The weekend moves too slowly for Bakugo. His parents clearly suspicious that he's home more than usual try to give him a wide berth and respect his boundaries. Sunday night he can't hold in the hacking cough that lasts several minutes ending with Katsuki in tears and his mother rushing to his side and pressing the back of a hand to his forehead.
"Katsuki, dear, are you okay?" He flinches back, brushing the hand away furiously.
"I'm fine. 'S just a chest cold." Mitsuki puffs her chest out and ruffles his hair with a little too much force.
"Listen here you little shit! If you get pneumonia because you're not taking care of yourself, I am not taking you to the hospital!" Katsuki brushes her hand off again, standing and walking back to his room with hands in his pockets.
"I said 'm fine."
He knows the muffled voices on the other side of his door are the sounds of his parent's concern, but he shoves a pillow over his head and stares out the window to a tree branch swaying in the breeze until sleep over takes him.
Monday morning is sleepy and quiet. Mist hangs in the air and clings to Bakugo's eyelashes. He shivers. It's definitely time to break out the sweaters. He feels antsy. Winter means less sweat which is great. He becomes less of a ticking time bomb, but it also means he's a bit slow to start. Maybe it's for the best he's out of commission for the time being. His explosions aren't as close at hand.
He plops down into his first period seat as the bell rings leaving Kirishima no time to question him let alone greet him. Bakugo rests his chin in his hand and tries not to stare as Kirishima leans back, arms out stretched to fake a yawn and look back at Bakugo. It's kind of cute.
His brain creeks to a halt. The fuck. No, no, no, no, no. You do not have time for that. Get it the fuck together, Katsuki. He doesn't even like you like that. He's so lost he forgets to pay attention to the time and the bell ringing sends a jolt through his body.
He's hurriedly wiping down his desk when Kirishima starts in on him.
"Hey man, what happened to you Friday?"
"Sick. Had to go home." He slings his bag over his hunched shoulders, trying to hide the way blood rushes to his cheeks. Goddammit. Fuck. This is bullshit.
"Oh man, I'm glad you're feeling better!" Kirishima is doing an excellent job keeping up with him through the crowded hall. "What're you doing after school today?"
"Shopping." He grunts.
"Ooh! Can I come with? Maybe I can help!"
"No." He throws his bag to the ground as he settles into his second period desk.
Kirishima opens his mouth to say more but their teacher interrupts him.
"Mr. Kirishima, you can flirt with Mr. Bakugo later. This better not become a regular thing."
They both blush. Bakugo folds his arms on his desk and buries his face in them as Kirishima laughs and scratches the back of his neck.
"Sorry ma'am!" Bakugo's blood boils as the class breaks out in giggles.
The day continues to inch on at an agonizing pace after that. Bakugo stands outside the doors to the library as lunch starts debating whether or not to go in. He doesn't feel like facing Kirishima if he decides to join him today. He takes a deep breath and heads in regardless.
Mr. Aizawa looks up from his computer as the door clicks open and opens a drawer to his right.
"Bakugo, I have something for you." Bakugo approaches the desk with eyebrows raised. "Here."
In his hand sit a pair of black leather gloves. Katsuki picks them up careful not to touch Mr. Aizawa's hands and turns them over to inspect them before slipping one onto his left hand. It fits like, well…
Bakugo looks at him with an eyebrow quirked.
"I thought they might help ease some of your... anxiety around…" Mr. Aizawa's eyes shift around to make sure no one is listening, but Bakugo gets it and slips the other glove on flexing his fingers.
"Thanks." Mr. Aizawa turns back to his computer as Bakugo heads to his table in the back corner.
"What's going on with you and Bakugo?" Mina asks before he can even set his lunch tray down.
"Wha- what do you mean?"
"I saw you talking to him before second." Kirishima's a little taken aback.
"Yeah, what of it?"
"He didn't really look like he wanted to talk to you." He knows Bakugo was in a bit of a mood this morning, but it's really rubbing him wrong that Mina is digging into his business like this.
He sighs. "What's your point, Mina?"
"Honey, I just don't want to see you get hurt. He clearly has an attitude problem and you're too nice to take a hint!"
He huffs. "You don't know what you're talking about. He was just in a bad mood this morning."
"Bad mood? He's always in a 'bad mood'!"
"How would know? You never even tried to talk to him!" Mina huffs and crosses her arms effectively ending the conversation. The tension between them lasts all through lunch as Kaminari tries to lighten the mood. Mina's words repeat in his mind all through fourth and fifth period. "He didn't really look like he wanted to talk to you." "He clearly has an attitude problem and you're too nice to take hint!" Maybe Mina's right.
