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“Are you fucking with me?”
“I am not fucking with you.”
You gave Bakugou a hard look. There wasn’t anything that looked particularly off about him. Sure, he looked sweaty, but that’s because he was. He was breathing heavily too. But all of those things were to be expected. After all, he just spent nearly an hour working out with Kaminari, Sero, and Kirishima before engaging in an impromptu rescue mission. You continued to study him. His hair was a little deflated, also from the sweat. Before you entered the locker room, he had seemed a little fidgety, but now his gaze was perfectly trained on you. The silence between the two of you stretched on just a little too long before you spoke again.
“You’re being honest with me?”
He sighed and threw up his hands. “I’m being honest. I swear to you right now. I couldn’t lie to you, even if I wanted to.”
You considered the words that he’d just told you. That while he’d been hanging out with friends, they stopped an impromptu burglary, and he’d been hit with an honesty quirk.
“So, it’s like a truth serum? You’ve gotta be genuine?”
“When am I ever not?” He growled. “But yeah, that's right.”
“Then answer me this. Last week, When Izuku happened to show up on the same hiking trail as us and then joined in… were you really that annoyed?”
Bakugou rolled his eyes. For a moment, it looked like he was going to say something, but then he stopped himself. Then he was speaking anyway.
“No. I wasn’t that annoyed. In fact, I’d been missing him lately. I was glad to see him.”
Bakugou slapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes were wide as if he was horrified.
“I didn’t mean to say that much,” he admitted.
You couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe not, but now I believe you. Did you talk with Recovery Girl about it?”
Bakugou stood up from his spot on the bench and began walking towards the showers. You glanced back at his locker to see that his towel, loofah, and soap were still inside. You grabbed it before trekking after him. When you got to the showers, you found that he’d already started the water and removed his shirt.
“You forgot these,” you said holding them up.
Bakugou looked at the built-in shower shelf and only saw his shampoo and conditioner. He sighed and looked back at you.
“Thanks. And yeah, I’ve talked with Recovery Girl. It helps that we got the guy. She got his statement from the police. It looks like it’s a twenty-four-hour or less thing.”
“Oh good! So, it’ll wear off. Why are you stressing then?”
“Because for a whole day I might have to answer people honestly, and I have annoying friends like you who’ll take advantage of that.”
You faked a look of hurt. Never mind that you’d already taken advantage of testing the truth of quirk by asking about Midoriya.
“How about this? Spend the next twenty-four hours with me.”
He looked at you a little lost.
“I’ll check in with Recovery Girl and get you a medical pass of sorts. It’s probably best that you don’t work while you’re technically under the influence. We wouldn’t want a villain to take advantage. Spend the day with me, your apartment or mine it doesn’t matter. I’ll protect you and, most importantly, I won’t ask you annoying things that you feel compelled to answer.”
Bakugou hesitated, and he felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest. God, he desperately wanted to take you up on that.
“I-”
“Great!” You interrupted. “Take your shower, you never know maybe it’ll help wash some of that quirk off. I’ll meet you at your car.”
Before Bakugou could get out another word, you disappeared from the locker room. Finally, alone, he shed the rest of his clothes and stepped underneath the spray. Despite the cold temperature, he felt decidedly hot.
“I still don’t understand why we couldn’t get hit evenly by that quirk. Why did I get the majority of it?” Bakugou complained.
“Bro, you’re the only one that got hit,” Kaminari interrupted.
“Yeah, that’s what happens when you have to be the first one in the door,” Sero added. “I guess we should be thanking you, really. Otherwise, we’d all be forced to tell the truth." Sero adopted a devious grin. Speaking of-”
“Why don’t we give him a break? Besides, Bakugou has more important things to worry about.”
Everyone in the room turned to look at Kirishima. He closed the door to Bakugou’s office and pointed toward the window. All three men glanced out. From this vantage point, they could all see into Bakugou’s car. They could see you in his car, sitting in the passenger seat. Sometime between now and when you’d left him in the locker room, you’d put on one of his hoodies. Kaminari and Sero returned to their original seats but Bakugou continued to watch you. You were singing and dancing along to whatever song you had playing on the radio. You looked positively gleeful. He grinned at the sight.
“And there’s the important thing that should be worried about,” Kirishima said, interrupting his voyeurism.
Bakugou turned back, and his scowl returned.
“What?”
Kirishima nodded toward the window. “I ran into her on my way out of my office. She told me that the two of you are hanging out until your compulsive honesty wears off.”
“So?”
Sero rolled his eyes. “You’re gonna spend twenty-four hours with your best friend…?”
“Yes.”
“…the best friend that you’re in love with?” he finished.
For once, Bakugou didn’t have a retort. Because Sero was exactly right. Only, Bakugou didn’t think that he’d been so obvious.
“My, my best friend… that I’m… in love with?”
“Well, you certainly aren’t in love with the three of us,” Kaminari said with a snort.
“Sure, we can joke with you and ask you things that you’ll confess to,” Kirishima said, bringing the conversation back around. “And you’ll get annoyed with us, but at the end of the day, we can laugh it off. What you can’t laugh off, though, is when she jokingly asks if you like her, and then you’re suddenly confessing your feelings.”
