.

This darkness burned as it pushed up his nose. It pried his jaw open and poured in, crawling down his throat, obstructed his airways until it filled his lungs, heavy and thick. It clogged his ears until the silence became suffocating. No heartbeat, no sense of existing aside from the sensation that he was drowning, choking on the darkness, unable to even breathe. Each time he tried to gasp, the darkness pushed further into him, putting pressure on his eyes, refusing him oxygen.

The threads of darkness bound his arms to his body, and no matter how much Bakugo tried to claw past it, he was frozen, weighed down, suffocating. No matter how much he willed himself to scream, how much he called on his quirk, he was stuck.

He wanted to thrash, he wanted to scream, he wanted to feel something except this sense of being paralyzed so completely.

“Katsuki!”

Bakugo’s eyes shot open. There was moonlight. Beautiful and silver and casting grays and blues across the room.

“Breathe!”

He gasped so hard it burned his throat, but he welcomed the feeling. He gasped for air like it might be taken away from him.

“It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare,” Kirishima said, pulling him up to a sitting position. “Come back to me, Kats. Easy.”

Bakugo didn’t realize how badly he was shaking until Kirishima’s arms wrapped around him. He clung desperately to the fabric of the hoodie and panted desperately for air, unable to stop the wheezing hyperventilating.

Then suddenly the feeling of Kirishima’s arms holding him down only made him panic more, making him flail until he let go.

“Sorry, sorry,” Kirishima whispered. He shifted to sit behind Bakugo, rubbing his back gently.

The scream ripped out of him without permission. It was like his body needed to unleash the screams that the darkness had muted. They tore through his body, causing a metallic taste and a sharp sting in the back of his throat. Kirishima only rested his forehead against his spine and put his arm around Bakugo’s torso lightly.

“I know,” he whispered between Bakugo’s screams. “I know, I know, I know.”

Eventually, they dissolved into sobs. Tears fell down his face in hot streams, but he refused to close his eyes. He wanted the moonlight. He wanted the shadows of his room.

“It wasn’t real,” Kirishima murmured. “You’re safe now.” He ran his hand through Bakugo’s hair gently. “Breathe with me, okay?”

Bakugo let out a horribly pathetic whine which only triggered a fit of coughs.

“What is it? Let me get you some water-”

As Kirishima moved to get up, Bakugo reached for him and dug his fingers into his forearms. “Don’t… go,” he croaked. “Just… need to see you….”

Kirishima relaxed and moved to sit in front of him. “I’m right here,” he said. He pulled Bakugo’s hands to his cheeks.

“Light.”

Kirishima nodded and got off the bed only to turn on the light before sitting back down in front of Bakugo. The sight of his red hair and ruby eyes filled Bakugo’s mind. It was a beautiful color, a breath of air after the nothingness that had seeped into him in his dreams.

Kirishima’s eyebrows knit together as he used the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe Bakugo’s cheeks. “What can I do?”

Bakugo sighed and shook his head. “Just talk.”

“Yeah, I can do that,” he said. “I heard this song on the radio the other day. It has a lot of English in it, and I was never too good at speaking English, but I really want to learn it. You know, and I think I’d like to go to America one day. One of the nicer places where people are more welcoming y’know? But I’d have to really brush up on English. I could start with that song I think. And maybe you could teach me some. You’ve always been really good at English.”

The sound of Kirishima’s voice chased away the silence that lingered in his head. He rambled on, changing topics easily. He talked about nothing and everything, but it was Bakugo’s anchor for the night. Eventually, they settled back into bed, with Kirishima holding him lightly, scratching his head with one hand and the other settled on his hip.

“Sleepy?” Kirishima asked.

“Don’t wanna sleep,” Bakugo said hoarsely. His throat hurt, but he didn’t want Kirishima to leave and he didn’t have the energy to get up himself to get water.

“You have to sleep, Kats,” Kirishima murmured. “It’ll be okay. We’ll keep the light on. You’re safe with me.”

Bakugo sighed and rested his head against Kirishima’s chest. “Will you keep talking until I do?”

“Of course.” Kirishima yawned and then launched himself into talking about one of his favorite movies when he was a kid.

Despite himself, it didn’t take long for his eyes to get heavy again. Kirishima’s voice drifted in and out of focus until he was wrapped up in dreams again, but this time they were normal and nonsensical, bright with color.

---

The weekend became more of a mental health rest for Bakugo, as much as he hated to admit it. Thankfully, Sero and Kaminari cancelled movie night in light of the amount of their friends who had to pack to leave and the rest who were on night patrol.

He watched movies with Kirishima when he was home, and he exhausted himself by working out when Kirishima was on patrol.

By the time he had to go to the agency on Monday, he felt more in control of himself. Kirishima had given him a tight hug and wished him luck before he had to leave for his morning patrol.

Deku, Half n’ Half, Ponytail, and Eyebags all arrived within minutes of him. They piled into two separate cars for the three hour ride to Tokyo. Luckily for him, he ended up in a car with Shinsou and Momo, so it was relatively quiet, and he didn’t have to endure smug looks.

The briefing wasn’t until later that afternoon, so Bakugo had time to settle into the room then go out to find food before he had to go to Tokyo’s Hero Headquarters for the briefing. Deku and Icyhot were already there.

Almost immediately, Deku leaned over and asked softly, “Are you alright, Kacchan?”

“The fuck’s that question for?” he asked flatly.

Deku tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows. “You just look tired. I haven’t heard from you since our patrol together.”

“‘M fine.” Deku seemed to gather that he wasn’t getting anything more out of him, and he dropped the topic. The rest of the heroes came in shortly after and took their seats. Over the next ten minutes, other heroes Bakugo didn’t recognize and a bunch of people in suits walked in and took up the rest of the seats.

A woman stood up at the front of the room while someone else set up a projector. “Good afternoon, heroes. I’ll be your translator for these briefings,” she said with a grin. “My quirk allows me to project my thoughts, which is how I’ll be translating, if that’s okay with everyone.” Everyone in the room nodded, immediately understanding her. She began by introducing everyone.

Eventually, one of the officials went up to the front and introduced himself in a gruff voice. In Bakugo’s head, his voice echoed in Japanese.

They began by showing old mugshots of the girls with a list of why each one was wanted individually. They explained previous attempts to arrest and apprehend them, but it only managed to make Bakugo more and more frustrated.

“We don’t need to hear about the police failures to get them,” Bakugo interrupted, rubbing his forehead. “We need to know what their quirks are, what their weaknesses are, and know how the hell to take them down when they’re teamed up. We’re wasting our fucking time-”

“Bakugo,” Momo chided.

“I have to agree,” Half n’ Half said. “We’re getting a run down of their history, but they’re not working individually anymore. They’re a trio, and we don’t know anything that’ll help us get them- just a list of past crimes which could frankly fit most other villains. While we appreciate the warning, we need to focus on how to go forward.”

One of the Mexican heroes scowled. Her voice echoed in Bakugo’s head. “You need to know what didn’t work before to know what mistakes not to make,” she said. “If you get presumptuous, you will die. You clearly couldn’t get the upper hand with them.” She directed that bit at Bakugo. “I’m just surprised you’re not a charred corpse.”

“Listen-” Bakugo started.

“Maybe we should have a recess,” the translator intervened. “This is frustrating for everyone considering the danger it puts civilians in. We don’t need in-fighting.”

After some disgruntled mumbling, they agreed and Bakugo stood up to walk off his restlessness. He checked his phone and saw a text from Kirishima asking how Tokyo was. He spent a few minutes catching him up with the uselessness of the meeting that day before their break was up.

Don’t get too riled up, man! You gotta make it through two more days.

Bakugo groaned and put his phone up as he settled back into his seat to get through the rest of this useless briefing.

It took another three hours, and Bakugo only managed because food was brought in to hold them off and they were finally getting to better information that would actually be helpful. When Bakugo checked his phone, he saw an image file from Kirishima. He looked around to make sure no one was looking over his shoulder when he loaded the picture.

When the photo loaded, Bakugo saw a selfie of Kirishima laying on the couch with Dunce Face and Soy Sauce tucked in on either side of him, smiling up at the camera. Then another where Kirishima was winking while Kaminari dozed off on his shoulder and Sero had his focus on the television.

Your temporary replacements until you get back!

Bakugo scoffed and texted back, Two of them for one of me huh? I can think of a few things I can do that they can't.

KATSUKI !!!

Bakugo smirked and put his phone up. Behind him, he heard footsteps and turned in time to see Deku walking up to him.

"What d'you want?" Bakugo asked, stopping to let him catch up.

"You look like you could use a break, especially after the briefing," Deku said. "We're headed to grab a full meal and have a few drinks. Wanna join us?"

Bakugo looked over to see Shinsou and Momo talking to Todoroki as they flipped through their folders. "Think I'm all capped out on socializing," he grumbled.

Deku nodded and looked over his shoulder. "Fair enough." He looked back at Bakugo and raised an eyebrow. "Ready for the Hero Billboard Charts?"

Frustrated, Bakugo hit the elevator button with the side of his fist. "Considering how often these fuckers keep getting past me? Not really."

"Kacchan, you don't keep up with hero stats, do you?" Deku asked with a laugh. "Your capture stats went up by like 3.5% and based on popularity polls this year after the summer calendar-"

"Oi." Deku clamped his mouth shut and nodded. "We'll just have to wait and see the results, won't we?" The elevator dinged behind him. "See you losers tomorrow. Have fun."

With that, Bakugo went into the elevator and got a taxi to take him back to the hotel. Once he was back in his room, he dropped the folder on the desk and went to wash his face.

He pulled out his phone and sent Kirishima a text.

Tweedledee and Tweedledum still there?

A few moments later, Kirishima answered just kam but hes headed out for patrol soon what happened at the briefing?

Without further prompting, Bakugo hit the button for a video call. Within seconds, he saw Kirishima's face take up his screen.

"Hey man! You in bed already?"

"Laying down for a bit," Bakugo answered.

"Is that Bakugo? Hey, dude! Are you with 'Toshi? I can call now right?" Kaminari's face popped up beside Kirishima's as he waved.

"He went to get food with the others." Kaminari gave him a thumbs up then disappeared. "He'd better not be eating all our food," Bakugo said once Kirishima came back into view.

A wide grin greeted him. "Nah, he just missed Shinsou so he came over with Sero. I offered my services as an expert cuddler, Sero said he felt left out, so they just both used me as a body pillow." He laughed and told Kaminari he'd be on the balcony before turning back to Bakugo. "You look really stressed, man."

"Do I?"

Kirishima nodded. "You just kinda close your eyes like you're sleepy and keep pinching the bridge of your nose." Bakugo pulled his hand away from where he'd been doing exactly that. Kirishima just smiled. "It's alright, I get that it's frustrating."

"Hey, you're not allowed to watch more of our show until I'm back," Bakugo said, changing the topic. "And no looking at spoilers, dumbass."

"What else am I supposed to do all alone in this place for two more days?" Kirishima asked with a playful pout.

Bakugo smirked. "Put the pout away, Eiji, you've got a whole streaming service of other things to watch." He narrowed his eyes as Kirishima winced. "You didn't."

"Hm?"

Bakugo scowled. "Kirishima Eijirou, you fucking didn't."

"I'm sorry! We left off halfway through an episode, that one had a cliffhanger, the next thing I knew, I was at the season finale."

"Oh, I fucking hate you," Bakugo grumbled. "You're so lucky I'm three hours away."

Before Kirishima could respond, Bakugo heard Kaminari shout something off to the side. "Oh, okay, Kami, be careful! Bye!" He turned back to the camera and offered a wide, apologetic grin. "I'm sorry for watching ahead, I'll make it up to you I swear. I gotta go find some food since you're gone, but I'll call you back later on tonight. And hey-"

"Hm?"

"Don't stress too much. Just get the information then come back so you can get them, alright?"

"Yeah," Bakugo said with a smile. "See you later, Ei."

He hung up and took a shower before ordering dinner and trying to catch up on what Kirishima watched without him.

Chapter Text

It was like watching the countdown of a ticking time bomb. The anticipation mixed with the steady movement of the plug currently being pressed to the base in his ass had Kirishima taking shuddering breaths. 

He made his bed, and he was prepared to lie in it. 

The front door opened and slammed shut, making Kirishima bite his lip. He buried his face further into Bakugo’s pillow to stifle a sigh before pulling the plug out and fumbling for the next size up. 

“Fuckin’ insatiable, aren’t you?” he heard Bakugo say lowly. Something thumped on the floor, and he heard footsteps walking away . He lifted his head and looked over his shoulder in time to hear the faucet running before Bakugo came back into the room, eyes dark and narrowed in on his figure. “Red light, Ei.” 

“We’re not playing that game,” Kirishima breathed out, even as he let his hand drop away from the plug which was only pushed in halfway. He watched Bakugo walk toward him, suddenly with all the damn patience in the world. 

Once he was close enough, he reached out and ran his hand up the inside of one thigh before stopping at the plug. He tugged it out gently, and Kirishima let out a noise of dissent. “Fucking hell,” Bakugo muttered as he took in the grenade pattern on the plug. “You’re shaking, Eiji.” 

“Been at this since you said you were back in Musutafu,” Kirishima mumbled. “Katsuki... don’t wanna wait anymore.” 

“Easy,” Bakugo soothed. His hand ran over his back, slowly moving lower until his fingers prodded at his entrance. “So fucking clever, aren’t you?” The popping sound of a bottle cap caused Kirishima to get restless, only to be soothed again by Bakugo’s shushing. His fingers returned, and this time one slipped into him. Impatient, Kirishima pushed back to take more, hiding the way his desperation tinted his cheeks by shoving his face into the pillow. “Just bombarded me with a million pictures while I was in the middle of a fucking briefing,” Bakugo snapped. His movements remained gentle, far too gentle for Kirishima’s taste at the moment. “Giving me a fucking hard on when I can’t do shit about it.” 

“Made up for- ah- watching ahead, didn’t I?” 

He had the apartment to himself for two days. What else was he supposed to do except send pictures of all the fun he had while he was banned from watching more TV? Bakugo never told him to stop- he only sent a video call once he was alone in his hotel room, dick already in his hand as he told Kirishima to catch up. In all the dirty words and games of Red Light-Green Light, Bakugo never told him to stop sending pictures. Besides, no one was telling him to look at them while he was in meetings. 

“Cheeky bastard,” Bakugo grumbled. “Prepped yourself real good for me, huh?” 

Kirishima nodded, pulling himself up on all fours. He took a deep breath to steady his voice when he spoke again. “Y’know, I almost bought a dildo. It was the closest one I could find to you.” He gasped when Bakugo jumped right up to three fingers, sliding them in slowly, searching patiently. 

“And why didn’t you?” 

Kirishima screwed his eyes shut as heat flared up his neck and all over his face. “‘Cause I wanted it to be you. Not some cheap knock off.” He growled as he pushed his face back into the pillow, moaning when the shift sent a small burst of pain up his spine. “Been waiting so long, Katsuki, c’mon,” he mumbled. 

He was exhausted already, meanwhile it seemed like Bakugo was just getting more and more riled up. The sound of a zipper and denim being shoved off sparked a sense of excited anticipation in Kirishima as he let his body drop onto the bed, rutting lightly on the comforter. A very light pop stung his side, making him flinch and moan. 

“Uh-uh. You gotta let me catch up, Eijirou,” Bakugo chided. 

With a groan, Kirishima lifted his hips off the mattress. Bakugo knelt behind him, hands on both cheeks of his ass as he kneaded his fingers into the muscle. Kirishima sighed and held his breath when he felt Bakugo’s length pressing against his thigh. 

“Breathe, Ei,” Bakugo whispered, tracing the rim of his entrance. 

As he took a breath, he was rewarded with a wider stretch, more friction as Bakugo slowly pushed himself in. It was steady, mostly painless, and it had Kirishima’s mouth dropping open against the pillow. His eyebrows pinched together as he moaned through the sensation of being filled up more than his plugs or fingers had managed. He pushed back against Bakugo, stifling a groan at the sharp pain that quickly ebbed from the movement while Bakugo leaned over him, cursing under his breath. 

“Easy,” Bakugo growled. “As much as you owe me for watching ahead and making me lose my shit in the middle of a briefing- I don’t wanna hurt you.” 

“Doesn’t hurt,” Kirishima insisted. 

The drag as Bakugo pulled out and pushed back in with more confidence made Kirishima hide his face as heat crept through his entire body. He spread his legs wider, arching his back as he hid his panting into the pillow. 

The pillow smelled like Bakugo’s shampoo. Like the detergent he insisted was better than Kirishima’s and caused them to do laundry separately. It muddled Kirishima’s senses- with Bakugo’s scent being all that he inhaled and his heat behind him while he built up a decent speed, he couldn’t think of anything else. He didn’t want to think of anything else except the incredible feeling building from that need finally being sated. 

He began to meet Bakugo’s movements by jutting his hips back, punching out gasps from them both. 

“Really didn’t even need a fucking warm up, did you?” Bakugo panted. 

“What d’you think I’ve been doing these last- fuck, there- these last couple days?” He felt a hand curl into his hair, pulling him up gently despite the tight hold. 

“Can’t hear you, Eiji.” 

Rather than repeat himself, Kirishima let every soft moan fall from his lips, digging his teeth into his lip hard enough for it to hurt. It was unfair how good Bakugo was at everything, how quickly he picked up the skill. Everything, from the steady and purposeful thrusts to the hands gripping his hips or his hair and occasionally squeezing his thighs and the fucking grunts and unintelligible whispers, had that tension coiling tighter and tighter throughout Kirishima’s body. He almost felt like a ragdoll, losing all sense of anything that wasn’t the pleasure-pain mix rolling through him. And that just wasn’t fair.

After a few moments trying to gather himself, he reached a shaky hand back to press against Bakugo’s thigh, trying to stop him. “Hold on,” he gasped. 

Immediately, Bakugo froze, moving his hands to gently massage him. “Did I hurt you?” 

Kirishima shook his head, but pulled away, cursing the feeling of emptiness that came from it. He turned, placing a hand on Bakugo’s shoulder. He raised an eyebrow at the shirt he hadn’t bothered to take off, but didn’t say anything about it. 

“You’ve had a stressful time lately, Katsuki,” Kirishima whispered as he nudged him back, until he went from holding himself on his knees to sitting and holding himself up on his elbows.. “You shouldn’t have to do so much work now that you’re home.” Kirishima crawled over him, placing a leg on either side of him before dropping down to come face to face with him. “Relax, Kats….” 

Bakugo’s breaths were warm against his smile until Kirishima leaned down to meet his lips. A hand twisted itself into the hair at the nape of his neck, keeping him in place as Bakugo licked into his mouth. Kirishima sucked on his tongue and grazed his teeth over his lower lip before grunting and pulling back. 

The hand in his hair slipped away to brush down Kirishima’s chest as he repositioned himself until he could slide down that now-familiar length and fill himself up again. He watched Bakugo’s eyes cloud over as cursed under his breath before his hands rested on his thighs. 

Bracing his hands against Bakugo’s chest, Kirishima started lifting his hips, pushing himself down as hard and fast as he wanted. The stretch and new angle quickly lost its sting as it gave way to pleasure. 

“Fucking hell, Eiji,” Bakugo groaned between panting breaths. “Fuck, you feel so good- so good, Ei, you’re so- fuck.” 

The words gave Kirishima a lightheaded feeling, though that could have easily been because of how hard he was breathing. He moved one hand to rest on Bakugo’s thigh- that glorious fucking thigh- and gripped the bottom of his shirt in the other hand. 

The change in angle finally let Bakugo hit that perfect spot that had pressure building up inside of him even faster. Chasing that build, fueled by Bakugo’s frantic mumbling, he found it easy to push through the heat, the shakiness of his legs, the sweat dripping down his chest and making his hair stick to the nape of his neck. He pushed through it all, desperate for the euphoria that would seep into every limb. 

The sound of fabric tearing had him opening his eyes and he looked down to see that his arms had hardened, causing the jagged pattern of rock to rip through Bakugo’s shirt, but he didn’t seem to care. Not for the shirt or for the fact that his other hand was digging into his thigh, no doubt placing way too much force on him.  

“Sorry, sorry,” he breathed. 

Bakugo shook his head and let out a series of consecutive small explosions where his hands rested on Kirishima’s legs. Kirishima moaned and faltered in his movements as the sting flared through his body and made him dizzy with a need for more. “I can handle it,” Bakugo said with a smirk. He pulled himself up on one elbow while his other hand pulled Kirishima in by the nape of his neck. “You close?” 

“So close,” Kirishima growled. The hand dropped from his neck to wrap around his cock, and Kirishima bit down on his tongue. 

Bakugo had planted his feet to drive himself up against Kirishima for every fall he let gravity pull him down into. The smell of burnt sugar and familiar cologne and shampoo filled his nose. In the back of his head he could hear the more aggressive crackling of stronger explosions, but they weren’t detonated on his dick, so he didn’t care. 

“Right here, right here, Eiji, let me see that face you make,” Bakugo whispered, swallowing every gasp. Despite the fact that Kirishima couldn’t even function enough to do more than bounce in his lap and gasp for breath between moans, Bakugo swiped his tongue along his lip, dipping into his open mouth between encouragements. “So close, aren’t you? You’re right there, look at you.” His hand sped up as his hot breaths moistened the skin of Kirishima’s throat. “D’you know how many people would kill to fuck Red Riot?” he grumbled. “But they don’t get to. They don’t get to. It’s me who does. And you’re so good for me, Eiji. What a fucking honor to make you fall apart-” 

His orgasm hit him hard, making the room spin and fade away as his erratic heartbeat pounded in his ears. The hardening in his arms rippled away, and his legs felt like they were made of rubber. Even so, Bakugo was still pushing into him, still muttering praises, licking the sweat from his throat. 

Kirishima had barely begun to grunt in a vague attempt to get Bakugo to ease up when he heard a low growl rumble through his chest as he stilled. He tilted his head back up so it rested against Kirishima’s as they caught their breaths. 

Slowly, Kirishima pulled himself off of Bakugo, but that was all the strength he had before he slumped against him. Bakugo laid back slowly, keeping one arm around his torso as the other cradled his head.

“You okay?” he whispered. 

“Mhm,” Kirishima mumbled. 

A kiss was pressed to his temple. “We’ll clean up later.” 

“Mhm.” 

Sleep came easily after that. Facing the wrong way on the bed, a scorched comforter beneath them, Bakugo’s ruined shirt as the only piece of clothing, and limbs heavy with satisfaction. Sleep came so easily. 

-- 

They ended up taking a page out of Kaminari and Shinsou’s book. The idea came the day they had to restock and they couldn’t even bother to stash the lube away in their room before they were tossing their clothes on the livingroom floor and tumbling over the couch. Kirishima had long since figured out the nuances of what Bakugo liked, and it was easier since Bakugo was so vocal about what he wanted Kirishima to do. And after Bakugo’s first time topping, it was no surprise that he became a whole freaking expert on making Kirishima fall apart at the seams. 

Really, the only thing better than a round of sex before falling asleep was sex in the hazy hours of the morning. That kind of sex, Kirishima had come to find, was lazy and slow and full of whispers and all the time in the world. 

He watched Bakugo’s eyebrows knit together as his mouth fell open in a small gasp, felt his legs shake where they were pulled up around him, watched as his eyes fluttered shut in relief. 

“There we go,” Kirishima whispered as he placed a trail of kisses up his sweaty neck. 

“I don’t want to sleep anymore,” Bakugo grunted. 

“We have time,” Kirishima said as he rested his chin on Bakugo’s chest. “The Hero Charts ceremony isn’t until much later tonight.” 

“Mm, but the other losers wanna get lunch. ‘Nd I don’t like rushing, you know that.” 

Kirishima laughed and let his head fall to one side. “I’ll wake you in fifteen minutes.” 

He heard a dissenting grunt followed by a soft snore, and he suppressed a smile. 

Twenty minutes later, Kirishima peeled himself away from Bakugo, and ducked into the shower. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been in there before he heard the door open and the curtain pulled back to let in cold air that had him huddling into himself. 

“Asshole, you said fifteen minutes!” Bakugo snapped, still wiping sleep from his eyes. “It’s been an hour- what the fuck are you doing?” 

“Showering? Close the curtain!” 

“Well no shit, I meant that. ” Bakugo pointed to his hair which was currently styled into horns. Without talking, Kirishima made horns with his fingers and scowled playfully before laughing as Bakugo rolled his eyes. “This is why our water bill is so fucking high.” He pulled the curtain back and told Kirishima that he’d be in his room getting ready. 

They were both dressed within the next hour, but Kirishima decided not to point out how extra sleep hadn’t affected Bakugo’s punctuality. Bakugo had his hair slicked back and wore a black suit with a soft orange vest underneath and a bow tie to match. Kirishima had opted for a black button up shirt and a deep maroon suit, slightly darker than his hair. 

“Wow. Two whole hours early for lunch,” Kirishima mused. “What to do to pass the time?” 

Bakugo raised an eyebrow as Kirishima drifted closer and waited until Kirishima was mere centimeters from his mouth to shove his hand in his face and push him back. “Don’t even think about it. Keep your satyriasis away from this expensive ass suit.” 

Kirishima huffed and obliged. “Fine, fine. Can you at least help me fix my hair? I can’t thread the braid back like you do.” 

“Sure,” Bakugo said with a smile. “Sit.” Kirishima sat down on the couch while Bakugo went to get a brush and the small hair ties he’d bought. He brushed through his damp hair easily. “Hmm. We’ll have to retouch the roots. Still want it half up?” 

“Yeah. I’ll get some bleach and dye tomorrow.” 

Bakugo grunted in response then set to making a few small braids before pulling back the top half of his hair into a ponytail. 

---

Lunch with the group was as rowdy and wild as just about anything was when they met up. A handful of tables were pushed together for them to sit, and before even half of them had arrived, they were laughing across tables at each other. They caught up on missed gossip, argued over the bets on who would move up or down in ranks, shared exciting news about new quirk suit enhancements, and reminisced on their UA days. 

They stayed long after their plates were empty, too caught up in the memories and updates of life to get up. 

It wasn’t until there was about an hour until the Hero Billboard Charts ceremony that they all dispersed to their respective agencies for their hero suits before reconvening at the stadium. The entire place was buzzing with anticipation.

Fans were dressed in all kinds of hero merch, and the ones closest to the front where the heroes sat were shouting for autographs and pictures. Kirishima didn’t mind pulling away for a while to greet some of the fans, especially the kids who stared up at him in awe with cute little Red Riot shoes and plushies. 

He ended up kneeling on the floor as a bunch of kids gathered to touch the gears on his shoulders or the braids in his hair. A few older fans asked him to carry them or pose in some silly way for Instagram. Eventually though, Kaminari had to pull him away so the ceremony could start. 

A woman stood up on stage and greeted everyone just as Bakugo took a seat beside Kirishima. 

“Ready to take back the number one spot?” Kirishima whispered. 

“If the latest fuckups haven’t screwed me over,” Bakugo muttered back. “Shut up, just let them say the stupid ranks. It’s a dumbass popularity contest anyway.” 

Kirishima smirked to himself and refocused on the announcer. She showed a series of slides ranking all but the top ten heroes, each one followed by polite applause. Finally, only the top ten were left to be announced. 

“Let’s begin with number ten! Chargebolt!” Applause and cheers rose from the crowd, and Kirishima cupped his hands around his mouth, hollering in support of his friend as he went up on stage with a dazzling smile. 

Phantom Thief followed, ranking at number nine. Vine walked up gracefully, ranking at number eight which made Kirishima nervous. Had he fallen out of the top ten and simply missed his name in the slides? He felt Bakugo’s pinky hook into his own where he was nervously picking at the armrest of the seat. 

Then Kirishima heard his name called, ranking him at number seven. He let out a breath and stood up while his friends clapped for him and smiled as he went to the stage. Kami gave him a wide grin and a thumbs up as he walked past him. 

Shinsou ranked next, having been bumped down one, followed by Uraraka, then Momo. Todoroki ranked at number three again. Kirishima found himself holding his breath as the announcer made a big deal about revealing the top two spots since the whole country was aware of the way Bakugo and Midoriya flip-flopped annually. He chewed his lip nervously as a long, frustrating silence filled the stadium. 

“Ranking at number two,” the announcer said slowly, clearly enjoying this too much, “we have…. Pro-hero… Deku!” There were some noises of dissent at Midoriya’s drop in ranking, but it was overridden by the cheers of his fans. Midoriya himself had on a wide, genuine smile as he walked on stage and thanked the announcer. He stopped to plant a kiss on Todoroki’s cheek before standing beside him. “Of course, that leaves our number one,” the announcer said with a grin. “Everyone, please welcome to the stage, your number one hero in Japan- Dynamight!” 

The stadium’s noise sky-rocketed as people cheered for Bakugo while he made his way on stage. Kirishima beamed at him, which only made Bakugo scoff and smile back. He watched as Bakugo bumped his forearm with Midoriya’s and leaned in to listen to whatever Midoriya was telling him. Bakugo laughed and punched his arm before standing beside Midoriya with a satisfied smile on his face. The microphone was passed down the line so everyone could give their thanks before they closed the ceremony. 

As soon as the announcer ended the ceremony, crowds of people huddled closer in hopes of getting more pictures with the heroes, whether top-ranked or not. Kaminari immediately slammed himself full force into Kirishima with a congratulatory hug.

“Dude! You moved up! Congrats!” He reached out for Shinsou’s hand wordlessly as he beamed at Kirishima. 

“Thanks, man! And congrats on landing number ten.” He grinned mischievously and arched an eyebrow. “Let’s go tackle Bakugo,” Kirishima suggested. 

“Only if you promise to be my shield when he tries to kill me.” 

“Deal!” 

Shinsou only smirked as he watched the two of them race toward Bakugo while he talked to Midoriya and Todoroki. Bakugo saw them at the last second, only managing to widen his eyes before they’d both toppled him to the ground with laughter and congratulations. 

“You fucking idiots, get off,” he wheezed. But there was no bite in his words, and he didn’t move to shove either of them away. “Your way of congratulating me is by trying to break me?” 

“How’s it feel to be number one, dude?” Kaminari asked as he sat back on his heels. 

“I’m always number one,” he said with a scoff. Midoriya snorted somewhere behind Kirishima, earning a wicked glare from Bakugo. 

Kirishima helped him stand back up and shook him by the shoulders. “Knew you could do it, man. And look, you’ve got some fans waiting to talk to you!” He pointed to a few people covered in Dynamight merchandise. 

“We’re gonna be here a while,” Bakugo said with a sigh. There was some fondness to his voice though. 

Among the people in the crowd, Kirishima saw his former teachers who congratulated him. He saw his former classmates and people from the other classes. Testutetsu was quick to wrap him in a hug and congratulate him about his ranking. He even saw some of the newer UA students, including Eri and Kota. 

There were a million hugs and a million pictures both with fans and his friends. Kirishima felt like his cheeks might never feel the same from grinning so much. 

Eventually, they were able to leave the stadium and return to their agencies to change back into their regular celebratory clothes. Several of them regrouped at their favorite bar, immediately taking up their usual corner. This time, it didn’t take Ashido going up to sing for the others to join in the celebration. 

“No, no, no, the rankings are totally different now that the results don’t depend on the Commission,” Jirou said as they finished up their first round of drinks. “It’s not so formal anymore, and honestly the Commission was fucked. Sure it makes it kind of a prom king and queen sorta thing, but it’s just fun.” 

“There’s still a lot of people who put a lot of thought into voting though,” Sero added as he sucked on a lime. “I mean, come on. There’s whole essays online breaking down hero stats.” 

“Pretty sure Deku’s the writer for 90% of those,” Bakugo said with a snort. He swished the ice in his glass. “Be right back, you guys want anything else?” 

“Ooh, ranking number one really put you in a good mood, huh?” Kaminari said with a wide grin. 

Before he could continue with a request, Bakugo flipped him off and said, “Well, now you don’t get shit, so fuck off.” He ignored Kaminari’s pout as he walked over to the bartender. 

“So Shinsou’s okay with getting bumped down? I know the top five just had a briefing a little bit ago-” 

“That was just some information they had to get back to the rest of us. It’s not like it’s just the top five’s job to catch the Trifecta. But he’s fine. He always says he’s just surprised to be in the top ten,” Kaminari reassured Ashido. 

She giggled and nudged Kirishima. “It’s the brainwashing thing. People are into it.” Kirishima recalled the section designated to Shinsou at that hero merch store they went into and felt his face heat up. 

“Oh, man, don’t bring that up,” he begged. But it already had Kaminari’s attention. 

Just as Ashido prepared herself to regale them with a play-by-play of all the things they’d found in the adult section, her large black eyes caught something in the distance and turned wider. “Oh no way,” she said with amusement. She jut her chin out, making the rest of them turn to look. “Someone’s seriously trying to flirt with Blasty right now.” 

“God, they look wasted,” Jirou mumbled. 

Sure enough, there was a guy about their age with wild blue hair standing close to Bakugo at the bar and talking frantically with his hands. He kept touching Bakugo’s arm, but Bakugo only pulled away gently, giving him forced smiles as he looked to the bartender to see if his drink was ready yet. 

“He must be in a great mood if he hasn’t blasted the guy,” Sero noted. 

“He can’t,” Kirishima said. “He just got ranked number one, he can’t follow that up with being mean to a fan.” Kirishima winced as the guy spilled his drink over Bakugo’s suit and started apologizing as he stumbled back. “Even a drunk and flirty fan.” 

He caught the frustrated look that flashed over Bakugo’s face before he gave the guy a tense smile and waved away the nervously offered help and apologies. 

“Kiri, go save him before he gets pushed over the edge!” Kaminari said, kicking him under the table. 

“Right, right,” he said, sliding out of the booth. He walked over to Bakugo, greeting him with an overly loud, “Hey, man, you were taking a while, so the group sent me to check on you.” He turned to the blue-haired guy and grimaced at how much more plastered he looked up close. “Hey, dude, you okay? Do you want someone to call you a cab, or are you here with someone?” 

“N-no, s’okay!” he said. “Jus’ um… dizzy. Gonna sit.” 

“Yeah, okay.” Kirishima helped him steady himself on a bench and asked the bartender to get the poor guy some water. Then he turned to Bakugo who was patting himself down with flimsy bar napkins. “Come on, there should be paper towels or something in the bathroom.” 

Bakugo stood to follow him, his own drink forgotten on the bar with his frustration. “Never wear a nice suit to a fucking bar,” he muttered. They went into the bathroom and Bakugo grabbed a few paper towels before running them under water and wiping it along the spots where the alcohol had spilled. 

Kirishima had to stifle a laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. 

“What?” Bakugo snapped.

Kirishima shrugged. “Just wondering what that guy expected to get out of going up to you that trashed.” Bakugo rolled his eyes. “What, a blowjob in a bar bathroom from a stranger doesn’t sound appealing?” 

“Not in the fucking slightest,” he muttered. 

“What if I gave him some tips?” Kirishima continued in a lower voice. “Pretty sure he could retain information on how to please the number one hero even in that state.” 

“Shut up,” Bakugo said, casting him a glare through the mirror. There was a light blush in his cheeks that piqued Kirishima’s interest. 

Discreetly, he checked the stalls for feet and listened for anyone coming in. Then he opened the bigger stall at the end of the bathroom and whistled for Bakugo’s attention. When Bakugo looked up, Kirishima tilted his head toward the stall. 

“The fuck.” 

Kirishima felt one corner of his mouth quirk upwards. “Hurry up,” he whispered. He slipped into the stall, leaving it open. 

It took a few moments, but eventually Bakugo followed, checking over his shoulder as someone walked into the bathroom. He ducked into the stall and locked it before whoever it was could see him and faced Kirishima. “What are you doing?” he whispered. 

“Bar bathroom blowjob from a stranger doesn’t sound good, but how about one from me?” Kirishima said quietly into his ear. “You’re a little tense from the drunk dude, and it can be a prelude to your celebration for getting that number one spot again.” He bit Bakugo’s earlobe lightly, feeling the way his breath trembled in response. “Can I?” 

Bakugo nodded quickly, undoing his pants and shoving them halfway down his thighs. Thankfully, the bar kept the bathrooms surprisingly clean, and it was still early enough in the night that there were no gross or mysterious stains or puddles around the stall. He dropped to his knees, grinning up at Bakugo. 

He tugged his briefs down and pushed his shirt up while Bakugo held back the suit jacket. He put his hands on Bakugo’s hips and started with miniscule licks to bring him to a full erection. That alone had Bakugo sighing softly and biting his lip. 

The first time Kirishima saw Bakugo entirely naked, he truly hadn’t understood what he wanted to hide. Even now, with his tongue lavishing the growing length, he still didn’t. He was long, slightly curved to one side, and Kirishima just barely managed to drop his mouth wide enough for the girth without risking a graze of his teeth. Elegant somehow, but Kirishima couldn’t bother to figure out what exactly made him think that. He just knew he enjoyed the taste, the feeling of Bakugo in his mouth or in his hand or filling up his body. 

He knew Bakugo enjoyed the messiness of blowjobs. It wasn’t hard to get himself to salivate before he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, licking the slit at the head before taking as much of it into his mouth as he could in one go at this angle. 

Before he could fully work his tongue around him, he could feel the drool dribbling out the corners of his mouth. Kirishima swallowed around the weight, letting his gaze drift up toward Bakugo when the movement made him buck forward slightly. He knew he couldn’t let this go on long enough to tease, especially with friends waiting for them at the other corner of the bar and strangers coming in and out of the bathroom in various stages of inebriation.

He had to work quick, but he had to make it good. He moaned softly as he bobbed his head back and forth at various speeds. Bakugo covered his mouth with one hand and nudged forward again slightly. 

Wordlessly, Kirishima looked up at him and left his mouth open, with only the head making it past his lips. He blinked up, waiting, until Bakugo seemed to realize what Kirishima was granting him permission to do. 

“Are you sure?” he whispered. 

Kirishima nodded and wrapped his lips a little tighter around the head before licking the slit teasingly. 

“ Fuck.” 

Bakugo braced one hand over the door of the stall. The knuckles of his other hand ran briefly over Kirishima’s cheek. And then he was thrusting his hips shallowly into Kirishima’s mouth, only daring to go deeper when he felt Kirishima could handle it. 

Before long he was fucking into his mouth quickly and shallowly, hitting the back of Kirishima’s throat over and over. Kirishima shut his eyes, trying to control his gag reflex so no one would overhear. He let Bakugo control how deep and how fast he went, while he simply made sure to suck in his cheeks and make it as messy as he could in a short time. The wet sounds quickly became louder than their breaths, signalling the fact that they had to hurry up. 

The sound of footsteps coming way too close had Bakugo stopping, pressed as far into Kirishima’s mouth as he could go. Kirishima took advantage of the stillness to swallow around him, to press his tongue against the veiny underside, and suck gently. Bakugo cursed softly. The footsteps got further away. 

The second the bathroom was quiet, Bakugo’s hips resumed a frantic motion. 

Finally, Bakugo let out a choked out moan that echoed around the bathroom even with a hand covering his mouth. Kirishima was quick to swallow every pulse of come, even if he could barely breathe in his attempt to keep it from spilling and falling down his chin. 

“Fucking- fuck. That blue-haired dumbass could never,” Bakugo breathed out, slouching against the wall. “A-ah, Eiji, c’mon.” 

Kirisima made sure to lick him clean before standing back up. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smirking as Bakugo stared at him, eyes glazed as he pulled his pants back up. 

“You said that’s a prelude?” 

Kirishima laughed and dusted off the lower half of his pants before leaving the stall. After checking that the coast was clear, he opened it again for Bakugo to come out. They left the bathroom and walked back to the table where Kaminari was waving his hands excitedly while Jirou, Ashido, and Sero laughed at whatever he said. 

“I’m serious! I really- oh! There you guys are,” Kaminari said as they slid into the booth. “Where’d you guys go?” 

“Bathroom. Drunk dude spilled his drink on me so I had to clean it off,” Bakugo answered with a yawn. 

A round of light, humorless laughs went around the table as Kirishima knocked back the rest of his drink. Bakugo decided on asking one of the waiters for his next drink instead of risking the walk to the bartender again. 

“You- both of you?” Kaminari asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Before Kirishima could ask what he meant, Kaminari started half laughing, half scoffing, looking dangerously close to how he looked when he went over his voltage levels.  

“You drunk already, dude?” Kirishima asked worriedly. 

The glee had drained from Kaminari’s expression. He looked down at the table and shook his head. “I gotta… find Hitoshi.” He slid out of the booth and went to the crowd of people who were watching whoever was singing karaoke. 

“How much did he drink while we were gone?” Kirishima asked. 

Sero was resting his head in his hand, barely covering his mouth with the heel of his palm as he stared at his drink and shrugged. Jirou was staring at Ashido, twirling an ear jack mindlessly as she answered that Kaminari had barely asked for a second Jack and Coke. 

“Kirishima, you owe me a karaoke duet!” Ashido said, shoving him from the booth, and by default shoving Bakugo. 

Bakugo grumbled, but he was still too hazy to give a proper snide remark as he sat back down. Ashido pulled Kirishima to the stage, taking over from Uraraka and Midoriya. She chose a popular song from the radio that Kirishima had listened to enough to follow the rhythm, but that he didn’t really know the words to. 

Frankly, Kirishima was much too sober for the whole thing, but it was easy to feed off Ashido’s energy, and she had no problem taking the spotlight. For the most part, he just served as eye candy for her, only really becoming useful in the chorus which all their friends sang along to between laughter. 

Once they got off the stage, Midoriya offered him a high-five. “Kirishima, you could’ve had a music career if you hadn’t become a hero. Your voice works really well for rock!” 

“Tell Jirou that, she says I can’t find a pitch to save my life,” he said with a snort. 

The sound of shattering glass pulled everyone’s attention to a booth. Bakugo was standing, pressing himself against the table edge as he glared at someone in front of him. Ice and glass shards decorated the floor at his feet. 

“What’s- who’s that?” Ashido asked. 

“I don’t know,” Kirishima said quietly as he walked forward. He could tell the person was arguing, and he could tell that it was taking every ounce of restraint for Bakugo not to yell back or defend himself. 

“-ease up, alright?” Sero was saying as he slid out of the booth. 

“Don’t butt in,” Bakugo snapped. “You’ve had a lot to drink,” he said to the man. “You need to go home.” 

The man grabbed Bakugo by the lapels of his suit, and Kirishima felt his body surge forward only for a tight grip on his bicep to pull him back. “Not a good idea,” Midoriya said, eyes narrowed and just as focused on the scene. 

“-no right! You hear me?” the man bellowed. “No right to stand in his spot. Since you were a kid, you’ve been- been a damn brat. Ain’t that the whole reason you were taken? The whole reason you had to be saved? Couldn’t keep your mouth shut-” The man shook Bakugo, but when Sero tried to intervene again, Bakugo jut out a hand to sit him back down. “Don’t deserve this honor. Not after what you did to him. He shoulda left you there to rot-” 

Every subsequent word turned into garbling. All Kirishima could see was red- the red of his anger and the red of flames and open wounds. All he could feel was heat. All he could hear were echoes of Bakugo’s screams in the middle of the night and his own blood rushing in his ears. 

“Kirishima, stop!” Ashido shrill scream pierced through the haze, but he didn’t care. Midoriya was shoving him back by the shoulder, but neither of them could stop Kirishima from surging forward. 

“Get the fuck off of me,” he snarled.

“Kirishima, stop! Think for a second-” 

Kirishima shoved Midoriya off his arm and yanked free from Ashido’s grip on his suit, his fist already rearing back before Bakugo’s bulk slammed into him and shoved him back. 

