Spice
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.
Warnings: Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Self Harm, Violence
Pairings: Midoriya x Kirishima, Kirishima x Bakugou, Midoriya x Bakugou
Plot: Kirishima turns to Midoriya after being rejected by Bakugou.
Ch 01: Paprika
And as the world burns to the ground, oh boy it's you that I lie with.
As the atom bomb locks in, oh boy it's you…
That face. He'd never seen Bakugou make that face before. At least, not at him. Not while looking at him. The emotions in his red irises twisted from something affectionate and warm to cold and foreign. His face crinkled up, his lips pulling back, practically grimacing into an uncomfortable snarl. He turned away from Kirishima, and with his back to him he finally spoke.
"You're wrong. I don't feel that way. I've never felt that way. What the actual fuck? When did I ever let on any indication that I was like that? That I would want to be like that with you?"
And oh, oh it hurt. There wasn't a way to protect himself from this, from the feeling of being rejected by the only boy he'd ever truly loved. The one person he'd always been there for, the one person he dedicated himself to above all others, who he'd rescued time and time again. His teammate. His other half. His companion. His best friend.
His quirk was useless against this feeling gnawing at his insides, stealing his breath and making his vision blur with sharp tears, hot and embarrassed as they threatened to spill down his cheeks.
He swallowed thickly, once, twice, then cleared his throat and let out an awkward effervescence of hearty laughter.
"Oh, I uh-" He laughed and reached up to card his fingers through his hair, watching Bakugou's turned shoulder for a long moment before casting his eyes away. "Shit, I'm sorry. I guess I misread things. Just...forget I said anything. Let's head back to HQ."
Bakugou didn't say anything, just started across the rooftop back towards the agency across the city, leaving Kirishima alone in silence.
As the world…
As the world caves in…
He wasn't certain if he'd ever felt this numb before. He barely remembered returning from patrol, or subsequently parting ways with Bakugou. Had he said something before he'd left? Had they exchanged any words at all? He didn't know, he couldn't wrap his mind around it. Everything he felt and thought was suddenly a blur.
How had he been so wrong all this time? Did Bakugou really feel nothing for him? Nothing more than friendship, after the years they'd shared together side by side? The dangers they'd faced, the hardships they'd endured and overcome. All this time, Kirishima had been waiting for the right moment to say something, to confess his feelings he'd garnered since high-school. And now…
Now there was nothing.
He'd burned it all to the ground in an instant.
He wasn't sure if they were even friends anymore.
Kirishima wasn't expecting anyone else to be at the agency so late at night, he hadn't anticipated that there would be anyone to find him by himself in the locker room, sitting alone in the dark. He jerked at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, quickly tugging off the headphones pressed over his ears, looking up and meeting eyes with Midoriya. Of course it was Midoriya, he had the early morning shift after them, didn't he? Uraraka would likely be here soon too.
"Kirishima?" He asked with a worried frown, arching his brow and hovering beside him while searching his teary eyes. "What is it? What's wrong?"
He'd held himself together while around Bakugou, but now that he was by himself, now that he felt safe enough to allow himself to be vulnerable, he couldn't stop the tears from falling. He hunched in on himself, sobbing quietly, reaching up and pressing his forearm across his face, Midoriya inhaling sharply and kneeling down beside him, a gloved hand on either of Kirishima's shoulders, murmuring soft reassurances and trying his best to calm the other hero down.
"Are you hurt? Are you in pain? What can I do? Kirishima talk to me-"
"I told him! I finally told him, and he-" He shook his head, slapping a hand over his mouth and tightening his grip on the edge of the bench, grasping so hard the steel began to creak beneath his fingers. "-he said, he said...he's never felt that way about me. It was completely one-sided all along!"
"What?" Midoriya whispered, trying to decipher what Kirishima was saying, quickly putting two and two together before inhaling deeply and letting out a heavy sigh. "You told Kacchan you liked him? And he said-"
Kirishima sobbed brokenly, his shoulders jerking as Midoriya wrapped his arms around him and squeezed tightly, gently rubbing over the other hero's strong back and shushing him while carding his fingers through Kirishima's bright hair.