The weight of Kirishima’s words fully hit Bakugou and forced him to the floor. He placed his head in his hands. Even when he closed his eyes, he could see you happily singing along to some Top 40 hit in his car. He wanted to be in the car with you. He wanted to reach over the armrest and take your hand in his. He wanted to turn up the radio at all of your favorite parts.
“What am I gonna do, Ei? She can’t find out.”
“Why not?” Sero asked.
“If she doesn’t like him back, then he could lose her friendship forever. Plus, think of how awkward it’d be to come into work every day and still have to see each other. He’s better off hiding it,” Kaminari answered.
“And with my greatest fears thoroughly discussed, are any of you extras gonna help me? I’ve already spent enough time up here. She’s gonna text me in a few minutes and then I’ll have to go down there. What do I do?”
The sound of Bakugou’s phone chiming interrupted the group. Eight eyes focused on Bakugou’s screen.
You coming?
He looked up at his friends, desperately, frantically. “What do I do?”
“Just be stand-offish or blow her off. She’ll eventually understand.”
He hated that idea immediately.
“I’m not doing anything that might hurt her fucking feelings.
“Then you’re going to have to dance around any potentially dangerous conversations, even joking ones. The moment you feel like you’re in danger, you change the subject.”
Bakugou nodded and swallowed thickly. With shaky hands, he picked up his phone and typed out a quick message.
I’m on my way.
Message sent, Bakugou bid his friends goodbye and pocketed his phone. Each step that he took, from his office to his car, felt like his shoes were filled with cement. Bakugou was beyond nervous. But the moment he stepped into the parking lot and saw you, there was a change in the atmosphere. The already shinning sun seemed even brighter. Then you saw him. You stopped singing and instead stuck your head out of the window to wave at him.
“Took ya long enough, Katsuki! I was beginning to think that you didn’t want to go home with me.”
Bakugou closed his eyes for a brief moment before sliding into the driver’s seat and responding.
“Course I wanna go home with you. Did you want your place or mine?”
You grinned at him.
“Yours.”
Bakugou settled into the bed first. He could hear you clanging away in his kitchen. If it’d been anyone else, he would have been seriously annoyed. The kitchen was his space, and in it he demanded perfection. Despite all of that, he could never say no to you. The sound of noisy dishes grew quiet, and Bakugou tentatively called out your name. You appeared as if he summoned you. You were also dressed in pyjamas. In your hands were two plates with cake. As you walked closer, all Bakugou could think about were crumbs. Before he could protest, you were putting one leg onto the mattress.
“I won’t be a messy eater Katsu. C’mon, it’s just cake. For me?” You asked.
He could never tell you no.
“Yeah, I’d do anything for you.”
You grinned and handed him his plate. He took it and set it on his nightstand before reaching back to help you onto the bed. Once you were up onto the bed, he took your plate so that you could get comfortable. Once you were settled, he handed you your dessert and took up his own. You regarded him for a bit while you ate.
“What?” he ground out around a mouth full of cake.
“You’ve been acting weird all evening. You barely said anything when we got take out for dinner. You sent me away and practically deep cleaned your kitchen afterward. And you’ve never once complained about us eating in your bed before.”
He closed his eyes and sighed. You were asking valid questions. He wasn’t acting like he normally did. Now, it was time for him to engage in the mental gymnastics needed to reassure you while keeping you from discovering just how much he was in love with you.
“None of that is the problem. I got hit with a fucking quirk that makes me be fuckin honest. Of course, I’ve been acting weird.”
“Does that mean you’re not normally honest with me?”
“I… I am honest with you..." he did his best to leave it there, but the quirk compelled him to add, "most of the time.”
At his phrasing, you sat up. “Katsuki?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Are you trying to hide something from me?”
“Yes.”
You practically threw your cake away at his admission. It took Bakugou a moment to figure out that he’d said yes when he meant to tell you no. He took in the look of shock on your face. Just like that, he was ditching his cake and running out of the room. In a swift motion, you were doing the same. His space wasn’t large, and that was the only reason you managed to catch him before he could fully close the bathroom door. He had you beat in the strength department. If he really tried hard enough, Bakugou could close it and lock you out. You, however, had an ace up your sleeve.
“Ow! Ow. It hurts. Katsu it h-”
The door swung open, and your weight propelled you forward and into his arms. He caught you easily, taking a few steps back until he was pressed against the sink. Immediately, he was looking you over and trying to find evidence of injury.
“Where are you hurt, honey?”
He looked shocked when all you did was grin.
“I got you! You didn’t hurt me. I just wanted to get in here.”
His face fell slightly, and his hands dropped. Suddenly it felt like you two weren’t just joking around anymore.
“Katsuki.”
You wrapped your arms around him, holding your own hands behind his neck. He placed his own hands on your hips.
“How long have we known one another?”
“Five years.”
“And in all of those five years, have I ever done anything to betray your trust? Or purposely hurt your feelings?”
He shook his head no.
“Outside of Kirishima and Midoriya, am I your best friend?” You asked.
