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Katsuki sat in his manager’s office, one leg crossed over the other as he stared down at his phone.
“You ready?”
He looked up to see Sero Hanta, his long-time manager of six years, standing from his desk.
“I guess.” Katsuki grunted.
Spending his afternoon doing a daytime talk show interview wasn’t exciting for Katsuki. He had done them a million times, letting annoying hosts ask him stupid questions that he’d rather not answer. If he could avoid them all together, then he would in a heartbeat.
“Sunglasses.” Sero said as he handed Katsuki a small case. “The paparazzi are already outside.”
“‘Course they are.” Katsuki rolled his eyes and stood up, taking the sunglasses from Sero.
He immediately returned to his phone, and started tapping on the screen.
“Who you textin’?” Sero asked playfully.
Katsuki gave him a dirty look. “You know who I’m texting.”
Sero smiled at Katsuki brightly. “I like him.”
“You’ve never even met him.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a lot nicer ever since the two of you started talking.”
Katsuki ignored him and followed Sero out of his office. His phone started to wildly vibrate in his hand, and he wished he could check his notifications, knowing exactly who they were coming from.
The two were silent as they rode the elevator down to the first floor. This certainly wasn’t Katsuki’s first time getting bombarded by paparazzi, and it definitely won’t be the last. The lack of privacy came with being one of Japan’s greatest pop idols—but Katsuki learned to make do.
Which meant keeping to himself. As much as humanly possible. That was part of Katsuki’s allure; his fans were obsessed with the mysterious idol. He was a master at it. Interviewers had tried to catch him off guard for the last eight years, desperate to get anything personal out of Katsuki. But, he was always tight lipped.
Which meant nobody knew about him and the pro American football player Kirishima Eijirou. The two had been talking for about three months now. Kirishima had been in Japan, visiting family, where he took his niece to one of Katsuki’s shows for her birthday. They had backstage tickets, and when he reluctantly went to meet them, Katsuki was immediately taken aback by how handsome and charming Kirishima was.
The meet and greet ended with Kirishima asking for his number, and Katsuki not letting a second pass before agreeing.
They texted every day, all day, for a week—and then the two were doing video calls before bed, in the morning while getting ready, and whenever else they could be alone. Katsuki had flown out to America to discreetly visit Kirishima, and he had done the same, traveling to Japan even if it were just for a day or two, happy to spend any bit of time he could get with Katsuki. The three months breezed by, and Katsuki felt like he had known Kirishima for an eternity.
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to allow Sero and Katsuki off. He followed behind his manager, sending one last text to Kirishima before he was bombarded by paparazzi.
“No flipping anyone off.” Sero said to Katsuki as the two of them put on their sunglasses. “You’ve got a reputation to uphold, so don’t forget that.”
“Whatever,” Katsuki waved him away as they approached the front doors. His reputation with the paparazzi, or really anyone, had never been too good. Katsuki didn’t entirely have the sweet, kind personality that one would expect from an idol.
The moment Sero pushed through the double doors, the two were bombarded by camera flashes and people shouting Katsuki’s name. Thankfully their path was roped off, and they hurried into the limo while security guards made sure to keep people back, not allowing them to take photos through the tinted windows.
“Vultures,” Katsuki said as he settled into his seat. “Can’t do anything without a horde of people knowing where I am.”
“That comes with fame.” Sero said, planting himself across from Katsuki. “You should know that by now.”
“No shit.” Katsuki grumbled and went back to his phone, excited to see there were three texts from Kirishima awaiting him.
The driver pulled away from the curb, and the sound of shouting photographers was left behind and replaced with blissful silence—that only lasted about five minutes.
Sero let out a loud, exasperated groan that had Katsuki’s eyes flickering up from his phone.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“ You are what’s wrong with me.” Sero said as he leaned forward in his seat, turning his phone’s screen towards Katsuki. “Could you be any more obvious?”
“Hah?” Katsuki asked as he squinted to see what Sero was showing him.
Oh.
Katsuki was looking at a picture of himself, one taken as they were walking towards the limo, with his phone in clear view—showing off his lockscreen, which happened to be a picture of Kirishima.
“Shit.” Was the first thing out of his mouth.
“Yes, shit ,” Sero raised an eyebrow and took his phone back. “You want to be private? Then you need to be more careful.”
Katsuki waved him away. “It's one slip up.”
“Are you forgetting how famous you are?” Sero asked with a snort. “One slip up means your fanbase is going to have a field day.”
