Bakugou overhears Kiri gushing about his crush and takes it poorly, doesn't know why he takes it poorly, and then takes action. (thread!)

(classic jealous bkg, classic misunderstanding. truly the junk food of writing)

The day greets Bakugou kindly and he does not return the favor. Anyone and everyone is ten times more susceptible to the wrath of a Bakugou who is poorly rested.

Nevertheless, no day is to be wasted. His studies might be a cause lost to his lethargy, but sleeplessness doesn’t mean he can't at least go for a jog.

He's padding down the stairs intent on grabbing a water bottle from the kitchen when he hears a voice and stops in his tracks.

It's fucking annoying because it's literally five in the morning and the sun isn't even up yet and he feels like he's the only person who should be. Head starts won't help the rest when he's the only one on a surefire path to the top.

Also, it's annoying because he hadn't mentally prepared to acknowledge other presences. So he stops.

Just as quickly he becomes more annoyed at himself for stopping, annoyed at his classmates for causing any sort of internal debate, for throwing a wrench in his routine just by virtue of existing where he needs to be.

He's about to march into the kitchen, snatch a bottle and turn on his heel without a word when he finally hears /whose/ voice is curling around the corner to meet him.

It's Kirishima, and that fact alone wouldn't ordinarily stop him but his tone does. He's gushing with the same sort of cadence he falls into whenever he's talking about manliness or chivalry or Crimson Riot. He can basically hear his gesturing.

That's honestly who Bakugou thinks Kirishima is talking about at first, because he's using those same familiar adjectives too. Bakugou wouldn't put it past Kirishima to be in the kitchen at the crack of dawn rambling about Crimson Riot to whomever would listen.

He takes another step forward before hearing Kirishima go slightly breathless as his spiel transitions into something more personal, something more first-hand, something more hastily spoken. Bakugou's fingers twitch because while he doesn't know why yet,

he knows he's not supposed to be hearing this.

Whoever Kirishima is talking to is surprisingly silent; if Bakugou didn't know better he'd think Kirishima was talking to himself.

He needs to step in soon, though, because over the course of the past ninety seconds Bakugou's learned a lot, more than he bargained for, more than he should've.

Kirishima’s gay (that much is clear), Bakugou's ears are ringing, and eavesdropping is objectively bad but revealing one's innermost feelings in a common space is objectively naive.

Kirishima stops talking and breathes.

His voice deflates, shrinks. "He's just so incredible, Mina, I don't know what to do. I'm losing sleep."

"Aw, honey..." A footstep, the sound of fabric being rubbed. "I mean...I think you know what you need to do? You've got no reason to be nervous! You're a huge catch!"

It's too much, Bakugou's head is too fuzzy, his thoughts too obstructed. The time and space between his bed and his morning jog should not be this liminal, and his heart shouldn't be at work before the rest of his body is.

He all but stomps into the kitchen and the abrupt silence that follows shouldn't be as irritating as it really, really is.

It's so irritating, Bakugou speaks. "Morning."

Are they holding their breath?

"/Morning./"

Simultaneously, "Good morning, Bakugou!" and"Morning, dude!"

Neither of them sincere.

Bakugou takes a bottle and makes for the door, slamming it behind him.

For all of it, Kirishima never mentioned a goddamn name.

◇◇◇

Bakugou's jog is more of a run.

His thoughts overpower his playlist no matter how loudly he turns it and his grinding teeth aren't helping. The aggressive nature of his music only exacerbates his mood, worsens the sight he makes.

He's fucking thinking about it which is so stupid because he really doesn't care.

It might be because he was already vaguely annoyed that Kirishima blew him off last night to go train with the extras.

Yeah, he's definitely annoyed because Kirishima stayed out late last night training with Todoroki and some Shiketsu students and a couple other 1-A students and didn't come hang out with him like he was supposed to, and now, apparently, he's hiding a huge secret from him.

Kirishima calls Bakugou a friend, and while he thwarts the label at each turn, he secretly finds some degree of comfort in it.

So why tell Ashido, and not him?

Bakugou crushes the near-empty water bottle in his hand, loops his thoughts.

