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Kirishima couldn’t sleep that night. Maybe because of those two coffees he had drunk. Maybe because of the can of energy drink he downed right before his evening run. And maybe because it wasn't even that late, and his day was more or less uneventful.
Vivid red numbers on his alarm clock read 19:59.
His head was too loud. His phone was laughing at him from the other side of the bedside table. It was filled with people, their numbers, and their profiles on social media. There were even strangers on some platforms and their comment sections. So many people and yet no one to reach out to.
No one to hold him tightly while his mind was spiraling into a territory he didn’t like. There were so many memories reminding their existence, keeping him distracted, not being able to do anything he should have done. And that only led him to blame himself for being lazy, for not doing anything, for not doing enough.
„Not again, please.“ He whined in his bed. The room was dark and cold. Empty. He was alone.
And his thoughts were only getting louder and louder.
„Dammit!“ He screamed and jumped out of the bed. It took him only a few seconds to grab the black hoodie from his closet and a pair of jeans. Running his hand through his hair, he tried to fix the bedhead before he rushed out of his bedroom.
„Mom?“ He whispered into the silent house. There was a TV switched on in the living room, so he walked inside. Seeing his moms, curled on the couch together lying in each other’s arms, only broke something more inside him.
ALONE! His brain screamed at him.
He bit his tongue and let the tears stream down his face, trying to be as quiet as possible. Both of his moms worked hard, he didn’t want to wake them up.
Instead, he turned around and walked into the kitchen. Hot tears were burning lines on his cheeks as he looked at the kitchen counter, finding what he was looking for. In a small bowl, there were two sets of car keys. He grabbed one of them, the one belonging to the red SUV.
Next, he grabbed a pen and some sticky paper.
‘I needed to clear my mind. Love you <3 Eiji’
After signing the note, he stuck it on the fridge, right next to the photo of him and his moms from his graduation day. His body froze as his eyes landed on the photo.
He looked so happy in that little piece of paper. His moms looked so proud of him, and he was so excited. Finally becoming a pro, finishing school, and becoming someone he hoped to be a long time ago. Bakugo was in the corner of the photo, smirking while looking at him too. In the background, he could recognize blurry shapes of Mina, Denki, and Sero.
New tears rolled down his cheeks at the sight of it.
He missed them all so much. They were now all on different sides of the country. He was one of very few lucky enough who was hired by an agency close to his hometown. It was a nuisance to travel an hour every day to get to and back from work. That’s why his moms forced him to get a driver's license.
And then he became addicted to it. Finding that the empty streets in the middle of the night were too calm. When he pushed the accelerator to the floor on empty highways, he was aware he was breaking the law that he was supposed to protect. But the rush of energy he got from it...
It was the only thing keeping his head clear at nights like these.
He turned around in the kitchen and finally walked out of the house. He pushed the unlock button on the car keys and looked as the car’s lights turned on. It was his mom’s old car, that now become his.
With a soft smile, he walked closer, opened the door, and got inside. He didn’t even start the engine, he just sat there for a while, with keys in the ignition. The overwhelming feeling was still there, still trying to suffocate him, and his vision was still blurry with tears. He couldn’t drive just yet.
Karma wanted to play a game that night probably. As if on cue, something buzzed inside his hoodie pocket so he reached for his phone and looked at the screen. It was a group chat with old Bakusquad. It hurt too much at the moment. The separation, the good memories that were now reduced to one day in a month when they could all meet together.
It’s hard to keep a distance friendship when you were used to living together every day, under the same roof. Bakugo was always just two steps away from his room. And now... now he was probably sleeping in a city four hours away from him.
Maybe if he just...
He unlocked his phone and searched his contact for that one name. He knew that if Bakugo doesn’t pick up, he will feel bad for annoying him. He also knew that if Bakugo does pick up, he will start crying more the second he will hear his voice.
Still, he hit the call button.
It started to ring. One ring, two, three... Just one more, Kirishima said to himself, ready to hang up the call after that.
„Eijiro?“
The voice on the other side of the line didn’t sound tired at all. Bakugo’s voice was as rough as he remembered it. How long has it been since they called each other? It was always easier to just text. It was more convenient when you were two working heroes with unmatched shifts.
„Hello? Dumbass, are you there?“ Katsuki whispered the second part, and new tears started to stream down the redhead’s cheeks again.
„Katsuki?“ He almost whined at the relief of hearing his best friend’s voice.
„No shit, Sherlock.“ Bakugo was indeed smirking on the other side of the line, Kirishima could imagine it. But then the line stayed oddly too silent before a soft voice echoed from the receiver: „What happened?“
This time Eijiro sobbed out loud as he gasped for air. He didn’t bother to try and stop his tears from flowing. He didn’t bother to wipe them away. It was useless. Leaning his head against the headrest of his seat, he just sobbed more and more.