He was right because Katsuki could feel his phone begin to buzz uncontrollably, and he already knew it was his friends and mother asking him who the person on his lockscreen was.
“You should probably warn him.” Sero said, and Katsuki grunted. “What? You know he’s going to get stormed with questions the next time he steps out. The least you could do is be a good boyfriend and let Kirishima know what he’s signed up for.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Katsuki said as he unlocked his phone, ignoring the influx of texts.
“Sure.”
Katsuki ignored Sero and opened a new message addressed to “ Dumbass. ”
Got caught with my wallpaper. Look out for paparazzi.
Not even a minute passed and he received a reply.
Dumbass: Does that mean we’re official now? ;)
Katsuki’s cheeks burned red and he hoped to god Sero wasn’t looking at him. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to smile, and stared out the window. Who knew a redheaded idiot could make him feel so happy and warm inside.
Four months later…
It had been almost 120 days since Katsuki was able to see Kirishima in person. Before he left for his tour, the two got a hotel in Osaka for the weekend where they hid away and spent their most intimate moments together. It was difficult to say goodbye, but Kirishima assured him that the days would go by quickly, and before he knew it, they’d be together again.
God, was Kirishima wrong.
Katsuki had never experienced such a feeling of longing and emptiness. Being around Kirishima was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He was unbelievably perfect, and Katsuki knew he was falling for him quickly.
While the two of them were apart, they kept in touch as much as possible. The amount of times Katsuki had fallen asleep on FaceTime with Kirishima needed to be counted on four hands, and they talked on the phone whenever Katsuki had a moment of privacy. Hearing Kirishima’s voice was sometimes the only thing that kept him going—he was his greatest cheerleader, and always had positive words to boost his spirits.
It went without saying that Katsuki was more than ready for his tour to be over. Twelve cities was nothing, but without Kirishima, it dragged on. He had plans to hop on his private jet the moment the concert was over and make his way directly to him, desperate to throw his arms around Kirishima’s broad shoulders and press their lips together.
Katsuki performed beneath the blaring lights of Tokyo’s biggest stage, and after saying goodbye to the massive crowd, he stormed off, ignoring the cheers for an encore. He was itching to get to his phone, and the moment he managed to sneak over to his tour bus, that was the first thing he reached for.
Dumbass: Call me when you’re finished!
A smile stretched across Katsuki’s face, and he immediately dialed Kirishima’s phone number. It only rang once before he was hearing the familiar voice that always brought him immediate comfort.
“Kats!” Kirishima said cheerfully. “Hey!”
Katsuki chuckled, smiling wide. “Hey, Ei.”
“So…I had something sent to your bus. It should be there by now, if you want to take a look?”
“Oh, yeah?” Katsuki raised his eyebrows and walked down the three steps to the door of the trailer.
He held his phone in one hand and used the other to open the door, and what was on the other side made his heart skip a beat: Kirishima was standing there dressed in an inconspicuous outfit of a black hoodie with the hood pulled up, matching pants, and a giant smile on his gorgeous face.
His phone flung from his hand as Katsuki threw his arms around Kirishima’s neck and kissed him like his life depended on it. He didn’t want to pull away, reveling in the moment for as long as possible before having to break away for air.
“Surprise,” Kirishima grinned and kissed Katsuki on the nose. “I couldn’t wait another day to see you.”
“You fuckin’ idiot,” Katsuki smirked and grabbed Kirishima by his hoodie.
“Does that mean…you’re happy to see me?” Kirishima asked as he leaned down to steal another kiss.
“Get in here and you’ll find out.”
Katsuki pulled Kirishima inside the bus and slammed the door shut right behind them.
They had a lot of time to make up for.
Two months later…
After paparazzi caught photos of Katsuki and Kirishima kissing outside of his tour bus, it was impossible to deny the rumors. But still, like the private man he was, Katsuki kept things to himself. That didn’t keep his fans and everyone else invested in his love life from prying, but he managed to dodge them. What he felt for Kirishima was real—he knew that from the moment he met him, and Katsuki didn’t think their relationship was anyone’s business.
They continued the constant phone and video calls through the two months they weren’t able to see each other. The distance was something Katsuki knew he’d never get used to. He missed Kirishima tremendously, and knowing he’d get to see him soon was one of the only things that kept pushing through even his worst days.
