Clouds hung heavy in the sky as Bakugo walked down memorized streets. The city with all of its turns, shopping centers, transports and apartment complexes had been burned into his mind not only from everyday living but the need to know all he could to keep from being put in the same situation he was last summer. While Bakugo had lost battles, and been outsmarted, granted barely, being kidnapped was the lowest blow. How could he of all people be kidnapped? He wouldn't let it happen again. Despite that instance which always sat at the back of his mind there was another reason he had these particular streets memorized and that was for how often he walked them. If Bakugo continued down the sidewalk a couple more blocks he'd find himself at the door of Eijiro Kirishima.

Above him thunder cracked between brooding clouds. The noise rolled around a while before lightning flashed. The storm was moving fast, and Bakugo had a feeling rain would fall soon. As if on cue big, cold drops of rain began to scatter across the walkway staining the ground and Bakugo's hair in dark patches. While Bakugo didn't care for the rain considering it had the potential to weaken his quirk he felt peace with storms. Ha, how contrary. A storm was anything but peaceful but the loud crash and tremble thunder caused, the bright fire that streamed across the sky was how Bakugo felt when he used his quirk and using his quirk was his happy place. Well, one of them perhaps. He knocked on the door, leaving wet rings where his knuckles pounded.

A surprised Kirishima greeted him when it swung open. The redhead wore a dress down t-shirt and shorts but he looked better than he ever did in the school uniform. The only thing Bakugo might prefer was the lack of fabric used in Kirishima's costume. Bakugo trained his eyes hard on the other boy's face to keep from looking him over, and in that effort his eyes narrowed.

"Hey, Bakugo." Kirishima said. Once he got past the surprise he grabbed Bakugo by the wrist and tugged him inside. "You're all wet."

"Nice observation idiot." Bakugo growled pulling away.

Just as he could have texted Kirishima to tell him he was coming, he could've checked the weather and brought an umbrella so he wouldn't be leaving such a puddle in the foyer.

"What's up?" asked Kirishima, unfazed by the gruff greeting. He just ran a hand through what were orderly spikes compared to Bakugo's current mess.

Bakugo looked around the house. "Shouldn't you make sure it's ok I'm here or some polite shit like that?"

"Nah, my parents are out. No clue when they'll be back." Kirishima shrugged.

Then, like it was an everyday routine warm fingers began to brush across Bakugo's chest as Kirishima unbuttoned his shirt.

"Eji-" Bakugo huffed unable to do much but try to form a sentence and ignore the heat spreading across his body. Woah. Bakugo shook his head and slapped Kirishima's hand away. "The fuck do you think you're doing?!"

Kirishima looked up at him like he was crazy. "You want to catch a cold?"

Bakugo seriously considered igniting his quirk just to dry off but reprimand from countless people for an unauthorized and destructive explosion stopped him. He had no time for pointless conversations. He finished unbuttoning the shirt himself and peeled the black fabric from his skin. Despite the chill of being damp Bakugo's skin grew warm again under Kirishima's unwavering stare. Before Bakugo could do much more than bare his teeth Kirishima said,

"Go take a shower, dude. I know the last thing you want is to get behind for being sick and I'm the only one you'd let fill you in on class work which means you'd be screwed. I'll put your clothes through the dryer."

While Kirishima walked away Bakugo waved a fist at his back. "Don't tell me what to do, asshole!"

For what it was worth he was right. Bakugo wouldn't doubt Kirishima knowing most of the things he wanted, and didn't want for that matter. A year and a half of sticking to him like glue could do that. With his shoes and socks by the door Bakugo grudgingly tried not leave footprints in the floor as he stalked to the bathroom. After a shower he did feel better. His mind and muscles had both relaxed leaving Bakugo's face an indifferent blank slate once he stepped out of the curtain. He was met with a wide eyed, red faced, Kirishima. It didn't take too long for Bakugo to remember he was in fact naked and he grabbed for the nearest towel to wrap around his waist. They both ended up shades away from the color of Kirishima's hair, Bakugo fisting the towel tight and staring at the floor while Kirishima was unable to look away.

"Your clothes are dry." Kirishima managed. He broke into a small smile, rubbing his shoulder. "I'll leave you to it."

Bakugo knew he should be screaming at the top of his lungs. Embarrassment like many other emotions always lead to a series of shouts and fist waving but all he could do was nod and wait for Kirishima to leave. For fucks sake. Bakugo rested an elbow on the sink counter and buried his head in that hand. Why hadn't Kirishima looked away? Why hadn't he at least apologized for staring? Was it wishful thinking or did the guy Bakugo had it bad for enjoy the view? The thought of that brought up further complications that kept him from dressing immediately.