"Oh Kiri, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you're hurting. I'm sure that Kacchan didn't mean to…" His voice trailed off, and he couldn't find the words to say to offer any comfort to his friend. He knew well what it was like, being the brunt of Bakugou's anger and callousness. He could only imagine what had transpired between them, what Bakugou could have said to make Kirishima this upset.
Instead of talking, he tried to soothe Kirishima without words, combing his fingers through his hair over and over again, his other hand rubbing circles between his shoulder blades and along his upper back, tracing along the notches of his sturdy spine. Kirishima was so strong, Midoriya had never seen him cry, he'd never imagined that Kirishima would show him such vulnerability like this. The trust that told, that he would break down and cry in front of Midoriya, it had knots twisting deep within Midoriya's chest.
They stayed pressed together like that for a long time, Kirishima gradually unwinding enough to wrap his arms around Midoriya in a light embrace, sniffing and breathing shakily while tucking his face against the other hero's shoulder, trying to even out his breaths.
"I'm sorry for being such a mess…" Kirishima murmured quietly, his trembling words punctuated with a peal of embarrassed laughter. "I didn't mean to dump this on you so suddenly." He pulled back a bit, reaching up to wipe at his damp cheeks, sniffing and inhaling a deep breath before meeting Midoriya's eyes. "You have patrol soon, right? I should probably get back and try to get some sleep. I'm supposed to do patrol with Bakugou later in the afternoon..."
Midoriya frowned a little, thinking for a moment before tightening his grip in Kirishima's hair, searching his eyes. "Are you certain you're going to be alright with that?"
Kirishima blinked slowly, holding Midoriya's eyes and feeling that gnawing sensation twisting his chest once more, his throat suddenly too tight. "I don't...I don't know."
Midoriya thought to himself for a moment before releasing his grip on Kirishima, shifting to sit down at his side and drawing his phone from his pocket, dialing a number and holding the device against his ear, waiting for the other line to pick up.
"Tsu-chan? It's Midoriya. Hey, I know it's early, but could you do me a favor please? I promise I'll make it up to you."
Kirishima watched Midoriya quietly, sniffing lightly and casting his eyes across the dark locker room, feeling the cold creeping into his exposed skin now that he wasn't sharing Midoriya's body heat.
"Could you take my patrol this morning with Uraraka? Yeah, I'm sorry to ask you so suddenly. Something's come up and I...I need to take some time to handle it properly."
Kirishima inhaled quietly, his brow arching with concern as he tried to get Midoriya's attention and tell him that wasn't necessary, he could handle this alone, but Midoriya simply took his hand and squeezed his fingers gently, holding his gaze while offering him a warm smile.
"Yeah, yeah I'll explain more later. Thank you, Tsu. Really. Yeah, I'll check in with you soon."
He hung up with Asui, then sent a quick text to Uraraka before getting to his feet, tugging Kirishima up with him and heading towards the side door. Kirishima followed after him quietly, his fingers still trapped within Midoriya's, allowing the other hero to pull him out of the darkness and into the dawning sunlight.
Midoriya didn't let go of his hand all the way to his apartment. He paused to find his key, and after letting them both inside he closed the door behind Kirishima and locked them in, kicking off his boots and starting to strip out of his bodysuit, meeting Kirishima's eyes.
"You can shower here, if you want to. My bathroom is just there, down the hall and to the right."
Kirishima nodded slowly, reaching up and beginning to tug off his armor, Midoriya assisting him whenever he could. Kirishima padded quietly on bare feet down the hall and into the bathroom, flicking on the light and blinking for a few moments to allow his vision to adjust. Midoriya was right behind him, offering him a towel and a smile before turning on the overhead fan and closing the door behind him.
"Take all the time you need." He called through the door, his voice only slightly muffled. "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something before you try to sleep?"
