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It was kind of amusing, watching Bakugou pretend he didn’t sense Shinsou staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Watching his pale cheeks slowly become tinted with red made his stomach flip, in the best way.
Bakugou would probably shrivel up and die— inside and out— if Shinsou ever said it out loud, but the most anticipated part of going out with him was the walk home. He always insisted on walking Shinsou home, even though they both lived in opposite directions of each other and even though they both knew Shinsou could hold his own if the time came.
His favorite part about it all was the way Bakugou looked in the afternoon sunlight. It was like the sun had specifically picked him to settle on, tinting Bakugou's skin in this sweet papaya orange, highlighting the freckles across his skin— the ones people never seemed to notice since they were only a few shades darker. His hair seemed almost honey blonde, slightly pushed back from his face by the evening breeze.
They were on their way home, just finished grabbing dinner at some restaurant Bakugou decided to go to. It was a relaxed day for both of them, with Bakugou off work and Shinsou not contracted for a new underground mission. They had time to catch up with each other and take a quick stop at a few places in the city. Shinsou had dragged Bakugou into a thrift shop to look at CDs after dinner, and then another to look for a birthday gift for Aizawa, and now they were taking the sidewalks home choosing to walk so they could spend a little more time together.
“The fuck ‘re you looking at,” Bakugou mumbled, gaze still pointed directly at the path in front of him.
Shinsou took in his posture and how Bakugou’s shoulders had slowly risen to his ears. He was still easily embarrassed by Shinsou’s open adoration for him. It sucked for Bakugou that Shinsou lived for embarrassing him.
“You.”
His head snapped toward Shinsou, an irritated glint in his eye. At this angle, the sunlight seeped into Bakugou’s deep red irises, brightening them all around. Shinsou couldn’t help but let his lips quirk upwards at the sight.
“Yeah, I can fuckin’ see that. Pay attention to where you’re walking.”
There was no one else really out on the road, besides them and a younger schoolgirl walking a ways ahead of them.
He didn’t call out the way Bakugou had slowed his pace when he noticed her so they kept a reasonable distance, or how he kept scanning the area for threats. It was almost disgustingly sweet watching him look out for the girl on her walk home, on duty even when he was off the clock. The knowledge of the whole situation made Shinsou’s stomach flip one more time.
Bakugou didn’t like to speak about how much he cared for people, but if you took note of his actions you could quickly figure out just how much he seemed to. His care for people shined through nearly every movement he made. It was pretty hard not to notice.
He was startled as Bakugou suddenly tugged him out of the way of a utility pole by his arm.
“You’re hopeless.”
“—ly devoted to you.”
Bakugou physically recoiled like Shinsou had attacked him. “Letting you, Kaminari, and Jirou hang out in year two was the worst decision of my life.”
“You say that like you weren’t right there with us.”
“I regret it to this day.”
The conversation died out once more. It was normal for them. They weren’t big talkers in and out of each other's presence and neither of them had ever felt the need to forcefully fill a silence.
A few months after they had first started dating, Bakugou took him on one of the longest hikes he had ever been on at an unholy time in the morning so they could beat the heat, deep in the mountains. He explained to him how he wasn’t one for loud, grand expressions of love, and if Shinsou started expecting that of him they should end their relationship right then and there.
It amused him now, thinking about Bakugou in calf-high socks and hiking boots with his hands on his hips, sweat making his shirt stick to his chest, spilling his guts out on the top of a mountain, but at the moment Shinsou felt like he would have done anything to wipe the slightly apprehensive expression off Bakugou’s face.
He would have done anything to express how Bakugou would never have to change himself, not unless he wanted to. He would never have to mold himself into a version fit for Shinsou’s love because he was already built for it.
Back then, the only thing that he could muster up was measly, “Let's keep dating, then.” which seemed good enough for Bakugou, based on his relieved expression.
Shinsou felt Bakugou’s shoulder brush against his arm once, then twice. It made him feel overwhelmingly giddy.
He wrapped his arm around Bakugous, letting his hand slip into the blonde's pocket, dragging his hand out. He laced their fingers together with an accomplished smile on his face. Bakugou’s own fingers flexed once in Shinsou’s hold, but gently folded over his own.
“You need to wash your hands once you—”
“I know, I know. Nitroglycerine is dangerous, skin contact, irritation, wash with cold water. You don’t have to worry,” He glanced down at Bakugou, “It’s cold out anyway. We’re fine. Unless you plan on fighting a villain anytime soon?”
“You’re cold?”
Shinsou paused, “It’s okay. We’re almost home.”
Bakugou frowned, suddenly pulling off his coat, the dark sherpa-lined utility jacket Mina had gotten him for his birthday a few years back— the one that outlined the shape of his shoulders. His hand slipped from Shinsou’s grasp as he tugged the sleeve off his right arm.
“Seriously, it’s oka—”
“Take the damn jacket, Hitoshi.”
“Oh, you have such a way with words,” He slips the jacket on as he teases— which definitely wasn’t an attempt to distract himself from the blood rushing to his checks. “You’re gonna turn me on.”
Bakugou let out a small huff Shinsou had come to know as the softer version of his laugh. “You’re really going to talk like that in front of this kid?”
His eyes instantly snapped up to the schoolgirl walking in front of them, who was making her way into a convenience store on the corner of the block. They were getting pretty close to Shinsou’s apartment.
Bakugou’s hand slips back into his as they make their way past the store, but his focus was still on the younger schoolgirl who they could see making her way toward the rice balls in the fridge compartment. Shinsou squeezed Bakugou’s hand.
“She’ll be fine,” He lifted Bakugou’s hand to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss against the rough skin. “You don’t have to worry. I’m pretty sure her parents own that store, anyway.”
