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“Again?” Kaminari looked absolutely flabbergasted and Eijirou sighed deeply, sinking his head between his knees.
“Yeah, just… didn’t work out I guess,” he mumbled. Sero blew out some air.
“Dude, that’s like… four relationships in half a year. Did she say why she dumped you?”
Eijirou shifted, clearly uncomfortable.
“Just… not compatible, I guess. It’s fine, I mean, it’s not like we were super serious, but…”
“Well maybe you shouldn’t say yes to every damn extra that asks you out.” Bakugo griped from his corner, where he was leafing through the assigned English reading.
“But what if she would have been the one?” Eijirou protested. “You need to take a chance on love, bro, you never know who your soulmate might be!”
Mina and Denki ‘awwed’ while Sero sniggered and Bakugo snorted.
“No such thing as soulmates, Shitty Hair, all you are taking a chance on is heartbreak.” He grumbled. Eijirou sighed.
He wasn’t even sure he disagreed with Bakugo anymore.
“Whatever, I’m going to bed, you extras just keep yapping and unlike you, I try and keep in top form.” Bakugo stood up, walking past them to the door to a chorus of
“Night Blasty”
“Love you too, Kacchan”
“Don’t trip on your ego the way down”
Eijirou quickly stood up. “I’m gonna go too… I’m pretty tuckered out.” He said, waving goodnight to his friends and quickly following Bakugo out the room.
They walked in silence until they reached their doors.
“Wanna come in?”
Eijirou smiled. That’s why Bakugo was his best mate. Because he knew when Eijirou needed to talk one on one without making a big deal out of it.
“Yeah.” He walked behind his friend into the room, letting himself fall on the bed with a sigh. Bakugo said nothing, just propped himself up against the head of the bed, continuing to leaf through ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.
“Hey… your Ace, right?”
Bakugo had told them in the most Bakugo way, when Kaminari asked around who of them had had sex and Bakugo declared without missing a beat that he didn’t care about that shit, he was asexual and that was that.
A grunt was Eijirou’s answer. He started chewing his lip.
“I… how did you know? I mean… did you never… never feel anything?”
Bakugo’s eyes narrowed over the top of the book.
“No.” he finally said. “Never had a fucking boner in regards to anyone. Get the occasional physical one, like morning wood, but I can ignore those.”
“Mhm…” Eijirou hummed vaguely and said nothing, his thoughts jumbling and trying to form the thing he wanted to say.
“And… you never wanted… to be with anyone? Like… I don’t know just…”
“Oi, why are we talking about my non-existing sexlife?” Bakugo sounded agitated now and Eijirou realized he had overstepped, Bakugo got uncomfortable around these topics fast, he just needed to understand…!
“’cause… ‘cause I think I might be Ace too,” he said quietly.
Silence met him. He couldn’t look at Bakugo.
“That why your girlfriends and boyfriends dumped you?” there was a dangerous growl in Bakugo’s voice and Eijirou squirmed.
“No, yes, kinda… I mean… I think they each thought I was either gay or straight, just always the opposite of what they were, you know… but…”
Bakugo let out a derisive snort. “Fucking idiots. So they dumped you because you wouldn’t fuck them?”
Tears gathered in Eijirou’s eyes. “I don’t know… I just… I thought it’d come with time, y’know, that if I just got to know the person, that part would just happen, but it never did and it feels like there is something wrong with me and…”
“Shut up.”
Eijirou looked up, sniffling, seeing Bakugo look actually angry.
“Shut the fuck up, there’s nothing wrong with you, just as there’s nothing fucking wrong with me.”
Eijirou’s eyes widened in horror as he realized the implications of what he just said. “No, no, I didn’t… I didn’t mean that there was something wrong with you, I didn’t…!”
“Shitty Hair, just shut up!” Bakugo huffed and leaned back into the headboard. “I know you didn’t fucking mean it like that, ‘cause you’re the type of person who’d never say that about other people. I just want you to stop fucking saying it about yourself!”
Eijirou sniffed again and smiled. “Thanks, bro. That means a lot, y’know…” then he sighed. “But what do I do now? Like… I wish I had a good response when someone asks you out without hurting their feelings… I’m not good at telling people no…”
Bakugo snorted. “Yeah, no shit. Just say we’re together then, that’ll keep them off your back.”