Kirishima reached for the valve to turn on the water, adjusting the temperature for a moment before calling back hesitantly, "I don't want to impose unnecessarily, but if you have something light like oranges or some other fruit? That would be really nice."
He could feel Midoriya's smile without seeing it, the other hero's laughter soft and bright as his footsteps faded down the hall. Midoriya didn't think he was being a burden, Kirishima knew that. He'd invited him into his apartment and offered him companionship at a time when Kirishima really didn't want to be alone, understanding everything Kirishima was feeling even without hearing those words. Kirishima let out a soft breath, feeling a hint of tears again as he stepped beneath the water, tilting his face up towards the spray and letting warmth wash over him from head to toe, reaching out to brace himself lightly against the shower wall.
Midoriya was always so kind and selfless to everyone around him, even Bakugou. If anyone could understand the pain he was experiencing, it would be Midoriya, wouldn't it? They were kindred spirits, two moths drawn to a flame and inevitably set ablaze. It spiraled within him, the knowledge that his love was unrequited, that Bakugou had never felt anything romantic towards him at all. He closed his eyes, his fingers curling against the shower wall as he fought to breathe, his other hand rubbing back and forth over his sternum roughly, trying to knead away some of that terrible ache.
He stood beneath the water until it started to run cold, then he cut off the shower and stepped out into the steamy bathroom, toweling himself dry and wrapping the towel around his middle before venturing into the apartment in search of Midoriya. There were clothes waiting for him on the kitchen table, sitting beside a freshly peeled orange, apple slices, and a banana. Kirishima smiled down at the little assortment before reaching for the pile of clothes, dressing himself quickly, toweling at his damp hair with one hand while biting into an apple slice with the other.
He hovered in the kitchen while he ate, then once he was satisfied he hung the towel on the back of a chair to dry and followed the sound of Midoriya's voice to his bedroom, finding him reclining against pillows and sheets while talking quietly with someone on the phone.
"Would you? That would be great, Kaminari. Thank you so much."
He glanced up when he realized he was being watched, offering Kirishima a smile and beckoning him into his bedroom, patting the sheets beside him.
"Yeah, of course. Any time you like, I'll be there. Tell Jirou I said hi."
Kirishima stepped closer, crawling into bed beside his friend and resting on his side, watching Midoriya as he smiled and laughed quietly, saying goodbye to Kaminari and setting his phone aside, letting out a soft sigh while meeting Kirishima's eyes.
"Alright. Kaminari agreed to take over your patrol route tonight, so you don't have to worry about anything for the time being. It'll give you some time to sort out your feelings without being around Bakugou." He held Kirishima's eyes, his brow arching a bit as he added hesitantly, "I hope that's okay?"
Kirishima nodded slowly, a soft, calm expression replacing whatever anxiety he had held before. He sighed quietly, rolling onto his back and resting his forearm across his eyes, his bright hair fanned out across the pillows behind him. "Yeah, thanks for that. I guess it would be best if I...took some time to deal with this. At least for tonight."
Midoriya hummed thoughtfully, glancing towards the clock on the nightstand before asking, "Do you typically sleep with background noise? I can put on a movie if you'd like? Or if you wanted your headphones, I put them here. Your phone is here too, right beside mine. The battery was running low, so it's charging."
Kirishima tilted his face towards Midoriya, watching him quietly for a few moments before saying, "You don't have to do so much for me. You know that, right?"
Midoriya met his eyes, holding his gaze for a long moment before asking quietly, "Is it alright if I want to?"
A faint little smile twisted up Kirishima's lips, and he nodded, reaching out and brushing his fingertips along Midoriya's shoulder. "Thank you, for everything. You're a good friend, Midoriya. Thank you for letting me be here."
Midoriya hummed once more, a smile turning up his lips to match Kirishima's. He waited until he was certain he truly wanted to before turning and rolling onto his side, curling up under Kirishima's arm and resting his cheek against his shoulder, laying his palm over Kirishima's broad chest.
For a moment, just a moment, Midoriya wondered what it would be like to lay with Bakugou like this.
