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The celebration was marked as a formal party for both graduating Hero classes at U.A., but everyone knew it was more like a prom celebration for the outgoing graduates. Everyone came dressed to the nines in attempts to impress their peers during what would likely be their last party before heading out into the world to become full-fledged Heroes. It was a final chance, perhaps, for some to see their classmates in such a celebratory setting before inevitably parting ways to face what the future would hold for them.
Bakugou wasn’t thrilled to be there but being dragged along by the usual gaggle of idiots that followed him around meant he had little choice in the matter. They’d stuck him in a stuffy monkey suit and ignored his usual bedtime to make sure he attended. It also meant that the peanut gallery was in full bore tonight as they twisted their way to the pulsing music in fancy outfits. Bakugou wanted none of it, frankly. He was content to sip on the punch that someone had generously spiked, glued to the wall as he watched with a signature glare at the revellers.
One reveller in particular was who he had his eyes on at current, probably the only reason he’d barely agreed to even go. A peculiar member of the moron menagerie that insisted on hanging around him who was swaying side by side with Ashido. Racoon-Eyes was clearly enjoying it, and though Snot-for-Brains was slower in their movements, Bakugou wasn’t fool enough to believe Vitalis wasn’t at least somewhat happy. Their long, sequined dress was shimmering finely beneath the alternating lights, a bright white gown against their tan skin and tall silhouette. Bakugou found himself looking away, trying to settle his gaze on anywhere else but them, a strange heat rising in his face at the sight of them swinging their hips against Ashido’s.
Why’d they have to wear such a low-cut piece of shit dress, anyway? Not like they have any fuckin’ tits to show off, the blond thought bitterly to himself.
The two of them, Bakugou and Vitalis, had been at each other’s throats for years by this point. It was never overtly threatening, a slow simmering rivalry that had bubbled up from the fact that they’d integrated so seamlessly into the squad of his classmates that surrounded him whenever they could. A longtime friend of Ashido’s who’d attended the same middle school as she and Kirishima, as he’d come to understand it. At first, they were just as insignificant to him as the rest of his classmates. Time changed things, as time is wont to do. It wasn’t until the Sports Festival in their second year that Bakugou had taken an interest in what the slug could actually do. They’d nearly bested him during the tournament style one-on-one matches. The only reason he’d really won was because they’d dehydrated, severely weakening their Quirk. He’d figured out quickly if it weren’t for that technicality, they would have won.
From that moment on, Bakugou’s overly competitive nature demanded he work harder. Like Deku, they became an obstacle to be crushed with how stupidly versatile their Quirk proved to be. They were also much more tolerant of his abrasive nature, dealing back every snide remark of his with a sharp-witted reply of their own. It surprised him at first how well they could hold their own but eventually their marathons of snark became something of a comfortable routine during the days they would share the commons with the rest of the classmates that accompanied him. As the years passed, they turned from obstacle to something of a rival or perhaps what others might call a frenemy. He hated the word, noting how juvenile such a relationship sounded, but there was no other way to place what they’d come to mean to each other during their years at U.A. It was a twisted sort of camaraderie that came from fighting alongside each other against the tribulations of their adolescence, hard won and intimidating in how deep it truly ran.
Now, he stood on a strange precipice between those feelings and their class’ impending graduation as he watched them move along to the pounding beat on the floor. His brows were knit together, jaw tense as he took in their form. He glanced around once or twice to the other party-goers, specifically that absolute dweeb, Deku. He was talking casually with Iida and Uraraka, no surprise to Bakugou. Eventually, though, his vermillion hues returned back to Vitalis.
The song that they and Ashido were dancing to had ended, leading both to recollect themselves with Sero, Kirishima, and Kaminari. The group began to approach Bakugou. He bit back a small growl of frustration at hearing their voices draw closer. Knocking back what was left of his shitty drink, he crushed the cup in his hand and tossed it to the nearest trash can as they made their way to him. It didn’t escape his notice as his gaze settled back on the group that the slug’s eyes were right on him.