Eijirou’s mouth fell open and he gaped at Bakugo.
“You want to… date me?”
Bakugo furrowed his brow. “Just fucking tell people, s’all.”
“Oh. Okay. But we wouldn’t be… actually dating, would we?” Eijirou didn’t know what that small feeling in his stomach was that he felt as he said it. Relief? Sadness? Regret?
“Course not, Shitty Hair.” Bakugo grumbled and Eijirou smiled at him, ignoring whatever it was.
“Thanks man, that might help… but we should probably inform the squad, or they’ll never let us hear the end of it.”
Bakugo rolled his eyes but said nothing.
Apparently the fact that Eijirou and Bakugo where an Item spread through the school like wildfire, something that left Eijirou quite baffled. Mina looked at him pityingly when he said as much to her.
“Honey, you got four partners in half a year, you are hot as shit! And Bakubae… well, people are always interested in him, so you two being an item is, like, the hot story right now.” She blew up her cheeks.
“Can’t believe you guys are really doing that fake dating bullshit though, just ask him out for real already!”
Eijirou furrowed his brow. He had told the squad about the fake dating plan, but not the exact reason behind it. “I can’t do that Mina, he’s ace, that would be so mean!”
She stared at him as if he grew two heads.
“Wait, you think because he’s ace he can’t be in a relationship?” she asked, sounding incredulous. Eijirou found himself just as confused.
“I mean… isn’t that kinda what it’s about…?” he said feeling suddenly unsure and scared. Mina continued to stare at him for a while longer then sighed deeply.
“Jesus, Kiri… because I know you and I know you’d never hurt anyone on purpose, I’ll let that slide, but… just because Bakugo is ace does not mean he never wants a relationship. Being together with someone is more than just sex, you know that right?” she narrowed her eyes at him, and he raised his hands in defense.
“Course I know that, I just… I mean… but…” This didn’t make sense, all his relationships failed because of his own asexuality, if that wasn’t a hurdle, then why?
Mina’s eyes softened a bit.
“Listen, as far as I understand, Bakugo is just asexual, not aromantic. And even Aromantic people can be in relationships; they just look a little different. His sexuality has nothing to do with whether or not he wants to be close to someone or hold their hand or even kiss them. How the specifics look is up to him and whoever his partner is, but of course he can have a relationship.” She sighed and went on tiptoes to ruffle his hair.
“Sometimes I think Bakubae is right and all the hair dye has seeped into your head. You think way too complicated about this stuff Kiri. People are just people, no matter what.”
Eijirou nodded and tried his best to hide the maelstrom of questions and anxiety that whirled inside his head and his gut.
“Go out with me!”
Eijirou blinked at Takeda. She was from the support course, a year below.
“Uh, I don’t know if you’ve heard but I’m already dating someo-”
“Pff, yeah right,” she looked disdainful. “No one’s buying that, you two do not act like a couple. You just wanna keep the lame ones away. I get it.” Her smirk turned confident.
“Well, I’m not lame, so just give me a shot, yeah? You’re too hot to be single…” she came closer and Eijirou took a step back.
His mild confusion had turned into anger.
He might be a bit of a people pleaser sometimes, but even he knew when enough was enough.
“I wouldn’t date you even if I was single,” he said coldly. Takeda stopped in her tracks, her eyes going wide.
“How can you even say something like that? Like I’m just some… trophy to hang on your arm? Like being with me means you outcompete everyone else? That’s just… that’s stupid.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Oh please. A different guy or girl every month or so and you wanna talk to me about being romantic or some shit? Fine, whatever. I can do better than you anyway. Who knows…” she threw back a haughty look.
“Maybe I’ll try Bakugo, see If he sticks with your story too.” With that she stalked away. Eijirou stared after her, openmouthed.
She wouldn’t… would she? And so what if she did? Bakugo would just give her a big middle finger and a few choice swearwords. He wasn’t interested in dating anyway.
Just because Bakugo is ace does not mean he never wants a relationship.
Was he interested? What if… well, it surely wouldn’t be this girl. Or would it? She had a strong sense of pushing for what she wanted… wasn’t that right up Bakugo’s wheelhouse?