For a heartbeat, an aching, twisting heartbeat, Kirishima wondered what it would be like to have Bakugou under his arm, instead of Midoriya.
Kirishima wasn't certain how quickly he drifted off to sleep. When he awoke, the sunlight was filtering in through the blinds of Midoriya's bedroom in golden sheets, and there was a movie playing quietly in the background, the sounds of cooking emanating from the kitchen down the hall. He stretched and rolled onto his side to reach for his phone on the nightstand, checking his messages briefly before setting it aside again, pushing himself up from the sheets and yawning while rubbing at his eyes, taking a few moments to orient himself before getting to his feet.
There was music playing on the radio as he entered the kitchen, and he hovered in the hallway listening to Midoriya's voice as he whispered along with the song, echoing the lyrics just under his breath.
"And here it is, our final night alive…"
Kirishima inhaled a breath, realizing that Midoriya was singing the same song he'd been listening to before, when Midoriya had found him sitting alone in the dark. He stepped closer, listening to Midoriya's voice drifting along with the melody, and when Midoriya realized he was being watched his voice cut off and he blushed shyly, laughing a little and returning his attention to the stove, stirring the noodles in silence. Kirishima arched his brow, exhaling softly through his nose and stepping closer, leaning against the counter at Midoriya's side.
"You didn't have to stop. It sounded good. I like that song."
Midoriya didn't look up, just stirring the noodles while thinking to himself for a moment, then he glanced up and asked hesitantly, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
Kirishima laughed softly, then shook his head and crossed his arms leisurely over his chest. "No, it wasn't that. Maybe it was my stomach telling me it was time to eat. That yakisoba smells amazing."
"Is spicy okay?" Midoriya asked, and Kirishima nodded enthusiastically. He kept Midoriya company while he cooked, and they listened to the radio together, Midoriya not opting to sing again while Kirishima was nearby.
They settled down together to eat at the small kitchen table, sharing soft-boiled eggs, vegetables, and spiced meat between them. Midoriya was quiet as he poked at his noodles with his chopsticks, waiting for them to cool. It took some time before he opted to speak, and when he finally did his voice was softer than Kirishima had expected.
"It really doesn't bother you? When I sing?"
Kirishima blinked in surprise, slurping up his mouthful of noodles and chewing for a moment before swallowing and asking curiously, "No of course not. Why would it bother me? I liked hearing you sing. It was nice, actually. I didn't even realize you liked to sing." He grinned and shrugged a little, adding with a soft peal of laughter, "I guess there's a lot we still don't know about one another, even after the years we spent together at UA. This is nice, hanging out with you. We should do this more often. I'd like that, if you wanted to."
Midoriya was watching him quietly, his eyes shining a bit as he held Kirishima's gaze. He didn't respond for several long moments, then he offered Kirishima a sad smile and nodded, dropping his head a bit. "Y-Yeah, I umm…" He laughed a little, his voice trembling as he spoke. "I'd like that too, if you wanted to hang out with me. That sounds really nice. Thank you, Kiri."
Kirishima wasn't expecting Midoriya's voice to sound so affected, and he set aside his chopsticks to reach over and touch Midoriya's hand, watching him with concern, asking hesitantly, "Midoriya? Are you okay?"
Midoriya made a soft sound of affirmation, nodding his head a little and sniffing lightly, reaching up to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand before tilting his face up and giving Kirishima a bright smile. "I really like singing. I always have." He bit his bottom lip, glancing to the side before saying tentatively, "Kacchan doesn't like it, so I...I try not to sing, when I'm around him. I guess I've gotten so used to it that I don't really sing around anyone else at all. Just when I'm alone."
Hearing Midoriya talk about one of the smallest ways Bakugou had hurt him twisted something deep inside of him, something frightening and dark, something powerful enough that it overwhelmed his own heartache. He frowned and tightened his hold on Midoriya's hand, knitting his brow and exhaling a huff through his nose, searching Midoriya's eyes.
"You can sing around me. You can sing whenever you want. I would love to hear you."
