Archive of Our Own ^beta

“We need to break up,” Eijirou had told him a day prior.

And now Katsuki lay on the ground of a rotten old warehouse that held equipment for all the different kinds of sports their school provided education for. 

His nose was broken, there were bruises and cuts made by different kinds of shoes littering his bare skin. His face was disgusting, mud from the ground mixed with blood and spit.

It was dark and sorrowful. 

Katsuki thought they were doing well.

Why did it end up like this?

How did everything go so wrong?

— — — — —

It was the summer before Katsuki would start his college journey. 

He wasn't expecting the same things out of college as the extras in his previous classes. 

Everyone always spoke about how life-long romances started in college and how you were supposed to lose all kinds of virginities during said school period.

That was dumb, and not Katsuki's scene at all. He preferred to focus on actual school, but he also gave himself some freedom with his very dear hobby; drums.

Katsuki was confident in his skills with basically every subject that came to his success in school, now he just needed the money to buy books and other necessary things, like pencils and ID cards, that the school required.

Katsuki could easily ask his parents to fund all of that, they had the money, but he was determined to be more independent, since he was already 18 and that's when you are supposed to start actually taking care of yourself. At least that's how he was taught by society.

And that’s why Katsuki applied for summer jobs. He was turned down from a lot of places - what do you mean he was too young and inexperienced to be the president’s right hand man? - but he also got a few interviews. He could admit that job application interviews weren’t really his thing, which is probably why he got more of the ax than he initially anticipated. 

Time was running out, and Katsuki became desperate. 

He was not going to let his parents pay for everything, no matter how wealthy they were and would have been willing to help him.

Then he landed it. 

A job as a tutor for some guy, who in all likelihood couldn’t tell the difference between pepperoni and salami, was needed. 

Amazing.

Katsuki was smart, had always been, so tutoring should be easy. The way he had to spend time with some random dude on the other hand, that would be difficult. 

Katsuki wasn’t a people person, at all. He barely tolerated the three people already in his life, and even that was hard enough sometimes.

It wasn’t even the guy who he was supposed to tutor that organized this whole thing, it was his mom who called Katsuki in for help. How bad was the situation if this guy’s mom asked his son to be tutored by some random teenager? A young adult, pardon me .

Katsuki couldn’t really complain though, because the amount he was going to be paid for such a task seemed worth the burden.

Until it didn’t.

As Katsuki first stepped into the household he was supposed to spend most of his precious summer vacation in, he immediately spotted the worn out red cleats that had been thrown haphazardly to the corner of the hall, a red uniform with the number 1 printed on the backside of it hung on a hanger, and a large sports bag lied on the ground with an open zipper.

He was about to tutor some dumb jock.

Amazing.

“Welcome welcome, and thank you for doing this for my son,” the woman, who probably was the mother Katsuki had talked on the phone with, bowed her head. 

Katsuki wasn’t used to older people being so respectful towards him. It shocked him enough that he wasn’t capable of saying anything clever to that. So, he deemed it better to stay quiet than try to talk and let out noises he would kill himself over.

“Don’t get me wrong, Eijirou is a gifted kid,” the mother, who had introduced herself as Kirishima Hanako, started to introduce this kid of hers. Katsuki couldn’t help but notice that the actual guy he was here for hadn’t even made an appearance yet. “He’s just lacking in… academic skills. He’s not really all that smart, I’m afraid. I’m so glad I could find him a tutor in such a short notice.” 

At this point Mrs. Kirishima was talking to herself more than trying to inform Katsuki. Katsuki didn’t really mind, he just needed to get this over with.

Katsuki was about to say something extremely informative and not at all cringe, but instead he was nearly given a heart attack when someone ran down some stairs in a manner that could only be described as an elephantic frenzy. 

God damn they were loud. Were they wearing platform shoes or what the fuck was happening?

Apparently an elephant wasn't what hurried down the stairs, but instead a sculpture-looking guy jumped like three meters from the stairs to reach Katsuki and Mrs. Kirishima. 

“Mom I'm gonna go t- who’re you?”

Ah, so this was the upcoming headache Katsuki was going to have to bear. 

And Katsuki couldn’t help but stare. How is it physically possible to style one's hair in such a manner? And why was it red? Someone was playing tricks on his mind, Katsuki was sure. 

This guy was… well he wasn't bad looking. His features were sharp but defined, clearly displaying the jock in him. He had certain kindness in his expression, similar to the one Mrs. Kirishima greeted Katsuki with.

This guy wasn’t wearing any shoes though, so how the hell was he making all that noise while running? A heel-walker, ew.

This was the weirdest introduction to anyone Katsuki had ever come across.

“Eijirou, this is your new tutor!” Mrs. Kirishima introduced in a sweet manner, almost as if she was trying to play it cool. 

Had they not discussed this beforehand as a family? Not that Katsuki had any say, he hardly spoke to his parents himself these days.

No matter, Katsuki didn’t want to come off as rude. This guy had to figure out later on what Katsuki was actually like. No way was Katsuki risking all that money by actually being himself during first interactions, he wasn’t that idiotic.

So, he bowed his head while biting his tongue to not grimace. “Bakugou Katsuki, I’m gonna be tutoring your ass.”

Nailed it.

“Uh-” This Eijirou started very intelligently, opening and closing his mouth like fucking Nemo. “Mom, I said I don’t need a tutor,” he said through his teeth, targeting his voice only for his mom to hear, but Katsuki wasn't deaf. This could end up being a problem. “So I’m sorry, Bakugou, was it? I don’t need you.”

Katsuki nearly tripped on air even though he wasn’t moving. 

Well there goes his paycheck. 

Damn it.

He had to try something. “Let me be the judge of that.” Katsuki wanted to bite his tongue off, just so he could never sputter such nonsense again in his life. “I’ll test you with a quiz. If you fail, you have no choice." Really, Katsuki, threatening, in such a crucial moment? You're so wise.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea!” Mrs. Kirishima jumped up in glee, clapping her hands together. 

“Mom, I’m not that bad-”

“Oh but you are Eijirou,” the way Mrs. Kirishima’s voice went from excited to dark and serious in .5 seconds was honestly kind of scary. The duality of this woman… Would her son be the same way, Katsuki wondered. “You’re doing that quiz. Bakugou will be the judge of if you need help or not. Now shoo, show Bakugou your room.”

“But mo-”

“ Now , Eijirou.”

Oof, Mrs. Kirishima nearly sounded like Katsuki’s mother on her good days just now. 

Kirishima seemed to deflate under his mom’s orders. He sighed and turned around with a gesture of his hand for Katsuki to follow.

So Katsuki followed. Kirishima wasn’t jumping or running anymore, but looked to be just groveling around, trying to make the trip to his room feel all the more agonizing. 

That only gave Katsuki more time to look at who he needed to waste his time with. He was good at rating people by face value, and by scanning the guy head to toe gave all the information Katsuki needed to go forward. 

Kirishima was most likely energetic, out-going and friendly. He probably loves everyone and judges no one, befriends everything that moves and most likely is into physical contact, like hugs and such. Kirishima was like an open book, and Katsuki hadn’t known the guy for more than five minutes at this point and already had a pretty clear vision on what he was dealing with.

Kirishima opened a door that led to his room, presumably. And said room only strengthened Katsuki’s view on Kirishima’s personality. There was so much red all around the room, but it was decorated in such a way it didn’t come off as intimidating as the color red was capable of being portrayed. There was a clock on the wall that had muscled arms on both sides of it. 

Katsuki hated that clock with passion, just out of spite. 

One thing that caught Katsuki’s eye was the Crimson Riot posters the guy had hung up on his walls. Crimson Riot was a famous kickboxer, who Katsuki also liked. If kickboxing was a genre Katsuki would’ve cared even the slightest about, Crimson Riot would probably be his favorite. Now he only liked the guy because he had the looks, and Katsuki was a young adult with hormones. It wasn’t a difficult equation.

“Are you doing this just for money?” Kirishima asked after Katsuki had stared around his room for whatever minutes.

“What the fuck else would I be doing this for?” Katsuki answered very friendly, dropping his worn out bag onto the floor. It clinked eerily, but Katsuki decided to ignore it. It wouldn’t have been a good look to check if his vodka bottle had broken in his bag or not. If it spilled through the bag, then he’d deal with it.

What? He needed encouragement for social gatherings.

“I don’t know?” Kirishima sighed and sat down on his unmade bed. He leaned his elbow on his knee and stared Katsuki right in the eyes. “Maybe to get friends?”

So Katsuki was right in assuming this guy wanted to befriend every living thing. “I don’t do friends, Shitty Hair.”

Kirishima looked shocked. How? He did know what he looked like, right? “Don’t disrespect the drip!”

What? “What?”

“My hair, it’s super cool! I don’t condone any sort of mean words targeted towards my hair!” Kirishima’s hands shot up to touch the pile of gel and spray that was the nest he called hair.

Katsuki was not impressed. “Right, Shitty Hair, give me your books so I know what to quiz you for.”

Katsuki saw Kirishima’s eye twitch but he didn’t comment further. The guy got up from the bed and rushed around his room, gathering up books from under his bed, from closets and drawers. One book was in a laundry basket. 

This was ridiculous. 

“Here,” Kirishima said and dropped seven different colored books in front of Katsuki onto the floor.

Katsuki hummed and sat down on the floor. He eyed the books for a while before noticing that he had the exact same books at home. “You’re gonna be a freshman in college,” Katsuki realized out loud. There was no way.

“Uh, yeah?” Kirishima cocked a brow and sat in front of Katsuki onto the ground, keeping his distance. “What about it?”

Katsuki shook his head. “Why do you need tutoring… before the semester has even started?!”

“Ah…” Kirishima grimaced and his hand flew to scratch his neck. “Well I said I didn’t need a tutor…”

“How’d you get in?”

This seemed to catch Kirishima off guard. “I- Well I…” He gnawed at his lip and looked to the side. At this point, Katsuki already knew why he needed tutoring, but nothing could stop him from torturing it out of Kirishima.

Distress was a good look on people. 

“How did you get in, Shitty Hair?” Katsuki asked again, trying to hide the smirk that forced its way onto his face.

Kirishima clicked his tongue. “With a sports scholarship.”

Katsuki couldn’t help but snort. “I knew it.”

“Hey!” Kirishima pointed his finger at Katsuki, trying to come off as stern but only looked like a wounded puppy. “I can get a scholarship in sports and still be smart!”

“Mmhm,” Katsuki challenged. “Then you won’t have any problems acing the quiz I’m going to make you take.”

“Yeah well we’ll see who comes out of this looking stupid,” Kirishima huffed and lied down onto his bed like he had nothing to be worried about. This guy had an attitude, Katsuki could appreciate that. But when it came out of a dumbass, the attitude just sounded childish.

“Guess we will,” Katsuki answered and got to work. 

He went through the books in a fast manner, opening them up at random pages and skimming through the general ideas of the pages. That gave him enough information to know what the books were about, so he wrote some questions about that. They were questions he would be able to answer easily by himself, but he mixed in questions that were harder on purpose. He also put questions that had no relations to the books whatsoever, just to check something.

He really needed the money, okay?

Kirishima seemed to get busy by playing with his phone. Katsuki was sure he didn’t even want to know what he was doing with it.

Katsuki got up about two hours later and threw the notebook he had written the questions in at Kirishima, purposefully or not, hitting the dumbass in the face with it. “There, you’ve got an hour to finish it.”

Kirishima grabbed a pen and started working on the quiz without complaining.

While Kirishima was failing his quiz, Katsuki grew bored. What was he supposed to do here? Sit and stare at a wall?

He decided to scroll through his own phone, it seemed to be the most logical option.

Once he opened Instagram to scroll through pictures of mostly just cats, he noticed a new follower. By the profile picture he already knew it was Kirishima who had followed him, probably to message Katsuki about future meetings and such, who the fuck knows. Katsuki would just really like to know how Kirishima had found his account. Katsuki didn’t have his name anywhere on his account, so finding it by searching just his name was impossible. 

“Done,” Kirishima sighed and lazily threw the notebook back to Katsuki moments later. “Maybe don’t bother looking at it, I know I failed.”

“Oh I know you did,” Katsuki said while putting his phone aside and opening the notebook. “I’ll still mark down your score so I can mock you with it.”

“You’re an awful person,” Kirishima whined and slid down onto the floor.

“And you’re dumb.” Burn. 

Katsuki went through the quiz and had to stare at a few of the answers for way too long to figure out what the hell Kirishima had tried to write. 

The answers were a mess; there were no right sentence structures anywhere, no periods nor uppercase letters where they should’ve been, his English looked like Latin and it seemed like he thought Europe was a country and India was in South America. 

He also mixed his 'your' s and 'you're' s, as well as his 'there' s, 'their' s and 'they're' s, which was giving Katsuki a solid reason to commit war crimes.

“Your score’s 36 out of 150,” Katsuki finally concluded. “I’m glad you know who Kim Kardashian is though.”

“Well I’ll have you know I’ve watched 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' with my mom for years, I’m basically a genius in what g-,” Aaaand there, he got it. “You’re making fun of me.”

“Yeah no shit,” Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Without pop culture questions your score’s down to 24.”

Kirishima seemed to think that over. The way he was looking at Katsuki, running his eyes up and down, side to side, made Katsuki anxious as fuck. He hated people who just had to stare while they were thinking about something. Like what are you, an infant?

He didn’t like to be stared at. Especially by some dumb jock who fit into every possible ‘dream guy’ mold ever created. Katsuki hated the type so much. Okay, maybe he was drawn to that kind of guys, but that wasn't anyone's fucking busine-

“Please tutor me!” Kirishima bowed his head and clasped his hands together in a prayer.

It was rude to interrupt someone’s thought process. But Katsuki allowed it just this once, because now he would get paid.

Maybe now his life was going to finally work like he planned.

“But I want to get to know you first!”

Or not.

“Huh?” 

“I want to get to know my tutor! I can’t just let some rando into my home every day, I need to know who you really are!” Kirishima blabbered on. “I mean I can make my assumptions, but that’s not very nice.”

And Katsuki was intrigued. “Oh do make assumptions, I’m dying to know how I come across to someone like you.”

Kirishima tilted his head, probably not understanding what Katsuki meant by that last part. “Well you dress in all black, so you’re probably like a goth or something. You have piercings so you have a high pain tolerance and are probably a badass, probably belong to a gang with guys double your age or more. You probably smoke at least a pack a day, judging by your voice. You probably don’t have friends because you agreed to be a tutor, therefore meaning you've got no one to spend summer with. And you look around my age, referring to how you knew what grade I was going to be in by my books alone, so you’re probably broke and need money for school supplies.”

Katsuki wanted to punch him. Oh he wanted to punch him so hard he could never take another breath in his entire life. “You can tutor your own fucking self, fucking- you’re just… fucking Christ!” Katsuki got up and stuffed his notebook back into his bag. “I hope you drown before school starts.”

He was about to head out, but a hand grabbed his wrist before he could. He had a mind to break that hand. “Please don’t go, I’m sorry! This is exactly what I meant though! I want to get to know you so my ill thoughts can be crushed and I get to know the real you!”

Was this guy serious?

 “Let’s start off easy, yeah?” Kirishima grinned, and Katsuki couldn't help but think he liked the smile on his face more than agony. That was rare. Katsuki also noted the sharper than normal teeth the guy had. What was the story behind those? “So, is your favorite color black?”

Katsuki wondered momentarily if he should humor this guy. He came to the conclusion that no matter how hard he wanted to deny the guy being right with some of his assumptions, he was indeed broke and needed this job. “Orange.”

“Cool! Mine’s red!”

“No way, I never would’ve guessed.”

“Next question!” Kirishima seemed to catch Katsuki’s willingness to cooperate, so he pulled Katsuki further back to his room and sat him to the bed while seating himself next to him. “Do you have, like, a motorcycle that you use to go to gang meetings or get-togethers where they sell cigarettes and drugs?”

“Wha-” Katsuki blinked. “Do you think I’m part of some mafia or drug ring or something?!”

Kirishima had the nerve to shrug. “Are you?”

“No!” Katsuki denied quickly. “I’ve never smoked nor used any drugs in my life! I use a bus to move around, usually to the store or library, not some back alley to kick kittens and smoke weed!”

“Okay, I think that’s very useful information for me!” Kirishima insisted, his hands flailing in the air like he was determined to make a point. Katsuki was this close to actually leaving at this point, but there was something with the overblown ridiculousness of this guy that kept him seated. “Next and possibly the most important question of them all,” Kirishima started with a clear of his throat. “You got a girlfriend?”

Katsuki’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “How’s that in any way useful information? Weren't these questions supposed to be for your safety or whatever?!”

“Chill, man,” Kirishima chuckled and had this smug grin on his face. “I want to get to know my newest bro.”

Katsuki felt his eyelids burning from the intensity he used to close them in an aggravating blink. "We’re not ‘bros’ , I’m gonna be teaching you ‘til you drop dead and then we never have to see each other ever again.”

