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The sky, which was clear moments ago, was now looming with dark and furious thunderclouds. Gusts of wind whipped through the trees and shop stalls, scattering the goods everywhere. A sense of urgency swept through the crowd as the storm loomed closer. Kids grabbed their parents as clouds rumbled wildly.
Midoriya and Bakugo stopped in front of a stall to buy key rings. It was their second time hanging out together outside of school, and an unspoken awkwardness lingered between them, like they were still testing the waters of this newfound friendship.
They paused mid-action as surges of wind whipped the stall. The owner clumsily started to pack the goods. Deku tugged at Bakugo’s sleeve, his hair falling over his tanned face as gusts of wind kept coming.
“Kacchan, let’s come back some other time… the weather’s awful,” Midoriya whispered near Bakugo’s ear, his voice gentle but urgent.
A shiver ran down Bakugo's spine as Deku’s warm breath grazed his neck, sending a ripple of something unexpected through him. He turned towards Midoriya, his heart racing, and found their faces a breath away from colliding. Deafening silence stretched as they stared at each other with bewildered eyes. Midoriya swallowed, withdrawing his hand from Bakugo's sleeve and stepping back.
“Uh–we should leave, it's going to pour soon,” Midoriya spoke up, a slight tremble in his voice. Bakugo‘s eyes wandered to his lips as he spoke, but he soon lifted his gaze to his eyes, his heart skipping a beat.
Bakugo nodded. “Yeah, we should leave soon. Uh—wait.” Bakugo turned towards the stall, his fingers brushing against the cool metal of the key rings, and picked one out. He handed the money to the owner, returning to Midoriya with the small silver ring in hand. His heart pounded as he held it out, a rosy tint spreading across his cheeks. “Here.”
Deku looked at the ring, then at Bakugo again, a flicker of surprise crossing his face… he wasn’t expecting a gift from him, but his heart filled with something warm… something unfamiliar. “I–ah, thank you, but you didn't have to…” Midoriya scratched the back of his neck, his voice barely audible in the thunderous evening. He took the silver ring in his hand with a bashful smile, his slender hand brushing against Bakugo’s warm, tapered hand; his heart thudded at the small contact.
Bakugo sucked in a sharp breath as Deku's gentle hand brushed against his; he shrugged, the edges of his lips turning up slightly, though his pulse was racing. “Just thought you might like it.” He couldn’t figure out what was happening to him; he felt nervous and shy. This had never happened before. Get yourself together…
Deku turned the ring over in his hand, his bashful smile brightened by the storm’s fleeting flashes of light. “I do. Thanks.”
Warmth crept up Bakugo’s neck. He cleared his throat, glancing at the dark clouds looming outside. He felt anxious for some reason, but he snapped out of his thoughts as the wind whipped wildly. “Let’s go back,” he spoke up, his voice firm.
Deku nodded; unknowingly, he gripped the ring in his hand, the cold metal calming his throbbing pulse.
Cold and unrelenting rain came down in sheets, drenching everything in its wake. Bakugo grabbed Midoriya’s hand in a firm grip and hurried towards the bus stop.
Midoriya’s mind went blank for a split second as Bakugo grabbed him. The world seemed to tilt for a moment; he hurried along with Bakugo, and water splashed up from the ground with every gust of wind, soaking their shoes and legs.
A sudden lightning split the sky, casting everything in stark, violent contrast. Midoriya gripped Bakugo’s hand, his eyes clenched tightly.
Bakugo stopped in his tracks as the lightning struck down. The sudden stop caused Deku to collide with his arm, Deku’s chest pressing into the solid warmth of Bakugo’s body. His heart thumped louder than ever as Deku gripped his hand, and his breath caught in his throat as he squeezed back Midoriya's hand.
The heavy rain drenched them both, water seeping through their clothes, clinging to their skin, the cold sinking deep into their bones. Bakugo’s grip never loosened, his hand still firm around Midoriya’s as they stood there, lost in the wild chaos of the storm.
“Deku,” Bakugo’s voice was thick with something deep, a growl that made Midoriya’s breath catch. Thunder cracked in the distant air, the rain pouring down harder. “It’s pouring too hard… I don't think we can make it back to the bus stop,” Bakugo continued, his voice breathless.
