So, I decided to just skip ahead a couple weeks or so to avoid any more awkwardly written filler chapters. So, as of now, Thanksgiving has passed and there's now only a few days left for Kirishima to decide everything. Which will happen in this chapter so help me God. Also, this book is almost finished...just a warning. Enjoy! PS: I've said it before but I'll say it again, Kirishima does not have any canon family so I made them up. And ProtoTypeBK helped me come up with the names...like two months ago xD
More and more time passed and before he knew it, it was mid-December and with just a couple days left until Christmas, Kirishima had to make his decision. He was sitting on a barstool in his kitchen, staring at his dad's contact in his phone.
He had to call him. He had to call him and tell him his decision that day or else it would be too late for anything. The issue was he still hadn't made up his mind about going or not. He was still thinking about that when the image of his dad's contact was replaced by an incoming call. Kirishima half expected it to be Bakugo, but instead it was an unknown number. Frowning, he picked it up off the counter and pressed the answer button.
"Hello?"
"Eijiro? This is you, right?"
Kirishima furrowed his brows. "Wait...Eitaro?"
"Well, would you look at that! He remembers me!" A familiar laugh filled his ears. It was his older brother Eitaro that had called him, and it felt like a dream. He hadn't spoken to him in so long.
"Of course I remember you." Kirishima said, feeling himself start to relax already. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good, little bro! I started this great job and I'm dating a really awesome girl. So, what about you?"
"Well...uh...work is going good, I guess."
"So I've heard. I'm happy for you. And uh...what about your love life? Anything new there?"
He blushed and was extremely thankful that Eitaro couldn't see his face because he definitely would have started teasing him for it. "Well...there's...a guy."
"Oh? And who is this guy?"
"He's just...I mean, at the moment...he's just a friend. But I do really like him. I think maybe even love him."
"That so? Well, then I hope you're bringing this guy with you for Christmas."
Kirishima froze. An awkward silence passed over the two brothers until Eitaro awkwardly cleared his throat. "Er...sorry."
"Did...he ask you to call me?"
A small pause. Then, "Yeah. Sorry."
He sighed. "No, it's fine. I was just thinking about this when you called anyway."
"Well, if it's any help, I think you should come. I'm going to be there, and so will Tamiko. She really misses having you around, you know."
"I know, believe me I do. It's just--"
"Dad,"
"Yeah...that."
Eitaro sighed. "Look, I know you and him don't exactly get along, but he's trying, Eijiro. He's really trying. And at the end of the day it's still your decision, but I think you should at least give him a chance. And bring this guy. He'll need to know the rules before he gets permission to date my little brother."
Kirishima smiled. "Alright...I'll go. I'll give him a chance to prove that he's changed. But...only one."
"Attaboy. So I'll be seeing you there on Christmas Eve, right?"
"...yeah. I'll be there. Thanks, Eitaro."
"Anytime, brother. See ya soon."
"Bye," He hung up and sighed, pulling up his dad's contact again. Before he could start overthinking it some more, he pressed the call button and held the phone up to his ear. He was going to be going home for the holidays.
"So this is where you grew up?" Bakugo asked as they stepped off of the train. Kirishima slung his bag over his shoulder and took a deep breath, looking around the station for a familiar face. Eitaro had said he would be waiting here for them.
"Yep. This is my hometown." His stomach was in knots, and he couldn't stop bouncing up and down on his feet. To anyone else, he might have looked excited, but he was actually beyond nervous. "My brother should be here somewhere..."
As if summoned, a familiar voice began calling out to them from the other side of the station. Kirishima glanced up and saw a man with shoulder length black hair and dark red eyes, wearing a lazy grin on his face and showing off the pointed teeth. It was Eitaro, although he'd gotten a lot taller since they'd last seen each other.
"Eijiro!" He called again. "That is you, isn't it? Man, you really do look different!"
"Uh, thanks?"
Eitaro laughed, coming to a stop in front of them. He was taller than them both, a fact which clearly bothered Bakugo even if the height difference wasn't that much. "I meant it as a compliment. You look good, little bro." And he reached out to pull him into a tight bear hug.
"Gah! Eitaro, let go! I can't breathe!" He gasped for air as Eitaro released him and turned to Bakugo.
"So you're the famous friend Eijiro went on on and about."
"Famous?" Bakugo grumbled, exchanging a glance with Kirishima, who quickly shook his head.
"Not in that sense." He assured him, watching as Bakugo visibly relaxed. "He just means it as a joke. Because I...um..."
"Because he spoke so highly of you, it's almost like you're a celebrity." Eitaro laughed again, and Kirishima and Bakugo exchanged another glance.
"Uh...right. Should we go now?" Kirishima chuckled, trying to break some of the awkward tension in the air.
"Sure!" Eitaro reached over and snatched the red bag from Kirishima's hand, tossing it over his shoulder and starting towards the exit. "Everybody else is at the house already. Dad, uh...he thought it might be better if I came to pick you up by myself."
Kirishima sighed. "That's fair. Thanks, Eitaro."
"Hey, what are big bros for?" He grinned and tried to ruffle his hair, but Kirishima ducked just in time.
"Aw, are you too big for that now, Eijiro?"
"I just don't want you to mess it up!" Kirishima protested, trying to ignore Bakugo's laughter behind him.
They arrived at Eitaro's car soon after. He'd driven the same old Jeep for as long as Kirishima could remember, and it looked exactly the same except for a few new scratches here and there. Kirishima and Bakugo got their stuff put away in the back and got in. And if the state of his car was any indication, Eitaro still wasn't a very good driver either.
Once again, Kirishima's memory proved correct seeing as they nearly got into two wrecks just on the way to the house. Kirishima could hear Bakugo muttering vulgar curse words under his breath from the backseat, but he didn't actually say anything to Eitaro. Kirishima was kind of grateful for that because the last thing he wanted was for them to not get along.
Far too soon than Kirishima would've liked, they were pulling into the driveway of his childhood home. Immediately, he felt the butterflies that had been flying around in his stomach begin to attack him viciously, pulling and twisting at his insides until he was sure he was going to throw up. His hands shook as they clutched at the seat belt digging into his neck. Eitaro glanced over and out on a serious face. "Hey...it'll be okay, Eijiro. He's not going to do anything, I promise."
Kirishima tried to nod, but the movement came across as stiff and jerky. Eitaro unbuckled and hopped out of the car, leaving Kirishima alone with Bakugo. He was still trying to calm his nerves when Bakugo suddenly sat forward and grabbed one of his hands that had been clutching at the seat belt for dear life. He turned around, eyes wide as he took in Bakugo's expression.
"You should listen to your brother, Shitty Hair." He said. "You came back here to give him a chance, and I admire that about you. You're a fucking great person, Kirishima, and I think your dad's a fucking idiot if he can't see that. If he still wants to be a dick to you, then we'll leave. End of story. I'll be here. It's why I came with you, remember?"
Kirishima took a deep breath and nodded, squeezing Bakugo's hand and giving him a small smile. "Yeah...you're right. Thanks, Bakugo. I really appreciate your being here."
Bakugo grinned. "Of course. Now, are ya ready to go in or what?"
"Yeah," Kirishima let go of his hand and reached for the door handle. He stepped out of the car, looking up at the house that had caused him so much pain and suffering before. "Let's go."
