Archive of Our Own ^beta

~1~

“Just do it!” Ashido whispered, shoving him forward. “Go on, Kiri!” 

Kirishima took a deep breath, wiping his slightly sweaty palms on his shorts. This is fine.

“Hey, Bakugou?” 

Bakugou grunted.

“Uh, is this a bad time?” 

Bakugou gestured to the half-finished English essay in front of him. “What do you think?” 

Kirishima gulped. “So, no, then…” he retreated to his spot on the couch. As he flopped down with a sigh, Ashido turned to him. “No luck?” 

“English essay.” 

She nodded in understanding. After a moment, she paled. “Oh, shoot- I haven’t even started that! It’s due tomorrow, right?”

“Five thousand words, beginning of class,” Kirishima confirmed, patting her sympathetically as she screamed into the nearest throw pillow.

~2~

Two days later, they were having a calculus study session that consisted of Bakugou yelling equations and “how many times do I need to remind you not to forget the chain rule” at Kaminari as Kirishima shushed the pair in an attempt to prevent them from being kicked out of the library, while Ashido and Sero played Uno with Pokemon-themed cards. 

Eventually, they were shooed out anyway, but by that point they had been ready to leave (Bakugou being the only one who had actually studied and was truly prepared for the following day’s test). The moment they exited the double doors, Ashido, Sero, and Kaminari took off toward the dorms, screaming about how last place would have to do dishes. Meanwhile, Kirishima and Bakugou stood there together, Bakugou watching the trio’s race and Kirishima watching Bakugou.

Should I confess?

We’re alone, and nothing’s going to jump out and disturb us… and it’s a good time, since we just got done studying… 

“Bakugou–”

“Shitty Hair–” 

Kirishima stumbled over his words. “You first.” 

Bakugou slung his bookbag over his shoulder. “You comin’ or not? Ain’t no way I’m letting those losers beat us to the dorms.” 

Kirishima forced a smile. “Yeah, let’s go,” he answered, taking off before Bakugou could ask what he had intended to say. 

~3~

A week later, they were at the arcade on a group outing that Aizawa-sensei had finally agreed to after months of begging and five hard-earned A’s on the calculus test. 

“Let’s go and shop first!” Ashido cried excitedly. “Come on, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” 

Bakugou planted his feet. “Think first, idiot. Shouldn’t we decide on a rendezvous spot and split up into a max of two groups in case something happens like it always does whenever you all go out and get yourselves into stupid situations?” 

Kirishima nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, you’re right, Bakubro! You’re always so rational and calm!” 

Bakugou spun to face him. “Yeah, of course I am, you red-headed punk! That goes without saying!” 

Kirishima grinned back, matching the blond’s energy. “I know.” 

As she looked between them, a smile began to grow on Ashido’s face. “In that case, Bakugou, Kirishima, why don’t you go together? Me, Sero, and Kaminari will group up.” 

Bakugou shrugged indifferently. “Works for me.”

Meanwhile, Kirishima was freaking out. But he supposed it was also a blessing in (not much of a) disguise, given Ashido’s tendency for matchmaking. Maybe if they were alone together today, he would be able to express his feelings better than when their friends were around! 

That had been the hope. 

But as the pair strode into a merchandise store together to grab some of Crimson Riot’s limited edition throwback merch at Kirishima’s request, the redhead felt himself losing his nerve. Between the two of them, Bakugou was usually the sweaty one, but Kirishima’s cargo pants were already damp from his indiscreet wiping of his hands along the sides. 

When Kirishima crouched down to pick up an action figure on the bottom shelf, Bakugou walked around him to check out an All Might keychain. While they were turned away from each other, Kirishima’s thoughts began to race into overdrive.

Do it now. Do it now. Gather your nerve when he’s not looking and then, when he turns back around, tell him how you feel. It’s okay. 

He turned back around, mouth opening to speak, and immediately his breath was taken away. Bakugou’s head was bowed as he examined the glossy poster in his hands, his face uncharacteristically gentle as he traced the lines with his finger. He hadn’t noticed Kirishima yet, hadn’t noticed the way Kirishima was currently having a small crisis over his crush on his best friend. 

Oh… I don’t want to interrupt this moment… I can’t bring myself to do so. 

~4~

It was a normal Friday evening. 

No exams, no training, no homework due the next day. It was absolute, sheer, bliss. 

And Ashido had something else in mind. If her plan worked, the upcoming weekend would get ten times better than it already was going to be.

“Hey, Blasty?” she asked, poking Bakugou and jumping back immediately before he could try to explode her. 

“What is it?” 

“I’ve got a surprise for you!” 

“I hate surprises.” 

She pouted. “Come on! Pleeease?” 

Bakugou may have been one of the grumpiest, most tsundere people in class, but it was undeniable that he cared about his friends and would make exceptions for them. 

“Fine.” 

Cheering, Ashido grabbed his arm and led him to a door. “Here we are!” 