“Eijirou, calm down-” 

“Say it again!” Kirishima shouted at the drunk middle-aged man balancing himself on the table. “I dare you to fucking say that again! I fucking- let me go!” 

“No!” Bakugo snapped. He kept an iron grip on his wrists, unfazed by the way his fists were clenched or the way his rage had caused his entire body to shake. “Pull yourself together, dumbass,” he hissed. 

A cold hand rested on his shoulder, the freezing temperature seeping through his suit and spreading up his neck. It was a big enough shock to pull him back. “I’ve got him,” he heard Todoroki say. 

Bakugo nodded and turned back to where a few employees had gathered around the man and the broken glass, looking at the scene nervously. 

“Kirishima, are you okay?” He looked down to see Uraraka looking up at him with wide, worried eyes. 

“Am I okay? Didn’t you see what-” He let out a frustrated growl and realized his arms were still being held down, this time by Jirou and Sero. “I’m fine, let go of me,” he snapped. 

Wordless music played in the background as the group stayed close together until Bakugo returned to them. Other people in the bar whispered, but eventually found their drinks more entertaining. 

“Kacchan, what happened?” Midoriya asked. 

“Just someone who’s pissy about me being number one,” he said flatly. “Nothing I haven’t heard. It’s fine. I’m gonna head home before one more drunk person tries to fuck up my night.” Taking that as their cue to let it go, the others returned to their booths or tried to shake the awkwardness off with laughter as they reconvened around karaoke. Meanwhile, Bakugo fixed his eyes on Kirishima, eyebrows narrowed. “Are you coming or staying?” he asked. 

Without another word, Kirishima followed Bakugo as they left the bar. Bakugo hailed a cab. Aside from the driver’s comment of congratulations for Bakugo, the ride was silent. The walk into the building and the ride in the elevator was silent. They kicked their shoes off inside the apartment, and Bakugo went to the fridge while Kirishima sat on the arm of the couch. 

When the silence became too suffocating, Kirishima let out a sigh. “I know you don’t need anyone defending you,” he whispered. But with how utterly quiet it had been, he may as well have been shouting. 

Something clattered onto the counter before Bakugo walked over to him, arms crossed in front of him. “What the hell happened, Ei?” He sounded more tired than angry. 

Kirishima tugged his hair free of its ponytail before running his hand through it. “I just… went red,” he said. “That guy… he said that thing about leaving you at Kamino and-” Kirishima clenched his fists again, shaking his head with vigor. “He doesn’t know about the nightmares. He doesn’t know how hard you work or how far you’ve come. Or how much that fucked you up for so long. And he still- he still had the fucking gall to tell you-” 

“No, he doesn’t know. Which is why I don’t give two fucks what he said to me. I know whose opinions matter, Eiji. I don’t blame myself anymore. I know what kind of hero I am. Some drunk idiot in a bar? That’s a fucking extra I couldn’t care less about.” He reached out to tilt Kirishima’s head back up, forcing him to catch his eyes. “You listening to me?” 

He opened his mouth to say yes, to say that he was right, maybe to apologize for the outburst. Instead what fell from his mouth was, “Why did you go into the fire?” 

“Wh-what?” Bakugo frowned. “I- The HRA fire?” Kirishima grimaced. He’d promised himself not to bring that up. It was so stupid, so unnecessary. But he couldn’t swallow the words back up. “What do you mean ‘why?’ I went back in to catch the Trifecta who started it.” 

Kirishima shook his head. “You didn’t even know their quirks,” he said. “You didn’t know what you were going into, just that one had a fire quirk, and you walked right into that very fire. If there’d been someone who needed to be rescued, I’d get it, you wanna save people, but-” 

“Catching the villains saves people as much as getting them out of dangerous situations does,” Bakugo said, his voice edging closer to impatience. He turned away from Kirishima as he shook his head. “It’s what I do, Ei, that’s my job.” 

“I- I know that’s our job, man, I-” Kirishima groaned and flopped back onto the couch. “I know being heroes is dangerous, I know we risk our lives everyday putting ourselves in the crossfire, it’s what we signed up for. Fuck. This is why I didn’t want to say anything.” He rubbed his face and sat up. “Sorry.” 

“Oi, hold on a sec. Eiji. Eijirou!” Bakugo left whatever he was doing to catch Kirishima before he could close himself up in his room. “Okay, so you know that. Then why are you so surprised I went after them?” 

Memories of the images of the news footage on the TV screen filled Kirishima’s mind. The flames rising high, the panicked running or frozen shock on the faces of people looking. Uraraka shouting after Bakugo as he ran into the building. He’d thought Bakugo was being brave. That he was going to come out with someone slung over his back, someone who didn’t have a chance to make it out. Instead, he came back out looking so dazed, so unlike himself, and before he’d even made it five steps, the whole building had caved in on itself. 

“S’nothing. I’m fine now.” 

“Don’t tell me it’s fucking fine when you’re clenching your jaw hard enough to break your fucking teeth,” Bakugo snapped. “I’ve known you for nine years, Ei, you think I don’t know when something’s up?” Kirishima narrowed his eyes, remaining silent. “If you don’t wanna tell me, fine. Say that. Just don’t fucking lie to me.” 

The image of the crumbling HRA building flashed in his mind again, the crippling realization that if Bakugo had been in there for just ten more seconds…. 

Paired with the things that idiot in the bar had said, Kirishima didn’t have it in him to stifle his anger anymore. He turned to face Bakugo, and let out the words he’d held back the day Bakugo came back after the first Trifecta attack. “You didn’t know anything about them. Why run in after them into a burning building? To stoke your ego? To mend your pride? To have more points and get to be number one?” 

“For fuck’s sake, Ei. That wasn’t the first time I risk my life-”

“I fucking know that!” he snapped. As his eyes met Bakugo’s, his vision turned blurry with unshed tears. “I remember every single time. Trust me, I do. Since we were just… class 1A. I remember every single time I almost lost you. Every time we almost lost Midoriya or Kami or Aizawa. I remember Mid-” His voice broke as the tears building in his eyes spilled over, running down his cheeks. Memories of horrible battles and painful losses ran rampant in his head. “How could I not, when they’re what my nightmares feed on, Kats?” He wiped his eyes and tried to reel himself back in. “I know the risks with our job. I know that… every time you go on patrol, there’s a chance you won’t come home. I know that every time I go out there, there’s a chance I won’t. And that chance can be small or big, but…. But our job is to save people. To help them. You didn’t run into that building to help anyone. You went in to catch these dangerous people you didn’t know which means you couldn’t even form a plan, okay, you went back in to have more names to add to your list so you can be number one. And yeah, you got the rank, but how are you supposed to keep it if you’re dead? ” Kirishima took a deep breath and stepped away. 

Bakugo brushed away a tear and matched the softness of his voice. “I got out fine. They didn’t want casualties-” 

“And what if they had? What if they wanted to take down Japan’s number two? What if you tried leaving that building five seconds later, Katsuki?” Kirishima yelled. He pointed at the TV. “I saw it, okay? That thing collapsed into itself ten seconds after you came back out. I figured, God, he’s so brave going in to make sure there was no one inside. Then you come back home and tell us you went in knowing no one else needed you in there? That the HRA fire only became another almost because of your pride?” 

Bakugo flinched back, eyes narrowing as an angry sigh fell from his mouth. “That’s not fair,” he said lowly. 

Kirishima shut his eyes and slumped against the wall as guilt washed over him, quickly and easily overriding his frustration. “I know,” he breathed. “I know…. And I hate myself for feeling this way about it. Because that’s you, and I’ve always known that. You take risks, you….” He opened his eyes and let out a sigh. “You told me once that you couldn’t lose me, right? Well, I can’t lose you either. Knowing how close I was to never seeing you again that day….” He sniffed and waved a hand in the air lazily as if he could erase the outburst. “‘M just all pent up from what that guy said. I didn’t wanna tell you any of this….” 

A hand took his and led him to the couch. Bakugo pulled Kirishima against him, wrapping him in a tight hug. “I wish you’d told me this that day,” he whispered. 

“S’not fair for me to be mad at you for being a hero,” Kirishima mumbled, half muffled by Bakugo’s chest. He pulled away from Bakugo’s hold so he could look him in the eyes. “Kats… I’m proud of you, you know? You deserve the number one spot. If anyone knows that, it’s me. I’ve been here the whole time. But the idea of losing you… never seeing you again….” Despite himself, he felt his eyes start stinging again. “I can’t handle it, Katsuki. Hearing someone say you should’ve… been left there…. I just lost it. Especially with all this crap in my head since the Trifecta showed up. And with these nightmares….” 

“I know,” Bakugo said, pulling him back so Kirishima’s head rested on his chest as they laid on the couch. “You wanna know why I wanted to stop them that first attack?” he whispered. “It wasn’t to get the number one rank. I just really thought I could do it. And I figured if I did it, if I stopped them before they popped up somewhere else… then it wouldn’t be you responding to their attacks. They wouldn’t get the chance to put you or Dunce Face or Raccoon Eyes or fucking Half n’ Half in danger.” Kirishima tightened his grip around his middle as Bakugo spoke. “I know it’s fucking terrifying, Ei. I know that it hurts that we’ve lost people already. And I’m sorry I scared you. Don’t apologize for being worried. And fucking hell, don’t stifle it like that. Look at what it does to you.” Bakugo sighed and rubbed his arm soothingly. “You can’t just push it all down until you burst, trust me. Took years for me to accept that.” 

“But it’s like you said- this is what we do. It’s what we’ve been doing since UA. I should be used to it by now. I should be cheering you on, not feeling mad because of something that could’ve happened-” 

Bakugo let out a laugh, cutting him off. Kirishima tilted his head to look at him in confusion. “You just dragged my ass for the last ten minutes, and now you’re talking yourself out of everything you said?” He shook his head and jabbed his side. “I get it, Ei. I get scared too. I can’t promise anything, but… just trust me to make smart decisions out there, alright?” Kirishima nodded and buried his face in the lapels of his jacket before Bakugo laughed again. “Were you really gonna punch a man almost twice our age, Eiji?” 

“I didn’t get a look at him, I just heard what he said and then…. Shut up.” 

Bakugo laughed and squeezed Kirishima tighter. “Come on, dummy. We’re gonna get the hell out of these suits, into some comfortable fucking sweats, then eat our weight in mochi ice cream while watching movies. The bar was a shit idea for a celebration anyway.” 

“In a minute,” Kirishima muttered, nuzzling further into the embrace. 

He hadn’t realized it, but he’d been pulled taut for so long. Brimming with the stifled emotions, and now that it’d all spilled over, he felt… lighter. He still felt stupid for the things he’d said, but there was some relief in knowing Bakugo didn’t hold it against him.

After getting up and changing into more comfortable clothes, Kirishima joined Bakugo in the kitchen where he heated up some leftovers and double-checked that they had enough mochi ice cream for the night. He lifted himself onto the counter as he watched Bakugo move around. 

“Sorry the night turned so sour,” Kirishima said. “It’s supposed to be your big night.” 

“It was a big night,” Bakugo said with a smirk. “S’not every day I’ve got a pro-hero ready to get into a bar fight for me.” He placed a bowl of reheated yaki udon in Kirishima’s hands. “Eat.”

The rest of their night consisted of stuffing their faces with food and watching a variety of movies until they nodded off on the couch. At some point in the night, Bakugo woke him up so they could sleep in their beds, rubbing a crick in his neck. Before they could split, Kirishima tugged on Bakugo’s arm. 

“Can I stay with you?” he asked softly. After the events of the day, he didn’t want to sleep alone. And if he was honest, he was terrified that all of these reminders would infiltrate his dreams and send him to Bakugo’s room anyway. 

Bakugo smiled and draped an arm over his shoulders. “C’mon, dumbass.” He steered Kirishima into his room and they quickly settled under the covers. Just as Kirishima allowed the heaviness of sleep to overtake him again, Bakugo poked his cheek. “Oi.” 

“Huh?” He opened his eyes to look at Bakugo, furrowing his eyebrows. 

“Don’t feel guilty for worrying about me. I can hold my own, but that doesn’t mean it’s not nice to have someone looking out.” He pinched his nose harshly between two of his fingers. “Which means no more hiding it, you got that?” 

“Ow! Okay, okay,” Kirishima said, batting his hand away. “G’night, Kats.” 

---

It’d been a week without a single word from Kaminari. He didn’t even answer the mass group chat anymore, and the personal memes and videos and bad jokes and play-by-plays of whatever he was binging or doing were nonexistent. 

“Hey, has Kami messaged you at all?” Kirishima asked Bakugo while they ate lunch on a day off. 

“No.” Bakugo frowned. “He doesn’t text me much normally, but he hasn’t sent a single stupid picture either.” 

Kirishima hummed and sent a text directly to Kaminari. 

Hey dude, haven’t heard from you in a while. Everything ok?

Even when they were done with lunch and after Kirishima had cleaned up, there was no response. Kirishima ended up texting Shinsou to ask about Kaminari. 

Then there was an urgent knock on the front door that had Bakugo and Kirishima sharing a look across the apartment. Kirishima was closest to the door, so he walked over and peered through the peephole, surprised to see a familiar head of wild blond hair. 

He opened the door, ready to engulf Kaminari in a hug, but Kaminari shoved him back the second he could step through the door. 

“Seriously?” he snapped as he angrily kicked off his shoes to step inside and keep barging toward him. “Is everything okay?” 

Shinsou walked in behind him, much calmer as he took his shoes off and shut the door. 

“Wha-?”

“Well, let’s see,” Kaminari continued. “Two of my closest fucking friends were keeping a huge secret from me for who knows how long, lying to my goddamn face, and then they have the audacity to ask if I’m okay. ” 

Kirishima stared at Kaminari, jaw slack as he shot Bakugo a nervous look. Bakugo narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. “What are you on about, Dunce Face?” 

“Do not call me that,” Kaminari snarled. It was so rare for Kaminari to get this angry, that even Bakugo shut his mouth. “I am not fucking stupid,” he said. “Y’know Hitoshi suggested it. Suggested that you two had gotten together and that’s why everything was so secret.” Kirishima felt a weight drop in his stomach. “But I said, ‘No, of course not, because if that were the case, they would’ve told me!’ And then what happens? I go into the bathroom at the bar, hear someone getting a fucking sloppy toppy in a stall, and I’m thinking I’ve got great gossip for the group, only for you two to come prancing back and lie to me about cleaning off in the bathroom, are you fucking kidding me?” 

“Okay, you need to calm down,” Bakugo growled. “You can’t just barge into our apartment and start yelling at us-” 

“No, you don’t get to come into my house and lie to my face! You don’t get to make me feel so fucking stupid!” Kaminari snapped, stepping closer to Bakugo. Static surrounded him. Kirishima could feel the electricity in the air, the way it made his hair stand on end.

“We’re not… together. It’s just like… friends with benefits. And we didn’t tell anybody,” Kirishima explained softly. “Seriously. I mean, Midoriya and Ashido only know because they figured it out.” 

“Well you could’ve told me!” he said frantically. “We were a trio, we-” He growled and walked away from them to pace. “Sero told me when he started his thing up with Ashido-” 

“‘Cause Scotch Tape can’t keep his fuckin’ mouth shut.”

“Because Sero trusts me,” Kaminari corrected, glaring at Bakugo. He ran his hands through his hair, and Kirishima could hear small zaps between his fingers in the tense silence. “I…. I know I’m not entitled to information about you guys. I know I’m not entitled to every piece of your personal lives. But this was huge! This was…. I felt so dumb. And then in front of the others-”

“Kami….” 

But Kaminari stepped back when Kirishima took a step toward him. “I thought you guys would trust me with something like that. Or that at the very least you wouldn’t look me in the eyes and lie out of your fucking ass.” 

Silence settled over them again. Bakugo leaned against the back of the couch, scowling at the ground with his arms crossed. Kaminari kept wringing his hands like he needed to keep busy. Kirishima leaned against the bar, resting his head in his hands as he searched for something to say, for something to fix this. 

“He’s been going back and forth between being pissed and sad all week,” Shinsou said from the wall. Kirishima had nearly forgotten he was there. Kaminari shot him a look, but didn’t say anything. “I’ll uh...step out for a bit. Keep an ear out for any explosions or electric blasts.” He opened the front door and got out of the apartment before shutting the door again. 

Kaminari took a shaky breath and let it out in a huff. 

Kirishima cleared his throat and said, “Kam, I’m sorry we made you feel stupid. That wasn’t…. I shouldn’t have lied, but you kept pushing, and I couldn’t say anything because we had a deal. And we didn’t keep this from you because we didn’t trust you.” 

“Listen up, Sparky,” Bakugo interrupted, finally turning to face Kaminari. “You like to talk about your sex life. A lot. To all of us. All the time. Only reason I don’t blow you up for it is ‘cause Eyebags out there makes you happy as hell. But that’s you. I didn’t want questions. I didn’t want people prying into specifics of this thing that we were barely figuring out. I’m barely restraining myself from blowing Deku up everytime he fucking smirks at me, you think I wanted to add your invasive questions to the mix?” 

“So it’s my own fault, huh?” 

“What- no!” Bakugo growled and kicked at the back of the couch with his heel. “That’s not what I’m tryin’ to say. Just that it was my logic behind keeping this from everyone. And Kirishima just wanted to respect my privacy and agreed.”

“If we’d known that it would make you feel like this, Kam….” Kirishima sighed.

“Well, since I didn’t know, I accidentally ended up exposing you to Sero and Jirou too. If Midoriya knows, that means Todoroki knows because they tell each other everything. Your plan to keep everyone from finding out is going great,” Kaminari said flatly. 

Kirishima grimaced as Bakugo rolled his eyes. “Alright,” Bakugo said in a huff. “Sit your ass down, Kaminari.” He walked toward the table and took a seat at the table. Confused, Kaminari followed and sat down at the short edge while Kirishima moved to stand closer. “I hate to admit that I’m missing those dumbass fucking videos you send me every other day, plus this one’s been pouting about not hearing from you.” Kirishima offered a weak smile as Kaminari looked over at him. “So…. To make up for lying and for making you feel dumb, you get to ask questions. Plus I’m a little impressed with how you yelled at me.” 

“What do you mean?” Kaminari asked slowly.

“I mean you get to ask questions about… this whole thing. Vague ones only. You don’t get dirty details.Take the chance now, because you won’t be getting it again.” 

“I-I don’t need to ask questions, man, that’s not the issue-” 

“Sparky, shut up and ask.” 

“Fine, but you’re the one insisting!” Kaminari said as he shifted in his seat. Bakugo looked over his shoulder to smirk at Kirishima while Kaminari stared at the table intently. “How did this thing start?” 

Kirishima rubbed his neck and sighed. “Uh… well I was pretty pent up. The biting thing sorta became a game until it wasn’t…. Then we figured why not just have fun and figure things out with someone we’re both comfortable with?” 

“Biting-? From that one guys’ night?” Kaminari asked. “So this- you guys have been at this for like….” He counted quickly on his fingers. “Like seven months?” 

“Give or take,” Bakugo said. “Didn’t start right after. The bites were innocent at first.” Kirishima could see the way Bakugo’s ears turned red. “Next question.” 

Kaminari crossed his arms and let his gaze flit between them both. “And this is just sex? No romantic feelings?” They both nodded. “Huh. And you have… gone all the way?” Another nod from both of them. Kaminari squinted his eyes. “Am I allowed to ask who tops?” 

Kirishima looked to Bakugo, waiting to see what his verdict was. Eventually, Bakugo cleared his throat. “It alternates,” he said. 

“Uh-huh. Then who topped first?” Wordlessly, Bakugo pointed at Kirishima, rubbing the temples of his head while Kirishima just smiled awkwardly and shrugged. Kaminari grinned. “Nice. You do need to let go sometimes, Bakugo.” 

“Fucking hell, I have regrets,” he muttered. 

“Okay, okay,” Kaminari said placatingly. “You guys… are having fun right?” 

“For sure, dude,” Kirishima answered. 

“And you weren’t keeping this under wraps ‘cause you were embarrassed by Kiri?” he asked Bakugo, pointing a finger at his chest. 

“‘Course not, what the fuck?” Bakugo snapped. 

Satisfied, Kaminari sat back in his chair. “Okay. Then I’m done with questions. Don’t worry, I won’t pry either. But you guys know you can tell me things and I won’t go blabbing to other people if you tell me to keep it secret, right?” Bakugo grunted and Kirishima nodded, smiling sadly. Kaminari turned to look out the window and grimaced. “Sorry I just… went off on you guys.”

“Yeah, well… can’t imagine it was fun to find out the way you did,” Kirishima said. “I’m gonna get Shinsou from the hallway.” 

“We were about to head out for lunch, actually. But I got your text and I… had us take a detour,” Kaminari said sheepishly as he stood up. “I promise to make up for all the missed memes. I saved them all for whenever I stopped being mad at you.” 

“Of course you did,” Bakugo mumbled as they walked him out the door. 

Shinsou had been scrolling through his phone in the hall, and he scooped Kaminari into his arms the second he saw him, whispering something in his ear. Kaminari nodded with a smile, then waved at Kirishima and Bakugo before they left. 

As they went back into the apartment, Kirishima raised an eyebrow at Bakugo. 

“What?” Bakugo asked. 

“That was super nice of you.” 

Bakugo rolled his eyes before sitting on the couch and pulling up their show which just had a new season released. “Yeah, well. I knew where he was coming from.” He gestured to the television. “You watching with me or not?” 

Kirishima smiled and sat on the couch beside him before settling in to watch the show. 

Chapter Text

If any of their friends who knew what was going on were surprised, they didn’t show it. For that, Bakugo was grateful. At first, he kept expecting sideways glances and curious eyes, something teasing like what Deku always did just to purposefully push his buttons. However, much to their credit, Soy Sauce and Earplugs didn’t act any differently or question them the next time they hung out as a group. It was possible they might have made a comment to Kirishima separately, but he doubted that. 

Spark Plug on the other hand usually just made underhand innuendos whenever he was alone with the two of them that made Kirishima turn red and stutter. Bakugo only rolled his eyes, but he let it slide because at least he kept them to a minimum and didn’t say anything when they were in a group. 

“Considering what a big fuss that Trifecta group made for their ‘debut,’ they’ve been pretty MIA lately,” Eyebags said as he rested his chin on Kaminari’s head. “It’s making me uneasy.” 

“No work talk at game nights,” Kaminari complained, gently nudging his head up. “Even Iida’s adhering to the rule.” 

“Of course,” Iida said from the beanbag he was sitting on. Four-Eyes had been trying to learn how to play Spark Plug’s favorite racing game for the past hour. 

“Sorry,” Shinsou said, placing a light kiss on the crown of Kaminari’s head. 

Bakugo knew why it made Shinsou nervous not to hear about the Trifecta after so long. At the briefings in Tokyo, they made it clear that the individuals of the group were smart and strategic. They’d been missing from North America for months before their little ‘debut’ in Musutafu, so it could be assumed that they were lying low while planning whatever was next. And whatever was next would be big, bigger than burning down and destroying the HRA. 

He shared a look with Shinsou, but they stayed quiet. 

“Ow!” Sero yelped from the other side of the couch. Bakugo turned to see him shaking out his hands while Kirishima laughed loudly, tilting his head back. “You can’t just harden your hands, cheater!” Kirishima only laughed harder. 

“Tell me you’re not complaining about hurting yourself in the middle of a game where the point is slapping the other’s hands,” Bakugo said flatly. 

Scotch Tape pointed at Kirishima accusingly. “He fucking hardened! That’s not the game!” 

Bakugo rolled his eyes, fighting the grin that threatened to spread at the sound of Kirishima’s breathless, chittering laugh. He stood up to get one more beer and brought extras for those still sitting in the living room. It was a tamer game night that usual because there were so few of them, but it was entertaining to watch Four-Eyes rage at a video game. 

It wasn’t until Iida left a couple hours later and Shinsou excused himself to squeeze in a shower that Spark Plug moved to sit on the arm of the couch, putting a hand on Soy Sauce’s shoulder. “How you holding up, champ?” 

“Shut up, Kams,” Sero answered with an eyeroll. 

“Holding up? What’s wrong?” Kirishima asked worriedly. 

“ Nothing,” Sero said. He shoved Kaminari off the couch arm and pulled one long leg up on the couch. “He thinks I’m suffering for going three weeks without sex.” 

“Uh-oh. What happened? Did you and Ashido have a falling out?” Kirishima asked, visibly tensing. 

“No! No, not at all. She just met some cute girl at the bar a while back, and she wanted to see if it would go anywhere.” Sero shrugged. “Must be a big deal because Mina doesn’t really date and it takes a lot for her to consider someone seriously.” He frowned and tilted his head. “She didn’t tell you?” 

“I don’t really ask about it,” Kirishima said, taking a swig of beer. 

“Not everyone is ready to combust just ‘cause they’re not getting laid, Lightning McQueen,” Bakugo mumbled. “Don’t think anyone has a libido as high as yours.” 

Kirishima made a weird half-snorting, half-choking sound, proceeding to spit out what he had in his mouth. “Shit,” he coughed, covering his nose and mouth as he hurried off the couch and to the kitchen to grab a napkin. 

Nosy as ever, Kaminari perked up and raised an eyebrow. “Ooh, now that is telling,” he said with a wide grin. “Is that the scent of hypocrisy in the air?” 

“You shut the fuck up,” Bakugo said, pointing at Sparky. “And you-” Bakugo grabbed a spotted stress ball Shinsou had on the lampside table and threw it at Kirishima. “Fuck off.” Sero at least had the decency to try hiding his smile. 

Kirishima turned so the stress ball hit his shoulder blade instead of his chest. “I didn’t say anything!” 

Bakugo rolled his eyes, demanding the heat in his cheeks to go away. “That’s my cue to go,” he said as he stood up. He looked over at Kirishima. “You coming or staying longer?” 

“I’ll go with.” Kirishima drank the rest of his beer and tossed the bottle before returning to the couch to hug Sero and Kaminari. “See you guys later. Thanks for having us over Kam.” 

“Anytime, dude!” Kaminari and Sero both walked them out and waited with them until they got a cab. 

In the backseat of the cab, Kirishima slowly dropped his head onto Bakugo’s shoulder. “Sorry,” he whispered, sounding far too amused to be genuine. 

“Sure you are, dumbass,” Bakugo answered, adding a lighthearted scoff. “Like you’re any better.” 

He grabbed Bakugo’s hand, discreetly moving it under his sweater and shirt. His fingertips brushed against faux leather straps tugged snuggly against Kirishima’s skin. “Guess you’re right,” Kirishima whispered, letting his hand drop away as he leaned against the window, smug smile on his lips. 

“Fucking hell,” Bakugo muttered under his breath, eyes glued to the street names as they passed them and got closer and closer to their home. 

He didn’t even wait to get change back when they arrived; Bakugo and Kirishima both raced each other up the stairs, laughing until they got through the door. Immediately, Bakugo shoved him in and pushed him up against the door as it shut, both of them fumbling to take their shoes off mid-kiss. 

Kirishima stepped forward, making Bakugo walk backwards as they shed more clothes between the door and the island kitchen counter. As Kirishima took off his shirt, Bakugo let out a reverent breath at the sight of the harness. He tugged Kirishima closer by looping his finger through one strap. 

“Which drawer did you hide the lube in?” 

“The one with the junk mail,” Kirishima answered, unbuckling his pants. 

Bakugo pressed one more kiss against his lips before turning away to open the junk mail drawer and finding the bottle they’d hidden there. He turned back toward Kirishima in time to watch him remove his boxers, revealing the green straps straining around his thighs. 

“Turn around,” he growled. Kirishima turned, leaning against the counter as Bakugo walked behind him, running his fingertips lightly down his spine. He took a handful of Kirishima’s ass, smiling when he heard the sigh that fell from his lips. Just as Kirishima began to relax against the counter, Bakugo allowed a small explosion to crack against the soft skin under his palm. 

"A-ah! Fuck," Kirishima breathed, gripping the edge of the counter. "More." 

"Soon," he promised, uncapping the lube and warming it in his fingers. He pressed his middle finger in slowly, pressing gently along the wall of muscle. 

"Thought the point of having lube stashed around the house was to speed things up." 

Bakugo snorted and pinched his ass. "You're being cheeky." With a grunt, Kirishima dropped his upper body weight on his elbows, his hanging low enough to make his hair brush along the counter. "Is that a pout?" 

Instead of responding, Kirishima pushed against Bakugo's finger. 

With an amused huff, Bakugo a second finger and tried to work faster without hurting Kirishima. He ran his free hand along the edges of the harness, detonating the tiniest explosions he could manage across Kirishima’s back as he stretched him open. 

“Fuck, I didn’t see condoms in the-” 

“It’s fine, I’ll just shower after, but come on, Katsuki,” Kirishima nearly snarled as he gripped the higher ledge of the bar counter with one hand and the kitchen sink counter’s ledge with the other.

Bakugo bit his lip. After All Might’s retirement, after new got out about his health, pro-heroes were required to get a check up every six months to ensure they were fit to work. Along with the fact that they had only ever been with each other, Bakugo knew it would be safe to go without a condom. What he didn’t know was how comfortable that might be for Kirishima.

Kirishima pushed back against his fingers, getting his attention back and proceeding to shiver when Bakugo just barely missed his prostate. 

“Kats… please.” 

And really, how could Bakugo deny such a gentle plea? He knew he could tease Kirishima for being so ready, for proving he was just as bad as Bakugo when it came to libido levels, for being so pliant against a kitchen counter. But he didn’t want to. What he wanted was to give Kirishima everything he asked for and then some. 

He slicked himself up and spread Kirishima’s legs apart slightly as he pressed against his hole. He hooked one hand along the spot where the harness straps intersected and pushed forward slowly, listening to Kirishima’s heavy breaths, watching as they fogged up the counter. The other curled around the top of his thigh, holding him in place as he slid in. Without a condom, things felt heightened. The heat, the pressure, the slide. It took all of his restraint not to get reckless. 

“Finally,” Kirishima moaned. He arched his back, lifting his head for a moment as his other hand curled over the edge of the sink. 

“Don’t break anything, Eiji,” Bakugo teased as he pulled out and pushed back in, still slow but not as gentle. He pulled the harness, making Kirishima’s back bend a bit more. 

“Faster,” Kirishima whispered tightly. 

“Eiji, we’re just getting started,” he murmured, even as he moved his hips a bit faster, watching for any sign of pain or discomfort. Even so, Bakugo had long since learned that pain wasn’t exactly a turn off for Kirishima. He lifted one hand from Kirishima’s hip and let it hover over the curve of his ass, releasing a series of small explosions that barely brushed his skin. Kirishima let his head drop as he tried to control his breaths. 

Meanwhile Bakugo watched the way his pale skin turned pink in response to the crackling from his palm. Between the sparks from his hand and the way his hips snapped forward progressively faster, Kirishima was left to grip mindlessly at the edges of the counters as raspy moans slipped from his open mouth. His eyes unfocused, and Bakugo watched the way he blinked slowly, screwing his eyes shut tightly whenever he felt the sting of small explosions on his rear. 

A smile spread on Bakugo’s face as he thought of the way Kirishima was now conditioned to react to the crackling of small explosions. Earlier in the week he’d set one off on Sparky when he wouldn’t shut up while they watched television. On the other side of him, he’d felt Kirishima tense up at the sound of the pop. While Kaminari complained and rubbed his shoulder, Bakugo glanced over at Kirishima to find him blushing up to his hair, eyes wide as he stared at the wall. It took him a few minutes before he finally seemed to cool down and could focus on the show again. 

Since then, Bakugo was a little more careful about using his quirk on his friends. It was just too obvious and there was no way someone else wouldn’t catch on to the reaction. But in the moment it had given Bakugo a sense of self-satisfaction. 

Now, with Kirishima bent over, moaning and gasping between whispers of his given name, he knew that he’d conditioned himself too. Those smaller explosions had to be followed by a low moan, by the twitch of muscle under his palm as his name was said breathlessly. As amusing as it was for Kirishima to be so into the feeling, it wasn’t like Bakugo wasn’t right there with him. 

“More, Katsuki, fuck,” Kirishima growled. 

He braced one hand against the bar’s ledge and held himself up with one elbow against the counter, then he started meeting Bakugo’s thrusts erratically. The walls around Bakugo’s length pulsed causing a break in his composure. He wrapped both hands around Kirishima’s thighs, pulling him back harshly, fingers digging into skin. 

Kirishima’s moans began to come faster, making something desperate and impatient course through Bakugo’s veins. He leaned over and bit Kirishima’s earlobe, tugging to get his attention. “Get on the floor,” he panted. 

He pulled out of Kirishima and watched him drop to his knees before obediently laying back against the floor. His legs spread immediately to make way for Bakugo as he dropped to the hardwood too. He slid his hands from the inside of his thigh to just under the bend of his knees, pressing Kirishima’s legs toward his chest so he could push back into him. 

Sunset red eyes watched him through a cloudy haze. He watched those eyes roll back as he buried himself inside Kirishima’s body and took a moment to take in the image. 

Bright red hair fanned out against the floor, sharp canine teeth bit into a plump lower lip, and a soft blush spread along his chest. With every heavy breath, the straps crossing over his body gleamed and caught the light, drawing Bakugo’s attention to his hero name stamped proudly across one strap. He ground his hips to reach deeper, smirking when it pulled a gasp from Kirishima. 

The idea of Kirishima walking around all evening with this underneath his clothes stirred something hot and vicious inside of Bakugo. He started rocking his hips shallowly as he placed a hand against Kirishima’s torso. “So warm,” he whispered. 

“C’mon, Kats,” Kirishima groaned. He shifted his hips, but Bakugo squeezed the leg he was still holding and detonated a small explosion against stomach, smiling at the way the skin underneath hardened in response. 

“What do you want, Eiji?” Beneath him, Kirishima flushed and tilted his head back as his eyebrows furrowed together. “Tell me what you want. I’ll give it to you, you know that. You just gotta ask.” Another small pop against Kirishima’s side which was still soft. The sting made Kirishima gasp and moan and tighten around Bakugo. “Look at me and tell me exactly what you want, Eiijrou.”

A frustrated groan rumbled through Kirishima’s chest before he looked at Bakugo. "Fuck me," he said in a low, raspy voice. "Been a long week, and I don't wanna think about anything but this. Fuck me hard, fuck me fast. Please-" 

He would've done it anyway. Of course he would've. He knew how Kirishima liked sex, knew what it meant when that harness was strapped around his body. But the way he spoke when he was like this…. It was an ego boost to know he could dissolve Kirishima's filter. And it was intoxicating to hear him ask these things of him. 

Bakugo hooked his fingers into the intersection of the harness and held on tightly to the back of Kirishima's legs as he drove his hips forward quickly and wildly again and again. 

Immediately, Kirishima arched his back, and his arms shot out searching for purchase. One hand clawed at the hardwood and the other gripped the door of a cabinet. Even if Kirishima didn't activate his quirk, Bakugo knew something would end up broken. It just didn't matter. 

It didn't matter when he was surrounded by a tight, hot space, watching Kirishima's body jolt in response to his own forceful thrusts, listening to his voice climb higher with each moan and punched out breath. 

His hand began to sweat, and it took a ridiculous amount of restraint to keep the resulting explosion from releasing in one strong pop. Instead, a series of several light crackling burned into the back of Kirishima's thigh, a feeling that had him twitching his leg away and moaning out a string of profanity. 

"You okay?" 

He nodded desperately, eyes shut tightly as he gasped for breath. 

He might have worried more if not for the way Kirishima had begun to sloppily jut his hips to meet Bakugo's as desperate sounds fell from his mouth. 

"A- ah! Fu-ucking- Ka-" He broke off into a moan, and sure as clockwork, the cabinet door he'd been clinging to came off, pulling the hinges along with it. Bakugo grinned and pushed himself to move faster, ignoring heat climbing up his spine. Kirishima let go of the door, leaving it to clatter to the floor beside them, and found a new grip along the edge of the empty space. 

As Bakugo gripped his thighs to pull him in harder, Kirishima let out a husky gasp and tightened so hard around Bakugo's girth that the orgasm hit him like a goddamn train. 

"Oh fuck, that's- fuck that's good," Kirishima panted, grinding his hips against Bakugo's to meet the stuttering thrusts. "I'm so close, don't stop, 'Tsuki." 

Gripping Kirishima's legs tighter, Bakugo chased that high, panting as he pushed it so far it almost hurt. He kept going, kept chasing, letting small sparks pop against Kirishima's skin. 

Kirishima wrapped a hand around himself, moving frantically as his body tensed more and more. 

Finally, Kirishima's voice broke on a loud, long moan. Spurts of white hit his stomach and chest, cutting across the straps.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Kirishima panted. 

Despite the heaviness of eyelids, Bakugo kept himself awake as he caught his breath and slipped out of Kirishima, feeling oversensitive. As he did, he watched some of his own release drip out slowly. "Fucking hell," he muttered, sliding his thumb to gather the come and then pushing lightly back into Kirishima. 

Kirishima twitched and hummed softly before trying to bring his legs down.

"Lemme clean you up-" 

"Gotta shower," Kirishima croaked out. "God. Just… gimme a second to feel my legs again." 

Bakugo nodded and instead started to unclasp the straps of the harness. He worked his way up, stifling a yawn into his hand before he could pull the harness away and toss it aside. “Anything hurt?” he asked. Kirishima shook his head. Bakugo rested his cheek on Kirishima’s knee, brushing his fingers lightly on the leg he’d extended on the floor. “Want me to get your clothes?” 

Kirishima laughed and knocked his knee against him lightly. Then he pulled himself up to sit, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’d shut you up with cuddles, but the downside of fucking in the kitchen is that it’s not exactly comfortable,” he said with a crooked smile. 

“Dumbass,” Bakugo muttered. “Lemme see how bad it is.” 

With a resigned sigh, Kirishima turned, holding himself up on his knees. Bakugo ran his fingers lightly over the inflamed spots where his explosions had burned his rear and the back of his thighs. They looked irritated, bigger than usual, red instead of a soft pink. “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Kirishima said softly. 

Bakugo clenched his jaw and let out a long breath through his nose. He knew Kirishima enjoyed it, and Bakugo liked his reactions just as much, but… it still made him feel like shit to see the welts that resulted from it. He leaned closer to kiss the base of his spine. “Go shower. I’ll clean up here and then put some anti-inflammatory on them before you get dressed.” 

Kirishima nodded and pulled himself up to stand before nudging the broken cabinet door with his foot. “What are we gonna do about that?” 

“I’ll put in a maintenance request. It’s not like they’re gonna guess it happened because of kitchen sex. I’m just glad it wasn’t the sink. “ 

“Ha-ha,” Kirishima said humorlessly as he walked to his room. 

With another yawn, Bakugo pulled himself up from the floor and searched for his clothes, pulling on his boxers and tossing the others in the hampher. After tugging on a pair of sweats, he left Kirishima’s discarded clothes draped over the couch then wiped down the counter and swept up the little wooden splinters that had fallen away in the kitchen. He took out the anti-inflammatory ointment, picked up and cleaned the harness, then went to lay down on Kirishima’s bed while he waited for him to get out of the shower.

He kept himself awake by listening to music and scrolling through his phone until Kirishima’s bathroom door opened. He still had his towel around his waist, and he’d tied his hair up so it wouldn’t drip down his back so much. 

“I’m surprised you’re not asleep.” 

“Shut up.” Bakugo patted the bed, and Kirishima walked over to lay down on his stomach. He pulled the towel free, letting it drape along the bed as he shifted and unscrewed the ointment cap. “These look worse than usual,” Bakugo whispered. 

“Stung a little when I showered,” Kirishima admitted. “But it’s not bad.” 

Bakugo grunted, gently brushing the pad of his thumb against one of the bigger welts on the back of his leg. He leaned down and kissed the spot softly a few times before smearing the ointment over it. 

“What are you doing?” Kirishima asked with a soft laugh between his words. “Trying to kiss it better?” 

“Shut up,” Bakugo said without any heat to the words. He placed another set of soft kisses to the next irritated spot. “I feel bad about this. I don’t get why you like it, but at least lemme do this, asshole.” 

Kirishima hummed and sighed. “It doesn’t feel like pain when you do it. I mean, it does sting, but instead of feeling like bad pain, it’s… it’s amplifying the pleasure part. Even if it still stings afterward, it’s not a bad feeling. It’s like being sore after a good workout. It’s just a little good pain to remind me of a fun time.” 

He supposed he could understand that. Sex had a way of making pain disappear. He hadn’t realized how much strain he’d put on his knees until the afterglow faded and they started to ache as if he’d bruised them. And when Kirishima topped, that beginning pain always faded as it was overridden by all the good feelings. 

Even so, Bakugo made sure to ease his conscience by pressing kisses to each irritated spot before coating it ointment. When he was done, he told Kirishima he could finish getting dressed and continued scrolling through his phone while Kirishima pulled on a pair of briefs and shorts.

He turned out the light before laying back down on the bed, wordlessly tugging Bakugo down from his sitting position. Kirishima wrapped his arms around him tightly, squeezing for a second as he nuzzled his cheek into his back. Bakugo grinned and put his phone down. 

“Is this your way of reassuring me you’re okay?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Dumbass.” 

“Night, Katsuki.” 

Bakugo sighed and put his arm over one of Kirishima’s. “Goodnight, Eiji.” 

---

The giveaway was in the way his thighs twitched. The way his breaths hiccupped and his eyes fluttered and his jaw jumped. 

"Red light," Bakugo whispered into his ear. 

Kirishima's hand stopped moving and he slumped against Bakugo's chest with an exhausted exhale. He let his head fall back against Bakugo's shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. 

There was a deep scarlet blush running from his chest all the way up to his cheeks. But aside from the way his brows furrowed, there was no sound of dissent or frustration. 

Bakugo hummed and brushed his lips along the curve of his shoulder. "How you holding up, Eiji?" 

There was no verbal response, but he nodded, making his hair tickle Bakugo's arm with the movements. 

He squeezed Kirishima's hips. "Green light." 

Immediately, Kirishima started up the same quick pace, tugging himself frantically. Bakugo trailed his fingers lightly over his thighs, feeling for the moment they would tense and twitch. He watched for the curl of his toes, kissed along his cheek to feel when his jaw clenched or dropped. 

Heavy breaths came from his nose as he bit into his lips to hide the way he wanted to pant. A soft grunt reverberated in his throat, followed by the twitch of his thigh and a sharp gasp. 

"Red light." 

Kirishima twisted until he could hide his face in the crook of Bakugo's neck, breathing heavily, but he obediently kept his hands over Bakugo's where they rested against his thighs. 

"You don't even complain," Bakugo said softly. "You wanna finish, don't you?" 

Kirishima nodded, nuzzling further into Bakugo. 

"Lemme hear your voice, Eiji." 

"Yes," Kirishima breathed out in a low, raspy voice that was too pliant to be a growl. "I want to. I want to." 

"Go ahead then." 

Kirishima let out a groan, nipping his throat lightly in the smallest form of rebellion. "Don't trick me, 'Tsuki." 

Bakugo ran his hand through his hair as he laughed softly. He'd used that on him before, only to say red light immediately when Kirishima took the bait as permission to keep going. "So good, Ei…." He turned his head to face him and planted an insistent but gentle kiss on Kirishima's lips. When he pulled away, he brushed his nose lightly against Kirishima's. Then he whispered, "Green light." 

