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Bakugo Katsuki really believed he didn’t give a crap about love and dating and crushes and all that bullshit. But when he started getting flowers on his desk on random mornings, could you fucking blame him for being curious?
It started a couple months into school. He’d leave his dorm, knock on Eijiro’s door to wake him up, and make the journey to class. Eijiro used to walk with him, but the bastard never wakes up on time anymore. It was a shame, really, not getting to see Eijiro first thing in the morning with that damn adorable sleepy face. His hair sticking out in random places since he never seemed to wash all the gel out. And the way he’d just walk to him, half asleep, and pull him into a hug with a raspy “Good morning, Kats.”
And if he was really lucky, Eijiro would wrap his arm around him on the way to class and he had to act like he was blushing from anger and not the feeling of being so close to him. And that maybe, people walking by would think he was Eijiro’s.
Okay, fuck. Maybe he did care about love and dating and crushes. But, really, only when it came to Eijiro Kirishima. The most gorgeous, sweetest, guy on the damn planet.
Which is why his stomach dropped when he spotted a single red rose on his desk. Surely it wasn’t for him? Maybe it was supposed to be for Deku and the idiot—probably stupid IcyHot—put it on the wrong desk.
But then, he checked the typed message taped to it: “Katsuki - Something to brighten your morning!”
Fuck. He really wanted to throw the thing away. He knew he’d be getting a crapload of stupid questions from his stupid classmates. And hell, he did not want Eijiro to see it.
And if he knew he was talking about him, Eijiro walked into the classroom with a sleepy smile.
“Oh hey, Katsuki. Good morning!” Katsuki quickly hid an arm behind him.
“You got ready fast, I only knocked on your door 10 minutes ago.”
A small smile burst on Eijiro’s face, “Ah—well I wanted to see you. And ask if you want to go to the cafeteria for breakfast.”
“You could wake up earlier and walk with me to class if you want to see me so damn bad.” He teases.
Eijiro laughed, the sound so pretty to hear first thing in the morning.
“Hey man, sleep is good.” Eijiro says before a yawn.
“Alright, let’s go get some food before you fall asleep in class.”
Eijiro beamed, walking closer to him to link their arms together. Before he could even respond, Eijiro smirked at him.
“Whatcha got there, Blasty?”
Katsuki blushed, his instincts still asleep, apparently, as Eijiro snatched the thing from his hand.
“Hmm, seems like someone wants you to have a good day.”
“Whatever, it’s dumb.”
“Aw, it’s not dumb. I for one think it’s very manly.” Eijiro winked, placing the flower back on his desk and linking their arms fully.
Nothing else happened for a week, and Katsuki definitely wasn’t anticipating it. Whatever. It was probably a one time thing, a joke. Really the good thing out of the week was Eijiro actually managing to wake up early some days and walk to class with him.
But, as soon as Monday rolled around, Katsuki knew he’d have to wake Kirishima up since he pulled an all-nighter playing some video game or some crap like that.
So, Katsuki knocked on his door, shouted at him to wake up, and walked to class.
His stomach dropped once again when he saw not one, but two roses on his desk.
On it was another typed note that said, “Katsuki - I hope this colors your morning :) What's your favorite color?”
He snorts at the bad attempt at connecting the joke to the question, touching the soft petals carefully. The answer to the question was simple. A color that made his heart beat faster, his smiles come easier. The same color his face would probably turn when he would glance upon its most beautiful shade. Red. The same color as Eijiro’s eyes and his dumb hair.
Before he could hide the flowers in time, Eijiro walked in, announcing his presence with a yawn.
“Ooo, more from your secret admirer?” He chuckled, walking to his space to take them off his desk.
“Hmm, what is your favorite color, man? Don’t think you’ve ever told me.”
Katsuki felt his heart jump. Was Eijiro…
“Why the hell does that matter?”
“Because!” Eijiro shouted, color spilling on his cheeks, “You’re my best friend. I gotta know stuff like that.”
“I don’t know your favorite color.” He reasoned.
Eijiro gave him a glare and fuck. Yeah. That much was obvious.
“Guess my favorite color is…I don’t know orange?” He lied.
“Orange and red.” Eijiro said with a goofy smile, his eyes a sweet puddle of crimson.
“What?” He laughed, poking at Eijiro’s cheek.
“I don’t know, they just fit together.”
Katsuki shakes his head, grabbing Eijiro’s wrist to lead him out of the classroom and to the cafeteria.
Katsuki was getting kind of fed up at this point. It had been almost a month of these damn flowers and the person still hadn’t had the guts to come talk to him.
He knew it had to at least be someone in his class, considering they knew where he sat every day. Or, it could be someone from another class who asked where he sat.
Or, really, it could be a joke. Why else would he keep getting these flowers and notes and no confrontation?
He took the notes out of his desk drawer, fanning them out on his desk to reread them for the tenth time.