He doesn't look at Bakugo or Ashido all through sixth period pretending to focus on the board. Kaminari nudges him as the bell rings and he turns to say something, but Kaminari is pointing forward drawing his attention ahead where Bakugo stands clearing his throat into a closed fist. He looks up, eyes imploring.
"I can't hang out today."
"Okay?" Bakugo looks away towards the door.
"Would tomorrow work?" Kirishima can't hold back the upward tug of his lips.
"Yeah, tomorrow would be fine."
"Okay."
"Okay." And just like that Bakugo walks towards the door without a second glance.
Mina and Denki are still scraping their jaws off their desks as he puts his books away.
"Dude." Kaminari shakes his head blinking. "Dude. Are you and Bakugo, like, friends?"
Kirishima hums. "Looks like it."
Ashido looks down at her shoes kicking at a scuff mark on the tile floor. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Hmm? What was that?" Mina rolls her eyes.
"Ugh! I said I'm sorry! I was wrong!" Kirishima smirks.
"Mina was wrong? What am I missing?" Sero asks as he joins them walking out the school building.
"You're not going to believe this, but guess who asked Eijiro out."
"What?" Sero sputters. "Bakugo? No way!" Kaminari practically cackles.
"He didn't ask me out. We're just hanging out." He elbows Denki in the ribs.
"Wow dude! I'm glad Mina was wrong!"
"Hey!"
"What?"
They keep going like that the whole way to Sero's all four squished up under one umbrella. Kirishima smiles the whole afternoon through dinner and even as he slides into bed that evening feeling like he just took a giant step forward.
The walk to the mall is brutal in the pouring rain. He's a dripping mess by the time he gets there, but the fact that he feels naked without a costume to change into should potential danger arise keeps his feet moving forward even as his lungs ache.
He grabs a few long sleeve black turtlenecks and a few pairs of black sweatpants not taking any chances if his clothes take damage again. He's about to check out when he passes the camping section with its thermal layers and grabs some thermal leggings for under his sweats.
The employees of the shoe store shoot him disgusted looks as he peels off wet socks to slip on a pair of fresh socks and steel toed boots. He buys those too. He starts for the mall exit when something in the sporting goods store catches his eye. He ducks in quickly, turning the item over carefully examining. He checks his wallet. Just enough.
Mitsuki looks like she's about to start in on him when he arrives home shivering, but there's a trace of a smile on his face so she drops it.
"You better not catch pneumonia." She grumbles. I worry about you.
"Hag." I love you.
"Ungrateful brat." I love you too.
Speaking Bakugo might as well be a second language, but Masaru shakes his head with a smile understanding completely. Katsuki and his mom have a glaring competition over dinner when Katsuki sneezes, but neither say a word.
That night he digs his purchases out of the bags he hastily shoved under his bed and tries them on shoving the extras in the back of his closet. He smirks at his reflection and ties on his new mash. He looks… intimidating. Who knew he'd look so good in a fitted black turtleneck.
He carefully takes off each piece of clothing, folding them and slipping them into his bag noticeably bulkier and heavier with the addition of the steel toed boots. Bakugo sleeps easy that night.
There's something off about Bakugo. He can't quite put his finger on what. He leans back in his seat with a yawn more than once to sneak a peek at the other boy scribbling down notes with one hand and resting his chin on the other. He looks good with gloves. He thinks absently. Like some manly rebel biker. Images of Bakugo in a red jacket straddling a motorcycle flit through his mind. He leans back again locking eyes with Bakugo.
He doesn't realize he's been staring until their teacher snaps his attention back with a sharp, "Kirishima, what was the answer to number ten?"
He face feels hot as the legs of his chair hit the tile with a clack.
"Uh, I, uh, I don't know."
"Then maybe you should be paying more attention in class."
Class moves on but the warmth in his face doesn't fade even as he stares resolutely at the board ahead.
By lunch he's looking around the library confused. Where could Bakugo be? He sits at their regular table for five minutes before getting up with a huff and pacing back to the cafeteria with his hands in his pockets.
He's walking up to the gangs usual table open mouth ready to tell Kaminari off when he notices there's an extra head. An extra blond head. He's sitting a full seat away from the rest of the group, but even from where Kirishima is standing just out of ear shot he makes out a fuck you on Bakugo's lips. He plops down in the seat between Kaminari and Bakugo bridging the gap.
"Since when do you eat lunch in the cafeteria?"
"Since I was fucking hungry and the shitty librarian kicked me out for trying to sneak food in." He won't look Kirishima in the eyes. Determined to keep his head down in his book and hurl insults whenever the group talks about him like he isn't there.