Their gazes met briefly, something passing between them that neither wished to acknowledge in that moment.
“Hey, Bakugou! C’mon and join us, man. You can’t just sit out the whole party near the punch bowl,” Kirishima slung a beefy arm around his friend, a grin like the sun on his face.
“Watch me,” Bakugou spat back. Sero, Kirishima, and Kaminari all made exaggerated noises of disappointment as Ashido giggled at his usual grouchiness. It didn’t phase any of them anymore, nor was it truly unexpected by this point. Vitalis remained oddly quiet, but Bakugou could see them slip the superfluous sleeve of their dress against their lips as if to conceal a smile.
“Perhaps... he... cannot dance,” they suggested once they’d caught his eye once again. The rest of the group exchanged looks at the revelation, another round of childish laughter rippling through them.
“I mean, we’ve never seen him dance but maybe there’s a good reason for that,” Kaminari chimed in with the most obnoxious, blood-boiling grin that Bakugou’s seen on him. He could already feel the familiar pulse of rage coursing through the vein on his neck.
“Shut the hell up, shitty Pikachu Wannabe, I can dance just fine!” bristled the blond. The others were too caught up in gleeful discussion of their theories of how badly Bakugo could dance to notice the retort, but the slug’s eyes were focused solely on him. There was a flash of something in those unnerving onyx hues that disconcerted Bakugou. He fixed an almighty scowl at them.
“And just what are you lookin’ at, Snot-for-Brains?” he challenged. The rest of the small gathering quieted when Bakugou acknowledged Vitalis.
“I’m wondering... if you can... prove... it,” they drawled painstakingly. Their eyes never wavered from Bakugou’s searing glare. He hated their stupid speech impediment, it always made them sound like they were over-planning every word.
Because he knew they were. They were deliberate, not slow . Sometimes too deliberate for their own good.
“Of course I fucking can,” he countered with a dangerous narrowing of his eyes. An imperceptible shiver of excitement rippled up Vitalis’ spine.
“Then, come... on.”
They extended a slender hand to the blond, anticipatory. All eyes were on Bakugou as they awaited his answer to their invitation. The attention made the Explosive Hero want to twitch in anger, but he swallowed it, a wide grin splitting his face as he clapped his larger hand over theirs.
“Gladly,” he snarled. His acceptance was met with hoots and hollers from Sero, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Ashido who were all encouraging this awful idea. The noise drew the attention of the other party-goers, some of which now gaped at the fact that Vitalis was currently leading Bakugou hand-in-hand to the center of the dancefloor. Bakugou could already hear the whispers in his head of every extra that was watching, but they weren’t who he was aiming to impress right now.
But then, who was he aiming to impress?
The question didn’t last long in his mind as the previous song transitioned into a new one. The slug let go of his hand as the dancing crowd gave the two a wide berth to duke it out. What a fuckin’ spectacle , Bakugou grumbled mentally as he gave a roll of his shoulders. Vitalis, who struck him as surprisingly elegant for a slug, stretched a long arm out to him. The sleeve of their dress flowed with the movement, capturing Bakugou’s eyes for a moment before they traced the willowy curvature of their body until he met their eyes beneath the curtain of their snow white bangs. The heat that had died away from his cheeks earlier raised its head once more as he realized they’d just watched him eye them up like a piece of candy. He cleared his throat as he readied himself.
He could and would keep up, dammit. He wasn’t stupid, he knew they were a talented dancer. He’d seen how their fluidity on the dance floor translated to their moves in combat. It was nothing short of astonishing how much their movements resembled the ebb and flow of water.
Not that he cared or anything.
Bakugou drew in a short breath, then the beat of the song dropped and prompted both dancers to advance on one another. Crimson eyes never left onyx ones as the two sized each other up in a slow circle. The song wasn’t terribly fast paced, but provided plenty of chances for both to show off their respective moves.