Three roses with the note “Katsuki - Do you prefer salty or sweet? Cause your smile is really sweet :)”
Four more roses with another note, “Katsuki - Knock knock! Who’s there? It’s more roses! You have a nice laugh, so I hope this made you smile :)”
That’s when he started getting suspicious. He’d never actually laugh in front of his classmates. So he knew this had to be someone bullshitting him.
The fifth bundle of roses came soon after, not even a week in between. “Katsuki - we should really go out sometime. I heard you like spicy food. Which is cool, cause I think you’re hot :)”
Eijiro had smiled when he saw that one, “Getting pretty bold, aren’t they?”
“Bold my ass, I don’t see them asking me this shit in person.” He scoffed.
“Well, they did have a good idea, though. Wanna go out for dinner today? Spicy ramen?”
A half a dozen roses came a couple days after with the longest note yet.
“Katsuki- I know it’s pretty lame, me hiding behind notes and flowers. But I just like you so much! I think you’re so smart, and handsome, and such a great friend. Maybe, if I tell you who I am, you’d give me a chance? And hey, didn’t expect me to forget a joke, did you? Out of all the flowers in the world, I’d pick you!”
That’s when he knew for sure someone was fucking with him. The only friend he had was Eijiro. And hell, he was feeling tolerant today—he also just had Kaminari and Sero. And the two were annoyingly in love with each other, even though they didn’t know it.
And, whatever. The nerd and IcyHot counted too.
This bullshit was obviously some cruel ass joke and he was tired of it. It’s been a month. If this flowery note bastard really liked him, he’d have the guts to talk to him already.
It was a joke. Nothing fucking more.
But hell, what if it wasn’t? What if one of his friends really did like him? Sure, people might think he’s an asshole--and fuck it. He was. But not to his friends, at least. But him being a great friend? Yeah. He doubted it.
Besides, doesn’t he make his crush on Eijiro kind of obvious? Dunce Face sure likes to tease the crap out of him for it.
So, fuck it. He was gonna try to confront whoever this was. If it was a joke, he could tell them off. If it was serious, he could try to break it to them easy. That he didn’t feel the same, maybe even couldn’t. His heart belonged to Eijiro and he doesn’t think it’s gonna go to anyone else.
He took a glance at the roses he had put in a cup, sitting next to his books on his desk. Obviously, they didn’t think about how many flowers he had been accumulating enough to give him a vase.
With a sigh, he hopped off his desk chair, put the notes back in his desk drawer, and threw himself on his bed.
He hit his fist on his and Eijiro’s shared wall and a light “Hey man, what’s up!” came from the other side.
Not really up for talking, he just hit it again.
“Okay, I’m coming.” Eijiro laughed.
A second later, his door clicked open and Eijiro came to lay next to him without greeting.
“You okay?”
Katsuki said nothing, just rolled on his side to face him.
Eijiro let out another chuckle, moving to do the same.
Fuck. How could he not want to kiss him right now? Close that small gap and grab his face and press their lips together. Not even an earth stopping, mind blowing, magical first kiss. He just wanted to kiss him like it was casual. A routine in their lives, that upon sight they’d just kiss each other for a second instead of a greeting. Just a quick peck on lips that felt so familiar that they would be convinced that they’ve kissed in every lifetime. Not even needing the dramatics of a first kiss since their kisses would always feel like the first time. The sounds of their lips coming together and apart a cozy, comforting home.
It would be so easy. So easy to just fall into Eijiro. So easy to press his lips against his and forget about everything. To wrap his arms around his waist and lose himself in the sensation of him. To bask himself in all that sweetness and absolute beauty.
Eijiro placed his finger in the middle of his forehead, “Hey grump. Whatcha grumpy for?“
He traced the wrinkle of his brow with his finger, a small smile dancing on his lips.
“Seriously, you okay Kats?”
“No.”
Eijiro frowned, opening his arms and waiting for him to come closer.
As soon as he buried himself in the crook of his neck, he felt a kiss placed on top of his head.
He went stiff for a second before he let out a smile.
“What the hell was that for?”
“Ah—sorry, man. You just look so upset. It just—I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Needed that.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah.”
He couldn’t see his face, but Eijiro’s joy was always so bright that he knew he was grinning his gorgeous grin.
A second later, Eijiro did it again.
He let himself stew in the silence for a second before he spoke again.
“I’m gonna go up to that bastard tomorrow.”
“Which bastard? There’s so many in Katsuki-World.”
“Shut up, the flower bastard.”
He felt Eijiro stiffen himself before he whispered, “Why?”
“Because. I'm fed up with it already. Obviously it’s some joke.”
“Why would it be a joke?”
Katsuki sighed, “Because. Who the hell would have a crush on me? And whatever. That last note said I was a good friend. So obviously Kaminari or Sero or the other two are messing with me.”
