Work Text:
“Watch it, shitty hair.”
Kirishima stared up in shock and awe. The screwdriver guy stood over him, hands holding up a huge piece of plywood wall that had nearly fallen on Kirishima while he had been putting some black tape markings on the stage floor. He was speechless because he hadn’t expected to meet the screwdriver guy during tech week for the school’s musical. The mysterious guy he had been thinking about all week, wondering about so many things, wondering where he was, and how he knew him.
“You gonna say shit and move or continue to look dumbstruck?” Kirishima shook his head, clearing himself out of his own shock.
“Sorry about that! Thanks for the save.” He scrambled to get up from where he was knelt. Once he stood up to the blonde’s side he helped hold the piece of plywood, helping push it back into place.
“Che.” A dismissing sound was his answer from the blonde.
“Holy shit - sorry about that.” Sero suddenly came around from the other side of the set which was to be a mock room. Sero was from the shop class and was a regular techie who also was in Kirishima’s theater classes. “Everyone okay?” Sero asked, looking over both of them. Kirishima smiled.
“All go-”
“Dumbass!” The blonde shouted angrily. “There’s people working everywhere.” Kirishima quietly watched the blonde chew Sero out. “You can’t just fucking lean a piece of plywood anywhere. You’ve got to fucking secure it.”
“Sorry, sorry Bakugou.” Sero laughed as the blonde yelled at him. So screwdriver guy had a name after all... “I got this. Sato!” He called around the corner. “Come help me hammer this wood.” Lots of snickering erupted from the people around them at the entendre Sero knew he was saying, made obvious with the grin on his face. Sato, the tall shop student with slick back hair came around the corner to take their place of holding the plywood, Sero already getting his hammer out from the tool belt at his waist. Which Kirishima noticed then that the blonde had a tool belt strapped around his waist too, dots connecting in his mind.
Bakugou stepped back first before Kirishima also stepped back to let the two work on nailing the plywood to the frame of the set. “So you’re in the shop class.” Kirishima spoke up, realizing why Bakugou had looked so familiar when he saw him outside the principal’s office. He was a part of the shop class, which regularly helped out creating the sets for all the plays that were conducted at their school and other events, and was a major help when they finished sets in record time during tech week.
“Hah?” Bakugou’s eyes moved from watching Sero and Sato to look at him. Now that they were both standing, and within close distance, he could see that Bakugou was slightly taller than he was - and he looked just as rough around the edges, even if he wasn’t in uniform like their previous encounter. He was in dark work pants and a white tank top tucked into his pants, showing off the muscles of his arms. It was only natural to be dressed out of uniforms now since they were staying after school until late so many students changed out of their uniforms, especially so they didn’t get their uniforms dirty. Kirishima himself was in jeans and a band t-shirt.
“Just realized is all. My name’s Kirishima, nice to meet you Bakugou; and thanks again for saving me from being crushed.” He held out his hand and Bakugou looked down at his hand before he looked up at Kirishima, hesitating, before he took his hand and shook it. Immediately, Kirishima’s mind jumped to how rough his hands were, and how sweaty they were.
“Kirishima!” A bright and bubbly voice broke the space and Bakugou let go of his hand fast like he was scalded. Kirishima turned as Mina, one of the leads in the musical with bright pink hair, walked by, practicing a dance. “Ms. Nemuri needs you to test mics now.”
“Okay!” Kirishima called out to her as she danced away. He turned to Bakugou who had shoved his hands in his pockets, a touch of a slouch which brought them to eye level. “Well I got to go back to work. I really do appreciate you looking out for me.” The redhead smiled warmly to the blonde. “See you around?”
“Hmph.” Again, Bakugou averted his eyes and his head jerked slightly in a nod. Kirishima’s smile grew on his face at the confirmation before he turned around to go find Ms. Nemuri so he could perform a mic check.
He didn’t see how Bakugou stared at his back a few seconds longer before he abruptly turned back to work on the sets again.
Throughout tech week Kirishima kept running into Bakugou. In fact, he began to realize that he had always seen Bakugou around, but he had always been working in the background on the sets in the actual wood saw room which was why he hadn’t been as familiar with him at first and struggled to remembered him initially. But now Bakugou was working on the sets out on the floor by setting them up and painting them so he was easier to see and notice. It didn’t help that his eyes began to search for the explosive blonde, and seek him out on purpose. He made it a personal mission without realizing to say hi to him every time, if not a full conversation, even if the blonde mostly clicked his tongue or grunted at him in response at first.
