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Kaminari had been stressing the whole ride here, but now that they pulled into the parking lot, it had gotten worse. They were here. No more waiting, no more contemplating, and no more trying to figure out a way out of this. Under any other circumstances, he would have made an excuse not to go. The only reason he was here was because he loved his boyfriend. Right now, he wished he didn’t so much, but he did. Also, the way Kirishima started bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement the moment they gotten out of the car was so darn endearing.
Kaminari swallowed the terrified lump in his throat as he took in the old, rickety house that loomed over them. It looked one big gust of wind away from collapsing. Some of the windows were completely and the ones that weren’t looked recently shattered. White curtains hung in the broken ones and the way they fluttered in the gentle breeze made them look like ghosts. The dark brown painted outside was missing random siding pieces and one of the porch steps was broken like a foot had gone through it. One probably had at one point.
It was the very definition of that one creepy house at the end of street. That one that everyone had different stories about, but was definitely haunted. The kind that kids would cross streets and go out of their way to avoid. The witch’s house.
“Ohhhh this is going to be good! I love how they used an actual rundown house for this and just a warehouse like most of them do. It’s awesome!” Kirishima grabbed Kaminari’s hand and dragged him along.
Kaminari groaned, but let himself be dragged along. He was so, so, so weak for Kirishima’s puppy dog eyes and his excited smile. He got dragged into a lot of things that way.
Kirishima loved horror movies, gore, haunted houses and creepy, scary video games. Halloween was his favorite holiday and he often copied YouTube tutorials for gore sfx Halloween costumes.
Kaminari on the hand, hated all of that. The only good thing he got out watching horror movies with his boyfriend is that Kirishima always stayed the night. He was terrified when it was time to go to sleep, but being bundled in blankets and cuddling with Kirishima made him feel safe. Nothing beat those strong, supportive arms.
Of course Kirishima had bought them VIP tickets, so they got skip the longer line to stand in the shorter one. Kaminari should have begged him not to.
Kirishima looked over and saw Kaminari trembling a little and draped an arm over his shoulder. “Hey. It’ll be okay. We’re getting ice cream after this remember. My treat!” Kirishima kissed Kaminari’s cheek and then his eyes went wide. “Duuuude. I’m so gay.”
Kaminari rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Duh. We’ve been dating for a year. I’d hope so.”
“No, I mean for him.” Kirishima placed his fingers under Kaminari’s chin and turned his face toward a blond zombie in a white straight jacket.
“Oh. OH.” Kaminari’s eyes grew wide as he took in the guy’s appearance. He had light blond hair and from what he could tell, the guy definitely worked out. His face was covered in sfx make up and the glare he wore should have been scary. It was, because Kaminari hated gore, but he also looked very attractive. “I hope he’s that hot without the makeup.”
“Right? He’s gotta be. Looks to be around our age too.”
They had talked about them both being polyamorous before, never had they found someone they both wanted to date. That was the condition. Every guy they wanted to add to relationship, first had to be cool with it, and second they had to both approve of him. If one was out, they were both out. It was the only way to keep themselves from getting jealous. Also, they loved each other too much to let the wrong person come between them.
“We should ask him out.” Kirishima murmured as he came closer.
“I’m down.”
Kirishima’s eyes lit up at Kaminari’s acceptance. This didn’t happen often and now this night had gone in a completely different direction. “Really?!”
“Yes. I’m so attracted to him right now and I hate zombies and stuff…but how does someone look that hot dressed like that?” Kaminari was both slightly repulsed by him and yet attracted to him at the same time. It reminded him of how he felt when Kirishima wore sfx make up.
“You’re the best!”
It was the weekend before Halloween and the place was packed. Bakugou loved nights like this. Plenty of people to scare. Halloween was his favorite holiday season because he got to do his favorite job. The haunted house was only open from late September to the first weekend in November, but they paid him well because of the awkward hours it gave. He worked most nights 7pm to 2am with an hour and a half spent in makeup.
Yes, they were long nights, but Bakugou loved his job. He switched off nights working inside the house or scaring those in line. Tonight, he was on line duty. Not as fun as being in the house, but people still got scared even when they could see him coming. It was pretty lame. He loved it.
He scanned the lines and decided to start with the VIP line. He walked up behind a father and his kids. “Help me…the hospital they said they’d make me better, but there was an outbreak. I feel it…it hurts!”
The little girl with them screamed and hid behind her father. Kids were easy. Some might scold him for scaring kids, but parents shouldn’t bring their kids to a haunted house if they didn’t want their kids getting scared. It didn’t matter, Bakugou would scare anyone.
Bakugou doubled over and clutched his stomach, pretending to be in pain. He ended groaned like he had an actual stomach ache. He’d been doing this for a few years, so his acting was pretty good at this point. When he straightened up again he coughed up bit of fake blood. “I need brains!”
