Work Text:
His leg was bouncing a steady rhythm as he sat on the bus seat. His hands clenched tightly on his knees before he pulled them back, crossed his arms, glared out the window. This was stupid, ridiculous. It was a simple question with a simple answer. Yes or no. That was all he needed to hear. And it wasn't like there was a lot hinging on that answer. Either things would change or… they wouldn't. They would stay the same as they had been before.
But Katsuki didn't want that. He wanted things to be different. To be able to list Tensei as a beneficiary should anything happen, to have the man allowed in his hospital room, to be able to call the man his husband. It was reasonable and made complete sense and there was no sappy or romantic feelings behind it.
So he had no reason to be nervous and the box in his pocket had no right to be burning such a heavy hole in his pocket.
Scowling out the window as the bus drew closer to his stop, Katsuki could feel his heart rate picking up. This wasn't a big deal, he had to keep reminding himself. It was just the next step in a long line of steps that they had been following for a couple of years now. Getting to know each other, spending more time with each other, exchanging traumas and soft kisses, one just as hesitant as the other. He scoffed as he got off the bus. He wouldn't have hesitance in this one.
Katsuki pushed his way through the revolving door, hardly even acknowledging the secretary sitting at the desk. If they lasted longer than a week with all the villains that came in and out of this place, then he'd learn their name. Until then, he didn't care about them.
And if they didn't learn that he was allowed in this building as he pleased, well, they learned fast enough. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he meandered through the halls. Passed Togata's office and his bright smile. "Hey Detonation, didn't expect you through today. It's not Wednesday is it? You'd think someone would tell me I came in to volunteer on the wrong day!" He laughed brightly.
It only managed to pull a half smirk from Katsuki though. The nerves that he was so unused to were screaming in his ears. "Nah. Don't have time to talk though. Tensei alone?"
"Mm." Togata confirmed, his eyes twinkling. "Don't forget these walls are thin."
Katsuki flipped him off with a Snort as he moved on towards the office further down the hall. It wasn't a large building, but it was still big enough that Tensei could have taken a larger office for himself. But no, he wanted one of the regular hall ones, just like the other employees and volunteers. Knowing how important it was to Tensei for everyone to feel on equal footing, Katsuki had long ago stopped trying to convince him to upgrade.
Not bothering to knock now that he knew the other was alone, Katsuki opened the door. The familiar sight of Tensei bent over his table did nothing to put his thoughts to rest, but the warm smile that bloomed across his boyfriend's face when he looked up did make him feel more confident.
"Katsuki! I was just about to call you! I could use your help with someone." Tensei began shuffling around the papers on his desk, eyes scanning names. "Older guy, has the ability to melt door locks from the inside out. I know that's not really your wheelhouse but I'm not sure who I should reach out to to help him get more control and find a job. I mean, he melts the lock of every door he touches right now."
He accented his point by gesturing at the door. Looking now Katsuki could see the melted metal now cooled on the handle. "Fuck I don't know." He replied with a huff. "Earphone Jack or Genesis for a job but control... Fuck that kid from Shiketsu that can change solids to liquids? I think they have a touch based that they couldn't control before they started school. But can I talk to you about not work for a moment?"
A look of concern flashed across Tensei's face and he pulled back from the desk. "Nightmares? Bad job? I know I left early this morning but you seemed to have had a good night." He murmured, rolling over to reach out and gently brush Katsuki's fingertips with his own.
"Nah, nothing like that." Katsuki turned his hand around and gripped Tensei's tighter, only for his efforts in attempting to stop the man from worrying to be rewarded with an even more concerned gaze. He pulled the Hans to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. "Seriously, I'm fine. Can we go to lunch? I don't wanna talk about it here."
Tensei's eyebrows furrowed so far down that the arrows at the ends seemed to point a bit further upwards. "Yeah sure let me just lock..." He trailed off as he looked at the door beside Katsuki before giving a rueful laugh. "Let me tell Mirio to keep an eye out to make sure no one gets into my files."
Soon enough, but not fast enough for the shaking of Bakugo's hands now tightly clenched around the inner fabric of his pockets, they were outside. "Glad you stopped by. I planned on taking lunch in the office but it's so nice outside today." Tensei grinned as he glanced over at Katsuki. "And I mean, it's always a better day when I get to see your face before I get home for the day. And not just on the news."
Katsuki could tell the man was curious. He didn't usually show up randomly for lunch but. He had wanted it to be special. A surprise. Unforeseen and undeniable but it looked as though that track was just making them both nervous. But he had made a decision and he was going to keep to the plan.
"Yeah well. Like ya said. It's nice out and Yamamoto-san has a special on his dragoon hero ramen today." He muttered as they weaved their way through the midday crowds.
"Yamamoto's? I didn't realize it was a special occasion."
"It's not. It's a sale."
"At our favorite outdoor ramen stall. Sure."
Katsuki could feel his cheeks heating up under the gaze of Tensei. He ran his hand through his hair, sending the spikes straight back up. "If you don't want it we can go somewhere else." He snapped out.
Tensei shook his head, turning his gaze forward again. The rest of the trip was in silence with Katsuki kicking himself the entire way.
After putting in their orders, the two of them settled at their usual table. Katsuki kicked his feet out into the sidewalk, not quite looking at Tensei. He had already messed up the good mood he had meant to keep up, but he was trying to stay positive. Keep s grip on the anger at himself so he didn't lash out. He'd been working on that.
So wrapped up in his thoughts he almost missed Tensei reaching for him. But he didn't flinch when the man did take his hand and squeezed it. "Is everything really all right baby?" The softness of the question had Katsuki closing his eyes and breathing deeply.
"Yeah. I've just been... thinking."