What Bakugou didn’t expect was that Vitalis wasn’t trying to dance against him, they were moving to dance with him. Their circle ended with a twirl on their part that left them in his arms as he caught them at the end of their spin, instinct taking over as he gave them a swift dip. The two righted themselves in a flash. Vitalis’ hand slithered around his waist, his own following suit around theirs. His brow scrunched in concentration as he tried to read their movements to see what they’d do next. Their leg swung up in time with the beat, wrapping around his waist to anchor themselves as they bent backwards from him. He tugged them back upright with a bite of his lip, all too aware of the meeting of their hips as their leg dropped.
Inspired, Bakugou loosened his hold on them to spin them a few times as if they were a ballerina in his hold. They followed the action with marked obedience and trust in him to catch them once they let their body fall against him. He caught them with arms crossed over their front, calloused hands sliding up the sides of their body as they stood with a slow sashay of their hips from side to side. Bakugou heard a couple of whistles and cat-calls from the watching crowd that he promptly ignored, albeit with a burning in the tips of his ears.
Vitalis didn’t seem phased at all, prompting a twinge of rage for their coolness from Bakugou. It translated into his next move as he lifted them up from behind, causing them to just barely stiffen themselves in time to not slip through his hold. He tossed them up with a soft grunt, allowing them to twist in the air and land with both hands around their tight waist as he lowered them to the excited cheers of their crowd. Vitalis’ eyes were slightly wider as they faced him once more. A heated grin flashed over his face at being able to rattle them as their dance continued. For but a second, he thought he saw their cheeks darken, but they stepped away from him before he had a chance to confirm.
He stepped after them as they ran a hand over their throat, down the lithe line of their sternum until they snapped their hand out to him again, beckoning. He grabbed their hand, swinging them the opposite way of him until both their arms were outstretched with only fingertips meeting in the middle. The next move was made without thought as he tugged them fiercely back against him, their fronts crashing together with his nose leaning to slot in alongside theirs.
It felt as if time froze there, burning vermillion meeting pitch onyx that seemed to swallow all the light around them. Their odd scent of rain-damp leaves and clean pine filled his nose. It was laced now with the smell of sweat (more his own than theirs, he imagined), but it didn’t detract from the scent. When he felt their lips brush his own, he thought for a moment it was merely his imagination until it became clear that it wasn’t as his gaze flickered downward.
With a growl Bakugou forced them away from him in a calculated push that looked nothing more like them breaking from the embrace. A slightly puzzled look crossed their face but Bakugou said nothing, stalking around them with intent as they took a moment to flow with the beat while they decided their last move.
Bakugou made a wide step backwards, flexing his arms as he reached out for them. A smirk had returned to his face as he used his pointer finger to call them forward to him. They didn’t know what he had planned, but they practically flew over to him on feet lighter than air. Attention whore, he thought as his scowl returned.
He caught them by the waist as he lifted them up with both arms, high above his head. He spun with them as their arms splayed outwards during the display, giving them the appearance of flying above him. Their hair trailed behind them, long and lunar like a moonbeam. Their eyes closed as they placed their trust in Bakugou not to allow them to fall until it was time. His eyes were locked on their form as his fingertips held them up.
Damn it, why did Snot-for-Brains have to turn out pretty?
One spin, two spins, three. Then, he dropped them, only to catch them in a way that had them nearly sitting in his large, rough hands with his face between their thighs. Bakugou’s hand slid to the small of their back as they caught the hint, his eyes intense as they bored up into their own while willing Vitalis to place trust in him one more time. The flicker of understanding over their expression gave him a rush of confidence.
Their legs wrapped over his powerful shoulders as they let themselves dip backwards until their hair nearly touched the floor, Bakugou’s strong muscles and their own keeping them aloft against him as they straightened once more with a sensuous arc of their spine. The move drew gasps, shouts, and whoops from the circle of bystanders that’d been privy to the entire display. Vitalis’ hand slithered over Bakugou’s cheek as he held them up while the other carded through sweaty, ash-blond locks. The sight of Bakugou’s flushed face between Vitalis’ svelte thighs, his powerful hands gripping their lower back and ass to keep them up had Vitalis nearly trembling at the adrenaline. Both were breathing just slightly harder as they took a moment to soak in the look of each other with the feeling of each other’s hands on the other.