Katsuki traveled to the United States to catch one of Kirishima’s games in person. Sero had set up a private box where the two of them would be sitting—far away from where anyone could see. The only person who knew he’d be there was Kirishima, who couldn’t help but glance up his way the moment he got out onto the field.
They were quite a distance apart, and even with the helmet on Kirishima’s head, Katsuki could see the excitement in his eyes whenever they looked at one another.
“You’re blushing a lot,” Came Sero’s voice as he sat behind Katsuki, who was standing with his face practically smashed against the window so he could see Kirishima as best as he could.
“Shut the hell up,” Katsuki bit back and turned to sit beside Sero.
“It’s not a bad thing.”
It wasn’t. Katsuki knew that. He just wasn’t used to other people seeing him so…vulnerable. Only Kirishima knew that side of him, and that was because he was special.
The game was intense. Watching American football had never been something Katsuki cared for until meeting Kirishima. He looked amazing guiding his team to victory with his passionate, fighting spirit. Katsuki was transfixed, undoubtedly obsessed with Kirishima and the man he was.
God, he was lucky.
When the final touchdown was scored, the stadium erupted into cheers. Kirishima’s team had won, and instead of celebrating with his teammates, he was looking directly up at Katsuki’s box. He waved, blew a kiss, and made the shape of a heart with his hands, making it apparent that Katsuki was the one hiding behind the giant windows.
“So much for blending in,” Sero said with a small chuckle.
Cameras zoomed in on where they were sitting, trying to get a glimpse of Katsuki. He stayed sunken in his seat, refusing to let anyone get any footage of him there.
“Yeah, Ei isn’t too good at that, is he?” Katsuki shook his head with a small smile on his face.
What a dumba ss.
One month later…
“You look…unreal.”
Katsuki turned to see Kirishima standing in the doorway of their hotel bathroom, staring at him with nothing but adoration and love. His usually spiked hair was styled down, and he was dressed in a black and white tuxedo. To Katsuki, Kirishima was the one who was unreal.
“You’re an idiot,” He blushed as Kirishima walked over to wrap his arms around Katsuki’s waist from behind.
The two of them gazed at each other through the reflection of the mirror, and Katsuki couldn’t help but admire how good they looked together. He was dressed in his own tuxedo, the biggest difference being that his was all black instead of having hints of white like Kirishima’s.
“I can’t wait to show you off to the world,” Kirishima said as he kissed Katsuki on the cheek.
They were preparing to go to the Grammys, and this would be their first, official time being seen together. Katsuki already knew that the paparazzi were going to lose their minds the moment they stepped onto the red carpet, and he was trying his best to enjoy the quiet intimateness of just the two of them in their hotel bathroom.
“I’m the one showing you off,” Katsuki replied with a soft smile—one reserved only for Kirishima and nobody else.
The two lingered for as long as they could before making their way down to the back entrance of the hotel. A limo was there waiting for them, along with Sero. He smiled the moment Katsuki and Kirishima slid into the back seat, the man dressed to the nines just like them.
“Wipe that grin off your face,” Katsuki said to him.
Kirishima put his arm around Bakugou’s shoulders and pulled him closer to his body. “Aw, man, don’t be so mean! He’s just happy for us!”
“Yeah, I’m just happy for you guys.” Sero joined in with Kirishima, and Katsuki groaned at them and tried to hide the blush forming across his cheeks.
The ride over to where the awards show was being hosted would have been a lot more boring if it weren’t for Kirishima. They were cooped up in the limo for over an hour, waiting in a long line of traffic while other celebrities took their turns arriving. Kirishima chatted up a storm with Sero, allowing Katsuki to sit and mentally prepare for when they had to step out onto the red carpet and in full view of the public eye. Something about the normalcy of a small chat grounded him among the chaos, and Katsuki found himself thinking for the millionth time that Kirishima was nothing but perfect.
Shouting from the paparazzi grew louder the closer they neared. The words became coherent, and when Katsuki heard his own name, he knew it was time to show the world how happy and in love he was. He gave Kirishima’s hand a squeeze before straightening up and smoothing out his suit.
“Alright, you guys ready?” Sero asked.
Kirishima smashed his fists together in victory like he was born for this moment. “Hell yeah we’re ready!”
Katsuki appreciated his enthusiasm—Kirishima balanced him out well, and if it weren’t for him, he wouldn’t have come to the award show. Crowds of people, loud noises, and bright lights weren’t Katsuki’s idea of an exciting evening.