Midoriya's eyes widened a bit, and then suddenly laughter erupted from him, and his freckled cheeks were stained with an embarrassed blush.
He turned his hand over, gripping Kirishima's fingers and squeezing tightly, offering him a genuine, heartfelt smile. "Thank you for saying that, Kiri. That's really sweet."
Kirishima's heart fluttered at that, his brilliant laughter, his radiant, sweet smile. How had he never seen this before, this breathtaking, beautiful side of Midoriya that had been clouded by his affections for Bakugou until now. Midoriya wore his heart on his sleeve, always generous, always open-minded and kind. The moment he had realized Kirishima was upset he'd offered to help him, and while Kirishima was certain Midoriya would likely do as much for any of those he considered his friends a part of him wondered if there was something more to it than that.
He squeezed Midoriya's fingers in kind, holding his eyes and wetting his lips before he tried to speak. "Midoriya? Do you…"
He paused, his confidence wavering, his heart clenching tightly as if it could turn to stone. As if he could somehow protect himself from what might happen if Midoriya rejected him too.
He changed his question, rewording it slightly, hoping he wasn't misreading the signs. Hoping he wasn't wrong. "I'm sorry, I don't want to...to say something I shouldn't. I don't want to ruin this, whatever this is between us. I just, I need to know if-"
Midoriya inhaled and his eyes widened a bit, and the blush that had been fading across his cheeks turned a brilliant shade of bright pink.
"Does this mean something? Are you doing all of this for me just because we're friends? Or is it...is it something more than that…?"
Midoriya was blushing to the tips of his ears, his breaths shaky as he clung to Kirishima's fingers, and despite how red he was he never looked away from Kirishima's eyes. Kirishima watched him quietly, his heartbeat loud as it pounded in his ears, hammering against his ribcage. Midoriya couldn't bring himself to speak, he tried once, twice, but no words came. He clung to Kirishima's fingers desperately, searching his eyes, his brow gradually arching. He looked so worried, so hesitant, so afraid.
Kirishima knew that fear, he felt it within himself now whenever he thought of Bakugou. The fear of saying too much, of doing something unforgivable. Of revealing a part of himself he should have kept locked away inside.
He sighed softly, and a smile twisted up his lips as he nodded slowly, breaking eye contact with Midoriya to look down at their hands instead.
"Alright, I understand. You don't have to say it out loud. I know, Midoriya. It's okay. I know."
Midoriya was trembling so violently Kirishima could feel it quivering up his arm, and he smoothed his fingertips over the other hero's wrist and palm, trying to offer whatever comfort he could.
"I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner. I would have tried to become closer to you, had I realized you had a crush."
"N-No, it's umm…" Midoriya shook his head, glancing down at his bowl of noodles, biting his bottom lip and trying to remember how to breathe. "It's alright, I know that you didn't realize anything. I wasn't exactly trying to be obvious about it. I...I could tell you had feelings for Kacchan, and not me." He paused for a moment to take a breath, then added gingerly, "I didn't want to impose, or hinder your chances to be with him in any way. I thought that he might accept you. I didn't-" He glanced up and met Kirishima's eyes, his brow pinched with concern and regret. "If I had known he would hurt you, I never would have waited. I never would have allowed him to-"
Kirishima was smiling at him. Smiling, in that sunshine, carefree way that had first stolen Midoriya's heart. It caught him off-guard, the brilliance of it, and when Kirishima turned his hand over and laced their fingers together, Midoriya thought his heart might burst.
"You're being protective over me? That's really cute, Midoriya."
Midoriya stammered out something between an excuse and a half-apology, and Kirishima grinned and laughed once more, letting out a shaky sigh and squeezing Midoriya's fingers.
"Do you want to be my boyfriend?"
