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The sun rises, golden rays shining through in a way that's only possible between the hours of 6 and 8 AM. The rays normally not seen by early risers, those at work and school. Obligations that take away the beauty of how gentle mornings truly can be.
The beauty of the window open, breeze softly flowing in. A chorus of birds and a gust of wind, a car door slamming and a bus rolling past. Chimes fluttering, another gust, the crunchy skuttle of leaves hitting the hard concrete and brick. Its slow, quiet, and perfect.
He looked at the red headed boy asleep in this arms, smiling with a feeling he only felt with this dumbass. It was warm, sleepy, the golden rays dim in comparison to the beauty of his boyfriend, the amount of love Bakugou felt towards him. Words weren't needed, words weren't enough, words failed him along with conflicting chaotic emotions. Yet the gentle springtime breeze, calming on an early morning, one where they didn't need to get up. No hero work, no long nights, no villains popping out of nowhere.
There's a hand thrown backward to reach a phone off the nightstand. A grunt at the awkward sort of painful stretch. Not that it hurt anymore then getting slammed into a fucking wall, tendons shattering and bruise covered skin. Though the unnatural feeling of moving your arm in a way it was never meant to move is nothing short of pleasant.
The news is boring, thankfully. A text from his mom about dinner the next day. The group chat poking fun, long since dead from the early hours of 3AM. Those dumbasses staying up late again, missing the golden rays that for some reason felt stupidly reserved for Bakugou and Bakugou only.
It was uncharacteristically soft, but he long since moved past that. Dances with death and growing up will do that to someone. Brash behavior reserved for the capitalists, the homophobes, the invasive reporters that crowd them after dangerous missions. Becoming replaced with curtness, a slice, a dashing of some leftover aggression that could never leave him, no matter how many therapy sessions one could take.
And as romantic as it would be for Bakugou to say Kirishima changed him. It'd be a lie that both him and Kirishima know all too well. The boy still asleep showed that young teenage arrogant asshole that not everything has to be black and white. No one has to be better or worse, tolerable or enemy, rival and nemesis. The lack of pushovers and fear towards him in the class put out the flame of what was once a superiority complex. Situation after situation, an encounter with villains too many times for any 15 year old to go through. Of course in the end it's what sets the motion for change.
Change didn't happen overnight; wasn't a one way street. Chaotic and painful, grueling and somber. There were fights when he snapped at Kirishima, stupidly yelling out his frustrations. His boyfriend patiently would wait for him to finish before deciding to sleep on the couch, or hang out at Denki's, or Tetsu's and he knew he really fucked up when Kirishima went over to Mina's for a few days.
Kirishima was never a pushover, he didn't mind that Bakugou was an asshole. Because he knew Bakugou could be better, would be better, that he had the will and potential to be so much more. So when Bakugou came in complaining and crying about how stupidly annoying the therapist was today, Kirishima would calmly state how far he's come. Some days it ended there, and when it escalated well that's when one of the above scenarios went down.
Kirishima never scolded Bakugou, never talked down to him. He showed his disappointment and hurt clear on his face. Something years and years of love support could not erase.
Though Kirishima himself, had his fair share of problems.
It hurts Bakugou when he sits at home, makes a meal, and Kirishima comes with the gloomiest expression. No matter how much prodding Bakugou tried he shakes his head, saying that he just needs a shower. Its strange, he shys away from touch, sleeps far away even though it's just an inch away from him. His head fogs up into something so obviously dark Bakugou doesn't know what to do.
Bakugou knows Kirishima thinks of himself as selfish. He blames himself for the silliest of situations. His “manly and chivalrous” facade kept him sane. No one could understand it, not his mom’s, not his friends, not even Fatgum or Tamaki, not even Bakugou himself. The simple truth of how years and years of non-believing. Of listening to doubts, the tellings that nothing mattered for heroes but how flashy a quirk was. Bakugou had explosions, Todoroki had fire and ice, Mina had acid, Denki had lightning, and when Kirishima compared himself to that, he became so down and hopeless. It pissed Bakugou off to no end. It wasn’t feeling sorry, it was literal fucking disbelief. It was laughs and fake smiles, simple thanks and gratitude. Kirishima never took a compliment to heart, never believed in it. The self-hatred following so close behind, also a shadow of who he never was.