„Are you hurt? Are you on patrol?“ Now Eijiro could hear the rising panic in Bakugo’s voice, even tho he was trying to hide it behind the demanding tone.
„No. I am home. Well, in my car.“
„What’s wrong then?“
„I...I don’t know. The voices just... and my moms were sleeping...and then I saw a picture of me with them and there were you in the background... the rest of the squad too... and the house was too silent and dark, I just... I am sorry I called.“ Eijiro let it all out in one breath, knowing he didn’t make any sense.
But for some reason, Bakugo understood.
„Don’t you dare apologize for that!“ He almost hissed. There was some rustling on the other side of the line. „Take a deep breath for me. It’s just another panic attack, Eiji. You’ve been through worse.“
„This is not a panic attack. I have no reason to panic. I am fine. Everything is fine, actually, the work’s been great, and you guys are all doing well too. I have no reason to feel like I do. And I certainly don’t panic right now.“
„Yet you called me because you know that my voice always calms you down.“ Bakugo said so easily. As if it was a fact from a textbook that everybody had to memorize. And the worst thing is... he was right.
„Are you still with me?“ Bakugo’s voice was soft. That type of soft that no one except for Kirishima ever heard. It was like it was reserved just for him.
„Yeah.“
„How’re your moms doing?“ Bakugo’s question shocked him. Not because he asked. Ever since Bakugo spent Christmas with them last year because his family went on a trip overseas, he genuinely cared about Eijiro’s family. They grew to his heart even if he was trying to deny it.
But the sudden change of subject was confusing.
„Ehm... They are doing fine. Ma’s having those back pains again, but she promised to go see the doctor finally. And mom just got promoted at work last week. She will have to work a little more but she was dreaming about this promotion for years.“
„That’s great. My mom’s still the same old hag she used to be. Texting me every hour to see if I am alive. It starts to look like she’s waiting for my funeral.“ Bakugo tried to joke, and it worked. Kirishima laughed wetly and wiped the tears away.
„Well, as long as Midoriya is in the same city as you, that’s not gonna happen anytime soon.“
Kirishima replied with a sigh.
Why couldn’t it be him going with Bakugo? He knew he wasn’t good enough. They wanted the best out of the best. That’s why Bakugo, Midoriya, Todoroki, Momo, and Iida stayed together. Why couldn’t he just be a little bit better?
„Well, Deku’s funeral can be arranged. Just get me the go-ahead signal and I am done in a few seconds.“
„If it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t even be here anymore.“ Kirishima rolled his eyes. He could finally breathe normally again.
„You would miss me, wouldn’t you?“ It wasn’t hard to imagine the smug expression on the blond’s face. He’s seen it enough in high school to have it permanently imprinted in his memory.
„I would. I still do.“ He whispered into the phone. „It’s not the same.“
„It’s not.“ It was just a sight on the other side, and for some reason, Kirishima’s heart broke one more time that night. „Are you calm enough to drive now?“
Bakugo’s words confused him enough to forget about the pain from missing the other boy. He could hear an engine starting on the other side of the line.
„Probably?“
„You know how to get to Osaka?“ Bakugo’s voice sounded more electronic now. There was static mixed with his normal sound, and the sound of the car’s engine accelerating was too clear.
„Of course I do but... wait, no way!“ Kirishima all but screamed into the phone.
„Are you going or should I just go pick up groceries and go back home?“ Bakugo laughed and just hearing him laugh, gave Kirishima more than enough enthusiasm. He was suddenly more than wide awake at that moment, but this time, there were no voices inside his head.
Just Bakugo’s voice inside his ear.
„I’ll be there! It’s two hours for both of us tho. And don’t drive while you are on the phone!“
„I have hands free, shut up. And yeah it’s two hours but I have a day off tomorrow and... I missed you too, you know?“
Kirishima’s heart almost stopped altogether as he turned on his engine the exact second that Bakugo said those words.
„Two hours. We meet in the middle. But I don’t have hands free so...“ The redhead finally stuttered out after a few beats of complete silence.
„See ya in the middle.“ Bakugo mumbled and hung up the call.
With a wide smile, Kirishima threw the phone on the passenger seat, put on his seatbelt, and pulled out of their driveway. He pressed the accelerator to the ground on an empty highway, to the rhythm of the music playing loudly from the radio.
The clock on the dashboard read 20:24 when he was leaving his hometown. Just two hours to go.
21:19 Bakugo
Needed to take a break for gas
Those are coordinations for the place, just put it in GPS
Kirishima noticed the message when he stopped at the gas station as well. He copied the coordination that Bakugo sent him and put them into his navigation. Just half-hour.
