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It was New Years Eve, and class 1-A was sitting all together with their snacks and drinks, waiting for the New Years Fireworks show to start. Eijirou was bundled up, sitting on the edge of the group and gazing up at the sky. He loved New Years. It was a celebration of new beginnings and letting the bad of the previous year fall away. He was thinking of all the things he would do next year. Starting second year of Yuuei, progressing his career as a hero.. How far would his quirk handling progress next year? How much could happen?
He was sitting on a little stone wall next to Bakugou, the two of them several feet away from the others. Bakugou tended to get pretty overwhelmed when all of the class got together like this so it was just easier to make sure he had space to fire off explosions if anything got under his skin. Eijirou felt a tug on his jacket.
“Oi, I know a better viewing spot. Let's go.”
Eijirou looked in surprise at his best friend. If he knew a better spot, Eijirou would have thought he’d thoroughly insulted this one when they settled down. Whatever though, maybe he just remembered? Eijirou grinned and nodded. "Yeah? Okay let's get the others-"
"No! Fucking- just come on dumbass!" Bakugou stood the two of them up with a firm grip on Eijirou’s arm, and made to the woods. He watched Bakugou curiously as he marched them along uphill into the woods. Was this alright? Would they be able to see the fireworks through the trees?
“Hey, bro, where’re we going?”
Bakugou just huffed “Higher.” In response, as if that was an actual answer.
“Higher?”
“Higher.”
Eijirou rolled his eyes, but took the hint and shut up. They walked in silence for a good while, long enough that he was starting to worry they wouldn't get to this spot before the show started. He was making fussy, worried noises that were definitely annoying his Bakugou when they stepped onto a little patch of grass overlooking the whole city.
It wasn't a clearing exactly, more like the top of a steep hill with a little less than a square meter of sitting space. It was flanked by trees but as the two sat down (Bakugou still guiding) Eijirou realized that the view up here put the one down where they had been before to absolute shame. It also made sense that Bakugou hadn't told the rest of their friends and class about this place, there was only really room for two. He realized something about that that made him smile.
“The fuck are you looking all dopey about?”
“Well, I guess I'm just happy that you decided you’d rather have me up here with you than be by yourself!”
Bakugou rolled his eyes and leaned back onto the slight incline of the hill behind them, his calves dangling over the edge of the sitting space. Eijirou sat back on his hands and looked out over the city.
“You like New Years, Bakugou?”
“It's whatever. Like the fireworks, and the food. A lot of traditions around it and stuff are really dumb though.”
“Like what?”
“Like- drinking champagne, or New Years resolutions that everyone knows damn well they're never going to follow through on, and New Years kisses.”
“What's dumb about New Years Kisses?”
“Why the Fuck does it matter when you kiss someone? Just kiss them whenever you want, doing it at a specific time or date is just asinine.”
“I dunno, I think it's real manly to let someone know you like them that much at the start of the year!”
Bakugou snorted. “Yeah, you think everything is manly. How is THAT manly, specifically?”
Eijirou laid down next to him, keeping his head propped up on his hand. “Well, being manly is like, living without regrets n’ stuff you know?” Bakugou's eyes widened a little bit. “So looking at someone you like, and letting them know you like them at the beginning of a new year is like, a pledge I guess? To me it just says ‘Hey, spend this year with me, I wanna end my last year and start this one right by kissing you’. Does that make sense?”
Bakugou was looking at him kind of weirdly. A bit like when in seventh period (hero class) he gets a new piece of information and chews on it a bit, considering his options.
“Yeah… That tracks I guess.”
“See! It's manly!” Eijirou looked back towards the starry, firework free sky, and sat back up. “Any idea when the show is gonna start?”
Bakugou pulled out his phone and checked the lock screen, following Eijirou in sitting up. “It's 11:54, so six minutes if they start when advertised.”
Katsuki’s head was spinning. Taking Kirishima up here had been kind of impulsive, and now, even if it was indirectly, they’d been talking about kissing and romance and all that sappy shit. It got the stupid parts of his brain (not that he’d ever admit they were there) thinking… things. He checked his phone again. Still 11:54.
“Y’know, one year I think I’d like a New Years Kiss.”
Katsuki froze.
“You know just, share a moment like that with someone? It’d be nice.”
“...you really think it's manly?”
“Yeah man.”
There was a few heartbeats of silence before Katsuki replied.
“I could kiss you.”
The words were out of his mouth before he think. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck—
Eijirou blinked stupidly. Uh, what? Bakugou was staring determinedly out at nothing, face white and utterly blanched.
“Could you repeat that for me, bro?”
