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He’s sixteen and he’s dating Kaminari Denki. That in and of itself is significantly better than any shit he thought he’d be enduring in high school. He adores Denki. Hitoshi doesn’t always adore his datemate’s friends.
He’s sixteen when he starts to notice Bakugou Katsuki more than he’d like to. While objectively attractive, he’s loud and obnoxious and Hitoshi hates him. Unfortunately, he’d been doing far better at controlling his temper and not resorting to quirk use. Izuku is his biggest cheerleader, Hitoshi likes to say. Every time the man drew his attention, Hitoshi would glare and turn his attention back to his datemate, thank you very much.
He’s eighteen when they graduate and he stops thinking about Bakugou Katsuki at all. Hitoshi and Denki move into an apartment together and, arguably, it’s one of the happier moments of Hitoshi’s life. It is nice to come home to someone who really wanted him there. He doesn’t see Bakugou except for rare missions and whenever Denki dragged him out to drink. He thinks that’s best. They never got along, anyway.
He’s twenty when he breaks up with Denki. Both of them are upset over it but, honestly, Hitoshi is more so than Denki. His… now ex-datemate gives him a thin smile and says they understand. Do they? Hitoshi barely understands. Maybe he should start therapy again. That’d be a good idea. Denki says they’ll still be friends and the determined look in their eyes makes Hitoshi certain they’re telling the truth.
Hitoshi is twenty when he passes out on his dads’ couch, trying not to be torn up about the relationship he ended.
Hitoshi is twenty-one when he gets his own apartment and starts chronically sleeping around. He jokes about it and laughs it off, drinking often with friends from UA. Sometimes even on his own. With strangers.
He gets a cat so he doesn’t come home to such a silent house. He names her Kimi. She’s his only saving grace.
He’s twenty-four when he starts noticing Bakugou again and it pisses him off. Except this time, Bakugou is noticing him, too. Hitoshi refuses to meet his eyes. He’s afraid of what it will mean.
He still meets Denki regularly for gossip sessions and dance lessons. Hitoshi is grateful for it. He pretends not to notice a pair of eyes drilling a hole into the back of his skull.
Only a few months later, he stumbles into Bakugou’s bed for the first time.
He doesn’t stay the night.
He lasts a week before he does it again.
The bed is cold when he wakes up.
He stops sleeping around.
He turns twenty-five and he’s glaring at the wall, wondering what the fuck he’s getting himself into.
Not long after, Bakugou is in his bed for the first time and Hitoshi tries not to get whiplash.
How did they end up here?
It continues. They trade where they end up. They don’t kiss. Bakugou starts staying more. Or Hitoshi stays. The bed is no longer cold. Usually there’s breakfast waiting for Hitoshi, even if Bakugou usually isn’t.
Hitoshi tries not to stay up looking at the surprising softness of Bakugou’s sleeping face.
It’s creepy, he rationalizes. Bakugou would hate it, he thinks. He turns his back to Bakugou and forces his eyes closed.
A temporary thing.
Bakugou laughs and Hitoshi’s heart fucking flutters exactly how it used to flutter with Denki. He’s so pissed off by this development that he goes home without sex and doesn’t speak to Bakugou for a week.
(He almost can’t bear it. He does.)
Bakugou practically forces open Hitoshi’s door at the end of the week. Hitoshi gives him an unimpressed look.
Bakugou just scoffs and starts making dinner.
Whiplash. Bakugou is the definition of whiplash for Hitoshi.
Fine, Hitoshi ignores him, too. He pouts and he knows full well he’s being unnecessarily petty but he can’t help it. He crosses his arms to drive the point home.
Bakugou hands him a plate of whatever he made and Hitoshi can’t help a flutter and he takes it, weak to his own emotions. Bakugou rolls his eyes and plops into the spot beside Hitoshi.
His side is warm.
His only experience with genuine romantic affection is with Denki. But even then… the affection was different. With Denki, it was— innocent. Sure, they had some sexual experiences but— it was never quite as driven as Hitoshi has been with Bakugou. But that wasn’t built on affection, it was built on attraction. His experiences with Denki had a starkly different foundation.
Denki was his first love.
Evidently, Denki wasn’t his last.
They don’t even have sex. That is the biggest shock of the night. Bakugou packs the leftovers and puts them in the fridge and he leaves.
They barely spoke.
Hitoshi stares at the door for a long time after Bakugou leaves, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It’s inevitable.