The dad even jumped at the effects and yelled in surprise. He looked like he wished he were able to hide behind his little girl. Grown men where the most satisfied.
He grinned and glared the man down. His face looked completely evil at this point. “Mmm, you could be a good subject…no. Too old. Next.”
Those around them chuckled at the joke and Bakugou grinned, a bit proud of that performance. He wiped the fake blood on his sleeve and placed another two tablets in his mouth. His makeup artist, Ashido designed them and she was a genius. The blood was made from food and so was the coating, making it safe for accidental consumption. It really sold the illusion and scared many people. It was favorite part of the whole act. Although grown men were some of his favorites to scare, there was nothing like finding boys his age that were trying to act tough, but were actually scared underneath it all. College boys had so much pride. He wove his way through the line and nearly chocked on tablet in mouth when he spotted a couple in the middle.
Damn, were they hot and, fuck, he was so gay. He’d always had thing for redheads, but the blond was equally as hot. He could tell they were a couple by the way they were standing, the taller, redhead, with his arm around the blonde’s shoulders. It could have been in a “bro” type way, but he could tell it wasn’t by how close they were standing. They must be from the University close by. They got a lot of students from there at the house.
Bakugou purposefully picked a haunted house an hour and half drive away from his own university so he’d have less of chance of running into his classmates. One, because he hated them, and two because too many familiar people ruined his act. They tried to make small talk with him while he was in character. It just ruined the illusion.
The best part of the couple was the blonde clearly looked like was being comforted by the redhead. He loved the scaredy-cats the most. Very easy to play off, and very easy to make them scream. Bakugou smirked and his eyes locked on to his next targets. Ducking under the rope, he lost himself in the crowd behind them so he could catch them off guard.
“Hey! You two!” Bakugou yelled from behind them and the blonde jumped, hiding into the taller one’s side. The redhead turned them around, he was grinning. Clearly this one was into horror. He must have been the one who dragged them here.
“Oooh. A zombie, very scary.” The redhead held up his hands in a mock surrender and Bakugou narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He hated being mocked.
“Look. You have to help me. I only just escaped the hospital. They were supposed to fix me, but the drugs were bad. There was an outbreak…a disease they never meant to create. I don’t have much time!” Bakugou eyes were pleading his tone was desperate. The blonde looked a little scared and the redhead was at least amused by his act. “Wait…no!” Bakugou reached out to them and doubled over, crying out in pain this time. He bit down on the tablets and the food-blood dripped out of his mouth as coughed. The blonde screamed in the cutest way and Bakugou had to compose himself before he straightened up. He wanted to smirk at him so badly. “It’s too late…brains…let me eat yours!” Bakugou lunged at the redhead, being careful not actually touch him, and chomped his teeth together.
“No you don’t! Patient 29 has been spotted, I’m appending him now. Stand back! You’ll catch his disease if you get too close!”
An actor dressed in a lab coat and a surgical mask weaved his way through the crowd. Bakugou recognized the voice immediately, Sero was finally here. He arrived late on Fridays because of a class, but their acts were always better when they were together. Bakugou had convinced his best friend, Sero to work the haunted house with him back in high school. There act was second nature now. Sero grabbed Bakugou around the waist and started dragging him off.
Bakugou screwed up his face and made it look all innocent again. “No! Please! He’s not the good guy! He made me sicker with those experiments!” He reached his arms out toward the couple, eyes pleading that they’d save him. He was a bloody, zombified damsel in distress. His least favorite part of the act, but it was fun anyway.
“Don’t listen to him! He’s the crazy one. I’m a doctor.” Sero gave them a mock salute and continued dragging Bakugou away. Bakugou yelled and protested the whole way. The crowd clapped for them as they finished the act.
Now out ear shot and eyesight of the crowd, Bakugou broke character. “Took you long enough, asshole.”
Sero grinned cheekily at him, “I got stuck in traffic. You look incredible by the way. Aishido did a good job tonight. The blood tablets really sell it.”
“Yeah they fucking do. I keep telling her she should market them to Halloween stores.” Bakugou grinned and thought back to the couple back there. It was so unfair. Two hot guys like that in a relationship together…they were both lucky bastards.
“That redhead was your type, huh?” Sero chuckled, elbowing him. They’d been friends for most of their lives and Bakugou always wore his emotions on his sleeve, even if he covered them up in anger. Sero had learned how to read him by now.
“Shut up. He’s fucking taken. The blond and him.”
“So? Date them both.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Yeah, like they’ll be open to that. No one thinks of those things as casually as you do.”
“That was a joke. You’re fucked, my dude.” Sero stuck his tongue out at Bakugou.