The door to their limo was opened, and the cab was disrupted by paparazzi yelling and the rapid shutter of their cameras. Sero ducked out first and stepped to the side, and Kirishima scooted towards the exit, ready to go next.
He paused for a moment and reached for Katsuki’s hand. “I love you,” He smiled, and kissed the top of his hand.
Katsuki wasn’t sure what possessed Kirishima to want to say something so…intimate in a chaotic time like this. They had never said those w ords to each other—though Katsuki knew he had been in love with Kirishima since the night they met. He wanted to say he loved him too, but before he could, his breath was stolen by a kiss to his lips.
“Let’s show the world what we have together,” Kirishima said, his eyes sparkling with joy.
Katsuki smirked and clasped their hands together. “Fuck yeah, let’s do it.”
After what felt like years of photos and red carpet interviews, Katsuki and Kirishima were eventually escorted to where they’d be sitting during the ceremony. Hand in hand, they watched from their seats, awaiting the category Katsuki was nominated for to be announced. He was struggling to stay in the present moment, his mind drifting as he imagined going back to the hotel room with Kirishima. He didn’t care about an award—he’d much rather have alone time with the love of his life.
Performances took place, ones Katsuki didn’t care about. American music had never been his thing, and one of the many reasons he never attended the Grammys. But after his new album swept not only his home country of Japan, but America too, he quickly shot to popularity. So much so that he was waiting to hear if he’d be winning the title of “Album of the Year.”
His category wasn’t until the very end of the ceremony, and once the announcer was on stage, reading off all the nominees, Katsuki sat up straighter in his seat. He had always been a confident man, and he didn’t feel a lick of doubt about if he’d win. This was the moment—one that he had worked for his entire life, and he was here living his dream with the man he loved by his side.
“And the winner is…Bakugou Katsuki!”
The announcement was followed by thunderous applause, and cameras filming the event instantly zoomed in on where Katsuki and Kirishima were sitting. Excitedly, Kirishima pulled him in for a kiss. It didn’t last long, unfortunately, because Sero was tapping Katsuki on the shoulder to remind him that he needed to get his ass on stage. He pulled away from Kirishima who grinned and winked at him.
“Get up there and grab your award, babe.” He said to Bakugou proudly.
With a nod, Katsuki stood and started the short walk down the auditorium steps and towards the stage. He had tunnel vision as he passed down the aisles, hardly seeing the other celebrities who were cheering him on. His heart raced in his chest, and it only went faster the moment he was standing in front of the microphone, holding his award in hand.
Katsuki looked out into the crowd, and his eyes instantly fell on Kirishima. He could see him clearly, smiling bright with so much love and adoration. Landing him as his partner was beyond good luck. Katsuki wasn’t sure what he did to deserve such an amazing partner, but he wasn’t going to question it.
“There are a lot of people I want to thank, but I know I don’t have enough time to list them,” Katsuki started, and the crowd laughed at his light joke. “But I want to make sure that one, special person knows how thankful I am to have him in my life.”
He paused to take a breath, watching as Kirishima’s smile grew wider. The pride in his eyes shined through the dim lighting of the room, and Katsuki couldn’t help but smile right back.
“I wouldn’t have been able to write such amazing lyrics if it weren’t for you.” He said directly to Kirishima, “I didn’t know what love was until I met you.”
There was a small round of applause mixed in with a good amount of “awe’s,” and Katsuki continued with his speech.
“So, if you liked this album, you better thank my partner, Kirishima Eijirou.” He said, and the crowd clapped even louder at the mention of Kirishima’s name. “He’s the one who made this happen.”
Katsuki stepped off the stage without another word, listening as everyone went wild with cheers and whistles of approval and celebration. He didn’t care about a single one of them, though. All his focus was on Kirishima, and the moment he sat back down beside him, he was pulled into a tight hug.
“I love you so much, Katsuki.” Eijirou whispered in his ear as they embraced.
Katsuki melted in Kirishima’s arms, the place he felt the most at home. “I love you, too.” He whispered back.
The ceremony ended, and Katsuki had no desire to attend any after parties. Kirishima knew him well, and took his hand to lead him away from everyone else before they could be swept away with all the other attendees.
“I have a car waiting for us—come with me.”
Katsuki didn’t question him, but he did arch a high eyebrow, wondering what Kirishima was up to.
A black sedan pulled up to the curb and Kirishima opened the door, letting him in before following after. The driver started down the road without any direction, and Katsuki looked at Kirishima, trying to read his face.