And so what? Okay, maybe Eijirou had a bit of right to be skeptical about this girl in particular, but he shouldn’t be weirded out by Bakugo wanting a relationship, right? After all, Eijirou really wanted one too…
Now that he thought about it, thinking that Bakugo didn’t want to have any relationship ever was pretty stupid. Eijirou still wanted one, even if he was ace.
Thoughts rattled in his head, one louder than the next, drowning out the quiet voice that said he would be really upset if Bakugo found a girlfriend or a boyfriend.
Kiri found himself watching Bakugo intently for the next two days, but if Takeda had made a move on him, he never mentioned it or seemed to react in any way.
Still, there was a squirming in Eijirou’s gut.
Just because Bakugo is ace doesn’t mean he doesn’t want a relationship.
Did that mean one day he would date someone? Hold their hands, tell them things he never told anyone else, maybe even kiss them?
If that was the case, they should really stop this fake dating thing, because what if Bakugo’s true love didn’t approach him because they thought he had a partner already?
And yet Kirishima said nothing of the sort to Bakugo. Instead, he stayed closer to him than ever, practically sticking to him.
And the craziest thing was that Bakugo never pushed him away. He barely reacted at all, as if it was totally normal for Eijirou to just drape himself over his shoulders all the time.
And Eijirou didn’t know if that made it better or worse.
After a week of mulling it over in his head again and again and again, he decided he needed to be the bigger man here. He couldn’t risk Bakugo’s romantic future for his own selfishness.
So when they next sat together in Bakugo’s room for a study session, he cleared his throat.
“Hey uh… Bakubro? I’ve been kinda thinking, y’know, about this whole dating thing, y’know, the fake dating I mean, you and me and stuff…”
Bakugo’s eyes settled on him intently.
“Yeah?”
Was it just Eijirou’s imagination or was his voice deeper than usual? And why’d he have to look at Eijirou like that?
“Yeah, uh, so… see, I don’t think it’s really working and so…”
“Yeah I noticed that too.” Bakugo interrupted him and Eijirou’s mouth fell open. Bakugo wanted to break up with him? No, wait, that wasn’t right, they weren’t even together and Eijirou had been planning to break this thing off, just now, so why… why did this suddenly hurt so much?
“Oh… you did?” his own voice sounded small and Bakugo pursed his lips.
“Yeah, course I did. People aint buying it. So we gotta up our game, start being a bit more PDA in public and all that,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Now Eijirou was completely lost. “M-more PDA…?” he squeaked and Bakugo nodded, scooting closer.
“Yeah. And we should kiss. In front of other people. To make it seem real.”
Oh, oh, no, his voice was definitely huskier now, and what was that just now about kissing?
“Kiss?” How was his voice even able to get this high?
“Yeah, Shitty Hair, kiss. And we need to practice first, I’m not having people see some half fumbled first time.” Bakugo said, rolling his eyes.
“S’not my first…” Somehow the admission made Eijirou ashamed. Bakugo’s eyes narrowed.
“Yeah, no shit, I didn’t think so with your track record. It’s mine, though.”
Eijirou’s mouth went dry. Bakugo’s first kiss? Bakugo was going to give Eijirou his first kiss? He shouldn’t… he should do that with someone he loved and… but Eijirou wanted it. Wanted it so badly, he didn’t even know how to categorize that want.
So instead, he nodded. “Yeah, okay. Yeah. Let’s practice… yeah,” he said and Bakugo rolled his eyes at his ‘eloquence’.
“C’mere then, Rockbrain.” He grumbled, scooting closer. Eijirou leaned in too.
Somehow, he had expected Bakugo’s lips to be rough. Harsh and unforgiving like everything else about him.
But they were soft. Warm and gentle, and Eijirou wanted more, so much more.
He kissed Bakugo again. And again. And again. And best of all, Bakugo kissed him back, their lips slotting together perfectly, and all Eijirou wanted was to hold him, keep him close, wrap him up in his arms and kiss him until morning came and…
Oh.
I’m in love.
The thought should have hit him. Instead, it settled, somewhere deep inside, as if it had always been there, he had just been to blind to understand it. Too wrapped up in finding the ‘perfect’ relationship to see that he loved Bakugo more than anyone else, that he wanted to be with him all the time that he wanted to hear his laugh for the rest of his life.