A relieved sigh escaped Kirishima's lips and tilted his head back and moved his hand frantically, eager to fall over the precipice now that he had permission. Bakugo aided by sucking hickeys against his neck and digging his fingers into his thighs. When he felt a jump in the muscle beneath his hand, Bakugo opened his mouth and bit down harshly on the muscle between his shoulder and neck. 

Hardened fingers dug into his thigh for support as Bakugo left open mouthed kisses all along the curve of his neck. Kirishima's breath hitched, and his gasps were broken by desperate moans stifled by the sharp teeth digging into his lower lip. Bakugo let out a series of small pops against Kirishima's legs and was rewarded with a choked off gasp that fell into a growl as Kirishima came. He worked himself through it, gasping Bakugo's given name in fragments as the tension left his body, leaving him slumped against Bakugo's front. 

Bakugo could feel the way his body trembled slightly against his own, and he left a series of reassuring kisses along his shoulder before shifting from behind him. He laid Kirishima down gently. 

A hand gripped his forearm. "Where are you going?" 

"Nowhere," Bakugo answered. He moved to straddle Kirishima. He was straining against his jeans, but he was still focusing on Kirishima. "Relax, Ei. I'm right here." 

His eyes fluttered shut as Bakugo shifted lower. He ducked down and kissed all along Kirishima's navel before pressing his tongue flat against him to lick him clean. 

He was slow about it, making sure he kept Kirishima invested in what he did without overwhelming him. 

"Still with me?" Bakugo whispered as he left a trail of kisses up his sternum. 

“Yeah,” he breathed out, running a hand through Bakugo’s hair. “Kats.” Bakugo pulled himself up to look down at Kirishima, arching an eyebrow. Kirishima’s mouth quirked up into a tired half smile. “Sit on my face? Should be ready to go again after that.” 

An involuntary shiver ran down Bakugo’s spine. He was absolutely positive that Kirishima’s tongue was magic; it always managed to make him fall apart. He clambered off of him to tug his jeans and boxers off. Kirishima’s steady scarlet eyes followed his movements, smile widening as Bakugo shifted his legs so they rested on either side of his head. 

Kirishima’s hands cupped his ass, spreading him as he licked a stripe along Bakugo’s hole. 

“Fuck,” Bakugo gasped. He’d already been pent up from the teasing whispers and risky text messages Kirishima had sent him all throughout their group dinner with a few of their friends. Paired with the way Kirishima had been squirming against him just a few moments ago, he was more than antsy to get some relief of his own. 

The points of his teeth grazed his skin, making Bakugo twitch away from him before grinding back down. Kirishima started with slow, light licks, just enough to tease. Intermittently, he added a soft kiss or a gentle nibble. 

Bakugo must have been getting too complacent though, because Kirishima wrapped his hands around the top of his thighs, pulling Bakugo closer as he worked his tongue faster, tilting his chin up to press closer. Desperate moans reverbated from Kirishima’s lips to the sensitive skin he was licking, and Bakugo had never been so goddamn thankful for whatever made Kirishima love the sensation of nearly being squeezed to death by his thighs. 

He felt a finger rubbing alongside his tongue around his rim and gasped as he dropped one hand to tangle into Kirishima’s hair. The tug had Kirishima’s groaning, which only made Bakugo press himself down harder against his face, and in turn the hand still gripping his thigh dug in deeper. It was like everything they did caused a train reaction of back and forth between them until Kirishima moaned relentlessly against his entrance, prodding lightly with the pad of his finger, and Bakugo’s vocabulary had been reduced to Kirishima’s given name as he gasped for breath. 

Suddenly, Bakugo lost his balance and felt himself drop face-first into the bed. Before he could snap at Kirishima for shifting him so abruptly, he felt his hands at his hips pulling his ass up. Kirishima’s tongue was back, and Bakugo groaned into the comforter. 

Kirishima rustled through the drawer of the bedside table, but Bakugo couldn’t be bothered to lift his head. He heard the pop of a cap and felt the dip of the mattress as Kirishima shifted his knees. Then something cold pressed against his entrance, making him pull away with a surprised gasp. 

“‘S alright,” Kirishima said softly. He tugged Bakugo back gently. One finger pressed in slowly as Kirishima leaned in and sucked hickeys into supple skin. Kirishima stretched him the way Bakugo had shown him to do it. He was slow at first, despite the persistence of his mouth, easing him into the feeling before adding another finger and shifting exploratively until he found a good angle. 

By the time Bakugo felt properly stretched and ready, he was desperate. He didn’t think he’d last, but he didn’t care. 

One of Kirishima’s hands tangled into his hair pulling him up as he slid in, leaving Bakugo to moan aloud. The gentle sting at the roots of his hair sent out a shiver through the rest of him, causing every nerve to turn sensitive as it paired with the muted burn that came from the stretch around Kirishima’s girth. 

“Fuck,” Kirishima breathed out as his thighs hit the back of Bakugo’s. The hand in his hair pulled lightly for his attention, and Bakugo let his head yield to the movement. “Tell me when I can move.” 

“Now,” Bakugo growled out. 

“So needy,” Kirishima said with a soft laugh. Bakugo didn’t care enough about the snarky tone to snap at him. Besides, he felt pretty fucking needy at the moment. Thankfully, Kirishima didn’t seem to feel the need to tease him too much that night. With a steady grip on his hair, he began to push his hips in and out shallowly. He moaned softly, tightening his hold as he muttered, “Always feel so damn good, Kats.” Bakugo twisted his hands into the comforter, heavy breaths slipping past his lips unashamedly. Suddenly, Kirishima slowed down again, staying deep inside of him. “Wanna try something?” 

Bakugo nodded, though he wasn’t sure what he was agreeing to. Kirishima pulled out of him and turned him over. He got off the bed, staying at the edge as he tugged Bakugo toward him by his legs. 

“What’re you doing?” 

“Gonna see if this works.” Before Bakugo could ask, Kirishima hunched over him, capturing his lips in a messy kiss that became pretty one-sided when he pushed in again. “Cross your ankles for me, Kats,” he said in that low, raspy voice that always had Bakugo obeying without question. As he crossed his ankles lightly against Kirishima’s lower back, Kirishima pulled Bakugo’s arms up over his shoulders. Then he tucked his arms under Bakugo’s back, holding him close as he rocked into him, swallowing each grunt and moan right out of his mouth before he echoed it back. 

Suddenly, Bakugo felt himself get lifted off the bed. 

“Hold on to me,” Kirishima breathed against his mouth. 

He tightened his hold, using his legs to hoist himself up. His back pressed against the wall, and one of the arms wrapped protectively around his middle slid lower. Kirishima had to bend forward a bit to keep the angle right while keeping his mouth on Bakugo’s, but it was clear that the weight wasn’t even a strain to him. Maybe it should’ve been infuriating, but considering how well things were working out for him because of it, he embraced the situation fully. 

Bakugo licked into Kirishima’s mouth, wordlessly divulging his thoughts on the whole situation. Kirishima started pushing into him, aiding Bakugo’s movements with a firm hand against his ass.

A crooked smile played on Kirishima’s lips as he glanced up to meet Bakugo’s eyes. “Good?” 

“Fuck yeah,” Bakugo breathed out. His ankles unhooked briefly, leaving him to scramble to lift himself back up despite the way his body bounced, causing his shoulders to thud against the wall. 

As he let his head fall back, the heat of Kirishima’s tongue slid along his collarbone. He grazed his teeth along the curve of his neck and bit down roughly on his shoulder, pulling a choked out moan from Bakugo. 

He dug his nails into his back, desperately seeking something to cling to so he could move on his own. Instead, Kirishima nuzzled closer, keeping his mouth near Bakugo’s ear while his hands lifted and lowered his body for him. 

“Just relax for me. I’ve got you,” Kirishima promised. “I’ll make you feel so good. Fuck every other thought outta your head.” He squeezed his rear gently, making him bounce a little faster. “Know just how you like it, Kats. Know you like to feel the drag of my cock. Know your moans get higher when I roll in deeper when I’m already buried inside you.” His words had heat surging to Bakugo’s face, a mix of embarrassment and lust. “And I know that when I talk to you like this, you’ll do anything I say.” His voice had fallen to that slow, husky rumble. “So relax. Lemme make everything else disappear, okay?” 

Bakugo let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and nodded desperately.

He had no idea what it was about these situations that seemed to pull the most primal part of Kirishima out. Stranger still was how easy it was to turn pliant for him. There was no doubt in his head, no spiteful or prideful voice telling him to challenge the orders and commands. 

Kirishima knew him, he knew his weaknesses when it came to these moments; there was no point at all in trying to pretend otherwise. And Bakugo didn’t care. In part because Kirishima’s commands were never really commands. They were gentle reassurances, soft requests, peppered in between dirty words that riled him up. 

It was kind of incredible the way Kirishima transformed. Unfiltered and crass, but still him- still kind and giving, putting Bakugo’s pleasure first. 

Though as much as Kirishima knew his weaknesses, Bakugo knew Kirishima’s too. He knew how frantic he got when Bakugo praised him, when he was vocal whether about what he wanted or through moans and pleading exclamations of his name. He knew how much Kirishima liked to be admired, and frankly, admiring him was easy. For fuck’s sake, the guy had Bakugo up against the wall as if he weighed nothing. 

“Eiji- feels so good. F-fucking hell. You feel so good,” Bakugo panted mindlessly. He didn’t say it just to rile him up; Bakugo only ever said what he meant. He just had to remember to say the thoughts aloud for Kirishima to hear. “You’re so good to me,” Bakugo whispered. His words were punctuated by the punched out breaths from Kirishima’s quickened pace. 

The support of the wall disappeared. Kirishima held him tightly, easily and carefully laying him on the bed again. He hunched over, putting one knee up against the edge of the mattress before resuming his thrusts. Every grind had pressure building in Bakugo’s body, his muscles tightening as he felt himself get taken higher and higher. 

Kirishima crashed their mouths together, letting their kiss turn messy and wild and needy. As Bakugo slowly stopped responding to the kiss in favor of trying to breathe, Kirishima sucked his tongue, grazing his teeth along it before licking into his mouth. “D-d’you want me to pull out?” he panted against his mouth. Bakugo bit Kirishima’s lower lip and shook his head.”Can you touch yourself for me, Kats? Match my pace.” 

Compliant, Bakugo did exactly that as his vision was taken over by the red hair falling around him, ruby eyes watching every twitch of his expression, the soft rosy blush dusted across Kirishima’s cheeks. When his eyes unfocused, when his eyes fluttered shut, he could still see red. 

Heat burst inside of him, a strange and squelchy feeling that quickly turned sticky and messy when Kirishima kept pounding him through it. Bakugo felt Kirishima tuck his face into his neck, breathing heavily against it as he licked and sucked and grazed his teeth to make sure the mark stayed. 

“Give me your hands,” Kirishima whispered against his ear. 

Bakugo allowed his hands to unhook from around Kirishima’s shoulders. He let Kirishima pull them over his head and press them into the mattress. A spike of panic burst in his chest at the idea of being restrained, even in this situation, but then Kirishima slid his hands into Bakugo’s and intertwined their fingers. He rolled his hips purposefully, slowly, with shaky breaths falling from his lips. 

Kirishima’s thumbs rubbed the side of his hands, fingers occasionally squeezing around Bakugo’s. He kept kissing his throat, kept rocking his hips deep into him, making sure Bakugo felt every pull and push of his length inside of him. 

A low growl rumbled in Bakugo’s throat as he clenched his jaw shut and tossed his head back. His hands tightened around Kirishima’s when one hip roll managed to tease his prostate. Of course, Kirishima read him like a book and proceeded to repeat the movement, moving quicker. The effort had soft sounds falling from his mouth, muffled into Bakugo’s skin. 

“A-ah, Ei- Eiji… h-hah, shit,” Bakugo screwed his eyes shut and arched his back as the heat and pressure burst in explosive sparks throughout his limbs, leaving him boneless against the bed while Kirishima continued to rock into him slowly, his hands sliding gently down his arms. 

“Fuck.” Kirishima rested against his chest for a moment, catching his breath before he pulled out entirely. He reached for the wipes and towel they’d knocked to the floor at some point and gently wiped down his stomach and the space between his legs. Bakugo twitched at the feeling, but Kirishima just ran a soothing hand down his leg. “You okay?” he asked once he’d cleaned him down. 

“Mhm.” 

Kirishima’s lopsided grin hovered over him. “Sleepy?” 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes. “Shut up.” As Kirishima laughed, he pulled him down into a slow, tired kiss. 

“At least get under the covers, Kats.” 

They shifted around to pull the covers back and lay down properly on the bed. Bakugo yanked Kirishima closer, placing him between his legs as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Having his weight over him was comforting and warm. A little too warm at times, but for now, it’s what he wanted. 

Kirishima let himself get maneuvered, only reacting with soft, husky laughs before he kissed Bakugo’s chest and rested his head against it. The last thing Bakugo was conscious of was the tightening of Kirishima’s arms around him as he muttered something about the light. 

By morning, Kirishima had ended up on his stomach beside him, one arm draped heavily over his side. Bakugo turned onto his back to look over at him, amused with the wild mess his hair had become. He gently got out of bed and picked the clothes up off the floor. He tugged on what he thought was his own shirt, only to realize it was Kirishima’s, but it fit just fine. Then he went to the closet to pull on some running pants instead of the jeans he’d discarded the night before. 

He sat down at the table to scroll through the news on his laptop with a cup of coffee. He’d only been scrolling for a few minutes when he heard feet shuffling behind him. 

“You left me alone,” Kirishima said with a pout. 

“You looked completely passed out; I didn’t wanna wake you.” Kirishima plopped down in one of the chairs at the table. Bakugo slid his cup toward him. “Coffee?” 

Kirishima took a sip and hummed. “You always add so much sugar,” he said. Then he took another sip. “Dude, I had a dream that I wrote a book. I dunno what it was about, but it was like on bookshelves and shit and I was freaking out.” 

Bakugo smirked and shut his laptop. “Didn’t peg you for a writer.” 

“I’m not! I mean, I read a couple classics in school. And there was this sci-fi series I really liked when I was younger.” He yawned and drank more of Bakugo’s coffee. “Makes me wonder though, if our society never developed these quirks, what would I be doing?” He rested his cheek on his palm and looked Bakugo, seemingly unaware of the lion’s mane jutting out around his head. “If you didn’t have a quirk, what would you be doing? Like if hero wasn’t a profession, what would your passion be?” 

Bakugo grimaced. He’d built so much of his life around the goal of becoming a hero and developing his quirk that the idea of anything else made no sense. “Dunno.” He frowned as he watched Kirishima drink more of his coffee. “I’ve always liked cooking. I don’t think I would’ve been a chef though.” 

“Well you’re super smart, so I think you could’ve done a whole bunch. Maybe a kickass lawyer. Or an engineer. Ooh, you could’ve been a firefighter. Different type of hero.” 

Bakugo rolled his eyes and laughed. “You? What would you be if you weren’t a hero?” 

Kirishima took a breath as he looked at the remaining coffee. “I think I’d have been into technology. Y’know I was gonna apply to Droid Tech for high school. But I had my heart set on UA. Coulda been building robots for science right about now,” he said lightly. He tilted his head and shrugged. “Probably sounds stupid since I struggled so much in school.” 

“Not stupid. You’re smart, Ei. You could’ve done anything you wanted.” Kirishima stared at him like he wanted to tell Bakugo to cut the bullshit. “You were always smart. I mean you had to be for UA.”

“I failed like every other test-”

“Most of us were fucking up in academics considering how many times villains came after us. You even had that whole internship thing the first year. You were juggling being a hero, building those skills, and trying to study for a lit exam. C’mon. I got lucky because I never needed to study to remember things. Momo’s just a fucking genius and swept us all under the table.” He kicked Kirishima’s leg under the table lightly. “Doesn’t mean you weren’t smart. There’s a reason you made it to class 1A at UA.” 

“I guess that’s true. I had the grades for Droid Tech.” He shrugged and drank the rest of the coffee, flashing a smile. 

It was something that pissed Bakugo off. He always shrugged things off when he wanted to stop talking about it. Always downplayed his abilities. “Why do you do that?” Bakugo asked flatly. 

“What?” 

“You-” Bakugo sighed, catching himself before he got angry. “You can tell me if you don’t wanna talk about something anymore. Don’t just shrug it off like it’s fine. But I don’t get why you’re always so goddamn hard on yourself.” 

“You’re one to talk,” he said. It wasn’t angry, but it still caught Bakugo off guard. 

He looked up and narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists in frustration. “I push myself to go farther. I’m hard on myself to make more progress. You don’t even wanna recognize when you’re doing well.” Kirishima flinched, and Bakugo knew he’d fucked up. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Sorry. It’s just frustrating. Because I can see what you do. What you’re capable of. And you can’t and that’s-” Bakugo let out a low growl to release the frustration. He sighed and met Kirishima’s eyes again. “You’re enough, Eijirou. You don’t need to catch up to anyone, you just… you’re enough. Just wish you could see that too.” 

It was quiet for a moment. Bakugo glared at the table as if it were the reason behind Kirishima’s inferiority complex. 

“You know, I’m actually doing a lot better than I used to. It was bad in middle school,” Kirishima said softly, pulling Bakugo’s attention back to him. He nodded and tugged on a strand of hair by his shoulder. “If you’d met me in middle school, I don’t think you’d have ever become my friend. I was such a coward.” He laughed and shook his head. Bakugo doubted that, but he stayed quiet in hopes of letting Kirishima talk more. He never brought up middle school. The most he knew about those years was that he was quiet and had black hair. “It felt like I was always trying to be something else. But in trying, people who knew me would call me out. If I wanted to be brave or loud, someone would always question it because they knew me as someone insecure and quiet. Someone who faded to the background. I’m pretty sure they have no idea that Red Riot is that same kid they went to class with.” He traced his finger over the rim of the mug. “When I got into UA, I figured I could be who I wanted to be. And I wanted to be loud. And brave. And strong. And smart. When I saw Ashido was there too, I freaked out. I was so scared she’d tell everyone what I was like and that I wouldn’t be able to change, but…. But Ashido was nice. She kept my secret and never mentioned middle school. So I became the person you met.” Kirishima looked up to meet his eyes. “I think being your friend helped a bunch too.” 

Furrowing his eyebrows, Bakugo scoffed. “How? I wasn’t exactly encouraging.” 

Kirishima laughed and shook his head. “Nah, you weren’t. That’s what helped. I didn’t wanna impress you, so I ended up being really comfortable with however I wanted to act. I knew that if I was quiet you’d find something to say, if I was loud you’d find something to say, so I could just… be. After I realized you weren’t a total jerk, you became… inspiring. You never cared what people thought of you. You were always so sure of yourself. I figured you wouldn’t put up with me if I was actually as spineless as I felt in middle school.” 

Bakugo hummed and smirked. “Well, I was a total asshole in middle school and a huge chunk of that first year in high school. To be honest, I was just impressed that you weren’t put off by me like everyone else. You never tried to make me act different and you never acted different around me. It was like you were the only genuine person. Then the others started getting used to me and… now I care about all of you idiots.” 

A loud, heartfelt laugh resonated through the apartment, bringing a smile to Bakugo’s face. “See, so we’ve both grown. You’re even friends with Midoriya now.” Bakugo grunted in amusement. “Guess I just still have some growing to do. I just always think I can do better. My best yesterday isn’t enough for today, but I don’t wanna dwell on it, so it’s easier to just… smile and move past it.” His mouth quirked up into a sharp-toothed half-smile. “Keep calling me out on it though.” 

“Mm, will do.” He stood up from the table and walked toward the kitchen. “Help me make breakfast. I’m starving and you stole my coffee.” 

“Yep.” 

---

Maybe it was a childhood friend thing- if they could really call themselves that- but Bakugo was just always able to feel when Deku’s big green eyes were on him. He could always tell when he was observing and it still ignited an instinct to hit him. 

“What d’you want, Deku?” he said tiredly as he removed his gauntlets. 

“Nothing!” 

He turned to face him, eyes narrowed. “You’ve been stealing glances the whole time we’ve been patrolling, and now in the locker room. Pretty sure IcyHot wouldn’t like it very much.” 

“Kirishima probably wouldn’t either.” 

Bakugo took a deep breath, clenching his jaw as he let it out. “One of these days I’m gonna have the satisfaction of bashing your face in. Keep your guard up.” 

Deku had the audacity to laugh. “Sorry.” He sat down on the bench next to the spot where Bakugo had put his foot up to unlace his boots. “I’ve just noticed you’re a lot more relaxed lately.” 

He grunted and kicked off the boot. “Yeah, getting laid will do that, I guess.” 

“Yeah,” Deku said, though it sounded like he wanted to say more. Instead, he stood up and moved to his locker to get changed. “See you later, Kacchan.” 

Bakugo waved as he tossed a towel over his shoulder and headed to the showers. 

He redressed and grabbed his phone, swiping away notifications from tagged pictures and breaking headlines. He skimmed the groupchat which had some weird debate about fruit going on. Then he opened the message from Kirishima. 

I wanted to catch you before I had to leave for patrol, but I had to go! There’s a surprise at home for you!

Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows and shut his locker. By now, Kirishima would already be getting into his hero outfit at his agency, so he wouldn’t see any responses. He put his phone in his pocket and left the agency, waving whenever someone said goodbye to him. 

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he got home. Knowing Kirishima, a surprise could be his favorite boba tea waiting in the fridge or a goddamn dildo waiting on his bed. But when he opened the door, he was hit with the scent of onion and garlic and cumin. 

He followed the scent to the kitchen and found a saute pan on the stove with a sticky note on top. 

Did it the way you taught me and googled the parts I missed- hope you like it! 

Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows and took the lid off. The chicken curry inside the pan was still steaming. The potatoes and carrots had been cut all lopsided, and it brought a smile to Bakugo’s face. The image of Kirishima trying to chop things up and follow a recipe made him scoff in amusement as he inhaled the scent of the food. 

God, I could spend the rest of my life with that man. 

Bakugo grabbed the spoon to taste the curry, only to freeze as the thought ran through his head again. He stared at the wall with wide eyes, heat racing into his face to the tips of his ears as the thought repeated itself, getting louder and frantic, no matter how much he tried to push it away. 

“Shit,” Bakugo cursed, quickly covering the pan. He turned around as if to make sure Kirishima wasn’t around to read his mind and leaned against the counter, letting the realization course through him at full power. “Fuck. Shit. Goddammit,” Bakugo cursed, running his hand through his hair. 

It was just food. Why had he even thought that? He didn’t mean that, not in that way, at least. They were best friends, of course he wanted Kirishima in his life, but it didn’t necessarily have to be….

Bakugo pressed his head against the counter and let out a frustrated groan, knowing damn well he couldn’t fool himself.The way his chest tightened and his palms started to sweat and crackle and the traitorous blush in his cheeks were proof of the way he’d meant those words. Proof of the role he wanted Kirishima to play in his life. 

It wasn’t just food. It was the crooked grins and late-night binging and stolen coffees and stupid jokes and mindless humming and the concentrated frown when he cooked and unspoken understanding of nightmares and hugs that made him realize he liked to feel safe. 

Kirishima had always been part of his future in his head, but now his role was different. He wasn’t just someone Bakugo would keep up with through texts and visits. Now the future Bakugo wanted was one where he woke up beside him every morning, one where their hands would always find each other’s, one where they always came home to each other. 

The feeling surging through his body was overwhelming, but it… didn’t feel sudden. Not really. Bakugo had immersed himself into the emotion slowly, gently, wading deeper and deeper into it until it was all around him. It was terrifying now that he’d been forced to face it, but unlike the suffocating darkness that drowned him in his nightmares, this feeling surrounded him and made him feel weightless.

Shit. What was he supposed to do now? They had an agreement. No romantic feelings, no relationship. Bakugo couldn’t just pretend he hadn’t realized the ridiculously powerful and overwhelming things he felt for Kirishima. He didn’t even know how he was supposed to look him in the eyes when he came home. How the hell was he supposed to tell him? 

Without really thinking, Bakugo pulled his phone out and scrolled through his contacts. His hands were shaking, and his heart was trying to beat out of his chest. 

“Kacchan?” 

“I….” He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. He just knew the others were too close to Kirishima for him to trust that they wouldn’t say anything, and frankly, with the way Deku had been watching him, he was pretty sure the idiot already knew. “Um.” 

“Are you okay?” Deku asked worriedly. 

Bakugo grimaced as he looked around his apartment. “Could you come over? Fast. Like. Now.” 

“Uh. Y-yeah, Kacchan. Sure. I’ll be there in a bit. Alone?” 

Bakugo shuddered at the thought of having a total meltdown over his feelings in front of Half n’ Half. “Yeah. Alone.” 

“You got it,” Deku said, and Bakugo could swear there was a smile in his voice. He hung up and stared at the pan that had caused this whole stupid spiral. Then, because his stomach was starting to growl, he served himself some steamed rice and curry. 

He stared at the bowl then shoved a spoonful into his mouth. 

Son of a bitch, he thought. Of course it was good. Of fucking course it was good. 

Distressed, Bakugo shoveled the food into his mouth as he paced the apartment. Finally, he heard a knock at the door and swung it open to see Deku standing with a shocked expression. 

“Smells good in here. What’d you make?” he asked as he took off his shoes at the door. 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes and walked toward the couch. “I didn’t. Eiji- Kirishima cooked. He made chicken curry.” He put the bowl on the center table and put his face in his hands. “I showed him once. But he got so happy when it came out right. And he did it alone this time, and the carrots and potatoes and chicken are cut up all stupid, and it’s making my chest feel so goddamn tight I can’t breathe, but I don’t even care, I fucking hate this.” 

“Ohh,” Deku said. He made his way to the kitchen. Bakugo stood from the couch to look over and saw him reading the note. “Cute,” he said with a smile. “So this did you in, huh?” 

“We were supposed to keep feelings out of this,” Bakugo said, crossing his arms. Deku turned to look at him. At the very least he didn’t look smug; it made it easier to talk. “This isn’t new. It can’t be. Not….” He curled his hand into his shirt over his chest like he could carve the feeling out. “Not with how strong it is. But I… I can’t tell how long…. I thought…. Fucking hell!” 

Frustrated, Bakugo started pacing again, running his hand through his hair as guilt crept over him. Was it possible to lie to someone without realizing it? Bakugo had been so sure there were no underlying intentions behind things they did, whether as friends or fuck buddies, but now he wasn’t sure. Just thinking about the way they’d spent the past weekend had a twisted feeling of embarrassment coursing through him. 

“I mean, it makes sense that it was hard to tell when it shifted. You guys have always been close. You were getting the emotional support of a friendship and the sexual component-”

“No,” he interrupted. “No, it…. It wasn’t about the sex. I didn’t just realize… this because we were fucking, okay? It was… everything else. And that’s- that’s not the point! I can’t keep up our deal being aware of all this shit going on!” he said as he gestured wildly to the invisible turmoil in his chest. “But I… fuck, I can’t tell him! We fucking live together, that’s going to be so fucking awkard. I figured if this shit ended it would be because it faded or because he’d meet someone he wanted to get serious with, or- Shit. Shit, what am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do when he gets back from his shift? I’m not used to this, Deku!” He stepped closer gripping the lapels of Deku’s bomber jacket as if he might have all the answers hidden underneath. “How the fuck do people do this?” 

Deku’s eyebrows furrowed together as he seemed to understand just how distraught this whole situation was making him. “Okay. So let me get this straight- you don’t plan on telling Kirishima?”

“I….” He couldn’t not tell him. He was the one who always demanded honesty and straight-forwardness. “I just need to sit on this. Let it fucking settle in my head before I go… freaking out on him. We share a living space, I can’t just… drop this on him. Especially so fucking out of nowhere.” The acceptance washed over him as quickly as the shock had, and he stepped back to lean against the back of the couch. He kept his eyes on the floor, cursing the sudden influx of Kirishima-related thoughts. “When’d you figure it out?” 

“O-oh. Well, to be fair, Kacchan, I really thought there was some sort of history. You guys were always so… compatible. I had a feeling someone would develop feelings with this deal if they weren’t already there.” He moved to stand beside Bakugo, running his scarred hand over the seam of the couch mindlessly. “Like I said, you’ve been more relaxed lately. Happier. Softer around the edges.” He laughed softly. “I didn’t want to say anything though. I didn’t think it was my place.” 

Bakugo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I can’t be here when he gets back. He’ll see right through me. And I can’t lie to him.” 

“It’s not gonna go away just because you don’t see him-” 

“I fucking know that, dumbass,” Bakugo said lowly. “I just… need to figure out how to explain why I want to end this stupid friends with benefits deal without… without making everything weird.” 

The silence stretched out for a second before Deku pulled away from the couch. “Y’know, Shoto’s been having a tough time lately with some bad memories. Y’know the whole scandal…. He was napping when I got home, but I could use some help trying to distract him. You could spend the night, if you want.” 

Bakugo arched an eyebrow, well aware that Deku was just offering him a way out without saying it outright. A reason to get away from the apartment without completely feeling like a coward for it, a way to explain to Kirishima without necessarily lying to him. 

And maybe taking it was still cowardly, but there was too much going on and all the memories and images ingrained in the crevices of the apartment weren’t helping. He really didn’t want to completely fuck things up with Kirishima, and he didn’t want to lie. He just needed to figure things out. He just needed to process. Then he would face it all and come clean. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I could help. Lemme just get some stuff.” 

He went to his room and shoved some clothes for the next day along with his toothbrush and deodorant into a backpack. Then he packed up some of the curry into a Tupperware, making sure to leave some for Kirishima’s dinner when he got back. 

Deku didn’t say anything as they pulled on their shoes and left. In the cab, Bakugo pulled out his phone and began typing a message before erasing it then typing again. He cursed under his breath. Kirishima was his best friend; he’d never second-guessed himself or his words this way. 

Finally he managed to send a text without bothering to fuss over it so much. 

Thanks for lunch. I’m going to Deku’s to help him out with something so I won’t be home until tomorrow probably. I took some of the curry so they could try it. Good job, Ei- it was really good. 

He grimaced as he read over it, unsure if it even sounded like himself. But it was sent and there was nothing he could do about it now. He put his phone up and leaned his forehead against the window, too exhausted to fight the thought anymore. He let it echo in his head, let it turn into a mantra that was as liberating as it was shackling. 

Chapter Text

The sound of a door slamming shut greeted Kirishima the second he stepped through the door of the apartment. As he kicked off his shoes, he caught sight of red, white, and green hair; Midoriya and Todoroki were on his couch scrolling through a movie lineup. 

“Hey Kirishima,” Midoriya greeted with a wave. Todoroki glanced over, watching Kirishima as he walked over to them. 

“Hey, guys. Didn’t know you were gonna be here.” He glanced around the apartment. “Uh, where’s Kats?” 

Midoriya pointed to Bakugo’s room. “He mentioned something about feeling nauseous,” he said quietly. 

“Is he sick?” Kirishima asked in alarm. The last thing he needed was to have given Bakugo food poisoning. He was positive he’d cooked the chicken all the way through. Before Midoriya could answer, Kirishima knocked on the bedroom door. “Hey man, you okay?” 

The silence that greeted him made him anxious, ready to burst inside in case something was horribly wrong, but the moment he reached for the doorknob, the door swung open. 

“Fucking-!” Bakugo took a step back with a hand on his chest. “Yeah, I’m fine, why?” he grumbled. 

As he looked up, Kirishima frowned. His cheeks were a soft pink color, and he kept rubbing his forehead. Kirishima pressed the back of his hand to Bakugo’s cheek. “You don’t feel feverish.” 

Bakugo stared past him, looking confused for a moment before swatting his hand away. “I’m not sick!” He walked past Kirishima and kicked Midoriya’s ankle before sitting on his other side. “The hell d’you say to him?” 

“Just what you said!” Midoriya said defensively. “You felt nauseous.” Despite Bakugo’s glare, Midoriya looked back at Kirishima and beamed. “Do you still have that curry you made yesterday? It was really good.” 

A little burst of pride surged through him as he smiled back. “Yeah!” Kirishima gestured him over to the kitchen and pulled out the smaller stockpot he’d put the leftovers in. “I’m glad you liked it. I was a little worried since I don’t really cook anything that isn’t microwavable on my own.” 

As he placed it on the stove to heat up, Midoriya leaned against the counter. “Oh, that’s right. Kacchan mentioned that he taught you to do it.” 

Kirishima nodded. “Yup. And considering he went from, ‘you didn’t undercook the potatoes’ to, ‘it was really good,’ I feel pretty awesome. But I can’t cut everything up all nice and uniform like Katsuki does.” 

Midoriya peered into the stockpot and grinned. “Ah. I think it gives it character.” 

Once the curry heated up, Kirishima pulled out some plates for Midoriya and Todoroki so they could eat. Every now and then, he stole a glance at Bakugo, unable to shake the feeling that something was off. 

He moved with hesitance. There was a furrow between his eyebrows from his constant glare at any inanimate object in front of him. Kirishima tried to ask if he was alright by nudging him, but before he could even get close enough, Bakugo had moved to get something from the fridge. 

Clearly whatever was wrong wasn’t something he would talk about while Midoriya and Todoroki were there. 

So Kirishima waited. He washed dishes, laughed along to a comedy movie Todoroki chose, listened to Midoriya ramble about some of the new kids at UA he met when he visited the week before, and tried not to feel so offended by the way Bakugo barely spoke or even looked at him. 

It was surprisingly late by the time the couple left. Kirishima couldn’t help but feel that their long stay was purposeful. After all, if anyone knew Bakugo as well or possibly better than Kirishima, it was Midoriya. Despite that, Midoriya never commented on Bakugo’s sullen behavior. If anything, it was like he’d been trying to distract from it. 

Before Kirishima could even shut the front door when they left, Bakugo had disappeared into his room. While Kirishima debated whether he should try to coax him out, the door opened again. This time though, Bakugo had changed into a pair of jogging pants and a muscle shirt. He had a towel over one shoulder, and he went to the kitchen to rummage around in a higher cabinet for the water bottle he always used when he exercised. 

“I’m gonna go to the gym,” he stated. “Be back later.” 

Kirishima frowned, watching him fill the bottle. “Don’t you work tomorrow morning? It’s 11 at night, Kats….” 

“Gym’s 24 hours.” Bakugo closed his bottle and walked past Kirishima to grab his sneakers from the shoe rack. The silence was… heavy. Weird. Off. The door opened, and Kirishima thought that would be it. Instead, he heard a sigh as Bakugo faced the open door. “Sorry if I'm… acting like an ass. Just got a lot on my mind and… I gotta think it through. Alone.” 

“Sure,” Kirishima said, hoping his voice sounded light. “If you do wanna talk… you know where to find me.” 

Bakugo’s head ducked down slightly. “I know,” he said in a quieter voice. With that, he left the apartment. 

Once he was gone, Kirishima settled into the couch and figured he could relieve some stress by playing a video game. Unsurprisingly, Kaminari was online, so Kirishima sent him a gaming request before getting his headset. 

"Yo-ho, thought you'd be getting laid right about now," Kaminari said. 

"First of all, shut up man, second of all, nah." 

"Just saying, it's been a while since you got online at night. I'm not complaining though I need a support because the randomly assigned teammates suck." 

Kirishima let out a soft laugh, and focused on the game as it started. He must have been too quiet even with Kam's exclamations and boisterous energy through the headset because once the game ended, Kaminari didn't start a new one. 

Instead he said, "Kiri, you okay, dude? Something wrong?" 

"Yeah, I'm good. Katsuki's just been acting weird and I'm not sure why. He kinda froze me out and it's been a while since he's done that." Kirishima frowned as he bit his thumbnail. "It feels like I did something wrong, but I can't think of what." 

A long raspberry was blown out, the sound just a little too close for comfort. "Well," Kaminari said, "Bakugo's pretty straightforward. If he doesn't explain what's got a stick up his ass soon, you could always ask. But if you didn't do anything and if he doesn't tell you right now, you don't need to worry so much. He's a big, tough guy and just 'cause you're best friends doesn't mean you gotta know everything right away. Just give it time. I'm sure it's nothing against you." 

"Yeah. Yeah! You're right. Something probably happened on his shift or something. Sorry, man. Okay, let's go, 110% focus," he said. He repositioned himself on the couch as Kaminari laughed and set up a new game. 

After a few more rounds which managed to help improve Kirishima's mood with how easy it was to match and reciprocate Kaminari's energy and jokes, the front door opened again. 

"Son of a bitch!" Kirishima shouted. 

"Hah?" 

"Not you!" he told Bakugo. "Kam, move!" 

"Gimme a sec I had to respawn!" 

Bakugo lingered by the couch, watching the chaos of Kirishima frantically smashing buttons and screaming into the headset for a few moments. Eventually, Bakugo went to his room and shut the door, but Kirishima reminded himself not to take it personally. 

Once the round ended though, he told Kami not to start a new round. "Kat's got a morning shift; he's probably heading to bed." 

"Gotcha, gotcha. 'Toshi just woke up from a nap, so I'm due for cuddles anyway. Good game, Kiri, see you later dude!" 

"Night, Kam." He turned off his console, unable to keep his eyes from drifting to Bakugo's door. Eventually, he knocked on the door and called his name. 

A few moments later it opened to Bakugo in sweats and a hoodie. "Yeah?" 

Kirishima frowned and cleared his throat. "How was the gym?" 

"Fine. Pretty empty. I was about to turn in though…." 

It wasn't often that Bakugo tested his patience. Usually if Kirishima snapped at him, it was a joke or because he overstepped with someone else. 

He’d just wanted to make sure Bakugo was okay. He just wanted to know if he could help at all. Instead, he was being pushed away without even the slightest explanation as to why aside from that half apology before he left for the gym. 

“Night, Katsuki,” Kirishima said flatly, knowing he wouldn’t be able to pry anything out of him in this state. He turned away and went to his room, passing the time by scrolling through funny videos and texting his friends. 

---

The next day, Kirishima woke up shortly before noon. He only had a few hours before his shift started, which meant he had to get up and find something to eat quickly so he wouldn’t be rushing before clocking in. 

As he stepped out into the living room, he couldn’t help but be hyper aware of how empty the apartment felt. Bakugo was hardly there for the past two and half days, and while that was pretty normal for days they worked separate shifts, it felt different now. It felt worse because even when Bakugo was there, he wasn’t. And Kirishima couldn’t figure out why or why Bakugo couldn’t just tell him what was going on. 

Then he saw a container with a note on top of the counter. As he got nearer, he saw that Bakugo had separated some food for his lunch before leaving. The note read, Have a good shift. Added extra sausage to your serving. 

Of course this was Bakugo’s way of reassuring him. And of course, it was enough for Kirishima. He opened the container and heated up the food inside, though it was still a little warm anyway. He tried to eat it slowly, hoping to get an idea of all the spices Bakugo put in, but it was too damn good. Kirishima ended up scarfing the whole thing down within ten minutes. 

He put on a rerun of a show while he passed the time before he had to leave, debating and rewording a text in his head until he finally decided to type it out. 

Thanks for the food kats! I also wanna say that i know i dont gotta know everything going on with you but if theres anything i can do to help just tell me. Even if that means fucking off for a while. Just TELL me that. I just want you to be okay man. Im sorry youve been having a rough time. Maybe we can do a comfort food run after my patrol? :) 

He bit his lip then sent the text before trying to focus on the show again. 

---

Typically the petty crime that occasionally occurred throughout the city was relatively manageable. Frustrating and time-consuming, sure, but overall it wasn’t usually hard to track down the offenders. 

In the last couple days, there were more alerts of various crimes- theft, burglary, attacks, vandalism, and most recently arson. Granted, it was no HRA fire, but all the alerts they were receiving seemed reckless and strange. People were breaking into homes just to do it, and half the time they never bothered to actually take things of value. The arson was limited to setting trash on fire and leaving it in a public area or setting fire to a pile of clothes in a front lawn. Kirishima was pretty sure that the second one was more a result of a bad breakup.

Most of the time, when people were caught, they reacted like they’d just been busted with a drug ring. It wasn’t hard to manage, it was just… unsettling and bizarre. Kirishima especially felt bad taking in an older woman who’d stolen a car- at least up until she tried to chew through the cuffs with razor teeth while she spewed more curses than Bakugo on a bad day. 

“It’s not just me right?” Kirishima asked Amajiki when he got back to the agency at the end of the shift. “The crime reports have been… off?” 

“Well, crime does spike whenever new villains make a big statement. Though the Trifecta’s first and last appearance was over a month ago,” Amajiki mused. “At least it’s been easy to keep under control.” 

“Yea, I guess so….” Maybe Kirishima was reading into it because of how strange things had been at home. It made everything feel off-kilter. He just needed the week to be over and for things to go back to normal. “I’m gonna head home. I think I just need a long, hot shower.” 

Amajiki smiled softly at him and nodded. “Rest up. You’re not coming in tomorrow right?” 

“Nah, I’ve got the next two days off. I’m hoping that’ll help me reset.” 

“I hope it does too. Just take it easy, Kirishima. Fatgum said he was considering letting you take on a UA intern soon, you know? You didn’t hear that from me, though.” He gave him a shy, reassuring smile, squeezed his shoulder, and left the locker room. 

Meanwhile Kirishima felt some of the heaviness of the week’s confusion lift. Most heroes couldn’t take on an intern until they’d been pro for at least five years. Kirishima had gotten lucky being able to become a sidekick almost immediately after graduating high school since he’d been interning since his first year, but he’d only been a pro on his own for the last three years. If Fatgum was considering letting him take on an intern, it was a testament of how well he was doing. 

Kirishima smiled to himself. He couldn’t wait to see the smile on Bakugo’s face when he told him the news. After a shower, Kirishima hurried home, wondering if he’d find another set of guests on his couch for the rest of the evening. 

When he got home, he was slightly relieved to see that there were no extra guests- just Bakugo leaning against the balcony railing, staring out at the sunset. He frowned and walked over to the windows, knocking gently so he wouldn’t startle him. 

Bakugo turned, meeting his eyes for a fraction of a second before looking away and smiling tightly. He came back inside the apartment before Kirishima could try going outside to join him. 

“Hey. Bad day?” Kirishima asked. 

“Nah. Busy, but it was fine,” Bakugo muttered. He took a deep breath and gestured to the couch, still not meeting his eyes. “Can we talk?” 

Kirishima tried to ignore the way the question had his stomach swooping as if he’d swallowed a set of weights. “Yeah, of course.” He moved to sit on the couch, frown deepening when Bakugo sat on the other end of the couch. “Kats, is everything okay?” 

“I-” Bakugo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Um. We said we’d be honest, right? With this whole… deal?” 

Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows and nodded. But Bakugo just pressed his palm to his forehead like he was trying to stave off a headache. “Did I do something wrong?” Kirishima asked, wondering if he’d pushed too far or made him uncomfortable. 

“No, no, you didn’t- just gimme a sec to figure out how to say this….” 

Kirishima nodded, even though Bakugo wasn’t even looking at him. “Sure.” He watched Bakugo’s face turn pink and caught every anxious twitch of his face. It was starting to physically pain him. “Um… Katsuki?” 

“Hm?” 

Kirishima bit his lip. “D’you wanna stop?” he asked softly. Bakugo tensed. “It’s okay if you do…. This wasn’t supposed to last forever, you know?” he laughed softly, trying to lighten the mood at least a little.

Bakugo sighed and shut his eyes. “I… think we should stop,” he said. 

If he was entirely honest, Kirishima was surprised. And while it did make him a little sad to cut off their deal so abruptly, he couldn’t help but feel a little bit of relief finally realizing why Bakugo had been so strange. 