Midoriya paused at that, watching Kirishima worriedly, chewing at his lip before admitting nervously, "I don't want you to...to jump into something you don't really want, just because Kacchan-"
Kirishima watched him patiently, then leaned a little closer and searched Midoriya's eyes, the other hero watching him and trying not to squeak as Kirishima tilted up his face, planting a soft kiss against his ruddy cheek. "This isn't because of Bakugou." Kirishima reassured softly, "This is because I'm interested in getting to know you more intimately, and the thought of dating you sounds like it would be a lot of fun. For both of us."
He pulled back a bit, holding Midoriya's eyes.
"Is it okay if I want to date you?" His lips turned down a bit, the faintest hint of a frown. "Is that too forward of me to ask you so suddenly? Should I not have?"
Midoriya turned towards Kirishima instantly, reaching out to him with both hands and clasping Kirishima's fingers between his palms, squeezing tightly. "N-No! No it's alright, it's not that. I…" He leaned a little closer, his irises shimmering in the sunlight. "I like the idea of dating you too. Of being boyfriends with you. I just…" He glanced down a bit, his voice tightening as he forced out on an exhale, "I don't want Kacchan to have any reason to treat you badly. Being like that, with me, I don't know if that would ruin your friendship with him. I know how close the two of you are, and I don't want to be the reason you lose your best friend."
Kirishima frowned a little, letting out a soft breath of laughter before replying, "I dunno about that. Confessing to him last night might have ruined our friendship well enough without you being any part of it."
Midoriya frowned a little, his brow still arched as he asked quietly, "Do you really want to be with me? Are you sure I'm good enough?"
Kirishima blinked in surprise, frowning as well and reaching up with his free hand to cup Midoriya's cheek. "What would make you say that? Just because I like Bakugou, that doesn't mean I like you any less, or I'm trying to somehow use you as a replacement after being rejected. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. That wasn't my intention at all, really. Shit."
He dropped his hand a little, exhaling a heavy sigh, chuckling to himself softly.
"I'm really bad at this, aren't I? My timing sucks, and I'm giving you mixed feelings. If you don't want to date me, I understand. I just…"
He paused for a moment, tracing his thumb back and forth against Midoriya's hand.
"I think you're really sweet, and now that I know Bakugou and I are never going to happen, I can focus my attention on finding someone who will genuinely return my feelings, someone who would be glad to do so."
He grinned sheepishly, reaching up and rubbing at his nape with his free hand.
"I don't know what will happen between us, but if you're interested in giving things a try, I would be happy to share my feelings with you as they grow. If it turns out we're better off as just friends, that's okay too. We just have to talk about it, and work out our feelings together." He grinned and chuckled a little, adding, "I guess we'll never know unless we try, right?"
Midoriya considered for a moment, searching Kirishima's eyes for a long while before asking gingerly, "Is it alright if...if we take things really slow?"
Kirishima's smile widened at that, and he nodded eagerly, squeezing Midoriya's fingers tightly. "Yeah, yeah of course we can! We can take this at whatever pace you'd like. I just...I need you to promise me you'll talk to me about how you're feeling, so I know for sure that we're both on the same page?"
Midoriya nodded, and the relief in his expression was enough to get Kirishima's butterflies fluttering wildly once again. "I'd really, really like that Kiri. Being able to talk with you openly about what I'm feeling, and hearing from you directly about what you're feeling as well...that would make me really happy." He grinned and drew back one of his hands, reaching up and tucking some of his hair behind an ear, his other fingers still entwined tightly with Kirishima's. "I'm so glad you're invested in open communication. You have no idea how much that helps with my anxiety. Thank you so much for being patient with me. I'm sorry if it seemed like I wasn't enthusiastic before. I'd really, really like to date you. If that's still okay?"
Kirishima couldn't quiet his laughter, tears gathering in his eyes as Midoriya watched him and grinned, still blushing lightly, the two heroes sitting close together and sharing a comfortable silence while finally returning to their meals.
They crawled back into bed together once they were finished, Midoriya cuddling up against Kirishima's chest with a little blush while Kirishima petted over his side gently, checking in with Midoriya now and then to make sure the other hero was comfortable with wherever he touched.