The blood rushed back into Bakugou’s cheeks with a fury as he swung his face around to hide it. Couldn't hide his scarlet ears though. “Fucking- nothing I didn't say shit!”
Eijirou’s heart pounded. Oh god please let him have heard right. He’d been wanting to kiss Bakugou for months. What with him being that handsome, confident, sourpuss type that Eijiriou found utterly irresistible. And a good, sweet, pun loving smartass under all of it.
“Bakugou? It's cool bro, I'm not gonna get upset or anything, I just wanna know what you said.” He gently coaxed. Slowly Bakugou turned his head back and mumbled something.
“Sorry? Didn't hear you man.”
“Ugh, how is it that I'm the one who blasts explosions off all day but it's you who can't hear five fuckin words?!” He groaned.
“Just say it so I can hear you!” He grinned “c’mon Bakugou, how hard can it be to say ‘I wanna kiss you Eijirou,’ but at an audible volume this time?”
“I NEVER FUCKIN SAID THAT!” Bakugou screeched, twisting up fistfuls of grass. “BESIDES YOU CLEARLY HEARD ME SO WHY THE FUCK DO I GOTTA REPEAT MYSELF?!”
Eijirou’s chest swelled “So you DID say you’d kiss me!”
“Oh my god I take it back- I only said that shit because you said you wanted one and like, I dunno I'm fucking here I guess.”
Bakugou was pouting at the end of it. It was cute, but Eijirou’s face fell just a tad.
“So, you didn't mean it then?” He fidgeted with his shoe laces and sighed, looking back to the air that hopefully would soon be filled with fireworks.
Katsuki sat there feeling stupid and pulling at the grass. Fuck, now that the thought was in his head… No regrets huh? He wondered if he’d regret trying to go through with his traitorous train of thought and kissing Kirishima straight on the mouth like he wanted to. Supposing he did try that, anyway. He checked his phone. 11:58. Katsuki bit his lip.
If you want that excuse to fly, a little helpful shitty voice in his head said, You're gonna wanna act fast.
Katsuki groaned. This was fucking stupid, and it shouldn't be as hard as it was to just fuckin say Hey, I'll kiss you for New Years! He wondered how badly he’d regret it if he didn't.
Katsuki sighed.
“Yo, Kirishima.”
“Yeah?” Kirishima looked at him. Katsuki swallowed the lump in his throat. Now or never.
“If you really do want that New Years kiss, I don't mind.” He covered his eyes “I’ll even fuckin mean it in that really dumb way you said earlier.
Oh, fuck this guy. Katsuki couldn't see right then but he could feel the sunshine shooting straight out of Kirishima’s face.
“Holy shit are you serious?” And there he went talking with all that awe and glory in his tone.
“Yeah.” And he was. He wanted to end this year with Kirishima, and spend the next one with him too. He sat up. “Do you want me to?”
Kirishima looked like Katsuki had just handed him 10,000 yen. Eyes wide and disbelieving. Then he shook himself. And smiled. “Nah man you don't have to if- if you don't want to.”
Katsuki huffed. “That's not what I asked.”
Kirishima considered it a bit. “I mean- I guess. But I.. Bakugou, I like you. I don't want you to kiss me just ‘cause you want to make me happy.”
He liked him? Katsuki stared, and Kirishima turned back to the view just as the scream of the first firework pierced the night. A huge grin spread over Kirishima’s face as the explosion illuminated him for an instant. Scream, Boom! Another firework. Katsuki wasn't really looking.
He liked him. Kirishima said he liked him. Of course he did, Katsuki was the best. But still, he said that. Katsuki checked his phone. 11:59. He had barely enough time. But time nonetheless.
“Kirishima.”
Kirishima turned obediently. “Yeah?”
Katsuki took a moment to appreciate how fuckin beautiful he looked, lit by explosions. Sparks reflected in his eyes, playing off the color. He leaned in, slowly, and closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to that perfect mouth. He tried to make it clear this wasn't a pity kiss, or a “fulfill your dream” kind of kiss. He wanted Kirishima, and he wanted him to feel it. And he guessed he did because Kirishima kissed him back. It was warm and soft in sharp contrast to the cold winter air. Kirishima's breath was sweet, and Katsuki wondered how long he could share it. He felt a smile break out across Kirishima's face as his favorite dumbass laughed and pulled back a few inches before diving in to kiss him again.
They missed the show like that, paying more attention to one another than the fireworks. Kirishima whined about it as they descended the mountain hand in hand, but it was clear to anyone with eyes he didn't really mind. Katsuki watched him and let himself smile.
Happy fuckin New Year.