Except that even with that out of the way, Bakugo still couldn’t meet his eye. He kept twirling a loose thread on his hoodie, glaring at the little strand. Kirishima thought back to the week before when Sero told them he’d ended his deal with Ashido, and he thought of how distant Bakugo had been acting, how sudden this choice was. 

Something bitter and powerful and suffocating wrapped itself around Kirishima’s throat. He forced his jaw to unclench and cleared his throat. “Ha, yeah, that’s cool, man.” He fought back a grimace, fought the nausea that had suddenly rolled through him. “Uh… did…?” He forced the words out of his mouth; he had to know. “Did you meet someone?” 

“What? No! Who would I-? No, that’s not it-” 

The response pulled an uncontrollable laugh from his chest. Relief swept through him, immediately followed by a wave of horrified realization. “No, yeah,” he said a little too loudly as he stood up, suddenly running his mouth on instinct while his brain short-circuited at the rollercoaster of emotions that had just rolled through him. “You don’t owe me any explanations, dude, it’s cool, no worries! I gotta use the restroom, I’ll be right back!” 

“Uh- o-okay?”

Kirishima went to his room, feeling lightheaded. He locked himself in his bathroom and splashed his face with water, staring wide-eyed at the sink as the water swirled down the drain. 

That feeling… that cold, bitter, painful feeling that had come from the sole concept of someone else having Bakugo’s attention… the concept of him wanting someone else to touch him the way Kirishima had…. That was jealousy, wasn’t it? Kirishima nervously looked into the mirror at himself. 

His cheeks were a bright red. Otherwise he didn’t look any different. But he felt different. 

Jealousy…. Jealousy at the thought of someone else being the object of Bakugo’s affections. And the relief when he’d been reassured that it wasn’t the case? That couldn’t be right. He shouldn’t have felt jealous, and he definitely shouldn’t have felt relieved. Those feelings meant…. 

Nope. No. He couldn’t think that. And even if he did think it, it didn’t matter because their deal was over and that meant he wasn’t obligated to outwardly say anything. Except he couldn’t process this realization when Bakugo was a wall away from him. With the way Bakugo could read him, he was bound to notice if Kirishima was suddenly having a crisis on the other side of the couch. 

He grabbed his phone and sent Kaminari a text. 

Code pink! Like. NOW. 

He paced the length of his bathroom about four times before his phone started ringing with Kaminari’s photo ID. 

He answered as he left the bathroom. “Hey, Kam, what’s up?” 

“Kirishima! Dude I need you like ASAP. I’m at Jirou’s, can you meet me? It’s an emergency!” 

“Whoa, okay, yeah. Do you need anything?” 

“Ice cream!” 

Kirishima fought back an eye roll. “Okay, yeah. I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and took a minute to text Kaminari a thank you as he walked to the door, refusing to look at Bakugo. “Kam said he needs me,” he explained as he tugged on his shoes. 

“Is he alright?” 

“He said it’s an emergency, but-” 

“Should I go too?” 

Panic gripped Kirishima’s throat. “Uh, I think it’s cool if you stay. If it was that bad, he would’ve just come over here. I’ll text you.” 

“Uh-huh….” Bakugo didn’t say anything else, but Kirishima could feel his eyes on him. “Be careful, Ei.” 

“Yeah!” Knowing he couldn’t risk another minute inside, he left the apartment and darted down the stairs, running off the adrenaline until he’d reached the end of the street where he could hail a cab to get to Jirou’s. 

Once he was in the cab, he saw Kaminari’s response text. 

Dude r u ok???? Who did u need to get away from???? 

Kirishima grimaced. Explain when i get to jirous. Thnks

Surprisingly, Sero and Ashido were also at Jirou’s. Apparently, they were in the middle of some music lessons when Kirishima texted. All of them looked worried when Jirou let him in, and he imagined the panicked look on his face wasn’t helping the situation. 

“Kirishima, are you alright? What happened?” Jirou asked, keeping a hand on his arm as he plopped onto the loveseat in her living room. 

“We had rules,” Kirishima said. “Consent, communication, no jealousy.” 

“We?” Mina asked. “Uh- you and Bakugo?” 

Kirishima nodded. “Um. We were talking and… he mentioned wanting to end the deal, and he’d been acting really weird, so… so I thought….” Kirishima winced and put his face in his hands before the rest of it poured out of his mouth in one breath. “I thought he’d met someone else and I got really jealous and then he said no and then I got super relieved, and then I realized what that meant and now I can’t look him in the eyes, I don’t know what to do.” 

The four of them were quiet for a long moment before they responded in unison with an understanding, “Ohh.” 

He narrowed his eyes and finally brought himself to look at them. “Is that all?” 

“A-ah… well… honestly, dude? Kinda called this happening with one of you,” Kaminari said. Ashido hummed in agreement as she rubbed Kirishima’s back. 

“Hold on, so- code pink was about Bakugo?” Sero asked. 

Kirishima sighed and rubbed his head. “Yeah, it was, and also- what?” He turned to look at Kaminari and Ashido. 

“Well… you know you were always closest to him,” Ashido said, chipping at some bright orange nail polish on her thumb. “You guys are roommates, so it’s already pretty… blurred. Adding sex and stuff on top just… well.” She gestured at him vaguely. 

“Plus the heart eyes. Sero knows what I mean,” Kaminari said. 

“Don’t drag me into your theories.” 

“Anyway,” Jirou said. “What are you gonna do? Are you gonna tell him?” 

“No! I can’t!” Kirishima grimaced. “God, I couldn’t even look at him, how am I supposed to….” He trailed off and frowned. The skittishness, the lack of eye contact, the distance, the buffers of someone else around or completely disappearing from the apartment to begin with…. For the last couple days, Bakugo had been doing the very thing Kirishima was doing now. “Oh, no,” he whispered. 

“What? What’s going on?” Kaminari asked. 

Maybe the realization should’ve made him happy. Honestly, part of him was. Part of him was fucking ecstatic, ready to jump off the walls, and scream into the skyline. But mostly, he was terrified. There was too much on the line-

“Kirishima?” 

He blinked and pulled himself back into the moment. Jirou scanned his face frantically. “I really made a mess of things,” he whispered. 

“Wait, wait, wait. Why you?” Kaminari asked. 

“Yeah, this was an agreement between both of you. You’re not at fault-” 

“It was my idea. Oh my God, it was my idea. Oh my God.” Kirishima groaned into his hands before sliding his fingers into his hair. “I started this whole thing and now I’m- and he’s- oh fuck, but we’re roommates.” 

Kaminari and Sero snorted, receiving glares from Ashido and Jirou. “What? C’mon, you didn’t hear the joke in that?” Sero said defensively. “Whatever. Anyway, Kiri, you’re not to blame for anything. But you do have to choose if you’re gonna say something or not. You can’t just avoid your apartment forever.” 

“And who knows?” Ashido said with a smile. “Maybe if you tell Bakugo, he’ll feel the-” 

“No! Don’t- don’t finish that sentence. That can’t happen.” 

His friends shared confused looks. “I’m sorry, I was under the impression that reciprocated feelings were a good thing,” Kaminari said flatly. 

“I-” Kirishima groaned and curled into himself. “It’s hard to explain.”

He knew that if he tried to explain the chaos in his head at the moment, they’d all gang up on him and try to tell him he was overthinking. It’d be well-intentioned, but it wasn’t something Kirishima needed right now. He was still trying to process his first realization. 

When had this even happened? When did things start changing, and why hadn’t he noticed before? He was always touchy, and Bakugo had always let him get away with more than most people. Everything had become more profound at some point. To the point where Kirishima didn’t want anyone else getting Bakugo’s attention. 

Because if Bakugo dated someone else, that meant someone else would binge TV shows with him, and someone else would coax him out of nightmares, and someone else would fall asleep tucked into his chest, and someone else would make him food, and someone else would get those unreserved smiles and hear those genuine laughs. 

“Oh man. What are you gonna do with the harness?”

“Ashido!” 

“What harness?” three other voices questioned, each echoing off each other. 

“I’m sorry! It just came to mind, and it’s not like it’s something you can use with someone else-” 

“That’s not what’s important right now!” Kirishima exclaimed. Ashido nodded and pressed her lips together. “Maybe we just needed a break. Everything started overlapping, so if there’s just some distance, everything can settle.” 

It was quiet again. Then Jirou squeezed his arm. “Yeah. Maybe.” She gave him a sympathetic smile. “But it might help to talk this out with him. That way the living situation doesn’t get awkward or stressful, you know?” 

“That way your friendship doesn’t get awkward or stressful,” Sero added. 

The comment had Kirishima shutting his eyes in defeat. He knew there was no way he couldn’t tell Bakugo. There was no way he wouldn’t figure it out with one look at Kirishima. 

“Look, Kiri,” Kaminari said as he crouched down in front of him. “I don’t think Bakugo would be mean about this if… it weren’t reciprocated. I just also think… well, y’know.” He shrugged. “What you didn’t let Ashido say.” Kaminari frowned when Kirishima continued to stare at him with abject horror.

“That just makes things complicated and different, and we… we were fine.” They’d been fine, hadn’t they? Regardless of the answer, Kirishima knew he would have to confront this thing, confront Bakugo. “Can I just… sit here and process for a little bit?” 

“Of course, Kiri,” Jirou told him. “And hey, whatever happens, I know you two are gonna be okay.” 

“Yeah, and if you guys need a little distance to figure stuff out, you’re welcome to stay with me and ‘Toshi!” Kaminari said with a smile. 

Kirishima managed to let a grateful smile break through his worried grimace. “Thanks, guys.” 

He stayed there a bit longer. Ashido rested her head on his shoulder in silent support as they watched Jirou continue to lead Kaminari and Sero through the chords of a song on an acoustic guitar. The strum of the strings and Jirou’s gentle humming gave Kirishima something else to focus on whenever his thoughts started spiraling. 

Once the sun had set and the window blinds were drawn, Kirishima felt his phone buzz. 

You coming home tonight?

Kirishima bit his lip. He knew he couldn’t avoid Bakugo forever. That wasn’t a manly thing to do anyway. And he was already cashing in on levels of cowardice. 

He hesitated before he typed back Yeah, soon!

There was a supportive squeeze on his forearm as Ashido pulled back and smiled at him. 

Taking a deep breath, Kirishima cleared his throat. “I should go. Thanks for… hearing me out, guys.” 

“That’s why you got us,” Sero said with a wide, goofy grin that managed to ease Kirishima’s worries a bit. “Good luck, Kiri.” 

He hugged them each tightly before saying a final goodbye and heading out the door. 

The cab ride home felt simultaneously eternal and instant. 

As he treaded lightly toward his room, he heard the click of a door. Then Bakugo’s voice called out, “Eijirou?” 

Fighting back a wince, Kirishima turned, feeling his face heat up the second he saw Bakugo. "Hey. Thought you were asleep." 

Bakugo grunted as he tilted his head and averted his gaze. He made it clear he wanted to talk by walking toward him, stopping less than a stride away. While Kirishima kept his eyes on the ground, Bakugo said, "Y'know, I was there when we came up with code pink, remember?" 

The words make Kirishima wince, but he made himself look Bakugo in the eyes. The second their eyes met, a flurry of emotions went through him. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed before the way that Bakugo’s gaze could threaten to bring him to his knees and make him stand taller at the same time. How just looking at him left something warm to wrap around him gently, insistent and obnoxious, but so comforting. 

Despite the flitting eyes, there was something calmer in Bakugo’s expression. His scowl and the furrow between his eyes were gone, leaving only the soft, rosy blush that dusted across his cheeks. 

“You had to code-pink me?” he asked when Kirishima stayed quiet. 

“I-” Kirishima gulped and looked away. “You spent the night and Midoriya’s and disappeared to the gym, okay? You have no room to talk.” 

“Guess that’s fair,” he grumbled. He rubbed his neck and cleared his throat. “Well then….” He stepped closer and Kirishima was overwhelmed with the scent of him- cologne and shampoo and detergent all mixing into something that was so inherently Bakugo. Kirishima held his breath and Bakugo hesitantly let their fingers brush together. “I was gonna explain earlier before you ran outta here, but…. Eijirou, I-” 

Kirishima pressed his free hand to Bakugo’s mouth. “Don’t. Don’t say it.” Bakugo’s eyes went wide, confusion clear as he stared back at Kirishima. His eyes flickered from the hand on his mouth to the hand now holding tightly to his fingers. “We can’t go back if you say it.” 

Pushing his hand away, Bakugo narrowed his eyes. “Go back? Go back to what?” 

His heart was pounding in his chest, warring with the excitement, hope, fear, and dread that kept coursing through him. Kirishima shook his head. “There’s so much on the line. So much to lose if we say it, Kats….” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Bakugo narrowed his eyes, skimming Kirishima’s face. “I swear to God if you give me some bullshit about you not being good enough for me or it not making sense that I want-” 

“It’s not-!” Kirishima let out a dry laugh as he looked down at their hands. “It’s not that,” he said softly. “I’m used to you choosing me. From the beginning, you always chose me…. As your friend, as your battle partner, as your roommate, as your equal, as someone you trust.” He smiled and looked back into Bakugo’s eyes. He was pretty sure Bakugo hadn’t taken his eyes off him at all. “If there’s anyone I believe when they say I’m worth it, it’s you. How could I not?” He gulped as he looked into Bakugo’s eyes, his expression crumpling under the fire in his gaze. “I’m just… scared,” he whispered. 

Bakugo’s other hand pushed his hair away as he cupped his cheek. “Scared of what, Ei?” 

Kirishima gripped Bakugo’s shirt lightly with his free hand, twisting his fingers into the fabric. “Losing you. Taking that risk and then having it go horribly and losing everything we’ve had for the last nearly ten years.” The worry in Bakugo’s expression quickly shifted into shock and disbelief. “If it doesn’t work out… then what? All of this, the last decade- it’s just a memory? I don’t want-” Kirishima sighed and leaned into the palm on his cheek. “I can’t have you become a memory.” 

“And what the hell makes you think it wouldn’t work out? We’ve managed about ten years, why not more?” Kirishima bit his lip and dropped his gaze to a spot on the wall behind Bakugo. “Oi. You with me?” He squeezed Kirishima’s fingers lightly to get his attention. “Even if it was a worst-case scenario, Ei… it doesn’t mean we’d fuck off from each other’s lives. Deku and Uraraka are still friends, they’re fucking gym buddies. And Jirou and Kaminari-” 

“Jirou and Kam couldn’t be in the same room with each other for six months after they broke up.” 

Bakugo sighed and brushed his thumb along Kirishima’s cheek, effectively raising Kirishima’s heart rate. “What happened to not living with regrets, Red Riot?” 

Kirishima narrowed his eyebrows. “Losing you because I got carried away would be my biggest regret, Katsuki. It’s too big a risk to put what we have on the line. Friendship is safe-” 

Bakugo pulled away from him, placing space between them with a few long strides. “You’re not making any sense. Since when are you about the safe choice? Since when are you scared of risks? Why the hell are you doubting me and-”

“I’m not doubting you! Kats, please just-” Kirishima ran his hands through his hair, tempted to tear it out with his frustration. The words were getting all jumbled up in his head, and he knew he sounded like a coward, but Bakugo was the one thing he couldn’t…. “We jumped the gun here, man. I don’t… I don’t know what this is supposed to look like after everything we’ve already done and- You know what if we go into this thinking it’s gonna be great like everyone always does, but then the- the excitement and the fun of it goes away and- and we realize it wasn’t….” 

“Eijirou, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say-”

“I don’t either! Okay?” Kirishima dropped himself onto the couch and hid his face. “I just know that I’m scared to let myself be excited about this. I don’t know when this became this, and it feels like I lied to you or something, and I don’t know where we would even pick up if we’ve already- I don’t know. I don’t fucking know.” 

Bakugo didn’t respond. The sound of his soft steps closing the space between them again had Kirishima curling into himself. 

“Eiji.” His hand dropped to the crown of his head, tousling it gently. “I don’t need you to know when this changed. I don’t either. But I do want you to know that this isn’t a result of our deal. Not directly. I mean, it opened the door for more casual touch, but… my point is, that I know this isn’t just some excitement that’s gonna go away in a few weeks. It’s not me confusing things between our deal and our friendship. Fucking hell, I thought you didn’t feel the same because you hadn’t said anything, and you had a clearer idea about the separation of feelings and shit from the start.” Gently, he pulled Kirishima’s hands away from his face so he’d meet his eyes. “Listen. I had a couple days to process. If that’s what you need too, then…. I can wait.” He slipped his hands into Kirishima’s until their fingers were loosely tangled together. “We can start from the beginning. Romantic intentions included this time.” His cheeks colored as he spoke, and Kirishima knew that Bakugo was still nervous about the leap despite how certain he sounded. “How about a date? No funny shit, just… a first date. We can see how that feels. Where it goes.” 

Kirishima smiled, feeling his own cheeks turn bright red as excitement began to win out the panic that was still wrapped tightly around his lungs. “The number one hero in Japan is asking me on a date?” he whispered. 

“Mm, nah,” Bakugo said, shaking his head. “Bakugo Katsuki- your best friend- is asking you on a date.” 

His smile widened as a flustered laugh was pulled from his chest. The pounding of his heart seemed to want to answer for him with how frantic it was. A date. A real date. Kirishima hadn’t been on a date before. 

He bit his lip and nodded. “Yeah. A date would be… good.” 

A nervous, breathy laugh fell from Bakugo’s lips, as if he hadn’t expected Kirishima to say yes. “Okay.” He sat down beside him, nervously rubbing his neck as Kirishima picked at his fingers. “Eiji?” 

“Yeah?” Kirishima looked over to find Bakugo already looking at him. “What?” 

After a moment of searching Kirishima’s face, Bakugo asked, “We’re okay, right?” 

His nervousness was endearing. Kirishima rested his head against the couch back and nodded as he smiled. 

“Okay,” Bakugo breathed out. “Then… I’m gonna head to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“G’night, Kats,” Kirishima said as Bakugo stood up and walked toward his room. He received a goodnight in response and another uncharacteristically shy smile before he closed the door. Kirishima stared at the ceiling for a bit, trying to process the events of the last handful of hours. There was a lot bouncing around in his head, but at the very least he could indulge in the giddiness that came from knowing that the chaos inside was reciprocated. 

---

The next day, Kirishima took the time he had in the morning to watch a couple movies and hopefully keep his mind from overthinking. Still, his mind wandered and left him staring at nothing while his thoughts ran rampant more often that it let him focus on what was happening in the movie.

He’d agreed to a date with Bakugo, but he wasn’t sure when that was supposed to happen or what it would be or how to act until then. He kept switching back and forth between excitement and regret, between embarrassment and hope, and frankly he was tired of it. 

Just when he thought he was going to go crazy if he didn’t find a better way to distract himself, there was a knock on the door. Kirishima opened it to see someone in uniform with a box of tools and a wooden square by her feet. 

“Hello, I’m here about the maintenance request you put in?” 

“Maintenance-? Oh. Right. Come in.” The woman came in and went straight to the kitchen, leaving Kirishima to have a small crisis on the couch as he listened to the drill and hammer working against the cabinets under the sink. 

Not too long after the woman had come in, the door opened, and Bakugo walked in. Kirishima felt his stomach swoop, and he tried to ignore it despite the way his heart started doing somersaults in his chest at the sight of his best friend. 

Bakugo’s attention immediately went to the whirring sound coming from the kitchen. “The hell’s going on?” 

Kirishima winced and turned his gaze to the TV. “She’s fixing the cabinet….” 

“Oh.” Bakugo turned red to the tips of his ears. He let out a low grunt before sitting on the couch beside Kirishima nervously. 

Despite the fact that Kirishima was feeling the exact same nervousness about being near Bakugo, he couldn’t help the way it spiked his panic again. This was exactly what he didn’t want. He didn’t want things changing between them, he didn’t want this newfound tension and awkwardness after so many years of comfort. 

“Uh, anyway,” Bakugo said, keeping his voice low for only Kirishima to hear. “I was wondering if you’d be up for that date tonight.” 

“Tonight?” Kirishima repeated, swallowing down the fluttery feeling climbing up his esophagus. 

“It doesn’t have to be. If that’s too soon-” 

“No, it’s fine!” Frankly, Kirishima just wanted this awkwardness out of the way. He didn’t think he could handle another day sharing the space with Bakugo, knowing in the back of his mind that they were dancing around something Kirishima was too scared to face. Then again, the whole thing was just proving his point. Things changed. Things were weird. As if all those years of friendship were just balancing on a tightrope, ready to tip over and freefall into nothingness over a few obnoxious butterflies. “Just… gotta figure out what to wear.” 

“Right. Shit. Yeah, me too.” He stood up and scratched his head nervously. “Uh- how’s six P.M. sound?” 

Kirishima nodded. “Yeah. Good,” he said softly. 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kirishima, tilting his head like he was thinking. “You do want to, right? ‘M not forcing you into it or some shit?” 

Before Kirishima could answer, the drill started back up obnoxiously for two second periods. “When you mentioned this thing came off its hinges, this isn’t what I expected,” the woman called to them. “You two mind if I leave my tools here to get some other stuff I need?” 

“Go ahead,” Bakugo said.

She left while Kirishima kept one hand over his eyes, unable to stop the memories from replaying in his head. He let out a pained laugh and shook his head. “I want to. Just still… processing. And that,” Kirishima said as he pointed his thumb toward the kitchen, “isn’t helping.” 

“Mm. Yeah.” Bakugo let out a sigh that broke off into a barely discernible growl. “Listen…. It’s still us. If we could separate sex and friendship for however long we did, then… maybe we can do that now.” 

Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows and scoffed. “What like… separate being friends and…?”

“And the thing you don’t wanna say out loud, yeah,” Bakugo said with a tense smile. “If you do change your mind…. Just let me know, alright. All of this stuff aside, we’re still friends.” 

Taking a deep breath, Kirishima stood up and nodded. “Guess that… makes sense.”  Maybe it didn’t, Kirishima couldn’t really take the time to figure it out. “Well. Kats, I’d love to sit and chat, but I gotta go get ready for a date.” 

“Do you?” Bakugo asked with a more genuine smile. Kirishima flashed him a wide, toothy grin, to which Bakugo simply responded by shaking his head and muttering, “Dumbass,” with a soft blush in his cheeks. The blush was something Kirishima could get used to….

An hour later, Kirishima had his towel around his waist, his hair dripping down his back and shoulders, and an array of clothes laid out on the bed. He had no idea what to wear. He hadn’t asked what they would be doing on this date. How much thought did he have to put into it? 

If they went to the movies, it wouldn’t make too much sense to dress nicely since he’d be sitting in the dark for two hours. If they went to eat, it depended on where, but he didn’t think he was supposed to ask that. He wasn’t sure if Bakugo would take him hiking for a date, especially without telling him. 

He looked at his clock and saw that he still had about an hour before six. Then he pushed down the nervousness that spiked in him about being on time because Bakugo was a wall away. It wasn’t like he could be late. 

Kirishima took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of his bed. Now was a good time to be sturdy, to be manly. This was Bakugo. He didn’t need to be so nervous. It was an innocent first date. If anything he should be relieved because he knew for certain there was no way this date could be bad. He didn’t have to worry about how much to talk or looking stupid or anything that people usually worried about on first dates. 

He stood back up and looked at his clothes. He chose a fitted, black, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark pants. It looked good enough to wear somewhere nice, but comfortable and simple enough that he wouldn’t feel overdressed at a theater. It was better than his daily muscle shirt or polo and cargo shorts, but not exactly a suit or button up either. Perfectly in-between. 

Kirishima fussed over his hair for longer than he cared to admit. He was tempted to leave it down, nearly slicked it all back into a ponytail, tried braiding it back only to cringe at how messy it was, and eventually settled on pulling half of it into a simple bun and threading a couple small braids into the hair that fell just over his shoulders. He finished with a spritz of cologne then paced his room a few times as he stared at his phone’s clock. 

Ten minutes. He supposed he didn’t have to be confined to his room for it. Kirishima let out a slow breath before opening the door and stepping into his living room. The maintenance lady had left a while ago, so at least that wasn’t a distraction anymore. 

He sat down on the couch and saw a couple messages from Kaminari. 

Hey dude u kinda went radio silent since u left yesterday   all good??? 

Heres a dog meme to make u feel better!!!!!!!!

A video of a dog wiggling its butt to the tune of a rap song started playing, and Kirishima had to admit it helped relieve a little of the nervousness. 

I’m good. We talked. I’ll text you later tonight. 

He debated the next message, but if he couldn’t tell the person he usually told everything to, he wanted to tell Kaminari.

Going on my first date ever. Wish me luck.

Before he could even scroll away, an influx of messages bombarded his phone.

wHAT???? 

DUDE

KIRI WHAT THE FUCK

U cnat just drop tht and

ARE YOU GUYS DATING??????

CAN I TELL EVERYONE?????

Kirishima groaned and twisted one of his braids around his finger. 

Calm down before you freak me out more than i already am!! Just a date- dont tell yet- explain later!!!!

He set his phone to vibrate and stuffed it in his pocket before more enthusiastic messages could come through. 

Then Bakugo’s bedroom door opened. Kirishima stood up immediately, only to feel the oxygen get sucked out of his chest at the sight of Bakugo in black jeans, a black shirt, and a red and black unbuttoned flannel rolled up to just under his elbows. His hair was a little calmer than its usual wild tufts, but still stuck out rebelliously. 

“Hi,” Bakugo breathed out, staring at him with wide eyes. 

“Hi,” Kirishima greeted, feeling his blood rush to his face to match the deep blush on Bakugo’s. “You look… whoa.” 

Bakugo let out a nervous laugh and tugged his flannel shirt slightly. “I- you do too….” Bakugo pinched the bridge of his nose and cleared his throat. “I’m… nervous. Which is weird because I don’t get nervous.” 

Kirishima smiled and closed the space between them with a few strides. “Me too,” he whispered. “Which is weird because… I don’t usually get nervous around you.” 

“Right.”

Bakugo’s eyes met his, as intense as a fire but with the softness of a rose petal. The look in those eyes had something ticklish spreading through Kirishima’s limbs, and he wondered how he ever managed to look into those eyes and not be aware of the reaction they caused. 

“We should probably get our shoes,” Kirishima said. 

Bakugo nodded, following him to the door where they each pulled on their shoes and finally made it out the door. As they left the building, Kirishima felt hyper aware of every single movement. He wondered if his posture was okay, if he was walking too close, if he was breathing normally, if he should’ve been talking about something as they walked down the street instead of panicking in his head-

And then he felt fingers intertwine loosely with his own. The panic in his head stopped as he looked down to confirm that Bakugo was indeed tangling their fingers together. 

Bakugo cleared his throat and cast a glare at nothing. “I’d hold your hand properly, but I don’t wanna activate my quirk. The nervousness apparently makes my fu- my palms sweat even more.” 

Something warm and giddy danced in Kirishima’s chest. The pout on his face and the subtle twitching of his fingers as they hooked around Kirishima’s had him blushing to his hairline. “This is good,” he reassured.

Apparently they weren’t going very far. The evening was nice, with a gentle breeze that followed them a couple blocks down to a nice restaurant that Kirishima had always passed by but never bothered to go into. It was the kind of place people went to on special occasions or because they had money to burn. There were fancy lamp posts outside and a line of nicely dressed people waiting to get in. There was a live band playing soothing music on a small stage, and the sound resonated outside through speakers for those waiting in line. 

Kirishima could go to a place like this with his income, he just never really wanted to. It looked like the kind of place that gave everyone a little spoonful of mush for an entree and then charged the price of rent for it. 

“This is… fancy. Don’t you need a reservation for a place like this?” 

“I placed one,” Bakugo said. “Last night.” 

Kirishima’s eyebrows went up as they got closer. Everyone was dressed up in nice suits and glittery dresses, and Kirishima felt severely underdressed in his jeans. But Bakugo was on the same boat, so he supposed it wasn’t too bad. 

Bakugo pulled away to talk to the host at a podium who smiled and gestured for them to follow. Kirishima walked, quickly falling into step with Bakugo as they were taken to a booth. 

With one look at the menu, Kirishima knew they were way out of their comfort zone. “Kats? This is crazy pricey, are you sure you want to eat here?” They both eyed a waiter heading to a table with a plate that had a small piece of meat with a leaf on top. “This doesn’t exactly seem filling.” 

“Do you not wanna eat here? It’s listed as a top date location. It is pretty fu- It’s… different.” While Bakugo turned to look over his shoulders, Kirishima allowed himself a small, amused smile. It made sense that Bakugo would study for this. “Uh… well, the song’s really nice for slow dancing…. D’you… want to?” 

Kirishima frowned. Bakugo hated dancing. He was good at it, but he hated it. Meanwhile Kirishima could never loosen up enough to dance properly to anything that wasn’t a headbanger he could jump around to. 

But as he took in the low lighting, the slow music, the controlled, idle chatter around him, the fact that Bakugo had been planning apparently since Kirishima agreed to this date… he realized what was happening. Kirishima cleared his throat and slid his hand over the table. “Uh… hey, Katsuki?" As Bakugo's eyes flitted to him, the fire of the candle placed on the far edge of their table danced in his irises. "I appreciate you trying to be romantic with all this…." 

Bakugo's cheeks colored as he shifted in his seat. "But?" 

"But. I don't want us to change. I… I don't expect roses and slow dances and expensive dinners all of a sudden.” He frowned and added, “Or for you to suddenly watch your language.” 

Bakugo raked his hand through his hair, making it messier. "I just want it to be different from our usual stuff." 

Granted, this was far from stealing each other's fries and competing to see who could eat the most hot wings before needing a drink or who could finish their ramen quicker. But Kirishima liked those things, and he didn't care if the only change to those nights was being able to take his hand under the table or being able to plant a kiss on his cheek at the end of the night. 

He slid his hand further along the table until his fingertips rested over Bakugo’s. “It is different,” he whispered. 

Bakugo let out a sigh and raised one eyebrow as a smile played on his lips. “Yeah, guess it is.” 

The quiet settled, but it felt more like an understanding. Like things were finally finding a balance, a familiar comfort. Kirishima let his grin widen. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” 

With a tilt of his head and a smug smile, Bakugo said, “Impossible burger at Akasaka with a chocolate milkshake for dessert?” 

“Hell yeah,” Kirishima said with a laugh. They got out of the booth, and Kirishima pulled a waitress aside briefly. “Would you mind giving the table to the next pair who needs it?” 

She frowned as she looked from the table to Kirishima. “Was something wrong? Did-”

“No, no, no, everything was great, thank you. Something came up, and we’d hate to hold the table. Thank you, again!” Kirishima bowed respectfully and moved to catch up with Bakugo at the entrance. 

Without another word, they both set off into a run to reach the crosswalk. Bakugo grabbed Kirishima’s hand as they ran across the street and turned onto the next sidewalk, laughing as the running slowly turned into a race. 

There was a welcoming glow at Akasaka, and when the doors opened, there was loud music drowned out by the laughter and conversations of everyone seated. The host smiled when he saw them, recognizing them as regulars as well as heroes. 

“I’ll have a table for you two soon,” he promised. 

Bakugo stepped closer to Kirishima and leaned into his ear to be heard over the noise. “Does a date mean you get to steal more of my fries than usual?” 

“Absolutely,” Kirishima answered with a grin. After a few minutes, a waiter led them to a booth where a couple of sodas were already waiting for them. They sat across from each other, and placed their usual order before the waiter disappeared. The bass beat of a song thumped lightly through Kirishima’s feet as he looked at Bakugo. Just as Bakugo started to open his mouth to talk, Kirishima reached out and ruffled his hair until it was as messy as usually was. “That’s better,” he said with a smile. 

Bakugo looked down, but Kirishima could still see how red he was. He cleared his throat before looking back up. “Well, we can’t exactly use the first date to get to know each other. So what else constitutes a first date?” 

Furrowing his eyebrows, Kirishima took a sip from his soda before answering. He shook his head and tugged on a braid. “Honestly, Kats…. I don’t think anything about our situation has really followed the normal rules. I just wanna hear about your day and show you the funny videos Kami sent me and… I dunno.” He bit his lip and laughed nervously. “I actually… do have a question.” He looked at Bakugo, waiting until that go-ahead nod before taking a breath. “You were fine one day, then the next… well, you started avoiding me. I guess… what made it click for you?” 

After a moment of hesitation, Bakugo said, “The curry.” 

“The curry?” 

“Well- You fucking suck at cutting vegetables and it…. It made me get all… flustered and shit, and I realized what it was, and I panicked. Aside from my parents… I’ve never had anyone cook for me. So…. Once it clicked, everything else got clearer.” 

“Hm. Yeah,” Kirishima whispered. 

A foot kicked his under the table. “What about you? I know something clicked when we were talking, but you kinda hightailed it outta there-” 

“I- It’s stupid,” Kirishima said, hiding his face in his hands. Bakugo didn’t answer. Kirishima lifted his head from his hands only to meet Bakugo’s unamused, expectant expression. He sighed and grimaced as he stared at the table. “When you said you wanted to stop… I assumed it was because you met someone like Ashido did.” Bakugo’s eyebrows narrowed, but he didn’t interrupt. Kirishima gulped, feeling his cheeks heat up. “I realized I didn’t want anyone else… touching you like I was. It hurt to think that you might want someone else. And when you said that wasn’t the problem, I felt so relieved. Relieved that you hadn’t chosen someone else, and…. Well, that’s not something people are supposed to feel about their friends.” He winced, still refusing to look at Bakugo. “Told you it was dumb.” 

“Were you jealous of the blue-haired guy at the bar that one time?” 

Kirishima looked at Bakugo, surprised to see a smug smile on his face. “No! The guy was drunk. And I knew you’d never go for him.” Kirishima figured he didn’t have to mention how the events that followed had given him a slight feeling of superiority for just a moment. Proof that Bakugo only wanted him. He grimaced and rubbed his forehead, hoping Bakugo would let it go. 

“Sure,” he said with a smile. 

Before he could antagonize Kirishima further, their waiter came by with their burgers. A few bites in, Bakugo asked about the videos Kirishima wanted to show him. He ended up snorting his soda, causing Kirishima to laugh boisterously as he half-heartedly fanned Bakugo’s face with his hand. Bakugo told him about a theory he’d read online about the next season of the show they’d binged together. Kirishima followed that up with a theory of his own that stressed Bakugo out enough to make him shove fries into Kirishima’s mouth to shut him up. Bakugo talked about the kids he’d talked to on patrol that day which had Kirishima pulling up a photo he’d been tagged in of two younger kids dressed up as both of them. 

Kirishima recalled what Amajiki had told him the day before about getting an intern, and sure enough, Bakugo’s smile became proud and triumphant when he told him.

They’d fallen back into their usual patterns. They talked nonstop, bouncing off each other with ease, making each other laugh or groan depending on the joke. The awkwardness of the last several days melted away. The only difference was the way Bakugo’s eyes softened as he listened to Kirishima talk or the way his cheeks colored as Kirishima laughed and the way Kirishima occasionally played with Bakugo’s fingers over the table or blushed under his gaze.

When they’d finished eating, they left Akasaka and walked leisurely down the street with their fingers looped together lightly. Instead of taking the turn that would lead them to their apartment complex, Bakugo tugged Kirishima the other way. He led them to a tower that rose above the rest of the buildings. The design always reminded Kirishima of a spiderweb. 

“What are we doing here?” he asked Bakugo, following his gaze upwards. 

“Get on my back.” 

“What?” 

Bakugo smirked. “What? Think I can’t handle it?” 

“I’ve seen your gauntlets, and I’ve spotted you at the gym; I know you could. But what for?” 

Bakugo crouched down slightly. “You’ll find out if you do it.” 

Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows, but he hopped onto Bakugo’s back, hooking his legs and arms around him. 

“Don’t let go,” Bakugo warned. 

“Oh shit.” Kirishima tightened his grip and hid his face in Bakugo’s neck. 

He heard a loud explosion then felt as they were propelled through the air. He grunted when Bakugo grabbed a rung along the side of the building before setting off another explosion to launch them higher. His body jolted sharply as they came down and Bakugo’s feet thudded on the ground. 

A gentle squeeze of his arm told him he could let go. 

When Kirishima opened his eyes and brought his feet down onto a solid surface, he found himself on a platform at the very top of the tower. He could see the tops of buildings and houses, the cars moving through the highways and streets, bunches of trees, and a few flocks of birds. From their height, Kirishima could see the horizon where the sun was still setting, painting the sky in deep orange and red before it slowly faded to a pink, lilac color that bled into the darker hues of blue on the other side of the tower. 

“What a view,” Kirishima whispered. 

“I thought you might like it,” Bakugo said as he sat down and pulled his knees up to his chest.

Kirishima sat down beside him, trying to catch the tiniest shift in the sky’s color as the minutes passed. Slowly, he allowed his head to rest on Bakugo’s shoulder as he threaded their fingers together. Bakugo’s cheek leaned against the crown of his head. 

“Eiji,” Bakugo whispered. 

“Hm?” 

“Thanks for making that curry for me.” 

Kirishima laughed and turned so his chin was resting on Bakugo’s shoulder while he looked at him. Bakugo turned too, his eyes flitting between Kirishima’s. 

There was a soft pink color in his cheeks. The wind made his hair whip around as it reflected the fading colors of the sunset. Meanwhile in his eyes, Kirishima could see the city lights reflecting like a cluster of stars. He felt a swooping feeling in his stomach similar to the one he’d felt when they propelled through the air. His chest felt tight, making his breaths turn shaky. 

But it wasn’t bad. 

Not with Bakugo looking at him like that. With a tenderness that had maybe always been reserved for him. Like he was a better view than the entire city and the sunset itself. 

Kirishima began to lean forward, closing the small space between them. At least until Bakugo brought his free hand up to press two fingers against Kirishima’s lips. He smiled and raised an eyebrow, a clear challenge in his eyes. “Oi, what do you think you’re doing? This is a first date. The kiss doesn’t happen until the very end.” 

“Is there more to this date?” 

“Well, I gotta walk you home. Manly, chivalrous guys walk their dates to the door, right?” 

Kirishima laughed softly. “We live in the same apartment, Kats.” 

“You have a bedroom door, don’t you?”

As the words sunk in, Kirishima felt his eyebrows go up and the warmth in his cheeks turned unbearably hot. Slowly, his lips quirked into a flustered smile as something jittery spread through him. 

Bakugo’s thumb lightly brushed against his cheek. “You and that crooked grin,” he whispered. 

In the time they’d looked away from the sunset, the sky had darkened to a deep indigo blue, and the city lights flickered all around them. Kirishima clung to Bakugo’s back as they dropped from the tower with only a lighter explosion to slow their descent in a way that allowed Bakugo a chance to land properly. He shook off the shakiness that came from the adrenaline of the fall then immediately found Bakugo’s hand. 

True to his word, when they got home, Bakugo walked Kirishima to his bedroom door. He was red to the tips of his ears, but he was smiling. “Sorry about how… fucking awkward the first half hour of this date was,” he said. 

“Don’t be.” Kirishima squeezed his hand. “Can’t imagine a better person to have gone on my very first date with. I had fun.” 

Bakugo’s eyes flitted along his face as he took a small step forward. His hands came up to cup Kirishima’s face gently. “Is this okay?” 

Slowly, Kirishima nodded, embracing the way his heart pounded enthusiastically in his chest. He let his eyes fall shut and gasped softly when he felt Bakugo’s lips against his own. 

Despite how familiar Bakugo’s lips were, the kiss felt different from the rest. It was simple, innocent, and Kirishima never wanted it to end. Even as Bakugo began to pull back, Kirishima followed his movement until he could capture his lips again and pulled him closer with his hands on Bakugo’s waist. 

This kiss carried the weight of that unsaid feeling. It was tentative and hopeful. While it was tamer than many of their past kisses, this one felt bigger. This one felt like a first kiss. 

Finally, Kirishima allowed their lips to part as he took a shaky breath. Their foreheads stayed pressed together for a moment before Bakugo placed a softer kiss on his cheek. 

“Goodnight, Eijirou.” 

“‘Night, ‘Tsuki.” He opened his bedroom door and slipped inside, sharing one last bashful smile with Bakugo before shutting the door. 

He changed into more comfortable clothes in a bit of a daze. He knew he had a dozen texts from Kaminari asking for an explanation and demanding an update, but he couldn’t bring himself to reply at the moment. He was too caught up in the flurry of emotions swirling inside him, fighting the longing to go fling himself into Bakugo’s arms. 

But there was nothing stopping him from doing just that. Nothing stopping him from walking a few steps to Bakugo’s door and embracing everything he’d tried to push away or pace. In their world, what was the point of it? 

They were heroes. Every day was a gamble, and Kirishima couldn’t waste time taking precautions to guard his heart or maintain a decade-long friendship, especially if that friendship could be something more incredible. 

This thing coursing through him wasn’t something that just appeared the second he thought Bakugo had met someone else. It had built in him slowly, hidden just underneath everything else he’d known. Now, there was no denying it, no slowing it down, no holding it back. 

Before he could really process it, Kirishima had left his room and walked to Bakugo’s door, knocking insistently. 

When it opened, Bakugo was in his sleepwear, eyes wide with worry. “What is it? Are you-”

Kirishima surged forward, kissing him urgently like it might speak for him. Bakugo tasted like toothpaste, and while the surprise had made him freeze for a second, he quickly melted into the kiss. 

When Kirishima pulled back, Bakugo opened his eyes to stare at him in shock. “I don’t wanna be scared,” Kirishima said. “I was scared we’d lose everything that we’ve built in the last decade, and I still kinda am but.... More than anything, I was worried that doing this would make us weird or different, but everything’s the same. It’s still you and it’s still me. Except now I also wanna hold your hand and kiss you and be your little spoon or big spoon, and I mean it’s always been you hasn’t it? You’ve always been the person I’ve trusted the most, the one to build me up, the one to choose me over and over again, so why would that change?” 

“Ei, slow down. What’re you trying to say? What do you wanna do?”

“I’m saying that I’m in love with you, Katsuki. I think I have been for a while, and there’s no way that any amount of logic or fear is gonna slow it down, so I’d rather embrace it than try to run away from it. I wanna be with you.” 

Bakugo stared at him with wide eyes before narrowing his eyes. “You are such a little shit. You told me not to say anything, and now you come barging into my room with a confession?” He scowled as he pulled Kirishima into another kiss. “Been trying to tell you how I feel for two days, and now you go and beat me to it.” He kissed him again, the gentleness of it clashing with the frustration in his tone. 

“Tell me now,” Kirishima whispered against his lips. 

“No.” 

“Say it.” 

“Fuck off.” 

Kirishima laughed and buried his face against Bakugo’s neck, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around Bakugo’s torso. “Should I make more curry?” 

A finger jabbed into his side. “Shut the hell up and kiss me again.” 

He obliged until Bakugo pulled back and leveled him with a glare that lacked any actual heat or anger. Kirishima smiled at him and tilted his head. "Please say it?" he said softly. 

Bakugo shut his eyes as his upper lip curled. "Fucking- you and that goddamn smile, I swear to-" He huffed and opened his eyes, placing his hands on Kirishima's cheeks. "Of course I'm in fucking love with you. I think it was always gonna be you, Eijirou." 

Even though Kirishima knew it, an elated, fluttery feeling burst through him. The momentum of it had him colliding with Bakugo again, laughing between the movement of their lips as they stumbled back. 

As they collapsed onto the bed, Bakugo huffed and raised an eyebrow. "Damn, Ei. Didn't take you for a first-date kinda guy." 

Kirishima felt his cheeks heat up, and he pushed his hand against Bakugo's face. "Kats! That's not-" Bakugo's laughter cut him off. Kirishima sighed and rested his head against Bakugo's chest, listening to the way it beat erratically like his own. "Just missed you these last few nights." 