“And what if it’s not a joke?” Eijiro’s hold on him loosened just a little.
“One of my friends liking me? Have you seen them all with each other?”
Eijiro laughed, “Yeah.”
He paused before saying, “What if it’s not a joke though? What if he really does like you?”
“Then I’d tell them I can’t like them back.”
“Can’t?”
“Yeah…”
“Not even if it’s one of your friends?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.”
“Oh. Well, that’s okay. You don’t owe anyone feelings, you know?”
“Yeah…” he agreed.
If only he could tell him that the reason he couldn’t was because he was sure he was in love with his best friend.
Eijiro squeezed him tight and Katsuki took the chance to tangle their legs together.
And that’s how they stayed, Katsuki wrapped around all his hopes. All his love. He was sure of it.
Monday rolled around and Katsuki could feel his stomach in his chest, his heart pounding.
He already knew what he was going to do.
If it turns out to be a joke, he’d just—well he doesn’t know.
But if it’s real, he’ll tell the person that he has feelings for someone else. And that he was sorry. That it was nice to feel for a second that special and wanted. But he couldn’t like them back.
He waited for what felt like ages. The flowers were always there before he came to class, so he had come a little earlier.
But, as the clock ticked, getting closer to the time he’d usually show up, he sighed.
He got up, texting Eijiro that he’d be in the cafeteria already and not the classroom.
And then, when he stepped into the hallway, he heard a shuffle. The ding of a cell phone.
He was about to call out his name when his world stopped.
“Fuck. Here goes nothing.” He heard Eijiro say to himself, clutching what appeared to be a dozen roses in his hand.
Katsuki didn’t know what to think.
Eijiro was behind all this? Behind this fucking joke? Talking about a secret admirer with him when he knew it was all bullshit?
What? Is this is fucking way to reject him? Act like his—
“Ka-Katsuki?” Eijiro stuttered, his face as red as those dumb roses.
“What the hell?” He spat, a broken heart and anger blurring his vision.
“I can—I fuck. I mean. Shit. I mean I know you said you couldn’t like me back but I just had to try.”
“What?”
“I don’t know! You were just saying all this stuff about this being a joke I just had to show you that it wasn’t and I came later to come up to you but then you said you were at the cafeteria and—“
“Wait? What?” He interrupted, coming closer to Eijiro.
Eijiro blinked up at him, tears spilling in his eyes.
Fuck.
He was so stupid.
The only person who would be stupid enough to leave dumb notes with cheesy jokes would be Eijiro.
The only person who would go out of their way every week to leave flowers on his desk just to make him smile would be Eijiro.
He was just so caught up in the concept of someone fucking with him, the feeling of it being too sweet to be true that it had to be bullshit.
Of course. This had Eijiro written all over it. It was so Eijiro, Katsuki now felt so stupid.
“I’m sorry, Eij. I really thought it was a joke.”
“That’s okay. My notes were pretty dumb.”
“Shut up, no they weren’t. I should’ve known only you could come up with crap as cheesy as that.”
Eijiro smiled, watery on the edges, “Hey man, don’t worry about not feeling the same. It’s alright.”
Katsuki scoffed, “Now you’re being the stupid one.”
“But you said you couldn’t like anyone back?” Eijiro sniffed, quickly masking whatever sadness he was feeling with another smile.
“Dummy, that’s because I like you.”
“What? Really?”
He just smiled, finally closing that gap between them.
He took Eijiro’s teary face in his hands, wiping away a tear that fell from those beautiful, cherry red eyes glimmering in the spill of the early morning sunlight.
And shit, their first kiss was world stopping, mind blowing, magical.
And just like home.
When they pulled apart, Eijiro kissed all over his face like he couldn’t get enough.
Katsuki laughed, “Come on, Eij. Let’s go put these in my dorm and then go get breakfast.”
“Okay.” Eijiro smiled, slowly intertwining their fingers.
“And you’re gonna get me a vase after school.”
“Sure thing.” He chuckled, handing him his roses.
“Red, huh? You know that’s my favorite color?”
“Not orange?”
Katsuki glared at him, because, fuck. Wasn’t that obvious?
“Nope.”
Eijiro let out a dramatic gasp, “Lying to your best friend? Damn, Blasty, not really that manly.”
Katsuki snorted, tugging him forward so they can actually start walking to his dorm.
“Consider it pay back for all those lame jokes.”
“Aw come on, you liked them.”
“Lie to yourself all you want, you cheesy moron.”
“You should’ve seen the jokes I chose from. You’re lucky I picked the best ones.”
Katsuki couldn’t help but laugh—and groan— as Eijiro listed off all the jokes he didn’t use while they walked back to the dorms.
It was late enough for people to be passing by them, taking glances at their hands and the big bouquet of flowers in his other.
But, this time, he really was Eijiro’s and their love was ready to bloom.