“Where are we going?” Katsuki finally asked.
Kirishima took his hand in his and squeezed it. “You’ll see in a second. We aren’t going far, I swear.”
Katsuki glanced out the window, noticing that they were driving along a road with the ocean to its side. The city light reflected off of the dark waters, and each gentle wave looked like it was painted with glitter. He and Kirishima stayed quiet, hand in hand until the car pulled over to a seemingly random spot.
But it was far from random.
The moment Kirishima helped him out of the car, Katsuki was speechless. They took a few steps towards what appeared to be a small area overlooking the ocean below. There was nothing but them, the water, and the city out in the distance—forcing Katsuki to wonder why Kirishima had brought him out here.
“Katsuki.”
He turned to see Kirishima on his knee, looking up at him while holding a small black box in his hand. His eyes widened, realizing that there was a gold ring sitting between the dark velvet, shining bright even without the sun.
This…this was really happening.
His throat went dry. Katsuki couldn’t get any words out, so instead, he nodded, letting Kirishima know he was listening.
“I don’t think words could ever truly describe how much I love you,” Kirishima started, and Katsuki bit his lip, already feeling tears start to well in his eyes. “But I’m still gonna try anyway.” He let out a lighthearted laugh, and Katsuki did the same.
Kirishima looked up at him with his deep red eyes sparkling from the reflection of all the stars in the sky and took a breath, preparing to speak again. “You are the fire I never knew I so desperately needed in my life. I had never met someone so hardworking, driven, and as manly as you. When I wake up in the morning, I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming because I don’t know how I ended up with someone as wonderful as you.”
Tears slowly rolled down Katsuki’s cheeks as he listened, doing his best not to launch himself into Kirishima’s arms just yet like he wanted to.
“You’re beautiful—like, unreal. You’ve stolen my breath hundreds of times without even trying.” Kirishima smiled. “You’re patient, loving, and the absolute best chef to ever exist.”
“Damn right I am.” Katsuki choked out with a laugh, and Kirishima’s grin took over the bottom half of his face.
“I’m sure you can tell where this is going,” Kirishima said, and Katsuki didn’t give him a chance to even ask.
“Fuck yeah I’m gonna marry you.”
Katsuki presented his finger to Kirishima, who slid the ring on right away. He grabbed him with both hands by the collar of his shirt and bent down to press their lips together.
The kiss was a bit wet thanks to their tears of happiness, but neither cared.
They were engaged and in love—that was all that mattered.
Eight months later…
“You excited to see Kirishima?”
Katsuki stared at Sero, who was sitting across from him in the limo.
“Don’t ask me stupid questions.” He replied. “Of course I’m excited to see him.”
It had been three weeks since they were together, and Katsuki couldn’t wait to be back in his arms. After being away in Europe, it was good to be coming home to his husband.
Yeah, you heard that right.
Husband.
Katsuki and Kirishima had married only a few weeks after the proposal in a small ceremony that no one knew about. It was nice being able to keep a portion of their lives private, especially since their fans were somehow always able to dig up information about them.
But, that couldn’t keep Katsuki from making a decision. One that could be considered stupid, but to him, it was a great idea. While away in Europe, Katsuki decided to get a “K” tattooed on his finger. He hadn’t told Kirishima yet, and couldn’t wait to show him.
“Fuck, the vultures figured out you’re back in the city.” Sero said as they pulled up to the giant skyscraper that housed Katsuki’s huge apartment at the very top.
“Not surprised,” Katsuki grunted as the limo started to slow by the sidewalk. He grabbed his jacket and threw it on.
“I’ll go first,” Sero said, and Katsuki nodded as both men put on their sunglasses. He opened the door, and was bombarded by the familiar sound of the paparazzi.
Katsuki followed Sero, flipping off those taking pictures of them as they passed by. The doorman let the two of them into the building, making sure to keep everybody back. The two disappeared into the elevator, and Katsuki let out a relieved sigh the moment he couldn’t hear the commotion anymore.
The few seconds of silence were broken by notifications blowing up Sero’s phone, and Katsuki groaned at him.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sero said as he retrieved the phone from his pocket. “I’ll turn down the volume.”
Katsuki watched his expression change as Sero read through the notifications. “What?” He asked.
“Those fuckers are quick.” Sero said as he shook his head. “Your “K” tattoo is all over social media.”
Katsuki smirked, not bothered in the slightest.
“Good.”