A gentle hand pulled his hair free of its bun before tousling it. "Yeah. I missed you too. Hold on, let me get the light.” He nudged Kirishima over and stood up. By the time he came back, Kirishima had already shuffled under the covers. 

He spread his arms out, inviting Bakugo in. In the streams of moonlight that slipped through the blinds, Kirishima could see the smile that played on Bakugo’s face before he laid down and tucked himself against his chest. His arm wrapped around Kirishima’s torso as their legs slotted together easily, familiarly. 

“You know we gotta tell Lightning McQueen before anyone else, right?” Bakugo muttered. 

Kirishima laughed and nodded. “In the morning.” 

Bakugo grunted and tightened his hold. Kirishima didn’t think they’d be able to actually sleep anytime soon, but he was perfectly content just laying with him like this. He was perfectly happy with the hope, the excitement, the promise that shrouded that lingering fear of things not working out. They’d made it this far, hadn’t they? It had been building up to this, maybe from the very first time they spoke. 

Chapter Text

“I have to say, I did not expect Bakugo to be the clingy one who’s into PDA,” Soy Sauce said from somewhere on the couch. 

Bakugo let one hand peel away from cupping Kirishima’s face as he kissed him, flipping Sero off blindly over his shoulder. 

Kirishima smiled against his mouth before pulling away. “Honestly, me either,” he admitted softly. 

A disinterested grunt reverberated in Bakugo’s throat before he wrapped his arms around Kirishima and leaned his weight against him. Kirishima grinned as his arms wrapped around him, maneuvering him easily to the couch. 

“It’s cute,” Ponytail said as she leaned against Jirou. “I am surprised it took this long, though.” 

“No kidding. Practically a decade of friendship-” 

“If I wanted your opinion, I would’ve asked for it, Bird Brain,” Bakugo snapped. He curled up against Kirishima’s side, intertwining their hands as he let his free one reach for his soda. “Quit gawkin’ and finish the round already.” 

“What, so you can hurry up and lose the next one?” Deku said with a smirk. Bakugo kicked his side hard enough to knock him over. “Kacchan!” He cursed as he tried to regain control of his character before it fell off a ledge.

Bakugo wasn’t expecting his friends to be surprised by his and Kirishima’s relationship, and hardly anyone was. When they told Sparky, he’d gotten so excited that he started twitching with small shocks as he rambled off a list of questions. Once he’d gotten permission, he’d taken to letting practically all of Japan know, starting with their group chat, followed by a very supportive post online that was quickly reposted by fans and tabloids alike. Kirishima’s phone quickly blew up with notifications from fans asking for confirmation and updates on his photos from weeks ago.

Bakugo didn’t use any social media for that very reason- he didn’t want to keep up with posts and he didn’t want to deal with a bunch of comments asking about his personal life. So he just looked over Kirishima’s shoulder as he skimmed the notifications. Piled with the messages from their group chat, there was one thing that kept being repeated, albeit in varying ways. 

Everyone made a comment along the lines of “finally; it was about time!” 

At first, Bakugo rolled his eyes. What did everyone else know? They just followed the media and interviews, but they didn’t know him, or Kirishima. And their friends had always made jokes about how they all thought he had a past with Kirishima. 

But lately, each time anyone said something along those lines, whether it was a reporter on the street or their friends or another person who somehow found his email, Bakugo found himself caught up in his head about it. 

Had he really been overlooking Kirishima all these years? Granted, it wasn’t like a romantic relationship was a priority, but still. Kirishima had been right there. It wasn’t like anything had drastically changed between them in their friendship aside from an increase in casual touch. 

Sure, the whole friends with benefits thing was very different, but they’d made it clear that it wouldn’t interfere with their friendship. Though it had placed Kirishima in a different light than he was used to…. He’d always thought Kirishima was objectively attractive, something that was enhanced by his kindness and charisma, something that became more prominent the older and bulkier he got. Getting physical with him only made Bakugo a little more aware of just how attractive he found Kirishima. A little being a lot, considering the way Bakugo practically had the guy’s body mapped out. 

All to say, Bakugo was pretty sure that aside from getting handsier, nothing else had drastically changed between them. It didn’t make sense that it’d taken so long for him to feel these things, and it pissed him off even more that everyone else seemed to have beat him to the realization. 

“Hey.” Kirishima whispered the word into his ear, nudging Bakugo’s cheek with his nose. “What’s wrong?” 

“Mmn,” he grunted.

“That’s not an answer.” The corner of Kirishima’s mouth quirked up into a lazy half-smile that had Bakugo’s hands itching to squish his face. 

Reactions like that were exactly why he couldn’t believe it’d taken so damn long to realize how in love he was. “Smartass. I’ll tell you later.”

Suddenly, Lightning McQueen hopped onto the couch on the other side of Bakugo, jostling them with the dip of the couch. “I have a proposition!” Bakugo looked over at him with an arched eyebrow. “Double date.” 

“No.”

“Please,” Kaminari said, shaking Bakugo by his arm. “It’ll be fun!”

“Where would we go?” Kirishima asked, squeezing Bakugo’s hand in a playful pattern. 

“Well, ‘Toshi and I wanted to go see a movie that came out yesterday, but we’re waiting until we both have the evening off next week. Would that work?” 

Kirihsima’s hand squeezed his own. “I’m up for a movie. Kats?” 

“Sure,” Bakugo answered. “I’m off Thursday and Friday and I got put on morning shift for the rest of the week and next week.” He checked his phone and grunted. “Speaking of, I should get home before it gets too late. You staying?” he asked Kirishima. 

“Nah, I’ll go with you.” He stood up, keeping his hand in Bakugo’s. “Just let us know what day, Kami.” Sparky gave him a thumbs up. 

Bakugo gave everyone a generic goodbye considering half of the people currently splayed out around Kaminari’s living room were engrossed in the video game. A series of goodbyes were called after them as they walked to the door.

“You wanna tell me what got you all quiet earlier, man?” Kirishima asked as they walked down the street to an intersection where they’d have better luck hailing a taxi. 

“When we get home,” he muttered. “Don’t want a cab driver being all nosy and shit.” Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows, but said nothing. Bakugo noticed that the grip of his hand loosened and scowled. “Oi. Don’t get all wrapped up in your head. You didn’t do anything. It’s about me.” 

“How did you-?” Kirishima laughed and shook his head. “I love you, Tsuki.”

Before he could lift his arm to signal a taxi, Bakugo tugged him closer and pulled him into a kiss by the nape of his neck. Kirishima let out a little gasp before smiling into the kiss. Lately, one of Bakugo’s favorite things was that surprised gasp that preceded practically every other kiss. He pulled back, smiling back when he saw that crooked grin paired with a soft blush. “I fucking love you, Eiji,” he whispered. 

---

Once they got home, Kirishima didn’t even let Bakugo disappear into his room to change. He sat on the arm of the couch and wrapped his arms around Bakugo, trapping him in place. “Talk to me,” he said quietly. 

“I talk to you every day.” The comment had Kirishima staring up at him with an unamused glare that made Bakugo laugh. “‘S not a big deal. I’m just pissed off with myself.” Kirishima’s hands dropped from around him in favor of rubbing up and down his arms soothingly. “Y’know how everyone’s always saying they expected this? That it just took longer to happen than they would’ve thought or that it’s about time we got together?” Kirishima nodded, hands stilling around Bakugo’s wrists. “I feel like I’ve been taking you for granted all this time,” Bakugo admitted, glaring at the floor between their feet. 

“What?” Kirishima’s hands flew up to Bakugo’s cheeks as he stood up, letting him come face to face with him. “What are you talking about?” 

“Well, what other explanation is there?” Bakugo snapped. “We’ve been living together for years, eating our meals together when we can, binging shows and going out places and doing game nights with all these other couples. We kissed and had sex and I still never-” Bakugo growled and crossed his arms. “It was fucking stupid that I didn’t realize you’ve been right here the whole time. ‘Cause it’s always been you, Ei. When anything good happens, and I wanna tell you. If anything bad happens, I just wanna come home to you and just sit with you. You get me, even if it’s just the difference in how I roll my eyes. And I know what every twitch of your stupidly cute face means. Like the fact that you’re trying not to laugh right now because you know I’ll get pissed,” he said flatly. 

Kirishima took it as permission to laugh, squeezing Bakugo’s cheeks together as he did. “Kats, I just- That’s ridiculous! If there’s been anyone who makes me feel seen, it’s you. I mean, yeah, it took a while for us to realize, but…. Kats, I don’t feel like you took me for granted. If anything, I think it says a lot that we’ve been so close for so long. I really don’t know when my feelings for you went from platonic to this. I just know that as friends or fuck buddies or boyfriends, you’ve never made me feel taken for granted.” 

Bakugo sighed and rested his forehead against Kirishima’s shoulder. “You gotta know, right? That you’re fucking amazing? And I know everyone makes a big deal about the fact that I can have feelings and be touchy in public, but I’m the lucky one here.” 

“What?” 

He tightened his arms around Kirishima and inhaled the scent of his cologne, concentrated in the crook of his neck. “You want me. Do you know how crazy that is? You saw my tantrums and all the times I lost my temper and you met me as a complete asshole and you… you still wanted to be around me. You could’ve befriended anyone. You could have chosen anyone because everyone loves you. I mean you draw people to you so easily.” Bakugo lifted his head and pressed his forehead against Kirishima’s. “But you want me.” 

“I would’ve thought you’d be used to people wanting you,” Kirishima said with a soft laugh. “You know people love you-” 

“I’ve told you,” Bakugo interrupted as he shook his head. “It’s easy to show off my power. Easy to prove I’m a good hero. But the way people want me out there is based on the way they see Dynamight. Not… well, me. You took the time to figure me out. Do you have any idea how lucky it feels to be loved by you?” He ran his fingers through Kirishima’s hair, scoffing at the dumbstruck look in his expression. “That’s why I kiss you whenever I feel like it, even if the whole world can see. And I mean, I used to get so annoyed with Spark Plug for how much he talked about Eyebags, but fucking hell, I get it now. I wanna tell everyone about you all the fucking time.” He shrugged and linked their fingers together loosely. “You told me that you believed my feelings for you because I’ve always chosen you. Well, I guess part of me still can’t believe you’ve done the same all these years. It took me for fuckin’ ever, but… I’m gonna make up for it.” 

“Katsuki….” Kirishima brushed his fingers against Bakugo’s cheek before cupping his face and leaning in to kiss him. “I don’t care how long it took,” he whispered against his mouth before kissing him again. “We still got here, didn’t we?” 

Bakugo smiled and stepped forward until he’d toppled Kirishima over the arm of the couch. He collapsed on top of him, laughing between kisses as Kirishima’s arms held him securely in place. Kirishima’s fingers sifted gently through his hair, making Bakugo relax into the touch. 

“You need to sleep,” Kirishima whispered. “Morning shift.” 

“Mm. I’ll just sleep right here then.” A laugh rumbled through Kirishima’s chest before he rolled over, holding Bakugo close as he carefully got to his feet. “I can’t believe you just fucking lug me around like a goddamn baby koala or something. This is ridiculous.” 

“No one’s here, Tsuki, you don’t have to pretend to hate it.” 

Bakugo grumbled unintelligibly into Kirishima’s neck as he kept himself wrapped around him. Kirishima dropped him playfully on the bed and left the room. Bakugo sat up and shoved his jeans off in favor of a pair of plaid pajama bottoms before he got under the covers. Kirishima returned a few moments later wearing only sweats as he joined Bakugo under the covers. 

As always, sleep came easily when he was next to Kirishima.

---

The sunlight made the edges of Kirishima’s hair glow a soft shade of orange. His cheek was squished against his palm as he slept. His arm was thrown carelessly over Bakugo, like many times before. 

Bakugo pulled himself up on one elbow, careful not to jostle Kirishima. He leaned over, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and let his free hand comb through the bright red hair. 

Recognizing and putting a name to everything that happened in his chest and his brain when he looked at or even thought of Kirishima had been terrifying and stressful. At least before the idiot panicked and ran out of the apartment with a fake emergency. Knowing something similar was going on in Kirishima’s chest and brain brought along a bigger euphoria than he’d gotten when he first started as a pro. 

A soft hum came from Kirishima as he repositioned his head on the pillow, and Bakugo smiled. Little explosions went off inside his chest, and a surge of joy swept through him. He had everything he could ever want right in front of him, and it made him feel strong and powerful. He leaned down and pressed another kiss to the temple of Kirishima’s head. Then another against his cheekbone, a softer one just below his ear, another at the corner of his mouth. 

Suddenly a hand came up to the one that was gently combing through long red hair, fingers intertwining. “Morning,” Kirishima grumbled softly. “You staring at me again?” 

“What about it?” Bakugo challenged. 

Kirishima yawned and rubbed his eyes before blinking up at him. His eyes were still puffy with sleep, and as he turned his head, there was an indent from the pillowcase against his cheek. He looked flushed, half out of it, and it was possibly the cutest fucking state Kirishima could be in. It made Bakugo want to squeeze him and never let go. Which was something he could do now. 

Without a warning, Bakugo laid back down and yanked Kirishima over him, hugging him tightly to his chest as he peppered his forehead with kisses. “This is so fucking stupid, I’ve know you for years and I’ve seen you half-awake a million times, but I just-” He tightened his arms, making a husky laugh rumble through Kirishima’s whole body as he repositioned himself to wrap around Bakugo properly. “‘M not letting you go.” 

“Good,” Kirishima whispered as he laid his head on Bakugo’s shoulder. “Wait, did you mean literally? I gotta pee, Kats. And don’t you have work?” Bakugo only responded by hooking his legs around him, effectively trapping Kirishima in place. “Then I’m going back to sleep,” Kirishima muttered. Then he placed a kiss to Bakugo’s jawline, which for some fucking stupid reason still had Bakugo’s cheeks turning hot. “I love you, Kats.” 

“Gimme a proper fucking kiss then,” Bakugo muttered. 

Kirishima broke free and tugged himself up to look down at Bakugo, flashing that toothy crooked grin that made Bakugo want to blast himself into the fucking sky. As he leaned down, his hair fell forward, tickling Bakugo’s cheeks. Kirishima’s nose bumped playfully against his before their lips finally pressed together. Immediately, Bakugo’s lips parted and his hands instinctively moved to cup Kirishima’s face.

He'd kissed him so many times before, but ever since that first-date kiss, it was… new. Knowing that he was being kissed because he was wanted, that it held all of these wildly intense emotions behind it, that these kisses weren't some fun pastime but a display of genuine affection- it all made Bakugo feel dizzy. He felt like he was on an adrenaline rush most of the times Kirishima touched him, whether for a kiss or a hug or to move past him as he reached for something. If it wasn't some senseless rush, it was… just peace. 

A kind of peace Bakugo hadn't known existed. 

This kiss somehow managed both. He felt his heart pound through his chest, felt the breathlessness and boastful satisfaction that came from something as exhilarating as loving someone who loved you back. He also felt those feelings slowly mellow down to something quiet and gentle and soothing. Something that joined the soft chirps of the birds outside as the sun rose and surrounded them in the daybreak shadows around the room and draped over them like their soft, warm comforter. 

Kirishima pulled away, tilting into Bakugo's palm with a smile and sleepy sunrise eyes blinking slowly at him.

"I fucking love you, Ei," Bakugo whispered. 

The whole no-dating thing had been his rule, mostly because he didn’t think he would be able to prioritize or even want a relationship. But Kirishima had already been the exception to so much. And for Kirishima? Bakugo didn't mind finding time and putting in the effort to give Kirishima what he deserved in a relationship. 

He cradled the back of Kirihsima’s neck and wrapped his other arm around his torso before rolling over to be on top of him. He kissed him again, letting Kirishima’s laugh interrupt as he let his lips fall to his jawline then along his neck. The laughter slowly tapered off, leaving behind soft breathy exhales for each open-mouthed kiss Bakugo left against Kirishima’s throat. 

“Kats- I really do gotta pee.” 

“Mm, right, right,” Bakugo said as he rolled off. Kirishima took his hand and kissed the back of it before clambering off the bed and disappearing into the bathroom. When he came back, Bakugo scooted over, inviting Kirishima back into the bed wordlessly. As he slid into place beside him, Bakugo kissed his shoulder and whispered, “We gonna talk about that thing we’re not talking about?” 

Kirishima groaned and buried his face into Bakugo’s chest, stifling the sound into the t-shirt. “‘M sorry.” 

“What’re you apologizing for?” Bakugo asked, burying his nose in Kirishima’s hair. “‘M not mad. I just wanna know what you’re thinking. I know we’re pretty good at reading each other, but I can’t read your mind.”

“Yeah, I know.” Kirishima sighed and shifted so Bakugo could look him in the eyes. “It just sounds stupid.” Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows but remained quiet, waiting to see what he’d say. Kirishima bit his lip and distracted himself by tracing a seam on Bakugo’s shirt. “I’m nervous. And I don’t even know why. I think I might know your body better than my own, but…. It just feels like a bigger deal now, I guess.” Kirishima’s expression contorted into a wince as he met Bakugo’s eyes. “Y’know?” 

Even before, Bakugo did his best to put Kirishima’s pleasure first, just to be sure they were both enjoying what they were doing. Now, he still wanted to put Kirishima first, but he was also hyper-aware of the consuming adoration he had that it felt like it would be an entirely new experience. More of a mind over matter kind of thing. The same but completely different. 

“Yeah,” he whispered, rubbing a strand of red hair between his forefinger and thumb. "There's no rush, Ei." He checked his phone and winced when he saw the time. “Mm. I gotta get ready.” 

Kirishima nodded then slowly broke into a smile when Bakugo failed to move at all. “Wow, you’re really excited to go to work, huh?” 

“Shut up.” He leaned forward and kissed Kirishima again, a languid, lazy movement broken by soft laughter from his boyfriend and little questioning hums from himself. “Stop laughing and kiss me back, asshole,” Bakugo muttered against his mouth. 

“I am,” Kirishima answered, still laughing and stifled by Bakugo’s mouth. Then he cupped Bakugo’s face so gently that it pulled all the oxygen out of his lungs and filled them back up with something fluttery and suffocating and ticklish. 

Suddenly Bakugo wanted to do nothing except stay in bed and hold Kirishima. He wanted to make up for ten years of cuddles and kisses and compliments. He wanted to walk all around the city, kiss him at every corner until everyone shut up about how long it took. He wanted to make Kirishima laugh then kiss him mid-laughter, wanted the whole world to know how in love with Kirishima he was until they were all sick of it. 

“Tsuki, if you don’t get ready, you’re gonna be rushing and it’s gonna piss you off,” Kirishima whispered, brushing his thumb against Bakugo’s cheekbone. As his sleep addled eyes skimmed over his face, Bakugo could feel the tangible tenderness and affection that filled the gaze. It made him feel warm. “Want me to heat up some leftovers for you before you go?” 

“Nah, I’ll do it. Go back to sleep.” 

“I’ll wait till you leave,” he said with a yawn. 

Bakugo doubted he’d last, but he didn’t say anything. He rolled out of the warmth of the bed and grunted at the coldness of the apartment hitting his skin. He dragged himself to the bathroom, clearing the drowsiness as he hurried to get ready and heated up some leftovers he could eat. There was just enough time to get to the agency and into his hero outfit. 

Before leaving he stopped at the bed again. Kirishima was sprawled out on his stomach, hugging Bakugo’s pillow with one arm. The sight of him begged Bakugo to get back in bed and stay there, in the peace of the morning. 

He ran a hand along Kirishima’s shoulder and shook him gently. “I’m gonna go, Ei. I’ll see you later.” 

“Be careful,” Kirishima mumbled out, shifting to get on his side as he yanked the pillow to his chest. His eyes opened slightly, searching for Bakugo. “Love you.” 

Bakugo hummed and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Fucking love you. So much.” Kirishima smiled and blindly reached out to touch his cheek before letting his hand fall to the bed. 

It took a surprising amount of willpower to peel himself away from Kirishima, but he managed it. Once he got to the locker room at his agency and changed into his hero costume, he looked over at Deku where he was stretching on a bench. 

“Oi,” he called. He walked over as Deku looked over his shoulder. “Does being in love always make people act stupid?” 

Deku grinned, smiling slightly. “What?” 

Bakugo sighed and ruffled his own hair. “It just feels like all I care about is Eijirou. I just wanna be with him all the time.” 

“After the many makeout sessions last night, I never would’ve guessed.” Bakugo punched his arm, hard, but Deku only laughed and kept stretching, entirely unfazed. “Lemme guess. You want to take sick days and stay home with him and everything makes you think of him, and…. Oh, please tell me you’re experiencing the butterflies, Kacchan.” 

“What’s your fucking point?” Bakugo muttered. 

A look of pure joy crossed Deku’s face as he stood up. “It’s a honeymoon phase, Kacchan. You’re excited and in love and the dynamic is new. You guys have only been dating for what, three weeks?” Bakugo nodded as he walked out of the locker room with him to start their patrol. “Yeah. It can be distracting at first. It’ll mellow out eventually. Not like… the love dulls or anything, it’s just something more solid instead of something shiny and new.” 

“But it’s not shiny and new,” Bakugo said as they left through the lobby doors. “I feel like a kid or something being this wrapped up by him. It’s stupid.”

“It’s normal,” Deku said with another small laugh. “You know, Shoto brought me miniature ice sculptures every other day the first couple weeks. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him they melted in a day. I was drawing him in the corner of my journals for days because all I could think about was him. And just because we’d been friends for a couple years before doesn’t mean it wasn’t exciting when that changed into something more. We might be heroes, but we’re still human, Kacchan.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Bakugo answered. He liked to think he would’ve been better or more mature about the whole thing, but he also couldn’t bring himself to care when just the memory of Kirishima’s sleepy smile and whispers managed to make him smile as he walked down the sidewalk. He liked how Kirishima made him feel. He liked being aware of it. 

As was usually the case, there was practically no crime in the areas they patrolled. Instead, people would wave and smile and ask for pictures or autographs. More than once someone asked about his relationship with Kirishima. It was typically respectful; they’d just ask how it was going or how Kirishima was doing. There was the odd one out who tried to get nosy, but Bakugo would just glare at them and walk away. 

A little past noon, a reporter stopped them as they rounded the corner of a market center. At first, he asked about updates on the Trifecta- whether they’d made any preparations or if there was any news, if it was safe to assume they were gone since they hadn’t really done much else. Bakugo let Deku take over most of the responses since he was usually nicer and more elaborate about it. Then, out of nowhere, the reporter turned to Bakugo and grinned. 

“The whole internet is buzzing with the news of your relationship with Red Riot. Any comments for the fans?” 

“No?” Bakugo answered curtly. What did they need to know? 

“What about for the people who aren’t as supportive?” 

Bakugo grimaced. He hadn’t seen any negative backlash from Kirishima’s phone, and no one had dared to say anything to his face or Kirishima’s. “That’s not my fucking problem,” he said flatly. 

“Of course,” the reporter said, his expression dripping in faux understanding. “It’s just a lot of people are confused since you’re the number one hero in Japan. With your track record of all or nothing, it’s a bit of a surprise to people that you’d be in a relationship with someone ranking so much lower-” 

Without thinking, Bakugo yanked the mic from the reporter’s hands and blew it up as he squeezed it to pieces. 

“Kac- Dynamight!” Deku yelped, putting a hand to his shoulder.

Bakugo shrugged him off and pulled the reporter in by his stupid penguin printed tie. “You sure you wanna finish that question?” he snarled. 

The reporter held up his shaking hands. “It’s not me! I would never- it’s the fans! I just wanted a comment-” 

“Anyone who has an issue with me dating Red Riot can come tell me themselves and see exactly what I think of their dumbass opinion. And if you or any other reporter ever asks me something so fucking stupid again-” 

“Right, never again! I’m so sorry, Dynamight,” the reporter whimpered. Bakugo let him go and turned away, fuming as he walked. 

Footsteps hurried to catch up to him. “That won’t help your ratings for next year,” Deku said. 

“I don’t give a shit. Anyone who even thinks of suggesting that Kirishima is worth less than he is-”

“Don’t have to defend yourself to me, Kacchan,” Deku reassured. “Let’s take another lap before heading back to the agency.” Bakugo grunted and followed him as they started walking around the sector they were assigned. 

The last hour went off without a hitch. They returned to the agency to fill out their daily report then went to change in the locker rooms, exchanging a breezy goodbye before they each headed home. 

In the taxi, Bakugo’s phone buzzed with a notification from a news app. 

BREAKING NEWS: Massive Fire at Musutafu Stadium Just Before Convention- Heroes working on rescues, 2 dead, 4 injured

Bakugo frowned and clicked the headline. The article was being updated in real time with new information. At the moment the only thing it had was a list of heroes that were on the scene. 

Tentacole. Pinky. Real Steel. Nejire Chan. Ingenium. Suneater.

Red Riot. 

Bakugo felt a jolt in his stomach. Of course this would happen as he got off a shift and Kirishima had just shown up to his. “Stop here,” Bakugo snapped. “Stop here, this corner, it’s fine!” he said louder. The taxi driver swerved to stop at the curb and Bakugo made up for his attitude by giving him a bunch of crumpled bills that was probably way more than the ride would’ve cost. He stared at the screen, refreshing over and over as he ran toward the stadium. 

It was the same stadium where they’d held the Hero Billboard Charts. Apparently they were setting up for some convention that would take place over the next week. If he recalled correctly, All Might had suggested dropping by to meet fans, but Bakugo had tucked it in the back of his mind. 

Once he could see the smoke and the flames, Bakugo used his quirk to cover more distance. People were screaming, shaking, covered in ash as they spoke to firefighters and police. Bakugo scanned the area, finding Iida with people slung over his shoulders. He was wincing as he let them down into cots, his calf engines steaming. 

“Iida!” Bakugo rushed over to him. “Where’s Eijirou?” 

“What are you- you’re not in costume.” 

“Eijirou! Where is he?” 

“I don’t know. Inside, he was clearing the way with Testutetsu.” Bakugo turned away. “Bakugo, you’re not on duty, you can’t-” 

“You think that matters right now?” He took a deep breath and ran into the building, ignoring the way Iida called after him. Inside, there was sheer havoc. He could hear people calling for help, screaming when the fire left things to crumble. He couldn’t see any other heroes. He grit his teeth and pulled his shirt over his nose as he trudged through to find whoever was stuck. 

He’d been through worse heat than this. Heat was part of his quirk. He could handle it. He found a woman gripping a broom and another one cowering as she muttered a prayer, both crouched to the ground and coughing. 

“Come on, I can get you to safety,” Bakugo said, reaching out his hand. “It’ll be okay.” The woman reached out a shaking hand and Bakugo hauled her onto his back. He scooped the other one into his arms and trekked back hoping he didn’t hear anyone else. He wouldn’t be able to piled too many people on his shoulders in the middle of a fire. It was getting hard to breathe, and that only managed to leave Bakugo feeling dizzy, but he couldn’t stop walking. He had people to save. He had to find Kirishima. 

They made it out of the building, and Bakugo helped the women to the ground gently. 

Bakugo turned around, bracing himself to go inside again despite the panic currently seizing his throat. Before he could take a step forward though, he felt a hand grip his arm and pull him back. 

Kirishima was in his hardened form, making him just tall enough that Bakugo had to look up at him. “What the hell are you doing?” he asked. There was an underlying rumble beneath his words, like rocks scraping together. 

“You’re okay,” Bakugo said in relief. “I’m helping. Iida told me you were inside, and I couldn’t let you be in there alone-” 

“I’m not alone, Katsuki! You gotta go home-” 

“Red, there’s still a couple people unaccounted for.” Tetsutetsu was in his metal form, steaming with some parts gleaming red from the heat. “We gotta go back in.” 

“No. No, you can’t go back inside, this thing is gonna crumble, it’s like HRA fire-” 

“Katsuki! Rock doesn’t burn! We have a plan okay, and the longer I’m here trying to calm you down, the longer someone’s trapped in there. Just- stay here!” He turned away and raced back inside the stadium with Tetsutetsu. 

Before Bakugo could step forward to follow them, he felt another hand wrap around his arm, holding him back. Iida was looking at him with narrowed eyes. “If you want to help, come get some of the survivors’ vitals.” 

Bakugo kept his eyes on the building, watching as water heroes and firefighters tried to put out the flames that only seemed to rise higher. He was barely aware of the clamour around him, some of them snippets of witness accounts. Until he heard someone mention cut out electricity and blue hair. Just like the HRA fire. 

Just as he turned around to question whoever had said that, he heard the rumbling of the stadium collapsing. He watched with wide eyes as the smoke billowed upward and debris flew out. He couldn’t even scream. 

For a few moments, he heard nothing but sirens and the water that was finally dousing the fire. Then the rubble started moving. A sharp scraping sound echoed, as a pile of concrete rose and slid away. 

Kirishima’s unbreakable form stood, massive and jagged, crouching protectively over something as Tetsutetsu cleared a path. Four people scrambled out from under Kirishima’s protective stance and climbed over the debris, screaming as they raced for solid ground. Bakugo watched as Kirishima dropped to his knees, letting the form drop as he slouched. Tetsutetsu held out his hand, helping him up so they could walk over the debris. 

As they walked toward the crowd, scattered applause and thank yous filled the air, leaving both heroes to look up and smile sheepishly, both clearly exhausted. 

Bakugo raced forward, cupping Kirishima’s face before wrapping his arms around him. “You’re safe. Fucking hell, you’re safe.” 

“Kats-” 

Bakugo kissed him and finally felt the panic that had gripped his throat so violently dissipate. After a moment, Kirishima pulled back and held him by the shoulders. “Let me catch my breath,” he said. 

Tetsutetsu had walked over to talk to a reporter, so Bakugo helped Kirishima walk toward an ambulance where he could sit and get his vitals checked. He waited silently, watching it all. Aside from the exhaustion and a surprisingly minimal smoke inhalation, Kirishima was fine. No scrapes or burns, nothing broken, not even a concussion. 

“So I can get back to my shift?” Kirishima asked. 

“Police might wanna talk to you, but yeah. Looks like you’re all good to keep saving people today. I’m sure lots of people here are thankful for you today, Red Riot.” 

Kirishima thanked the EMT and smiled. Once she’d left, Bakugo shook his head. “You’re not seriously gonna do the rest of the shift, Ei. You gotta come home and rest-” 

“I’m fine,” Kirishima insisted. “And what are you even doing here? What were you thinking running in there like that?” 

“You’re seriously pissed at me right now?” Bakugo whispered through clenched teeth. 

“It’s not-” Kirishima sighed and shook his head. “Can we just talk when I get home?” 

“Just come home now. Fatgum would understand-” 

“I don’t want to. I want to finish my shift. Besides I have to fill out a report and talk to reporters and police.” He waved his hand in the direction of the people waiting on the other side of yellow tape, calling for him. 

Bakugo scowled and crossed his arms. “Whatever then. See you at home.” He wiped at his eyes, unable to understand why tears were building if everything was fine. He was annoyed that Kirishima wasn’t coming home, but that was no reason to cry. It only made him angrier. “Be careful,” he muttered, as he started to walk down the sidewalk. 

Before he could get two steps in, he felt Kirishima grab his hand and pull him back. He collided against Kirishima’s body, barely registering the gentle hand at his cheek before their lips pressed together. “I love you, Kats.” 

“I love you so fucking much, Ei,” Bakugo breathed out. He kissed him again before steeling himself to leave. Kirishima squeezed his hand and watched him go for a few seconds before he stood up to go meet the reporters with Tetsutetsu. 

The ride back home felt like a blur. Before he knew it, he was on his balcony, curled up into a ball on a lounging chair. 

Flashes of memories were pulling his brain in different directions. He’d struggled to breathe for only a few moments, but it had been enough to bring back all the times Bakugo had nearly suffocated. And this time, people had been depending on him. He tried to take in deep breaths, remembering that he was on a balcony overlooking the city, free to move and breathe. 

Then thoughts of the building crumbling over Kirishima came back and suddenly he couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t the first time he’d been terrified of what would happen to Kirishima. Since their first year, he’d been going on hero missions, and Bakugo distinctly remembered watching the news obsessively when they had a mission against the yakuza and some bird-beaked freak, wondering if Deku would come back, if Kirishima would, if Pink Cheeks or Frog Face would. He’d watched heroes get taken down on the surface, he’d waited, restless and terrified to hear news about the heroes who had gone underground. Over the last ten years, there had been a handful of times when Bakugo had nearly blown up his own living room because he was panicking over one of his friends being stuck somewhere. And with new restrictive hero laws, he technically wasn’t allowed to interfere if he wasn’t on duty, on call, or called in by agency superiors. 

Then his thoughts spiraled into thoughts of what he would do if the worst thing happened one day. If one day Red Riot’s name was on the news, declaring his death, if one day he just didn’t come home-

His phone rang and made him jump, gasping as he brought himself back to the present. He hadn’t realized that tears had been falling down his face or that he’d been shaking. He wiped his face and answered his phone without checking to see who it was. 

“What?” he snapped, hoping it would cover up the tremor in his voice. 

“Hey, you home? I’m at your door.” It was Kaminari. 

“What? Hold on.” He hung up and wiped his eyes again for good measure before opening the door. Sparky was leaning against the door frame with Sero beside him. “The hell are you two doing here?” 

“I’d say we were walking by, but no bullshit- we saw you on the news. I had a feeling you might want some company,” Kaminari said. 

“And based on your face, I think he was right,” Scotch Tape said. Bakugo didn’t even have it in him to punch his arm or give some empty threat. 

“Help yourselves to the fridge and pantry,” Bakugo said as he sat on the couch. 

Instead of raiding the kitchen like they usually did, they sat down on either side of him. Kaminari leaned against him, and though Bakugo would typically kick him off the couch, he welcomed the pressure against his shoulder. “Wanna talk about it?” Bakugo didn’t do more than let out a noncommittal hum. “Well… I got scared. Not just for Kiri, but… I saw you run in there when you weren’t even in costume and I freaked out.” 

“And Mina… and Iida,” Sero said. “Iida looked exhausted when he got out.” He ran his hand through his hair and pulled his knees to his chest. “It just sucks. ‘Cause I was watching and I just wanted to go help. It made me feel so useless knowing I’m not allowed to do my job just ‘cause I’m not on the clock.”

“It didn’t make sense to me,” Bakugo whispered. “When the building collapsed. I couldn’t… I couldn’t process that Eiji was under there. And I just keep thinking… what the hell am I supposed to do if I really do lose him one day?” 

“It’s not good to think like that, dude,” Kaminari said. “You can go to a really dark place thinking like that, especially with our job. Trust me.” 

“Yeah. You just gotta focus on the days he comes home. Game nights and dates and times together. Come on, we’ve been doing this for years.” 

“I know. But it’s different now…. We haven’t even been together for a month. And for a second, I thought….” He shook his head. “To top it off, I think he’s pissed at me.” 

“What? Why?” Sero asked. 

“I don’t fucking know. I showed up, he got mad, he told me to stay out of the way, he said I shouldn’t be there. He said we’d talk when he got home.” Bakugo slouched further into the couch. “The thing is, I know it’s the Trifecta. They’re back. Someone said they saw blue hair and the fire started after the power went out. That’s what happened at the HRA. This isn’t some petty criminal, these are wanted, dangerous people. I hate the idea of him out there after this.” 

“Kiri’s been doing hero work even longer than you, Bakugo,” Sparky reminded him. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows how to handle bad guys. I get being worried, but he’s top ten for a reason.” 

“We should go get ice cream or something. Pick up a pizza and watch something funny. It’ll help get your mind off the mess this afternoon.” Sero smiled, wide and goofy and trying too hard. Loathe as he was to admit it aloud, Bakugo appreciated it.

“Yeah. I could go for ice cream.” 

Bakugo had nothing against crying. He knew it was a human response, and he was prone to crying if he was pissed enough, if he had a nightmare, and typically any case of a PTSD episode. He just hated if anyone asked about it or treated him differently because of it. Kirishima was pretty good about it, considering how long they’d lived together. Deku had seen him cry a couple times and he burst into tears along with him each time. 

Kaminari and Sero handled it surprisingly well. For some reason, Bakugo kept dealing with a few runaway tears now and then, maybe built from fear and frustration and memories. Whatever the case, his friends managed to distract him with food and stupid jokes and at times straight up stupidity. The thing he was most grateful for though was the fact that neither of them ever looked at him with pity. 

They were each sprawled out in the living room, Sero with his lanky body stretching along the couch, Bakugo draped over the arms of the other smaller couch, and Kaminari slouched with his back against Sero’s couch, legs starfished out. Some dumb sitcom played on the television, one that was easy to poke fun at and joke about, but by the fourth episode, the three of them were semi-invested. 

The sound of the door opening tore their attention away from the TV. Kirishima walked in, looking freshly showered. “Oh hey, guys.”

“Hey! How are you doing, dude? Big stuff on the news today,” Spark Plug said as pulled himself up to sit by Sero’s legs. 

Kirishima gave them all a lazy, crooked grin. “I’m good. Nothing major happened on my shift after that. Just updates, reports, and some more patrolling. Everyone thinks the trio had something to do with it, but we can’t find the correlation to the HRA fire.” He shrugged. “Speaking of stuff on the news-” He pushed Bakugo’s hair away from his forehead and raised an eyebrow. “Heard you beat up a reporter for me.” 

“Whoa, what?” the other two idiots shouted. 

“I did not beat anyone up,” Bakugo said indignantly. “I blew up his mic ‘cause the dumbass was asking stupid questions.” 

“Uh-huh.” He furrowed his eyebrows for a moment before turning to their friends. “You guys staying for dinner?” 

“Nah, we just wanted to bug Bakugo,” Scotch Tape said. “I wanted to go see Mina and all the others. You did great out there today, man. I’m glad you’re okay.” 

“Manliest man out there,” Kaminari agreed. They both hugged them each goodbye, leaving with their wide dopey smiles and a promise to see them later. 

Bakugo looked up where Kirishima was staring down at him, appearing upside down in his vision. His hair was tied back so it didn’t fall forward when he leaned down. “You didn’t demand your greeting kiss today.” 

“You’re mad at me,” Bakugo said. 

Furrowing his eyebrows again, Kirishima hummed and leaned down to meet his lips. “Not mad,” he whispered. “Just frustrated.” He stood upright and moved to the other couch, making Bakugo sit properly in the chair to face him. “When you showed up like that, it kind of felt like you were… I don’t know, underestimating me or something.” 

“What- no! I wasn’t-” 

“I know. It just felt that way. So I come out with a bunch of people, and Iida tells me you showed up, off-duty, and ran inside after me. Then I see you come out, and you don’t even look focused, Kats. You looked terrified-”

“I didn’t know where you were. If you were safe. And then the stadium collapsed and….” 

Kirishima sighed and nodded. “Yeah. That’s why I’m telling you, I’m not mad. I know that fear, Tsuki. I get it.” He bit his lip and patted the cushion beside him for Bakugo to sit beside him. As he changed seats, he leaned against Kirishima’s shoulder. He let out a breath of relief when Kirsihima intertwined their hands. “This job is terrifying sometimes. But you told me to trust you to be smart out there, right? So can’t you do the same for me?” 

“I just want to keep you safe,” Bakugo whispered. 

“Kats….” 

Bakugo cursed under his breath and held his hand tighter as he shut his eyes. They’d managed to be heroes for a decade without trying to interfere with each other. Working together was their thing. It had always been their thing. Ever since they first met, fighting alongside Kriishima felt seamless and easy, two fighters cut from the same cloth. 

He couldn’t let his love for Kirishima create room for doubt. He knew Kirishima was strong and powerful and smart. He was a good hero. 

“Yeah. I can.” He lifted his head to look Kirishima in the eyes. “And I wasn’t underestimating you. At all. I was just scared.” 

Kirishima nodded, and with his free hand, he caressed his cheek lightly. “You been crying today?” 

Bakugo grunted and looked away. “Thinking I saw you die for ten seconds really fucked me up.” 

It was quiet for a moment before he felt Kirishima turn his face toward him gently. He leaned in and kissed him, letting their hands fall apart in favor of cupping Bakugo’s face with that gentleness that always left him short of breath. It was slow and reassuring at first. A reminder that they were together, that they were safe. 

Then, as Kirishima pulled back, his gaze drifting from Bakugo’s eyes to his lips, Bakugo saw the moment something snapped. He felt it in his core. The gentle hands turned ravishing as they slipped into his hair, pulling him close. Their lips clashed together violently, demanding. This kiss was a testament of being alive. Like this was the only way to hold on to life, to each other. 

More than anything, Bakugo was aware of Kirishima’s warmth. His hand mapped out the familiar body slowly pushing him back to crouch over him. Every gasping breath, every beat of their hearts, the rush of blood coloring their faces, it was all a sign of living and loving and it was a relief. 

The gentle sting of a fist pulling his hair impatiently had a moan reverberating through his throat. Bakugo pushed his hips up without thinking, relieved to find Kirishima in a similar state as he sucked lovebites against his throat. 

His whole body heated up, making him aware of every point of contact between their bodies. When his hands slid under Kirishima’s shirt to run up his back, Kirishima pulled away long enough to yank his shirt over his head. He recaptured Bakugo’s lips, grazing the points of teeth along his lip before resuming the attention to his throat. 

“Can we go to the bed?” Kirishima asked, his voice deep and sultry.

“Fuckin’ please,” Bakugo answered. 

As Kirishima clambered off of him, he pulled Bakugo up with him, yanking him closer by his hips. They fumbled as they refused to break a kiss to make it ten steps to the room. As Bakugo fell back against the bed, he found enough sense to look at Kirishima and ask, “Are you sure? You said you were nervous-” 

“Tsuki, a building fell on me today.”

“Fucking hell, I know that!” 

Kirishima laughed and nosed his cheek apologetically. “It’s gonna be different. I know that. But I’m ready if you are.” Bakugo nodded. Then he clenched his jaw and furrowed his eyebrows, hesitating for a moment until Kirishima tilted his chin gently. “What is it, Kats?” 

Slowly, Bakugo looked up at Kirishima. “Just… please don’t ask me to hurt you. Not tonight.” 

Kirishima’s expression softened. “I won’t,” he promised. “So… do you want to top or…?” 

Bakugo cracked a smile. “This conversation feels familiar.” A sideways smile spread on Kirishima’s face and as a blush filled his cheeks. “Actually… yeah.” He pulled Kirishima in by the nape of his neck and kissed him softly, hoping the sudden tremor in his hands wasn’t noticeable. “Is that okay?” 

“Mhm,” Kirishima hummed softly. “Just kiss me first.” 

Bakugo smiled against his mouth as they collided again. His hands ran down Kirishima’s bare sides before slipping up his thighs beneath his shorts. Kirishima’s hands returned to his hair as he shifted to straddle him properly. 

Despite having kissed him a thousand times, Bakugo could feel his heartbeat pounding so hard, he was positive Kirishima could feel it too. He dug his fingers into the backs of Kirishima’s thighs, earning a grunt and a slight jut of his hips. His weight, his warmth, his softness, and every single breath that fell from his mouth in that moment before their lips met again were all things Bakugo clung to and tried to commit to memory. 

He didn’t want to mull over the fear he’d felt earlier that day. He didn’t want to let his mind go to a place without Kirishima. He wanted to be in that moment, with Kirishima crouched over him, kissing him back with the same amount of vigor and desperation, like they had to prove they were real and okay and alive. He wanted to cherish and worship Kirishima the way he deserved because he was incredible and beautiful and amazing, and the fact that anyone could doubt that infuriated Bakugo, but it just reinvigorated his need to treat him right. 

