What did I forget?
The question hovers as insistent as a mosquito while Eijirou pays at the local mart, trailing him back to the dorms where he unpacks food into the shared fridge.
"Yo, is there a test soon or something?" Eijirou turns towards the rustling bags, expecting to find Bakugou rifling around for the spices he'd requested - but he's only talking to the humming vents, usually muffled by Bakugou blasting everyone out of the kitchen. "Hm."
Hunting for clues, he scans the colorful reminders magnetized to the fridge door. The bright notes worked well for the forgetful but food-driven class members - pink for Mina, yellow for Kaminari and red for himself. (It's embarrassing to have a note explaining that as well.)
Nope, no hints there.
Kaminari shuffles into the kitchen and reads the schedule over his shoulder with a whine. "Mina's cooking and I have to wash up? That's gotta be against some hero law."
"Better ask someone else about those." Eijirou laughs as he starts on a sandwich. "Besides, Mina tries really hard with her cooking - it isn't so bad if you eat around the burnt bits." And the raw bits and the undercooked bits ...
"Not just that! She melts the pots into weird shapes too." Kaminari complains, leaning against the counter where Eijirou prepares his food. "I know she's like your best friend, but how can I wash up something that looks like an art project!?"
Realization slams into Eijirou like a landslide - Bakugou isn't here.
Catching up with his provisional license, Bakugou would be across town working hard until the last second of the session. The huge difference is that afterward, he would be going on to meet Aiko. Punctual people by nature, Eijirou panics that they must have already arrived at the restaurant - alone.
Abandoning his meal and Kaminari's shouts of confusion, a hundred scenarios flash before his eyes as he shoves on his sturdy trainers and sets off at a dead sprint.
Racing through town reminds him of a Ground Beta endurance test, the aim being to answer an alarm blaring many blocks away. Nobody had escaped that test without intense cramps and nightmares of Aizawa's sadistic smile as he sounded another alarm in the opposite direction.
This time it's his own alarm sending him thundering down the sidewalk.
Bursting through the door of the yakitori-ya , he folds in half from exertion and drowns in the rich scent of roasting meats. His concern wavers upon the sight of charcoal cooked chicken and his stomach growls greedily. "Shh." He scolds as he searches for any signs of detonation from one explosive blonde.
"Eijirou!"
Aiko waves him over and her trio of rings glint above her hardened knuckles, two obsidian and one ruby. The sleeve of her black jacket bumps into the red lantern lighting their table from above and Eijirou catches her expression in the wobble of light. As with all the Kirishima family, her emotions play openly across her face and she appears genuinely relaxed.
Which should be impossible, given who she sits opposite.
"Sorry for being so late!" Eijirou apologizes as he catches his breath, sliding into the booth. When he flicks a glance across the table he suddenly aches for air again.
Bakugou looks absolutely beautiful.
Eijirou's had fleeting thoughts about his friend's handsomeness before, but it's as if he'd dialed it all the way up into startling clarity. Bakugou's resting harsh expression had softened, his scowl nowhere to be found and even his blonde shock of hair seemed tamed. All the abrasive edges had been sanded away and it leaves Eijirou speechless.
"Hello, Kirishima." Bakugou greets politely, resting his head on his fist as a stunned Eijirou blinks rapidly. Wasn't he just at his license training? Why does he look this good?
"Hey." Eijirou rasps after an age and weakly gestures beside him. "Uh, this is my mom … as you know." Tripping over his words, he feels like an idiot as he wipes his flushed forehead across from an adonis.
Aiko raps her knuckles against his stomach under the table to get his attention. "This is who you wanted me to meet, right? The way you talked about him totally gave a different impression!" Her brows pinch in bemusement. "You know, he bowed when introducing himself and said he's already paid for this whole meal."
That doesn't sound like Bakugou at all.
"Mhm… this is him." Eijirou replies, unsurely.The sense of something being wrong increases when Bakugou clears his throat, a small and easily ignorable interruption.
"Kirishima-san, I understand your hesitation about letting your son travel overseas with me given my reputation." Bakugou's rough tone doesn't match at all with his formal argument and it only causes Eijirou's confusion to grow. "The risk to his life would be low given that he has earned his provisional license and once on I-island, would be surrounded by Pro-heroes."
A beat of trepidation passes and Eijirou's brows shoot into the sky as Bakugou continues, "He's also saved my life before." His polite smile twists upwards, "I didn't make it easy for him."