Kirishima pursed his lips together in a pout. He looked ridiculous. “That’s not very manly of you, dude.”

“Well it’s a good thing then that I was not aiming to be manly,” Katsuki rolled his eyes and started choosing between Kirishima’s books, deciding where to start from.

“You never answered my question,” Kirishima said after a while of silence. Katsuki had honestly hoped Kirishima would have dropped the subject, but of course there was no such chance with this guy. “So I’m going to assume that no, you don’t have a girlfriend.”

Katsuki glanced up in mock congratulatory. “Good observation skills, mister Kirishima. Oh you’re so wise- Shut the fuck up and let me start on this bullshit before I’m leaving your ass alone so I’ll get to see how you fail during the first week of school.”

Luckily Kirishima understood to keep his mouth shut after that, for the most part at least. 

Katsuki wasn’t going to teach much during this first interaction, that’s not how tutoring worked in his eyes. 

Kirishima had been right in that part, first interactions in such environments were indeed for getting to know one another, but Katsuki honestly gave two shits about that and decided to just skim through the books, pretending to study them. As if he hadn’t already done so with his own books weeks ago.

After Katsuki left hours later, he had the mind to never show up at the Kirishima household ever again. 

Naturally, he showed up the next day.

After he had been paying visits to Kirishima for two weeks nearly every day, he found that the guy’s company wasn’t as nerve grating as it had been in the beginning.

Kirishima turned out to be a decent guy, which was surprising on its own. He wasn’t up in Katsuki’s business from then on out, at least enough to be irritating. He still asked questions, but they weren’t as personal or intrusive as they had been at first. 

Katsuki appreciated that. Maybe Kirishima had some brain cells after all, or then his self-preservation instincts had kicked in. 

Katsuki sat in Kirishima’s room, once again, trying to teach the guy some basic math, and failing exponentially. 

“But why?” Kirishima asked, his voice had grown more grim with time as his patience grew thin.

“Why what?” Katsuki asked, his own patience already having left the room three hours ago.

“Why do you add this to that but leave that one completely unattended?”

“You just do?” Katsuki shook his head slightly in bafflement. “It’s math, what does it matter why it's done when you get logical answers nonetheless? Don’t be an ass.”

“Alright,” Kirishima got up from the floor they both had been sitting on. He threw the pen on his table and took a few calming breaths. “I need a break.”

Katsuki felt his jaw clench. “I don’t get paid for waiting around, Shitty Hair.”

He did, technically, but that wasn’t important.

As Katsuki got up from the floor as well, he found Kirishima’s pointer finger pressed against his chest. He glanced up at the red head, seeing a mischievous glint in his eyes. Great, what now? “I’ll buy you dinner.”

Katsuki was not impressed. He ended up staring at Kirishima, trying to convince him just by a look that this wasn't a good idea, but the guy wasn't budging. Kirishima kept staring back just as sternly. “A-ha, why?” Katsuki finally asked.

“Why what? Can I not buy you dinner just because?” Kirishima looked legitimately curious as to why Katsuki hadn’t just said ‘okay’ immediately. 

“So you’d want to be seen in public with me just because ?”

Kirishima’s eyes widened comically. Why did he look so taken aback? “Why wouldn’t I? Are you like a wanted criminal or something?”

Did Kirishima honestly not know basic codes? That people who looked like Katsuki on the regular were made fun of and looked down upon? Katsuki didn’t care what was said about him behind his back, don’t get him wrong, but Kirishima was a guy that would probably cry if someone said one negative thing about him.

Shit, the guy had nearly weeped when Katsuki disrespected his damn mountain-ass looking hair.

“Maybe,” Katsuki finally answered after seeing Kirishima starting to get nervous. His answer was not really soothing that tenseness, which was entertaining to watch. “Fine I’ll go, but you gotta lend me one of your hoodies.”

Kirishima’s brows furrowed at that. “Why?”

Katsuki couldn’t really tell Kirishima that he didn’t want the guy to be seen in a different light just because he was hanging out with Katsuki in some shitty diner. He couldn’t really say that he didn’t want Kirishima’s usual calm and joyful face to turn into sadness or fear, either.

“Because it’s cold out there, dumbass,” Katsuki settled on. It was a good lie, it was cold outside, at least to Katsuki’s preferences. He just usually didn’t care, because he wanted to wear his usual attire that consisted of a black tank top. It had been a long sleeved shirt at one point, but Katsuki had ripped the sleeves shorter so it would look more like his scene.

He also usually wore a basic choker around his neck, like today. He had an armband circling his bicep, the color matching his pointy earrings. For bottoms Katsuki had now settled on loose black jeans, not really putting effort into his look for fucking tutoring sessions.

Maybe not an outfit he would get that much unwanted attention with, but still, maybe not the clothing style for cold weather.

“But it’s… It’s summer!” Kirishima screeched, 

He had a point, but it wasn’t a good point. “And?”

“It’s 21° celsius out there!”

“Do you have a point with this or?”

“Do I have a-” Kirishima started blinking rapidly, pointedly gesturing towards his window that was framed by ugly blue curtains. Who even has curtains anymore, in this day and age? “There’s literally no clouds in the sky, the summer sun is high up in the sky and you want to wear a hoodie?!”

Katsuki wasn’t getting it. It was only 20 something degrees celsius outside, it was basically still winter. “Yeah?”

“Unbelievable.. Unless,” Kirishima’s bewildered expression turned into a smug smirk that Katsuki didn’t like the look of. “Bakugou~ Do I spy an ulterior motive?” 

“What?”

“You just want my hoodie, is that it? Aw man, you could’ve just asked!”

“What?! No!” Katsuki nearly yelled, feeling how his cheeks flamed up. That was so not how he wanted to come off as! “Whatever, keep your fucking clothes, I’m going like this,” Katsuki murmured in embarrassment, turning around and leaving the room as quickly as he physically was able to.

Kirishima was right on his heels though, following him out of the room and then outside into the freezing summer wind. 

Katsuki needed to stop wearing stuff for looks and start styling for comfort. He had plenty of hoodies at home, why couldn’t he have just put one of those on today? 

Kirishima led them into the exact mall Katsuki had feared they would be going to. And he already spotted the people their age and younger going about. They looked like herds of ants, the idiots.

“I’ve been to this one place once before with a teammate, the food was awesome!” Kirishima blabbered excitedly as they took the escalators towards the third floor where the food courts were located. “You gotta try their strawberry kiwi milkshake, it’s a game changer for real!”

“I don’t like sweet stuff,” Katsuki answered absentmindedly, leaning his elbow to the moving rail. "Raspberries are the only exception."

“Oh,” Kirishima turned his full body to Katsuki, grinning from ear to ear. Grinning like this was going to get his jaw locked one day. “Then what do you like?”

Katsuki nearly answered like he normally would, which was to inquire what’s it matter to him, but somehow he didn’t feel like being mean to Kirishima right now. Maybe it was the fact that Kirishima was the provider of his free food. “Spicy stuff.”

Kirishima stared for a while, then pursed his eyes closed and closed his fist in mock victory. “That’s so manly.”

He was an idiot.

Enough of an idiot in fact, that when their foods were delivered to them, Kirishima immediately reached over the table to steal some of Katsuki’s noodles.

The next twenty minutes or so went to Kirishima first hitting his forehead to the table in agony, then drinking all the water he had, which only made the burning worse. He then rushed to the kitchen staff to ask for milk and white bread with no shame in the world. 

Amazingly, he got what he had asked for, for extra payment of course, and returned to the table being so red in the face that Katsuki thought he had dived face first into the hot sauce. 

“You’re a monster,” Kirishima finally voiced out after his tongue had stopped burning.

At that point Katsuki had already finished his food while watching the rather entertaining show Kirishima put on with his tomfoolery. “Let this be a lesson for you to never steal from me,” Katsuki grinned and took a piece of edamame from a side bowl.

Kirishima crossed his chest with a finger and pouted. “Consider the lesson learned.”

Katsuki couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled up his chest and out of his throat. He tried stopping it by covering his mouth loosely with his hand. “Dumbass.”

—

Katsuki made his way to Kirishima’s place like every other day. 

This time was different though, because he had baked muffins, and for some reason had taken them with him to the tutoring session.

No, he didn’t make them for Kirishima.

He simply made muffins because he liked baking, not at all making them have blueberries instead of raspberries because Kirishima was allergic to raspberries.

Somehow it still made him anxious to carry such stuff with him, because he knew what it would look like to anyone else.

Katsuki gathered himself and walked up the stairs after Mrs. Kirishima had let him enter the house. He didn’t bother knocking on Kirishima’s room door anymore. They’d been doing these sessions for a month already, Kirishima knew when Katsuki would be stopping by.

But Katsuki wasn’t prepared to find Kirishima’s bedroom a total mess, with the guy himself nowhere in sight.

Had a fight broken in here or what the hell was going on?

“Uh… Kirishima?” Katsuki called into the hazard zone that was Kirishima’s room.

A lump moved on Kirishima’s bed. Katsuki had thought the bed was just unmade like it usually was, but now as Kirishima’s head popped out from under the covers and several objects that certainly didn’t belong onto a bed, Katsuki admitted to being wrong. “Oh, Bakugou.”

“What are you doing?” Katsuki asked, dribbling through the mess on the floor to find a spot that was spacious enough to put his bag down on. “Get your ass up already, it’s noon.”

Kirishima hummed and dived back into his pillows.

What the fuck?

“Kirishima, I swear to God if you-”

“Sorry, Bakugou, I’m just,” Kirishima spoke from under the covers, which made his voice dim and sound a lot more distant. “I’m not feeling very good today.”

“Huh? You sick with something?”

“Nah.”

“Then what?"

Kirishima didn’t answer. 

Katsuki felt like he was supposed to do something here, but he didn’t know what that something was. This was unfamiliar territory to him.

So instead of asking Kirishima more questions or trying to somehow help and possibly make matters worse, Katsuki decided to clean up his surroundings enough to at least be able to move around. 

How had Kirishima even managed to get his room into this condition so fast? Katsuki was just here two days ago!

Every piece of clothing Katsuki found, be it from the floor or from the desk and chairs, he threw into the laundry basket. He picked up Kirishima’s very few books and placed them onto the tiny bookshelf above Kirishima's desk. The bookshelf had a few dishes placed on it, so Katsuki piled them up on the desk to be taken downstairs later.

He gathered up trash from the floor and threw it away to Kirishima’s already overflowing trash bin. He pressed down on the top of the trash pile, managing to tie the bag closed and throw it near the door.

Katsuki balanced all the dirty dishes on his arms, opening up Kirishima’s room door with his leg. He decided to kick the trash bag around in order to not make too many unnecessary trips up and down again. 

He dropped the dishes to the sink in their kitchen and took the trash out. Once he got back inside, he was met with Mrs. Kirishima’s concerned look. “What are you doing?” She asked.

Katsuki thought he had done something wrong by the way she looked so down. “I uh…” What was he doing, exactly? Why was he helping Kirishima clean his room? “I cleaned a little.”

What he was not expecting was for Mrs. Kirishima to pull him into a crushing hug.

What. The. Hell?

“Thank you for helping him,” Mrs. Kirishima said, her breath having a shake to it that didn’t go unnoticed. “Not just academically, but during these times too.”

What did that mean? Was Katsuki allowed to ask? “No problem.”

Katsuki felt kind of bad. Mrs. Kirishima was thanking him for all this stuff he apparently did to help her son, when Katsuki just really needed the money he got for doing so.

Katsuki wanted to ask what had happened to make the red head all mopey. 

So he did. What’s the worst that could happen for being curious? “What’s up with him? He didn’t tell me.”

Mrs. Kirishima let go of the hug slowly, flashing Katsuki a feeble smile that was enough for Katsuki to know he hadn’t crossed any boundaries. “Give him time. I’m sure he’ll tell his friend when he deems himself ready.”

Friend. Were they already so far with this whole ordeal? 

“I’ll go back up then,” Katsuki said with a small bow of his head before rushing back upstairs.

Kirishima was in the same exact position Katsuki had left him in, swallowed by the blankets and pillows. 

Katsuki was bad with things like these. He should’ve just left already at this point, his incapability to console or talk would end up being an issue.

Maybe he should just wait it out. Wait for Kirishima to explain himself when he wanted to, if he wanted to.

Katsuki made his way to the bag he had abandoned onto the floor. He opened it to fish out the paper bag he had stuffed his freshly baked muffins in. He took one and sighed deeply when the smell of near fresh pastries hit his senses. Heaven.

The smell seemed to get to Kirishima as well, even through the blankets, because the guy showed himself again by peeking from his cocoon. “What are those?”

“Blueberry muffins,” Katsuki answered, taking a bite from the top of one, the consistency just right on his tongue. Not too soft nor too crunchy. The blueberries weren’t as sweet as raspberries would’ve been, so they weren’t too sweet for Katsuki to enjoy. “I made them this morning.”

Slowly but surely, Kirishima sat up, still keeping his trusty blanket around himself. His red hair was flat on his head, looking like it hadn’t been washed since Katsuki last saw him. He was pale, looking like he probably hadn’t slept much either. “Can I have a taste?”

"Sure," Katsuki reached his arm towards Kirishima with the muffin on his palm, but quickly drew it back with a grin. "But you gotta come get it."

Kirishima bit his lip, probably thinking about all the possible pros and cons of actually moving. He seemed to realize that Katsuki’s muffins were enough of a reason to get up, so the redhead stood up with his blanket and went to sit in front of Katsuki onto the floor. Kirishima tightened the blanket around himself and rested his chin on top of the fold that formed in front of him. “Feed me.”

Well then. 

Who was Katsuki to say no? Katsuki ripped a small chunk of a muffin and pushed it towards Kirishima.

Apparently he was doing it too fast and furious because he ended up mushing the chunk against Kirishima’s mouth. 

Kirishima was looking at him, surprise written all over him, muffin crumble now staining his lips. And Katsuki felt himself heat up. 

It didn’t help that his first reaction to that was to try and smush the chunk past Kirishima’s lips, like it was some conquerable wall he needed to pass to gain a successful victory.

Kirishima relented eventually by opening his mouth, but this resulted in Katsuki forcing the chunk along with his fingers so deep into the unsuspecting Kirishima’s throat that the guy was forced to gag.

This was going so well that Katsuki was going to reward himself at the end of the day by throwing himself off a cliff.

“Sorry,” Katsuki looked anywhere but at Kirishima as he apologized for being such a wreck right now. He felt himself blushing immensely, and the only thing that would make it worse was if Kirishima noticed the red color rising up to his cheeks.

Kirishima hummed something that resembled a word, but what that word was, never made itself known. Katsuki heard him munch and swallow. “Don’t be sorry, that’s a good muffin. Thank you.”

Katsuki let himself look up. 

Kirishima was looking at him with a subdued, but genuine nonetheless, smile. 

It was noon and the scorching summer sun casted a glow into Kirishima’s room through the curtains Katsuki had opened while cleaning around. The light hit Kirishima’s eyes just perfectly, making the usual red tint to a gleaming orange.

Katsuki's heart skipped a beat.

Huh.

The small smile was making Kirishima’s skin wrinkle slightly on his cheeks and the corners of his eyes. 

He apparently also had a scar above one of his eyes. How had Katsuki never noticed that before? Maybe he wasn’t looking with the right eyes.

"'s nothing," Katsuki finally mumbled, handing the whole paper bag to Kirishima.

"But it's not nothing, Bakugou. I'm feeling very low right now and this was very nice of you," Kirishima explained while opening the bag, his eyes widening into kiddy excitement when seeing the rest of the treats. "I- I guess I owe you an explanation, since you dragged yourself here for nothing."

"You don't owe me shit."

"My boyfriend broke up with me."

Oh .

Now what the fuck was Katsuki supposed to do with that information? 

Katsuki had never been in a relationship himself, nor had he had any friends who would've been in relationships, at least serious enough relationships to be considered memorable. His only view to such a world was random TV shows his parents forced him to watch as a young teen, and the books he had to read for school related reasons.

"Okay," Katsuki answered, feeling that he was supposed to add something else to that. "You uh… how long were you together, or whatever?"

Katsuki panicked when Kirishima's head slumped down, his shoulders falling with the movement.

Oh no, had Katsuki fucked up somehow? Already?

"Officially two and a half years. He asked me out when I turned 15," Kirishima explained and Katsuki could already tell he was about to get a life story out of this. "But we've known each other since we were just babies. I've liked him since the day I found out what love was," Kirishima's voice broke, his hand flying up to cover his mouth.

Katsuki saw Kirishima starting to tear up. Maybe it was better to not say anything, but rather let the guy gather his thoughts and let him open up on his own. 

“We were officially together for two and a half years, but really, we were always together,” Kirishima said, tears now dripping down to his chin. “He was my best friend.”

“And why did he break up with you?”

Kirishima’s eyes started wandering around the room, as if in a search for something, mostly keeping to the floor-level. His eyes narrowed after a short staring contest with the floorboards. “I don’t… know?”

“The fuck you mean you don’t know?”