Kirishima went out training last night. With Bakugou's remedial classmates and some non-remedial classmates.

And the very next morning Kirishima's gushing, visibly exhausted, to an obviously tired Ashido, about a crush so intense it was apparently necessary to be in said circumstance.

It hits him hard and fast and directly in the chest.

Kirishima's got a thing for Yoarashi.

There's no way that isn't it. Kirishima has ranted at length before about the alleged manliness of their peers. Bakugou always thought it was just an eccentricity of his; he's heard him call just about anyone "manly", anyone that holds a basic degree of integrity, even girls.

Now that he knows for a fact he's gay, however, he thinks back to the multiple times Kirishima has mentioned Yoarashi it just...clicks.

Kirishima's admired many of their peers loudly and brashly before but he didn't always have that light coloring to his cheeks, didn't always taper off at the end.

Bakugou didn't ever think much of it. Kirishima's a weird dude.

He had no idea it was so serious, and he had no idea he cared.

◇◇◇

Bakugou runs for almost twice the duration of his usual jog. He hasn't been running in a circle, hasn't been paying attention, so it's taking longer.

He should've slept better, and he has half a mind to run until he can just pass out from exhaustion.

His mind plays reruns of the previous evening like it's supposed to help him with any of this, like it's going to make it make sense.

He and Todoroki had been walking back to the dorms after yet another borderline tortuous remedial lesson, when the latter casually mentioned an extra training session. Bakugou had shot it down before he even finished his sentence.

He didn't pay mind when they had entered the building and Todoroki immediately extended the invitation to everyone that'd been present in the common room.

He rolled his eyes when he'd heard Kirishima, among others, agree to it, the click of his hardened knuckles clashing in the open space.

At the time he figured whatever, Kirishima could just not study with him, Kirishima could just fail.

Bakugou belatedly realizes that what he's currently feeling, feet pounding the pavement, is regret, which is so fucking stupid because what could having trained with them have changed?

What exactly is it that he wants to have had changed?

He's running faster now and he's making sure he's headed in the proper direction.

◇◇◇

Bakugou's been out for a full hour, he realizes as he holds his phone, closing Spotify. He's looking at the screen as he ascends the steps outside the dorms so he's not paying attention when he bodily collides with Kirishima.

Kirishima makes a small 'oof' sound, begins to apologize, sees who it is, and then quickly slides past him.

"Kirishima!"

"Going out!"

"I can fuckin' see that - hold up!"

"Sorry dude!"

◇◇◇

Kirishima somehow manages to avoid Bakugou the entire following day and it's not for lack of trying on Bakugou's part.

He has no idea what he intends to say to Kirishima but he has the distinct feeling something needs to be said. Something happened, something's /happening/, and Bakugou refuses to be a part of any teenage drama;

if Kirishima's his /friend/ then they're going to be friends and he's not going to put up with being avoided.

They're in class now and while Bakugou had anticipated it, he's bothered that Kirishima didn't stop by his desk to say good morning.

It's incredibly bothersome that Kirishima didn't do that and is instead sitting at his own desk while his classmates talk to him and he says things in return.

Kirishima's blushing, for some reason, and it's bothersome.

Bakugou can't hear what they're talking about but the focus of the conversation occasionally shifts to Kirishima and every time it does he goes red.

Body language, context clues - Kirishima's avoidant gaze, Kaminari's knowing look and forcibly hushed tone, Sero's leer - key Bakugou in on the fact that they're pushing him to do something.

Encouraging him to confess.

Ashido glances in Bakugou's direction once, twice. He screws up his expression the best he can and snaps his head in the other direction.

Bakugou thinks about Yoarashi. The guy's nice - too nice, probably. Powerful. Annoyingly built for his age. The kind of person Bakugou is secretly wary of and pushes away all the same.

He thinks about the light Kirishima's cast Yoarashi in, and stops thinking about it just as quickly.

The guy's obviously got a genuine heart, and he's obviously going places. He'd be good for Kirishima.

Bakugou doesn't want to see it.

He's let his guard down, and the words of his almost-friends unwittingly find him again.