Aiko glances over curiously as his whole face reddens, scratching his head hesitantly. "Come on man, that's…"
Kamino wasn't something they made into a big deal - Eijirou would never want a grand gesture of gratitude and Bakugou wasn't the type to make one. Their unspoken middle ground became that if one reached out, then the other would be there without question.
Acknowledging that in front of Aiko (who doesn't know the full extent of Eijirou's actions that night) makes him want to sink through the floor.
"Wow - look at these skewers!" Eijirou exclaims in a loud diversion. "Here, you gotta try 'em." He quickly dishes them out and Aiko digs in with delight, although Bakugou seems more interested in his reactions than the food.
"Not hungry?" Eijirou asks as the Kirishimas devour their own weight in meat.
Bakugou tilts his head into his hand, smiling quietly. "Watching you eat is enough for me."
"Eijirou!" Aiko complains, thumping his back ruthlessly as he chokes. "Your manners are terrible today." Waving an apology, he drinks some water and wonders if this is an elaborate method of murder.
After they work through a few plates, Bakugou rises from the table with a polite excuse and an inexplicable waft of roses follows his departure.
"Well," Aiko wipes her mouth and gives Eijirou a pointed look. "He certainly put a lot of effort into asking my permission to take you out."
The sun couldn't compare to the heat on his face right now. "Please don't phrase it like that ." He begs, but then murmurs hopefully, "I don't know why, but he really seems to want me to go to I-island with him."
Aiko's rocky knuckles tap against the tabletop in consideration before she sighs. "I just worry about how far away the island is - the timing coincides with my own trip so, if you run into trouble, I can't come to you." Even the thought of it makes her eyes water, squeezing Eijirou's arm. "Do you want to go that bad?"
The sight of her tears makes his own start to fall. "I really do." He sniffs then declares, "I won't get into any trouble, promise!"
Aiko laughs heartily and wipes both their eyes with napkins. "Sure you won't!" Drying her face, she thumps his shoulder. "No telling your siblings about this, else I'll say you were crying over a boy … again ."
Her sharp grin turns wicked in amusement and Eijirou whines, "I wasn't!" Caught up in defending himself when Bakugou slides into the seat opposite them, he yells, "I wasn't crying over you!"
Embarrassment washes painfully over him and he can't meet Bakugou's eyes for the rest of the meal. Instead, his gaze slides just past and squints in confusion at two figures in a booth further down the restaurant.
Camie Utsushimi - a friend of Bakugou's, although he would never admit to it. Their friendship had been surprising to everyone but, to Eijirou, it made sense that Bakugou would socialize with a second year student to learn more and get ahead. Strangely, their combined bluntness seemed to amuse both of them as nobody was left with hurt feelings.
That said, her wide-eyed intensity in their direction was a bit much. So focused on their table, Camie ignores her own guest who hunches over the table in a black hoodie. They pull their hood higher - but not enough to hide the wild blonde spikes.
Bakugou's attractiveness, polite manners along with the fact he hadn't touched his food and Camie's appearance suddenly made sense. Eijirou lights up in understanding, grinning at Camie to let her know that he'd put the puzzle pieces together. He raises his brow questioningly, pointing at the boy in black at her table.
Camie covers her smile and nods.
"Excuse me." The glamour of Bakugou says and retreats in another rose scented sweep to Camie, popping like a bubble when she pokes it. Through the burst apparition, the real Bakugou comes striding towards them - blonde hair matted by sweat, he slams down his crumpled cup with a bang and barks out, "Can your dumbass son come to the island or not?"
I'm so glad you're back.
Two ends of a wire meeting, that same charge sparks alive and adrenaline fires inside him. Rising up, he hits his fists together and his voice climbs excitedly, "Yeah! Let me go!"
"No villain will get to him with me around," Bakugou claims, crossing his arms confidently. "I'd kill them."
"He totally could!" Eijirou shakes Aiko's shoulder enthusiastically. "You've seen his moves, they wouldn't even get close!" Jabbing the air in demonstration, he gets a blonde nod of approval.
"This is more what I was expecting," Aiko admits as she looks between the two determined boys and, sensing an avoidable fight, checks her watch with a sigh. "If I leave now, I can catch Emiko before her shift so we can talk about your trip."
Eijirou whoops joyfully and catches Bakugou's small smile.
"Enjoy the rest of the meal," Aiko stands, dropping a kiss to Eijirou's forehead that he quickly wipes off as she scolds lightheartedly, "I'm paying next time!"
