Chapter Text
When Kirishima first saw Katsuki Bakugou in class, he agreed with Kaminari’s assessment that he was a flaming pile of garbage.
Sure he was hot, and his quirk was amazing. Kirishima knew that much from the entrance exams where Bakugou had exploded robot after robot like it was nothing. Kirishima wanted to introduce himself then, but he felt like he shouldn’t bother trying to befriend someone so manly when he probably wouldn’t even get into UA.
After watching Bakugou interact with their classmates, Kirishima was glad he said nothing. He was mean to everyone and not only that, but he just relied on his strong flashy quirk to win fights. No strategy and no concern for others.
At least that’s what Kirishima thought until they were forced to fight together at the USJ. Kirishima had always known Bakugou was strong but holy hell the way he took down villains was super manly. They fought together in sync like they’d been fighting together for years. After that Bakugou revealed that not only did he have a strategy and a big picture in mind the entire time, he also kept their classmates in mind and trusted their strength. Super manly.
They weren’t exactly friends after that, but Kirishima realized there was a lot more to Bakugou than an angry delinquent boy. He noticed Bakugou spent most lunches alone and made it a point to start sitting with him. Bakugou was actually pretty cool once you got past a lot of the yelling. Sometimes Sero, Kaminari and even Ashido would join them.
Then the Sports Festival happened and Bakugou picked Kirishima first for his team. It was the first time someone had acknowledged his strength and really made him feel like he belonged at UA, not just as comic relief but a real hero.
Looking back, how hard Kirishima’s heart was pounding during their one on one fight should’ve made him realize something was up, but at the time he thought it was just adrenaline from the fight and the audience.
Bakugou beat him, but Kirishima had drawn first blood on him. It wasn’t a victory but the way Bakugou hadn’t held back and treated him like a worthy opponent made it feel like one. If someone as strong as Bakugou thought of him like that, then maybe Kirishima really was worthy.
After the Sports Festival, their relationship changed. They were proper friends, even if Bakugou wouldn’t admit it. Best friends.
He was still an asshole sometimes, but Kirishima trusted him to have his back whenever he needed him. There was also something very freeing about being around Bakugou. He said what he meant and did what he said and Kirishima never felt the need to be anything but himself. Bakugou accepted his rough edges just like Kirishima accepted his, and they pushed each other to be better.
When Bakugou was kidnapped in their first year, Kirishima almost lost his mind. He couldn’t sleep, he barely ate, all he could think about was how Bakugou was gone and he could’ve done something about it.
When Bakugou had grabbed his hand during the rescue. Kirishima thought his heart was going to fly out of his chest. He also thought there was a part of him that would be content to fly with Bakugou forever, as long as he never let go of his hand.
That was the first time Kirishima realized his feelings for Bakugou were more than casual friendship. He vowed to ignore the way his heart pounded in his chest whenever Bakugou was around and throw himself into being the best hero he could be. With all the crazy shit that happened their first year, it honestly wasn’t that hard. Romance really took a back seat when you were fighting a war and watching the people around you die.
Second year was a lot less crazy and Kirishima’s feelings were harder to ignore. The more time he spent with Bakugou, the more sure he was of what he felt. Eventually, it got to the point where he couldn’t ignore it anymore. One afternoon, when they were studying, Kirishima confessed his feelings to Bakugou, not because he expected him the same way, but because it would be unmanly to keep hiding it from him.
Kirishima was glad he had found the courage to tell him and he was even more glad that miraculously Bakugou felt the same way. Every day he spent dating Bakugou was better than years without him. Kirishima knew they were young, but he wanted to spend his whole life besides Katsuki.
They hadn’t been doing anything special. Bakugou was sitting at his desk sketching out new designs for gauntlets with more firepower. Kirishima laying on the bed supposedly finishing the day's homework assignment. Instead he watched wind from the open window gently push against Bakugou’s spikes. He studied Bakugou’s focused gaze and unconscious pout.
Damn, Kirishima had thought, I’m so in love with this idiot, and that was that. There was no over analyzing or second guessing his feelings. If there was one thing in his life he didn’t have to overthink, it was loving Katsuki Bakugou.
Kirishima wondered why he was thinking about that now. And why did his body hurt so much? It felt like he had been stabbed. Oh wait. He had been stabbed. Kirishima chuckled. For some reason that was really funny.
“Why are you laughing, Shitty Hair?”
Kirishima opened his eyes. The fluorescent light was blinding, Suneater must have gotten him to a hospital. “Katsuki?”
Sure enough, Bakugou had pulled a chair up to the edge of his bed and was sitting right beside him. His hair was a mess and he had dark circles under his eyes. Damn he looked rough. What time was it?
Kirishima tried to sit up, but Bakugou forced him back down. Which was probably good because the strain of the movement made his side hurt like hell. “How did you get here? I was on patrol with Suneater and then-”
“And then you gut fucking stabbed,” Bakugou reminded him.
“Yeah I remember that.” Kirishima winced. “Sorry I missed our date.”
“I don’t fucking care about that.” Bakugou grabbed his hand and pressed his rough lips to it. Kirishima knew he probably didn’t kiss his lips because he was worried about hurting him, which again, was probably a good thing, but Kirishima wished he'd kiss him anyway. “I’m just glad you’re awake now.”
“Was I out long?” Kirishima asked. Time passed weird in hospitals. He had no concept of how long he’d been asleep or how long ago he’d gotten stabbed.
“Suneater and Fatgum brought you to the hospital last night and waited with you until your moms showed up.”
“Dammit I didn’t even think about that.” If he was awake he would’ve told them there was no point in coming all the way up here. “Sorry for making you all worry.
“Shut the fuck up and worry about yourself for once, Idiot,” Bakugou said. “They were there because they cared about you. I was there because I care about you.”
“You were there last night?” Kirishima asked. Shit he really had inconvenienced everybody. “And you’re here now? I really appreciate it, Katsuki, but you didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” Bakugou said. “I wanted to see you wake up, and I wanted…” he hesitated. Bakugou never hesitated. What was wrong? “Tamaki told me what you said before you passed out yesterday. Do you remember that?”
Kirishima thought back. The fight in the alley was a blur. His memory was foggy but he remembered Tamaki trying to keep him away. Kirishima had been loppy from the pain, but he remembered something saying something about being in love with Bakugou.
He was sure his face was red. There were a thousand better ways Kirishima had imagined telling Bakugou he loved him, but he couldn’t take it back now. “Yeah,” he said. “I do.”
“Did you fucking mean it?”
“Yeah, yeah I did.”
“Good.” Bakugou squeezed his hand and kissed his knuckles again. “I love you too, Eijirou.”
Kirishima grinned. Sure he may have just been stabbed and spent the night in the hospital. But he had a boyfriend who loved him. Someone who saw his worth and wanted him by his side forever. Somebody who he was going to make sure the whole world knew belonged to him.
“Katsuki?” Kirishima said.
“Hmm?”
“Fucking kiss me for real.”