"Damnit!" He roared pounding the other hand on the table, dropping the towel.

Bakugo found Kirishima watching television in the den once he successfully dressed and regained his composure. By now his hair wasn't in disarray from the water but from how many times he ran his hands through it. Kirishima, at the sound of Bakugo's footsteps tilted his head back over the couch cushion looking at Bakugo upside down. A consequently upside down smile greeted him.

"Want to join?" Kirishima asked pointing to the t.v.

Bakugo grumbled "Not really." but took a seat beside him.

If he remembered correctly from the dialogue and bodies rolling around in combat this television show was something Kirishima told him about. That wasn't surprising really, Kirishima would tell him about everything on his mind no matter what the topic if Bakugo didn't stop him. If he was honest though, sometimes that talking wasn't so one sided.

"I like this guy." Kirishima said leaning forward, intent on watching the fight scene. "He's smart, look how he uses his quirk, and bam! He takes all the hits with minimal damage and covered everyone else."

"Seems stupid. He doesn't have to worry about them."

Kirishima turned to Bakugo with a smaller smile than the usual one he brandished. This was focused, it made his eyes seem soft. "Reminds me of you."

"You think I'm stupid?" Bakugo growled.

Kirishima rolled his eyes. "If you have to ask that, yeah I do."

Bakugo knew Kirishima thought highly of him, but denying it was easier than accepting what praise he didn't deserve. He was strong, he was smart, he was talented when it came to combat but nothing about him was good enough to evoke the way Kirishima cheered him on, the way he smiled in the face of hollow insults, the way he hung on even when Bakugo tried to shake him off.

"Look, I didn't come here to watch a show." Bakugo said.

Kirishima turned away from the t.v. to instead face the flustered blonde. Kirishima draped an arm over the back of the couch and balanced his ankle over the opposite knee. It was like he offered himself as an option when he asked,

"What did you come here for?"

Bakugo followed the wrinkles in Kirishima's shirt and where those wrinkles smoothed to outline the shape of his body. Bakugo did good to swallow down what he really wanted to do.

"I thought I'd pay you back for lunch yesterday."

"You want to take me out?" Kirishima beamed.

Bakugo snarled. "Don't say it like that!"

"I wouldn't say yes anyway."

Kirishima looked outside the nearby window. Those gloomy clouds had grown into an angry electrical patchwork blanket. The storm wasn't letting up, if anything it seemed they were in the thick of it. For a moment Bakugo's stomach was inching its way up his throat at being shut down, but he saw Kirishima shiver when thunder cracked again and he realized,

"Wait, don't tell me you can fight off villains and almost beat the shit out of me and you're afraid of a storm?" He scoffed.

Kirishima's eyes narrowed. "I'm not afraid! I just don't like being out in it."

A loud crash shook the walls around them. The television and every light flickered out in pursuit. A rough warmth slid under Bakugo's hand where it rested on the couch cushion. Instead of pulling away as instinct told him to, like everything else with Kirishima Bakugo accepted it. He curled his fingers around the others and with a harsh yank pulled Kirishima closer. They collided with a thud that knocked the air out of Bakugo but he didn't regret it. He tucked Kirishima under his shoulder and put his arms around him.

"I don't know what you think holding my hand will protect you from." Bakugo grumbled softly. His words brushed through Kirishima's hair making the soft strands tease his lips.

Kirishima laughed, but Bakugo only knew that from the gentle shake of his body. "You're right Katsuki this is better."

And it was. Bakugo had felt many kinds of warmth. The most devastating summer, the quirk of Todoroki, and the backlash of his own quirk but nothing hit him as hard as Kirishima. How Bakugo had pulled him, Kirishima remained, one shoulder under Bakugo's, his head under the blonde's chin and Kirishima's weight against him was warm. His breath trickled under Bakugo's collar, one arm draped across his lap. Although Bakugo thought he wasn't going to be able to stand the ache in his heart, when the lights came back on he could've destroyed every source of power in the city for making it end.

Bakugo cleared his throat and pushed away from Kirishima. The redhead only grinned with those dragon teeth. There was no more doubting, Kirishima saw straight through him.

"I guess I'll have to pay you back tomorrow then." Bakugo's said.

Kirishima shrugged. "Guess so. But I don't think you want to go back out in that, so stay until it clears up."

He was right. While Bakugo enjoyed and related to the storm, there was no way he was going to drown in it. Bakugo settled for watching t.v. with Kirishima keeping a respectable distance.