The moment passed as quickly as it had come with the song drawing to a close, leading Bakugou to let Vitalis back down onto their feet. The circle of watchers erupted into raucous cheers, though there were some light-hearted jeers thrown in along with at least one person shouting “Get a damn room!” at the two. With the magic broken, Bakugou tensed back up. He gave a huff.
“Told you I can fuckin’ dance,” he issued lowly to Vitalis, who met him with a lopsided smile. The ensuing chatter drowned out the comment to anyone else, leaving them the only one who’d heard it.
“I never doubted you,” they replied. The bluntness and lack of pause in that remark took Bakugou aback. “You burn too bright to act like a wallflower, Bakugou. It’s... embarrassing... for... you.” The usual drawl in their voice only returned at the end. The last phrase barely registered as Bakugou tried to process the first two. He blinked, lip curling in confusion as he barked out a startled “Hah?” at their comment. The music had changed now as the circle that had formed around the two began to close with dancers wanting to keep going. Vitalis lifted their sleeve to their mouth with a mirthful gleam in their eyes. Before Bakugou could say anything else, Kirishima's voice grabbed his attention.
“Bakugou!”
The shout of his name snapped Bakugou from his racing thoughts. Turning his head toward the source of the sound, he saw the usual suspects making their way through the throng of people to the two of them. Kirishima was waving at them while Kaminari gave them both a thumbs up. Mina pumped a fist while Sero just issued the duo a wink.
“Guess you do have some moves after all, dude,” quipped Sero with his usual toothsome grin.
“Yeah! You totally nailed it, my man!”
“Um, so did V! But I always knew they were good from all the time we’ve spent dancing together in our dorms instead of studying,” Mina chirped. “I knew they’d give Bakugou a run for his money!”
“Yeah, I didn’t realize V could move like that either. I wonder what else those hips can do,” Kaminari followed, sidling up to Vitalis. They were taller than he was, which made the sight funnier than it should have been. He gave them a sly wink, one that wasn’t returned as Vitalis bent down to look him in the eyes.
“That’s for... you... to never... find out,” they said evenly. Kaminari pouted, hanging his head in defeat. It prompted a rumble of laughter through the group in all but Bakugou who found himself glowering at how close that Dunce Face had gotten to the slug, his teeth gritted together behind his lips.
“Whatever. I proved my damn point. I’m getting more punch,” Bakugo said before turning and giving a flippant wave to the rest, unaware the only pair of eyes that trailed his parting form were Vitalis’.
As he shouldered through the crowd, Bakugou couldn’t shake the heat that had pooled in his belly when he’d held Vitalis while they all but straddled his neck. He was all too aware of the warmth of their thighs against his head, the scent of them so close to him. With a snarl, he shook his head as if to clear it of those disastrous thoughts plaguing it. Ignoring it was his only option right now as he finally broke free of the swarming dance floor to the snack table.
By this point, most of the heavier food had been picked away and the punch bowl was nearly empty, its glorious former ice ring reduced to nothing but chunks floating miserably amongst the watered down beverage. He was the only one near it, the rest of the party sufficiently buzzed enough that they were no longer interested in partaking of it. Bakugou stared at the remains of the punch with irritation, deciding he wasn’t desperate enough to drink that watery bullshit. He failed to notice Vitalis’ quiet steps behind him as they crept up to the man.
Vitalis knew better than to startle Bakugou. They’d dealt with the repercussions of such an action enough times that they had learned their lesson. No, they didn’t wish to scare him this time. As they came near enough to feel his radiating heat against their skin, they cleared their throat softly. Bakugou spun around wearing what could only be described as the ugliest scowl in existence on his lips. It softened only minutely when he realized who had interrupted his staredown with the punch bowl.
“Tch. What do you want, Snot-for-Brains? I ain’t givin’ you another tango,” he dismissed. Vitalis cocked their head like a confused puppy.
“I don’t... want one,” they answered. There was a pregnant pause between the two as both seemed to be gathering their scattered thoughts.