Midoriya gulped, his hand still in Bakugo's grip, the warmth of Bakugo’s touch seeping through the damp fabric of his clothes. He could feel the subtle pressure of Bakugo pulling him just a little closer, and the heat of his body radiated against him, cutting through the chill of the rain-soaked air. “Let’s look for somewhere to stay until it stops.” His heart raced, thumping loudly in his chest, but he couldn’t quite grasp why his body was reacting this way. It wasn’t like him to feel this way, to feel so… pulled in. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, his thoughts tangled with the storm that raged outside and the storm brewing inside him.
The heavy rain obscured their vision, leaving everything in a myriad of blurred shapes and hazy outlines. Through the shapes and outlines, Bakugo noticed the silhouette of a phone booth—the only place offering any semblance of shelter from the storm. He tugged Midoriya closer, suddenly becoming aware of their proximity; his whole body tensed, but his grip did not falter.
Midoriya could feel the urgency as Bakugo tugged him forward; his heart beat so loudly that he thought Bakugo might hear it. He felt a surge of relief when he saw the phone booth. They both squeezed inside, the space far too small for comfort. Their bodies pressed close, and their breath mingled due to the dizzying proximity. “It’s too cramped here… let’s wait until it subsides,” Bakugo whispered hesitantly, the sound of his rapid breath clear.
Outside the sound of the rain was deafening, but inside, it was all muffled; only the erratic beating of hearts and the sound of their heavy breath could be heard. Water drops dripped from their hair and clothes, pooling on the floor of the cramped phone booth.
“Yeah…” Deku murmured, his green eyes flickering with something unreadable as they locked onto Bakugo’s. His back was pressed against the cold glass wall, sending a shiver through him that wasn’t entirely from the chill.
Bakugo's knees brushed with Midoriya’s legs, his hand pressing against the glass wall for balance. He was so close he could see the rise and fall of Midoriya’s chest. “I’m sorry for this,” Bakugo muttered, his voice low and tinged with guilt. He glanced at Deku, their eyes locked together, and Bakugo's breath hitched. “We should've left earlier.”
Midoriya gave him a lopsided grin, one corner of his lips tugging upwards; it was warm and reassuring.
The low light started to flicker above their heads, a sign that it would soon turn off. Bakugo glanced up, and his eyes seemed to sparkle as the flickering light reflected. Midoriya’s gaze drifted downward, catching the curve of Bakugo’s exposed neck. The smooth, unblemished skin caught the dim light, a shade paler than his sun-kissed face. He watched, entranced, as Bakugo’s Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed; a knot twisted in his stomach.
“Kacchan,” Midoriya breathed his name, his voice low and strained, carrying an urgency that neither of them fully understood. The sound of it sent a jolt through Bakugo, who turned his head sharply, their faces now inches apart. The air between them felt electric, charged with something unspoken but heavy.
Deku felt his knees going weak, threatening to buckle. He gripped Bakugo’s shirt, his breath coming shallow and fast, mingling with Bakugo’s in the cramped space.
Bakugo froze for a moment, his heart pounding erratically. He could feel Deku’s trembling hand clutching his shirt, the warmth of his breath ghosting across his lips. His pulse quickened, the intensity of the moment wrapping around him like the storm outside.
“Deku,” he whispered, the sound barely audible over the pounding rain. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say—or if he even could—but the way Midoriya was looking at him, wide-eyed and vulnerable, made his chest tighten.
Midoriya’s gaze flickered to Bakugo’s lips, just for a second, but it was enough. Enough for Bakugo to notice, enough to make him take a shaky breath that hitched in his throat.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely and collapse all at once. Deku leaned in, hesitantly at first, his hand tightening its grip on Bakugo’s shirt. Bakugo’s lips parted, and the small space between them disappeared as Deku’s mouth collided with his in a deep, desperate kiss, the urgency of it taking over. It wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t harsh either—just a quiet, determined claim, as if neither of them could hold back any longer.
The storm outside howled, but neither of them noticed. The muffled sound of rain faded into the background, leaving only the warmth of the moment as they finally gave in to what neither of them had dared to name.
Bakugo was startled when Deku leaned in, his heart pounding out of his chest as he saw Deku's hand grab him in a tight grip. His mind went blank as Midoriya's warm lips touched his, the feeling sending ripples of shock across his body.