He thinks he’s weak. It’s why he dyed his hair, Bakugou knows from Mina, they all know. Kirishima knows they know, and Bakugou can tell it bothers him to no end.
So he looks at the boy in his arms. Pets away heavy strands of dyed red hair, neither soft nor stiff, not silky but not unpleasant either; as if anything that silly would hinder Bakugou from touching the boy he loved with something further and deeper than heart and soul.
Brushing away hair, looking at the small scar over his right eye. Intertwining arms and legs. Holding on to a hand he held from 10 years ago.
It makes him think how Kirishima became a lot more quiet after his fight with Gigantomachia, or what was previously his idol Crimson Riot.
He was always happy, so supportive, cheering everyone on.
And there he was, full on crying, caked in what probably was a mixture of blood and dirt and who knows.
He won the battle, yet it felt like he lost everything.
During 3rd year, Kirishima Eijirou returned from the biggest fight anyone in UA history has ever had to face. Alone, no pros, a winner. History was made, the class was excited, the teachers barely able to conceal the proud smirks upon seeing how far that boy has come.
He walked in, the way someone who lost everything would come home to an empty house.
The silence was deafening, painful static. As he gave the sorriest weakest smile one could muster.
He walked past, no one dared move, they were frozen, the shock hitting harder than anything they previously had been through.
A door slam that was louder than any explosion echoed in their ears.
He came back, blinking as if he had awoken from a dream. Confused as to why everyone was standing around.
“Ah, sorry for making you all worry-”
“Kirishima, stop apologizing for worrying us, we care about you, so of course we'd worry.” Mina chimed in.
The sorry smile turned into the single most painstakingly stabbing sensation of a grimace.
“I, I'm gonna head to bed.” Spoken the way a kicked puppy slinks away, almost afraid.
When he was certainly out of earshot, after what seemed like eternities passed, the class looked towards Mina for answers.
“God I promised I wouldn't say this, but its gone on for too long, he really thinks he's nothing!” She curls her hands with tears in her eyes. “I just I don't understand!”
“Mina-” Uraraka had began.
“He blames himself for not confronting a villian from 4 years ago. He blames himself for being scared, thinks he’s weak because he’s found himself frozen in fear. He dyed his hair to forget about the past, to make him memorable, he thinks he’s not flashy even though he’s damn well the strongest one here. He’s been working towards something no one thought he could have, it wasn’t unreasonable, it was just their false beliefs. What do we do, nothing I say means a word to him!”
She's full on sobbing now. Sero and Kaminari are letting tears engrave their cheekbones. Jirou is hiding her face with her headphone jacks, poorly, in a way that would have been funny given any other situation. Momo’s hand is barely blocking the obvious distress she's in. Iida looks like he ran over a deer. Deku’s shaking in a way even Bakugou had never seen. Todoroki has the smallest spark of a flame on his fingertips, the telltale sign of rage.
And for the first time Bakugou feels a pain like no other. Heartbreaking sorrow, amongst the rest of class A.
Mina told them everything, Kirishima found out god knows how. and if anything became even more reclusive. They tried telling him that he won and the answer was always the same cold shoulder, “I mean what kind of hero would I be if I hadn't won?”
He wouldn't answer the door. Didn't show up in the common room. At least he was eating because Bakugou made sure to bring food and leave it in the fridge and each time the food was gone.
Bakugou didn't know what to do.
Somehow a system was made. One where Bakugou hit the wall three times asking a simple “Are you okay”
Each time there was a small knock back.
“No”
He didn't fall behind in class. When fighting he looked fucking ethereal, a form that turned his skin into something akin to crystal, he was like a dragon, mythical, fucking stunning and amazing, amd everyone could see it but him.
Bakugou felt more and more powerless as the days went on.