“What the fuck was that out there anyway, slug breath? Thought you wanted a dance off not fuckin’ ballroom choregraphy,” Bakugou snorted. Despite himself, there was a twinge of amusement in his tone. He hadn’t entirely hated the whole thing. He could at least admit the slug wasn’t a half-bad dance partner. And had a nice body to boot.
No! Shut the fuck up!
“I never... specified. You looked... bored... all by... yourself... earlier. Maybe... I wanted to... give you... a reason to be here,” they said with their usual measured tone. At that, Bakugou just scoffed, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
“Yeah well, I don’t need a damn slug to have fun at a party. This place is filled with nothing but extras, why would I wanna be here anyway?”
“I don’t... know. You tell... me.”
Bakugou’s lip curled in agitation as they caught onto his defensiveness.
“I don’t need to explain shit . You and the fuckin’ goon squad were the ones that dragged me here, remember?” he shot back. The lime-green corners of Vitalis’ mouth quirked upwards.
“We didn’t... want... you to miss... the last party before... graduation. Is... that so... offensive... to you?”
“I didn’t attend this school to boost my social life, in case you ain’t noticed. I don’t need a dumbass party coming between me and top marks when I get outta here.” His voice was dangerously low as he narrowed his eyes.
“You and… I both know… you could have turned us… down. Yet... here you are.”
Vitalis could practically see the steam rolling from Bakugou's ears as he fumed about the casual way they seemed to have something for everything he threw at them. His lip raised to bare gum and blunt fangs at the slug.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Vitalis didn’t answer right away. At first, their stalling dredged more fury from the pit of Bakugou’s stomach. That is until they offered them their hand again, much like they had to dance. Their long digits reached appealingly toward him.
“Let's find out. Together.”
A blond brow arched at their invitation, a simmering gaze sweeping over their expression for any hint of wavering. When he found none, he clasped their hand without reluctance, rough palm giving a squeeze over their smaller one. It was nearly involuntary, but his scowl deepened as he realized what he’d done. If Vitalis noticed it—and they did—they said nothing of it. Instead, they turned toward the bathrooms near the back of the venue.
Bakugou had an inkling of where this was leading. At this point, however, the lingering exhilaration of their dance coupled with the sticky heat that remained from their previous proximity was enough to quell any rising hesitation. The various thoughts that had been popping into his head throughout the evening didn’t help his case in the slightest. He allowed Vitalis to sweep him to the men’s restroom, pushing open the door until it swung closed behind the both of them. The only sound was the muffled music echoing off the tiled walls of the restroom, the buzz of idle chatter layered beneath it.
Once again, vermillion glared into onyx. Vitalis didn’t appear nervous, but he could tell they were taking their time from how their fingers were fidgeting against each other at their sides. Bakugou stuffed one hand into the pocket of his dark slacks. The thickness in the air between them was tight enough to choke as both were unwilling to be the one that gave in first. Bakugou watched them, intense gaze pinning theirs beneath their long, pale lashes. He wasn't oblivious to how attractive they were, especially in the dress that hugged their form like a glove. Distantly, he wondered what lay between their legs. Again, not that he cared necessarily but his curiosity itched at him.
Vitalis wasn't faring any better. Languid thoughts of how nicely Bakugou cleaned up drifted in and out of their consciousness as the two scrutinized the other. He had put on both height and muscle over the years, coming out an inch taller than themselves despite them previously towering over him. They had to tilt their head upward to meet his eyes, rubescent and forever filled with an ember behind them that never seemed to burn out. With a swallow, Vitalis felt their throat tighten as the inexplicable bond that connected the two was pulled taut. Ready to snap.
“Bakugou—”
“Shut up,” the blond commanded, simple and curt as he stepped toward Vitalis. It took them by surprise, leaving an opening for him to grab their chin. The hold was firm but not bruising. He savored the way their mouth hung slightly open, their lips parted expectantly. His expression was stoic, but his eyes were searing into their own. At last, he allowed himself to slot his mouth against theirs.