"Why not? Is it because-" Ashido's usually overbearing voice tapers off, drowns and blends with the others.

"I /can't/," comes Kirishima's voice. "He doesn't-"

Doesn't what? Go to this school? Even see Kirishima that often?

Know Kirishima like Bakugou does?

He doesn't hear the rest. He bites his inner cheek, grips his desk too hard, and makes a firm resolution.

Class starts and Bakugou manages to pay attention just fine.

◇◇◇

At the end of classes, Bakugou gets caught up with Midnight "checking in" at the most inopportune time, helpless to watch as Kirishima exits the building by himself.

Bakugou ends up contradicting his claim that everything's normal and he isn't distracted by being visibly distracted.

Eventually he's turned loose, his parting remarks grumbled and rude-lite. His stride turns into a jog as he reaches the front doors.

By then Kirishima's outside, standing in the grass, fiddling with his backpack straps as he talks to one out-of-uniform Yoarashi.

The latter's in his gym clothes, sweaty, exposed, and Bakugou can't see his face at this angle but he can see Kirishima's. He watches as Kirishima smiles as talks with him and tries in vain to keep his eyes focused upward where Yoarashi's eyes are.

Bakugou's heart twists and he hates it, wants to turn his own chest inside out if only to grab the thing and knock some sense into it.

Sure, he's got schoolwork and training and brooding to focus on and it doesn't (shouldn't) matter who Kirishima talks to, pays attention to, and confides in but when Bakugou /isn't/ one of those people it's wrong. It just is.

It's a quick fix in his mind, anyhow.

"Shiketsu closed today, baldy?" Bakugou barks out as he approaches menacingly.

"Bakugou!" Yoarashi turns to face him, smiling big."It's /Yoarashi!/" Is all he offers.

Kirishima's eyes meet Bakugou's and widen dramatically. He regards Yoarashi sheepishly, seems to apologize, and is definitely saying goodbye to him before he spins in the other direction and starts fast-walking away from the both of them.

Not this time. "Kirishima!"

"Can't hang, Bakugou!" He calls, turning to walk backwards a few strides. "Super behind on that one essay. You know, the one you told me to start last week? Silly me." He flashes a grimace, turns, walks quicker.

Yoarashi looks at a dumbstruck Bakugou, then to Kirishima. He cups his hand at his mouth and shouts, "Training with me and Todoroki tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Kirishima waves his hand, keeping his pace.

Bakugou blinks once, twice, and then starts booking it. Kirishima glances over his shoulder, sees this, and starts running.

"Fucker!"

Kirishima's response is to run faster.

The chase is close and no one is paying them proper mind, thank god. They're the first ones back at the dorm building and Bakugou is briefly grateful - no chance of meddling.

Kirishima makes it to the stairwell with Bakugou directly behind him, close enough to reach out and grab at his collar and miss.

Kirishima starts bounding over the railings like a panicked monkey.

He makes it to his door, hands shaking to unlock it, nervously watching as Bakugou hurtles closer and closer.

He almost, /almost/ gets it closed behind him, except Bakugou's one foreboding arm is blocking the latch.

"Fucker," Bakugou repeats, winded, pushing his way in and rubbing at where Kirishima essentially slammed the door on his forearm.

Kirishima just pouts and crosses his arms and Bakugou wants to bare his teeth at his attitude.

"You were talking to raccoon eyes the other day,"He starts, and Kirishima immediately looks uncomfortable. "Early, in the kitchen. What were you saying to her?" He asks like it's a chore, as though he's asked it before.

"Kinda personal, dude." He throws his backpack on the floor, obviously ticked. "I don't go barging into your room when you clearly want to be left alone."

"You only want to be /left alone/" -he mocks him, childishly - "by /me!/ It was your fucking crush. Why can't I know?"

There's a lot he's not saying because he can't, absolutely not, and he fears his tone is saying it anyway: /I thought we were closer than that, being singled out like this hurts me/, etc.

Meanwhile, Kirishima's stopped in his tracks.

"You...care about who I'm crushing on?"

"You said you were losing sleep."

Kirishima's face softens, but then he's rubbing his temples and he's still blatantly afflicted.