“Whatever. More people to scare. Later.” Bakugou retreated both from Sero and the whatever that conversation would turn into. He tried his best to not think of what it would be like to be in the middle of those two. He decided to make his way into the longer line now, avoiding the hot guys would probably be best. That was his plan anyway.
“Yo! Patient 29!” Bakugou turned to glare at the source of voice, but he saw it was redhead from before. They were at the front of the line now, minutes away from going in. He should ignore. He should walk away, but he didn’t. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own and carried him over to them.
“Oh! You’ll help me? I managed to escape the doctor, but that fu—I mean—that guy will be coming back.” It was so hard not to swear in roleplays sometimes.
“Yeah, you could say that.” The redhead looked at his partner for a moment and they both smirked. Some kind of inside joke that Bakugou was not a part of. His patience was going to wear thin if they kept doing that. “What time do you get off? Want to come get ice cream with us?” The redhead was severely blushing, but he was grinning still.
“I don’t get off until around 2am and then I have to sit through make up clean up. I’m pretty sure all the ice cream places will be closed by then. Nice try though.” Bakugou waved them off and started walk away.
“Wait! Um, there’s a 24-hour diner close by. We’ll could come back and get you.” The blonde called out to him and Bakugou wanted to run. They were calling so much attention to him.
He strode back over to them and glared. “And why would I want to do that?”
“We think you’re cute?” The blonde phrased it more like a question, but it was obviously supposed to be statement. The redhead nodded along with his words.
“We’re Uni students, we don’t sleep anyway. Doesn’t matter how late.” He jumped in, grinning at Bakugou.
“Aren’t you two fucking dating?” Bakugou shot back. He wanted to, but they obviously meant it as friends. He wasn’t looking for any more friends. The ones he had were annoying enough.
“Yep!” The redhead said happily, but then blushed as he continued. “but, like, we’re poly. Y’know, into dating multiple people. Are you interested?”
Oh fuck, was he interested, but no. He hated dating. It was messy and there were feelings and stuff he hated dealing with. He should say no. He should run and cut ties now. “Fine, but you’re paying.” He waved over his shoulder as he walked away. “Enjoy the haunted house.”
The haunted house would be a breeze after asking out the hot zombie guy. “Shit. Den, he said yes.”
Kaminari shook his head in disbelief. “Looks like you’re paying for three today.”
“My poor wallet.”
“He’s got quite the mouth on him, huh?” Kaminari grinned and Kirishima who nodded in agreement. “I like it.”
“So do I.” They were ushered forward by the employee at the front of the line. “Ooo! It’s our turn. Don’t worry, Den-Den. I’ll protect you.” Kirishima pushed Kaminari forward and in front of him, knowing that although Kaminari hated being in front, being in back would be so much worse.
“I hate you right now, Eijirou.” Kaminari grumbled under his breath.
“Ummmmm, excuse you. I got us that date with hot zombie, you should love me.” Kirishima protested as they walked into the first room of the haunted house.
“No. He rejected you. I’m the one who told him about the diner!” Kaminari protested, sticking his tongue out at him.
“Joint effort then.” Kirishima’s eyes widened with glee when he took in the appearance of the first room. It was a morgue and filled with dead bodies and doctor characters. “Ooooh they’re keeping the horror hospital theme!”
“Oh no…” Kamniari whimpered as they passed through. He hated these and aslym themed ones the most. They’re the most realistic ones. They could happen. Who knows, maybe the zombie apocalypse could be started by a bad drug.
“Milkshakes and Hot Zombie…” Kirishima whispered in his ear as a motivator, prodding him in the side to make move forward. “Damn. These bodies are so realistic! Awesome!”
“Help me! I’m not dead yet!” One of the ‘bodies’ opened her eyes and reached out to Kirishima. He actually sucked in a surprised breath and jumped.
Kaminiari screamed, but it was so satisfying to see Kirishima actually get scared.
“Oh damn, that one actually got me!” Kirishima chuckled and Kaminari groaned, pulling him along. Each room showed a different scene, patients halfway through operations, getting shock therapy or being restrained by the doctors. The place had a ton of actors and everything was way too convincing for Kaminari’s tastes. He was shaking by the time they made it out.
Kirishima, of course was reeling on the adreline of actually being jump scared a few times. He was about to start raving it about it to Kaminari, but then saw how scared he looked. “Denki, babe, are you okay?” No. stupid question, of course he wasn’t okay. He looked very scared. Kirishima pulled him aside and hugged him. “It’s okay, it’s not real. I’m here for you.”
“I know, I know. I was so well done though!” Kaminari whined a little.