With his hands firm on Kirishima’s hip, he rolled them over, pressing Kirishima into the mattress as he shifted to kiss his neck. 

This was an experience no one else had. And experience no one else would ever have. No one would ever have Kirishima writhing beneath them, no one would ever get to hear what it sounded like when he breathlessly said his name, no one else would ever get the honor of taking Kirishima higher and higher until he was breathless and shaking and limp. That privilege went to Bakugo and Bakugo alone. 

“Ka-Kats, I’m-” Kirishima groaned and tugged Bakugo’s hair lightly. “Not gonna last if you keep goin’ like that,” he said with a breathless little laugh. “We haven’t even gotten our clothes off.” 

“Sorry.” Bakugo apologized with gentle kisses pressed to his cheek. He let those kisses trail down his jaw, along his neck, down his chest, his stomach. There was a sizeable bulge in his jeans, but Bakugo had no snarky comment to give. He just unbuttoned and unzipped him, hooking his fingers into the fabric to tug. Kirishima pushed his hips up to help, sighing in relief when the restraint of his clothes was gone. 

The second Kirishima was able to kick his jeans and boxers off, Bakugo hooked his arms around his thighs and repositioned himself so he could swipe his tongue against Kirishima’s length. Beneath him, Kirishima twitched his hips upward and gasped. One hand quickly shot down, fingers tangling into Bakugo’s hair. 

Bakugo dropped his jaw and took as much of Kirishima as he could at once.

“Fuck.” 

It wasn’t long before Bakugo’s jaw throbbed with a dull ache, but he didn’t let it deter him. He bobbed his head, changing the pressure of his lips, pressing his tongue against the hot weight, keeping the build-up slow. A warm, salty taste hit the back of his tongue, and he worked faster. A slight twitch in Kirishima’s thigh along with the tightened fist in his hair told Bakugo that he was getting close. 

He pulled off for a moment, shifting his gaze up to look at Kirishima’s face. His chest and neck were a deep scarlet, and he had his lower lip between his teeth. His eyes opened slowly, seeking out Bakugo through a haze. “Why’d you stop?” he whispered brokenly. 

“Will you still kiss me if I swallow?” 

Kirishima laughed, hollow and tired. “Seriously?” Bakugo answered with a grunt and a series of soft, teasing kisses to his inner thigh. “Ha-ha, fuck. Yeah, I’ll still kiss you, Tsuki.” 

With that reassurance, Bakugo left a light bite against his thigh before wrapping his mouth around him again. He kept the pace slow, despite the struggle to control himself with Kirishima’s hand tightening in his hair. He waited for the twitch in his thighs. 

And he let Kirishima’s panting breaths fuel him through the rest until he was working his throat to swallow everything he could before pulling back. Before he could even wipe his mouth, Kirishima’s legs were shoving him forward so he could topple over him, and Kirishima had his hands on either side of his face to give him his promised kiss. 

It was a ravishing kiss, messy and feral. 

“I want you, Katsuki. C’mon,” Kirishima whispered against his mouth as his legs hooked around Bakugo’s waist. He dropped his hands to claw at Bakugo’s shirt. “Get this off before I tear it apart.” 

Bakugo grinned wickedly as he pulled Kirishima’s earlobe between his teeth. “Do it,” he whispered. 

Not a second later, the sound of the fabric tearing at his back had a shiver going up Bakugo’s spine. Kirishima yanked until Bakugo pulled himself up to get his arms out of the useless shirt. Kirishima’s hands moved down to his jeans as a growl reverberated in his throat.

“Not the jeans,” Bakugo said with an amused laugh. “Hang on, I gotta get the lube anyway, Eiji. Turn over for me?” 

Wordlessly, Kirishima unhooked his legs, freeing Bakugo. While he tossed aside a few shirts in his dresser drawer to find the lube, Kirishima had gotten on his stomach, ruby-red eyes following his movement lazily. As he walked back over, Kirishima pulled his lower body up on his knees. 

For a moment, Bakugo just stared at him. The curve of his spine, the way his long red hair splayed out messily against the pillow, frazzled from the way he’d been squirming against the pillow earlier, Bakugo’s torn shirt balled up in one hand, gaze sultry and loving. He was perfect. 

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” Kirishima muttered with a smirk. 

“Don’t tempt me,” Bakugo answered, shoving off the rest of his clothes as he made his way back to the bed. He brushed his knuckles against the side of Kirishima’s face and leaned in to kiss him. “Ready?” 

Kirishima nodded.

Bakugo settled himself behind Kirishima, one hand rubbing his back slowly as he uncapped the lube with the other. He squeezed his thigh in reassurance before coating his fingers. 

Despite having done these things before, Bakugo felt nervous. He wasn’t sure for what. He knew what Kirishima liked, and he knew that Kirishima would tell him what felt good and how it could feel better. But he really wanted it all to be perfect. It had been over three weeks, and part of him irrationally thought he might’ve forgotten everything about this part. 

“Talk to me okay?” he said softly, hoping his voice didn’t relay the nervousness. 

“Of course.” 

Slowly, Bakugo pushed his middle finger in, feeling the give and pull of the muscle around him. He saw the slow shift of Kirishima’s shoulder blades and let his hand caress the small of his back soothingly. Once he got a decent angle, he pulled himself up to drape over Kirishima, pushing his hair so it fell to one side. He pressed his lips to the back of his neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses along his shoulders as he moved his finger. He heard Kirishima’s breaths, deep and slow. 

“Keep going,” Kirishima said softly. 

Bakugo pulled back to add more lube, carefully inserting a second finger, recalling all the little movements that made Kirishima’s breaths turn shallow. He pressed his tongue along the dip of his spine, licking up to between his shoulder blades. 

“I wanna turn around, Kats,” Kirishima breathed out. 

“You okay?” 

“Yeah, I just wanna see you.” 

Bakugo’s heart squeezed and jumped a little at the softness of Kirishima’s voice. He nodded, pressing another kiss to the curve of his neck before he pulled away, slowly removing his fingers. Kirishima rolled over, shifting so his legs were on either side of Bakugo. He pushed a pillow under his lower back before he let out a breath and nodded. 

“Good?” Bakugo asked. 

“Yeah.” He bit his lip and reached out for him. “C’mere.” Bakugo leaned forward until Kirishima could cup one side of his face. “You look nervous.” 

“Bullshit.” Kirishima only raised an eyebrow, as if Bakugo’s response confirmed his observation. “I just- fucking, whatever.” 

Kirishima laughed, soft and husky, as he ran his thumb along Bakugo’s cheekbone. “S’alright, Tsuki.” He pulled him into a slow kiss with his tongue dipping into Bakugo’s mouth, the points of his teeth skimming his lip. “Gimme your hand.” Instead of intertwining their fingers, Kirishima grabbed his wrist. He kept kissing him, pushing Bakugo’s hand down his body slowly. “Go ahead,” he whispered. 

As he recaptured his lip, Bakugo pressed his fingers in, the slide relatively smooth and easy. He felt the hitch in Kirishima’s breath. He opened his eyes to see Kirishima’s eyebrows furrowed as he let his mouth part against Bakugo’s. There was a deep blush in his cheeks that turned darker when Bakugo crooked his fingers. A soft gasp fell from Kirishima’s lips, so Bakugo pulled his hand back, fingers spread, and pushed forward again crooking his fingers the same way. He did it a few more times until Kirishima became unable to reciprocate their kiss, doing nothing more than gasping against Bakugo’s mouth. 

His eyes opened, soft and hazy as they looked up at Bakugo, adorably cross-eyed because they were so close. “Kats, I’m ready. I’m so fucking ready.” 

“Yeah? Gimme a sec.” He sat back on his heels to lubricate himself, realizing belatedly that he was incredibly sensitive and pent up. He wiped his hand on the comforter and lined himself up, pushing Kirishima’s legs against his chest by the backs of his knees. “Look at me, Eiji.” 

Kirishima’s gaze shifted from between his legs up to Bakugo’s eyes. Keeping his eyes on him, Bakugo pushed forward slowly. He was immediately overwhelmed by the heat, the tightness, the familiarity. A shiver coursed through him, but he refused to look away from Kirishima’s sunset eyes. He watched Kirishima’s lips part as a shaky exhale slipped through. 

One hand fell away from Kirishima’s leg in favor of reaching out for him, gently cupping the nape of his neck. 

“Right here, Eiji. Keep looking at me.” 

Kirishima bit his lip and furrowed his eyebrows. Bakugo might’ve thought he was in pain if not for the low, breathy moans rumbling at the back of his throat. 

Finally, Bakugo felt his thighs press against Kirishima’s warm skin, and he let his eyes flutter shut as the pleasure seared through him. A low growl reverberated through his chest as he opened his eyes again. He noticed the way Kirishima’s chest rose and fell rapidly, dotted with soft purple marks from the work he’d done earlier. 

Slowly, Bakugo lowered himself until he could kiss Kirishima again, swallowing every shaky pant. He kissed him slowly, his hips matching the pace. Kirishima’s hands came up to either side of his face, slowly sliding to the sides of his neck. 

Bakugo pulled himself up slightly to get a good look at Kirishima, and he was hit hard with something overwhelming when he saw the expression on Kirishima’s face. Rosy cheeks, puffy lips, lidded eyes entirely focused on him. So full of life. The love he had for Kirishima pierced through his chest as he used one shaky hand to push his tangled hair away. 

For a split second, he felt that panic from earlier. The question of what he was supposed to do if he ever lost this amazing person tugged at his brain. But he didn’t want his mind to go there. He didn’t want it to go to that dark place again. Instead he focused on Kirishima, on that love he felt which felt like a beacon leading him home, leading him right there where he could hold Kirishima and tell him everything he felt. 

“I’m so lucky,” he whispered. A breathy half-laugh had Kirishima’s mouth quirking into that beautiful crooked grin. “What’re you laughing at? I mean it.” 

“I know,” he whispered. “It’s just… mm- I was just thinking the same thing.” 

Bakugo grinned, rolling his hips forward a little more purposefully. Being wrapped up in Kirishima, on the receiving end of that sideways smile, Bakugo felt the need to be as close to him as possible. Something was unlocked within him, making him spout everything that crossed his mind just to tell Kirishima that he loved him in a million different ways. 

He maneuvered himself so he was holding Kirishima, partially as leverage for each thrust, with his hands hooked over his shoulders in a half-embrace. The position allowed him to lean in closer, burying his face into his neck to bite and suck and kiss and lick to his heart’s content. 

“It drives me fucking crazy,” he muttered between kisses. “I feel like I’m bursting with everything I feel for you. You’re so perfect for me. So strong, so brave, so amazing.” He had no idea how to shut up. It was all spilling without permission. At the same time, he didn’t want to keep it all inside. He wanted Kirishima to know exactly how he felt, how loved he was. Although he wasn’t sure if Kirishima was even listening considering the way he kept gasping and moaning, stifling himself in the palm of one hand. “You’re everything I could ever want, Eijirou. I fucking love you so fucking much. And I’m gonna make sure you never doubt it, never forget it.” 

“Fu- uck, Kats-” Kirishima nuzzled his head toward Bakugo’s to get his attention. “Kats, hold on, ‘m getting dizzy.” 

Bakugo slowed his hips, propping himself up on his elbows. He kissed Kirishima’s cheeks lightly. “Easy, Eiji. You okay?” 

“Uh-huh,” Kirishima said, catching his breath. “I think… think I was breathing too fast or something. ‘Nd everything you were saying. Plus I- I haven’t eaten since I left for my shift this afternoon, so….” 

“Oh my God,” Bakugo muttered, dropping his head against Kirishima’s shoulder. “Eijirou.” 

Kirishima laughed and resorted to raking his fingers through Bakugo’s hair. “Just gimme a sec.” 

He freed one hand to trace Kirishima’s chest idly, feeling the thumps of his heart faintly. He pressed an occasional soft kiss to his throat and was careful not to move his hips too abruptly. As Kirishima stabilized his breaths, Bakugo lifted his head. “Can I ask you something?” Kirishima nodded. “You ever get anyone commenting stupid shit to you online?” 

“What?” 

“Just…. Dumbasses who think we shouldn’t be together. Do you see that stuff in comments or anything?” 

Kirishima grimaced. “I mean, sometimes. But it’s not like I expect everyone to like us being together. Doesn’t matter.” He frowned, eyes skimming Bakugo’s expression. “Why?” 

“That jackass reporter today brought it up. He was saying stupid shit. Shit from people online. I didn’t know if any of that was getting to you.”

A smile spread on Kirishima’s face. “Oh, is that why you blew up his mic?” 

“Well, duh.” He sighed and leaned into the hand running through his hair. “All that stuff I was saying just now…. Wasn’t just ‘cause of a bunch of sex endorphins, Ei. I mean it all. I’m so lucky that someone as amazing as you loves me. You’re a good hero, yeah, but you’re also such a good person. I think you’ve helped me become better too. If you weren’t in my life…. I just think it would all be really different. Lonely.” He grit his teeth and glared at the wall. “So when some no-name bastard tries telling me something stupid like that… it pisses me off to think you’re hearing it too.” 

“Tsuki, I’m seeing the opinions too. But I don’t care. If you say you want me, if you say you love me, then I believe you. You’re a guy who does things to the extremes- no half-assed shit. So trust me; I feel every bit of love you’re declaring. And I believe it. I feel it for you too. And no one’s gonna change my mind about it.” He smiled and leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips. “I think we both changed each other’s lives for the better. We’re good for each other.” 

Bakugo smiled and leaned down to kiss him properly. “Can we keep goin’ now or are you gonna pass out?” 

“Shut up,” Kirishima said with a laugh. “I’m good.” 

He started up slow. Kissing Kirishima lazily as he rolled his hips just as leisurely. But the more moans and grunts and growls and pleas he swallowed right off of Kirishima’s tongue, the hotter and tighter the tension building in his hid body grew. He pulled himself up onto his hands, relishing the way Kirishima’s gaze found him and settled, full of pleasure and adoration that Bakugo wanted to be worthy of. 

He thrust faster, harder, chasing his pleasure and trying to bring Kirishima with him. Beneath them, the bed creaked and groaned with bed springs snapping under their weight. The bedframe began to thud against the wall, and Bakugo might’ve cared if they had neighbors on that side. Instead, he let it become part of Kirishima’s moans, each getting louder than the last with his given name punched out in gasps between them. 

The heat between them, the tantalizing closeness of their orgasms, and the effort of their bodies had sweat beading on their foreheads. Bakugo felt a growl tear past his gritted teeth. He leaned down to kiss Kirishima harshly, half in apology for the fact that the next position wouldn’t have him in kissing distance. 

He pulled himself up onto his knees, yanking Kirishima closer by his thighs before pushing his legs further against his chest. 

“Ah, fucking- right there, Kats,” Kirishima moaned, twisting his hand into the sheets around him. “I can take it. I can take it,” he begged. 

He meant to start slow. He meant to build Kirishima back up until he was thrashing and shouting his name. But the thoughts of the things Kirishima might’ve seen online from people who had no business giving their dumbass opinions suddenly flashed in his head and he felt furious. He wanted to love Kirishima so hard that those opinions would look like jokes anytime he saw them. He’d fuck every single one right out of his brain. 

That’s exactly what he did. He didn’t build up from anything. He just moved, desperate and ravishing, prodded on by the way Kirishima arched his back and let out a string of curses mixed with, “Yeah, yes, Tsuki, yes-” 

Something snapped. The crack of it was barely audible over every other sound, but the jolt of it was definitely noticeable. The mattress dipped on the corner by their feet slightly, and when Bakugo looked over his shoulder, he saw that the leg of the bedframe had collapsed under the strain. His body didn’t seem to care, relentless in his goal. Kirishima either hadn’t noticed or was too close to euphoria to care. Either way, Bakugo ignored the mess and focused on tipping Kirishima over the edge. 

He wrapped his hand around his hardened length and pumped his hand somewhat in time with his hips. 

Bakugo felt the gratifying release of pressure first. It pulled a broken moan from his chest, along with a slew of curses as he gasped for breath. He didn’t still his hips for a second. Every thrust became a sloppy, wet sound, leaving their thighs sticky. 

“Come on, Ei.” Bakugo growled. 

“Fuck,” Kirishima breathed. “C’mere.” He reached out with one hand until he could pull Bakugo down, clashing their lips together. “Right there, right-” He cut off with a broken gasp, expression contorting for a split second before relaxing into pure ecstasy and peace. “I fucking love you,” he whispered hoarsely. 

“I love you, Eiji.” Bakugo pulled out gently, helping Kirishima lower his legs slowly before he collapsed against his chest, sighing happily against his neck. 

He felt Kirishima’s nose nuzzle into his hair, his fingertips grazing his cheek. After a moment, after their breathing had returned to normal, Kirishima whispered, “Kats?” Bakugo grunted in response. “Did you break the bed?” 

Bakugo pulled himself up abruptly. “No, we broke the bed, this was a two-man thing, Eijirou!” 

Kirishima burst into laughter, loud and playful and husky, and eventually Bakugo joined in, hiding his face in his neck again. “I’m not even surprised,” he finally said through a yawn. 

“Sleepy?” 

“Exhausted. But I’m also starving.” His stomach rumbled immediately after as if to prove his point, making them both laugh again. 

“Come on. Let’s take a shower and go get something to eat,” Bakugo said as he got off the bed. Kirishima beamed at him and got up to follow him, a little wobbly on his feet for a few steps. 

Before long they were both under the warm spray of the water, washing away the stickiness and exhaustion. Despite Bakugo’s short hair, Kirishima still insisted on getting to play with it when it was covered in shampoo bubbles, laughing gleefully when he made two small horns and then again he slicked it all back. Granted showering together ended up taking just as long as it took waiting for Kirishima to get out of the shower, but Bakugo didn’t mind when it meant extra kisses shared between rinses. 

They went to go eat at a family-owned diner, holding hands over the table and laughing boisterously at every half-said joke. Every now and then someone went up to the table, apologizing for interrupting before thanking Kirishima for his heroics at the stadium. Each time, Bakugo felt a surge of pride. He loved seeing Kirishima get recognition for his efforts. He loved seeing him get the praise he deserved. As they left the diner and walked home, Bakugo took a moment at every crosswalk to kiss him. He half expected Kirishima to get annoyed by it eventually, but he only seemed pleasantly surprised with each kiss. 

They slept in Kirishima’s room. As they huddled under the covers, Kirishima quickly tucked himself into Bakugo’s chest, arms wrapped around his waist. 

“G’night, Kats. I love you.”

Bakugo kissed the top of his head and hugged him close. 

Kirishima had mentioned being nervous because sex would be different, and neither of them had really known in what way. It wasn’t like they hadn’t cared for each other before. But after experiencing it, Bakugo felt like it really had been an entirely different first time. 

---

He was careful about not being too noisy the next morning. As always, the sight of Kirishima asleep stopped him in his tracks and left him staring, dumbfounded. 

Today he was splayed out on his back with one arm tossed over his head and the other curled up so his hand rested near his cheek. His hair stuck out wildly around him, tangling near the ends, looking more like a lion mane than ever. Bakugo could see three pointy teeth peeking out as Kirishima breathed slowly. 

He was breathtaking and wonderful and all his. Bakugo smiled to himself and leaned over to kiss his cheek gently. 

“I love you,” he whispered as Kirishima sighed in his sleep. His mouth twitched into a smile, like even while he was unconscious, he could still feel Bakugo’s little token of affection. “I’ll see you later, Eiji.” 

Chapter Text

There was an arm over his waist. 

Granted, that’s how he usually woke up, but he distinctly recalled waking up to Bakugo’s usual morning kisses, falling asleep while he got ready, and waking up again to the goodbye kiss pressed softly against his cheek. Which meant Bakugo was supposed to be at work. Not still wrapped around him.

Kirishima sat up slowly, blinking away the grogginess. Beside him, Bakugo was starting to wake up, rubbing his eyes as he yawned. 

“Did I dream you going to work?” Kirishima asked. 

“No,” Bakugo grumbled. His arm curled around his middle, yanking him closer haphazardly. “‘M suspended.” 

“What?” Bakugo opened his eyes to glare up at Kirishima while he connected all the dots. “Wha- because of yesterday? Shit. Kats, I told you that you shouldn’t have intervened. Wait, for how long? What did they tell you?” 

“Fucking hell, Ei,” Bakugo mumbled through a yawn as he rolled onto his back. The hand closest to him began to rub idly up and down Kirishima’s back as he spoke. “The second I walked in, All Might was waiting for me. Coughed more than he spoke, but he just told me I was suspended for intervention while not on duty or on call. Thought for sure Four-Eyes had reported me, but All Might says he only knew because of the news coverage. ‘S just for a week.” 

“You’re surprisingly calm about this.” 

He shrugged. “I was fucking pissed. Walked home because I had too much frustration built up. Then I got home and realized I could get back in bed with you. Never wanna leave you when I wake up as it is, now I actually have an excuse.” Kirishima felt something fluttery and light spread through his body at Bakugo’s words. He felt warmth bloom in his cheeks and bit his lip. “Besides, Deku can handle whatever I’m missing for a week. And when I get back I’m gonna kick ass. So get back down here so I can fucking cuddle you.” 

Kirishima let out a laugh and laid back down, shifting to lay partially against Bakugo’s chest. 

The sunlight streaming through the window was still a soft hue. Birds still chirped, and he could hear the car honks from people who were late to work. It wasn’t the silence of the weekends or the first hours of dawn, but it was still their morning. They were still cast in bright golden light and shadows, Bakugo was still blinking slowly in his drowsiness, the covers and the mattress contained the warmth where their weight created a dip.

“Guess it was good timing. Today’s my day off.” 

Bakugo hummed. “How to pass the time?” 

“Well….” Kirishima tilted his face up to look at him with a smile. “I was thinking…. Can I make you breakfast?” 

His eyebrows furrowed together sharply as the confusion processed. “What?” 

Kirishima pulled himself up so his forearm rested on Bakugo’s chest. “Yeah! While you’ve been with your morning shift, I’ve been trying to figure out those souffle pancakes you showed me how to make forever ago. You’re always cooking for me, and I like when we cook together, but I also really like the idea of making stuff for you.” He grinned widely as he watched the color flood into Bakugo’s face. “And you like being cooked for.” 

“Shut up,” he grumbled. “That recipe is tricky. Took me a year to get it perfected.” 

Kirishima rolled his eyes before leaning down to kiss him on the lips lightly. He shuffled off the bed and looked over his shoulder. “You stay there. I’ll be back with breakfast.” He went to the kitchen, not bothering with getting a shirt, and started grabbing everything he needed, lining it up on the counter the way Bakugo used to in high school. Since then, he’s not as meticulous, typically gauging how much of something to add by eyeballing it and recalling the ingredients off the top of his head, but Kirishima was definitely not there yet. 

Just as he started separating the egg yolks and egg whites, he heard the bedroom door open along with the soft padding of Bakugo’s feet. 

“I told you to stay in the room,” Kirishima said when he felt Bakugo’s cheek rest against his shoulder. 

“It was cold without you,” he said. He said it so matter-of-factly that it took a second for it to register, and Kirishima felt his cheeks burn. “I’m just watching.” 

“You’re gonna jinx it,” Kirishima muttered, measuring the flour before sifting it. Bakugo only huffed out a laugh and stayed where he was. 

To his credit, Bakugo didn’t try to intervene or help or make any comments about doing anything a different way. Kirishima knew how particular Bakugo was in the kitchen, but he simply moved to watch him as he leaned against the counter and turned on some low music on his phone to fill the silence. 

As Kirishima tested the puffiness of his merengue, he heard a low, breathy laugh from Bakugo. He looked over and raised an eyebrow. “What? What’d I do wrong?” 

“No, nothing,” he said with that same soft smile on his face. “It’s just… when you concentrate really hard, you stick your tongue out. It’s fucking cute.” 

“You’re making me nervous,” Kirishima said, ducking his head to hide his blush. He’d known Bakugo for a decade. He’d been in much more embarrassing and vulnerable situations with him than being observed as he made pancakes. The knowledge did nothing to calm the way his heart beat faster just because he was on the receiving end of that calm, happy smile that reached his eyes. 

He continued mixing, humming along to the music, suddenly hyper-aware of moments when his tongue slipped past his lips. As he squeezed the batter out onto the pan, Bakugo took his place behind him again, arms wrapped loosely around his waist and his chin resting in the crook of his shoulder. 

“Fast learner,” he said quietly. 

“Good teacher.” 

Bakugo snorted. “What, YouTube?” 

Kirishima elbowed him lightly. “Don’t be a smartass.” 

A few minutes later, Kirishima placed three perfectly voluminous pancakes on a plate, sprinkling them with powdered sugar and arranging a cut up strawberry around it before coating it in syrup and a little swirl of whipped cream. He grinned as he presented the plate to Bakugo who was now staring at it with wide, disbelieving eyes as if he hadn’t watched the whole process. 

“You gotta be honest if you don’t like them though,” Kirishima said. 

Bakugo stared at the plate, wordless before he pulled open a drawer for a fork. He cut into the pancake, piercing through it along with a slice of strawberry. Kirishima watched his eyes flutter shut as his lips closed around the fork. 

“What the fuck, Ei?” he said around his food. “You really just picked this up like that? The fucking nerve. You got some kind of culinary gift you’ve been hiding from me, asshole?” 

Kirishima beamed, knowing that every exasperated, indignant question was a compliment of its own accord. He put some whipped cream on his finger then smeared it along the bridge of Bakugo’s nose. “A thank you would’ve sufficed, Tsuki.” 

He froze then crossed his eyes to look at the whipped cream before smirking. “Of course,” he said. 

He scooped up the swirl Kirishima had placed on top of his pancakes with three fingers. Before Kirishima could process or think to move away, Bakugo slapped his hand over his mouth, laughing joyously as he smeared the whipped cream over his lips, chin, and cheeks. Kirishima could only let out a resigned sigh, unable to fight his own smile when Bakugo’s raucous laughter filled the apartment. He stepped closer, a hand on either side of Kirishima’s face as his laughter slowly tapered off.

“Thank you,” he said softly. 

“See if I ever cook for you again.” 

Bakugo only grinned at the empty threat before leaning in to kiss him. “Mm, sweet,” he mused. 

“That would be the whipped cream,” Kirishima said as Bakugo moved to kiss and lick his face clean. Bakugo hummed in approval at the sarcastic comment. “Kats, I’m not your breakfast,” Kirishima whispered as the kisses continued down his neck and one of Bakugo’s hands cupped the back of his head. 

“Damn,” he breathed out. 

His teeth grazed the juncture between his neck and shoulder, making Kirishima growl softly as he gripped Bakugo’s hips. He cleared his head just long enough to mutter, “Here I wanted to make you breakfast and you seem more focused on me.” 

“Well I don’t wanna hog it all after how hard you worked to one-up me,” he said with a playful smirk on his lips. He swiped his finger over the syrup before pressing it against Kirishima’s lips. “Open.” 

Keeping his eyes on Bakugo, Kirishima let his lips part and wrap around his finger, easily licking it clean. “Is this why you like cooking so much?” he asked in a whisper. 

“Don’t be a smartass,” Bakugo said flatly, echoing Kirishima’s earlier words. “Tongue.” 

Kirishima arched an eyebrow and dropped his jaw to stick his tongue out. Bakugo placed two strawberry slices on the tip of his tongue and grinned. His thumb traced over his lower lip lightly before he leaned in, teeth raking gently over Kirishima’s tongue to take the strawberries into his mouth. The delicate, intimate nature of the action sent a shiver through Kirishima before Bakugo pulled him into a kiss. 

He could taste the sweet tartness of the fruit on Bakugo’s lips. When Bakugo’s hand clenched in his hair, Kirishima wondered what he was even waiting for to begin with. He pulled Bakugo in close and pulled his legs up, hooking his hands behind his knees as his ankles crossed at the small of Kirishima’s back. 

A smile interrupted their kiss, and Kirishima bit down on his lower lip as he walked the bedroom again. “Coulda told me this was what you wanted first thing in the morning,” he said, shifting his hands to support Bakugo from his rear. 

“I was trying to,” Bakugo answered. “But if you want me to make it clearer….” He leaned in, brushing his lips against Kirishima’s ear. “Fuckin’ make me yours, Eijirou.” 

Kirishima let out a shaky sigh and dropped Bakugo onto the bed. He leaned down to kiss him again, slowly shifting the rest of his body until he’d nestled between his legs. He trailed his kisses lazily along his jawline and down to his neck, nipping lightly at the skin. He listened to Bakugo’s breaths as they accelerated, punctuated by small sighs and noises in the back of his throat. Bakugo’s fingers sifted through his hair gently, tugging whenever Kirishima bit too hard.

Encasing Bakugo in his arms, Kirishima kissed up his neck until he could bite his earlobe and tugged gently. He let his hands push through Bakugo’s soft platinum blond hair, keeping his touches reverent. He pressed frantic little kisses to his face- his cheeks, the corner of his mouth, along the bridge of his nose. But he stopped when he saw the calm, pleased expression softening every single feature of Bakugo’s face as his eyes glazed over.

“What’re you starin’ at, dumbass?” Bakugo asked in a soft voice that relayed so much affection, it made Kirishima’s heart burst. 

Bakugo had pretty eyelashes. It was something Kirishima had first noticed about him in class. He’d glare at his paper or out the window, and his blond lashes would catch the light and look like they were glowing. They swooped upwards in the style he knew girls envied. But it wasn’t easy to notice when he was screaming or fighting. It was a fact he’d known in the back of his mind, something he’d known so long that he never really thought about it. 

Now, it was like Kirishima was rediscovering everything about him. How his lashes glowed at the ends, how long they were, how noticeable it was because he blinked so slowly when he was tired or calm. How he looked more his age when there wasn’t a furrow between his eyes or a scowl on his face- model worthy, really. How he sniffed when it was quiet for too long and he couldn’t think of something to say. 

How even though they both had red eyes, Bakugo’s had specks of orange and yellow surrounding the pupil, and that was also only something he noticed the first time Bakugo had held his gaze for too long once at some point in high school. It was the detail that led to the realization that he might feel something more for him their second year. When he rid himself of those feelings- if he ever had; he was beginning to suspect he just got used to them and everything that happened the last eight months had only pushed them into the spotlight- that became another detail he just knew but hadn’t appreciated in far too long. 

Suddenly, Bakugo lifted his head, knocking his forehead against Kirishima’s just short of it actually hurting. “Oi. I asked you a question.” 

“Just falling in love with you all over again.” 

Bakugo’s eyes widened. Pretty eyelashes fanned out, orange and yellow specks shifting in the dilation of his iris, cheeks blossoming in stark contrast to his pale skin. “You fucking sap,” he muttered. “What’re you even talking about?” 

“Exactly what I said. We’ve known each other so long that I’m so used to a lot of things about you, but now…. It’s like seeing them all for the first time again. Only this time I’m seeing them as someone you chose to love back. So it makes me love you more.” He grinned and brushed his nose against Bakugo’s. “You really got me wrapped around your finger.” 

Bakugo frowned. “Don’t say that,” he whispered. Kirishima responded with a hum and a confused tilt of his head. “That phrase. Makes it sound like… I dunno, like I’ve got power over you or something. Besides, if anyone’s wrapped around someone’s finger, it’s me. You have any idea how much shit I did just because it was for you?” He shook his head stubbornly. “No. This is equal. All of it.” 

Kirishima smiled and nodded as he slowly met Bakugo’s lips. “Equals,” he whispered against him before kissing him. 

It was a slow kiss, lazy and explorative and gentle. They shared soft breaths, softer touches, and quiet hums in lieu of actual words. Bakugo’s hands came up to cup his face. They were unbelievably soft, and Kirishima pressed into one of his palms. He turned into it to gently bite the base of his thumb playfully. Bakugo’s lips quirked up into a soft smile. 

Moments like this, Kirishima wondered how anyone could ever say a single bad thing about Bakugo. He wondered how anyone could label him abrasive or angry. Now, after Bakugo’s confession that there was a lot he did just for him, he realized that was exactly what this was. These soft looks, whispered words, and adoring touches were all only for Kirishima. This was a side of Bakugo no one got to see, a side no one knew about. This was all exclusive to Kirishima, not just because it was a private moment, but because Bakugo only responded to him this way. No one else’s touch could make that rosy tint fill his cheeks and the tip of his ears. 

It was a goddamn honor to be loved by Bakugo. To be loved by someone who put 150 percent into everything he did, who was unabashed in his passion and determination. It was a love that not everyone knew how to give, one that not many people knew how to handle.

“Forgot how lazy you are in the morning,” Bakugo whispered as his legs wrapped loosely around Kirishima’s hips. 

“Not lazy,” Kirishima protested. He placed light kisses down over the curve of his Adam’s apple and along his collarbone. “Just wanna take my time with you.” He ran his hands up the side of Bakugo’s body slowly, pushing up his shirt as he did. “Let me make you mine the right way, Tsuki….”

Bakugo only responded with a nod and a sigh, handing over the reins to Kirishima as his shirt was pulled away. He took his time, even though he knew how impatient Bakugo could be. He pulled away his shirt and left lovebites scattered over his neck, chest, and stomach until Bakugo was squirming. His fingers traced over every curve of his muscles, memorizing the indents and the path of his veins. His skin was soft wherever he touched it before the anticipation had Bakugo tensing. 

It wasn’t until Bakugo tilted his head back against the pillows, letting out a frustrated, “Eijirou, c’mon,” in a beautifully breathy voice that Kirishima decided he could move on. 

He placed an apologetic kiss on his lips before pulling away to drag the sweats he was wearing off his legs. As he exposed his thighs, Kirishima couldn’t help but fall to his knees in adoration. He ran his palms over the pale skin, the width of his hands still not enough to cover the expanse of Bakugo’s powerful thighs. With a soft hum, Kirishima leaned in and began to kiss and squeeze, pulling those incredible legs over his shoulders. He mouthed at the growing bulge through the boxers Bakugo was wearing, relishing in the way the muscles his head was snugly between flexed around him. The more he kissed and teased, running his fingers just beside the spot that would give Bakugo relief, the more his thighs tensed, unconsciously clenching around Kirishima’s head with just enough pressure to have Kirishima growing harder in his shorts. 

He let his gaze follow the flexing muscles of Bakugo’s abdomen, further to catch the way his chest heaved. Along the way, every love bite he’d left had gotten a little darker, decorating Bakugo’s pale skin in a deep violet color. Physical reminders of Kirishima’s worship. Reminders that he was the only one with the privilege to place them on his body. 

It was a wonder Kirishima didn’t completely burst with the love he felt for Bakugo. It thrummed through his body, simultaneously making it hard to believe he was this lucky while also reassuring him that this was the only thing that made sense. The only person who made sense for him. 

And Kirishima wanted to show that all to him. He wanted to show Bakugo that he could wake up to him every morning, love him every morning for the rest of his life, and that sense of disbelieving wonder would never go away. 

He pulled away to find the lube that had remained stashed away in a drawer. When he returned to the bed, he continued to lavish Bakugo’s body in kisses, whether they were gentle and tame or meant to mark his skin further. 

“Turn over, Kats,” Kirishima rumbled softly against his ear. 

Beneath him, Bakugo shivered and shifted to roll onto his stomach. Kirishima ran his tongue along the ridges of Bakugo’s spine. He placed his hands on his hips to lift them slightly then pressed a kiss to both of the back dimples just above the cleft of his ass.

He left the bottle of lubricant forgotten beside them as he quickly became wrapped up in Bakugo’s body. In the width of his shoulders, the curves of his muscles as they tapered off to his relatively small waist, the round swell of his ass, just a shade paler than the rest of him. He ran the tips of his fingers over every scar, lingering over the newer ones. 

Below him, Bakugo had begun to rut lightly against the mattress, making the muscles of his back and rear clench and sway as he did. Kirishima didn’t bother stopping him. He had Bakugo to himself all day. He had time to wait between his orgasms; it wasn’t like Bakugo’s refractory period was all that long anyway. 

Kirishima pushed his hands over Bakugo, thanking any deity in existence for squats and lunges. He squeezed, watching the flesh beneath him give to the pressure of his fingers, watched the color fade only for a light rosy color to rush to the surface when he released it. Bakugo let out a moaning sigh, and slowly lifted his lower body up just a fraction. 

Wrapping his hands around Bakugo’s thighs, Kirishima bit him gently, smiling when it pulled a gasp from the beautiful man beneath him. He hummed softly as he ran his tongue over him, the tip catching just enough to make Bakugo twitch. He kept his pace slow, wanting to draw this out as much as he could. He wanted to watch Bakugo dissolve. He wanted to chip away at his resolve, he wanted to see him thrash and writhe and forget everything. Kirishima was the only one lucky enough to do this to him, so he wanted to prove that he was all Bakugo would ever need. He would do anything to please him, to love him, to make him his own. 

Maybe it was the fact that it had been a long time, or maybe it was the fact that sex with acknowedged emotions was different, but it didn’t take long before Bakugo was stifling moans into the pillow and pushing himself against Kirishima’s mouth insistently. 

“Your fuckin’ tongue,” he growled after a gasp. “Eijirou, c’mon….” 

“We’ve got time, Tsuki,” Kirishima reassured him, trailing kisses along the curve of his spine. He draped over him and slowly let his hand fall to Bakugo’s hardened length. He brushed his knuckles along the side, watching the shiver roll through Bakugo’s body. “I wanna make you fall apart.” 

Bakugo lifted his head, knocking lightly against Kirishima’s shoulder. “You always do, dumbass,” he panted. “If you don’t touch me soon, I’m gonna blast your little crooked smirk right off your face.” 

Kirishima nuzzled his nose against his cheek. “If you keep rushing me, I’m just gonna go slower,” he whispered, reducing his touch to a featherlight fingertip. Bakugo’s ass pressed against his groin, rubbing against the bulge at the front of Kirishima’s shorts. 

“Wanna see who breaks first?” Bakugo challenged. 

Kirishima used the hand that had been touching Bakugo to firmly still his hip. “Unbreakable, remember?” 

A smirk split Bakugo’s face. “Not with me.” 

Suddenly, Kirishima felt himself get flipped onto his back. By the time he’d realized it, Bakugo was repositioning himself to straddle him, looking pleased with himself. Kirishima laughed, letting the sound rumble through his chest as he looked up at the man he loved who couldn’t fathom taking his time even in their long, lazy morning. 

He reached up and pulled him down to meet his lips, sliding his hands over his back down to his thighs to hold him properly. He pushed and pulled at his legs, making Bakugo’s hips move to rut against his torso. As Bakugo let his head drop, Kirishima leaned into his ear, letting his voice drop to a low rumble. “How many times do I gotta ask you to let me take care of you?” He heard Bakugo’s breath catch, felt the way his hips pushed down harder against him. With one hand at the small of his back, Kirishima managed a small control over his movements. “Take it slow, Kats.” 

Immediately, Bakugo began to follow the press of Kirishima’s hands at his back and thigh. There was a hazy, clouded look in his eyes, but even with that dazed expression his eyes found and focused on Kirishima. Any time he tried to move faster, Kirishima held him just a little bit harder, reminding him that he had to keep the pace. Impatient huffs spread along the curve of his neck. 

“Close?” he asked when Bakugo’s frustrated grunts became more pronounced. 

“Faster-”

“No,” Kirishima rumbled. Bakugo retaliated by biting his pec, but otherwise maintained the slow drag. “Thighs around my head, Kats.” 

Bakugo moved quickly. He pressed a kiss to Kirishima’s lips, almost in gratitude, and shifted until he was kneeling with his legs on either side of Kirishima’s head. Kirishima grinned as Bakugo looked down, his platinum blond hair framing his face and catching the filtered sunlight in a halo around his head. 

He pressed a kiss to the inside of his thigh as his hands caressed the skin. “Lean on the wall for me?” 

“Eiji, stop draggin’ this out,” he whispered too softly for it to be a demand. He braced his hands on the wall where the headboard used to be. 

Kirishima dragged his tongue along the length of his erection, and that alone had his legs trembling briefly around him. Bakugo lifted his hips to give Kirishima a better angle to pull him into his mouth. He seemed hesitant to move his hip, breathing heavily as he held himself over Kirishima, waiting for him to set the pace. 

He reached around to place his hands against Bakugo’s rear, fingers digging into the muscle as he opened his mouth. He bobbed his head back and forth, slowly picking up the speed, slowly taking more, his jaw getting accustomed to the weight and width. Above him, Bakugo kept letting out desperate, panting breaths that he tried to stifle with his own arm. 

Bakugo’s thighs brushed against the sides of his face for every shift in position, every twitch as he extended his legs and tried to drop his hips lower. He could feel the tension in them, feel the way his muscles clenched until they shook as he ran his hands along the back of his thighs to his ass. 

The smell of burnt sugar began to swirl around him, heat encased from the movements of their bodies, along with the sounds Bakugo tried to muffle, the taste of him on Kirishima’s tongue. His every sense was taken up by the love of his life, and suddenly Kirishima felt invincible, dizzy on the euphoria of it all. He pulled Bakugo in closer and worked his mouth faster, welcoming the tentative, twitching movement of his hips as he rocked down into Kirishima’s mouth. 

“E-Eiji, I’m-” Bakugo growled and Kirishima heard a series of soft pops against the wall. He moaned his agreement, painfully aware of how hard he was. “Fuck, fu-” his eloquence broke off into a growl as Kirishima felt the sudden warmth of his release filling his mouth. Bakugo’s hips continued to stutter, and Kirishima let his hands roam his trembling thighs. “Easy, Ei….” 

Kirishima nodded and pulled him back down, wrapping his arms around his torso. He rolled them over so Bakugo was under him, too spaced out to do anything except let Kirishima press kisses to his jawline, neck, and collarbone. 

“No sleeping,” Kirishima whispered. “‘M not done with you.” 

“Your stamina isn’t fair,” Bakugo grumbled, draping a lazy arm over Kirishima’s back. 

With a light laugh, Kirishima pulled back and knelt between Bakugo’s legs, pushing them toward his chest. “Stay with me, Tsuki. Pass me the lube?” 

Bakugo glanced around dazedly before gripping the lube bottle that Kirishima had tossed aside before and giving it to him. “Slow. ‘S been a while….” 

“I know,” Kirishima whispered. He’d thought he would need to get accustomed to everything again the night before, but he found that his body welcomed Bakugo with ease. But Bakugo could figure that out on his own soon; Kirishima was planning on being slow anyway. 

They hadn’t even really started, but already there was a light sheen of sweat glistening on Bakugo’s collarbone. The sunlight that managed to slip past the blinds and thin curtains had become more saturated. 

He squeezed a dollop of clear lubricant onto his fingers, watching as Bakugo’s eyes opened and closed lazily. The flush in his body was beginning to recede. Slowly, Kirishima pressed his middle finger in, catching the hitch in Bakugo’s breaths at the feeling. 

Fiery eyes flickered to him, dragging across the light movement in his arm before resting on his face. With the way Bakugo looked at him, Kirishima felt like the most important person in the world. He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to his ankle as he eased a second finger in. He’d spent so long discovering and learning Bakugo’s body. It was easy to do it now. 

It was easy to find the angle that helped him find his prostate, easy to spread him open as he teased that spot until the flush came rushing back to his face and neck and chest. By the time he’d managed three fingers, Bakugo was more than ready. But he was also breathing so heavily, hands twisting into the sheets slowly, that Kirishima knew he was close again. 

“Ei… hurry-” 

“Let go for me,” he whispered, rubbing that spot again. Beneath him, Bakugo let out a sharp gasp. “You’re almost there, right? I’ll bring you back.” He leaned over to kiss his stomach, smiling when Bakugo’s hand threaded into his hair. “As many times as you want. Over and over.” 

