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Bakugo has never really thought about what it takes to be a hero. His gut feeling has always been enough, the certainty of doing good, of bringing justice along the way.
He powers through the months, formation and obstacles like water would glide over one’s skin. His goal is set, his growth to be determined, and he won’t stop until he’s reached the top.
He’s not one to question and ponder, wonder what you have to bring out of yourself in order to be one. He is and that’s enough, until he sees Kirishima’s unbreakable form, the footage on the news, over and over again, of his breaking body, and unwavering gaze. It reminds him of mortality, of courage and bravery, and the way that this is not the first time Kirishima puts his life in danger to save someone. He remembers Kamino and the strength of his grip, the certainty he had in eyes he'd save him.
If he were to describe what it takes to be a hero, that would be his answer. Kirishima’s the goal to set in order to be worthy of being called one.
That’s what he’s thinking about, laying in bed, in the dead of the night, full of unspent energy and coiled frustration he can’t seem to steam out even after spending time at the gym.
Bakugo has never really let his guard down, wary of others, potential distractions, possible enemies, certain hindrances on his path; that is, until Kirishima came in. Pulling him out of his comfort zone, he taught him how to express himself, to connect with his own feelings , trying to convert them from a taboo to a healthy way to spend energy. Good communication can save lives he'd told him during a sparring sessions, indestructible, grin feral in his certainty to be correct. And maybe it had work, a little, and people had started approaching him, less fearful, bolder and more sincere in their way of talking to him. Friends is what he has now, what he somehow nurtures in his own gruff way. Apologies, amends he's made to Deku, spat out but still in the open, like a truce, a extended peace treaty.
Kirishima's strong, not only outside but to his core as well, and that makes him a true hero, one Bakugo has to learn from, he only admits to himself when no one can know about it.
He rolls over, grabs his phone and texts his friend.
Can't sleep. He says. Come over?
And this night isn't the first night where the frustration is stuck high up his throat, like a plea desireful to come out and unable to. He's silent and his mind's fuzzy, his thoughts can't stop.
Bakugo has never really thought about anyone else than himself before Kirishima, and that bothers him a lot. He makes him feel , forces him to take action, interact with others and actually ponder over his behavior. He feels for him is what is the worst. He’s a liability, and by being so, Bakugo refuses to lose him, has embraced this inherent fault he actually cherishes. Kirishima is his friend, his first love, his first sunshine smile that made his heart skip a bit, the only person who has the right to come at night, at an ungodly hour and slip into Bakugo’s bed without fearing death or serious injury.
Kirishima does exactly that, silent feet on the carpet of their dorm, red hair looking dark, almost purple under the moonlight, framing his features in a very soft and candid way.
“Hey.” He whispers, doesn’t wait for an answer he knows won’t come.
Bakugo scoots over, leaves a spot for him in his single bed, and Kirishima doesn’t bother sitting, immediately laying down, in a foetal position, watching him with purple eyes and open lips.
“What goes on?” He says, and his voice feels reassuring in the dark, an anchor in the unknown that is life.
And what’s going on, really? Bakugo’s in love and has never felt this way before. It’s unsettling and scary, something he doesn’t have a grasp on, and that’s everything he hates in life. He wouldn’t give up on the feeling for anything, though.
He quivers at the thought of losing him, feels weird all over whenever he smiles his pointy grin.
“It’s a full moon.” Bakugo tries, grumpy, and Kirishima huffs, gets a bit closer to him, toes tickling at his calves.
“Just say you’re overthinking again.” He replies around a smile, and Bakugo can’t help but return him that smile, just a tiny bit.
“Yeah.”
“What is it about?”
And there’s no use to lying.
“Thinking ‘bout you.”
It had started months before, Katsuki unable to find respite, texting his friend, the other coming over, and them talking their hearts out. It had slowly faded into confessions, Bakugo’s breath a fine line of anxiety when he’d told him I think I feel something other than simply friendship for you , and Eijiro had beamed a soft aura, a gentle hand on his arm, and he’d nodded. He’d answered Figured. I’ve been in love for a while now; waited for you to realize. As simple as that, he’d become a tangible weakness in his life.
Bakugo lets himself slip further in his bed, slide towards Kirishima, and his lips find his, their tenderness a sharp contrast with what he’s hiding behind. He loves it, to know Kirishima’s a weapon of a man, strength become human both in its body and soul.
“You worried?” Kirishima murmurs, and his voice soothes Bakugo, uncoils what he’s tried to ease for hours and hours.
He sighs against the top of Kirishima’s head.
“If people know, we’ll be in danger, both from ours and villains.”
“When has danger ever stopped you?” Kirishima’s laughing, but there’s a tinge of sadness in his voice, understanding and fear shared with him.
“I know you take care of yourself.”
“You have to stop thinking we’re liabilities to each other.” He sees his frown in the dark and Bakugo breathes in, breathes out.
And, truly, Bakugo’s not worried about Kirishima’s ability to attack and defend himself, he’s simply worried like anyone else , and he hates the thought of it, about him getting hurt, of losing him.
“I want people to know we’re together.” Bakugo tells him, voice low, and he presses him close, kisses the crease between his eyebrows, his nose, his lips. “I want them to know how much stronger we are together.”