He didn’t reply but he allowed himself to look away from the glass windows of the store so Shinsou counted it as a win.
The wind picked up as the sun set, somehow seeping through Bakugou’s jacket and Shinsou’s hoodie. He was kinda happy he’d been forced into Bakugous's jacket— the next time they went out he would probably leave his coat at home on accident again, but if this was the outcome he didn’t mind. He tilted his head down trying to drown himself in the scent of Bakugou that was ever present on the jacket.
He could see his block, his apartments at the very next corner. It was silly, not wanting the day to be over especially after they had spent so many hours in each other’s presence but he felt like he had to drag it out. “Aizawa wanted me to remind you to send the mapo tofu recipe for Eri. She really wants to make it for some reason.”
“What, so they could work together and burn the fucking house down? Under no circumstances should Aizawa and Eri be in the kitchen together,” Bakugou scowled at the sidewalk— he was so cute . “I’ll come over next week and show her.”
“Hey, Eri can hold her own! It’s Aizawa you have to worry about. I swear, Dad could burn water.”
“Even more reason for me not to send it. Never measure shit anyway, it’d be hard to write it down.”
“Bakugou Katsuki, part-time Hero, full-time chef.”
“Damn straight.”
They were coming up on the stairs to Shinsou’s apartment, their day together coming to an end but he still felt like he had just downed three energy drinks. He felt like he could walk down the block holding Bakugou’s hand until the sun set and rose two times over.
They stopped at the stairs leading to the front door, and he reluctantly let go of Bakugou’s hand, turning to face him.
“Thanks for buying me dinner.”
“I was going out to eat, anyway. Don’t get all,” He turned his head like he was looking at something down the block, but the rosy tint to his cheeks told Shinsou he was just embarrassed. “All sappy ‘nd shit.”
“Sappy and shit,” He laughed to himself, staring into the red eyes that were trying so hard to avoid looking at him. “You look pretty in the sunlight, Katsuki.”
Bakugou sucked his teeth, shoving at Shinsou’s shoulder to knock him off balance in a childish move of defense. He took a step backward, up the stairs to stabilize himself. From this position, he was a few additional inches taller than him. It only made his smile grow wider.
“Don’t say shit like that.”
“I’m serious!” He scanned Bakugou’s face to see if he was actually telling him to stop or if he was just embarrassed. The blush was spreading to the tips of his ears— Shinsou couldn’t help but add to it. Affectionately bullying his boyfriend was his favorite pass time. “I don’t know if I’ve ever told you, but the sunlight in the evening always highlights your freckles. They’re really beautiful ‘s all.”
His boyfriend turned to face him, forcing his expression into a scowl. “Okay. Go inside, Hitoshi.”
He started slipping off Bakugou’s jacket as he took a few steps up the stairs. He needed to get his smile under control because it was starting to hurt all the muscles in his face.
Bakugou accepted his jacket from him, slowly slipping it back on. They both hesitated on the stairs like they didn’t know what to do.
Shinsou knew exactly what he wanted to do.
He wanted to bring Bakugou inside with him, shower and change into comfier clothes, and then slowly cuddle him to death. Affectionately. With extreme caution and care.
His obsession with his boyfriend scared him sometimes— it was hard knowing the only thing he wanted to do was literally crawl into Bakugou’s skin and make himself home there, wanted to consume nothing but Bakugou Katsuki for hours on end.
He had never felt an all-encompassing urge to care for someone like this— at least in a romantic sense— until Bakugou.
“Go.” He ordered one more time, his voice a rough addition to the leaves of the surrounding trees being rustled by the wind.
“You first.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, his lips twitching up. “You’re fuckin’ impossible, you know that?”
“Yeah,” He crossed his arms, staring down at Bakugou’s piercing gaze. “You wanna come up?”
Bakugou suddenly looks troubled, his eyebrows drawing together. This time, Shinsou can tell by the way he pursed his lips slightly, Bakugou seemed seriously hesitant. He sunk his hands into the pockets of his utility jacket.
“No.”
Shinsou couldn't help but let his smile drop a bit. “No?”
“Don’t get your feelings hurt. I have a morning patrol shift tomorrow and some paperwork left over from yesterday.”
He translates Bakugou’s words in his head. I want to come, but I also have obligations at work that I can’t push aside. I’m sorry. You’re the hottest boyfriend in the world and I suck for not wanting to spend every minute of my existence with you. Shinsou gets it. He wouldn’t hold it against him. Work is work.
“Good luck with your paperwork.”
Bakugou shifts his weight from foot to foot. “Thursday. At four.”
“Works for me.”
He nods once, then quickly turns to walk away, bringing the hood of his jacket over his head. Shinsou watches him walk for a few seconds, baffled.
“What the hell, dude! Not gonna kiss your boyfriend goodbye?”
He laughs to himself as he watches Bakugou turn around just as sharply, marching his way up the stairs of his apartment.
He yanks Shinsou forward by his hips at the same time as Shinsou’s hands reach up to cup his cheeks. When their lips meet, Shinsou can’t even hold the kiss for longer than a moment, laughter slipping past his lips. Bakugou kisses the side of his mouth, his own lips quirking up in a small smile.
“I cannot stand you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Love you too.”
Bakugou kisses him once more, then moves to kiss just underneath the shell of his ear. He pushes him backward with his grip on Shinsou’s hips.
“Go inside.”
“Thursday?”
“Thursday,” He shoves his hands back into his pockets as he turns to walk back down the stairs, tosses a mumbled “love you” over his shoulder as he goes.
Shinsou watched him walk down the block until he couldn’t anymore, a smile still plastered on his face as he turned to enter his apartment.