He pulled back, suddenly breathless by so much sudden understanding. Bakugo’s eyes snapped to his, still holding the same intensity as before.
“Oh…” Eijirou felt overwhelmed, and he couldn’t do this, couldn’t pretend he was just in love when he actually was and it made his lip wobble and he wanted to run away, but he also wanted to stay, forever, right here.
Bakugo’s eyes widened at the tears gathering on Eijirou’s waterline and he scooted forward, one hand coming up and gently wiping it away with his thumb.
“Kiri… shit, I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to make you cry…” he said, looking unhappy. Eijirou’s lip wobbled harder and despite Bakugo’s effort, the first tears spilled over.
“B-Bakugo… I’m sorry… I d-don’t think I can d-do this…”he said, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks. “I c-can’t pretend to be your b-boyfriend…”
Bakugo’s hands gripped his face tighter. His eyes bored into Eijirou’s and behind the intensity, Eijirou thought he saw fear.
“Why?” Bakugo’s voice was low and rough. “Why can’t you pretend?” he asked it like he needed something to hold on to, as if the answer was vital to his survival. Eijirou blinked.
And finally, the second piece fell into place.
He’s been waiting for me.
Laughter bubbled up in his throat, wet and silly and he let his head fall on Bakugo’s shoulder.
“I’m a fool, right? I didn’t… I can’t believe it took me this long.” Bakugo’s hands started trembling now.
“Kirishima…”
Eijirou looked up. Cupped Bakugo’s face in his own hands too, putting their foreheads together.
“I love you, Bakugo. I’m really sorry it took me until now. Have you been waiting long?”
Bakugo’s exhale was shaky as he slumped against Eijirou a disbelieving laugh coming out of his throat.
“Course I been waiting, dumbass. Been waiting since Kamino, haven’t I? Didn’t wanna push you… didn’t even know you’d like me and fuck, I thought me being ace might put you off anyway… then you turn around and say you too, I thought I was going crazy…”
Eijirou looked at him in awe. “Kamino?” he said, his throat squeezed tight. Bakugo nodded. And Eijirou kissed him again. And again, and again, and again, and he would do it the rest of the night if Bakugo let him.
Mina rolled her eyes harder than he had ever seen when he sheepishly told her about it on their bi-weekly spa session.
It had been only three days, but they hadn’t cleared it up with the squad yet, so Mina was the first to know.
“You are honestly the most dense piece of rock I ever met, sometimes,” she said, shaking her head as she applied his mask.
“Do you have any idea how bad I felt for Bakubae when you announced your little scheme? Anyone could see he was trying to use it to gage if he had a chance with you and you… Well, whatever, I’m just glad you finally figured it out.” She sighed and he grimaced.
The others reacted similarly. Apparently it really had just been Eijirou who had been too blind to see it.
As he and Bakugo were cuddled up in bed, Eijirou suddenly laughed. Bakugo raised his eyebrows at him. Eijirou hummed.
“Sorry, just… there is this little part of me that sometimes goes ‘Oh no, I hope he doesn’t ask for sex’ before I remember you won’t,” he said, smiling up. Bakugo furrowed his brow.
“Did the others pressure that much, Shitty Hair? I’m gonna give them a piece of my fucking mind…!” he looked genuinely angry now, but Eijirou shook his head.
“No, not like that, I mean, one of them was rather pushy, but most were just… naturally curious, I would say. It was more that I put this Idea on myself, that it was always part of a relationship and that I was failing for not feeling it… but that’s not their fault.” He sighed, snuggling deeper into Bakugo’s chest, enjoying the feeling of fingers carding through his hair.
“You are perfect just the way you are, Kirishima. Never think otherwise, okay? You’re not allowed to be mean to my boyfriend.”
Eijirou laughed at that, kissing Bakugo gently.
“Alright, got it. No being mean to the boyfriend.” He smiled. “Goes for you too, y’know? My boyfriend is awesome, so no one is allowed to talk bad about him.” Bakugo rolled his eyes but gave him a kiss on the forehead.
“You’re such a Rockbrain,” he mumbled and Eijirou laughed again, holding on to Katsuki tight and hoping these happy days would never cease.