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Denki was sick of seeing couples.
First, it was Mina and Hanta. They got together naturally, having spent a lot of time together. They fit together well, Hanta being able to handle the muchness of Mina. She was a whirlwind while he was the calm in the eye of the storm. They went out on dates to clubs, and Denki loved seeing his friends dance together. But he couldn’t help but feel jealous over the fact that he had no one to dance with.
Oh, then there were Eijirou and Izuku.
Eijirou was one of Denki’s best friends, selfless and manly to a fault. Watching him fall in love with Izuku Midoriya was breathtaking. Denki didn’t expect them to match perfectly, but it worked out. They went to the gym together, talked about heroes together, and fought well against villains together.
They were a ruthless and wonderful duo.
Once again, Denki was reminded that he wasn’t part of a duo.
All his friends were falling in love but him.
Well, he did have a crush, but it would never happen.
See, Katsuki Bakugou was out of his league. No way would ever happen. He was aiming to be number one, the best hero out of all of them. Katsuki was the first to open an agency after high school and was the second of the class to hit the top ten spot, after Shoto of course.
Katsuki had his priorities, and Denki wasn’t one of them. He couldn’t be one of them, being a hero was too important for Katsuki. Denki wouldn’t be surprised if Katuski just wasn’t looking at romance right now, focusing on his career. That’s what he expected, anyway.
Right now, though, Katsuki looked like he was just enjoying being with his friends in a bar. It was hard for the group to get together with their busy schedules, but when they could, they ended up at a hero-only bar to dance and drink.
Katsuki was currently trying to prove that he was a better dancer than Mina, which he was failing, but it was funny to watch someone so competitively proven wrong.
“You’re staring.” Hanta said next to Denki, who jumps at the words as he’s caught off guard.
“Am not!” Denki shouts over the music, taking a chug of his beer as he goes back to watching his friends dance. “He’s just a pretty good dancer, he’s nice to watch.”
“Bro, he’s not that good. Mina is wiping the floor with him.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re dating her.” Hanta sticks out his tongue at Denki’s words, but chuckles.
“Yeah, I’m pretty biased for my girlfriend, go figure.” Hanta drinks his own beer, leaning back in his seat. They had a booth in the corner of the bar, sitting on the side that had the best view of the dance floor. It was packed with people, drunk and happy flailing people. “But, how come you’re so biased for Bakugou? Is it his face or his shitty personality?”
“His personality isn’t shitty.”
“You once called it flaming garbage.”
“Yeah, in high school, he’s changed.”
“Somewhat, but he can still be an asshat sometimes.” Hanta shrugs with a smile. “But he’s our asshat, so I guess it’s fine.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“You’re not making sense. I mean, Bakugou of all people? You choose to like him out of anybody we know?”
Okay, was he really that obvious?
“Yes, you are.” Oh, Denki spoke out loud. “Bro, talk to him. He stares at you, too.”
“I don’t stare.”
“Yes, you do, probably at his ass too.” Hanta jokes, and Denki shoves him playfully. “Listen, you both are my best friends, and I want you both to be happy. Mina and Kiri would agree too; you guys would work well together. I say give it a chance.”
“What if he doesn’t like me though, what if I just make myself look like an idiot like I always do.” Denki holds his bottle tightly, staring down into the brown liquid. “I mean, I can be annoying and too much. I know this, you guys know this. I’d just annoy him with my feelings.”
“But your feelings matter, Denks. I think if you open up, you’d see I’m right.” Hanta puts a hand around his friend’s shoulders. “I love you, man. And you deserve love and to be loved.”
“Do I get some of this love?” They both turn to a smiling Mina and scowling Katsuki. Hanta grins and quickly leans over to kiss his girlfriend while Katsuki sits across from Denki in the booth. They share a look with Katsuki sticking out his tongue and fake gagging over the PDA.
When they separate, Katsuki scoots more into the seat to let Mina sit, rolling his eyes.
“So, who won?” Another eye roll.
“Pinky is better than I thought, the beer should’ve made me win.”
“Sucks to suck, Blasty.” Mina grabs her own drink and clinks it with Katsuki’s. They raise their glasses and drink; Hanta and Denki do the same. “Sucks Kiri couldn’t be here.”