Mina and Kaminari had both noticed how Kirishima was always searching the stage, and they were growing a little worried for Kirishima’s fixation on Bakugou. Kaminari decided to ask one of the nights while they checked lights, because Kirishima had been distracted by watching Bakugou move sets around the stage for the umpteenth time.
“Dude, what’s up with you?”
“Huh?” Kirishima finally brought his gaze from Bakugou to Kaminari. “What do you mean? There’s nothing up.”
“There totally is. You keep seeking Bakugou out.”
“I do not.”
“You totally do.” Kaminari gave him a deadpan look. “Did he cast a spell on you or what?” Kirishima laughed at his friend’s concern.
“I just think he’s interesting, kinda cool… maybe even nice.” Kirishima had noticed how even if Bakugou was rather rude-mouthed his actions were rather helpful to others even if the others didn’t know he was the one that had provided the help or assistance. Kaminari’s stare only hardened but the redhead ignored it by checking another light.
“You’re weird, dude. There’s nothing like that about him. He’s just some wannabe bad boy with a mouth that’s literal dynamite just like his personality.” Kaminari grimaced. “Seriously. And it’s weird enough that he stares at you all the time.” Kirishima perked, looking back at him after he had checked another light.
“What?” Kirishima’s nose scrunched. “No way. I’ve never seen him staring.”
“Of course you don’t! You’re oblivious to everything dude.” Kaminari made a face right back. “He thinks no ones looking when he stares at you but I’ve caught him too many times for a long time now. It’s weird, not to mention creepy.” Kaminari made a show to visibly shudder as animatedly as possible, even going as far to hold himself by folding his arms across his body. Kirishima looked back out of the booth to watch Bakugou move across the stage.
“You’re just imagining things Kaminari… there’s no way.” But Kirishima couldn’t help but be curious, and wonder if he truly was watching him. The thought that Bakugou was being caught staring at him made him happy, and it made him realize that he just may be a little in over his head without having realized it sooner.
“Bakugou,” Kirishima said in the middle of painting one desk’s leg. Bakugou was sitting beside him painting the other desk’s leg. They had been put on a job by Ms. Nemuri to finish the final paint coat on some last minute props she had wanted to incorporate since they had the time to do so, and they were doing their job farthest backstage while the actors and stage hands ran through their last practice of the show.
“What.” Bakugou answered. At least the blonde had begun talking back to him while Kirishima had kept pestering him to chit chat as the week progressed.
“Do you like me?” Immediately there was a loud splash sound and a mess of paint. Bakugou’s hand had slipped into the paint bucket as he basically punched the paint because Kirishima asked right as he went to dip his paint brush. “Ah! Are you okay?” Kirishima stopped painting, dropping his paint brush, voice a little giggly at the silly situation, because paint had splashed up all over Bakugou’s forearm and the floor, and some had splattered onto him as well.
“Shit - you -” Bakugou cursed, raising his hand up, glaring down at it as he abandoned the brush in the bucket. Bakugou’s glare rose up to him as Kirishima continued to laugh. The redhead noticed the slight flush in his face near his nose.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” He made Bakugou stand up and then led him to the large single bathrooms backstage so they could wash Bakugou’s arm, Kirishima may be forcing his help on Bakugou but he didn’t shrug him away. “That was too funny of a reaction Bakugou, really.” He said as he scrubbed his arm with soap underneath the faucet, the two leaning over the sink slightly.
“You can’t just fucking ask someone that.” Bakugou scowled.
“Why not?” Kirishima countered innocently, eyes focused on getting the paint off Bakugou’s arm. Bakugou sputtered out sounds but no words came out, unable to come up with an answer. “Cause it’s true?” He asked, glancing up at him. Bakugou’s face was a mix of faux anger and bright red embarrassment, trying desperately to maintain his glare and his scrunched eyebrows. It was a cute face. “You’re rather cute Bakugou.” Kirishima was erupting into laughter again as Bakugou’s face flashed between disbelief, anger, and embarrassment, each emotion trying to dominate his features. He finished washing off the paint from his arm and grabbed some paper towels to wipe off his own hands first and then Bakugou’s soaked arm.
“What if I did?” Kirishima’s eyes flicked up almost immediately, having not expected Bakugou to speak given the apparent embarrassment. Bakugou was staring him head on, not shying away from his eyes, and his eyes burned into his. His free hand raised from his side to hold Kirishima’s hands still on his forearm since they were still drying his arm with the paper towels. “What if I did like you Kirishima?” His voice held more power in it, more confidence.
“Well…” Kirishima felt for a moment at a loss for words. “Then I’d…” A soft airy chuckle before he leaned slightly up and kissed Bakugou’s cheek. “I’d be wondering when you’re going to ask me out on a date.”