“It was! Super cool.” Again, wrong emotion. Kaminari in fact didn’t think this was cool at all. He pulled back and kissed Kaminari. It was a short and chaste kiss, but he put all his comfort and love into it. Kaminari was reluctant to kiss back at first, but he did. It felt good and warmed him up from the outside in. Kirishima’s lips were so familiar that they grounded him and cheered him up. “Thank you for coming with me, Den-Den. Let’s go back and we’ll watch a stupid comedy, then we’ll come back around 2:30 to come get Hot Zombie.”
“Right. He better be hot without his make up.” Kaminari smiled a little, feeling better and less scared.
“I have a name, you know.”
The both separated and grinned at each other when they heard the gruff voice of Hot Zombie. “Oh yeah? You didn’t tell us your name.” Kirishima teased.
“Shut up. You’re annoying. It’s Bakugou Katsuki.”
“I’m Kirishima Eijirou and this is Kaminari Denki. Nice to know you have a name, Hot Zombie.” Kirishima grinned cheekily at him.
Bakugou rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Well! I have to go cheer up Denki here, he’s not a fan of haunted houses. See you for our date later?”
Kaminari glared at Kirishima and elbowed him. “Don’t patronize me.”
“Awww, come on, I’m not! You’re cute when you’re scared.” Kirishima winked at him.
“Ugh and you’re annoying. Get going already. I have work to do.” Bakugou snapped at them. The redhead was going to be a handful and hopefully he was worth it. “Just so you know, Shitty Hair, I’m only going on this date because of your boyfriend. He’s the cute one.” Bakugou smirked at Kirishima and then winked at Kaminari who blushed heavily at the compliment. Just the reaction he wanted. So cute.
“Right. Yep. Time to go, E.” Kaminari felt like he was in a bit of daze and was tripping over his words. He grabbed Kirishima’s hand and led him away to run away from his own embarrassment.
“Shitty Hair? His hair is all over the place. Our hair styles aren’t that different.” Kirishima grumbled under his breath as they left.
One year later
“Okay, we’re heading out Denki. You better be coming to visit us later.” Bakugou said as he and Kirishima shrugged on their coats. Bakugou had gotten Kirishima a job at the haunted house and Kirishima loved him for it so much. It was his dream job. Kaminari was just glad they each other to share horror and gore things with. It was a relief that Bakugou had come along. He no longer needed to be dragged to every scary movie that came out.
“Yeah, no. That’s what you have each other for. I nearly cried last year.”
“Den-Den. Please? I’ll miss you tonight.” Kirishima pouted, giving Kaminari his best puppy dog eyes. The ones that always helped him get his way because they made Kaminari’s resolve crumble. Kaminari turned his head and ignored Kirishima.
“You over use those, idiot. He needs a new form of persuasion.” Bakugou patted Kirishima’s shoulder and approached Kaminari. He sat down next to him and smirked. “Den, come on. Look at me.”
Kaminari fell for it and knew he made a mistake. Bakugou had been just as hot with the makeup than without. He knew he was in trouble the moment he saw Bakugou’s face. “What?”
“I’ll make it worth your while.” Bakugou closed the spaced between them and kissed Kaminari. The kiss was slow and sensual, the complete opposite of the way Bakugou acted. He always showed the emotions he couldn’t or refused to normally, through his kisses. Kaminari kissed back eagerly, Bakugou was a really good kisser and he felt his resolve melting away.
“Me too, Den-Den.” Kirishima bounced over to them. He kissed Kaminari’s lips after Bakugou pulled back. His kisses were just like he always was, energetic and a bit teasing.
“Fine. I’m not going through house. I’ll come see you, but that’s it.” Kaminari glared at them, annoyed that they were making him come, but he would not break anymore.
“What?!” Kirishima squawked and shook his head. “No way, Denki! We’re in the house this year. Please?”
“Yeah, you have to. I’ll get Ashido to go through it with you. She’ll be around, and she’ll be free once it starts. You like her.” Bakugou smiled, showing his softer side, but he only ever did for Kaminari.
“Fine. I’ll text her when I’m heading over.”
“You know I’ll send her to come get you if you don’t show up.” Bakugou threatened, kissing Kaminari’s cheek as he got up.
“I know…” Kaminari sighed.
“I’ll miss you until then!” Kirishima blew kisses at them as Bakugou dragged him out the door.
“You’re such a sap.” Bakugou grumbled. “I love you for it but, still, gross.” He leaned in and kissed him as they walked out the door. It was sweet but also a little rough. Kirishima liked it that way, he answered by biting Bakugou’s lips and Bakugou lived for that.
Kaminari groaned and rolled his eyes. They were going to be the death of him. Apparently around this time of year, he’ll never escape scary things completely. Why was he such a sucker for seeing the ones he loved happy? It was a blessing and curse. Now though, that curse had two names instead of one, but he loved it all the same.