“He uh…” Kirishima looked up then. His eyes were red, and Katsuki now noticed that they were swollen. He had probably cried a lot before Katsuki even got here, maybe even the whole day. Katsuki had been too busy looking at the color of his irises that he had completely disregarded the redness around them. “He never told me a reason… per se. Just that we needed to break up.”

Katsuki was livid.

Katsuki had no idea how relationships worked, but he was sure that the way Kirishima’s and this guy’s relationship had ended wasn’t how it was supposed to be done.

He had known Kirishima for a month at this point, but he figured he knew Kirishima pretty well. And Kirishima, if anyone, never deserved such treatment. Kirishima was an honest person, kindhearted to a fault and someone you just wanted around you. He was like chicken soup for a soul.

Katsuki may not be the best person to describe all the things that was Kirishima, but the point was that Kirishima was a sweet guy and didn’t deserve to feel like shit over some idiot.

“What’s his name?”

“Why do you ask?”

Katsuki didn’t even blink as he said: “So I can find him and beat him the fuck up.”

Was he actually going to? No. Would it make him feel better? One-hundred percent.

He was expecting Kirishima to look disgusted by that, even if it was clearly a joke. (Katsuki had said it with a joking face, surely) Kirishima’s face only twisted into laughter, however. His contained chuckles bubbling out of him as his shoulders shook just the tiniest amount.

It was good to hear his laugh.

Kirishima wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and grinned widely at Katsuki, making Katsuki be thrown back a little by the twist that made his chest turn. “You do that, but you gotta get me front row tickets.”

Katsuki clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth but couldn’t hold in his own chuckle. “Eat your muffin, dumbass,” Katsuki fished out his phone to check something. Once he found an answer to his question, he put his phone down again. “Freshen up, we’re going out.”

Kirishima cocked a brow, his laughter dying down, an almost insecure expression following right after. “I don’t know, man.”

“Trust me, Kirishima,” Katsuki grinned and stood up. “It’s worth it.”

—

Kirishima had been a little hesitant to get out of his blanket cocoon, but had eventually agreed to follow Katsuki out of the house.

Kirishima luckily had enough energy in him that he managed to change out of his night clothes and into something a little more civil. A shower seemed out of the question, but Katsuki didn’t feel like forcing him to take one either, so he just helped Kirishima put his hair into a ponytail that hid the greasiness. Somewhat, at least.

Katsuki did force Kirishima under a cloud of antiperspirant before leaving, though.

As they were walking, Katsuki noted that Kirishima seemed to be determined to walk a little behind Katsuki. That made Katsuki irritated for some reason, so he purposely slowed down to walk next to Kirishima.

Dragging Kirishima outside had seemed to be a good idea at first, but by the way Kirishima was looking around nervously, as if making sure no one was paying any attention to him, Katsuki was starting to change his mind.

“Is this okay?” Katsuki asked after a while of checking out Kirishima’s nervous glancing and shuffling. “We don’t have to go if you’re not feeling like it.”

Kirishima hummed and threw the hood of his hoodie over his head. Only the fact that Kirishima was wearing anything more than a t-shirt during the summer should’ve been a sign enough that Katsuki made a mistake bringing him out of his room.

Now Katsuki just felt bad.

“It’s fine,” Kirishima finally said. His hood didn’t slot perfectly because of his ponytail, but made it look like he had a very weirdly shaped lump on his head. It was chuckle worthy, but it wasn’t the time or a place for that. “If you’re sure this will make me feel better, I’m willing to try anything.”

Okay that made Katsuki feel a little better.

“I’m tired of moping around,” Kirishima turned to look at the sky, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath of fresh air. “I hate that something this small is able to knock me down like this. 's not very manly.”

Katsuki shrugged. He couldn’t relate to that. He had never had anything happen to him that would’ve knocked him down enough to make him isolate himself from the world, so consoling Kirishima by using empathy wasn’t an option. “I guess love’s powerful enough to do that,” Katsuki said, pushing his hands into his pockets to stop them from shaking.

He wasn’t good with words. Every time he tried to use words in serious situations, such as this, he felt like his chest was going to tighten enough to crush his lungs and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. He was uncomfortable.

Still, Kirishima looked like he needed the words. If Katsuki had been in the same situation, he wouldn’t have wanted words, he wouldn’t have accepted words. Katsuki was all about acts. They were very different in that way. But Kirishima was the one they were focusing on right now, and Katsuki acknowledged that.

If Kirishima needed words, Katsuki would give him words.

Kirishima didn’t comment further about that, and Katsuki was rather pleased that he didn’t need to figure out any more mushy nonsense to comfort the redhead. Even though he would if necessary. 

The way to the location Katsuki was taking Kirishima to wasn’t too far, so they arrived rather quickly to said destination. 

Katsuki opened the door before Kirishima had the chance to look around and pay attention to details.

A little bell above the door chimed to announce their arrival. 

“Hello and welcome to- oh, Katsuki,” said the rather serene woman behind the counter. She had dyed purple hair, a few piercings here and there, and clothing that didn’t match her surroundings at this store at all.

“Kyouka,” Katsuki greeted back, moving aside so Kirishima could take the place in.

“And who’s this?” Kyouka asked, eyeing Kirishima up and down suspiciously. Then her eyes seemed to widen in realization. “Oh wait, you must be Kirishima, yah?”

Kirishima was looking around the store with wondrous eyes, not really paying attention to anyone around him. “Aha, yeah.”

The room they were standing in wasn't that impressive. A desk with a laptop planted on it, a few jars on the edge filled with whatever, and grayish walls with a few posters taped on its surface. Someone had tried to give the area some color by hanging artificial leaf vines to some corners, but they looked more pathetic than decorative.

But Kirishima looked rather intrigued.

Kyouka’s eyes trailed Kirishima’s vision, her face then twisting into a gleeful grin. “Here to see the puppers eh?”

To that, Kirishima turned to look at Kyouka, his hopeful eyes gleaming under the artificial lighting of the ceiling lights. He then turned to look at Katsuki, who nodded in his stead. “He’s feeling a little down, so I figured he’d like to meet the gang,” Katsuki informed.

Kyouka Jirou was the summer worker of this animal shelter. She was also Katsuki’s best friend, and the singer of their little makeshift band.

“Well, who am I to deny people from all the fluffy cuteness,” Kyouka chuckled and walked from behind the counter, also grabbing a bundle of keys. “Come on, follow me,” she gestured with her hand and led the guys through a gate that had a picture of a happy dog printed next to it. Probably also the poster Kirishima was looking at earlier.

Soon after walking along a boring-ass hallway, they arrived in front of another door. Kyouka opened that as well, leading them in.

And Katsuki was looking as Kirishima’s eyes widened when they landed on the playing, happily barking dogs in their playpen. It looked like all the stress washed off of him in an instant, only leaving the kiddy Kirishima he knew.

Katsuki wasn’t naïve, he knew this joy was only momentary, but he would pay good money to always keep that carefree smile on Kirishima’s face.

Kyouka opened the hatch to let Kirishima into the playpen with the puppies. 

Was she allowed to do that? Probably not.

Kirishima immediately went to greet every dog, nearly being crushed under them from all the love they showed him. Kirishima was laughing, petting every fluffy head that he could reach, cooing random variations of cute words that came out as incoherent blabbering, but the dogs ate it right up.

“You’re staring.”

Katsuki turned his eyes to look at Kyouka, who had appeared next to him, just for a brief moment before looking back at Kirishima. “Duh.”

Kyouka tapped the metal fence of the pen with her nails, also now focusing on the playing puppies. “You didn’t tell me you guys were together.”

“That’s because we aren’t,” Katsuki answered immediately, leaning his head on his hand. Kirishima booped one of the dogs’ noses, letting the dogs crowd him in licks and tail flicks.

“But you want to be,” Kyouka knocked her shoulder with his.

Katsuki scoffed. “No way.”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Katsuki, I know you like the back of my hand,” Kyouka grinned and flicked Katsuki in the temple, making the blond groan out in pain. 

Katsuki massaged his aching head while letting out curses in between his groans. “If you know me so well, you should also know that I don’t do relationships.”

Kyouka stayed silent for a while, which gained Katsuki's interest enough for him to turn to look at her. What a mistake on his part, really. "And what about that Midoriya guy?"

"What?!"

He yelled that out quite loudly, gaining the attention of Kirishima, who now looked at him from under his eyelashes like Katsuki was his sleep paralysis demon. Kirishima was hugging a small puppy in his arms like protecting it.

Katsuki felt bad for yelling, but in his defense, he had every right to.

He dismissed Kirishima with a flick of his wrist and turned back to Kyouka with such intensity behind his eyes that he wished Kyouka would be crushed by the weight of it.

Unfortunately, they had been friends for a long time and such acts didn't phase her anymore, so she just stared back with a raised eyebrow.

"How dare you even insinuate that I would've fucking liked him?! " Katsuki clowered, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the fence in front of him.

Kyouka raised her hands. "I never said such a thing. Shit, I know you would never."

Katsuki took a much needed breath. "Then why the fuck would you say such a thing?"

"What I meant," Kyouka gave him a pointed look. "Was that I saw how you looked at Midoriya and that girlfriend of his, what was her name again?"

"Uraraka?"

"Yeah, her," Kyouka snapped her fingers. "I saw how you looked at them. It wasn't jealousy over either of them, but rather for what they had. You get me?"

Katsuki shook his head.

Kyouka sighed exasperatedly. "You want to be loved!" Kyouka said, her voice loud enough that Katsuki was now panicking if Kirishima accidentally heard.

It wouldn't have been that big of an issue otherwise, but the guy just got broken up with. Kirishima didn't need to hear such loads of bullshit right now, so Katsuki near jumped to cover Kyouka's mouth.

"Untrue!" Katsuki hissed through his teeth, glancing in Kirishima's direction. Kirishima wasn't looking at them so he must've not heard. What a relief.

Katsuki took his hand away from his friend's face, grimacing at the purple lip-shaped stain on his palm.

"You're so-"

"Bakugou!" Interrupted Kirishima's yell. Or rather exclamation, probably too keen on not scaring the dogs.

"Huh?" Katsuki voiced out, leaning over the railing slightly to hear better.

Kirishima grinned from ear to ear, and Katsuki didn't know if it was a happy smile or a playful one. Katsuki didn't know which he'd prefer. "Come here!"

Katsuki tilted his head in question, hearing how his neck cracked in protest. "Okay?"

Katsuki climbed over the railing. There was a gate sure, but that wasn't as cool. He heard Kyouka snicker behind him but he decided to blatantly ignore that.

"What's up?" Katsuki asked as he arrived next to the redhead.

Instead of an immediate answer, Katsuki found himself bombarded by fluffiness as Kirishima pushed a very small dog against his chest, of course being gentle with it to not hurt the puppy.

"What the hell?" Katsuki exclaimed, but his hands wound around the puppy as a reflex.

Kirishima gasped mockingly. "Bakugou Katsuki, language!"

Katsuki snorted. "It's a dog. Not like it'll imitate me and start cursing around the place."

"She so could!" Kirishima sounded offended by that, but by the way his mouth pursed itself closed looked sarcastic enough. 

Katsuki pet the head of the fluff ball that looked so uncharacteristic when placed in his arms. 

Kirishima fell silent then, having giggled just the tiniest bit before.

"Hey 'Shima?" Katsuki said, purposefully not looking anywhere near Kirishima. The puppy was wilding in his lap so it wasn't like he could've even if he wanted to. 

"Yeah?"

Katsuki took a deep breath, cringing when he heard the gust of wind leaving his nostrils. "It's not the end of the world."

Kirishima didn't say anything, but Katsuki was not going to look up at him right now when his own face was burning.

It seemed like Kirishima wasn't going to say anything, so Katsuki figured he should explain himself. "Being dumped, I mean."

Did that come out too harsh? It was hard to tell when Kirishima wasn't reacting, at least by voicing out his thoughts nor even gasping in offended surprise.

"You'll find someone eventually." Why was he still talking? "You're a good guy, Kirishima." Ooooh Katsuki you need to shut up. Katsuki would blame Kyouka and her dumbass bullshit for this.

Had Kirishima suffered a stroke? Why wasn't he uttering any of his usual idiotics?

Katsuki was growing worried, so he gazed up quickly and nearly bit his tongue off when seeing Kirishima in tears.

Well of course, he was in a very sensitive state, why had Katsuki not realized? Of course he used the wrong words once again and only made things worse.

"Thanks, Bakugou," Kirishima let Katsuki see his full blown smile then, canines and all. His tears were rolling down and into his mouth but he didn't seem to care. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."

Ah. Katsuki was glad.

–

Katsuki honestly thought he could evade it.

Pretend like it didn't exist.

Six weeks he had spent tutoring Kirishima. Teaching math, science, religion, even giving him yoga instructions to cover P.E. which, now that he thinks more into it, is dumb, because Kirishima still is an athlete who probably knows more about P.E. than Katsuki could ever teach him.

Still, all that hard work, with one week still left of summer vacation, Katsuki thought he had dodged a bullet.

But of course the universe decided that he needed to be punished.

What was there to even be punished for, huh? What had he ever done wrong? Maybe his teen years hadn't been the best, but god damn.

"No."

"Ah come on, I need to learn!"

"No, I won't teach you this subject. Absolute denial."

"Bakugou~ I will end up failing the class!"

"Tough shit."

"What's so bad about it anyways. Biology is about… What, like birds and flowers and stuff."

Katsuki snorted, masking that as a cough and nearly punching himself in the face. "Biology is about birds all right. Bees as well."

"See, what's so bad about that?"

"I swear to God Kirishima Eijirou, for the sake of everything you’ve ever held dear, shut the fuck up! Can you be any more dense you fucking rock brain?"

"Rock br-" Kirishima's eyes searched around his room, then suddenly widened in alarm. "How'd you know?!"

Katsuki was actually sort of relieved the conversation had shifted away from the possible grand embarrassment, but now he was only left confused. "Know about what?"

"My babies!"

Well if Katsuki didn't know before, now he does. What a blabbermouth. "Don't tell me you have some sort of rock collection, Shitty Hair."

Kirishima looked away, his cheeks tinting red. "If I said no, would you spare me by believing me?"

"Absolutely not."

"Okay then," Kirishima sighed, but there was almost a humorous huff behind that expression. "I have a rock collection. I've been collecting them since I was a kid. There's a story there but I won't bore you with that. Either way, they all have names!"

"No."

"Yes!" Suddenly Kirishima had shifted from embarrassed to excited. He was now fishing out a cardboard box from under his bed. "I started naming them in alphabetical order. The first one I collected, I named Arlos. The second one's Besim."

There were no words to describe how Katsuki felt about this. "You're such an idiot, have I ever told you that?"

"Many times, four times just today actually," Kirishima pouted his lower lip and clicked his tongue. "You can't pull my leg, everyone collects something."

Katsuki crossed his arms. "I don't."

Kirishima raised one of his eyebrows mockingly. "No?"

Katsuki shook his head. "Nope." Katsuki sighed and leaned his head into his hands. "But if you collect rocks, I won't be as weirded out about you not knowing what sex is."

Katsuki watched in real time as Kirishima's jaws fell slack, the previous red tint basically turning to pure fire. "Sex?!"

Katsuki had never blinked as slow as he did now. "You're insufferable."

Kirishima narrowed his eyes in thought, taking way too long for Katsuki's liking before he realized. "Oh so biology and ohh~ I get it. Yeah no you don't need to teach me that."

"I wouldn't even if I needed to."

"That's cool," Kirishima shrugged, his posture getting more relaxed now that the topic had been dealt with. "Guess that's not your thing then?" Or not.

"What's it to you?" Katsuki reflexively went defensive, his back tensing and the hair on his neck standing up. "Didn't dub you for a pervert… or actually, yes I did."

"Wh- I'm not a pervert!"

Katsuki hummed. "Exactly what a pervert would say."

“Listen, I’m not a-”

Katsuki would be lying if he said his heart didn’t jump right out of his chest, and he totally didn’t feel like a bathroom might be needed in a few seconds, when Kirishima’s door slammed open by the force of a hurricane that was on its way to flatten entire cities.

Due to the near death experience via a heart attack, Katsuki’s gaze was a little hazy, but he could see some random guy standing at the door. Before he could take in any details, the said guy took off running.

Katsuki was wise enough to connect enough dots to determine this guy must be one of Kirishima’s friends.

However, that didn’t explain why this guy was sprinting towards Katsuki! 

Not only had Katsuki just survived the grim reaper, now he had to somehow breathe after some random fucking guy pummeled right into him, knocking the air out of his lungs and probably breaking his back when hitting it to the floor by the sudden added weight. 

“What the hell~!?” Katsuki wheezed out, trying to claw his way out from someone he was beginning to think was an actual murderer instead of Kirishima’s friend. 

“You’re Bakugou right?!” The guy now peered down at him, close enough for Katsuki to know he hadn’t brushed his teeth today.