"I'm faster." Bakugou scowls, not giving room to argue.
Aiko laughs loudly, unconcerned by the stares it draws as she waves goodbye and steps outside and draws out her phone. It's really happening! Eijirou thinks cheerfully as Bakugou yanks his arm to make him sit, slumping back against the seat with a satisfied smirk.
"That was easy as shit."
"It somehow worked!" Eijirou runs a hand through his hair in disbelief - in the end, his mother had met a glamour of Bakugou instead of the real deal. "Man, I've really got to say thanks." Across the table, Bakugou seems to tense but Eijirou doesn't question it as he cups his mouth and cheers towards Camie, "Thank you for helping!"
"Don't get, like, killed!" Camie calls back from the restaurant doorway, throwing a peace sign and a wink.
"Ha?" Bakugou snaps around to flip off the retreating second year. "The fuck you groveling to her for?"
Eijirou tugs at his wrist with a noise of complaint to get him to stop the rude gesture. "She totally did the heavy lifting of that plan, it would be unmanly to not acknowledge."
"Well, she's shit with her quirk if you even noticed it wasn't me." Bakugou points out, ripping his wrist away.
"Dude, I knew that wasn't you when it said hello." Eijirou laughs as he stacks the empty plates on the table.
Bakugou flicks around his destroyed cup before curiosity gets the better of him. "How?"
"You called me Kirishima ." That alone should have given the game away, but he'd been very distracted.
"I do that." Bakugou mutters but it doesn't sound convincing.
Eijirou grins brightly and his eyes crinkle in crescents of happiness. "Nah, you really don't."
I wouldn't have it any other way.
THE BAKUSQUAD
Chat members: Bakugou Katsuki, Kirishima Eijirou, Mina Ashido, Sero Hanta, Jirou Kyouka +1 other
Kaminari: yo Kirishima thanks for the free meal. totally saved me from eating minas creations. [Attached image: Kaminari holding the sandwich in his mouth and giving a thumbs up.]
Kaminari: where did you go tho? you ran out scary quick
Mina: i'm on this chat too! ⋋_⋌
Mina: i tried calling ei and he didn't pick up. what happened?
Kaminari: idk he was making food and then just bolted. he seemed pretty freaked out
Sero: do you think we need aizawa?
Jirou: Let's search the dorms first, he might have come back and we didn't notice.
Mina: ill ask tetsutetsu!
Sero: we asked around but nobody has seen him here.
Jirou: He's not in any of the girls dorms either.
Kaminari: he's allowed over? man what does he even do there
Sero: focus dude.
Kaminari: he's not in his room
Mina: well there's one person who will know where he is
Kaminari: nope. no way
Sero: you gotta man, for kirishima.
Kaminari: damn
Kaminari: i lived! only because bakugous not in his room either. what the hell is going on?
Jirou: I know he gets picked up for the doctors around this time, but I haven't heard any cars pull up outside.
Kaminari: rich boy with his private dr. can't he just take a multivitamin like the rest of us?
Sero: you should really get checked out.
Mina: okay im pretty worried now. i asked in the class 1a and class 1b chats but nobodys seen him anywhere. i called his mom and sister but didn't get through to them. let's find aizawa!
Bakugou: Stop running around headless. He's with me.
Kaminari: huh? since when are you on this chat?
Mina: is ei okay?
Sero: where did you guys go?
Bakugou: All of you are too damn noisy. We went to eat.
Kaminari: wait… you totally went out to avoid minas cooking didn't you?
Sero: that's gold! kirishimas going to be mad you sold him out though.
Mina: so mean! anyway, ei loves my cooking ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～
Bakugou: He doesn't. Learn from me so you don't make him sick again, it's annoying.
Jirou: So, you're both okay?
Bakugou has left the chat
Jirou: I'll take that as a yes.
The sun lowers in the sky as Bakugou and Eijirou amble their way back to the UA dorms. It's a nice route, now that he can actually appreciate it. The cherry trees shake their blossoms to the ground in the light breeze and his thoughts wander in the lull of the evening.
He also saved my life. Watching you eat is enough for me. Eijirou clamps down on his lips, but his laughter slips out anyway and he has to hold his stomach as amusement takes over. "Dude!" Bakugous confused look just sets him off again, struggling to get the words out. "The things she made you - ha - made you say!"
"What?" Bakugou asks directly, frowning as Eijirou tries to pull himself together.