It was a slow kiss at first, almost chaste. Vitalis noted that his lips were slightly chapped. It wasn’t a turn-off, in fact, it made Bakugou enjoy the fact that theirs were velvety in comparison. It drew him deeper, his hand moving from his pocket to slip over the small of their back. He pushed their waist to his own, his eyes finally falling shut as they took the hint to tilt their head, pursuing the kiss more hungrily. It coaxed a soft, encouraging rumble from his throat. He hadn’t taken them for the type to try and lead, but he liked that they matched his energy. Even with how placid they seemed, he knew that their clandestine tenacity buried itself beneath their coolheaded demeanor. It’d shown itself enough times in their mock battles that he was as familiar with its appearance as he was with the backs of his hands.
His rough-hewn touch made Vitalis shiver in his hold, a rolling tingle down their spine like earlier. This time, at least, he could notice it. It scratched the itch he’d had to see them lose their infuriating composure since he’d pulled that little midair stunt during their dance. Vitalis' mind was quickly going blank of all but him and the vaguely sweet and earthy scent he carried. Their eyes closed, their silvery lashes settling on their cheeks as the kiss deepened. Their hands wandered until they found suitable homes in the dips of Bakugou's muscles beneath his clothing. One hand caressed the divot of his hips, another dug into the back of his prominent shoulder blade. The man issued a low groan from his chest, clearly pleased at their willingness to touch him in such a way.
He sucked gently on their bottom lip, tongue poking through in askance. The part of their lips in permission sent a warm wanting through his veins, his hand on their back gripping at their waist possessively. His tongue roamed over their own as he devoured the soft gasp it elicited from them. His eyes had closed long ago, allowing himself just to feel their languorous form against his. He wondered to himself if the stalks on their head were twitching in the way they sometimes did when Vitalis was excited. He was tempted to look but unwilling to break their kiss as the molten heat of his mouth mixed with theirs.
The world about them lay forgotten as both grew lost in the building warmth of the moment, neither wishing to withdraw from it. Instead, they leaned into it. Bakugou felt himself realize for once why the slug liked to take things slow. If it meant he could swipe his domineering tongue around the silken insides of their mouth until his taste was the only thing they would know, then he'd gladly go at a snail's pace.
A quiet grunt left them, signalling a need for air. Bakugou parted from them with a wet sound, a string of thin saliva still connecting them together for the briefest of moments. His half-lidded gaze was glassy as he took in the appearance of their kiss swollen lips. A tiny smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth at the damage he'd done to their pretty, sylphlike face. Their eyes opened slowly to drink in the incline of his lips against his handsome face. They were achingly aware of how beautiful he was. In the dim light of the restroom, the shadows falling over his face made him look predatory, beautifully so.
"You figured it out yet?" he rumbled. Vitalis nodded twice.
"Here I thought… you believed I was... disgusting," they replied in a voice barely above a whisper as their fingers came to dance over the back of his neck. The comment made Bakugou raise a brow, his smirk faltering into a heavy frown.
"Why the fuck would you think that for?"
"You don't make the idea you... don't think that… very obvious." After a beat, "Mostly." A sharp exhale left Bakugou's nose, brows furrowing. With a touch of reluctance, the hand that'd held their jaw moved to tangle within the gooey strands of their hair. He hadn't expected how gossamer the locks would feel despite their sticky coating. The action took Vitalis off-guard. No one dared to touch their hair. The protective shield of slime scared off most potential caresses, but Bakugou's expression remained the same. No disgust, no anger. If anything, Vitalis thought they caught a hint of tenderness in them but found themselves unwilling to believe it.
"You're a slimy dumbass, but not gross," he shrugged. Vitalis blinked owlishly as they felt his nails scratch lightly at their scalp. A smile spread over their lips like a fog.
"I thought… you were done… surprising me."
"Nah. I like the dumb look you get when I do too much to stop," he admitted with a flash of his teeth. Something dark gleamed in his ruby hues, one that made Vitalis melt further against his sturdy form.
"Then don't… stop."
He didn’t.
At least, until Kaminari came knocking on the bathroom door.