Now Katsuki was able to take in some features of his attacker. Blond hair, nearing yellow. Possibly dyed, or then just unfortunate genes. Light hazel eyes, almost yellow in this current lighting that was the midday sun. 

The fact that the guy looked very slender while still being heavy enough to pin Katsuki down to the carpeted floor, made it clear that he was indeed one of Kirishima’s friends. A jock, if he ever saw one.

Katsuki grinded his teeth together, surely pissing off his dentist. “Get the fuck off me,” he ground out, trying to keep his anger in check to not possibly punch the yellow highlighter.

“Oh, sorry bro,” the guy finally crawled off Katsuki, sitting on his legs in front of him now. “So, Bakugou?”

“How the fuck-”

“Denki,” Kirishima finally decided to jump in. But instead of chewing this Denki out, he fist-bumped with him. “What’re you doing here, bro? You could’ve called me first.”

Denki shrugged, grinning widely. “You know me,” he chuckled. “I saw your mom in the garden and she told me your tutor was here right now. And you’ve never introduced us even though you talk about him non-stop! I think that should be illegal!”

He what?

“Hey, I’ve just never had the chance!” Kirishima exclaimed, his cheeks tinting slightly red. Interesting. “Anyway, he’s here now, so; Bakugou Katsuki, Kaminari Denki.”

“Niiiice to meet ya!” Kaminari pushed his hand towards Katsuki with a very wide grin, his eyes nearly closed shut from the force of his smile. 

Katsuki raised a brow, staring at the hand that was extending more and more by the second he didn’t shake it. “Yeah, likewise?” Katsuki nodded, not entertaining Kaminari by actually shaking his hand. “You wanted to say something to me?”

Kaminari blinked dumbly a few times, taking his hand back and clearing his throat awkwardly. “Uh… Oh, right!” Suddenly he was smiling normally again. If he wasn’t Kirishima’s teammate, then he could’ve easily passed as his brother. “You’re friends with Jirou, correct?”

Katsuki nearly jumped at his throat, thinking he was some weirdo who was stalking his best friend, but then he remembered Kyouka mentioning some guy who had tried to get her attention at a library of all places. 

Katsuki hadn’t paid much attention then, thinking nothing of a guy who Jirou seemed to be so nonchalant about. Kyouka could easily handle herself, and Katsuki wouldn’t take any extreme measures unless Kyouka seemed actually distressed.

Only thing he could remember was Kyouka mentioning the guy had a weird black streak in his hair, which Katsuki now noticed that Kaminari did.

“And?” Katsuki crossed his arms, pulling the most stern face he could muster.

“Well since you’re her friend I guess I can tell you,” Kaminari chuckled again, but he was slightly swaying in place. He was nervous, but tried to hide it behind random movement. “I like her quite a bit, and I figured that getting to know her friends would be a good start to showing her that I’m not as bad as she made me out to be!”

What the hell had happened in the library? Katsuki was curious, and he would most definitely call Kyouka immediately after getting home that evening.

Katsuki was too busy in his mind to try and think back to the time Kyouka told him about all of this, that Kaminari took it as Katsuki not being convinced. He wasn’t far off, but he still continued. “I figured her friends were her band members. You’re the drummer, right?”

“Aha.”

“So cool, she told me quite a lot about you so I figured you were her best friend!”

How long had their conversation been? Usually Kyouka brushed everyone off, especially the ones that looked like they were interested in any way. Katsuki really should start listening more.

“Wait, you’re in a band?” Kirishima’s head snapped to him, his eyes widened comically.

Had Katsuki never told him? He must’ve. “Yeah, it’s not that big of a deal. Yet at least, we’ll be good soon and then we’ll conquer the stages around the world, dominating the music industry,” Katsuki explained proudly. They were just a starting band, having been at it for a year officially, but they were determined to be the best in the world. 

Kirishima’s jaw was on the ground. “That’s so cool,” he gasped. “You actually have a goal.”

“Of course I have a goal. What made you think I wouldn’t, huh?” Katsuki’s face turned sour. “Do I look like someone without a future to you?!”

“Calm down, bro,” Kirishima was quick to raise up his hands in surrender. “You’ve just never really told me anything about your life, so I figured you just hadn’t figured it out yet. Sorry, bro.”

“Tch,” Katsuki clicked his tongue and turned back to Kaminari. “Why do you like Kyouka?”

Kaminari’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, probably not expecting such a straightforward question, especially after Katsuki’s outburst just a second ago. “Well uh… We were partners once, in eighth grade. She was very pretty then, different from the others. Of course I was drawn to her. She was harsh from the outside at first, but once we started talking, she started being nicer to me and I- Do I really gotta say it? Embarrassing as hell , okay, I had never seen her smile, but she started laughing at one of my jokes and… Yeah.”

“That’s dumb.”

“That’s beautiful, bro,” Kirishima sniffed. He had to be joking.

Katsuki sighed, rolling his eyes. “So she laughed and you fell head over heels? You sound like a romance novel protagonist.”

Kaminari pouted and looked to the side, his cheeks rosy and jaw tight. “I can’t help who I like and why,” Kaminari mumbled. “I didn’t see her during high school, we didn’t share any classes together. I saw her in the library a week ago and realized my feelings for her hadn’t disappeared. This is the real deal, man,” Kaminari turned back to him and put his hands together for a prayer. “Help a bro out!”

Katsuki took a deep breath, really feeling the air enter his lungs while his eyes closed. “Kirishima,” he finally sighed out. “What is it with this bro thing? I’m not part of some bro cult.”

It fell silent, Katsuki thought that he either hadn’t said his thoughts out loud, or had said something so offensive that he’d be crucified for it. 

But then loud laughter made him open his eyes. Kirishima and Kaminari were both laughing so hard that they had to hold onto their stomachs, Kirishima having to take a hold of Kaminari’s shoulder to keep some sort of a posture, but managed to only knock Kaminari down with him.

The two were now a ball of laughter on the floor while Katsuki looked at them like they were some ancient skeletons that had just risen and had started pole dancing.

“Ah man,” Kaminari’s laughter finally calmed down to somewhat contained giggles. He was still wiping some tears of the remaining laughter from his eyes. “He’s funny, you gotta invite him next weekend.”

Kirishima was heaving, like he was actually out of air. He was calming down as well, but his face was now buried onto the ground, probably breaking his nose in the process. 

“What’s next weekend?” Katsuki asked, his curiousness piqued. 

“The last weekend of summer vacation, bro,” Kaminari said, snorting slightly at his choice of words. “Our team’s going drinking, everyone’s allowed to bring friends. Within reason.”

“We’re underage,” Katsuki reminded. He wasn’t really one to say, since he had been drinking since he was 15. That didn’t mean they had to know about that though.

Kaminari tilted his head. “The legal drinking age in some countries is 16, it’s not dangerous for us or anything.”

“Aren’t y’all supposed to be athletes?” Katsuki wondered. They were talking quite loudly too, Kirishima’s parents probably could hear them. Except if Kirishima’s mom was actually in the garden right now.

Kirishima crawled to sit back up, his nose was indeed quite red from pressing it to the floor for so long. “Our coach is the one providing us the alcohol, and this is our first time drinking. It won’t affect us that much.”

“Besides,” Kaminari continued. “We won’t be just drinking, we’ll be doing it during games, like spin the bottle or truth or dare and such,” he explained like it made it any better. “You can bring Jirou too, if you want.”

So that was his real reason for inviting Katsuki in the first place. 

“C’mon Bakugou,” Kirishima said, having one of his signature smiles plastered onto his face. “Please? I want you there.”

Katsuki physically felt his heart skip a beat. He thought it was just a saying, but his chest literally bounced, which the other guy probably noticed as well. “I have to ask Kyouka,” Katsuki concluded. “If she’s not going, I’m not either.”

Kaminari’s face twisted into a knowing grin. “Deal.”

–

It was not his preferred way to spend a day before school started. If it was the night between Saturday and Sunday, fine, but it was the night between Sunday and Monday.

School started on Monday.

Maybe he could survive potentially being hungover on his first day of school. Katsuki usually looked angry on a daily basis, so it wasn’t like anyone would notice anything.

But parties still weren’t Katsuki’s thing.

If Katsuki ‘went out drinking’ , he either went alone into some secluded forest, an abandoned building, or Momo’s basement. Momo was a part of their band, and even though she was a bit of a snob, she could handle her instruments. She wasn’t against drinking either, usually drinking red wine or some sort of expensive shit while Katsuki preferred plain vodka or whatever he could get his hands on with as little money as possible.

And Katsuki wasn’t in any way an alcoholic, he didn’t drink every day, even every weekend, just some days when he felt like the world was crumbling under his feet. There was one time he had drank for celebration, his 18th birthday to be exact, but shitty situations seemed to be more occurring in his life as of late.

Kaminari had sworn this wasn’t a party though, but a small get-together.

Katsuki believed none of it.

If every teammate was allowed a friend outside of the team, the amount of people would be overwhelming to even think about. 

Luckily, Kyouka was there, standing by his side at the porch of what he assumed was Kaminari’s place.

Katsuki heard the loud chatter of people he didn’t know through the front door, and he was ready to bail. “I changed my mind, I’m going back home.”

“As if,” Kyouka linked her arm with his. “We had to go shopping for this, we’re not bailing out now.” They both hated shopping, especially for clothes. But they ended up looking good, Katsuki could admit.

“Right,” Katsuki squared his shoulders and opened the door. He didn’t bother knocking, knowing that the door would be left open. He rushed in, pulling Kyouka with him. He kicked off his shoes and went deeper into the house.

There were people he didn’t know scattered along the halls of the house. The house wasn’t too big, but big enough to fit a team full of people. There weren’t as many people as Katsuki feared, and that made his shoulders relax slightly.

He tried spotting Kirishima, even Kaminari would’ve been good, just to get out of the awkwardness of not knowing anybody. He could feel people side-eyeing him, not knowing if it was because they somehow knew who he was, because of his clothes, or because he was skiing through the building like his ass was on fire while pulling along a frantic looking Kyouka.

Then came the sound he never thought he would be so happy to hear. “Bakugou! Over here!”

Kirishima. Thank God.

Oh, damn.

Katsuki had only ever seen Kirishima wearing casual clothing, t-shirts and his jersey, but even he had put in a little effort for this definitely-not-a-party. And he looked good in his black chinos and a tucked in red collared shirt. Katsuki started feeling very stupid in his too tight – now suffocating – shirt, jewelleries and cargos.

Katsuki felt like he looked good, but if he was supposed to look as good as Kirishima did right now, he had failed majestically. 

Had Katsuki frozen in place, just staring at Kirishima? God he hoped not.

“Bro, you look like you've seen a ghost.”

Katsuki flinched. How had Kirishima teleported right in front of him? Hadn’t he just stood on the other side of the room? What was Katsuki supposed to answer in order to not come off like a total creep. “I did.” 

If there were any volcanoes nearby, about to erupt, Katsuki would take his chances of jumping in.

“What?” Kirishima glanced behind himself. “Seriously?”

“No.” Nicely saved Katsuki. Thanks Katsuki.

“Oh, whew,” Kirishima chuckled and turned his head back to him. “I’m so glad you decided to come!”

Katsuki could not figure out why Kirishima wanted him here. All of his teammates were here, all of his friends. Inviting his tutor seemed weird. “Wouldn’t have missed it,” Katsuki rolled his eyes. “You look good.”

Why oh why did he say that?!

Oh no, he could feel his heartbeat in his throat and his face burning up. Kyouka was snickering so the aftermath of his slipup was probably painfully noticeable.

But to his relief, Kirishima didn’t look any better. He was looking a bit red on the face, eyes widened and mouth slightly agape. Kirishima then blinked rapidly as if to wake himself up from a dream. “Ah, you look too! Good! You look good too!”

It echoed through the room as Kirishima slapped a hand to his own face. He mumbled a curse to his palm, and Katsuki couldn't help but find it a bit endearing, but mostly idiotic. He wanted to laugh, but he was still too stunned by his own words to do so.

It was as if on its own, his gaping mouth let out. “Thanks.”

Kirishima peeled the hand away from his face, leaving a few faint red marks on his face from the ferocity of the slap. His eyes, though, were focused right on Katsuki.

His eyes were slightly narrowed, stung by the slap and embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Even if it was hilarious, Katsuki couldn't not think how Kirishima might actually be hurt from that.

Katsuki wanted to smooth down the burning red marks, maybe get a bag of frozen vegetables and place it onto Kirishima’s forehead to ease down the scorching red color on his cheeks and neck. A few droplets of sweat were already gliding down Kirishima's skin to the curve on his collarbone, just peeking from under the shirt.

Has Kirishima always been so… So…

“You have a little…” Katsuki whispered, reaching his arm out carefully. Would Kirishima let him touch? Would that be crossing some sort of a line? 

Kirishima didn’t make any move to get away from Katsuki. When his fingers made contact with Kirishima’s forehead, his thumb running over the red marks, Kirishima only sighed in indulgence. 

Katsuki had known he found the other attractive, but here, during this moment, a small thought occurred. Maybe he wasn't the only one who felt attraction. Katsuki ran his thumb down Kirishima’s temple to his cheek. Kirishima’s lips looked slightly chapped, but full and inviting. 

Maybe, just maybe, he could…

Katsuki dared to move slightly closer. 

The lights were dim in the living room. Were they alone? It felt like just the two of them right then. 

There was tension between them. Had that always been there, Katsuki couldn’t tell. This all was so very new. Katsuki’s tongue darted out to wetten his own lips, wanting to…

He wanted to kiss him.

He wanted to kiss Kirishima.

His thumb slowly traced across Kirishima’s lower lip, barely touching.

They had known each other all summer. This had never crossed his mind. There was slight pressure on his waist, a warm hand pressing to his side, not at all unwelcomed. The hand was pulling him in, closer. Kirishima wanted it too. A chill ran up his spine, warmth spreading through his chest, down to his stomach.

Katsuki just had to reach up slightly. Kirishima had to lean down slightly. Their lips would be locked.

“Eijirou, I can’t open the bottle, come help me!”

And he was pulled away from Katsuki, leaving him with cold air surrounding every place that had seemed hot just mere seconds ago.

What was… What happened? 

Katsuki raised a hand in front of his mouth, seeing that Kirishima’s eyes still hadn’t left his, even if he was manhandled away. When Kirishima disappeared into the supposed kitchen, Katsuki dropped his gaze to the ground.

The pressure in his chest, he didn’t know how he felt about it. It was new, but familiar in a sense. It was close to the adrenaline you get right before a panic attack would crash into you. But then again, not quite. This was… he had never felt anything like this.

“Katsuki,” he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to the side to look at Kyouka. She had a small smile on her face, but her eyes betrayed her. She looked on edge. “You’re breathing quite heavily.”

Was he? Katsuki raised his hand to his chest, feeling his own heartbeat. He took a few deep breaths to calm down the apparently racing heart.

“What happened? I don’t- I wasn’t about to-”

Kyouka nodded. “Sure looked like you were.”

Katsuki drew in a shuddering breath. “Shit.”

Kyouka hummed and looked around the room. “Sit down for a while,” she said and led them to a couch that somehow wasn’t occupied.

“I nearly kissed someone,” Katsuki said, quiet but loud enough for Kyouka to hear. “Why do I feel like I was run over by wild bulls?”

“Beats me,” Kyouka shrugged, her hand remaining on Katsuki’s shoulder. “Nerves, probably.”

“I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before,” Katsuki realized out loud, looking at Kyouka again. “But I really wanted to kiss him just now,” he said, glancing at the kitchen to make sure Kirishima wasn’t standing right there, listening. He wasn’t, thank God. Katsuki was way too embarrassed to face him right now. “Like, really badly.”

“Was it just a heat of the moment thing, or do you genuinely like him?” Kyouka asked. “Sure looked like he was all about it.”

“He was just broken up with,” Katsuki said before actually even thinking about it. Then he realized. “He was just broken up with, like two weeks ago.”

Kyouka grimaced. “That doesn’t seem good.”

“Oh God,” Katsuki buried his head into his hands. 

“Maybe he just moves on fast?” Kyouka suggested.

Katsuki glanced up at him, his eyes narrowed and lips pursed together. “Even you don’t believe that,” he said, rubbing his temples. “No one moves on that fast. He probably just misses being close to someone and I just… happened to be there.” It made sense, considering where they were standing right now. Katsuki straightened his back. It was moving way too fast, no way was there actual feelings involved here. “Yeah, fuck that, go get me a drink.”

Kyouka raised a brow. “Why me? You have legs.”

“No way am I going near that kitchen right now.”

“Fair enough,” Kyouka slapped her thighs as she got up. “What do you w- oh right, anything will do.”

Katsuki just hummed before Kyouka started walking away.

Now he had a small moment where he could overthink in peace. Go through every little move he had made, regret every single one of them and plan a trip right into the sun.

“Heyy~” One Kaminari was enough to ruin that peace, however. He plopped right next to Katsuki, circling his arm around his shoulders which Katsuki shrugged off. He couldn’t tell if Kaminari was drunk or just the cocky bastard he looked like he was. “I saw what happened.”