Deciding to risk death, he teases just a little. "You said I was a true hero. Well, you said it more poetically like, my sturdiness would never erode but I got the basic idea." He grins, ready for the heavy denial and stream of insults.
Bakugou considers him then scuffs the ground. "At least her glamour didn't lie."
Without registering the words he laughs again. As the realization sinks in, his laughter trails off and heat creeps up his face. It was fine for some crazy attractive and polite version of Bakugou to say those things, but there is no world in which he can cope with his Bakugou believing the same to be true.
"Say something." Bakugou demands, shoulders climbing higher and refusing to meet his sappy gaze.
"Bro…"
Bakugou rolls his eyes. "Say something else."
Eijirou rubs the back of his neck, an embarrassing amount of affection curling in his chest. "You think that?" He asks softly. Bakugou shrugs with disinterest and his heart clenches, reaching out to tap the blondes shoulder. "Just checking you're not still a glamour." His hand gets slapped away and he laughs, a little affected by that much of a compliment.
He can't help but bounce along with this lightness in his heart, Bakugou slowing his pace so he doesn't stride ahead. "How did you get Camie involved anyway?" He asks curiously, trying to imagine where that conversation even started.
Bakugou kicks at a rock. "I promised her a date."
Eijirou falters, a twisting in his chest that forces out the pleasant fluttering from moments before. "Oh." Whatever his voice sounds like, makes Bakugou glance over. "No, nothing, I just…didn't think she was your type? I mean, she's all about trickery and illusions and you're more direct, but then that's personality and I guess she's attractive-"
Bakugou pulls on his arm and forces them to a halt. "It's not a damn date with me, you idiot."
"Oh?"
"I'm getting her the phone number of some stupid model from my parents fashion business." Bakugou spells out slowly.
"Oh." That makes a lot more sense than the picture he'd been trying to piece together. His arm drops as Bakugou releases it, clearly a little irritated with the insinuation. "So, you're going to ask this guy for his number? That's going to be a sight to see."
Bakugou huffs in disagreement. "I've asked for your number before."
'Asking' was a very strong way to phrase what had happened.
Eijirou had been changing after a brilliant training session, feeling like he'd put up a pretty good fight. A shadow loomed over his locker and he let out an unmanly scream as Bakugou slammed the metal door shut. It's been a good life. He remembers thinking as something pressed into his hand.
"Put your number in." Bakugou had ordered and still fearing for his life, he entered his information under the contact named Shitty Hair. He'd barely finished typing when the phone was snatched away and the owner shouldered past. Everyone in the changing room had stared as he sank against his locker and processed that he had survived.
At the time, he had no clue what Bakugou could want with his number.
When he'd gone to investigate the unknown text simply reading Ground Beta, 6pm and come back with his shirt blasted apart and red spiked hair falling into his grinning face, he'd learnt that Bakugou was the direct kind. And a really good brawler. "Did you get in a fight?" Mina had asked as she assessed the damage. "Ha, yeah! Bakugou wanted to hang out." His friends had been concerned about Bakugous' idea of 'hanging out' but it didn't deter him from going again and again.
"I'm glad you did." He knocks their shoulders together, starting to smile. "And hey, I'm also glad about the whole glamour since it ended up working in our favor but… you could've just come as yourself, man."
They turn onto a quiet street close to UA, walking in pace with each other.
"I didn't want to fuck up." Bakugou brutally admits, forcing the words out so harshly that it makes his heart skip. In such a rare moment of honesty, all Eijirou wants to do is reach out. His thoughts must be loud because Bakugou slows down and mutters, "Get it over with."
Delighted, he throws his arms around Bakugou and pulls him in tight with a happy noise. He doesn't hug back, just rests his chin on the redheads shoulder. All the effort his friend had put into today and it was because he didn't want to mess up something important to Eijirou. He's seriously so lucky.
Bakugou moves and he expects a sharp shove of rejection as the seconds tick past - instead, a hesitant palm comes to rest on Eijirous' back like it wasn't sure it belonged there. Tears well in his eyes and he can't help burrowing closer. So very lucky.
"Don't cry." Bakugou stresses, sounding uncomfortable.
"I can't help it, I'm overwhelmed!"
"Then calm down!" Bakugou snaps in confusion.
"Okay!" Eijirou agrees cheerfully.
"You're just getting more worked up though?" He can feel Bakugous' glare against the side of his face and laughs. Suddenly, his friend goes incredibly tense and his hesitant hand turns into a rigid claw.