“E-Eijirou….” 

With the refractory period having passed and Kirishima’s slow build-up, Bakugo was right back at the precipice. His grip slackened, falling from Kirishima’s hair to his cheek when he looked up. He wanted to watch it take over his face. He wanted to see every miniscule shift in his expression as he finished this time. Wanted to watch the feeling spread through his body. 

He moved his fingers faster, precise in each thrust forward, and every second had Bakugo’s expression contorting further as his need for relief became stronger. 

He began to tremble, his breaths fast and short as he blindly cupped Kirishima’s face. His head fell back, leaving Kirishima with only the sight of his jawline and his flushed, sweaty chest, and his heaving stomach, now coated in lines of creamy white.

Kirishima pulled his fingers out and rubbed soothing circles into his hipbones. Bakugo threw an arm over his eyes as he caught his breath, and Kirishima took advantage of the lull to lick his stomach clean. 

Without the tension, Bakugo’s body had turned soft. The muscles were easier to nip at as he kissed his way up his chest and to his neck. 

“Not even letting me catch my breath, Ei?” Bakugo mumbled. 

Kirishima propped himself up on his elbows to smile down at him. He scrunched his nose and shifted his arm so one hand could comb lazily through his hair. “Mm. Then what are you doing now?” 

He rolled his eyes and met Kirishima’s gaze again. “Wondering how you’re holding up with this.” He pressed his thigh up between Kirishima’s legs, making him hiss with how sensitive he was. “Yeah, I thought so. You gonna let me do somethin’ about that?” 

Kirishima hummed and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I’ll calm down in a sec.” He was met with a glare- an ineffective one considering how sleepy Bakugo looked. “Just be sure not to fall asleep.” 

“Oi, shut up,” Bakugo grumbled, shoving his hand in Kirishima’s face to push him away half-heartedly. Kirishima laughed and nuzzled his way into his palm. Bakugo sighed and smiled softly. “Fuck, I love your laugh.” 

“Oh?” 

He nodded and caressed his cheeks lightly with soft fingertips. “And I love this lopsided grin with all its pointy teeth. And I love this wild mane of hair, especially in the morning. You’re my favorite person in the fucking universe, Eijirou,” he said with a sigh. 

As his eyes fluttered shut, Kirishima stared at him, unable to really recognize the moment as something tangible despite being in the middle of it. It was too perfect, too wonderful, too good. “Stay with me, Kats,” he whispered, barely able to get the words out without a tremble underlying them.

“‘M awake,” Bakugo grumbled. “Why’d’you sound like you wanna cry?” 

Kirishima scoffed and kissed his cheek, continuing to run his fingers through his hair. “Because I don’t know what to do with everything I feel for you.” Bakugo opened his eyes, still drowsy but attentive as he arched an eyebrow. “You’re my favorite person too, Katsuki.” 

A smirk pulled his lip upward. “Yeah? More than Crimson Riot?” 

Kirishima barked out a laugh and hid his face in Bakugo’s neck where he could feel the rumbling vibrations of his laughter too. “Even before all of this,” Kirishima whispered. “Before dating, before sex, before living together. Before graduating. You were my favorite person to be around.” 

“Fuckin’ sap.” 

Kirishima bit his shoulder and huffed out a laugh that grew louder when Bakugo tried to wriggle free beneath him. “You started it!” 

Instead of answering, Bakugo pulled Kirishima back toward him for a kiss, his hands on either side of his face, his touch delicate and adoring. It was a lazy kiss, broken by smiles and breathy laughter and inquisitive, teasing hums. Bakugo bunched up Kirishima’s hair in his fists and deepened the kiss, wrapping his legs around his torso to keep him close. 

“I fucking love you so much more than you could ever know, Ei.” 

It was a whispered proclamation, every word steady but soft, just for him. Kirishima stared down at Bakugo. When he looked down, he didn’t see Bakugo Katsuki, pro-hero Dynamight, Japan’s number one.

He saw Bakugo Katsuki, his best friend of ten years. The guy who used to hide romance mangas in his shirt drawer, who wouldn’t even drink a full beer until he was of legal age. The guy who seemed to feel everything from joy to pain so deeply, so fully, so all-encompassing that the only way he didn’t burst with every emotion was by being loud and wild. Someone unafraid to cry, who embraced the emotions through screams of rage and raucous laughter and had a level of passion that Kirishima had never seen in anyone else before or since meeting him. He saw the guy who had held him through nightmares throughout the years. He saw the person who’d chosen him again and again without question. He saw his motivation, he saw his happiness, he saw his future.

Kirishima bumped his nose with Bakugo’s and sighed happily. “You’re the love of my life, Katsuki.” 

Despite the scoff Bakugo let out, his cheeks turned a deep crimson. Seeing him flustered was probably one of Kirishima’s favorite things. As he leaned down to kiss the tip of his nose, Bakugo’s hands fell to the waistband of his shorts. 

“Do I gotta ask again?” Bakugo whispered, tilting his head as he looked up at Kirishima. 

He grinned and shook his head. “I’ll make you mine, Kats. Pull your legs up for me,” he said in a low voice. As Bakugo brought his knees to his chest, Kirishima pulled back just enough to get rid of the rest of his clothes. A hand reached out to pull him back down, and Kirishima gladly obliged, laughing right before Bakugo claimed his mouth again. 

He took a moment to enjoy the feeling of being nestled against him. He was soft and warm and the press of their skin against each other’s was like coming home. He belonged here, with him. 

As the kiss intensified, it turned messier, needier, and their bodies sought out the friction and pleasure of the other until they were breathing heavily, body heat spiking. Kirishima was trembling with the effort of holding himself up and holding back from chasing his own pleasure. 

“Ready?” 

“Have been since we fuckin’ woke up, Ei.” 

Kirishima laughed shakily and nodded. He kissed him again and reached for the lube blindly. When he was slicked up, he pressed gently against Bakugo, easing him into the stretch. But Bakugo opened up to him easily.

As he slid in, Bakugo held his gaze, intertwining his hand with the one Kirishima was using to hold himself up. His eyebrows knit together, breaths heavy and wet against Kirishima’s lips before he leaned up to kiss him. As Kirishima’s thighs pressed against Bakugo’s skin, Bakugo dropped his head back to the pillow, keeping Kirishima’s lower lip between his teeth as he moaned. 

“Fuck, I missed this,” he panted. He pushed Kirishima’s hair away from his face and skimmed his knuckles against his cheek. “Eiji, you’re shaking….” 

“Just a sec….” If he thought having his skin pressed against him felt like coming home, then this was indescribable. It was like Bakugo’s body had been made for him. He just had to hold out long enough to bring Bakugo to the brink again. 

He had to go slow. He rolled his hips, pulling out gently, waiting until the last possible moment to push back in at the same pace. As expected, Bakugo’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he cursed. Kirishima knew how much he enjoyed being able to feel every miniscule movement, and Kirishima loved the way Bakugo’s body invited him back in, the way it fought to keep him from leaving. He ground his hips down when his skin pressed flush against Bakugo’s, making Bakugo gasp sharply as his hands clung to his back. 

“So ‘s not just stamina, it’s fuckin’ unreal self control,” Bakugo muttered. 

“Have you seen yourself? Why are you complaining?” Kirishima said with a soft laugh as Bakugo dug his fingers into his back at the next steady grind. “You become completely undone.” He swiped his tongue along the length of Bakugo’s exposed throat before setting to marking him up. 

“‘M gonna get suspended more often if this is what comes of it,” Bakugo panted. “Ei, just a little faster, c’mon.” When Kirishima maintained the slow pace, Bakugo groaned. “Eijirou, please,” he whispered softly. 

“Fuck. Fuck, don’t do that,” Kirishima breathed against his neck as he stopped. “You know what that voice does to me, Tsuki.” He tried to glare at him, but Bakugo just looked at him with desperation clear in his eyes. Kirishima screwed his eyes shut and cursed under his breath before kissing him and moving his hips at a faster pace. Bakugo moaned against his lips, his hands raking down Kirishima’s back. 

Fire built in his center quickly. He’d been holding off for so long, and he could only control it by keeping everything slow. Now, his body sought relief, spurred on by every gasp falling from Bakugo’s mouth. Between the moans and grunts, there were whispered, hazy praises, but Kirishima couldn’t focus on them. 

He was busy watching the way Bakugo’s body flushed, watching him writhe beneath him, his body jolting with every one of Kirishima’s thrusts. He listened to the rhythmic creaks of the bed springs and quickened breaths they shared as Bakugo tried frantically to keep his eyes on Kirishima, to hold him. 

“Tell me I’m yours, Eijirou,” he panted in a low, pleading voice, soft and desperate. 

“Don’t you already know that?” he asked before licking into his mouth. 

“Eijirou.” 

With a grunt, Kirishima pulled back just enough to look at Bakugo in the eyes, their noses still brushing with each small lurch of their bodies. “You’re mine,” he said. “You’re mine, and I’m yours.” 

Bakugo pulled him into a sloppy kiss made up of more gasps and teeth than anything. “Yours, I’m yours,” he said against Kirishima’s lips. “I love you, Ei, fuck I love you so much.” 

Kirishima groaned as he felt Bakugo tighten his hold around him, his body clenching to keep him close. “Kats, I’m-” Kirishima’s warning broke off into a low growl as the tightening that had built in his body snapped, sending shivers and explosions through his body. He slowed as his release seeped out of Bakugo, eventually coming to a stop and slumping against him to catch his breath. 

Bakugo kissed his forehead and combed his fingers through his hair. “About damn time,” he said, a smile in his voice. 

Kirishima grunted wordlessly before rolling off of him. He tugged at Bakugo until he managed to pull him over himself. “Hurry before I go soft,” he said. 

“Been meaning to ask,” Bakugo said as he lifted his hips. “Since your quirk is hardening, can’t you just go for as long as you want all the time?” 

“Katsuki, my body hardens into a rock texture. You really wanna try fucking a granite dildo?” 

Bakugo froze for a moment before laughing loudly, breaking the relative quiet of their whispers and breaths. He shook his head and pressed a hand against Kirishima’s chest. “No, not really,” he said before sinking down slowly. “Fuckin’ hell, Ei.” 

Kirishima watched him as he quickly found a pace he liked. His hands found their way to Bakugo’s thighs, relishing the shift of powerful muscles. He wrapped his hand around Bakugo, determined to give him one final burst of pleasure. He grit his teeth through the oversensitivity, pumping his hand quickly, out of sync with the rise and fall of Bakugo’s hips. 

When it became too much, too long, Kirishima sat up and pulled Bakugo off gently. He sat facing him, pulling Bakugo’s legs around himself. With his free hand at the nape of his neck, he pulled him into a kiss. Slowly, he let his hand slide into his hair, soothing as he trailed toward the longer platinum locks. 

Then he tightened his fist close to the roots, pulling him back in time to catch the sharp gasp. His hips stuttered up into his hand in response and he opened his eyes, suddenly flushed a darker scarlet. Kirishima’s grip didn’t let up, instead pulling a little harder and twisting, watching Bakugo’s face contort as his mouth dropped open. He leaned in to swallow the moans and little grunts of pain. He felt his mouth go slack, felt the increase in breaths against his lips, felt the warning in the grip of Bakugo’s hands on his arms. 

Bakugo let out a choked moan. Kirishima relaxed his hand, letting Bakugo slump onto his shoulder to rest. He rubbed his fingers gingerly on the spot of his scalp he’d been pulling on as he kissed the side of his head. 

“You okay, Tsuki?” 

“Fuckin’ fantastic,” he grunted, curling up closer to him. 

“Let me clean you up a bit. You can shower after a nap.” 

Bakugo grumbled unintelligibly, letting Kirishima lay him down. He cleaned him up at least enough to make it more comfortable for him to sleep. He pulled the comforter free to cover him and placed a kiss to his forehead. Before he could pull away Bakugo grabbed his arm. “Stay.” 

Kirishima was really hoping for a shower, and he'd hoped on getting something to eat because he was starving. But the idea of crawling back into bed with Bakugo, even if he stayed just long enough for him to fall asleep, was too sweet. He pulled the covers back and tucked himself in beside Bakugo, smiling when Bakugo turned onto his side to curl into his chest. 

He scratched his head lazily, occasionally pressing a kiss to his forehead until his breaths turned slow. He stayed a few minutes longer, basking in the warmth of Bakugo's body.

Eventually he got up carefully, making sure not to jostle him at all. He took a shower and cleaned up the kitchen before heating up and scarfing down some leftovers. 

As he washed his bowl, the bedroom door clicked open. 

"What're you doing?" Bakugo asked through a yawn. He was wearing the shorts Kirishima had left on the floor. 

"Just cleaning up a bit. How'd you sleep?" 

"Good. Really good." Kirishima smiled and accepted a tired kiss. "I'mma go shower. I'd invite you, but looks like you beat me to it," he said, tugging a damp strand of red hair and rubbing his fingers when it stained his skin a very faint pink. "Be right back." 

He stretched and shuffled to his room, leaving Kirishima to watch him go with all the new hickeys decorating his body. 

Kirishima sat down to watch a movie, barely getting 20 minutes in when Bakugo came back in a muscle shirt and sweats. 

"You a fucking vampire or something, Eijirou?" 

"What?" He raised an eyebrow as Bakugo plopped down beside him and exposed his neck. A deep violet splotch covered the expanse of one side. "Oh." 

"Yeah. Oh. You know, it's hard to cover this up with my skin color, dumbass." 

"Say it's a bruise from a fight." 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "None of our idiots would believe that." He let his legs splay out the length of the couch as he nestled further into Kirishima's side. "What are you watching?" 

Kirishima offered him the remote. "Some apocalyptic movie. I don't really get it, but I couldn't find anything good." 

Bakugo hummed and took the remote, leaving the current movie and skimming through the options too quickly for Kirishima to know which one he pressed play on. 

Right off the bat, Kirishima was hooked. He watched with rapt attention as the story unfolded, full of romance and drama. It followed a couple who wasn't allowed to be together, only for them to lose track of each other when one had to move away, but of course they found each other again. Kirishima watched, anxious to know if they would end up together or if the love had faded. 

By the end, Kirishima had his face in his hands, overwhelmed with the bittersweet ending. Bakugo rubbed his back lightly, letting the credits roll. 

"Knew you'd like that one, you big sap." 

"Kats, they loved each other so much and even all that time apart didn't make it go away at all." 

Bakugo chuckled and kissed his shoulder. "Here, this one's funnier, you'll like it."

Kirishima looked up as he went back to the menu and found a new movie. He let Bakugo pull him so his head rested in his lap as it started. 

Sure enough, the humor in this one eased the heaviness left in his chest at the last movie and the apartment was filled with their laughter. 

"Hey," Kirishima said suddenly when Bakugo came back from his room with a sweater. "I was thinking…. Would you wanna move?" 

"Move?" 

"Yeah. Like. A house we can own instead of renting. Maybe… with just the one bedroom instead of separate ones?" 

"Oh," Bakugo said with a grin. "You wanna move in together. In a couple way, not a roommate way." Kirishima shrugged, suddenly nervous for the answer. Bakugo furrowed his eyebrows and hummed. 

"What?" 

"It's just…. If we get a house where we only have one bedroom… we're not gonna have anywhere when we break the bed again." 

Kirishima barked out a laugh and collapsed against Bakugo's side. "Speaking of, I think you scorched my wall this morning." 

"Oops," he said, completely unapologetic. "Oi. You mean it though? A house is pretty permanent, Ei….” 

“Yeah, well… I meant it when I said you’re the love of my life.” Kirishima looked at his hands for a distraction. “But we can wait it out. Save up some before we decide anything-” 

“I want to.” Kirishima looked up, searching Bakugo’s eyes for some hint that he was just conceding so he wouldn’t be upset. “Do you know how I realized I was basically in love with you?” 

“You said it was the curry.” 

“Well, yeah, but no. I….” Bakugo’s cheeks turned pink. “I saw the curry. And I imagined you doing it alone. Then suddenly, I’m thinking to myself, fuck. I could spend the rest of my life with him.” As Kirishima registered the words, Bakugo smiled a bit sheepishly. “Not really somethin’ you think about a friend, hah?” He shrugged. “But I meant it. I think… part of why it took me so damn long to realize I felt something for you is ‘cause… you’re an absolute. I knew you were always gonna be part of my life. I didn’t care how, I just knew that. So I never really thought about how it felt when you smiled that crooked toothy grin or stupid fights over the remote or sharing the bed after a nightmare.” He took Kirishima’s hands in his own, running his thumb over them. “Now, I know I wanna always be by your side. As your partner. So yeah, Ei. I wanna get a house with you where we share the room, the bed, the bathroom sink, the laundry, and everything else.” 

A grin that hurt his cheeks spread on his face as Kirishima surged forward and kissed him. “I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you-” 

Bakugo laughed and wrapped his arms around him. “I love you too, dumbass.” He squeezed him lightly and quickly put a hand to Kirishima’s mouth when he opened it to speak. “Before you start trying to plan the entire move now- can we order some food? I’m starving, and I don’t think whatever leftovers you ate earlier were enough for you to fill up on.” 

“Oh, hell yeah. You didn’t even eat the pancakes I made you.” 

“I got distracted,” he muttered. 

“Hmm. Well, what are you in the mood for? Burgers? Ramen? Pizza?”

Bakugo stood up to get his laptop before sitting down with him again. They took about twenty minutes debating on where to order from before actually placing an order and started watching the show Sero had gotten them invested in from the beginning while they waited for the food to arrive. 

It was a comfortable silence, only broken by an occasional comment on the foreshadowing they could pick up on now. With his legs across Bakugo’s lap and Bakugo’s hands rubbing his ankles idly, while the show played and the sun went down, it was one of those mundane moments that Kirishima wanted to engrain in his mind. One of the quiet in-between moments that made him take a moment to realize he was alive, he was in love, he was happy. 

And he smiled at the thought that he’d get these moments for the rest of his life. 

About three episodes into the first season, a good while after they’d finished eating, Kirishima’s phone started ringing. He noticed a bunch of messages from the hero group chat and a few news alerts plus the usual tags and comments on pictures before answering Kaminari’s call. 

“Hey, dude! What’s up? Sorry, I completely forgot about my phone so I haven’t checked the chat.”

“Have you checked the news today?” The uncharacteristically serious tone in his voice made a weight drop in Kirishima’s stomach. 

“Katsuki, can you switch to the news?” 

Bakugo narrowed his eyes, evidently catching onto the sudden shift in mood. He switched the TV setting to their normal channels, already set on the news. The reporter was in the middle of a sentence, but the headline ran along the bottom. 

PRO HERO VINE REPORTED MISSING

“Missing?” Kirishima said flatly, too confused to know what he was supposed to feel. 

“She had a shift today she never showed up for. She didn’t call in either,” Kaminari said. 

It wasn’t unheard of for heroes to miss out on their shifts. Emergencies arose, they got sick, whatever. But as a hero, they always called. However last minute it might be, heroes had to call in when they weren’t able to make it so someone else could be called in. Not doing so up to three hours into your designated shift was grounds for license suspension. 

On the news, the anchor continued, with Shiozaki’s face on the screen. “The last trace of Shiozaki Ibara is a phone call to a friend yesterday morning where she states planning to take advantage of her day off to go to the grocery store. It’s unclear whether she actually managed to get there, making it difficult to place the exact time she might have disappeared. After concern was raised, a security squad from her agency was dispatched to her apartment. There were reportedly no signs of struggle in the vicinity, but the hero was nowhere to be found.” 

“What about the street cameras? You’re telling me a pro is walkin’ around and no one fucking notices if someone tries to take her? Not to mention her quirk is good for defense, I can’t think of anyone who could bring her down in a way that wouldn’t cause a scene,” Bakugo said, getting increasingly frustrated. 

“Isn’t Shiozaki known for being a little distant? Didn’t she go on a weeklong retreat once?” 

“On vacation time, yeah. Kendo said she went off the grid, but she’d cleared that at her agency,” Kaminari said. “This is… something’s wrong. How often do you hear that a hero just up and disappears?” 

“Look, I- I’m sure she’s fine. Katsuki just said it, you know, it’s not like someone could’ve hurt her or gotten her without having made a scene. Shiozaki’s too strong for that.” 

“Yeah.… Well… everyone’s already panicking. I keep getting comments and messages from her fans asking if I’ve talked to her, and Hitoshi’s getting them too. She’s a pro-hero, Kiri. A top ten.” 

A shiver ran down Kirishima’s spine. “She’s gonna show up soon. She has to.” 

“Yeah,” Kaminari said, but he was clearly still anxious. “Well, if you guys happen to hear from her or something….” 

“Right, yeah. I mean, I haven’t talked to her since the Charts, but…. Uh, thanks for letting us know, Kam. We completely checked out today.” 

He hung up with Kaminari and checked the notifications on his phone. Surely enough, he saw over a hundred tags asking if he had information. All the news headlines were about Shiozaki. The groupchat had them all trying to get in contact with their fellow heroes to figure out what was going on and if everyone else had checked in. Kirishima let them know he and Bakugo were safe and caught up on everything. 

Once he finally put his phone down again, he looked up to see Bakugo staring wide-eyed and frozen at the space in front of him. His fingers were digging into his knee, but he didn’t seem to feel it. 

“Katsuki?” Kirishima said softly, not wanting to startle him. He moved to sit beside him, slowly placing his hand over his. That seemed to bring him back. His eyes focused and he took a sharp breath as he looked at Kirishima. 

“Sorry.” 

Kirishima shook his head. “Where were you?” 

Bakugo shook his head, but when he tried to speak he stopped again. He looked down and turned his hand so his palm faced up and he could intertwine his fingers with Kirishima’s. “What if she froze?” he whispered. “Doesn’t matter how good or strong your quirk is if you get caught off guard. If you’re scared enough.” 

“There still would’ve been damage pointing to it. Destruction. A distraction. At camp… there was the fire and a whole group working together. Everyone knew what was happening. This is too quiet to be the same.” Bakugo nodded a little absently and Kirishima squeezed his hand. “Hey. Stay with me, Kats. That was a long time ago. We’re stronger and smarter and better. The League is gone.” 

“Just to be replaced with the Trifecta,” Bakugo whispered. He frowned. “Do you think-?” 

“No,” Kirishima said firmly. “No, that makes no sense. Why Shiozaki? How? Everyone’s got an eye out for them. And Shiozaki has defenses against electricity. Even when we were in UA, Shiozaki was fast. She’s only gotten better. She can stand her ground against those three. Besides, they’re the ones who caused the fire at the Convention Center. So they couldn’t have taken Shiozaki at the same time. The time doesn’t line up.” 

Bakugo didn’t seem convinced, but Kirishima had to hold on to that hope that he was right. He knew Shiozaki, what she was capable of. She was a challenge when they were just teenagers. Times he’d worked with her in the past couple years, she’d proven to be way more powerful. As a top hero, there was no way someone wouldn’t notice if she was out in public, if she was in trouble. 

“She’ll show up,” Bakugo said, repeating it to believe it himself. 

It was hard to relax after Kaminari’s call. They sat together in the living room, staving off flashbacks and forcing away worst case scenarios. There was an unspoken agreement on holding off on sleep until they absolutely couldn’t keep their eyes open in hopes that if they were tired enough, their brains wouldn’t be able to conjure up nightmares. 

“When’s your shift tomorrow?” Bakugo asked quietly. 

“Afternoon. One to eight.” 

“You’ll be careful, right?” 

Kirishima sighed and turned to look at Bakugo. “Of course. Don’t worry about me; that’s what got you suspended in the first place.” 

“Shut up. I’m gonna fucking worry. ‘Cause I fucking love you and I really… I really don’t wanna have to figure out life without you.” His voice broke, and Kirishima took Bakugo’s hand and pressed it to his chest so Bakugo could feel his heartbeat. “I’m not gonna go running after you if I hear there’s a showdown. I know you can hold your ground, Sturdy Hero.” He paused and shook his head. “But don’t tell me not to worry.” 

“I’ll be careful,” Kirishima promised before kissing his forehead. “Let’s get some sleep. It’s almost two in the morning.” 

His sleep was restless, but thankfully that meant the nightmares that tried to show up never got a chance to build. Instead, he did his best to cling to the memories of the lazy, peaceful bliss he’d shared with Bakugo. Between sleep, he thought of golden sunlight, glinting eyelashes, wicked smirks, playful whipped cream kisses, a steady hand rubbing his ankle. Along with Bakugo’s warmth beside him, it was enough to keep him calm through the night. 

Chapter Text

Nightmares returned with a vengeance. A half-dead hand gripping the back of his neck, suffocating darkness, his body weighed down by chains and restraints, the hairbreadth distance that made the difference between clasping the hand reaching for him and plummeting to an abyss. Kirishima woke up with nightmares too, often seeking Bakugo out in the dead of night to hold onto him, unable to calm down until he made sure he was unscathed. Even their usual routine to tether themselves to reality didn’t work. 

It’d been six days since Shiozaki was reported missing. Seven since anyone last heard from her. 

While Kirishima went to work wherever they gave him a shift, Bakugo could do nothing but leave the news on while trying to keep busy with workouts around the apartment. When he was there, they usually went to see Deku or Pikachu or Scotch Tape, as if being together in higher numbers might be some sort of defense against whatever threat they couldn’t see. 

Thankfully, Kirishima had taken on a morning shift. Those always felt faster to Bakugo, bringing Kirishima home to him sooner so the tension could roll off his body. The news droned on about the weather, but Bakugo only looked at the time in the corner. Kirishima would be home any second. Then they could go meet Sparky and Eyebags for boba tea and maybe feel normal for a few minutes. 

There was a time when looming threats didn’t reduce Bakugo to a frantic mess like this. He used to crave the danger, eager to prove himself, eager to fix it all and show everyone why he was the best hero. Now, he had too many people on the line. The idea that Raccoon Eyes or Pink Cheeks or any of his friends or, God forbid, Kirishima could’ve been the ones whose name took over hashtags and TV screens made his inside churn. He had the urge to shove them all under a blanket, somewhere where no one could find them or hurt them. 

It had been a long road to get to a place where he believed they cared for him, to a place where he could admit how much he cared for them. He couldn’t lose any of them. Not Deku or IcyHot or Four Eyes or anyone. 

The door knob clicked as Kirishima unlocked it. He stepped in and Bakugo felt the tightness in his chest ease up. 

“Hey, Kats,” Kirishima said with a smile. He shut the door and reached a hand out, already expecting the embrace. “Any updates?” 

“No. But today’s gonna be sunny with a chance of clouds.” 

Kirishima laughed softly, burying his face in Bakugo’s shoulder. “Hm. Well, seems like a good day for boba. You ready?” 

“Yeah, lemme get my phone and put on my shoes. Tell Pikachu we’ll meet them there.” 

Kirishima nodded and stayed by the door while Bakugo grabbed his things. They left the apartment and walked hand in hand down the street.

They arrived first since it was closer to their apartment than Kaminari’s home. As they sat down at a little picnic table outside, Bakugo let go of Kirishima’s hand to wipe his sweaty hand for the hundredth time before taking it again.

“You okay?” 

“Yeah. Just feel like I gotta be on alert all the time,” he said. “Everyone looks tense as hell.” 

“And at the same time, they all keep going about their lives. It’s weird,” Kirishima said with a furrow in his eyebrow. Before Bakugo could ask him what was wrong, he lit up and jut his chin out. “Look, they’re here.” 

Kaminari and Shinsou walked up to them. Sparky’s smile was still bright, but with the knowledge that it’d been about a week since anyone heard from Shiozaki, there was the same tension and unease that Bakugo felt reflected in his eyes. 

“You guys order already?” 

“No, we were waiting on you. We just grabbed the table,” Kirishima said. 

“I can place the order,” Shinsou offered. “Usuals?” The rest of them nodded and Shinsou walked into the tea shop. 

“Well, anyway. What’s new on your end since I last saw you guys like three days ago?” Kaminari said, trying to keep his voice light. 

“Well actually,” Kirishima said, perking up. “We haven’t told you, but….” He looked over at Bakugo, and grinned. “We were thinking about moving. Getting a house for the two of us.” 

Kaminari’s smile became wider, more genuine. “Seriously? I’d say you guys are moving fast, but honestly, this is all a decade in the making,” he said with a laugh. “If you need any tips, Hitoshi was super good at finding property and haggling. I don’t get all the lingo and crap that goes into it. Dude, you should look for a place near us! We could be neighbors!” 

“Something tells if we do that, it’ll just end up being you and Eijirou in one house and me and Bedhead over there in the other trying to catch a break,” Bakugo said with a lazy smirk. Kaminari shoved his arm, paired with a light zap from his fingertips at the same time Kirishima jabbed him in the ribs. “Ah! What the hell? See what I fucking mean?” 

“Fine I’ll just move in with Kam,” Kirishima said. 

Before Bakugo could retaliate, Shinsou came back with their drinks and sat down. “What’d I miss?” 

“Kacchan wants to move in with you. I’m moving in with Kiri,” Kaminari said, grinning as Shinsou pressed a kiss to his cheek and put an arm around him. 

“Oh?” 

Kirishima and Kaminari went on a tangent with their hypothetical ideal home, complete with a slide for an outdoor pool that started on the second story. They made up elaborate, ridiculous floor plan concepts, getting so invested that for a moment Bakugo wondered if they were serious about the whole thing. It was apparently a given that Shinsou and Bakugo would live in a small, boring little house beside theirs. 

Somewhere in the middle of them describing their housewarming party, someone came up to the table shyly. 

It was a girl with a cloth facemask. She waved, her eyes downcast and her voice soft. “Excuse me for interrupting,” she said before turning to Shinsou. “I was wondering if I could get a picture with you?” 

“Me? I- oh.” Eyebags turned red as he looked to Sparky for help. 

“Go for it!” Kaminari said with a proud smile. 

“Is it okay if we take it by the tree with the pink flowers?” the girl asked softly. 

“Sure,” Shinsou said, clearing his throat nervously. “I’ll be back.” 

Kaminari and Kirishima gave him a thumbs up as he followed the girl to the other side of the street where there was a line of cherry blossom trees. Bakugo watched as she pulled out her phone and laughed at something Shinsou said. 

“He gets so shy when fans say hi,” Kaminari said. “Like he can’t believe they like him.” 

“Oh trust me, they very much do,” Kirishima said. 

Bakugo frowned as he noticed a wisp of smoke. Then the wisp became a black cloud swirling around them. “Shinsou!” 

In the time it took Kaminari to look back, they were gone. 

“Where…? Where did they go?”

Bakugo scowled and hit the table with his fist. “Son of a bitch. Shit. Shit! She was right here-” 

“Who?” Kirishima asked, his voice anxious. 

“That- the Trifecta girl! The one who teleports!” 

“Trifecta?” Kaminari repeated. Suddenly, a series of sparks flew from his hands, and he started twitching, his hair fluffing up with the static his body was creating the more agitated he got. “The Trifecta took him? Why?” 

“Why do villains do anything? Why kidnap, why kill, why start fires?” 

Kirishima shot him a frustrated look. “Yeah, they do bad things, but with different reasons,” he said under his breath. “Fires happen for destruction or to send a message. When you got taken, it was because they wanted you to join the League, right?” 

“Right.” Bakugo’s eyebrows narrowed. “You think they want to get Shinsou on their side?” 

Kirishima shrugged. “His quirk can be seen as villainous, but something tells me a group with the name Trifecta isn’t exactly looking for recruits,” he muttered. 

“Then what the fuck do they want with him?” Kaminari snapped. Electricity surrounded him, making it hard for Kirishima to even try comforting him. 

“Okay, we can’t panic,” Bakugo said sharply. “I’m gonna call All Might. You guys call in at your agencies, tell them what happened. They can dispatch whoever’s working right now to find him.” 

Bakugo pulled out his phone, but before he could even open his contacts, one of the notifications caught his eye. 

BREAKING NEWS: Pro-Hero Vine’s body found under Izu-Jukan Expressway by teens

He looked up at Kaminari and Kirishima, catching their pale, shocked faces as they stared at their own phones. 

“No way,” Kirishima whispered. 

“She’s… dead?” 

Bakugo didn’t answer. He tried to focus on the pixelated words, tried to stop his hand from shaking. 

It’s with a heavy heart that local police have confirmed the death of beloved pro-hero Vine. After missing for six days, Shiozaki Ibara was found beneath the Izu-Jukan Expressway by a few teenagers walking nearby. Her cause of death has not been confirmed, but her body showed a series of non-fatal injuries. 

“We saw her from across the street,” one teen said, shaking and pale-faced. “We walked over thinking it was a really big dog or some kind of furniture. She didn’t have her hair, so we couldn’t even tell it was her. My cousin’s a big fan- she’s the one who saw the similarities even through all that mess on her face.” 

“We won’t be able to get that out of our heads anytime soon,” another teen said. “You don’t just find pro-hero bodies on the street. You don’t just find them looking like that. Especially not top heroes.” 

According to the teens, Shiozaki’s body had signs of torture, but police and first responders have refused to give journalists and reporters details. We can assume the injuries were severe enough to make her unrecognizable. Below, we were able to compile some photos taken by spectators surrounding the area. 

The images were blurry, but none of it looked like Shiozaki. Bakugo took a steadying breath. Beside him, Kirishima stumbled back to the table they’d been sitting at, putting his head in his hands as he shook. 

“I’m gonna be sick,” he growled. 

“They found a symbol on her hand,” Kaminari said flatly. He held up his phone to them. It wasn’t a news source; it was a gossip site. It seemed to have the more gruesome speculations that formal news still wasn’t allowed to share. Kirishima looked away at the sight of a photo of an unnaturally pale hand, but Bakugo took the phone. “The triquetra- it’s them isn’t it?” Kaminari asked. “They did all of it? Took her, tortured her, killed her, left her there? And now they took Hitoshi and they’re gonna do the same.” The words seem to process and register as he spoke them himself. 

A series of electric shocks flowed through him, making him twitch and collapse to the floor. Bakugo braced himself as he tried to reach for him. 

“Oi, calm down, Kam-” 

“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down!” he shouted, his fingers twitching uncontrollably as the shocks rolled through his body. “They took him! And now he’s gonna be next! Who knows how long Shiozaki’s been dead before they dumped her like trash! And I don’t know how to find him!” 

“We’re gonna figure it out, Kam,” Kirishima promised.

“Don’t say that, you don’t know that,” Kaminari sobbed. “He was right here. And now he’s just gone!” 

Suddenly, Bakugo felt Kirishima nudge him aside as he pulled Kaminari up with hardened hands. Even so, Kaminari’s quirk was strong enough that Kirishima was in obvious pain as he held their friend up. “Listen to me. I know what you’re feeling. I know that desperation and that anger, Kam. But look at me,” he said sharply. “You can’t break. You hear me? Shinsou needs you at the top of your game. We’re gonna fucking figure this out, whatever it takes.” 

Kaminari looked at him frantically, tear-filled eyes darting along his face. He nodded and shut his eyes, trying to get a grip on his quirk before wiping his face clean. “Okay. Okay, so what do we do? All heroes and law enforcement are gonna be at the bridge trying to figure out what happened to Shiozaki and doing crowd control.” 

“Maybe, but the heads of the agencies and heroes who aren’t on duty are still in reach. Call your agencies. I’m gonna let the group know and then call All Might. He has that detective friend, he might help,” Bakugo said.

“Guys, we don’t know how much time we have. They gotta know we’ll know they’re behind all of this,” Kaminari said. “The only reason we had a lead with Bakugo is because Momo managed to put a tracker on one of those monster things! We don’t know shit about the Trifecta.” 

“Then we need to get moving,” Kirishima said, pulling them both along. 

“Ei, where are we going?” 

“To round up anyone who’s not working right now and figure out a plan. I don’t care if it means we all get suspended a week,” he said, eyes narrowed as he pulled them along. His steadiness and the determination in his eyes seemed to comfort Kaminari. Having something to do, a plan, seemed to give him something to focus on. 

But Bakugo knew Kirishima better than anyone. He knew that behind that steadiness, behind that determination, there was anger and fear. He was half here, half somewhere else. 

--

Former Class B and Class A students filled Kaminari’s living room. Half mourning Shiozaki, half concerned about Shinsou, they were all tense, and Kirishima was at the center of it all. 

Bakugo watched him, listened to the quick way he relayed what happened and what little they knew. 

Kaibara, Kodai, Kendo, Tetsutetsu, and Tsuburaba were all there. Shishida and Monomoa were on patrol, but had already been contacted to meet up. Todoroki, Tokoyami, Sero, and Jirou were on patrol, but Shoji, Deku, Ashido, Uraraka, and Iida were all there too. Deku kept glancing over at Bakugo, and he knew he was in the same place that Kirishima was. The same moment that his nightmares seemed to draw from lately. 

“What did the agency heads say?” Iida asked, eyes narrowed, jaw set. 

“That they’d send scouts. Rescue teams. But they couldn’t find Shiozaki’s scent. I don’t know what’s with this hideout the Trifecta has, but it’s not easy to find,” Kaminari said. 

“At the same time, they seem to have no problem being out in public,” Bakugo noted. “I didn’t even recognize Mute when she walked up to us.” 

“That must be how they got Shiozaki,” Kendo whispered. “If they can be discreet and quick, no one would have known to look. But then, why attack when Shinsou was with the three of you?”

“They didn’t have time to waste,” Deku said suddenly. He got the look in his eyes that told Bakugo he’d managed to make sense of something that he’d been turning over in his head for a while. “Think about it. The last time anyone heard from Shiozaki was the day of the fire at the Convention Center. That fire took up everyone’s attention. Where’s everyone’s attention now?” 

“On Shiozaki,” Uraraka said quietly. 

“They set the fire, they take Shiozaki. They leave her to be found, and they have to move fast to take Shinsou.” He pushed his hand through his curls and started pacing, eyebrows furrowed. “That day was Shiozaki’s day off, right? And today was Shinsou’s day off?” Kaminari and a couple of Shiozaki’s friends nodded. “They’re choosing to strike when their guard is down. When they don’t have their gear to fight back. The thing I can’t figure out is the order they’re choosing. Why go after number eight, then number six?” 

“Maybe this isn’t about ranks,” Tetsutetsu said. “It sounds like they’re strategic, so-” 

“The order doesn’t matter,” Kaminari spat out. “What matters is that they killed Shiozaki and they have Shinsou. We don’t need to know what the order means because we’re gonna stop them before they can choose someone else.” 

“How are we supposed to do that? None of us are on duty. It’ll take all these meetings and stuff before the heads organize a group or a plan,” Kaibara pointed out. 

It got quiet for a few moments before Iida sighed. “We won’t be waiting for that. We won’t be asking for permission. We’ll be doing it ourselves,” he said, sharing a glance with Bakugo, Deku, and Kirishima. “Is that the plan?” 

Kirishima let out a breath and nodded. “Yep. I know it’s grounds for suspension, so if you don’t want to help, fine-” 

“If you don’t want to help, get the hell out of my home,” Kaminari interrupted. Bakugo winced at the vicious tremor in his voice. “If being suspended worries you more than another hero’s death, I don’t want you here.” 

“Kam-” 

“Look, we’re all for helping and being heroes. If we gotta break rules, fine,” Kendo said. “If we can stop someone from following Shiozaki’s fate, we’re helping. But where exactly are we supposed to start? We have no leads on these women. They appear and then they disappear. We can’t even follow their scents-” 

“I think Hatsume could help,” Uraraka said. “When we got the briefing from everyone who went to Tokyo, they said one of them uses electricity right? Deku, doesn’t Hatsume have something that detects electric energy? We can use that to pick up on their trail.” 

Deku nodded, eyes narrowed in determination. “You’re right. And even if she doesn’t have it, I think it’s simple enough for her to make.” 

“Okay, so we have a starting point,” Bakugo interrupted. “If we’re lucky, she’ll have what we need already. So we head out as soon as we have it. Now what are we gonna do when we find them?” He crossed his arms. “We got an arsonist, a teleporter, and an electric socket who like to cause chaos as a distraction. While I get the sentiment behind saying ‘fuck suspension, I’m helping,’ we also can’t leave Japan with most of their top twenty heroes suspended.” He looked around the room and waited for that to settle with everyone. “All of us going would be overkill. We need a set group, and we need a plan.” 

“I’m going,” Deku said immediately. 

Bakugo frowned. “Oi, dumbass- I’m just coming out of suspension and running right back to it. Japan can’t have their top three suspended.” 

“Three?” 

“We’ll need IcyHot. That’s a given. His ice can combat their fire.” He mused for a second before deciding. “I say we take six. Outnumber them two to one. Me, Eijirou, Todoroki, and Kam are set.” 

The sound of a throat being cleared had everyone’s attention going to Iida. “Is it wise to send Kaminari in?” Before Kaminari could protest or step toward Iida, Kirishima kept him back with one arm and made a placating gesture with the other. “He’s emotionally compromised. He might not think things through fully with that kind of mindset. He’s too close to the situation.” 

“We all are,” Ashido pointed out. 

Kirishima nodded and narrowed his eyes. “Sometimes that emotion can help. It’s a stronger reason to win.” He turned away, ending the debate with that comment alone before moving on. “Who else is going?” 

“Monoma would be a good addition,” Kendo said. “I know you guys don’t get along, but if he can mimic their quirks, he’ll give you an advantage.” Bakugo nodded in agreement. 

“Tsuburaba,” Kirishima said. “If you can make a big enough solid air, you could help fight the fire too. Fire puts itself out when you enclose it, right? Trap the arsonist.” Tsuburaba nodded. He hadn’t spoken since he arrived, and Bakugo wondered if he was feeling Shiozaki’s loss harder than the others. “Then we’ve got our team. We need to find Hatsume.” 

“I’ll call,” Deku said, peeling away with his phone in hand. 

Kirishima moved to sit beside Bakugo, wordlessly taking his hand. Kaminari had his head in his hands, apparently giving himself time to break before going into the action. As the rest of them processed the new plan, Kendo walked over to them. 

“Hey. I’m gonna go check on Shiozaki’s parents. If you need me or any of the others to do anything, let us know.” Kirishima nodded and watched her leave with her former classmates, save for Tsuburaba. Iida and Uraraka whispered tensely on the couch while Shoji comforted Ashido as she cried near a window. 

A few moments later, Deku came back and told them Hatsume would be stopping by shortly. Apparently she didn’t have an electric energy tracker, but it was easy for her to make. 

Aside from quiet whispers, the house was quiet. It was far from their playful game nights which were always filled with loud, overlapping voices and louder laughter. Kaminari seemed to dull the more time passed, like the life and energy was draining out of him little by little. When Ashido tried to get near, he waved her away and shut himself in his room. 

“You really took charge,” Bakugo whispered. “But you’re not entirely here, are you?” 

Kirishima met his gaze. He was so close, eyes wide, that Bakugo could see the flecks of magenta and burgundy decorating his ruby red eyes. “No,” he admitted. “But I can fight. I have to. For Kam and Shinsou. Because I know what it’s like to be Kam right now.” 

Bakugo tightened his grip on Kirishima. “I took your hand.” 

“You took my hand.” 

“We got away.” 

“We got away.” He took a deep breath. “And we’re gonna get Shinsou back too.” 

Bakugo nodded. “We’re gonna get Shinsou back.” 

The knock on the door seemed to bring everyone back to the present. Kirishima stood to open the door, and Hatsume walked in. She was covered in grease, her hair pulled up into a disheveled ponytail. There were deep indents around her eyes where she wore her goggles which now rested on her head. 