Amazing. Great. Glorious. “And?” Short answers showed that Katsuki didn’t care. He did care.

“Ya know, I’ve known Kiri since we were in pre-school,” Kaminari started, definitely a slight slur in his voice. “I’d never let anything bad happen to him. You get me, yeah?”

Katsuki dared a side-eye at Kaminari. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Kiri is the sweetest person you’ll ever meet,” Kaminari circled around whatever liquid he had in his cup. “You hurt him, you’re dead. Catch my drift?”

Katsuki tilted his head. “Why would I hurt him? How, even?”

“He just got out of a shitty relationship, he doesn’t need another one,” Kaminari explained. 

Katsuki clicked his tongue. “We’re not together, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

“Wait you’re not?” Kaminari’s whole character broke. He had tried to put up such an intimidating front, sitting all wide and clenching his jaw, all that now dropped to a doe-eyed stare and a confused gasp. 

“No,” Katsuki shook his head slightly. “Not like it’s any of your business to begin with.”

“But I thought… You were going to kiss!” Kaminari stressed, suddenly having movement to his hands. “He talks about you all the time, compliments you and everything, even before Tomo left him! I thought for sure…”

Katsuki shook his head again.

“Well damn, sorry then bro,” Kaminari slumped in his seat. Katsuki thought he finally would get the peace he wanted for his thought to kill him, but Kaminari was back in his business before he even realized. “We’re playing spin the bottle next. You should join us.”

“I’d rather fist myself.”

Kaminari popped his lips. “Well I can’t tell if you’re into that sorta thing or not so that’s not really telling me much.”

Katsuki scrunched up his face in disgust. 

“Come on dude, there’s no way you came here just to lay on a couch all night,” Kaminari got up and tried pulling Katsuki up with him. “Join us~"

Katsuki hated spin the bottle. He had played it a few times, but never actually kissed anyone. By his own choice, not because of bad luck or anything like that. He just always dipped once the bottle pointed at him. 

Maybe he could entertain Kaminari and join. He’d just dip if the bottle pointed at him. People would get mad at him, but he really didn't give a fuck. “Fine.”

Kaminari pulled him to some room that looked like… Just a bare room. There were no furniture, probably removed for these stupid games to take place. 

Katsuki spotted Kirishima’s red hair in one of the corners of the room, but he wasn’t physically able to look at him. He sat down next to someone and just thought about anything and everything not Kirishima related to keep the color off his face.

The game started and people started ooh-ing and ahh-ing when people were forced to kiss one another. It was all so dumb, Katsuki never understood these games. How could you just kiss someone like that, without it having to mean something? 

“Okay, Kiri!”

Katsuki looked up then, staring at the bottle that unmistakably pointed at the corner where Kirishima sat. But Kirishima wasn’t as joyful as everyone around him seemed to be. He, too, stared at the bottle.

Kirishima looked over the bottle, eyes locking with Katsuki’s. And there it was again. That tension.

There was something in Kirishima’s eyes, weariness. He wasn’t into the game either, that much was clear to anyone who actually would’ve looked at him. His shoulders were higher towards his ears, his eyes switching from Katsuki’s right eye to his left. His breaths were deep.

“And the next victim, Bakugou!”

Kirishima bolted out of the room then.

Katsuki’s eyes followed his movements. Kirishima didn’t look angry, just… tired, somehow. 

Katsuki couldn’t deny the pang in his chest when seeing Kirishima leave like that, but he couldn’t be angry. He probably had a reason, which probably was close to what Katsuki had come up with earlier. It was all way too fast.

The bottle was unmoving, pointing at Katsuki as he got up and bowed his head just the slightest amount before following Kirishima.

He saw Kyouka starting to get up as well, but he gestured with a hand for her to stay seated. He’d take care of this on his own with the sudden burst of confidence he was provided. 

Kirishima was fast in his movements, but Katsuki caught up to him at the top of the stairs that led to the second floor. “Kirishima,” he called, seeing Kirishima’s shoulders tense, but he didn’t stop. “Kirishima,” he repeated more sternly. “Talk to me for fuck’s sake!”

Kirishima wasn’t halting, so Katsuki took a few sprints, finally getting a hand around Kirishima’s bicep. 

Katsuki huffed out, seemingly out of breath, not because of running he was sure. “Kirishima, I’m so fucking confused.”

Kirishima turned to him fully then, his whole aura calming the air around them. “I’m sorry Bakugou, I-” Kirishima drew a breath.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Katsuki said immediately. “I also hate that game, I don’t blame you for not wanting to… you know.”

“Huh?” Kirishima’s eyebrows drew in together, genuinely looking confused. “You think I didn’t want to kiss you just now?”

It was Katsuki’s turn to look confused. “You stormed out of the room, what was I supposed to think? And after the earlier situation and your breakup-”

“Bakugou,” Kirishima stopped him, placing his hands onto Katsuki’s shoulders. “I wanted to kiss you,” he said, completely unaware of Katsuki’s heart stopping right then and there. “I just didn’t want… I don’t want it to happen like that.”

Katsuki tilted his head, a slither of hope making his shoulders tense up. “Like what?”

“In front of everyone, for starters,” Kirishima explained. “I think intimate stuff like that should be private, especially the first time. I don’t want my teammates to ruin everything.” Okay, Katsuki could understand that. He wouldn’t want to kiss Kirishima in front of his band members either. “And I’m still 17,” Kirishima continued. “You’re 18.”

Katsuki was confused how that last thing had anything to do with anything, but then a dumb thought crawled up from somewhere deep into his mind. “Wait, you’re not saying-”

“I’m still a minor, you’re an adult.”

“Our age gap is half a year,” Katsuki said with wide eyes. “Your birthday is in less than two months…”

“Yeah, but still.”

“Kirishima, do you own a hammer?”

“What? A hammer?”

“I want to smash your brains in.”

“This is a real concern, you could be jailed!”

“For kissing you?!”

“Yes!”

Katsuki blinked, trying to use his eyelashes to wipe down all the shit he was just spewed at. “I understand your first point, so let’s just… go with that,” he said and pushed Kirishima’s hands away from himself. “I’m going home, there’s school tomorrow.”

“Already? It’s like 10pm…”

“Kirishima,” Katsuki said, looking up at him. “I’m going home. I’ll see you around school.”

And home he went, tired, confused, and utterly just done with the whole evening.

Katsuki was slightly saddened that he didn’t get one sip of anything that would’ve contained alcohol, but he felt like that wasn’t his biggest concern. These new feelings he had for Kirishima were scary, to say the least. 

Katsuki had always been quick to adapt, but he felt like liking someone was something he couldn’t just accept and then be done with it. He had wanted to kiss Kirishima. Kirishima had wanted to kiss him. Did that automatically mean they were together? Probably not. 

If Kirishima wished to wait for his birthday, Katsuki would respect that. He’d get his answers in about two months, he could wait that much.

School started the next morning like it was supposed to, and after four weeks had passed, he hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Kirishima.

Katsuki had his own hands full with homework, projects, and trying to rent the music classroom for their band. He figured Kirishima was also busy with his sports and whatever ball that demanded.

It wasn’t until Kyouka pointed it out to him randomly in the middle of lunch hour. “You miss him.”

Katsuki nearly choked on his dumpling, having to aggressively cough it out and drink water for his burning throat after. “What the hell?!”

“Even I can see it,” Fumikage so unhelpfully said from beside Katsuki. Fumikage was the fourth member of their band, a really silent guy who kept to himself a lot. He still always attended lunch with his band members religiously.

“Shut up, bird brain,” Katsuki groaned out, trying to scratch the itch in the back of his throat with the back of his tongue.

Fumikage huffed. “I don’t wear the costume in school, that nickname is worthless.”

Katsuki grinned and passed his dessert pudding on Fumikage’s tray. He didn’t like sweet stuff himself, Fumikage had a sweet tooth, easy equation. “Furry at home, always a furry.”

Fumikage having a fursona wasn’t an issue, and he hadn’t personally ever been made fun of for it, but he still preferred to keep it kinda down low. Fumikage aggressively opened the pudding and pushed a spoonful of it into his mouth. “One day you’ll burn in hell,” he spoke around the spoon.

“Don’t distract him,” Kyouka swatted her hands over the table. “Do you want me to ask Denki about him?”

Katsuki raised a brow. “Oh so he’s Denki now?”

“Don’t try to change the subject!” Kyouka said with a raised voice, but Katsuki could see the red tint on the tips of her ears. 

“Sure, sure,” Katsuki cackled, but that soon changed into a sigh. “No, don’t ask Denki anything. He’ll come find me if he wants to talk to me.”

Kyouka hummed and circled her spoon in her own pudding. 

“Or,” Momo raised her hand just the slightest bit, a coy smile on her face. “Maybe you could find him first? I’m sure someone like him would appreciate a gesture like that.”

Kirishima certainly was someone who appreciated kind gestures and all the sort, but Katsuki wasn’t a person to do such gestures. “No.”

“But you like him, don’t you?” Momo asked, tilting her head in confusion as if Katsuki hadn’t talked their ears off about Kirishima, finding every possible window to bring him up in conversations. He had also come to terms with the fact that he liked the guy, and that it was okay for him to do so.

“Obviously,” Katsuki said, leaning his head on his hand. “So?”

“So, show him that,” Momo continued, swatting Kyouka’s hand as the other tried to sneak food off her plate. “Show him you like him, how’s he supposed to figure it out without you doing anything?”

“We almost kissed a month back,” Katsuki reminded her.

“Didn’t you storm off then?” Fumikage could learn to keep his mouth shut once in a while. “Really manly of you, by the way.”

“No!” Katsuki defended, bumping his shoulder with Fumikage’s, maybe a bit more aggressively than necessary. “I walked off because he told me to wait two months for an answer. So I’m waiting.”

“Wow,” Kyouka chuckled. “You’re a real bitch baby.”

“Say that again I swear-”

“What Kyouka is trying to say-” Momo placed her hand on Kyouka’s shoulder and leaned to push Katsuki back down to his seat. Katsuki might’ve gotten up and nearly thrown his drink on his best friend, but that wasn’t really his fault. “-Is that during these two months, or the one month remaining, you should court him! Show him that you really want to be with him, bring him flowers and attend his soccer practices. Spend time with him, be friends with him.”

She had a point, Katsuki couldn’t deny. There was no way in all of God’s green Earth that he’d buy Kirishima flowers, that was such a cliché romance troupe thing that he might as well sing him a song and tattoo his initials behind his ear, but other than that she hit the nail on the hay.

Was Katsuki actually considering all of this? Wow he had gotten soft. Kirishima was to blame, he was sure. Not that it made sense, since Kirishima wasn’t really a soft person himself, more like a hard headed idiot with dumb hair and those glistening ruby eyes that sparkled so ethereally under the rising summer sun as he studied algebra, a tongue poking out to concentrate and eyebrows furrowed, creating a cute frown to form on his forehead.

Katsuki was gonna stop right there. This was getting way too gay, even for him.

“Maybe I’ll go meet him after his soccer practice,” Katsuki relented, feeling his neck heating up. He didn’t even know Kirishima’s sport was soccer. Had it ever come up? Katsuki didn’t feel like it was useful information, since no matter what sports ball was involved, he had no clue what the game would be about. Katsuki hated balls. “When’s the next practice thing?” 

“Today,” Kyouka said, a little too fast. She had known how this conversation was going to go. Sneaky bastard. “Practice ends at 16.30, be there and don’t forget about those flowers.”

“I’ll show you fucking flowers-”

Katsuki found himself in front of the school’s gym at exactly 16.30. And no, he hadn’t bought any fucking flowers, but he had gone back home and taken a shower right after school to look presentable and then just dashed back here. Unnecessary going to and fro if he was concerned.

He was feeling rather confident about this. He had spent his whole summer with Kirishima, there was no way all of that would be thrown away just because they hadn’t seen each other in a month. 

They had gotten to know each other, shared stories Katsuki never would have shared with anyone else. Katsuki had felt emotions he hadn't dared to feel with anyone other than Kirishima, attraction, wanting to protect and make him happy. Katsuki had grown attached, and even though that scared him, it also gave him some sense of a rush.

But as the doors opened and a swarm of college boys rushed past him, smelling like sweat and wearing unbearably bright jerseys, Katsuki’s heart picked up speed. He oh so imperceptibly tried to hit his own chest to stop his heart from acting up.

“Bakugou?”

Katsuki had paid attention only to beating himself up so that he hadn’t noticed Kirishima making his way to him. Kirishima’s hair was down and slightly wet. Katsuki couldn’t pick any unpleasant aromas from him. Could it be that Kirishima actually had some brain cells and realized that a shower was mandatory after any sort of sport?

“You smell good.” Right, so Katsuki was going to sow his mouth shut the first thing once he got home, if he even managed to get that far. This was going so well so far that he was sure that losing a limb would be more fun. 

Kirishima seemed to find it funny, though, his laughter soon booming out of him forcefully enough that he had to lean back to let it out. Katsuki couldn’t be too mad. Kirishima deserved to laugh. Even sounded heavenly doing so.

Katsuki had to look away from him, otherwise he was sure his reddened cheeks could heat up a tent or two like a stove would. "'S not that funny," he tried mumbling but Kirishima kept on laughing, a few of his lingering teammates shooting looks at him. Not nasty looks, Katsuki would've started swinging, but more amused than anything.

"Bro," Kirishima stifled his laugh, slapping his own cheek and shaking his head. "What're you even doing here, other than complimenting my sweet aroma?"

Katsuki nearly gagged then, but decided to just ignore Kirishima's choice of words. "You haven't contacted me."

Kirishima's smile fell just the tiniest bit, invisible to a naked eye, but Katsuki noticed. "Not like you've contacted either."

"Been busy," Katsuki said almost as a reflex. "School, y'know?"

Kirishima hummed, his eyes still locked onto Katsuki's even if Katsuki was still trying to avoid eye contact with all his living might. 

As Kirishima wasn't answering anything but a hum, Katsuki felt like it was his duty to continue this conversation. Hell, he had come here to try and… What was it that he tried, actually?

He could always address the elephant in the room – that evening at the party – but he wasn't sure he was physically capable of speaking about it to Kirishima yet. "How's soccer?" He decided to ask, smalltalk being his escape.

Kirishima snorted. "You didn't come here to ask about sports, Bakugou."

Straight to the point then. "You're right," Katsuki drew in the afternoon air like his life depended on it. "Your birthday is in a month."

Kirishima's gaze was literally burning his skin. "And?"

"I'm gonna court you until then." Katsuki was about to hurl.

But Kirishima didn't look surprised, which then again surprised Katsuki enough that he actually looked at the guy in question. 

Kirishima was smiling. His eyes no longer burned, but fond as they locked onto his, like they were meant to. 

Katsuki knew he had fallen, but apparently, he was still able to fall deeper.

—

One thing about their school was that even if they just started the semester, most students knew each other. A lot of the students came from nearby cities and had met each other during athletic school tournaments, discos, or then just over summer. A very few people actually came from far enough that they never would’ve met anyone.

Katsuki was one of the guys that had kept a low profile while in school, that’s why if most people were asked, they probably had no clue who Katsuki was.

It was the time spent outside of school that Katsuki had earned a reputation from. And it wasn’t a good reputation, specifically with other clubs and their members. Katsuki was a guy with a temper, but when he was a few years younger, he was a menace. He was so angry with the budgets the other clubs got while he himself got little to nothing. 

Katsuki might’ve possibly destroyed equipment, spray painted walls with caricatures and offensive song lyrics, he might’ve also stolen stuff, broken laws by trespassing and gotten in fights with people of many ages.

He was usually left alone while in school, no one sparing more than a glance at his direction but never addressing who he actually was. That all changed when starting college. 

People were more daring once they got older. There was staring, whispering, laughing, all the shit.

Katsuki honestly didn’t mind, he could deal with it, usually able to escape to their music room – that they finally got the permission to rent as a club room – if it got too bad, which it seldom did. It had been harmless at the start of the semester, but once it got out that he was seriously pursuing Kirishima, he started noticing it more.

Unknown to Katsuki, Kirishima was quite famous, and therefore, had a fanbase. Kirishima had told him how he had been playing soccer since he was basically a fetus, but never once had he mentioned that he had won stuff at high level games, gaining admiration even outside of their school circles.

And what Katsuki could tell, Kirishima was unaware of all the commotion going around them as they walked along the school halls. They weren’t even holding hands or anything, just walking side by side and talking. But Katsuki was more perceptive, seeing all the nasty glares thrown Katsuki’s way. Katsuki had to scrub his locker at least twice a day because people kept writing all kinds of nasty words on it.

Katsuki laughed at the things written on his locker. They were honestly more amusing than threatening or offensive. 

Come on, Katsuki had been using such language ever since he had learned how to talk, this kind of stuff didn’t phase him.

Katsuki could deal with the snickers, the pointing and the stuff written about him online, but sometimes even he deserved his peace. That’s why he spent more time in the music room than probably necessary. 

