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“I don't know, Katsuki. I'm kinda nervous.” Eijiro said, sighing in the seat next to him.
“Nervous for what?” Katsuki asked, shaking his head.
“My own agency, do you think I can do that?”
It wasn't too late, but dark enough that the street lights illuminated the crevices of Eijiro’s face with an amber glow. They had just gotten back from eating dinner at some place Eijiro had been begging to go to. He always looked so great in his passenger seat. His smile always present, and the way his arm would reach forward to turn up the music. And then sometimes, Katsuki would feel his spine shiver when he'd rest his arm behind his seat. If it weren't for that damn seat, Eijiro's touch would be so close. So near his heart, just like his best friend always was.
They got to a stoplight, the click of the turn signal, and the light music made the silence obvious.
Katsuki never really knew what to say when Eijiro got in this mood. Advice and praise can go either way. Knocking sense into his head could make it even worse.
Katsuki turned, sighing as he stopped at a place to get a drink.
“Want anything, Ei?”
“Um, yeah, just a soda. And some fries if you can?”
Katsuki nodded and smiled, going through the small drive-thru and ordering a drink and some fries for the two. It was something they always did, even if they had just eaten a hearty meal. An excuse.
“Thanks, Kats,” Eijiro said as he grabbed his share, putting a fry in his mouth.
“Why do you think you can’t open an agency?” He asked, turning back onto the street. He decided to go the back way, just so the roads were longer.
“Because, Kats. Do you think anyone would want to work with me? Or take me seriously, for that matter?”
“Why the hell wouldn't people take you seriously?”
Eijiro clicked his teeth, offering a fry to him before putting the straws in their drinks.
“You know,” Eijiro sighed, “you've seen the articles and stuff, man. People think I'm just a pretty face ‘cause of all those calendars and billboards. And people think I'm a sort of…gimmick.”
“Gimmick?” Katsuki scoffed. He can't believe Eijiro is worried that people thought he was pretty. And it wasn't even him being conceited or all that. He knew he was genuinely concerned, and that's what made him so humble and beautifully insecure.
“You know? The whole manly thing.”
Katsuki made it to a stop sign, reaching into the bag of food and taking out some fries.
“Do you want a sip of your drink?” Eijiro asked, and Katsuki nodded.
Eijiro brought his straw up to his lips, and Katsuki took a drink. Drinking in the sweetness that was Eijiro.
“Thanks, Ei.” He said, glaring at him before he took off again. “Eiji. Are you reading those stupid articles again? You know it's all tabloid-y bullshit.”
“I know, Kats. But I can't help it.”
“Do I have to block them off your phone? Why the fuck do you listen to them anyway?”
“Because they're right,” Eijiro said through a mouthful of fries.
“Come on, Red. Your stats alone and your damn ranking should speak for itself. Hell, for a while, you were higher than me. If I think you didn't deserve it, wouldn't I have been pissed at you?”
“Yeah…” Eijiro said.
“Exactly. Stupid Dunce Face and I threw you a party when you hit the top 15.”
Eijiro sighed again, “I know.”
“Then what's up? And don't say your stupid old friends from ages ago. Ever since you debuted people have fucking loved you. So many damn kids look up to you. Did you know Izuku told me that you were the best-selling hero costume last year?”
“Yeah?”
Izuku always kept up with bullshit like that, especially with all the hero merch he bought.
“Hell yeah, Ei. And don't you remember the fact that your merch always sells out automatically? So much that the website shuts down?”
“Yeah, but Kats. That's all merch stuff. Not real stuff.”
Katsuki turned into a parking lot, one they always stopped at when they got fast food. It was nice, a little away from everything, usually a walking trail during the day. Cherry blossom trees in the spring.
“Aren't you listening to me, Ei? Or is it going into one ear and out the other?”
Eijiro took an audible slurp of his soda, and Katsuki glared at him. But then, he frowned, taking the cup from his hand and putting it back in the holder. He turned the music down further, facing his best friend.
“Eiji. Come on. How many times do I have to tell you that you're a great hero? Fuck that, more than a great hero. One of the best from our class.”
Eijiro didn't meet his gaze, instead, he reached into the bag of fries, which Katsuki promptly yanked away.
“Eiji. Come on.” He repeated.
“Do you really think I can do it?”
“I know you can, Eijiro. Sidekicks will be lining up and down the streets to work with your ass.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
Eijiro smiled at him, and his heart jumped. Goddamn, he was beautiful. That amber glow and that starlight smile and those cherry red eyes.
“People love you, Ei.” He swallowed, bracing himself, “I love you.”
Eijiro blinked up at him, vulnerability so breathtaking in his gaze. “You do?”
Katsuki bit his lip, “A hell of a lot, Ei.”
His best friend blushed bright red, “I love you too, Katsuki.”
So slowly, Katsuki reached over to the passenger seat, reaching for Eijiro’s face and reaching for the heart he held so dear. He tilted his face towards him, reaching forward to do everything he wanted to from the moment he laid eyes on this unbelievably gorgeous idiot.
He kissed him. He kissed him so deeply, so gently, so everything in him in the late-night moonlight.
“You're gonna be great, Eiji. I know it.” He whispered into his lips.
“I love you,” Eijiro said, and Katsuki couldn't help but kiss him even more.
He hopes that this will become a late-night drive habit.