"I just...I don't know if I can tell you, man. I know it's super unmanly. I told Ashido because it's...she's just..."

Bakugou was frustrated before, but now he's /mad/. "What? More understanding than me?"

Kirishima laughs, briefly. "Well, kinda. But that's not why."

"You think I'd judge you for something like that?"

"I mean...yeah!"

Bakugou tries to quell his inner rage, grumbles, "You think I'm homophobic?"

"What? No!" Kirishima's closer now, looking at him intently. "I think you're Bakugou fucking Katsuki, I think you'd tell the very idea of romance to go die if you could."

"Tch." Bakugou frowns deeper and crosses his arms because he would, that's fair.

"What's up with you, man?"

"You like baldy." It's a dark murmur and a statement, no room for debate.

"Y-Yoarashi-kun?" Kirishima’s cheeks go rosy, again.

"You're fucking blushing! I'm right!"

"That's not..." He won't meet his eyes. Bakugou's chuckling now, its got a weird hint of bitterness to it, and Kirishima huffs. "Dude, that's not it! He's..." He bites his lip and Bakugou stops chuckling. "...you know...! But it's not him!"

Bakugou scoffs. "He's what?"

"He's hot! Obviously!" Kirishima's indignancy is extremely endearing, as much as his words sting inexplicably. Bakugou doesn't think Yoarashi's hot, but he keeps it to himself.

"But he's not...I don't like...have a /thing/ for him. We're honestly too similar...not to mention he's /dating Todoroki/."

Kirishima is distinctly trying to keep his cool as he talks, and his frustration reminds Bakugou of himself. "The guy I l-like is more..."

Kirishima gestures to the open air in irritation, clearly throwing in the towel on the end of that sentence.

Bakugou misses how the gesture was in his general direction.

His heart is still beating too hard for no reason at all and he vaguely feels like he might throw up but he's also, somehow, more at ease. He's still processing everything so his next statement comes without thought.

"And you can't tell me who you /do/ have thing for."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Why do you care, man?! Out of all people, I really thought you'd be the last to care."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"What I just said! You hate romance and soft stuff!"

"You're putting words in my mouth, dumbass."

Kirishima groans and drags a hand down his face. "God, I can't with you sometimes, dude. Just when I think I understand you..."

Bakugou is startled by this, and it probably shows. Even /he/ knows that he doesn't understand himself, and the idea that someone, anyone else, (even if it's Kirishima) thinks they do?

It's nonsensical, but so far all of this has been.

He's lost in thought when he glances at Kirishima, just to find him squinting back at him with noticeably less irritation than he was pouring out moments ago. He appears to be just as stuck in his own head.

Bakugou opens his mouth to quip something - anything - back. He /needs/ to know what Kirishima's thinking. "Shitty hair-"

"Can it," He interrupts, startling Bakugou again.

He watches Kirishima’s hands land on his shoulders. He feels his face go blank.

Kirishima sighs but it's not irked, rolls his eyes but it's noncommittal. "Mina was right," He states quietly, seemingly more to himself than anything.

And then Kirishima's leaning in, eyes relaxed and trained on Bakugou's, his stare smothering all of his retorts.

Kirishima’s face gets very close very quickly. The tip of his nose grazes Bakugou's cheek and he nods almost imperceptibly for Bakugou to tilt his head in kind. Bakugou does - and Kirishima's kissing him.

The kiss holds the moment. Instead of using the beat Kirishima takes to breathe to do the same, Bakugou pushes out, "Fuck you." Kirishima just nods at him like he understands and then leans back in, resuming.

The second one's shorter, sweeter, feels like a confirmation.

Bakugou finds himself liking it. A lot.

When Kirishima pulls back a second time, he moves to flop onto his bed in the same movement. Bakugou clenches his fists, unclenches them, repeats.

"You got your answer," Kirishima lazily flops an arm over his reddened face. "Happy?"

Bakugou follows the impulsivity theme and climbs over him. "Yeah."

Kirishima tenses, relaxes, and then grins wide, obscured by his arm. "Asshole."

(ᴇɴᴅ)