Kaminari leans in to whisper in his ear, "Yo, why is Bakugo sitting with us?"
He offers a shrug digging into his lunch.
They collectively notice it after lunch and brush it off as a fluke, but after sixth as their packing up their bags and Bakugo is sitting there waiting with a head propped up by a gloved hand Mina leans in whispering to Kirishima and Kaminari, "He didn't wipe down his desk. Why isn't he wiping down his desk?"
All eyes turn to him. "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"
Kaminari looks over in Bakugo's direction receiving a glare in return. They drop it putting away the last of notebooks and pencils.
Kirishima starts edging around the desk when Mina pulls him into a hug fake sobbing.
"You were a great friend, Eijiro! It was nice knowing you!" He watches Bakugo stand rolling his eyes and tries to gently push Mina off.
"Mina, I'm not dying. I'll see you tomorrow."
They exit the classroom and when Kirishima turns back around Ashido and Kaminari are dramatically clutching their hearts and wailing.
"Farewell sweet Kirishima! I knew thee well!"
"Idiots." Bakugo mutters and Kirishima can't help but chuckle.
"Yeah, those are my idiots." He smiles fondly.
They're already a block from the school when he turns to Bakugo suddenly.
"So, what did you want to do? We could play basketball over at the gym or go to the mall or whatever. I'm game for anything."
Bakugo pulls his scarf tighter. His cheeks are already pink from the cold winter air. "I guess the park could be nice."
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Kirishima grins.
The walk over to the park is quiet, but amicable. It's a small park. Mostly open field for dogs to run and a swing set for four. The rest is woods with winding trails overlooking the river bank. The city is mostly occupied with river and hiking trails that run over and through it from suburban areas at the edge of the city to the heart of downtown with its wide canals and historic industrial zones.
They take a seat on the swings.
"So," Kirishima starts, drawing the syllables out slowly, "have you always lived in the city?"
Bakugo looks out over the grass where a man is playing fetch with his dog. Shaggy golden fur bouncing and swaying with every step. There's a pregnant pause as he watches Bakugo watching the dog. He's thinking of other things to say to fill the silence when Bakugo finally, quietly, answers.
"We used to live in the 'burbs. Mom's job is in the city anyways. We came here a lot when I was a kid."
"Oh. Well I guess that's got to make it easier to adjust if you already know you're way around." They both watch as the man and dog pick up the ball one last time and exit the park. "Why'd you move?"
Bakugo stares at his feet in silence, then stands abruptly.
"It's cold. We should keep walking." He's kicking at the dirt by his feet. Shit. I shouldn't have asked.
"Yeah. I'm starting to lose feeling in my toes." They shuffle into the cold shadow trees. Bakugo pulls his scarf tighter as the trees dense and sunlight becomes sparse. They don't talk as they wind their way over rocks and roots downhill. Eventually, they reach an overlook with a small wooden bench just off the path high above the river and twisting vine and vegetation leading down to it. Bakugo sits waiting for him to close the last couple meters and stares out over the river.
"Shit. It's going to get dark soon." Bakugo says as he looks down at his phone.
They watch as the sun sets over the river bank and the turbulent waters shine golden with the hour.
"Should we head back?"
"Nah," Bakugo stands and turns back to the trail, hair glowing gold. "These trails don't go on forever. It'll take longer to hike back uphill. Let's keep going and we'll get a ride back."
The trail curves around rock face and sure enough, within minutes they're at another trail head. There's a short hike uphill before they reach concrete and they're walking straight into the skyscrapers and office buildings of downtown.
"You seemed really into that." Kirishima notes conversationally.
"Mhmm," Bakugo hums, "My dad us to take us hiking on the weekends before his job got too demanding." He doesn't continue and to Kirishima it feels odd like he had realized he was sharing too much and stopped completely.
"I've lived here my whole life and I don't think I've ever been down there. It's a great shortcut to downtown if I ever need to come back down here." Kirishima starts talking just to fill the silence. When he gets back home that evening he doesn't remember 90% of what he had said up until Bakugo stopped in the middle of the sidewalk suddenly, his eyes sliding forward to see what's got him wide eyed like he's watching a car crash he can't look away from.
Across the street a few meters ahead, three guys of varying height and body type walk into a broadcasting station, guns drawn. He turns back to Bakugo and their eyes lock.
"We need to get help. I'll go this way," Bakugo says pointing up the street, "you go that." And points in the direction they came from. Kirishima nods and they both take off at a sprint. They don't call anyone. They both stumble into an alley way. They both hastily throw their bags to the ground.