On the third grocery store trip that week. this time Jirou and Todoroki with him, he sees a little girl staring at him. He stares back.
“You’re from UA right?”
“Yeah what of it?”
“Do you know the hero Red Riot!”
Kirishima?
“Why?” he asks instead.
“Well I wanted to thank him!”
“Thank him?”
“Yeah he saved me! my brother! my sister! and my home! he saved us all!”
She clasped her hands together, extending a letter.
“Please give this to him.”
…
One month after the greatest hero villain fight since all might, Bakugou finally confronted Kirishima.
“Kirishima please open the door, you have to see this, I promise you I'm fucking begging here” There were tears, something he'd never admit to.
Kirishima opened the door.
And when he did Bakugou threw himself onto the redhead. Who caught him of course less the surprise.
“Bakugou-”
“I missed you, god I fucking missed you. You strong beautiful idiot. Why can't you realize how great you are?” hugging impossibly tighter he wasn't letting go, he wasn’t ever letting go.
“Do you know you saved people? Kirishima we all love you, I love you, I love you so fucking much I don't know what to do.”
“Bakugou I-”
The fucker wasn’t gonna listen so Bakugou opened the letter and started reading it aloud.
Dear Red Riot,
Thank you for saving me! For saving ma and pa. For saving my little brother, and older sister! It felt like having All Might around again, I was so scared until I saw you show up. You looked so cool, so strong! I knew you would beat that nasty villain up. I heard a lot about that villain since then, the internet runs rampant after all. The villain used to be Crimson Riot, the hero your name is in homage to right? I know this is just a letter but I hope you know Gigantomachia was not Crimson Riot. After Crimson died, Overhaul turned him into the villain you defeated, he doesn’t remember anything about being Crimson Riot. You didn’t kill your idol, you saved the whole city. All my friends at school are jealous that I got to see you up close, that I got to be saved by you. They all say how you reflect the perfect balance of Crimson with the strength of All Might. Do you know that Mr. Riot? My quirk can sense the emotions of people, and I can tell you feel unworthy. I’ve never seen such a pretty hero before. Mt Lady? Yeah she’s pretty in the sense all girls are; but you? You shone like the brightest diamond. Blinding like smooth crisp snow. It was magical, it was flashy, it was unique and incredible all at once. I’m glad it was you who saved me. I’m glad to got the chance to see you; I’m glad I could write this letter to you. Listen to your friends Red Riot. You are something the world has never seen before, and all of us our lucky to be on Earth at the same time as you.
Love,
One of the many fans of the greatest hero, Red Riot.
“Fucker almost stole my brand, the brat is trying to woo you in front of my eye-” Bakugou stopped abruptly as he felt Kirishima shaking in his arms, cool air hitting a tear soaked shoulder.
Before Bakugou could even ask what was wrong, Kirishima pulled back, and pulled Bakugou towards him in a way he never thought he would experience.
After 30 long ass days. Kirishima Eijirou smiled the shark toothed grin of 1000 suns finally genuine and happy. And Bakugou knew that he would be loyal to this dumbass for the rest of his life.
“Thank you, Katsuki.” He spoke, smiling and laughing, the only look he should ever wear on his face.
“Don’t thank me, your happiness is all I could ever ask for.” He cupped his face, bringing their lips together again. Smiling too, the love for the boy triumphing any attempt of pain from hardship
…
Bakugou flew back into reality as he felt Kirishima stir. Indulging the urge to hold him even closer.
“Kat’ski”
“Yeah Ei”
“You're holding me so tight, what's wrong?”
“M sorry Ei, I just love you so much, I care about you so much, I'm so fucking lucky and glad to have you.”
The red eyes met carmine ones, both dewy with tears. Bakugou pressed himself into kirishima. Pulled back holding Kirishima like he was the only thing that mattered.
“I got something for you.”
Kirishima's eyes shone
“Marry me, Eijirou.”
10 years after they met, 7 years since they got together. 5 years of living together. on their 3rd year of official pro hero work at their own agency; Kirishima accepted Bakugou's proposal.