Kirishima had taken a habit of visiting Katsuki in said room, which was nice of him. Unnecessary, but nice. Especially since he also brought snacks with him. 

Honestly nothing between them had changed, and time was cruising past quite fast. They had found time to hang out more while in school, usually talking like they normally would, walking around the halls and even feeding each other on occasion. 

Katsuki preferred it that way. There was no awkwardness between them, even if it was obvious Katsuki wanted to date Kirishima.

And now the time had arrived. The thing he had been waiting for what felt like forever. 

Kirishima’s birthday was in two days, and Katsuki was planning to officially ask him out. He didn’t want it to be too over the top, but he certainly wanted it to be more than a simple text message. He knew Kirishima would appreciate some sort of a gesture.

Katsuki was also aware that Kirishima probably knew that Katsuki was going to ask him out right when the day changed, but that strangely only calmed Katsuki’s nerves.

And he had an idea how he was going to do it, it just meant that he would have to talk to Kirishima’s teammates. That interaction would be insufferable for both sides, which meant that Katsuki was stalling.

Weirdly, the students around the school who kept being little bitches towards him, did not construct of jocks. 

Therefore, this should be easier than Katsuki made it out to be.

He was currently standing behind a corner like a scared little shit, just hoping that somehow this could be done without him actually having to interact with brainless sweaty young adults who acted like teenagers more often than not.

Kirishima had already left the locker rooms ages ago. Katsuki had bribed some extra from Kirishima’s homeroom class to send an emergency text to him, saying they were out of toilet paper or some other very believable excuse.

Katsuki slapped his head between his palms, blowing out steam through his nostrils. Okay, this wasn’t as bad as that one time a cop had caught him drunk out of his ass and taken him home to face the wrath of his mother. Katsuki still shivered at the thought.

He cracked his neck and cleared his throat, straightening his back, fixing his studded leather jacket and lifting his jaw. He could do this. 

Katsuki opened the door that led to a hallway with lots of doors on the sides of it. Great, he had no idea which of those would be the door to the locker room, but he wasn’t going to give up just because of such a small step back.

He walked along the hallway, turning a corner and noting that he didn’t need to search anymore.

A door was fully open, the slightest amount of steam pushing its way into the yellowish hallway. Was it steam from a shower or from someone’s vape, Katsuki couldn’t tell from this far, but the sounds of at least twenty men yelling nonsensical things could’ve broken the sound barrier. Katsuki now wondered how he wasn’t able to hear them outside.

Katsuki confidently strolled to said door and stepped inside the locker room, his assertive front breaking for a moment when seeing the scene in front of him.

Katsuki had never been in a locker room for more than ten seconds, he wasn’t prepared to see that everyone went about half naked and some even fully nude. The door was open so they must’ve not minded, but Jesus christ. Katsuki quickly caught himself and schooled his expression to that of indifference, even if his hatred for jocks just gained a whole other dimension.

It didn’t take long for one of the guys to spot Katsuki rather awkwardly standing in the doorway. Once that guy stopped his pointless uttering, it was a full-on domino effect. Everyone grew silent and turned their piercing gazes at him. Katsuki just kept looking around the room, trying and hoping to spot Kaminari but of course there was no such luck.

“The hell are you doing here?” One of the guys in the very far back of the room questioned. Katsuki was slightly myopic so he couldn’t really tell what the guy looked like, but he didn’t need to because a guy who currently sat nearest to Katsuki spoke up. 

“Don’t be rude, Tsuburaba,” the guy stood up, and thanks to everything holy he was at least wearing pants. He pushed a hand in front of Katsuki, his long and slender fingers rather intimidating. “Sero Hanta, glad to finally meet the loverboy.”

This Sero guy could choke for all Katsuki cared.

Still, Katsuki was on a mission, and he wasn’t going to fuck it up. He’d do this with honor, for Kirishima’s sake. He forced a grin on his face and shook the hand in front of him with probably too much force. “Bakugou Katsuki, never heard of you.”

Sero didn’t seem phased, but rather he had a wide grin of his own. “What a good grip, maybe you’re not too bad after all.”

Katsuki did not want to know what discussions about him they had kept among the team – minus Kirishima of course, hopefully – “Thanks, I guess,” Katsuki drew his hand back and looked behind Sero, finally seeing Kaminari’s artificial lightning dye job hair closing in on them.

Unlike Sero, Kaminari only had a towel wrapped around, not his waist, but around his chest, resembling a dress more than anything. “What brings you here, Bakugou?” Kaminari asked, his grin similar to the ones he often wore around Katsuki. It looked like he didn’t have to actually ask, he looked like he already knew why Katsuki was here.

But Katsuki needed the whole team to know, not just Kaminari, so he opened his mouth to explain his sudden intrusion.

—

Katsuki felt like he was going to suffocate.

He forced himself to wear a fucking tie for the occasion. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do this if he was lying face-first on the ground, so he ripped the tie off respectfully and threw it aside. 

Katsuki was standing outside of the large gym doors. He could hear the running steps of the players inside, training like normal.

It was the day that Kirishima turned 18, and Katsuki was finally about to ask him out.

He had never felt like this before. He was nervous, already embarrassed of all of this, and he felt like he could throw up. But he was also excited, knowing that Kirishima was going to love this. He would never hear the end of this, but that didn’t matter if he was able to make Kirishima smile. 

Katsuki had dressed up, taken a sick-leave from school just because he knew he needed to gather himself. He looked ridiculous, he’d never willingly actually wear this, but Momo had sworn there was nothing better than to ask someone out with a sleek look. So straight pants and a dress shirt it was. The tie was a no go, so he figured opening a few buttons of his shirt would cover that fine enough.

The singular rose he was hiding behind his back had stabbed his palms several times already.

And there it finally was. A double whistle inside the gym. His sign.

This was it.

Katsuki grabbed the handle of the door and pushed the door open.

Kirishima was standing in the middle of the gym floor. He was covered in sweat, his shirt clinging to his body and his spiked up hair starting to fall over his eyes. Eyes that were now blown wide open as they focused on Katsuki, only Katsuki.

Even when looking so wrecked, Kirishima was gorgeous.

Kaminari was standing beside Kirishima, patting his back and skipping out of the way.

“Bakugou?” Kirishima squeaked out, catching his breath while Katsuki’s breath got caught in his throat.

Katsuki took a deep breath in, taking a quick glance around the gym to see that everything was in order. He focused his eyes back onto Kirishima’s and with confidence, started walking to him.

Kirishima wasn’t moving, but his chest was moving up and down frantically as Katsuki approached. 

Katsuki stopped a few meters away from him. “Kirishima,” he started, gulping down his nerves. “This has been a long time coming, but I wanted to do this right.”

Kirishima seemed to loosen up, his posture losing its tenseness. A smile rose up to his face as he quickly wiped the sweat from his brow. Kirishima gave a small nod as a sign for Katsuki to continue.

“I won’t keep any speeches, this isn’t a marriage proposal, but I wanted for you to know that your dumb ass has made the last few months the best of my life,” Katsuki spoke and took a few steps closer to the ever so beautifully grinning Kirishima. He presented the rose between them, its crimson petals glistening under the gym’s too bright lights. 

As Kirishima’s gaze shifted from the rose to somewhere above Katsuki’s head, Katsuki knew he had seen his plan in action.

Katsuki dared a glance over his own shoulder to see how his plan was performed.

The soccer team was up on the stands, each holding a single letter, or sign, painted to a piece of white cardboard.

♡ D A T E  M E, S H I T T Y  H A I R ♡

It looked rather impressive, Katsuki had to admit.

He turned back around to see what Kirishima was thinking of it all, but before he could get a word out, Kirishima crashed into him. 

Kirishima’s arms wound around Katsuki’s frame, his head dipped onto Katsuki’s shoulder, attempting to squeeze the living soul out of him. And Katsuki wouldn’t have it any other way.

Katsuki couldn’t help the chuckle leaving his throat. “Is that a yes?”

Kirishima nodded against his shoulder, giving one more squeeze before pulling away enough to look at Katsuki. “A hundred times yes,” he confirmed and leaned forward to press a soft kiss onto Katsuki’s forehead, letting his lips linger.

If Kirishima wasn’t holding onto him, Katsuki would’ve turned into a puddle right then and there.

Katsuki raised his hand onto Kirishima’s cheek and leaned up a bit to get him even closer. He looked down at his lips and up into his eyes again. “May I?”

If possible, Kirishima’s expression turned even softer, his hands lowering to hold onto Katsuki’s waist. He also leaned forward, slightly down. “When the whole team is watching?" He grinned smugly, but didn't let time pass enough for Katsuki to grow worried. "You may.”

And everything was perfect.

—

But Katsuki had ignored one vital detail.

Nothing is ever perfect.

—

Katsuki didn’t know he had it in him. All the sappiness, the butterflies, and all the mushy stuff Eijirou brought out of him.

Their first date had been the definition of perfection. Katsuki had never felt so at ease. He had always feared that relationships started awkward with nothing to talk about and just simple tenseness in the air, but that wasn’t the case with Eijirou. 

Eijirou made everything feel natural, like they had always been this emotionally attracted to one another. Katsuki didn’t want to – didn’t know if he could – hide his happiness.

They agreed to not hide their relationship. When they made it official a week after their first date, they started holding hands in school and sneaking quick kisses before classes. Their shared study sessions quickly turned into tame makeout sessions, Katsuki getting accustomed to running his hands through Eijirou’s hair, mapping the muscles on his back and arms with the tips of his fingers. 

Katsuki was even able to drown the jealous extras around them, because his mind held nothing but Eijirou. 

That was until out of the blue, Eijirou started distancing himself from Katsuki.

It was subtle at first, barely noticeable how Eijirou ended their study sessions short, how he started saying he had to go earlier to class because of some extra work his teachers had bestowed upon him. 

But Eijirou had never been good at lying. His antics quickly became so obvious that Katsuki had to grit his teeth each time Eijirou said he had to leave early to walk his dog or help his dad with their family car.

The Kirishimas didn’t have a dog, and his other mom was working overseas until at least the end of the year. Katsuki didn’t know if Eijirou dubbed him a total brainless loser for not noticing, but he felt offended.

Eijirou suddenly had extra practice nearly every day, during weekends as well.

They hadn’t held hands in weeks at that point, only having time to share a rapid press of lips whenever Eijirou dashed out of Katsuki’s company like he had some deadly illness that’d spread through physical contact. And even that small piece of intimacy was fading out of existence.

And Katsuki wasn’t dealing with it anymore.

“Eijirou.”

Katsuki stopped Eijirou when he was trying to leave him hanging, again. He grabbed onto Eijirou’s wrist and held him back, trying to pull him somewhere to the side, away from the peering eyes of other students accompanying the school hallway. 

Eijirou looked taken aback, almost like he had seen a ghost. His arm shook slightly in Katsuki’s hold. “I need to go, Katsuki.”

“No,” Katsuki said sternly. “We need to talk, now.”

It wasn’t pleasant to see how Eijirou’s heartbeat picked up, his chest heaving more frantically. “Can’t we do this later?”

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Katsuki got straight to the point. He’d rather have this talk privately, but he was at his wits end. However, he once again tried pulling Eijirou with him to somewhere more secluded to not be in a showcase.

But Eijirou wasn’t budging. Somehow upon hearing Katsuki say that, Eijirou stood casual, suddenly in no hurry anywhere. “You’ve noticed.”

Katsuki felt his whole body twitch. So it was true then. Katsuki had hoped he was just imagining it all. Fuck his perceptiveness. “Of course I’ve noticed, how stupid do you take me for, asshole?”

Eijirou raised his now freed hand onto his neck, giving it a nervous scratch and focusing his eyes to somewhere beyond Katsuki’s shoes. “I thought I could defer this conversation for as long as possible, but I guess it’s time.”

He didn’t like this one bit. It was like his senses turned off, unable to feel and taste, leaving him with just dread. “Time for what?” Katsuki snapped, his walls rising high without meaning to.

Eijirou cracked his own knuckles, crossed his hands behind his back and turned to stare down at Katsuki with calmness in his eyes. “We need to break up.”

Those words were not what Katsuki was expecting to hear, not now, not from Eijirou.

“What?” 

“We need to bre-”

“I fucking heard you.”

Katsuki wasn’t prepared for this. What was he supposed to say? Was he supposed to be okay with this? Was this some sort of a test to see if he would beg not to be broken up with? Was their relationship supposed to be just some short fling? Katsuki didn’t sign up for a fling. 

“What did I do?” Katsuki asked, forcing his arms to stay down at his sides. He wanted to grasp at his own chest, feeling as if it may burst if he didn’t pound sense into it. He settled for clawing at his thighs as subtly as possible, needing to feel some physical pain so his mind would stay focused in the now.

“Bakugou, don’t t-”

Bakugou. He stopped using Katsuki’s given name. “What. Did. I. Do?” Katsuki punctuated, hearing his own voice lowering into a deep tremble. Containing his anger was a hard task that he had been trying to master for years. It all seemed useless right now. 

He felt like crying. But Katsuki didn’t fucking cry. Hadn’t cried in years, and wasn’t going to cry now. He was stronger than that.

But he felt like he couldn’t stop it this time. The pressure in his chest grew tenfold by the minute, looking at the innocence and apathy in Eijirou’s eyes. 

Why was Katsuki the only one in such a state? Did Eijirou really not feel anything? 

Katsuki felt pathetic. He had been played with, this whole time. By a jock. How ironic. And Eijirou wasn’t answering his question.

“Fine,” Katsuki forced his face as neutral as possible to fake indifference, even when he felt like his legs would give out any second. “Let’s break up.”

Katsuki left, walking out of the scene with as much confidence as he could, only to stumble into his house, into his own room about twenty minutes later. He collapsed onto his bed and bit his sheets to stop the tears that threatened to spill over.

He managed to stay composed, not letting himself cry over some dumb jock.

He had never felt so dumb before.

Just like that.

All of it was over, just like that.

With no explanation nor warning.

—

“Hey Kats,” Kyouka said, sitting down next to Katsuki. “You gotta eat something.”

“‘M not hungry.”

The news about Katsuki’s and Eijirou’s break up had spread around the school like wildfire. It had been only a few days, two or three, but Katsuki had quickly become a punching bag among the students. Not in a literal sense, luckily.

There was stuff like locking his locker with a padlock so he couldn’t get his stuff out or in, people shoulder checking him along the hallways when he walked by, locking him inside bathrooms so he had to call his bandmates to help him out, spitting at his feet, stealing his pens and notebooks, framing him for various things like sneaking alcohol into school grounds or lighting trash cans on fire. 

Katsuki felt like he should, but he couldn’t blame Eijirou for it all. Even if he had, it had been in the heat of the moment, and he really didn't believe… He hoped Eijirou hadn't played with him.

Hell, Eijirou could be the mastermind behind all the bullying for all Katsuki knew.

But he knew Eijirou better than that, and he knew Eijirou would never do something like that, no matter how badly someone wronged him. It must be someone doing it for Eijirou’s sake.

And therefore, Katsuki accepted the bullying. If he deserved it, he’d deal with it like a man.

And now he was dealing with it like a man by hiding in their music clubroom with his bandmates. 

“I’m going to kill him,” said Fumikage, sitting behind the drums and leaning on his chair against the wall behind him. 

Katsuki couldn’t help but snort. “Aw, I knew you cared.”

Expecting a nosy remark back, Fumikage only stared. “Of course I care, and that’s why I will kill him.”

There was a shiver running down Katsuki’s spine from the intense and almost scarily realistic way Fumikage said such a thing with a plain face. “Don’t, I don’t care.”

“You’re just lying to yourself, Katsuki,” said Momo who had been doing something with his hair for the past ten minutes, probably overhand knotting it all. “Have you tried talking to him since then?”

Katsuki scoffed. “Not like that’d make a difference,” he said, tightening the grip he had of the armrest of their low budget couch. “If he didn’t tell me then, he won’t tell me now. I must’ve hurt him pretty bad.”

Kyouka shook her head. “I don’t think you did anything bad.”

Katsuki tilted his head, making Momo yank his head back by his hair. He hissed at that. “How can you be so sure?”

“You told us what happened,” Kyouka shrugged. “What I think happened is, people are twisting the story to make you look bad in order to have someone to pick on. And since Kirishima is popular, who better than someone he actually liked.”

“Even if, what difference does that make?” Katsuki asked. He didn’t care about being bullied, he was sure it was some sort of karma from the way he had been living his teenage years. But losing Eijirou, that was a different kind of pain he had not been prepared to experience. “I will still miss him.”

“I know something you could do,” Momo said, tying something in Katsuki's hair as a finish. She then went to the desk at the front of the room and fished out a piece of paper and a pen. “This helped me when Shoto broke up with me.”

“I’m still waiting for the day I see that cuntbag somewhere randomly,” Katsuki clicked his tongue. “Bastard doesn’t know what’s coming for him.”

Momo chuckled lightly and placed the paper and pen in front of Katsuki on a too small table. “There you go, get to it.”