He gave your hips a light squeeze. Even though fabric covered you, he liked knowing that his movement left temporary indents on your skin. That those indentations were there because of him.
“You are my very best friend,” he whispered.
“I may have spent today teasing you, but I would never seriously take advantage of this honestly quirk. You shouldn’t be punished for saving people. If you don’t want to tell me something, then that’s fine.”
“But I do want to tell you!”
The quickness of his reply told you that although the statement was true, he’d only admitted it because of the effects of the truth quirk.
“Would you tell me whatever it is if you weren’t forced to?”
“No.”
You unclasped your hands and began to play with his hair. He closed his eyes and relaxed at the feeling of you scratching his scalp.
“Then I won’t ask. Whatever you want to tell me, I’ll listen when you’re ready for me to hear.”
“I kinda want you to ask,” he admitted softly. “I’m scared that I can’t admit it on my own.”
“And you want to admit something?”
“I do.”
“Open your eyes, Katsuki.”
He obeyed you and slowly lifted his lids. When he took you in, he felt in awe of how beautiful you were. You took in his shining red eyes.
“We’re kinda at an impasse here. Even if you really want me to know, in your heart of hearts, I only want me to tell you when it’s fully your choice. So how about this? We go to bed and spend the rest of tomorrow doing whatever you want to do. After the twenty-four hours are up, we reevaluate, hmm? How does that sound?”
“I can do that.”
You took his hand in yours and walked him out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. Bakugou was insistent that he clean up the plates and you get comfortable in the bed. It only took him a few minutes to hand wash the plates, put away the cake, and return to you. You welcomed him back into bed with open arms. Cuddled together, it was no time at all before you were both asleep.
You woke up the next morning in Bakugou’s arms. His face was pressed into your neck, and you were looking up at the ceiling. A thin beam of sunlight was streaming into the bedroom.
“Katsuki?” You called out, your voice clouded with sleep.
“M’awake.”
You yawned. “How long have you been up?”
“Bout an hour.”
“Well do you want to go back to sleep or start our day? I’m thinking since we don’t know everything about how this quirk will affect you, we should stay in. We could-”
“I’m in love with you, and I have been since the moment I met you. That’s why I was weird all evening. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for you to find out.”
You froze. You kept your eyes trained on the ceiling, but you could feel him looking at you.
“I thought,” you said softly. “We agreed to reevaluate after twenty-four hours.”
“Never actually knew if the honesty thing would last that long. Recovery Girl said it could be a twenty-four-hour or less thing. Looks like it was an ‘or less’ thing.”
“So, you’re fully you, right now?" You asked him nervously. "You're not saying anything that you don’t want to?”
“I’m me. Not under the influence of anything but my own fucking feelings.”
“And you decided to wake me up by telling me that…”
“I’m in love with you and have been for a long time now. Those are my honest to God, sincere feelings.”
Finally, you turned to face him.
“Katsuki…”
“I know we were just messing around yesterday, but it got me thinking. The guys are pretty good, and I’m lucky to have them…”
“Did you just compliment your friends? Is Midoriya included in that?”
“Shut up, and let me get this out.”
You smiled and obeyed.
“They wouldn’t look after me or take care of me the way that you do. The way you did. You coulda forced my secret outta me, but you didn’t. I appreciated that, but I never wanted you to know more than in that moment.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me how you felt before?”
“What if you didn’t love me back? Then I’d be out of a best friend and I’d still have to see you at work.”
“And what about the possibility that I return your feelings?”
Now it was his turn to be stunned. “That you… what?”
“The possibility that I love you back. What about that?” You inched closer until your noses were touching. Your lips were so close. “I’m just as in love with you as you are with me.”
He gasped. You could tell from his expression that Bakugou never let himself consider the possibility that you were just as crazy about him as he was about you. You closed the minute distance between the two of you and kissed him. It was gentle and sweet. Your first of many together. When you broke the kiss, he still managed to look stunned. You couldn’t help but laugh.
“So, you told me that you loved me without assurance that I loved you back?”
Just like that the shy, awkward version of him was gone. Back was his cocky and confident grin.
“I was pretty sure I had at least a slight chance. After all, I know you best.”
You laughed at his switch-up, and Bakugou felt his heartbeat quicken. Somehow, your laugh sounded different. You sounded honestly and truly in love. It took him a moment to realize that it was with him. You were in love with him. And holy hell did he love you too.
"I'm really glad it was an 'or less' type of thing," you admitted once your laughter subsided.
"Me too."
He kissed you deeply, and you kissed him back. The two of you had waken up together plenty of times, but things were different now.
"I'm not your best friend anymore," you whispered.
"Oh yeah? So what are you?"
"Your girlfriend."
You kissed him again. "And that makes you...?"
"Your boyfriend."
"Alright, boyfriend let's get up."
You moved to untangle from his arms and get out of the bed, but Bakugou held you back.
"What?"
"I took off the whole day since we didn't know how long this thing would last."
"Yeah, and? You're good now."
"The agency doesn't know that."
His pupils dilated and he licked his lips. You allowed your body to go limp and returned to resting against him.
"So, we stay in the bed for the rest of the day?"
"We stay in the bed for the rest of the day."