What is the best and the worst, really, is that Kimi fucking loves Bakugou. Whenever Hitoshi isn’t in his lap (or, rather, Bakugou isn’t in his), Kimi is taking up the space. She purrs louder with him than anyone else in Hitoshi’s life.
Hitoshi tries not to feel betrayed by his cat but it’s difficult.
Things go back to normal but it’s not normal.
Touches linger. They’re a little more gentle with each other. They don’t hesitate to stay the night. Bakugou stays more often than he doesn’t.
Hitoshi smiles a little more when Bakugou is around.
Denki starts to notice. It’s the first time in a while that the Bakusquad managed to get together. Denki’s eyes dart between them before they widen in understanding. Hitoshi hisses at them before Bakugou can notice. Denki drills him for information after the gathering ends.
Hitoshi is secretly glad he has someone to confide in about this, even if it is his ex-datemate. Denki encourages Hitoshi to reach out in a more romantic way. Hitoshi pretends to consider it when they part.
He doesn’t actually try.
It probably comes to head after a week undercover.
Hitoshi comes home exhausted with a few more nightmares sure to keep him up at night and he finds his home not empty. He’s not super surprised. Bakugou offered to catsit, after all, but it is still surprising.
Bakugou forces him to sit down and eat a full meal. Hitoshi can barely taste it. Then he drags Hitoshi to the bathroom and they take a bath. He just lets it happen. Bakugou washes his hair and Hitoshi swears he falls asleep in the bath but he wakes up in his bed.
He’s down bad, he decides when he wakes up. He lays on his back, staring at the ceiling, and he decides he’s down bad.
He leaves his room and there’s fresh coffee, hot breakfast, and an attractive man sitting at his table. He almost cries. It’s the best breakfast he’s eaten in a week.
“God, I could kiss you,” Hitoshi blurts out before his filter has kicked in.
Bakugou doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t even look up from his phone. “No one’s stopping you.”
Hitoshi almost, honest to god, chokes on his food from the heavens. What did he say? Did he hear that wrong? They don’t kiss. That’s, like, the rule of friends with benefits. At least their rule.
Hitoshi blankly stares at him, mouth gaping open. Bakugou glances at him, a smirk on his lips, then he looks back at his phone.
Is it possible to swoon with such a small gesture? Hitoshi is certain he swoons.
He finishes his breakfast faster than he intends, drinking his coffee right alongside it. Bakugou refills his mug.
Then he hesitates. It’s not like him to hesitate. Hitoshi notices he leans a little and his breath catches. Is he going to kiss me? His thoughts practically scream. Oh god, what if he kisses me? His eyes are slightly wide, despite his best efforts. Please kiss me.
“I’m glad you're back in one fuckin’ piece. Gotta go work. See ya.”
And he’s gone.
The door shuts and Hitoshi promptly buries his face in his hands.
God, I’m so pathetic.
Kimi jumps into his lap and he groans pathetically. Because that’s all he is. Pathetic.
He takes a nap for a few hours. He calls his dads and Eri, telling him he’s home and he’s safe and well-rested. He calls Denki and gushes about this morning.
“Was that— do I even look into that? What if I kissed him?”
“You should try it, dude. See what happens. He didn’t say no.”
“What if it fucks everything up?”
“What can it fuck up? I mean, you said it yourself, man. You’re ‘just sleeping together’.”
“I can hear the sarcastic finger quotes.”
“Just do it!!”
To his surprise, Bakugou shows up later. He comes bearing take-out. The door shuts and Hitoshi gives into an impulse.
He kisses Bakugou.
It escalates.
Bakugou breathes, “Damn food is gonna get cold.”
Hitoshi places it on the table, “I’ve got a fucking microwave.”
That time is unlike any other. He’s never not kissing this bastard ever again. The thought settles like a weight on Hitoshi’s chest but it’s a welcome weight.
He smiles.
They don’t technically talk about it (though they should, a rude voice reminds him) but things change again. Bakugou is at Hitoshi’s home more often, even if they don’t have sex. Bakugou seeks him out at social events. Hitoshi almost couldn’t believe it.
But each time, he felt the same smile tugging on his lips and he welcomed the company.
They trade quips as usual, they snark and they verbally bite at each but the essence is fundamentally different. A place of comfort rather than genuine hatred or even annoyance.
Denki looks unnaturally satisfied with themself and Hitoshi points that out. Denki just snickers in response. Hitoshi rolls his eyes.
Hitoshi is twenty-six when he finally works up the courage to ask. To ask what they are, what they’re doing.