Katsuki picked up the pen and raised a brow. “What am I supposed to do with these?”

“Whatever you think you need to do,” Momo explained. “Draw his face and push it through a shredder, write song lyrics about your feelings, write him an aggressive letter he will never see. I wrote a poem and turned it into a song.”

Katsuki hummed. “You have a gift for that sorta thing, you write all of our songs,” he mumbled and stared at the blank piece of A4 paper. “I don’t know what to do.”

“It’ll come to you,” Momo said with a knowing smile and glanced at her too expensive looking wristwatch. “We gotta head to class, I guess you’re not going.”

Katsuki shook his head. He knew he would be skipping today, but he humored himself enough to attend his first classes, only dipping after lunch.

“We’ll leave you to it, remember to text the group chat when you get home,” Momo instructed. It was a new rule among them. The bullying had apparently gotten so bad that Katsuki’s friends demanded him to send them an OK text in order to know he was safe.

Katsuki told them that was stupid, that their school didn’t have students ballsy enough to cause actual harm on anyone, but he still swore to text them.

“Ay Katsuki,” Fumikage got up last and headed towards the door after Kyouka and Momo. “Wanna come to my place today? I need a cameraman for this one blog thing…”

Katsuki gave him a curt nod and a small smile. “You know I will,” he said, having filmed several of Fumikage’s blog content. The blog had something to do with his fursona, but Fumikage never shared too much about it nor showed Katsuki the last product. “Buy me a carton of milk and we’re all set.”

“Deal,” Fumikage nodded and left Katsuki with his paper and pen.

It took Katsuki a few hours more to leave the school than it nowadays would otherwise. Momo’s paper trick had done its job in at least distracting Katsuki’s mind from the obvious, but as Katsuki stared at the character he had drawn and saw the undeniable resemblance to Eijirou, he sighed and finally left the school.

Or so he planned, at least.

Katsuki found himself lingering next to the soccer field again. He used to hang out under the stands that rounded the field, usually playing cards or making up songs with his other friends. After he and Eijirou started dating, he actually attended his boyfriend’s games, tournaments, even practice matches. Not that there were many of said activities in the short while they had been together.

He cursed himself for drifting there again, but he wanted to see Eijirou. He hoped Eijirou would be playing on the field, would notice Katsuki and come to say that he wanted to get back together.

Katsuki didn’t think that instead of Eijirou, he’d come face to face with the others.

Ei- Kirishima’s teammates cornered him into a warehouse that stood next to the soccer field.

Katsuki wasn’t resisting when the largest guy in the team grabbed his neck and lifted him up against a moldy wall. Katsuki had trouble breathing, his lungs constricting against the lack of air. He had been waiting for this ever since their breakup just a few days ago. 

“You hurt him,” the guy Katsuki couldn’t bother remembering the name of said in such a tone it made Katsuki want to curl up into himself.

Katsuki only nodded, not having the strength to argue. His words didn’t matter here, not with these guys.

So, Katsuki took the beating.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t gotten beaten up before, he had messed with the wrong people in the past, but this was different. These were people he knew, people he grew to enjoy the company of. 

Kirishima’s bond with his teammates was that of a family, you couldn’t be around Kirishima without connecting with his team as well. Which Katsuki had done. He even remembered some of their names.

Now, as hard knuckles made contact with his face and sides, Katsuki turned his eyes away from Kaminari and Sero. He didn’t need to see their expressions to know he had fucked up.

Katsuki had tried to convince himself that he wasn’t at fault, but there was only one other possible reason as to why Kirishima would break up with him so suddenly. And that possibility was that Kirishima liked someone else.

But if Kirishima was to be blamed, his teammates wouldn’t have acted like this.

The fault was Katsuki’s. He had done something, he just didn’t know what that something was. Did it even matter?

The largest guy moved aside, letting the other guys have at it. Katsuki couldn’t help some wheezes and gags as his stomach was kicked repeatedly. 

Kaminari was the last to stand next to him, Katsuki recognized his shoes. Kirishima and Katsuki picked out those shoes together for Kaminari as a present when he got promoted to vice captain of their team. They were nice shoes.

As the yellow shoe made contact with Katsuki’s nose, Katsuki couldn’t help but think how much of a waste it was to dirty such nice shoes with blood.

“You’re nothing but scum,” Katsuki heard Kaminari say somewhere above him. “Good luck with the rest of your life. I hope you die alone.”

Katsuki had never heard Kaminari so angry before, he was usually so happy and kiddy, similar to Kirishima. This didn’t suit him at all. 

They left him alone after that. Some of them spit on him as a farewell, the foamy liquid burning on the wounds that now littered his skin.

He would need band-aids everywhere, and possibly a doctor to fix his broken nose.

That would come later though, now he needed to wallow in his own blood and spit a little longer. He felt like he deserved as much.

—

“Holy fuck, what happened to you?” Kyouka asked the next day as Katsuki walked to the cafeteria.

Katsuki groaned as he sat down opposite her. “Nothing.”

Kyouka shrugged and sluggishly pointed at Katsuki from head to toe. “If it was nothing, then why do you look like you tried to be Isekai’d by letting a truck run over you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Katsuki sighed and pulled out his lunch and his math homework that he couldn’t do the night before. He was too busy being bandaged by a doctor that thought he was some sort of a delinquent. 

“Of course it matters!” Kyouka reached over the table, taking a hold of Katsuki's hand and inspecting his knuckles that were left untouched, probably because Katsuki was shielding his hands against his chest with all his might. He could deal with some pain, but he wouldn’t be able to live if his hands were fucked up enough that he couldn’t play his drums anymore. “Did Kirishima do this to you?”

Katsuki’s head whipped up, drawing his hand back from Kyouka. “Of fucking course not!”

“Then who?”

“Oh shit, what happened?”

Katsuki froze. Why now, out of any time around the clock, any day possible, now? He couldn’t face Kirishima right now. 

So he didn’t. 

Katsuki stood up, making his chair drag along the floor loud enough to gain every other student’s attention to them. 

He didn’t want to be the center of attention, not when he was like this.

“What do you fucking care?” Katsuki snapped, making sure not to look at the man that stood way too close for his liking.

“What?” Kirishima sounded surprised. “Of course I care about you! Who-”

“Shut up!” Katsuki yelled, hearing the crack in his voice clear as day. Embarrassing. “You wanted to break up. That means you can’t bother me anymore.”

“I… I thought we could-”

“That we could what? Stay as friends?” Katsuki wanted to laugh. He felt odd, like the anger he felt towards himself bubbled over. He couldn’t bottle it all up for much longer. “Leave me the fuck alone, ‘Shima.”

He needed to get away before the scene they had already created would escalate into something he couldn’t control. 

“Bakugou, please-” 

Kirishima’s hand made contact with Katsuki’s arm, and that small touch, that innocent gesture to get his attention was enough to tip him over the edge. 

Katsuki grabbed Kirishima’s wrist, ripping it off his body with vigor. He held onto it tightly while leaning closer to Kirishima, trapping the hand between them. “I can’t,” Katsuki said through a wet gasp that unwillingly left his throat. He could feel how the tears he had tried to keep at bay for so long now flowed freely from his swollen eyes and down his chin. “Just leave me alone.”

He let go of Kirishima’s wrist and bolted out of the cafeteria.

He felt so fucking embarrassed. He tried clawing at his eyes, trying to stop the stream of tears that wasn’t stopping no matter what he did. It burned, his skin already raw. It couldn't take more abuse like this.

He elbowed his way into a nearby bathroom and locked the door. He crashed against the sink, boring his eyes at his own reflection. Was this who he really was? Crying over some fucking guy?!

But he was the sweetest guy he had ever met. Why… How had Katsuki let this happen?

Everything hurt so much. Physical pain was one thing, but this kind of pain… This was another level of agony.

—

Kyouka was a big help when it came to Katsuki’s mental health.

Kyouka knew what Katsuki liked, and used that to make Katsuki think about other things. And Katsuki was grateful, even if he didn’t say it in so many words. 

Katsuki spent a lot of time in the music classroom. He had permission from the teacher to do so. Their music teacher, Mr. Yamada, wasn't too hard to negotiate with. He was a big music guy himself, saying that he wouldn’t stop young passion by denying access. If only Mr. Yamada was responsible for clubrooms, Katsuki’s band would’ve gotten their clubroom way earlier than they now had. Katsuki skipped classes by trying his hand in songwriting, just playing different instruments and even helping Mr. Yamada with his music.

Katsuki was still adamant to keep his mouth shut about everything that happened in that warehouse, not telling anyone about it, not even his bandmates. 

He also had come to a decision; to stop blaming himself. If Kirishima wasn’t going to be upfront about why he broke up with him, Katsuki was going to pretend the reason was Kirishima himself, not Katsuki.

Coming to that decision had taken him all winter break and then some.

All that time was also enough to let the biggest clutter die down. Katsuki could now breathe.

Well, that was a lie, somewhat. Katsuki had started smoking during winter break. Breathing was probably a wrong term to use in this context. 

His bandmates didn’t mind their friend’s new habit, knowing it was a scapegoat. Everyone dealt with rough topics differently, and Katsuki's method seemed to be self-destruction. A good friend would probably meddle and do everything in their power to stop such habits before they even started, but Kyouka, Fumikage or Momo couldn’t really say anything since they really weren't the purest doves themselves.

But Katsuki felt like he was healing, which was good because summer vacation was already peeking around the corner.

“Any plans for the summer break?” Kyouka asked, putting down a red card on the already heightened pile of UNO cards. They had been playing UNO behind their school’s gym building for a while now.

Katsuki hummed, putting down a red card as well. “I applied for a job, I don’t know if they’ll have me though.”

“Cool,” Kyouka hummed back. “What job? Tutoring again?”

Katsuki visibly winced. “No.”

“Ah, right, then what did you apply for?” Kyouka asked, probably trying to get rid of the tension that gathered into Katsuki’s shoulders at the mention of last summer. The summer he met Kirishima for the first time.

Katsuki put down a green card. “Bartender.”

“Didn’t you say drunk people made you sick?” Kyouka asked, going through her cards while biting the inside of her cheek. She put down a green card.

“Not like I have to engage in conversation,” Katsuki rolled his eyes. He put down a green card. “Uno,” then a blue card with the same number.

“Bitch,” Kyouka snarled and threw her remaining cards at Katsuki.

Katsuki chuckled and started picking up the cards and making neat piles in order to fit them back into their box. “How’s it going with Kaminari?”

Not telling anyone about the warehouse also meant not telling Kyouka about Kaminari being there. Katsuki was careful around the subject, having been the first to congratulate Kyouka when she told their band that they finally made it official with Kaminari.

Now watching as Kyouka blushed and looked to the ground in lovestruck shyness, only confirmed that it was the right decision. She would take Katsuki’s side and leave Kaminari, which wasn’t what Katsuki wanted for her.

She was obviously happy and in love, he wasn’t going to ruin that and make her go through pain similar to what he experienced with his own break up.

“It’s going well,” Kyouka coughed through the embarrassed blush she was sporting. “He actually told me he loves me.”

Katsuki raised a brow. “Was this yesterday during that very ‘surprising’ dinner date?”

Kyouka chuckled and pushed Katsuki’s shoulder. “Shut up. He’s a bit of an airhead but he means well.”

Katsuki hummed, not being able to contain his smile. “I’m happy for you, Kyo.”

“I actually invited him here to hang out with us,” Kyouka said, glancing down at her phone. “He was supposed to be here ages ago, I wonder where he is.”

The smile Katsuki had on, fell. 

“What time is it?” Katsuki asked, feeling his hands starting to shake. He wasn’t afraid of Kaminari, he wasn’t such a pussy, but he hadn’t seen anything but a few glimpses of anyone from the soccer team in months. And he would rather keep it that way.

“16.53,” Kyouka answered. “Man, you’re sweating.”

“I am?” Katsuki raised a hand to wipe sweat from his forehead and upper lip. “Damn, I was supposed to be home half an hour ago, my mom’s going to kill me,” he chuckled. It was a lie, but he had a mission of avoiding the soccer team until graduation.

“Shit sorry,” Kyouka got up and snatched the cards from Katsuki. “If I’d known I would’ve told y-”

“Sorry I’m late!”

Fuck.

“Sorry sorry our practice match stretched out longer than anticipated and I had to take a shower and all, but I’m here now!” Kaminari grinned widely and went to Kyouka immediately, pecking her cheek. Kyouka resembled a firetruck with how red she became, making Katsuki chuckle. “Ah Bakugou, how’s it hanging man?” Kaminari pushed a fist in front of Katsuki, hoping for a first bump by the looks of it.

Katsuki stared at the first in bewilderment. What the hell was Kaminari trying to achieve with this? “Uh…”

Kaminari frowned when Katsuki left his arm just hanging in the air. Then there was some sort of flash in his eyes when he gasped. “Right! I needed to talk to you,” he said. He was so… bright. He addressed Kyouka next with a “Sorry babe, this is a private conversation.”

Kyouka frowned, giving Katsuki a look. Katsuki already knew she would torture information out of him later on, so he just shrugged.

“I’ll give you five minutes,” Kyouka mumbled and gave Kaminari a pointed stare as well before leaving, walking around the running track to pass the time.

“Bakugou Katsuki,” Kaminari said, making Katsuki flinch. He masked it well by shifting his weight from one leg to another. Kaminari didn’t see anything, hah. “Haven’t seen you around.”

“Don’t beat around the bush,” Katsuki snapped and crossed his arms, hiding his sweaty hands into his sleeves. “What do you want?”

Kaminari sighed. “Straight to the point, you’ve always been pretty straightforward,” Kaminari muttered under his breath. “Fine, I wanted to say sorry.”

Katsuki’s eyebrows shot to his hairline, his arms falling to his sides. “What?”

Kaminari clicked his tongue and kicked the ground with his yellow sneakers. “I’m sorry for breaking your nose. I’m also apologizing for my teammates, it wasn’t right of us.”

What the hell was happening? “Why the sudden change of heart?” Katsuki wanted to sound calm and collective, but he couldn’t mask his surprise.

“I guess I owe you an explanation,” Kaminari groaned and rubbed his neck. Kirishima had clearly influenced his teammates with his cute little traits. “You know how there’s the rule; ‘Hurt a jock, get hurt thrice as bad’?”

Katsuki nodded. He knew, that’s why he wasn’t surprised when he was jumped by the soccer team. He had been expecting it actually.

“Well after that one commotion in the cafeteria, I guess seeing you bandaged, in pain and crying, he put two and two together.”

Katsuki cringed slightly at the mention of people noticing his crying, but that was months ago and he had gotten over it. If getting over it meant that the event was so fresh in his mind that he sometimes couldn’t sleep because he was sick to his stomach he was so embarrassed.

“He asked us, and we told him the truth. We told him how it was a tradition, even if it seemed made up. We told him that we had done it for him, for his honor,” Kaminari bit his lip and groaned through his teeth. “He didn’t look our way in weeks. He didn’t associate with us, didn’t even give high fives when we won games. I’ve never seen him that mad, and I’ve known him for a long time.”

Katsuki had never seen Kirishima angry, he couldn’t even imagine what that was like.

“It was bad enough that Toshinori, our coach, noticed and called Eijirou out for ‘unsportsmanship’. I thought Eijirou would say sorry and keep going with his life, but he explained everything to Toshinori. I witnessed in real time when our coach lost all his hope for us. They were both so… disappointed.”

If this had spread among teachers, Katsuki could only wonder why he hadn’t been taken into questioning, he was there as well. He felt like he should’ve been included.

“We were ordered to really think during winter break, we’d have to show actual remorse or we’d be kicked off the team,” Kaminari wiped at his nose. “We got to keep our team intact, and we all tried apologizing.”

“It’s the end of April,” Katsuki said out loud. “Winter break ended three months ago.”

“I know, but we did try,” Kaminari said, looking like he was shy about the topic. “You just weren’t around anywhere. I haven’t seen you in months, and I doubt anyone else has either. Not to talk about the fact that none of us has apologized about anything like this before. I tried searching out for your friends first, getting to you through them. But Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami avoided me like the plague. They’re your friends so you must’ve told them about everything, so I get it.”

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Katsuki confessed. “If they avoided you, it was because they sensed something was up. My friends aren’t as dumb as they look.”

“Right,” Kaminari let out a nervous chuckle. “Anyway, I didn’t want to use Kyouka to get to you. That’s why it took me so long to do this,” Kaminari explained. It came as a surprise when Kaminari bent at the waist, a perfect 90° angle. “I’m so sorry Bakugou!”

Katsuki stared with wide eyes. 

What Katsuki gathered from this, was that he hadn’t actually hurt Kirishima, and that everyone just thought he had. Him included.

He needed to talk to Kirishima.

“Get up,” Katsuki ordered, and Kaminari straightened his back. “I forgive you.”

“What?” Kaminari frowned and took in a deep breath that made him choke around the air. “No, bro, that was too easy.”

Katsuki narrowed his eyes. “I can take it back if you want me to hate you for the rest of our lives and make your life absolute hell.”