“Heard you all needed an electric energy tracker,” she said, holding up what looked like a small remote with a screen. 

The bedroom door opened, and Kaminari walked over to Hatsume as Kirishima took the device from her. “Are you sure this will find them?” Kirishima asked.

“If by that you mean am I sure this will track down any abnormal electrical energy, then yes. Look.” She clicked something and the little box began to shake wildly before bursting right in her gloved hand. 

“Oi!” Bakugo snapped, narrowly missing a piece of the screen that flew toward him. “The hell?” 

Unfazed, Hatsume sat and waited for the scattered pieces to be given to her before easily putting the thing back together. “It tracked Kaminari’s electrical energy. Because it’s not coming from a circuit or source, it classifies it as abnormal. And because it’s strong and right in front of me, it burst. But my baby works. This is child’s play, not even a test subject. This one’s the real deal.” She held it out, this time to Bakugo. 

“If it senses Kaminari’s energy….” 

The thought was left in the air, unfinished as if Deku feared the last half. Nervous gazes flitted to Kaminari as he seemed to connect the dots. Little zaps of electricity began to flit around him and his hair fluffed up in response. “I can’t go? What- what the hell am I supposed to do? You expect me to just sit here like an idiot-?” 

He’d started stepping toward Hatsume, and Bakugo stepped in front of him, gritting his teeth against the small electric shocks that came from keeping him back. “Kaminari.” Narrowed, tear-filled eyes met his, and Bakugo tried to ignore the static surrounding them. “Do you trust us?” 

“What?” 

“Me and Eiji and the rest of the idiots. Do you trust us?” 

“Y-yeah, but-”

“Okay. I know it’s fucking annoying not being able to do anything, but we’re gonna get your sleep-deprived boyfriend back. If you don’t stay here, it’ll be harder to find these three. If you break down and make us have to calm you down we’re wasting time. So what do you wanna do?”

Kaminari’s expression contorted and he paced away, running his hand through his hair. When he turned back to them, he had a determined, pained look in his narrowed eyes. “Bring him back. And give the Trifecta hell.” 

“I’ll go in Kami’s place,” Ashido said. “Let’s see what defenses they’ve got against acid.” 

“Go to an open space. The tracker will give you coordinates,” Hatsume said. “It’ll want to lead you back to Kaminari, but as long as you know where he is, you can follow it elsewhere. I know there’s other electric quirks out there, but my baby measures the strength of it. Ignore the weaker signals.”

“We need our costumes. Our support gear,” Ashido pointed out. 

“So we go to the agencies to get them,” Kirishima said. “Meet at the park as soon as possible. Kendo, can you get Monoma to us? And Midoriya-” 

“On it. I’ll send him right to you.” 

They left Kaminari in the care of the rest of their friends who wouldn’t be joining them. Bakugo made his way to the agency, walking with a purpose. He knew he wouldn’t be questioned if he just looked like he was supposed to be there. The desk workers would just think he was called in to meet with All Might. 

He reached his locker and changed, now grateful for how much smaller his gauntlets were than their original design. He could be at least a little stealthier with their latest compact design. 

As he left the locker room and started down the hall, he heard a ragged, wet cough. Bakugo froze, turning to face All Might with his jaw set. 

“Your suspension ends tomorrow,” All Might said, pocketing a handkerchief. 

“Villains aren’t exactly waiting until I’m able to start patrolling,” he answered flatly. 

All Might nodded. “Is young Midoriya joining you?” 

“No. Figured Japan would want one of us still on the streets for them. I told him to stay.” When his mentor did nothing more than nod again, Bakugo cleared his throat. “What, no lecture? Not gonna tell me to follow the rules?” 

A cough rattled his body, and Bakugo waited until the fit passed. “You’re not the same impulsive boy I first met. But I know you’re still a stubborn and dedicated hero.” He shrugged and gestured down the hall Bakugo had been ready to sneak down. “Make sure whatever happens tomorrow will be worth it. Get Shinsou back safe.” 

Bakugo nodded and turned away. He had a score to settle with the Trifecta. They’d put Kirishima in danger, they’d killed a fellow hero, and they’d taken his friend. They’d hurt and terrorized the people of his city, the people who looked to him to protect them. That alone was enough to motivate Bakugo into putting an end to their chaos, but having All Might’s blessing still felt like a recharge. 

He arrived at the park to see everyone but Monoma and Todoroki. 

“We could’ve chosen a more inconspicuous rendezvous,” Ashido muttered. 

“Hatsume said we needed an open space,” Kirishima said. “Besides, the civilians don’t know our patrol schedules. Everyone else is… preoccupied.” 

“Turn the thing on,” Tsuburaba said, finally breaking his silence. “The other two are walking over.” 

As Kirishima turned on Hatsume’s device, Bakugo watched Todoroki walk up to them, expression solemn, with Monoma trailing him. The blond looked miserable, eyes rimmed red, and instead of his usual obnoxious strut and greeting, he simply stood quietly. 

“Izuku caught me up as soon as I got off patrol,” Todoroki said. “Do we have an attack plan, or are we going into this blind?” 

Kirishima held up the device which lit up with different sized circles on a radar. “This is the extent of our plan. We find them, we attack. It’s only been a handful of hours since they took Shinsou, but we can’t risk losing more time. We’ll have to think on our feet because we don’t know where we’ll find them. You and Tsuburaba are gonna be our greatest defense against the fire quirk.” Todoroki nodded. “We all gotta be alert. We all gotta be here,” Kirishima said, eyeing Tsuburaba and Monoma. “We can’t let our defenses down-” 

“We know what we need to do, Kirishima,” Monoma said blandly. “Let’s get searching. Where’s the signal coming from?” 

With a sigh, Kirishima looked at the screen. “Kam’s over here. The next signal is further north.” He tapped the screen to scan the streets. “From the HRA building….” 

“But that’s burned down. How could they hide there and have us not notice?” Ashido asked. 

“I don’t know, but that’s where the signal is concentrated. And it’s strong. Stronger than Kam’s….” He showed them the screen. “The rest of the dots are small. This one takes up the whole space where the building was.” 

As far as Bakugo knew, the space where the HRA building had been had been cleared of debris and closed off. There was talk of reconstruction, but nothing yet. With the way it had caved in on itself, there was no way anyone could stay there without being seen. There was no way villains of this caliber would have camped there for as long as they have. 

The group split into groups of two so it wouldn’t rouse any suspicion if people saw them all walking together. Bakugo stayed with Kirishima. With every step, something cold and heavy wedged itself between them. They hadn’t fought together in a long time. Their shifts were usually at different times and on the day they did have the same one, they were in different zones of the city. It had been years since they fought alongside each other. 

Memories of Kirishima emerging from smoking rubble gripped Bakugo’s throat. Memories of Kirishima’s frantic shouts after he admitted how terrified he’d been when Bakugo walked into the HRA building weighed in his lungs, making it hard to breathe. 

Every time they walked out their door, there was a risk. Now, they were walking toward that risk together. They had the numbers, they had a plan, but Bakugo knew it wouldn’t be easy. Not with this elusive group that seemed to have a sadistic taste for tragedy. 

As the deteriorated building came into view, the device in Kirishima’s hand began to shake violently. Thankfully, Kirishima turned it off before it could burst. They were still a few blocks down, but Bakugo stopped Kirishima with a hand on his arm. 

“Ei. We can’t go into this as us, can we?” Kirishima furrowed his eyebrows, and Bakugo rambled on. “We have to go in as pros. Which means trusting that the other person knows what they’re doing. It means focusing on the goal and not… keeping each other safe.” 

Kirishima took a deep breath and stepped forward, one hand at the nape of Bakugo’s neck as he pressed their foreheads together. “I trust you, Kats. I know we can do this. Maybe we can’t go into this as us, but we’ve always been a kick-ass duo, haven’t we?” Bakugo grinned and nodded. “Well then, Dynamight?” 

He leaned in to kiss him harshly before narrowing his eyes. “Let’s go, Red.” 

They walked the next few blocks, joining up with Ashido and Todoroki in an alleyway behind a restaurant. 

“Not to state the obvious, but there’s nothing there,” Ashido said. 

“Well, Hatsume’s device started bugging out about four streets before we even got here. So it might look like there’s nothing, but there’s something.” Kirishima stared at the area as if he were willing something to appear. 

Tsuburaba and Monoma arrived shortly after. “Congratulations, you’ve found an empty building left in ruin,” Monoma muttered. “What now?” 

“For fuck’s sake, it’s not-” 

“Everybody shut up,” Bakugo muttered. He stared at the building a little harder. Something was off. It seemed to blur if he stared at it for too long, refracting into waves as if it were too hot. But the building was too close, the temperature too low for that kind of effect. “IcyHot, let Monoma get your ice quirk. We’re gonna need it in a second.” As Todoroki offered his palm to Monoma, Bakugo turned to Kirishima. “We’re gonna have to lose our element of surprise.” 

“Whatever it takes to shake ‘em out,” he answered with narrowed eyes. 

Bakugo nodded and pointed. “If you stare long enough, there’s something off. Like a glamour or something. Whatever it is, it’s hiding whatever’s actually there. Something tells me the Trifecta is cozied up in plain sight.” He stepped aside. “Ice quirk is up. See if you can shake the glamour.” 

Monoma and Todoroki stepped out of the alley for a better view. After a shared look, they shot out a piercing pillar of ice that sloped up like a slide until it collided against something they couldn’t see. The air shimmered before settling. 

“Again!” Bakugo shouted. They both sent another wave of ice, bigger this time. It made the ground shake, and as the air shimmered that time, there was a flash of a cracked wall. As Bakugo grinned and opened his mouth to give the command for another ice attack, he noticed the swirl of black smoke appearing beside Todorki. “IcyHot-!” 

The teleporter, Mute, appeared before he could shout his warning, burying a dagger into Todoroki’s right side. She kicked him off balance and turned to throw the same dagger at Monoma, but Bakugo was already moving. He tackled her to the ground, gripping her wrist before she could aim the blade at him. He pinned down the other shoulder with a palm and kept his weight over her. 

“Where is he?” he snarled in her ear. 

Instead of an answer, the black smoke swirled around her and suddenly, Bakugo was pressing into the concrete of the sidewalk. 

“Well, you were right,” Todoroki muttered. Bakugo looked at him, watching him wince as he cauterized the stab wound with his left hand. 

“They know we’re here now, do you think they’ll-” Something whizzed past them and suddenly Monoma was shrieking and thrashing on the ground. Blood spread on his thigh as Tsuburaba rushed to hoist him up. 

Kirishima rushed over in his hardened form, ushering them under the slope of the ice. “We need a way in. Everyone keep your guard up in case one of them comes out again!” 

“Fuck this,” Bakugo growled. He stepped forward, stretching out his arm, concentrating all of his energy to the center of his palm before letting it shoot out in a deadly stream. A buzzing static sound rang out as his explosion hit the glamour. He grit his teeth, willing the force to be enough to pierce through even if just in this one section. The force of it began to make his shoulder ache, he took a breath and switched to his other arm. 

Suddenly the static of the glamour rippled, making a path toward him as the rest of it fell away from the building. Bakugo fell back, bracing himself, only to feel his back hit a solid wall. Tsuburaba’s quirk had encased him before the glamour or electricity or whatever the hell it was could reach him. He looked up to see the HRA building, still half-standing. The walls were charred and broken, but it was as if it had never collapsed in the first place. 

Movement drew his eyes to the front of the building where he’d aimed his attack. Tigress. The one with scars running all over her body. The one with the electricity quirk. But Bakugo was beginning to think that information wasn’t exactly right. 

“I worked hard on that, you privileged little brat!” she snarled. Something that looked similar to purple lightning began to crackle between her fingers, but this wasn’t like Kaminari’s electricity. This was contained, and it seemed to move in a precise motion- directly toward Bakugo. 

Until a wave of bright white acid came raining down, making the villain shout out and redirect her power into a shield around herself. “I’ve got this one,” Ashido called out as she prepared to launch a block of ice Kirishima must have cut out for her. “Wanna dance, pretty kitty?” Tigress’ eyes narrowed as the blow of the ice block sent her back against the side of the building. 

Bakugo pulled himself to his feet and fell back with the others as Tigress stood, tilting her head with a scowl as she made a line straight for Ashido.  

“We’ve got an opening,” Kirishima said. “Monoma, can you move?” 

“Hurts like hell, but yeah. After what they did to Ibara, I’m not gonna stay down because of a leg wound.”

“Try to get close enough to the villain to mimic her quirk. Tsuburaba, you stay in case they need protection against whatever the hell her electricity does.” They nodded, and left the cover of the ice slopes. “We need to distract whoever’s attacking from a distance-” 

“That’s Mute. The teleporter. The report on her said teleporting can tire her, so she took to long range fighting. I don’t know how much she’d have to teleport, but if we can tire her out, we’ll have taken out their escape route,” Bakugo said as they went into the building. “Shinsou must be with the one with the fire quirk. Havoc.” 

“I like the odds of three on two, but I might be a bit slower,” Todoroki said. 

“Stay behind me. I’ll be the shield,” Kirishima said, reinforcing his hardening. 

The building was in shambles. Ashes and scattered papers and half burned furniture filled up the place. Despite it, there were signs of life if he looked hard enough. A hallway that seemed swept clean, debris shoved to the side, a smear in the dust vaguely resembling a footstep.

Bakugo aimed his hand at an empty room. “We’re gonna have to draw them out. They know we’re here, so we can’t surprise them. But if we can draw them out, we might be able to distract them from Shinsou.” He looked to the two of them, not necessarily for permission, but just to be sure they were prepared. Within the next two seconds, the room was smouldering all over again. A gaping hole was in the opposite wall, letting in the sounds of crumbling ice and strong static humming, among a few shouts. 

Bakugo moved to the next office-like room and unleashed another explosion. As Kirishima led them down the hall, Bakugo unleashed explosion after explosion in ruined offices, letting the building shake around them. He didn’t mean it as a warning so much as he meant it as a threat.

Suddenly, Mute’s black smoke began to surround them. 

“Get back!” Todoroki shouted, shoving them forward as he filled the hallway with ice in an instant. “I’ll take care of this, go!” he said as Mute appeared in front of him, her feet trapped by the ice. 

Kirishima tugged Bakugo forward as he saw Todoroki stop her from brandishing her weapon. They turned a hallway as the black smoke mingled with the ice. 

“We have to hurry,” Kirishima said, practically running down the hallway. “I think they’re trying to split us up, which means we’re close.” They ran until Bakugo noticed a lived-in area. 

He’d expected to come across some sort of weaponized room or a secret hideout bar like League. What Bakugo hadn’t expected was a measly little communal kitchen. There were knives stuck in one wall, like someone had been using it for target practice. There were a few chairs, some blankets and sleeping bags on the floor, canned food stocked along the counters, and a single black jacket tossed onto a table. 

“Katsuki, move!” Bakugo felt the impact of Kirishima’s hardened body shoving him out of the way as flames erupted around him. Kirishima’s hands had been crossed in front of him like a shield. 

“Step any closer and your little number six ends up like the girl,” a new voice snarled with a thick accent. Havoc, the one with a fire quirk. She stood in front of Shinsou who was propped up against the wall, unconscious, to the floor. 

Black smoke filtered from behind him, and Bakugo turned, immediately alert, but the second he felt his palm shiver with the power of a built up explosion, he noticed Mute barely holding Todoroki up in a poor chokehold. His side was bleeding again, now accompanied by another concerning trickle from somewhere on his head. She said something in a different language, the sound sharp and frantic. 

“Deku’s gonna kick my ass if these two take IcyHot,” Bakugo muttered under his breath as he stood back to back with Kirishima. 

The single window above the sink began to flash- lightning bolts. 

“Looks like Kam showed up after all,” Kirishima said while all of their attention was on the bizarre flashing through the window. 

Suddenly an agonized scream pierced the air, and though it was distant, it sent a chill down Bakugo’s spine. He saw the color leave Havoc’s face, her eyes wide. “Go! Get her out of here!” she told Mute. The teleporter shouted something back, to which Havoc responded in the same language, just as angry and frantic. 

As the teleporter disappeared, Todoroki slumped over, and fire filled the kitchen. 

“Cover him!” Bakugo shouted as he rushed forward. Without further prompting, Kirishima hardened further and covered Todoroki with his body. As Havoc began to turn her palm toward him, Bakugo dropped to the floor, sweeping his leg across the floor to knock her feet out from under her. 

She landed with a thump, a pained yelp quickly shifting into a growl as Bakugo shifted over her and pinned her hands down by her sides. Without missing a beat, she lifted her hips, knocking him off balance just enough to pull herself to her feet. 

“Your friend doesn’t care for you,” she spat. She continued in that same fast language as before. Something cold spread in Bakugo’s chest, stopping his movements despite the fact that he had every intention of restraining her or knocking her out in time to get everyone out of the flames. “You think it was hard to get him to talk? To turn his back on you all?” she said in Japanese. She laughed and spoke in the other language again, this time slower, more deliberately. With every syllable, there was something tightening in Bakugo’s chest as she spoke. Paired with the heat around them, the smoke that began to fill the air, Bakugo felt dizzy. 

He felt a strong hit, first against his nose, followed by another against his diaphragm, making him double over as another fist collided against his jaw. The weight of a roundhouse kick knocked him sideways, only for a quick follow-up kick to knock him back. He didn’t know if it was the distraction of the strange feeling of betrayal crawling up his throat or the way his head spun that made it so easy for this small girl to knock him on his ass. 

He was better than this. He’d been through worse. Regardless of what she said about Shinsou, he had a mission. He’d promised Kaminari. 

With a shout, Bakugo surged forward, knocking Havoc back against the wall. She groaned, still scowling before her eyes widened. Bakugo didn’t have to turn around. He felt the temperature in the room go down as Todoroki’s ice overpowered it. Without another word, Havoc scrambled toward the hallway. She ran, leaving a trail of fire behind her. 

Kirishima came up to stand beside him. “I’m going after her. You get these two out of here, then finish tearing this place down.” 

“With you in it?” Bakugo asked through clenched teeth. 

Kirishima met his eyes as he increased his hardening, growing in height and width until he was Unbreakable. “Kats-” 

“Go,” Bakugo said. He knew Kirishima could withstand the fire. That he could withstand the weight of the building and walk out of its rubble. He knew he’d have him back home soon enough. “Go get her, Red Riot.” 

Kirishima nodded and walked to the hallway, swallowed up by the fire. Bakugo didn’t let himself worry. He had his own job to do. Todoroki was awake, but he was dazed. Without the fire surrounding them, Bakugo was able to take his time inspecting Shinsou’s unconscious body for wounds. He had a few minor burns, a few scrapes, hits, and a slash against his cheek, but otherwise nothing too severe. He still had a pulse, and that was enough. 

“Tell me I don’t gotta drag your ass, IcyHot,” Bakugo grunted as he pulled Shinsou into his arms and tossed him over his shoulder. He offered his free arm for Todoroki to lean on. He shuddered and narrowed his heterochromic eyes before ice spread from the soles of his feet to the hallway. 

Bakugo followed the path of destruction he’d left behind before he was able to drag both wounded heroes out the front of the building. The second he stepped foot outside, he heard Ashido call out for the others. Before any of them could reach him, he heard Kaminari shriek Shinsou’s given name. 

“Is he-?” 

“Alive,” Bakugo said, dropping to his knees to let Shinsou down. Kaminari quickly pulled him into his arms, looking him over. “Dunno how they knocked him out, but he’s alive. Where are the other two? Tigress and Mute?” 

“They got away,” Monoma said. He lifted his hand, showing off the purple lightning between his fingers. “It’s not electricity.” 

“No shit,” he snarled back. 

“Where’s Kirishima?” Ashido asked as she helped Todoroki stay upright. 

“Inside. Now all of you get back. ‘Cept you Phantom. I need your help.” Monoma furrowed his eyebrows, but he stayed in place as the others fell back. He held his hand out. “You got it in you to copy one more quirk?” 

“For what?” he asked as he touched Bakugo’s hand. “They got away-” 

“We’re bringing the building down. They won’t have a hideout to come back to.” Monoma opened his mouth, a clear protest in his eyes. “Just fuckin’ do it,” Bakugo snapped before he extended both hands, pressing them against the walls of the HRA building. 

His explosions detonated, letting the whole thing crumble. Havoc’s newer flames rose through broken windows and caved in ceilings, aiding the destruction of the whole place. Eventually Monoma finally joined in, and within a few minutes flames and debris were all that was left of it, this time without the glamour. While Monoma limped back to the group across the street as they talked to police and got checked by the paramedics, Bakugo stayed, staring at the collapsed structure of the building, the chunks of cement blocks piled over each other as the last bits of embers blazing weakly. 

“Where are you, Ei?” Bakugo whispered under his breath. His fist clenched tighter and tighter with each passing second before he finally heard the rumbling of the rubble moving, the sound of rock grating against rock. 

Kirishima rose from the wreckage with a body in his arms, pressed against his chest. He stumbled forward, dropping his unbreakable form as he did, and Bakugo hurried over to him. The dirt against his face had tear streaks cutting down his cheeks. 

“Is she-?” 

Kirishima shook his head. “I covered her.” He looked at Bakugo with something close to fear in his eyes. “I don’t think fire is her only quirk, Kats. She started talking-” 

“I know,” Bakugo said, recalling the feeling he got earlier. “Later. We have to deal with the backlash now. Are you hurt at all?” 

Kirishima shook his head as they walked to their friends. “You?” 

“She bruised me up some, but I’m fine,” he said. 

The police took Havoc from Kirishima, handcuffing her and letting her slump into the back of a cop car. As they watched the cop car drive away, another officer had them join the others and two paramedics immediately started checking their vitals. 

The plain-looking detective All Might knew- Tsukauchi, Bakugo was pretty sure- stepped in front of them. He had new gray hairs and tired lines on his face. “Do I want to know why seven pro-heroes decided to go rogue and take on three high-rank villains on a whim?” 

“I think that’s pretty fuckin’ obvious,” Bakugo muttered, glancing over to where Kaminari was hunched over Shinsou. He’d been placed on a stretcher, but they had yet to lift him into a gurney. Despite the way Kaminari’s fingers raked through his hair, it only made the purple strands frizz because he still had so much static thrumming through him. “How long’s suspension for?” 

Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There’s talk about revoking your licenses permanently.” They shared looks ranging from panic to fury. “Don’t shoot the messenger. It’s just what I heard. If I’m right, there’s going to be a meeting with the heads of the agencies and the leaders at Tokyo headquarters. You should expect to be out of work for some time though.” 

“God forbid heroes do their job and save people,” Kirishima spat. “Can we go home?” 

The detective raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “No. We need to question you. On the Trifecta and this whole little escapade. We’ll be regrouping at the hospital, and as soon as Todoroki and Monoma get checked out and Shinsou wakes up, I can begin the questioning.” He gestured to the sleek, black car he’d arrived in. “If you’re not riding with an ambulance, get in.” 

Kaminari rode in an ambulance with Shinsou. Tsuburaba joined Monoma and Todoroki in another one. Ashido, Kirishima, and Bakugo got into the backseat of Tsukauchi’s car. 

As they were taken to the hospital, Kirishima turned to Ashido and asked, “How did everything go on the outside?” 

She sighed and tugged a strand of her hair. “It was rough. Whatever Tigress’ quirk is, it’s good with attacks and defenses. She was taking the three of us on easily until Kami showed up.” 

“Speaking of, how the hell did Pikachu know where we were?” 

“I told him,” she said simply. “While you were ordering Todoroki and Monoma around with their ice. I texted him because I knew it was killing him. She….” Ashido blanched, swallowing thickly. “She made it look like Shinsou’s body was there. I guess she wanted to distract Kami, and she…. It looked so real. At least until Kami lost it. He just burst with all this energy, this rage…. The only reason the rest of us were okay is because Tsuburaba made an air cube around us.” 

Kirishima and Bakugo shared a brief look before Bakugo huffed and muttered, “Can’t believe all our information on these three was fucking wrong.” He pushed a hand through his hair then intertwined it with Kirishima’s. He kept his thumb near the pulse point as a tether, as a reminder, as a form of reassurance to calm himself down. “Tell Deku we’re headed to the hospital if he wants to meet Todoroki there.” 

Ashido pulled her phone out- from where, Bakugo had no idea. Kirishima leaned closer until he could rest his head on Bakugo’s shoulder. The rest of the ride was quiet. Tsukauchi led them to the waiting room while the other three were checked on. Deku arrived about ten minutes later, wide-eyed and flushed. 

Eventually, they were all ushered into the room where Shinsou was staying, though it seemed Todoroki had gotten the brunt of the injuries. It was quiet and tense, as if a single breath could be used against them. Tsukauchi, along with another policeman who looked like he was sucking on a lemon, came into the room and leaned against the wall where he could look out the window. 

“I take it you all heard about Shiozaki.” It was silent. He nodded and took a breath, looking exhausted as he waved his hand as a gesture for them to talk. “Go on. Somebody explain this little mission you sent yourselves on.” 

“It was a rescue mission,” Kirishima said. Bakugo clenched his teeth. He worried that if everyone knew he’d been the one to pull this all together, he’d get even worse repercussions. Though he knew Kirishima was someone to take responsibility for his actions. It was the manly thing to do, after all. “We saw Shinsou get taken. Katsuki had dealt with the Trifecta before, so he pieced it together. After finding out about Shiozaki, we knew we had to act quick. We couldn’t just sit and wait for permission.” 

“We would have acted faster. The agency heads were going to meet to make their own group so you’d all be properly prepared. Then we would’ve gotten Shinsou back and managed to take in all three members-” 

“No,” Shinsou said, finally speaking. “All the information we got at Tokyo was wrong or incomplete. Tigress’ quirk isn’t electricity.” At that, Kaminari grimaced and his grip on Shinsou tightened. “It’s some sort of glamour. Like Camie’s, but… the electricity is just how she manifests it. She just warps reality and… she’s a lot stronger than anyone thought. And the other one, Havoc? It’s not just a fire quirk. She has another one, something triggered when she talks.” 

“She has two quirks?” Ashido questioned. 

“Well, it’s not like two quirks are unheard of,” Deku said. “Though typically it’s because it’s engineered, like the Nomus or because the quirk itself lets someone take on multiple-”

“Anyway,” Tsukauchi said, focused on Shinsou. “What happens when she talks?” 

Kirishima looked at Bakugo. That hollow look was back in his glossy eyes, and Bakugo wondered what the hell Havoc made him feel. What had she said to him? He took his hand and squeezed it tightly, hoping to reassure him if only a little. 

Taking a shuddering breath, Shinsou tried to explain. “It’s like she… forces feelings on you. They don’t speak a lot of Japanese, so I couldn’t understand everything, but with the way she speaks, you know what she’s feeling then suddenly you’re feeling it too. She… she made me feel alone. Hopeless. Like everyone had forgotten about me and no one cared. Even though I knew the feeling wasn’t coming from myself, it was so… strong.” 

“What did they want from you? Did they mention Shiozaki?” 

Tsuburaba visibly flinched. The air somehow became heavier, harder to breathe in. 

“They wanted to know hero weaknesses. Bakugo’s, Midoriya’s, Todoroki’s. They just wanted information from someone close. I heard Shiozaki’s name, but I’m not sure what they said because they weren’t talking to me.” 

“Why didn’t you just use your quirk on them?” the other officer asked. 

The whole room filled with buzzing static that had the hair on Bakugo’s arms standing. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Kaminari snapped with a scowl. 

Before Tsukauchi could try to ease the tensions, Shinsou took Kaminari’s hand and kept speaking. “She knew how my quirk worked. None of them would answer my questions. Then Havoc gave me that hopelessness.” He frowned and looked at the floor. “I don’t think you realize how paralyzing hopelessness can be. I felt empty. I felt like all my insides had been carved out. Like I was really alone and weak and useless. That feeling took over me entirely. It wasn’t coming from me, but it was so tangible, so suffocating-” 

“Can we please just go home?” Ashido asked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “At least give him some time to process. Give them time to heal from stab wounds and gunshots.” 

The officer beside Tsukauchi looked like he was going to protest, but Tsukauchi raised a hand to wave him away. He frowned and left the room before the detective sighed. “I’ve got a soft spot for you lot, you know? Known you all since you were in high school. This has been a very, very long day. Get rest, recover. I think I have enough new information to placate the press and my bosses.” He paused for a moment before adding, “I know you were doing a good thing, rescuing Shinsou. I don’t think your licenses should be revoked, but you all know the new hero laws. Expect calls from your agencies soon. And you can all safely assume you’re suspended for the time being.” He gave a curt nod then walked out of the hospital room. 

Tsuburaba and Monoma left with weak goodbyes as they returned Monoma to his hospital room. Ashido stepped out to make some phone calls to their friends who’d been trying to reach them. Deku helped Todoroki back to his room, but not before stopping next to Kirishima to tell him he’d done the right thing and he was glad Shinsou was safe. 

A few moments later, Ashido came back and told them that Jirou, Sero, and a few of their other friends would be stopping by to see them. 

Kirishima tugged Bakugo’s hand for his attention. “Can we go home? I don’t… have the energy.” 

Bakugo nodded. He wanted to get out of his costume anyway. “Oi, Kaminari. We’re gonna head home. If you need anything, just call us or head over, yeah?” 

Kaminari pulled away from Shinsou and engulfed them both into a hug. “Thank you guys. Thanks for going after him. For getting him back,” he said brokenly. 

“Told you we would, Kam,” Kirishima said, hugging him back tightly. 

He let go and returned to Shinsou’s bedside. Bakugo took Kirishima’s hand and led him out of the hospital. He hailed a cab to get them home, and he was thankful the driver didn’t seem inclined to make conversation. 

It wasn’t until they were safe in their apartment, showered and wrapped up together in more comfortable clothes on the couch that Bakugo tried to get Kirishima to talk. He started with a slow hand raking through the wet tangles of his hair. Then he rubbed gentle circles on his back as he pressed soft kisses along his temple. 

“Talk to me, Ei….” 

“She was scared. Terrified. Not of me, I don’t think. And then….” His hands curled into fists at the front of Bakugo’s shirt, pulling him a bit closer. “I think it was… loss. It’s… remember when you ended up in a coma for a week? When you got these.” Kirishima let one hand go under his shirt and pressed gently into the center of his torso where Bakugo knew he had three star-shaped scars. Scars that were warped and paler than his normal skin color, glossy under certain lights. 

He nodded, recalling the way he’d woken up to a room full of get well offerings. Deku had been asleep in a chair. His parents had been talking to a doctor outside. A few other friends had been talking in a corner. All Might had been pacing the hallway. But Kirishima had been right beside him, snot-nosed as tears streamed down his face nonstop, muffling sobs into his hand and muttering too quietly for Bakugo to hear. He remembered telling him to shut up. The sound of his voice had made Kirishima’s head come up so fast, and a wide, relieved, shark-toothed grin spread on his face, and suddenly Bakugo had wanted to cry too. 

“Yeah, I remember,” he said. 

“And Kamino, when we couldn’t find you. And the time that Midoriya had to pull you out-”

“Ei, I remember all the times I almost died. What-?” 

Kirishima took a breath and pulled back so he could look Bakugo in the eyes. His hands came up to rest on either side of his face. “I was terrified each one of those times. Scared I’d lost you for good. Today, I swear, Kats, I felt them all at once. It knocked the breath out of me. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t act. Even my hardening started to slip.” He shook his head. “Something collapsed, and it hurt her. She stopped talking, stopped focusing on me. It was the only reason I hardened fast enough to cover her and protect myself before the building came down.” He let one hand drop until it rested over Bakugo’s heart. “Even right now, I’m scared you’re not real. It felt so….” 

Bakugo tilted Kirishima’s face back toward him with a gentle finger under his chin. He pressed a long, chaste kiss against his lips before pressing their foreheads together. “I’m real. I’m right here. With you.” 

“You’re real,” Kirishima repeated softly. “You’re here.” He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Bakugo’s torso. “Are you angry with me?” 

“Angry? Why the hell would I be angry with you?” 

“We might lose our licenses. My idea might cost you your license after you worked so hard.” 

He placed a hand over his mouth. “Oh, and you didn’t? Ei, you didn’t force me to do anything. I knew what I was risking by breaking the hero laws again.” He kissed his forehead and sighed. “I’m not angry with you. What you did today was amazing. ‘Sides if these dumbasses take my license, then… I dunno maybe I’ll try that engineer thing you said. You could write that book you dreamed about.” 

Kirishima laughed halfheartedly and shook his head. “I love you so much, Katsuki.” 

Wrapping his arms around him, Bakugo pulled him until Kirishima laid over him along the length of the couch. He held him tightly, whispering I love yous over and over. He refused to dwell on the fact that Kirishima might not have made it out of that building after all. He was here, and he wasn’t hurt- that was all that mattered. 

They stayed on the couch, reminding each other of their existence with intermittent kisses and soft, deliberate touches. Sometimes they’d echo each other’s observations to make them more concrete. They were safe. They were alive. They were together. At one point, Bakugo pulled up the news, but the second he saw the term “rogue heroes,” he turned it off. Instead he switched to a bad sitcom at a low volume. Neither of them paid it much attention, but it was something to fill the overwhelming silence while they tried to recover and process the day’s events. 

Their phones buzzed, and Bakugo took it upon himself to let their friends know they were fine, just resting. The group chat was up in arms about the recent headlines condemning the group that went after the Trifecta and the rumors about revoking their licenses permanently. There were tags on all social media sites for and against the heroes, as well as one for Shiozaki’s public memorial service. Bakugo muted the chat and told them to call if they needed to reach him or Kirishima. 

Their apartment had gone dark save for the TV’s light and the city lights at their window. Bakugo managed to convince Kirishima to eat with him before they headed to bed. They left the lights on; it made it easier to come out of nightmares. Bakugo held Kirishima close and kissed the spot behind his ear. 

“I’ll be right here,” he reminded him. 

Kirishima laced their fingers together and pulled their hands up to his chest. After some time, Bakugo heard his breaths even out and he let himself fall asleep too. 

---

The next few days were a whirlwind of stress. Kirishima had to turn off his phone because of the amount of notifications he was getting from various social media accounts.They checked the news periodically and got updates through Bakugo’s phone from their friends. 

Those who had been in the hospital were discharged the next night, with Shinsou sporting the least amount of injuries. News of their suspension had gone around quickly, and was often a spot of debate for the news. There were protests in the street calling for the heroes to keep their licenses. When it got out that Kirishima had been the one to lead the rescue, it seemed like people doubled down on getting them pardoned. They didn’t think it was fair to punish the heroes for doing their job. 

Meanwhile, on the other side, there was an outcry from people who felt the suspension and possibility of losing their licenses was fair. They felt the heroes were the ones who needed to follow the laws more than anyone. Too much freedom would lead to the same problems they had before where heroes came and went, driven more by ranks than by a structured system. 

At the very least, both sides put down their posters and quieted their shouts long enough for heroes and civilians to attend Shiozaki’s memorial and funeral. As soon as was socially acceptable, journalists and reporters pounced again, sparking the debate and fanning its flames further.

Even Deku ended up snapping one day in an interview. 

Scotch Tape, Pikachu, and Eyebags were at the apartment after having pitched in for pizza delivery. Watching the news as a group made it more tolerable. A reporter had gotten Deku mid-patrol.

“Isn’t that the same guy whose mic you blew up?” Sero asked. 

That should’ve clued them in to the direction the interview would go. He began with simple questions. How was patrol without his usual partner? How had the public’s protests affected the daily routine? What did he think about the rescue mission and the fact that two of the Trifecta members were still on the loose? 

“All of the suspended heroes were former classmates, weren’t they?” 

“Uh, most of them, yes. Some weren’t in my class but we were in the same year,” Deku answered. His tone remained polite, but it was clear he wanted to end the interview and go on with his patrol. 

“Do you think that might skew your view on the controversy as a whole? After all, one is your ex, another your current partner, and-” 

“I-I’m sorry what?” Deku asked, turning red in real time on screen. 

“Right, sorry, the rumors about you and Dynamight were never confirmed.” 

“I’m gonna kick his ass,” Bakugo snarled while Sero and Kirishima burst into uncontrollable laughter. Kaminari turned up the volume to hear over them. 

“-reckless behavior from pro-heroes. How do you think that might reflect on you or your current rank as the Number Two hero?” 

The polite, uncomfortable smile had dropped. Deku had his eyes narrowed at the reporter, and the high-definition camera caught every twitch in his jaw. He managed to look menacing. “Frankly, your questions are entirely out of line. This is what I know about the rescue mission- a hero was kidnapped shortly after one appeared dead. These heroes took it upon themselves to find him before he suffered the same fate. They didn’t act recklessly, only without clearance from officials who have never been up against a villain themselves. These are pros who know what they’re doing. Their mission gave us more information on the Trifecta and allowed a hero to come home to his friends and family.” The more Deku spoke, the closer he got to the reporter until he towered over him with a scowl. “Maybe if officers and officials had moved quicker when Shiozaki was taken, she would still be here. There was no time to waste, and even if it cost their licenses, they were willing to take that risk. That’s what heroes do. They don’t act to get the best rank or the highest paycheck, they act to save people. And you are in no position to question their integrity. Now I need to get back to my job. I actually take mine seriously.” 

He walked away without another look at the camera while the rest of them watched slack-jawed. Without fail, the interview began to circulate in other news channels, talk shows, and various articles throughout the day. Though he hadn’t gone as far as to break anything or even yell or threaten the idiot reporter, no one was used to seeing Deku react angrily. Not with a civilian. 

It had caused a shift though. A sort of hope among them, a sense that things might return to normal. Bakugo hadn’t heard Kirishima laugh the way he had with Sero since before the mission. Even after, when Kirishima would give him that sideways smile and ask, “Kats, you shoulda told me you and Midoriya dated, I would’ve thrown you a party! Be honest with me I can take it- were you really a virgin before me?” Bakugo couldn’t put the same heat in his answer of, “We didn’t date, and you fucking know it, dumbass.” 

Though that same day, even Todoroki texted him nothing more than a single question mark to which Bakugo replied with, No. 

All Might called him every day to see how he was doing. He assured him he was working to convince headquarters not to revoke the licenses, and that in the case they did, he was going to suggest a plan for them to earn the licenses again. Bakugo imagined himself taking another test with a bunch of kids fresh out of high school and grimaced. 

On the fourth day of his new suspension, their friends came over to the apartment, hoping to get back into the flow of a normal game night. Instead, they ended up crowded around the television with the news on the second their phones chimed with a new headline and nation-wide alert. 

The cameras showed an empty holding cell as a news anchor spoke over the footage. 

Havoc had escaped her holding cell. Bakugo pieced it together before the news bothered to explain and show the cell footage from earlier. 

Havoc was bound by the hands with some metal mask around her mouth to keep her from talking, he assumed. Black smoke filled the screen. There was a thud. By the time the screen cleared, Havoc was gone and in the corner of the footage, was a limp hand. 

“What the hell are we going to do? We had one in custody, now they’re all free and we don’t know where they went,” Kaminari said, speaking so fast that his words stumbled together. 

“At least they don’t have the upper hand anymore,” Sero said. “We know more about their quirks and even their fighting style. We know their tricks with the glamour and all that.” 

“Guys, listen,” Jirou said, turning the television up. 

The screen was split in half. On one side was the news anchor. On the other, apparently having been called in, was the head of the HRA for their prefecture. 

“-all the heat?” the anchor asked with a fake smile that clearly didn’t amuse the HRA official. 

“We’re very used to tensions among hero society. It’s a very tedious line. We made mistakes before by allowing too much freedom. Maybe this time we’ve allowed too little. It’s something we’re still working on, something that will have to continue changing.” He cleared his throat and wiped his forehead with a cloth. “The seven who went rogue are some of Japan’s top heroes. There’s no way that any repercussions they face won’t result as a repercussion to society as well. As the Number Two hero so eloquently put it, we weren’t working fast enough. At the same time, it’s dangerous to let people with this much power and influence do whatever they want without consequence.” 

Bakugo scowled, clenching his jaw in frustration. “So Havoc gets broken out of prison and somehow we’re the fuckin’ spotlight?” 

“Sh, listen,” Jirou said. 

The news anchor nodded. “Do you still plan to revoke seven heroes’ licenses in light of this recent development?” 

With a heavy sigh and another forehead swipe, the man answered, “Here at the HRA, we need to think about the ways heroes benefit society. Right now, the priority is the safety of the people. For the time being, those heroes know the most about this trio, and they may be the best suited for a fight like this. We’ll have to review and amend some of the hero laws. Aside from this….” He paused as if he didn’t like what he was about to say. Bakugo leaned forward. He was pretty sure no one in the room was breathing. “We have decided to lift the suspension on the seven heroes. If we’ve learned anything it’s that time is of the essence. The faster we move, the faster our society will be safe again.” He clenched his jaw and cleared his throat again before continuing. “To the seven heroes of the rogue rescue mission- you have the sincere apologies of everyone in the HRA for our rash decision in your punishment and our lack of action. Thank you, I have no further comments.” 

Before the news anchor could even say goodbye, the feed was cut off. 

“We’re keeping our licenses,” Kirishima whispered, breaking the trance they all seemed to be in. “Holy shit, we get to keep our licenses!” 

“I think that this is cause for celebration,” Shinsou said. Kaminari started to protest, but Shinsou turned the television off and shook his head. “Look- the last few days, the last couple weeks have been… stressful to say the least. We should celebrate when we can.” 

The rest of their friends nodded in agreement, relief clear in their faces. Jirou turned on some music. Drinks and snacks were passed around the group. Bakugo saw a message from All Might telling him to come into the office the next day when he could. Otherwise, he still had the rest of the night. He took Kirishima’s hand and leaned over to plant a kiss on his mouth before grinning wildly at him. 

The rest of the night was spent playing a trivia game that they had to exclude Deku from or reminiscing on nicer things. A few of them sang, and at one point Kirishima pulled out controllers for a video game. 

Bakugo was happy to watch it all. He listened to Pikachu’s off-pitch drunk singing and Kirishima raging with Sero over the game. He watched Raccoon Eyes try to teach Jirou and Deku some kind of dance and rolled his eyes at the lovesick look in IcyHot and Eyebags’ eyes as they watched their respective partners making fools of themselves. Despite the renewed threat, there was still breathing room. 

If Bakugo had learned anything from being a hero, it was how to appreciate moments like this. Moments where he could fool himself into thinking things were normal. Moments where he could be a twenty-six year old enjoying time with his friends. 

They left a little after one in the morning. Despite the exhaustion that had settled into him, Bakugo cleaned up the apartment a bit with Kirishima’s help. They triple checked that their door and windows were locked just to be safe. Before Kirishima could start for the room, Bakugo pulled him back. 

“Oi. I know it’s been a shit time lately, but I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” Kirishima nodded, eyebrows furrowing worriedly. Bakugo smiled and kissed him on the tip of nose to reassure him. “Relax, Ei. I just wanted to remind you that you’re incredible.” 

Kirishima tilted his head to one side and scrunched his nose slightly. “What, for not letting my friend stay kidnapped?”

With a roll of his eyes, Bakugo pinched both of his cheeks harshly. “Oi. Take a fucking compliment now and then, would ya?” He let go and felt his heart clench at the sight of Kirishima’s pout as he rubbed his cheek. “The fact that you don’t even think you need any praise for everything you did just speaks volumes-” 

“Well, Kats, it’s what heroes do-” 

“It’s what you do. Did you see anyone else getting everyone together to do something about this? It’s like Deku said- you don’t act for the sake of a better rank. Not all heroes would do what you did. You took charge. You took risks. You even saved the villain from getting crushed.”