He risked it, and called Bakugo again, even though he knew he was driving. The blond picked up only after one ring.
„Yeah?“
„Still have handsfree?“
„I am not an idiot.“
Kirishima grinned at that. They were both idiots. Spontaneous idiots. Driving two hours in the middle of the night, after or before a hard shift at work just to see their best friend. Or more like, to meet the most important person in their lives.
„What’s the place you picked?“
„Don’t ask stupid questions, get into your fucking car and get there. You will see.“ Bakugo had the audacity to hang up on him. And Kirishima only laughed. He missed this.
When half an hour later he was passing the welcome signs of Osaka, he slowed down a little and followed his navigation. He wasn’t sure what to expect. One thing he learned in high school is that Bakugo was, is, and always will be unpredictable. He knew him better than anyone else from their old class and yet he still had no idea what was going on inside the blond’s head.
When the map zoomed in enough that he could see what buildings were there, Kirishima wanted to laugh once again. It was some fast food restaurant at the edge of the city that was surprisingly opened all night.
The parking lot was empty when Kirishima pulled in and parked his car.
The clock on the dashboard read 22:40.
He switched off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned against the seat. The car was silent, he was alone, but for the first time since graduation, he didn’t feel lonely.
His heart started to beat a little bit faster as he noticed the light coming from around the corner and only a few seconds later there it was. The black BMW that Bakugo was so proud of. He had it personally customized, the design of orange explosions on the sides of the car recognizable from far away.
Kirishima climbed out of the car quickly, almost forgetting to lock it, as he started to walk to the other side of the parking lot where Bakugo parked his car. When he saw the lights of Bakugo’s car switch off, and the door opened soon after, with another wave of laughter Kirishima started to sprint.
„Katsuki!“ He screamed when he crashed into the other man. His arms wrapped around Bakugo’s neck, and the all too familiar smell of burned sugar and nitroglycerin enveloped him.
It felt like home.
Bakugo groaned at the hard impact, but still wrapped his arms around Kirishima’s waist, pulling him closer.
„The one and only.“ The blond smirked as he hid his face in Kirishima’s neck. He would deny that smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. He was just glad to see his idiot once again.
At the sound of a sob, Bakugo slightly pulled away, so he could see Kirishima’s face. A few tears were rolling down his cheeks as Kirishima sobbed, his whole body shaking.
„I missed you so much, Kats.“ Eijiro didn’t let him just stare. He pulled the blond back in, hugging him even tighter than before to the point Bakugo couldn’t breathe.
„More than other idiots?“ he laughed and moved one hand from around Kirishima’s waist, up his back towards the soft red hair. He started combing through them, waiting for Kirishima to calm down.
„You’ve always been special.“ Kirishima’s lips accidentally grazed Bakugo’s neck sending shivers down the blond’s spine. He sighed and pulled the redhead away, those words as good as a confession to him.
Their eyes met properly for the first time that night, and Kirishima wanted to cry again. He missed those eyes. Dark red and dangerous, holding so many emotions that they were almost unreadable. But Kirishima always knew what he saw in them.
„I am...“
Rough, chapped lips pressed against Kirishima’s own, stealing the rest of the sentence from him. Words weren’t needed between them. It was just stupid it took them this long, and stupid distance to figure it out.
With a dreamy sigh, Kirishima pressed back into the kiss parting his lips so slightly. He could feel Bakugo’s lips turning into a smirk. One of his hands settled at the back of Kirishima’s neck, the other gripping his hip strongly. Kirishima locked his arms around Bakugo’s neck.
„If you feel lonely, you call me. Got it?“ Bakugo whispered against his lips and Kirishima nodded. „Then we meet in the middle.“
Eijiro knew that they don’t have forever. At least not now, not that night, when they are still low-ranked and work just as sidekicks. But one day, they will be high-ranked heroes. Bakugo will be one of the best. And they will be able to start an agency of their own. Close to each other, maybe even one together.
„I missed you.“ Kirishima smiled, leaning in for another kiss as Bakugo cupped his face.
They knew they had just this one night before they will have to go back. Separate themselves from each other, and feel loneliness once again. But there was still the promise of a bright future when they are side by side. Hopefully forever.
„I missed you more, dumbass.“ Katsuki whispered into the small space between their lips. Kirishima pulled away to look him in the eyes and he smirked.
„Uhm, hello? We are here because I had a breakdown. Obviously, I missed you more.“
Bakugo just rolled his eyes and grabbed his hand. „You hungry?“ He pointed with his head at the fast food and Kirishima nodded.
As long as they are together, even only on the other side of the phone lines, they will be okay.