They watched a movie together, tracing fingertips along skin and basking in one another's warmth, before eventually Midoriya tilted his face up and caught Kirishima's eyes, Kirishima smiling down at him fondly.
"Are you comfortable? Do you need me to reposition at all?"
"No, no everything's fine. This is really comfortable, actually." Midoriya sighed contentedly, thinking for a moment before voicing his original thought. "I was wondering if we should keep this between us for now, the whole dating thing. Or if...if it would be alright if I told Asui we're…" He blushed a bit, searching Kirishima's eyes, "...that you're my boyfriend?"
Kirishima blushed a little and grinned impishly, squeezing Midoriya's side and petting along his ribs gently. "Yeah, I mean. I'm comfortable with you telling her. She isn't exactly the type to gossip. Though I'm not sure if we should mention it to anyone who would say something to Bakugou quite yet."
Midoriya hummed his agreement, nodding as well. "I didn't say much to Kaminari about what was happening when I asked him to take your route tonight. Unless Bakugou brings it up first, I'll play it off as if you were sick or something should Kaminari ask."
Kirishima nodded a little, leaning down and planting a kiss to Midoriya's crown, the other hero blushing and hiding his face against Kirishima's chest, curling his fingers in the fabric of his borrowed shirt.
This was nice, really nice. Laying beside one another, sharing one another's warmth, talking openly about their thoughts and feelings. Midoriya could barely comprehend it, how much everything had changed since that morning. Kirishima had gone from confessing his feelings to Bakugou, to being rejected by him, and now subsequently sharing his feelings with Midoriya and asking him out instead.
It felt a little rushed, thinking about how all of it had happened back to back in the course of a few hours, but Midoriya pushed his initial anxieties aside, forcing them into the background. Kirishima was honest and candid with his feelings, and Midoriya had no reason to doubt his intent or sincerity. For now, he didn't want to think about anything else but this. Enjoying Kirishima's scent, his steady heartbeat, curling up against his toned side and taking in everything the other hero had to offer.
It had been so long since he'd been held like this, it made him feel too many things all at once, his chest twisting and his throat taut.
Kirishima noticed his tension, smoothing his hand over Midoriya's shoulder and asking gently, "Is this alright? Are you sure you're okay with everything I'm doing?"
Midoriya nodded immediately, blushing and looking up to meet Kirishima's eyes. "I like everything you're doing. I like it a lot." He held Kirishima's eyes for a long moment before ducking his head again, hiding against his shoulder and saying in a hushed tone, "I'm just thinking too much."
Kirishima hummed softly, closing his eyes and hugging Midoriya closer, pressing his nose to Midoriya's dark curls and inhaling lightly, taking in the lingering scent of his shampoo and his light, natural musk. He understood well, his own thoughts were restless with everything that had happened on patrol the night before, and everything that had transpired since. Being here like this with Midoriya, curled up in his bed, cuddling with him intimately, it almost felt surreal.
His hand found Midoriya's, pressing his fingers over the smaller digits fanned across his chest, and he exhaled a soft breath that was almost a laugh, kissing Midoriya's forehead before whispering, "It's alright if I spend the night with you?"
Midoriya blushed at that, but nodded his head, flexing his fingers against Kirishima's and relaxing against his chest once more. "I'd really like that, Kiri. I like cuddling like this with you."
"Me too." Kirishima murmured, closing his eyes and allowing his thoughts to settle into something slow and calm, listening to the quiet sounds emitting from the television as he held Midoriya and breathed in his scent. It was soothing in ways he hadn't expected, being close to Midoriya in such a simple way. He wanted more of it, he wanted to see how his feelings for the other hero would change and grow the more they spent time together. He could almost see it, he could begin to imagine a future with the other hero at his side, sharing his happiness with Midoriya.
It felt like his confession to Bakugou had happened a lifetime ago.
With Midoriya resting against his side, petting slow circles over his chest, he forgot the pain he had experienced at being rejected, and opened himself up to the possibility of finding love with Midoriya instead.
Lyrics: As The World Caves In by Matt Maltese
Thanks for reading! More to come!