Chapter Text
No one was really sure who hung it up. The mistletoe just appeared a few days before they were due to leave for the holiday break, hanging over the doorway to the common room. There were a couple different theories of who did it, though Mineta seemed the most probable person, seeing as he would linger there for up to an hour, hoping that one of the girls would pass through. Somehow, they never did.
Kirishima quite liked having it there. Sure, it was a bit embarrassing whenever he himself was caught, but a little peck on the cheek wasn’t so bad and it was kind of sweet. Of course, not everyone goes for the innocent approach, he thought, flashing back to when he’d caught Todoroki and Midoriya leaning against the doorway, too wrapped up in each other to notice he was there.
There was, however, one person that had yet to be caught by anyone: Bakugou Katsuki.
There was a bet going around the class of who would eventually get stuck kissing the explosive blond and when it would happen. The smart money seemed to be on no one and never, but Kirishima had a plan and he was going to get what he wanted.
Which was the bet money, of course. Not a kiss from Bakugou, though he’d be getting that too. But the goal was the money. Yeah. Totally.
“Hey, Bakugou!” he called, noticing the other teen was heading out the door. “Going for your run?”
“Yeah. Why?” came the grumbling reply.
Kirishima slipped off the couch, trotting over. “I was wondering if I could come with. I prefer running with someone, but Midoriya and Todoroki go to early in the morning for me. I promise I won’t slow you down.” He added in an extra bright smile in the hope it would soften the blonde's heart.
“Fine. I’ll leave you behind if you don’t keep up.” Bakugou turned away without another word, leaving Kirishima to scramble to put on his running shoes and follow him outside.
The air felt too cold on his skin, hinting at the possibility of snow later on that night. Kirishima settled into place a half step behind the blond, letting the other lead the way. It gave him the chance to observe the other without Bakugou noticing.
The streetlights made his hair look even paler than normal and glistened off the sweat that soon began to collect at his temples. His eyes remained sharp and focused straight ahead, occasionally darting off to look at the source of some strange noise. He never looked back to make sure Kirishima was still next to him. The light jacket Bakugou had worn stretched tight over his shoulders, and Kirishima spent some time watching the points of his shoulder blades appear and disappear as he moved forward.
What a handsome man, came the usual, unbidden thought that Kirishima shoved back down.
Halfway through the run, Kirishima began to regret this idea. Bakugou ran further than he was used to, he’d known that before, but his pace was faster as well. Don’t fall behind, he reminded himself. Think of how you’ll win if this works.
Finally, Bakugou slowed down to a fast walk. They were in a park Kirishima vaguely recognized. The blond headed towards one of the water fountains, taking a long drink before stepping back, gesturing for Kirishima to do the same. “Hurry up. You look like you’re dying.”
“You’re in better shape than I am,” Kirishima said in his own defense, between heavy pants.
As he bent to take his own drink, he thought he heard Bakugou mutter, “Your shape is perfectly fine.” When he looked up though, the other teen had wandered away and was doing a few light stretches, waiting for the redhead to finish. Must've just been my imagination, he thought, shaking his head. Wishful thinking.
Having caught his breath, Kirishima joined the other, and off they went again, heading back to the dorm. This part seemed to go a lot faster than before, and some part of Kirishima wanted to never reach the dorm, fearing what would happen there.
The other part of him was dying.
When they did reach home, the common room was abandoned, since most everyone had gone up to the rooms to study or sleep. Kirishima had long since noticed that Bakugou preferred to go for a run when he knew no one would be here when he came back, but he’d recently noticed that the other had begun pushing it farther back like he was purposefully trying to lower his chances of getting caught under the mistletoe.
Well, that’s about to end, my dude.
He was quick to kick off his shoes, watching Bakugou carefully so he could time it just right. “That was really great,” he said when the other took his time. “I mean, it was really hard, and I feel like dying now, but it was fun. Would you mind if I joined you again sometime?”
There was a long pause as Bakugou looked off to the side. “I guess. Just don’t be annoying about it,” he mumbled after a while. The blond walked across the common room, heading straight for the mistletoe door.
Kirishima was quick to go after him, heart pounding in his chest as the moment finally arrived. “Will you text me before you go next time then? So, I can be ready when you’re ready?” he said in a rush, trying to make his running after the other teen seem more casual.
Bakugou shrugged. “If I remember. Just don’t show late if I do, Shitty hair. I’ll leave without you.”
“Of course.” They were right in front of the doorway now, and then they were under it. Kirishima stopped, turning towards the other, watching as Bakugou….
Kept walking past him.
“Um,” was all he could think to say.
It was enough to make Bakugou pause, looking back at him. His mouth opened, forming a question when his eyes drifted up to where the mistletoe had been hung. He rolled his eyes, sneering. “What? You into stupid holiday stuff now?”
“Aw, C'mon, Bakugou. It’s tradition.” He laughed, mostly out of nerves, but he hoped it sounded more like he was treating this is a joke. And he hoped Bakugou would play along. Kirishima took a few steps forward, throwing an arm around the explosive boy’s shoulders. “There’s nothing wrong with being a little traditional.”
He leaned in a little farther, pressing a very, very swift kiss to Bakugou’s cheek. The redhead immediately backed off in fear of getting punched or maybe even blasted if the other was pissed off enough. His face already felt like it was burning…
“Oi, the fuck was that?” Bakugou snapped. He didn’t sound as angry as Kirishima had thought he would. He sounded more annoyed and frustrated, kind of how he sounded when Kirishima messed up on a math problem for the third time. “If you’re gonna do it, you should at least do it right.”
Kirishima could barely understand what Bakugou had said before a fist was curling into the front of his shirt and he was being dragged forward. Bakugou’s mouth found his easily, warm and a little rough, but pleasant. Very pleasant. Super pleasant.
The kiss lasted only a few long seconds, but in that short time, it felt like everything inside Kirishima had melted into goo, pooling in his feet. He found himself trailing after the blond when Bakugou pulled back, opening his eyes though he couldn’t remember closing them.
Bakugou smirked, studying his expression with eyes filled with some weird emotion Kirishima wasn’t used to finding there. “That’s how it’s done. Got it?”
The redhead nodded numbly. The ability to speak was lost to him at the moment. Bakugou let go of his shirt and walked away without another word.
Should’ve said I didn’t get it, he thought belatedly, mourning the chance to get another kiss. Still, he had won the bet and that was what he set out to do.
Maybe Bakugou would invite him to go for a run tomorrow. The mistletoe would still be there and if they happened to walk through together again… Well, it is a tradition after all.