Bakugou stared at the very-obviously-a-closet-door. “What.” 

Ashido grinned happily. But in a split second, her grin morphed into a slightly devious, scheming smirk. Then she yanked the door open and pushed him inside. As Bakugou realized what was happening, he let out a snarl. “Ashido, I’m going to murder you-!” 

The door slammed closed, just as Bakugou slammed into another person. 

“AaaaAAHHH!” Kirishima shrieked, before regaining his composure. “Oh, Bakugou, it’s you.” 

“Yeah, duh,” Bakugou snarked. “Any idea why we’re stuck in a closet together?” 

Kirishima very much had an idea. In fact, he knew exactly why they were in this situation. But he said nothing. “I…” 

Bakugou scoffed. “Whatever. Let’s get out of here.” He reached for the knob and jiggled it aggressively, but Ashido had already locked it. From the other side, her singsonging voice drifted through: “I’m not letting you out until you talk!” 

“What?!” Bakugou exclaimed. “It’s not like me and Shitty Hair have any kind of beef going on!”

Kirishima tapped Bakugou, trying to calm him down for a moment. “Uh, Bakugou, actually…” 

But Bakugou didn’t notice. “What kind of talking do we need to do, anyway, huh? And we can solve our own problems if they do come up — not like they would! We’d never fight!” He turned back to Kirishima. “Let’s get out of here.” 

Kirishima opened his mouth. 

Bakugou blasted down the door. 

Needless to say, Aizawa-sensei was not happy with any of them. But Kirishima and Bakugou got off surprisingly light after some mysterious coaxing by Present Mic, who winked at them. 

~5~

They were paired up for the final exam. Kirishima’s emotions were a mix of yes, finally! and oh no, how am I going to act normal around him?? 

“Let’s kill this exam,” Bakugou declared, grudgingly returning Kirishima’s proffered fist bump. “We’re the dream team. Nobody can get past us.” 

Kirishima beamed back, tucking his feelings and thoughts about the closet incident into a corner of his mind for the time being. “Yeah!” he exclaimed, jumping up and down to warm up. “Let’s do this!” 

The exam was difficult, as expected. It was nothing like their first year — this time, the focus was on teamwork and deep personal connections, so the teachers had paired people up with the partner they worked best with. Of course, it came as no surprise that Kirishima and Bakugou were together. 

And with their strategy, despite a few mid exam road bumps, it came as no surprise to anyone that they passed with flying colors. They had some of the best camaraderie in the entire school, and long nights of training together, Bakugou’s unconventional teaching methods, and simply texts and conversations as best friends meant that they could practically read each other’s minds and predict what the other was planning. 

After it was all over, they stood on the steps of UA side-by-side, grinning feral with exhilaration from their win against the teachers. “We did it,” Kirishima breathed.

“Of course we did,” Bakugou answered. “You’re not bad to have as a hero partner, you know.” 

Kirishima blushed, and made an instinctive decision. 

“Thanks. Hey, I have something to tell you, but I’d rather we do it sitting down.” 

Bakugou tilted his head, listening intently. “Yeah?”

“Can we meet at the ice cream store outside the train station on Saturday at 3 p.m.?” 

Bakugou nodded with surety. “That important, huh? I’ll be there.”

~+1~

“I think you’re manly and cool and awesome and generally amazing and-”

Kirishima cuts himself off, running a hand through his red hair and taking a deep breath. “I’m rambling, aren’t I.” 

He chuckles self-consciously, meeting Bakugou’s wide eyes before continuing. “You’re like my sun, shining brighter than all the other stars.”

Once it’s started, he can’t stop his mouth from spewing the list of things he sees in Bakugou. 

“You stand out so much from everybody else. You’re incredible, and you’re at the top of the class because of all the work you’ve put in to get to this point. You may call it natural talent — and you have loads of that too — but I’ve seen the way you stay late at the gym and get up early to train.” 

Then he takes the leap. 

“I want to stand out to you as well. I want you to look at me and see — well, not exactly what I see in you, because I can never be that good, but…” 

He trails off. Rethink. Retry. 

“I love being your friend. I love being this close to the sun and being able to watch your fire from up close. But I wish, sometimes, that I could be more than a friend to you.” 

No turning back now. 

“I like you, Bakugou. I really like you, a lot.” 

Up to this point, Bakugou’s been uncharacteristically quiet. He says nothing for a few moments longer, leaving the sound of Kirishima’s pounding heartbeat to fill the silence between them. 

And then-

“Hey, you know that meteor shower that Sparky and Raccoon Eyes wouldn’t shut up about?” Bakugou asks carefully. 

Kirishima nods. “Tomorrow night, right?”

“Yeah. Do you want to watch it with me tomorrow on the rooftop of our dorms… maybe as more than just friends?” 

“Just you and me,” Kirishima confirms. 

Bakugou doesn’t reply, only grinning ferally in the way that Kirishima has long come to love.