“He just had to have a date tonight, could’ve brought stupid Deku here.”
“Maybe he didn’t want you to call Midoriya stupid.” Hanta said, smirking at Katsuki’s glare.
“I can behave.”
“Sure, you can, buddy. Wanna dance, babe?” Mina proposes, and Hanta switches his gaze back to his girlfriend.
“Didn’t you just dance your heart out beating Bakugou? You sure you aren’t tired or something?”
“Babe, I can go longer than that and you know it.” Hanta blushes at the words, shrugging and getting out of his seat to follow Mina to the dance floor. That leaves Denki alone with Bakugou, who just pulls out his phone and scrolls through whatever he scrolls through.
Denki chugs the rest of his beer, hoping for some courage to come with it. Maybe he can ask about dancing too, or maybe they could go have dinner together some time. Something, anything, there’s gotta be something.
“I heard you’re going to open an agency, Sparky.” Katsuki breaks the silence, phone facing down so Denki could get his full attention.
Right, Kyouka’s agency had a vacant spot next door. Denki decided to try his luck being an independent hero after working at a few agencies, but was nervous about doing it alone. Thus, he picked a building next to a friend, and it eased him.
“Y-Yeah, it’s next to Kyouka’s agency. Or, going to be, it’s not open yet. I’m still working out the details and the design, but it’s gonna be great!”
“Why’d you pick Earlobes to be your next door neighbor? You hoping to date her or something?” Katsuki finishes his own drink, picking at the label. He seemed to be intentionally looking away now, staring at the bottle.
“Huh? No way, Kyouka is just a friend. She brings me comfort, sure, but I’m not trying to date her or anything. She’s one of my best friends too, ya’ know.”
“Ah, I see.” Katsuki nods his head slowly, and Denki could see that tension was released from his shoulders. Why was he so tense?
“How about you? How’s your agency going?”
“Ah, fucking shitty. All the sidekicks have no idea what they’re doing. Makes me feel like I’m the only one with a brain, and I hired them!” Katsuki grumbles as he crosses his arms and leans back in his seat. “I swear, I wish I had someone like Deku or you, someone reliable.”
Denki is caught off guard with those words.
“I’m not that reliable.”
“Who helped bring power back to the city when there was a major power outage and it caused problems in hospitals? People were in danger, and it was your idea to make sure electric heroes like you were dispatched to all affected hospitals to help their patients. People could’ve died without your plan.”
“It shouldn’t have been mine to begin with; it should’ve happened from the start. If the hero commission didn’t have their head up their asses, they would’ve seen it was a great idea.”
“And they did, when you brought it up.” Katuski smirks. “See, reliable. And kinda smart.
“I think you’re drunk.”
“ ‘M not drunk, I just know you. We’ve been friends for years, Sparky, I’m going to know things.” Denki pouts, standing up and getting out of the booth. He grabs Katsuki’s empty bottle, but Katsuki quickly grabs his wrist. “I mean it, you’re pretty smart. I know I talk shit about you being stupid, but you aren’t as stupid as you think you are.”
Katsuki lets go, leaning back once again and staring at Denki. The latter couldn’t help it if his eyes traveled along the body of the explosive blond, admiring the way the shirt he wore really punctuated his muscles. Or even how his waist looked in those jeans.
“I’m gonna get us another round.”
“Get some shots, I’m not working tomorrow.” Denki doesn’t miss the way Katsuki’s own eyes also seem to travel, but along Denki’s body. Denki can’t help the blush that creeps on his cheeks as he slowly walks away from the table, clutching the empty beers and moving to get another round.
At the bar, as he’s waiting for the drinks he ordered, he finds himself turning to look at the booth again. He’s expecting the back of Katsuki’s head to be facing him, but instead he meets crimson eyes that were already watching him back. Neither move, their eyes seeming to be locked in a stalemate. It takes a hand grabbing Denki’s shoulder to make him look away.
“Yo, the staring problem is back.” Hanta chuckles, getting the bartender’s attention, and ordering another drink. He nudges Denki after ordering. “I’m serious. Ask him out.”
“No way.”
“Bro, you’re both showing off your staring problems, ask him to dinner. Or better yet, dance with him. Grind on him or something, be flirty.”
“We’re just talking.”