Kaminari raised his hands. “Nah, no thanks, this is fine.” Kaminari’s bright grin was back onto his face as he made his way next to Katsuki and circled an arm around his shoulders. “For real bro, I am extremely sorry for everything.”

“Yeah yeah,” Katsuki threw Kaminari’s arm away from him and stepped farther away. “I need to go now, tell your teammates that they’ve been forgiven, I can’t do this apologizing stuff more than once.”

Katsuki started walking away, ignoring the way Kaminari yelled after him. “I can tell them that but they won’t listen. They are very sorry too!”

Katsuki needed to find Kirishima.

Soon he was already standing at the front porch of the Kirishima household.

He had been behind this door dozens of times. He had sat on the old bench next to said door, sharing longing kisses with his boyfriend while trying to focus on homework. He had bid goodbyes to his boyfriend after having dinner with him, going in and out of that door so many times he’d never be able to count all of it.

Now he stood behind the same door, looking like there was a pole going through his body. He was nervous almost beyond metaphors. 

He needed to talk to Kirishima. He needed to do this. But he didn’t know where to start.

Before preparing himself to knock, he was staring right into the kind but surprised eyes of Mrs. Kirishima. She looked like she was leaving for a jog, based on her clothing. “Katsuki?”

Katsuki blinked rapidly, trying to greet her but his voice came out as a weird gurgle. He cleared his throat, feeling the pink tint rising onto his cheeks. “Hello, Mrs. Kirishima. Is he home?”

Mrs. Kirishima tilted her head in question, going through something in her mind. Katsuki was afraid that she had heard about everything and now hated Katsuki, thinking he had done something to her son.

But Mrs. Kirishima broke into a pure smile, her eyes watering slightly. She pulled Katsuki in for a tight hug, familiar. “I’m so glad you decided to finally visit us again.”

Katsuki’s breath got caught in his throat, releasing the excess air out in relief. He circled his arms around Mrs. Kirishima and hugged her back. “I’m glad, too.”

Mrs. Kirishima let Katsuki off her arms and stepped to the side to let him enter. “He's in his room. I’m going out for a while, don’t burn the house down.”

Katsuki nodded and headed upstairs. His steps were at least two times slower than usual, stalling all he could.

What was he afraid of, in the end?

It was just Kirishima.

The guy made of literal sunshine, an angel soul and the love of Katsuki’s life. Whatever could he be so afraid of.

Katsuki was polite enough to knock before entering the room.

Kirishima was sitting with his back to the door, headphones covering his ears and some game Katsuki didn’t recognize blasting on his gaming screen. His hair was down, looking a little damp. They apparently had a match today, it made sense Kirishima had showered immediately when getting home.

Katsuki took a deep breath, cursing how his first thought was to hug Kirishima from behind and kiss his head with so much affection he was sure to get cavities for years to come.

But he couldn’t do that now.

Instead, he walked up to Kirishima and lightly touched his shoulder in order to not startle him.

The reaction was amusing, how Kirishima glanced to the side quickly, probably expecting to see his mom, then rapidly turning his head again and doing a once over when noticing that it indeed wasn’t his mother.

“Bakugou,” Kirishima gasped while removing his headphones, doing another once over from Katsuki’s head to toe, confirming that it really was him.

Katsuki smiled slightly, drawing his hand back from Kirishima’s shoulder. “Hey.”

Kirishima jumped up from his chair and jumped at Katsuki. Katsuki wasn’t sure how many surprises he could take, Kirishima’s arms winding around him in a death grip, his chin pressing against Katsuki’s shoulder.

Katsuki felt himself being spinned around a couple times.

He had missed this.

He had missed this so much that it hurt, his eyes starting to burn. He let himself be hugged, hugging Kirishima back with as much vigor.

He had missed him.

“I’m so sorry Bakugou,” Kirishima said against his shoulder, his voice sounding shaky, an undertone of hurt coming up his throat. “I’m so sorry about everything. I didn’t know they’d do something like that to you.”

Katsuki hummed in content, lying his head against Kirishima’s chest. “I already forgave them.”

Kirishima pulled away from the hug, leaving Katsuki feeling cold and longing. Kirishima was gorgeous, even if he looked tired and spent. Kirishima might’ve pulled away from him, but he kept lingering close. “Really? After everything they did?” He was so close, Katsuki could easily tip his head up to kiss him.

God he wanted to.

“What they did wasn’t painful,” Katsuki heard himself say, feeling his throat getting clogged up. “At least not as painful as you breaking up with me without telling me why.”

A stray tear made its way down Kirishima’s right cheek. Katsuki let himself have this, raising his hand up and wiping that tear with his thumb. He laid his palm gently on Kirishima’s cheek and smiled up at him fondly.

“But I forgive you too, ‘Shima.”

Kirishima drew in a shaky breath, his lips trembling as he did. He shook his head rapidly and laid a hand on top of Katsuki’s on his cheek. “I should’ve told you. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki bit his lip and gulped down his nerves. “You should have. But I forgive you.”

“No, Bakugou, I didn’t tell you why,” Kirishima said, his hand tightening its hold. “It’s the exact way I was broken up with. I know how much it hurt, and I did the same to you.”

Katsuki couldn’t deny that, but he didn’t say so out loud. He didn’t want Kirishima to feel bad, he didn’t deserve that, even after everything. “And I forgive you,” he repeated once again.

“You didn’t deserve all of t-”

“Kirishima,” Katsuki pressed Kirishima’s lips closed with his fingers. “I forgive you, you damn Shitty Hair.”

Kirishima blinked dumbly for a while before releasing a long breath through his nose and nodding. Katsuki let his mouth go. “Thank you,” Kirishima said and took a hold of Katsuki’s hands. “I still owe you.”

Katsuki felt himself being pulled, soon finding himself sitting on top of Kirishima’s bed with the redhead sitting right in front of him. Katsuki popped his lips and looked down. “I don’t know if I want to know after all this time. I’ve already made my peace with it.”

“My coach said he applied me to an American school with a scholarship,” Kirishima blurted out. “I got in.”

Katsuki looked back up. “You’re… Leaving?”

Kirishima gave the smallest of nods, but enough to make Katsuki’s heartbeat increase. “Yes. I don’t know what my thought process was back then, but I guess I thought that we’d been together for such a short time that you wouldn’t want to know if it was something sports related. I figured it was easier to just let it fade away.”

Katsuki bit the inside of his cheek to prevent him from committing a crime. “You’re so fucking dumb, you know that?”

“I know,” Kirishima cleared his throat, clearly preventing a sob, but Katsuki didn’t comment on it. “I’m so incredibly sorry, Bakugou.”

“I already forgave you like five times,” Katsuki sighed and raised his hand up to his own forehead to press down all the stuff he’d rather leave unsaid. “When?”

“When am I leaving?”

Katsuki hummed in approval.

Kirishima fell silent for a while, making Katsuki peer over his hand at the now nervous looking man. 

“Kirishima, when are you leaving?”

Kirishima looked down in shame, twirling the strings of his shorts between his fingers. “Two weeks.”

“Two weeks?!” Katsuki spit, immediately dialing it down by taking a deep breath. “For how long?”

“At least two years, three if I’m lucky enough to succeed.”

They talked about Kirishima’s trip, their school success, Kirishima’s studies overall and basically anything interesting and not so interesting that had happened during their time apart.

As Katsuki explained how the doctors had described him wrong medications for his broken nose, Kirishima looked uncomfortable when knowing he was partially at fault, but he listened dutifully. 

It was nice to be like this again. Katsuki had missed his friend. Of course he had missed kissing him, hugging him and all that jazz, but mostly he had missed his overall company. Katsuki hadn’t fallen in love with Kirishima because he wanted something out of it. He had fallen in love with Kirishima because he felt like the right person for him.

Amongst their talking, they had ended up switching positions several times. They somehow ended up lying down with Katsuki’s head on Kirishima’s chest and Kirishima’s arm around Katsuki’s waist.

Even if they were cuddling like any couple would, it was just between two friends. 

Kirishima hadn’t broken up with him because of any wrongdoing or for losing interest, he had broken up with him because at the end of the day, he hoped it would’ve been easier for Katsuki.

They still had feelings for each other. Strong feelings. They were in love, in fact.

But they were just friends, who were in love. There was a fine-drawn line, but it was noted by both men to not make this any harder than it already was.

“Why didn’t you come looking for me?” Katsuki asked, playing with the fingers of Kirishima’s free hand. “To beg for my forgiveness sooner.”

Kirishima chuckled at that last part, but let his breathing calm down to not inconvenience Katsuki’s pillowed head. “I didn’t have the courage to,” Kirishima said simply.

“That’s not really manly,” Katsuki murmured.

“You’re right,” Kirishima said, letting go of Katsuki’s waist just to run his fingers through Katsuki’s mess of a hair. “I could’ve done it like this. Visit your house and explain everything without having the pressure of other students staring, but I don’t know where you live.”

Katsuki hummed. “That’s true, my bad.”

Katsuki had never introduced Kirishima to his parents. Katsuki didn’t feel like his life belonged to be judged by his nagging mother and zero-fucks giving father. 

Katsuki lifted his gaze enough to look at Kirishima. The angle was a bit awkward, Kirishima’s chin right in front of Katsuki’s eyes, he could see into Kirishima’s brain through his nostrils from this angle if he tried to.

Kirishima seemed to realize this and sat up against the headboard, bringing Katsuki with him by still holding him in his embrace. By reflex, Katsuki threw his leg over Kirishima’s lap and seated himself on the taller man’s thighs. 

They were so close Katsuki could feel Kirishima’s breath on his own lips, but neither dared to take that small leap forward in order to connect.

Katsuki’s breath stuttered, fisting the hem of Kirishima’s shirt in his hands. “I wanna kiss you so bad,” Katsuki whispered into the small space between them.

He felt Kirishima puffing out a small breath of air before whispering back as delicately as ever. “Me too, Katsuki. Me too.”

They didn’t kiss, and that was okay.

—

Soon came the day Kirishima was leaving.

Katsuki had come with a few others to the airport to say heartfelt goodbyes and to wish good luck to Kirishima, yada yada.

Katsuki was not all about that.

He was so tense that he had to constantly bite his cheeks and scratch his palms in order to not burst out crying in the middle of the airport.

This was the worst thing he'd ever had to do.

The last two weeks they had gotten close to each other again. Not close in an intimate way, but as best friends. At least that’s what they convinced themselves, knowing very well that there were feelings involved and Kirishima leaving would hurt them both severely again.

“I’m gonna go now,” Katsuki announced out of the blue, a few heads turned to him as he said so.

Katsuki didn’t care about the few teammates that had tagged along to the airport, but he cared how Kirishima’s face seemed to fall. “Already?”

Katsuki hummed and touched his own earrings anxiously. “Yeah. I’ve got that biology presentation to perfect.” It wasn’t a lie exactly, even the bus trip back home from the airport took a little over an hour. Katsuki didn’t care about that presentation, though, not when he felt like there was a boulder stuck in his windpipe. 

“Oh,” Kirishima exclaimed and pushed his backpack to one of his teammates. “I’ll walk you to the bus stop then.”

“You don’t have to do t-”

“Bakugou,” Kirishima said more sternly, but keeping a solid smile plastered on his face. “I’m walking you to the bus stop.”

Katsuki sighed but gave Kirishima a small smile of his own. “Okay.”

Kirishima did as he promised and walked Katsuki to the bus stop. 

The bus was already there, which would’ve been amazing if that didn’t mean Katsuki would have to leave Kirishima in a few minutes. He wouldn't see him in years.

Katsuki gave the bus driver his ticket, but didn’t get on the bus yet. He lingered by the doors, looking at Kirishima, waiting for the other to start crying or something similar. Kirishima was smiling brightly, which was not the emotion Katsuki was expecting from him right then.

Katsuki shook his head slightly to not think about it too much. He extended his hand to Kirishima. “That’s it then,” he said, biting his tongue to keep himself from sobbing.

His hand wasn’t grabbed. Instead, Kirishima pulled him into a hug by his waist and nuzzled his face to Katsuki’s hair. “Seems so,” Kirishima mumbled against his scalp.

Katsuki could’ve stayed in the embrace of the love of his life for the rest of his life, he’d gladly die like this.

“The bus is leaving,” said the busdriver behind Katsuki, and to his dismay, Kirishima let go of him and stepped away from him.

Kirishima raised a hand into a tiny wave, his smile reaching his eyes in the most beautiful way.

Katsuki was weak.

He didn’t wave back, but rushed inside the bus and up the small stairs to reach his seat on the second-storey. 

Katsuki threw his bag to the free seat beside him and collapsed on the dusty old seat he was assigned.

He covered his mouth with a hand to stop the ugly sobs from escaping. He didn’t want to bother the other passengers with his wailing.

He wanted to run out of the bus. Run out and hug Kirishima again, declare his love for him and kiss him until his brain turns to mush. 

But he didn’t. He waited for the bus to jerk and he was on his way back home. He wouldn’t see Kirishima in a few years, if ever after that.

He looked outside of the window, deciding that staring at the trees passing by and idiot drivers driving past the speeding limits was better now than listening to music or trying to sleep. He felt so drained.

The bus came to a sudden stop in about five minutes, if even that.

Katsuki groaned. Some idiot had probably cut in lane and made the driver hit the brakes.

But the bus stayed still for a long time, considering that they were still on the road. Was there roadwork ahead? 

Then came the announcement, the driver’s raspy voice echoing through the speakers around the bus. “Is there a Bakugou Katsuki on board?” Man he didn’t sound happy, probably angry about whatever inconvenience was happening.

Wait, Bakugou Katsuki?

“Again, Bakugou Katsuki, if you’re on board, come to the front doors. Now.”

Katsuki shot up from his seat at lightning speed and nearly glided down the stairs. 

What could’ve he done to make the bus stop so abruptly? Hell, he had been sitting on his seat dutifully like everyone else. Was it something he had left behind that caused such a ruckus?

Katsuki was beside the driver in record time, already bowing his head down in shame. “I-I’m Bakugou Katsuki, I’m sorry.”

The driver looked at him up and down, taking in his appearance by the looks of it. The driver’s eyes lost the angry edge it had at first, now something akin to understanding taking place. “Don’t apologize, kid,” he let out a curt chuckle and opened the bus door. “Get out there.”

Was he being thrown out?! It wasn’t like his day was already hard enough, but now he’d have to walk back home or use millions on a taxi?!

“Katsuki.”

Katsuki turned around, his heart picking up speed just by hearing that voice. 

They had been apart for ten minutes, but to Katsuki it had been a lifetime.

“‘Shima,” he gasped and stepped out of the bus, looking up into eyes that held so much emotion. Kirishima’s eyes were red rimmed, clearly he had been crying, or forcing himself not to cry like Katsuki had done.

Kirishima reached for Katsuki’s hands and held them gently between their bodies. “I can’t do it, ‘Tsuki,” Kirishima said through wobbly lips, the hands holding his were shaking. “I can’t just leave you here. I love you, Katsuki. I love you so much.”

Katsuki heard himself breathe, the puffs of air coming out of his nose and slack open jaw could’ve been his shocked soul for all he cared. 

Kirishima’s eyes held so much sincerity, so much unconditional love, and it was for Katsuki.

Katsuki let out a small gasp before answering, saying it with all of his heart. “I love you too, Eijirou.”

As they leaned towards each other, connecting their lips, it was so familiar, but then again, there was something more to it than ever before. Longing, honest love that neither of them could hide anymore.

The hands on Katsuki’s hips, the feeling of Eijirou’s crisp hair under his fingertips, their lips gliding against each other skillfully, their emotions so clear through such simple acts.

Eijirou’s tongue darted to lick along Katsuki’s bottom lip, the frail gasp Katsuki let out at that was nearly enough to drown out the noise of the bus taking its leave behind them.

Katsuki hummed and let Eijirou deepen their kiss, even if his knees were starting to give out. “Fuck,” Katsuki huffed out finally, pulling away from Eijirou, quickly diving in to give him a small peck to the corner of his mouth before smiling up at him and lowering his hands from red hair to wide shoulders. “All my stuff is still in the bus,” Katsuki exclaimed, a humorous puff of air leaving his lips.

Kirishima seemed to wake up from the blissful bubble they had created around them, his crimson eyes widened and jaw dropped to the floor when he realized. “What?!”

At the end, Katsuki was able to get all of his things back.

He had given the bus company a five star review on their website for all the trouble they had cost with their shenanigans. 

Eijirou never left for America. He had come out of a lie by telling Katsuki that he had decided to stay behind the evening before he was supposed to leave, but he had wanted to make a grand confession out of it all, that’s why he had dragged himself to the airport, even if he knew he’d never board the plane.

Kirishima explained how he wanted to be as grand as Katsuki had been with his initial confession at the gym.

Katsuki smacked him upside the head with a newspaper for that, but he couldn’t be too mad.

He loved the idiot.

And he would love him for however long Eijirou would have him.

Maybe even beyond.