"That's ominous." Tensei's tone had changed. He was still going for happy but there was a hollowness to it. Shit, Katsuki was starting to give him the wrong idea.
"Hey nerd, no. It ain't any bad shit." He tried to reassure but the softness of his own tone didn't cut the tension.
Tensei laughed, "Forgive me if I don't fully believe you but... Okay, yeah. It's not anything bad. Nothing bad ever happens during an unexpected lunch." The bitterness stung Katsuki but he didn't pull back. He just squeezed Tensei's hand tighter.
"Remember the first time we came here?" He tried to distract him, running his calloused thumb over the soft hand. "It was our first time out in public as a couple. You promised me this place had the spiciest ramen you had ever tried."
"You told me it had as much kick as a baby seal." Tensei snorted, a small smile coming back to his lips. Hesitant, uncertain,, but there. Katsuki could work with that. "Old Yamamoto overheard you and brought out his secret recipe. It had you crying into your noodles but-"
"I wasn't crying."
"-but you finished the whole bowl."
The lapsed into a more comfortable silence after that. Their hands remained clasped until their food reached them. It was with enthusiasm that they set and at the end Katsuki was sure to grab Tensei's hand again. Needing the contact, the reassurance, before the man could wheel himself away from the table.
"You don't have to head right back, do you?"
Tensei blinked, "No, not immediately. Why?"
"I have somewhere else I wanna go. It's... kinda important." Katsuki grumbled.
"Does it have to do with why you've been acting weird today?"
Tensei's dark blue eyes were sharp as the bore into Katsuki's skin and the younger man nodded jerkily. The burning was back in his pocket. The b a hot coal against his leg. "Won't take long, I promise."
"Alright, lead the way love." So trusting, even when he was still clearly uncertain about what was happening. His utter and complete trust in Katsuki was something he had had to work for, but now it wasn't ever second guessed. He never doubted him, feared him. He made sure that Katsuki knew that too, that he was trusted. That he was loved.
Katsuki fucking loved him so much.
Their path carried them down once familiar sidewalks, passed businesses that had seen them gazing into their window fronts more than once only a few months ago. Places that they had not frequented since. Phantoms rushed past Katsuki in his mind's eye. His chest tightened as his hands clenched tightly again. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears as he remembered the screams of the civilians as he raced passed them all. Moving forward, pushing forward because- Because he was waiting for him, he had been waiting for him for a lunch date and because of him-
"Hey, Katsuki."
Blinking hard, his attention turned back to Tensei who had stopped, wedging Katsuki into a corner between his wheelchair and the wall beside them. The serious look bore into his skin but his tone was all worry as he reached out to squeeze his hand. To rub familiar comforting circles. "Why are we headed this way baby?"
There were unspoken questions between them. Why was he pushing again? He hadn't been ready last week to confront the trauma of the mass villain attack, why was he trying now.
Katsuki clicked his tongue. "I want to see something."
"Babe-"
"We need to see something, together." Tensei's face had lost its calm mask he usually wore, the same one he wore when dealing with clients but the concern that was so brazen now left Katsuki's skin itching. "Trust me, alright?"
He's thankful it's only another block before they reach their destination. It's nothing special, another block of street the same as any other. The buildings aren't in the best condition but they're not the utter wreckage that some had been further down the street. And the crowds move around them, already having forgotten the attack that had cost two heroes their lives and a number of civilian casualties. But Katsuki can't forget, and this spot had motivated him into action.
"You were right here when I found you." His voice is abnormally quiet. Tensei has to lean in to hear him and he makes the conscious effort to raise his voice just a little, just enough. "I ran all the way here because we were supposed to be having lunch in this area that day and there you were. Sitting straight up and directing civilians to safety points, but sitting so damn still. I mean you were moving, directing people and talking but you weren't fucking moving." His voice cracks and he runs his hand through his hair again. "And I remembered that you aren't just a hero to me, or the ex-villains you've helped. You're the former hero Ingenium and people still listen to you, respect you. And you still feel that drive in your veins to help people ."
"And I'm so damn afraid to lose you and I can only imagine how you feel with my tendency to throw myself into shit without a second thought to my own safety and we both fucking know they won't let either of us into the hospital room without something legally binding us together and-"
Katsuki took in a ragged breath, pulling his eyes away from the spot he was staring at on the sidewalk to gaze at Tensei. "And I want you to know that I will do my damnedest to never leave you alone. Because fuck it I love you! I love you so damn much and I don't want anyone doubting that. Me, you, the fucking stupid public or the nosy ass doctors. So?" He pulled the box out of his pocket and sank down to one knee. The flow of traffic stilled for a moment around them, but neither of them were recognized in their civilian clothes, so most people moved on. The only people who stayed to watch were just gawkers who didn't matter.
All that mattered was the shocked face before him. And the answer that he was waiting for. He pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth as he waited. Fighting back the sudden certainty that the man would push him away. Reject everything they shared when faced with this sudden change in their relationship. But dammit he wanted it, he wanted it so, so bad. To be reassured that the man wanted him just as much.
He wanted Tensei to be his husband with all his might.
"So?" He pressed out again, his impatience digging into his skin.
Tensei wheeled forward, carefully taking the ring from the box. A simple platinum ring with a brilliant red ruby in the center. "Of course. Have I ever been able to say no to you baby?"
Katsuki sucked in a sharp breath before launching himself forward into his boyfriend- no, his fiance's arms. He was rewarded with bright and shocked laughter. "Hey, hey I don't have it on yet! Don't make me drop it!" And he couldn't stop smiling as he buried his face in the crook of Tensei's neck, turning just enough to watch him slide the ring onto his finger.