“Talking can always lead to more.”
Hanta and Denki both get their orders; Hanta holding two beers and Denki staring at the two shots and beers he ordered.
“Want help?” Hanta asks, drinking one of his beers. Denki assumes the other is for Mina. Denki is about to ask for help when two hands grab one of his beers and a shot glass. He turns to find Katsuki towering over him, taking a swig of his beer and smirking.
“I should’ve come sooner, you wouldn’t have been able to carry all this shit.” Katsuki tells him and Denki blushes again. He didn’t think that warranted a blush, but apparently his body thought so. Hanta laughs behind Denki, and the electric blond turns to find his friend already walking back into the crowd.
Bastard.
“I wanted to be reliable.”
“Oh, shut up, that’s different.” Katsuki leans against the bar, putting his beer down and holding up the shot glass. “Now, let's celebrate you joining the big leagues.”
“I’ve been a hero for years, man.”
“But not independently, and not with an agency. You’re doing amazing shit, Sparky, and you deserve to celebrate.”
“You’re being oddly nice.” Denki raises his own shot glass, and they clink them together. The vodka goes down smoothly, but Denki can’t help but make a face anyway. Katsuki chuckles at it, but doesn’t say anything. At least, not right away.
“You suck at taking shots.”
“No, I just prefer fruitier drinks.”
“Yet, you’ve been drinking beer this whole time.” Katsuki chuckles more and shakes his head. “Just drink what you want.”
“Maybe I wanted beer tonight.”
“Maybe I’ll get a fruity drink then.”
“You hate them.” Denki laughs, leaning against the bar and finding himself moving closer to Katsuki.
“No, I don’t. I can totally chug one right now.”
“Bro, no you can’t.”
“Yes, I can. Watch me.” Katsuki gets the bartender’s attention and soon has a margarita in front of him. Strawberry flavored, red with sugar on the rim. And he does prove Denki wrong, by chugging it.
His tongue is red as he speaks, and Denki is watching his lips as they move. The vodka is hitting him, the beer is hitting him, and the way Katsuki seems to look at him is hitting him.
They converse more, but their words are lost as their eyes seem to do more talking. Katsuki stares at Denki’s lips, as Denki stares at the way Katsuki’s lidded eyes are staring at him. Katsuki leans closer, moving his lips close and getting near Denki’s ear.
“Let’s go somewhere quieter.”
“Where’s quieter than here?”
“I don’t know, bathroom maybe.”
“I’m not gonna piss in front of you.”
“Gross, no, I don’t want that.” Katsuki puts a hand on the back of Denki’s neck, pulling him closer. “I want to kiss the fuck out of you, Sparks.”
Denki’s face goes red at the confession, and now he understands why Hanta was so adamant. He was correct, Katsuki does like him, wants to kiss him, wants to hold him. Denki should have seen it but he didn’t want to. He couldn’t believe it was happening, but Katsuki pulling him through the crowd was something.
Entering the bathroom and finding an empty stall made his head spin, but lips touching him were enough for his brain to explode. Katsuki kisses like he fights, rough and like it’s something he must win. He’s explosive, and loud, and abrasive, but his lips against Denki’s feels gentle and like a different side the electric blond has never seen in him.
Denki kisses back, and Katsuki notes the gentleness Denki shows, the slight hesitation as if he couldn’t believe this to be true. Maybe it was a dream, and they were both going to wake up. But right now, their dream was heavenly, and they were going to keep sleeping if it means this moment right here gets to keep going.
When they separated, Denki found himself leaning forward as if begging for more, but no words escaped his lips.
“Have dinner with me.” He says when his brain finally decides to work. “I want to have dinner and do that again.”
“I’ll cook.” Katsuki tells him and leans in to give him a peck. “I’ll clean my place, and we can watch movies,” another peck, “I’ll cook burgers, your favorite,” another peck.
They leave the bar together eventually, leaving Hanta and Mina alone. Denki shoots Hanta a text and isn’t surprised when Hanta sends him a laughing emoji and tells him ‘I told you so’.
Katsuki walks Denki home, and another kiss is shared at the door. This wasn’t how the night was supposed to end, but Denki won’t complain. He was sick of seeing couples, but being in one didn’t seem so bad.