"Bakugou?" He checks, pulling back to see an absolutely furious expression on his face as he locks onto something past Eijirous' shoulder. Behind them, he sees a curly head of green hair where Midoriya stares in shock.
The chirping birds fill the silence.
"So, Kacchans' the type to yell in a hug…" Midoriya mutters and like a starting pistol, Bakugou rips away with ferocious insults pouring from his mouth.
Sighing at the lost moment, he catches up and pulls at Bakugous' shoulder to stop him looming over a shaken Midoriya. "Hey man." He greets, managing to work his arm between them like a barricade.
"Kirishima! I didn't mean to interrupt - ah!" Midoriya jumps backwards as Bakugou fires off an angry explosion that makes Eijirou knock him in the stomach with his hardened elbow.
"Chill out." He complains with real frustration. He doesn't know what happened between the two of them, but he wouldn't be much of a man to do nothing in this situation. "You didn't interrupt anything, don't worry about it." He assures.
"I saw Mitsukis' car around the corner and thought you might have got the wrong street? It's for your doctors' appointment, isn't it?" Midoriya rambles nervously and it makes him wonder how long Bakugou had been visiting this doctor, if even his childhood friend knew about it.
"Nothing is fucking wrong!" Bakugou spits and it doesn't sound like he's answering anything, just lashing out his embarrassment as anger. "Come on Shitty Hair, lets-"
"Nah, you go ahead man." Eijirou cuts him off. A flash of surprise comes across Bakugous' face, before he tenses and walks away.
It hurts to see but at least he's respecting the line Eijirou had always made pretty clear - while he considers them close friends, he doesn't want any part in his anger at Midoriya. Sighing, he helps to pick up the groceries that had scattered on the ground. "Sorry about that." He apologizes, taking a number of bags to carry them back to the dorms. "I think he just got embarrassed."
Midoriya glances at him, appearing flustered. "You did seem pretty close."
"Hm? I mean we are friends but I really don't like how he treats you." Eijirou explains with a shrug.
"That's not what I… oh, have you checked your messages at all?" Midoriya suddenly asks as they arrive at the dorms and change their shoes. "We were worried that you weren't answering and I think Aizawa was almost called."
He hadn't even noticed his phone was missing. As the door opens, a cry of relief rings out and he startles as Mina and Kaminari spring him with a surprise hug. "Uh," He passes the bags to Midoriya around his friends, who looks like he's trying not to laugh. "Sorry to worry you?"
"Do you hate my cooking?" Mina cries with big blotchy tears in her black eyes. "Tell me how you got into the girls dorm!" Kaminari begs with just as many tears, clinging to his arms.
It was nice to be missed.
Evening gradients spread out across the sky as Eijirou makes a lap around the UA grounds. With too much energy to sleep, the steady push and pull of muscles calms him down. He slows when a familiar car stops on the street and a blonde boy slams the door shut. Curiously, no shouting follows as he marches his way back towards the dorms with every step screaming distress.
"Bakugou!" He calls out in concern and the figure stops, waiting for him to catch up. Eijirou lays a hand on his shoulder when he sees a scowl that barely hides sadness. "What - are you okay?"
Whatever had happened during his doctor visit had clearly shaken Bakugou, in a way few things could. His breathing comes out harsh and sharp, fists tense by his side as if ready to fight his doctors' verdict. Nobody knows the reasons for the visits but it's clearly bad news. "Shit man, I'm so sorry." He commiserates, not thinking as he gives his friend a supportive hug.
Running a hand over his back, he tries to get a glimpse of Bakugous face where it angles downwards. From what he can see, it's been a pretty tough time for his friend and he really doesn't want to leave him alone. But that's not something he can just say.
"This is probably not the right time to ask but, I totally didn't do the work for tomorrow." He watches carefully as Bakugou breathes out, steadying himself until he pushes back with a half hearted glare.
"What's the point of those reminders if they don't even do shit?" Bakugou demands though his voice catches a few times. He shakes his head, brushing away the last remains of their hug. "Come on. I'll beat the lessons into your skull so you don't fucking fail."
As they work late into the night, it's a relief to see Bakugous worries fade into the background as he focuses on the scratch of pencils on paper and endless equations. Eijirou doesn't ask what happened and Bakugou doesn't offer any explanations - but when the redhead reaches out with a comforting touch, the other leans in.
It's the quiet understanding that, no matter what happens, they will emerge victorious.