Chapter Text
The party was a pleasant roar in his ears, a rumble of voices all laughing and shouting over each other and the music. Bakugo sipped at his drink, leaning into the heat of the bonfire at his back, and basked in the atmosphere. It was only right, that everyone be having fun at Kirishima’s party. He glanced over the crowd, eyes seeking out his partner’s broad shoulders and flame-red hair. Kirishima was, unsurprisingly, right in the thick of the action, dancing with not only their peers from the tribe but also a good few from the other group who’d shown up last night. Or rather, with a specific one of the newcomers.
Bakugo’s good mood vanished in an instant, fire building in him to match the bonfire at his back. This stranger’s hands were not where they should be, and even as he stormed over they were sliding lower, down Kirishima’s sun-gilded sides to flirt with the waistband of his pants. Thick fingers traced the ties that held the sides of the legs together, meant to let him transform without ruining his clothes, not for whatever this jackass was trying.
“Hey.” he snapped as he shoved through the other dancers, scowl deepening at the smell of alcohol on Kirishima’s breath. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The stranger gave him a dumb look, and Bakugo shouldered in between the brute and his partner. No, not a bruiser, the burns and dark smudges on his arms screamed some kind of metalworker. “Uh, dancing?” he frowned, but he did step back, letting Bakugo get properly between him and Kirishima, who just pressed up against his back and hummed happily, oblivious as ever.
“Sure.” Bakugo snarled, nudging Kirishima back with his shoulder. “You weren’t trying to get in his pants?”
“What gives you any say in what he does, huh?” the stranger scowled back at him.
“He’s my partner.” Bakugo spat, and the stranger’s whole demeanor changed instantly, shoulders pulling back and expression going from irritated to something like horrified. His eyes flicked up to Kirishima’s face, then back down to Bakugo’s.
“Man, you need a new partner.”
“You need to fuck off.” Bakugo snapped back at him, and the stranger made a dismissive gesture as he wandered away into the mass of the party.
“Heyyyyy.” Kirishima slurred, and Bakugo let the tension slip from his shoulders with a long sigh.
“Hey yourself.” he smiled, tilting his head back against Kirishima’s painted chest.
“Wanna dance?” Kirishima’s hands came up to rest on Bakugo’s waist, and he rolled his eyes.
“You’re too drunk to keep up with me.” he informed his friend, and the flames in his chest went soft at the way Kirishima pouted. “How many drinks have you even had?”
“I’m an adult.” Kirishima pouted harder at him as Bakugo started leading him out of the throng of dancers. “I’m twenty.”
“And drunk.” Bakugo smiled, slipping away from Kirishima and snorting when the dragon stumbled. Shifting would sober him right up, but there was something kinda cute about Kirishima like this, all pouty and even more openly emotive than he was usually. “It’s late, we should get to bed.”
“But it’s my party!” Kirishima complained.
“And you’re barely standing.” he fired back, catching his friend by both forearms, careful to grip above the thick bands of scar tissue that circled his wrists. “We’ll get some water in you, go to sleep, and laugh at everyone who has a hangover tomorrow.”
Kirishima made an exaggerated thinking face, but Bakugo didn’t wait for him to decide he agreed before he started pulling, guiding his dragon first to the table where the non-alcoholic drinks sat, then out of the party entirely. Kirishima insisted on greeting each of their friends they passed, but once the heat of the bonfires and pounding beat of the music was behind them he began to droop. Really, how was it fair that Kirishima be so awesome and strong, and also be so gods-damned adorable when he was tired? He flopped down onto his palette with a happy little dragon sound, and Bakugo rolled his eyes.
“At least take your boots off, dummy.” he muttered, crouching to unlace and remove his partner’s footwear. He left it at the foot of the bed, and retreated to his own palette with a small smile. Today had been a pretty good day, all things considered. Not quite as fun as the welcome back/coming of age party they’d thrown for Kirishima when he returned from assumed death two years back, but Bakugo doubted anything could measure up to the high of that. Finding out your best friend was alive after three years spent thinking he was dead was a pretty high bar to clear, and not even a two-tribe party was enough to match it. It had been pretty good though, the other folks had some good strong fighters to spar with, and Bakugo had gotten to show off for more losers who hadn’t yet seen his awesomeness.
And they’d had a shifter who was able to put up a decent fight when they challenged Kirishima to a human-form wrestling match, which was really nice. Kirishima had won, of course; Dragons were damn near impossible to beat and his was no exception, but the other idiot had put up enough of a fight that nobody could deny how awesome his best friend was. Most of the day had been spent with Kirishima and the squad of their peers who’d invited themselves into Bakugo’s life. Almost a decade into living here, he’d given up on trying to get them to buzz off, but at least they’d kept most of the strangers who came up to wish Kirishima a happy birthday and long life from sticking around too long.
If only one of them had been with Kirishima at the bonfire.
Bakugo gritted his teeth and rolled over to lay spread-eagled on his back and stare up at the ceiling. It was far from the first time he or one of the others had needed to shoo off some creep whose advances had flown over Kirishima’s head, but this had been the first one who didn’t get defensive or aggressive when Bakugo or one of the others butted in. Instead he’d had the gall to look... fuck, had he been horrified or disgusted? Either option made Bakugo’s blood boil, and he had half a mind to get up and track the asshole down. Kirishima had been called a monster enough times in his life, and it was finally getting through his thick, horned skull that the idiot townies who called him that were, in fact, idiots.
And what had been with that parting line, too? A better partner? Like anyone could be more awesome than his dragon. Bakugo turned back onto his side with a huff, staring at Kirishima’s face. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, happy even, and Bakugo frowned as he recalled the stranger’s face at the bonfire. Not his horror/disgust when Bakugo butted in, but before then, when he’d been “dancing” with Kirishima. Bakugo had gotten very good at pegging creeps who wanted to take advantage of his dragon’s obliviousness, there was something in the way they held themselves, in the way they smiled at Kirishima. Tonight’s stranger had exhibited none of the traits he was familiar with, hadn’t tried to forcibly keep him close or tried to argue that Kirishima wanted him when Bakugo showed up.
The more he thought about it, the more sure he was that the stranger he’d scared off hadn’t actually been trying to take advantage of Kirishima. He’d probably just been looking for someone to fool around with after the party and thought he’d try his luck with the birthday boy. Poor idiot, Kirishima would’ve turned him down soon as it got through his thick skull what the dumbass wanted, he always did, and if someone who’d seemed harmless got forceful then, well, most folks didn’t realize that dragonfire burnt off alcohol in an instant, and nobody was equipped to handle a pissed-off Kirishima at close range.
But then... Bakugo frowned, staring harder at his friend’s peaceful sleeping face. Why had he gotten involved? Kirishima would’ve turned the idiot down anyways, so why had he cut through the crowd and pulled Kirishima from his own party? He couldn’t think of anything, he hadn’t gauged the situation at all before he moved to break up Kirishima and the stranger dancing with him. He’d just seen the man’s hands on Kirishima’s hips and it was like everything had gone red. Oh.
Oh.
Bakugo rolled over onto his other side, cheeks burning. This... this changed things, just a little.