He remembers the way Kirishima had blinked though, when he’d told him, before he’d put on this mask of fake confidence and told him he knew. Remembers how his blush had colored his cheeks with a tinge of moonlit blue, a delicate shade he’d wanted to kiss.
Stop being so full of yourself . Bakugo had said, laughing, as if he’d never worried of not being loved back. He’d slotted their legs together and had shakily wrapped his hand around his waist, leaning over to kiss him.
You blush a lot, Katsuki. Eijiro had said, and it had been their last words before their first kiss.
“I don’t want the higher ups to be a hindrance in our careers, our lives, because we’re together.” Bakugo says, and he knows Kirishima’s mushy because he’s talking of a very long term relationship .
It’s been a little less than a year. They’d kept it to themselves, but, one by one, their closest friends had learned about it, and, all in all, most of their class knew what was happening before Bakugo even was. It didn’t stop them from being discreet, waiting at night, Kirishima’s soft pyjama against Bakugo’s skin, the way he breathed against his collarbones, softly evening out until he’d fall asleep in his arms. He’d wake up with Kirishima’s hair down, oddly sticking up, toothy grin welcoming him into a new day, asking for some tea, and Bakugo would smile, telling him to shut up and go take a shower.
“I know you know what you’re gonna do about it.” Kirishima says, softly.
“Beat the hell out of every homophobe?”
“No.”
Bakugo sighs.
“Continue being brilliant and get first in rankings, bringing you along with me, by the sheer strength of our skills and quirks?”
“Better.”
“When are we doing it?”
“When do you want to?”
“I want to ask Aizawa tomorrow; tell him and ask him to support us for a full coming-out, be ready if there’s an issue with students, teachers or at our apprenticeships. Are you up for it?” Bakugo asks, and moves his hand from the small of Kirishima’s back to his hip, moving to take his hand in his, and Kirishima nods, intertwines their bodies and kisses him again.
"Yeah I am."
It's the dead of the night and Bakugo finally falls asleep with his boyfriend in the crook of his arms.
Aizawa only nods to the news the next day, forcibly aware of their bond before. No one has missed it, the way Kirishima's made himself a spot in Bakugo's life, a sure place before even Kamino happened. He tells them not to worry, that they'll be protected, that they aren't alone in there. Kirishima nods, with a squared jaw and an intense focus, a determination to have things go their way. Bakugo stays silent, thankful. All Might winks at him in the corridor, his secret exposed to the public eye as well.
Things don't change that much, except that Kirishima gets more tactile, plays with his hair, his hands, is even more playful than usual. No one notices, or, at least, no one comments on it, except for Todoroki who squints at them both, aware of their change in behaviour. He walks to Bakugo's desk and asks him, straight to the point, So you're going public? It makes Bakugo snort, but he's smiling when he answers him What does it look like to you?
They're in their third year, which means they've got apprenticeships going on, two weeks a month on the field, and the entire summer. Chance has it that Bakugo and Kirishima's teams are constantly paired up. Actually, it's not up to chance, it's thanks to Bakugo who's explained to his mentor the way they'd benefit from being each other's sidekicks, how compatible their quirks are, and they proved it, owning the right to patrol together.
Except, now that they've become public figures, attention is on them as soon as they let their hands brush in public, Bakugo's features softened by a long day and his lover's presence. The general public comments on it and they become another trending hashtag, a source of hate and fetishization, as well as figures to look up to and support.
It takes them a week before it happens and someone in the street tweets out a picture of Bakugo kissing Kirishima's bruised knuckles like an idiot, a very very fond idiot.
Nezu and Aizawa brief them on how to react, ignore the paparazzis and prepare them for a declaration to give out whenever they feel ready.
Bakugo holds up two days before he's ready to destroy a camera. Kirishima considers a feat of patience.
"You don't need to know." He bites out.
"We deserve privacy as much as any other individual, pro-hero or not." Kirishima says, as calm as possible.
Bakugo can almost hear Aizawa's tone in his speech.
The journalist presses them again with questions, how long has it been, does it have any impact on their work, what if they break up?
Bakugo's losing his cool.
"Mind your business, will ya? We protect the town, that's all you need to know."
It's enough for the time being.
Ochako greets them with a hug that night, relieves them of some pressure, while Tsuyu watches from afar, perched on the sofa, smiling at them with Todoroki. Deku blissfully stays silent while Sero, Kaminari and Mina all make fun of Bakugo's about-to-burst-out face.
They become the youngest pro-heroes to be out in Japan, have papers talk about them and erase the work they've done so far, reduced only to their possibility sexuality, only calming down when Bakugo and Kirishima confirm that they're indeed together. It takes two full weeks for the media to shut up about it and for social media to quiet down.
Bakugo had never thought about what it took to be a hero until he sees Kirishima go through each day like they aren't being harassed, doesn't ruffle kids' hair, answer private messages from people in the closet thanking them for their act of bravery. Maybe it's that, he thinks, to be one, aside from strength and smartness, to be as empathetic as he is.
He tells him, one night, that maybe he's more of a hero, in the true sense of the word, than he is. He confesses his thoughts and presses closer, kisses his nape and whispers his name against his lips.