Bakugou doesn’t answer at first, arms crossed and intense gaze as he ponders over something. Hitoshi wishes, in these moments, that he can read minds instead of brainwashing them.
“What do you want?” He asks, uncharacteristically serious.
“What—” Hitoshi resists the urge to scoff. What a ridiculous question. Like he hasn’t been obvious. Like he hasn’t been tripping over his feet and staring at Bakugou with the most obvious heart eyes he’s ever seen on his face. At least— not since UA. “What do I want?” Hitoshi asks. Bakugou nods. “Shit, have I gotten too good at masking my emotions?” He can’t help the heavy sarcasm, everything is getting too close to his emotions. He falls back into his chair dramatically. “I mean, I know I weirdly take after my adoptive dad but surely I’m not that good yet.” Apparently, he’s taken after both of his adoptive dads.
“That’s different,” Bakugou says, pulling Hitoshi from his thoughts, “That’s interpretation. There’s always a chance interpretation is wrong. I need to hear you say it.”
His stupid fucking beefy arms remain crossed on his chest and Hitoshi hates them because they’re making him voice his emotions and that’s something he despises. He almost says as much but this is important to him. Maybe it’s important to Bakugou? He wants certainty but that’s not so strange, he’s a very to the point guy—
Hitoshi cuts his thoughts off. Confession. It’s confession time. Shit, it’s confession time. Hitoshi almost wishes he could ask Denki but that’s just so unfair to all three of them. He tampers the panic. This is Bakugou. It’s just Bakugou. There’s nothing to be so worried about.
“I want—” He chokes on his words and he’s almost ashamed because he hasn’t choked on his words since before he was adopted—
Bakugou is by his side and Hitoshi gets vertigo from the whiplash. “Breathe, Hitoshi,” He used his name— He used his name— “Listen, if you need some time for this conversation, fine, but I’m not just— gonna fuckin’ wait forever.”
Hitoshi grabs his hand on impulse. He squeezes. “I mean— yeah, I’m kinda—” Just say it you pathetic bastard— “Hopelessly, pathetically, in love with you,” He sinks with every word. The admission releases a weight on his shoulders, one he wasn’t quite aware he was holding.
“Well, we’re gonna work on the use of pathetic but…” Bakugou squeezes his hand back, “Gotta say, didn’t really expect to fall in love with you, too.”
Hitoshi, because he can’t quite believe his ears, coughs out a laugh. “The fuck is that supposed to mean? Should I be offended?”
“Oh, yeah, totally fuckin’ offended. Your face used to piss me off even more than Deku’s.”
He laughs despite his reeling thoughts and finally meets Bakugou’s eyes. “So, what does this mean for us?”
Bakugou grins, “Well, I heard this boyfriend thing wasn’t all that bad…”
“I’ve heard I’m not a terrible boyfriend,” Hitoshi admits, testing the waters despite their mutual blatant admission only moments before.
Bakugou grew serious again. “Hitoshi. I never once even considered that you’d be anything less than an amazing boyfriend.”
And shit, if he didn’t almost cry with that alone.
“Hey, so, can I introduce you to my dads as my boyfriend, now?” Hitoshi asks. He needs to hear it. He needs to hear it.
“I’ve suspected for a long ass time that ‘Zawa was your adoptive dad but who’s the other one?”
Hitoshi snorts. “What, like that’s not obvious, too? Yamada Hizashi. Present Mic.”
Bakugou’s face twisted into confusion. “What the fuck? They’re polar opposites?”
Hitoshi shrugs. “Not really. Not when it comes down to it. They’re more— Yin and Yang, ya know? Different but— parallel.”
Bakugou nods thoughtfully. Then, “Yeah. Sure. Only if you meet my parents.”
It’s Hitoshi’s turn to grin, “I heard from Denki that you’re a carbon copy of your mom, is that true?”
If Bakugou rolled his eyes harder, they might not have stayed in his head.
They spend the rest of the night bouncing off each other (in a metaphorical sense!), mutually giddy over the turn of events.
He’s quick to text his family group chat about the development (a group chat that includes the honorary member of the Aizawa-Yamada family, Midoriya Izuku).
Varying degrees of surprise and congratulations are sent his way and Hitoshi almost can’t sleep for a good reason that night.
Bakugou— Katsuki kneads his hair until he does. He feels a kiss on his forehead as he drifts.
He’s twenty-six when he gets a new boyfriend. His annoyingly attractive, abrasive, and usually loud boyfriend but his boyfriend nonetheless.