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"Let's try this," Tsuyu was saying, "We open with all three of you on the floor, and Shouto is the hands of a clock--"
"The fuck, I'm not letting pretty boy make me move." Bakugou immediately said.
"Kacchan," Izuku said, "It's just for the first fifteen seconds of the song then it'll be our turn."
"Star killer will not be moved." Bakugou insisted.
"Ok, ok, let me rethink it!" Tsuyu said quickly, "Uhmn…All three of you clump together center stage."
They did as Tsuyu instructed, and managed to make a coordinated dance out of the first part of the song up to the chorus.
But during the break, Shouto had to message Kirishima, his manager, "Why +ULTRA? Does Midnight hate me or something?
Shouto and Izuku were supposed to be part of the same boyband, up until Shouto’s family scandal hit the news and delayed their debut.
Shouto opted to go solo to save face. The agency’s work with them would have gone to waste too, if Midnight hadn’t caught Bakugou’s show at an open mic event and realized that he had a flow that could go well with Izuku’s boyish voice.
It was serendipitous, as Izuku and Bakugou had been rivals since they were in primary school. The difference was, Izuku had to learn to rap while rapping came to Bakugou naturally. They held rap battles against each other during breaks, with their classmates voting on a winner. Bakugou usually won. Izuku, however, remained unfazed. He continued to practice, and even went on to take up voice lessons. He was shy about performing in public however, and recorded practice videos on youtube instead. Bakugou, in the meantime, did clubs and rap events. He wouldn’t have signed onto any label if it wasn’t for Midnight.
As +ULTRA gained popularity, Izuku got to ask Midnight to have Shouto part of their collaborative stage for the MAMAs. Midnight allowed it.
While Bakugou and Izuku were based in their respective homes, in the several weeks leading up to MAMA, they lived in Midnight Records’ dorms. Izuku and Bakugou easily got the lyrics going, but Izuku noticed that Bakugou was less than enthusiastic about it.
He kept missing his cues as they practiced in the dorm room, with Izuku on the bottom bunk bed while Bakugou sat on the computer chair by one of the desks. As he tripped on another line, Izuku looked at Bakugou worriedly.
“Kacchan?” He inquired.
“Look, I’m sorry, I’ll pick up next time.” Bakugou snapped.
Izuku was unfettered by Bakugou's rough response, but he pressed on, “Tell me what’s wrong?”
“The only thing wrong is my fucked up timing. Hell it isn’t my part any way. Let’s do it again.”
“Kacchan.” Izuku set his music sheets aside so he could hold Bakugou’s hands. As he thumbed over his calloused knuckles, Izuku realized that he had been boxing again. When did he have time for it? Kacchan only went boxing when something really ate at him.
It suddenly clicked.
“Oh my god!” Izuku exclaimed, “Kacchan, are you jealous of Shouto?”
“Fuck that guy.”
“Kacchan.” Izuku laughed. “Shouto’s too…hurt to be with anyone right now.”
“How the hell would you know that? Anyway shut up, I need to get up to my part.” He finally pulled his hands away and picked up his music, “But I know Shouto’s singing parts too, just in case.”
Izuku gave him a long look, and Bakugou scowled, “Here, listen.”
He started the track over to sing along,
“Never ever,
Never gonna let you go,
Won’t leave you now, no worry now,
Baby you are mine.”
Izuku leaned back onto his bed as he watched him.
“What if I told you that I wrote that part with you in mind?”
“I’d tell you to shut the fuck up.”
“I’m helping Shouto. He got a bad break. Nothing else.”
Bakugou shifted in his seat.
“Fine then.”
Bakugou finally stood up, scratching the back of his head as he did before he climbed into the lower bunk to sit next to Izuku.
There was a pause.
Then in just a second, they turned to meet each other with hungry kisses. Bakugou pulled Izuku over him, wrapping his legs around him as they mouthed over each other.
Bakugou needed to know that he was Izuku's and the boy was all too happy to oblige.
It’s been like that for months.
The tryst that followed was short, with their sounds of neediness and arousal muffled. Every so often, Bakugou would allow himself to make a loud noise of frustration. To those who may have caught it through the thick walls of the dorm, it was Bakugou getting riled up as usual – what they didn’t know was that it was from Izuku teasing him mercilessly as they made out.
Several Weeks Later at the MAMA
Shouto had disappeared for a bit after their run-through, but returned just in time to change into costume. After they were dressed, they waited in their holding area backstage, where Shouto sat between Bakugou and Izuku.
Bakugou gave a grunt as he stood up and faced Shouto.
"Sorry." He said.
Shouto looked puzzled, but gave a nod. Bakugou walked past him and over to Izuku, who was in his own world as he went over his music while listening to his rehearsal tape. Bakugou suddenly leaned over to place a kiss into Izuku's hair before heading over to the water cooler.
Izuku paused, grinning after Bakugou before returning back to his rehearsal tape.
"So you and Bakugou…?" Shouto asked, "For real?"
"Good fan service is practiced." Izuku said right before his cue on his rehearsal tape
Shouto shrugged it off.