2am Knows All Secrets [Kiribaku]

when galaxies ignite

At the sensation pressing against his lips, Eijirou's eyelids flew wide open. When he finally registered what he was seeing, what he was feeling, his brain just... went blank.

Because holy shit. Holy shit, he was being kissed. Holy shit, he was being kissed by Bakugou. Bakugou was kissing him, and it didn't make any sense, why would Bakugou kiss him?

And then it was over. Bakugou pulled away, slowly, watching him the whole way. Eijirou wanted nothing more than to chase after him, feel those lips press against his again, but when Bakugou's eyes met his own, they were piercing, taking away what little breath he had and leaving him speechless, his jaw opening and closing with no sound to accompany the movement.

With each silent second that passed, Bakugou's expression morphed from an intense, unwavering gaze to an uncertain chew of his lips.

Eijirou blinked at him.

"Um," he said.

And that must not have been the reaction Bakugou was waiting for, because after a beat, he turned with a scowl and moved as if to climb out of the bed.

But—! No! He couldn't just leave! They had to talk about this, dammit!

Eijirou seized his arm. "Wait—"

Bakugou froze, shoulders drawn up tight. Then with a huff, he turned to Eijirou. His eyebrows were low and pinched together over a chilling glare, his teeth clenched. Anger. His default facade for every unwelcomed emotion. But Eijirou saw his tense jaw wobble, heard his breath shake. Under all those hard lines, Bakugou was scared. Very, very scared. Eijirou wanted to wipe the fear away. It didn't belong there.

Instead, Eijirou took Bakugou's hands in his own. These hands, both his and Bakugou's, capable of so much destruction, yet now they were only soft. He rubbed his thumbs across Bakugou's white-boned knuckles. In his chest, his heart thrumming uncontrollably, on his lips the beginning of a smile, and the thought occurred for the first time that maybe, just maybe, Bakugou liked him just as much as he liked Bakugou. He couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief because, honestly...

"Why didn't you ask?"

"What?" Bakugou snapped, like a street dog backed into a corner.

"Bakugou..." Eijirou sighed. He folded his legs up and shifted against the headboard, facing Bakugou more head-on. He felt giddy. He felt brave. "You're supposed to ask," he said.

"I—" Bakugou scrunched his eyes shut with a flinch. That wouldn't do.

"Like this." He cupped Bakugou's cheek gently, gently. "Can I?" he asked.

Red eyes flared open, meeting his own. They widened some more, flickering down to Eijirou's mouth, then back to Eijirou's eyes, searching, wanting.

Bakugou swallowed.

"Yes," he whispered.

Their lips met. Then parted, then met again, timid, curious.

Their hot breaths mixed in the air between them and Eijirou could feel his own heart thunder in his chest, could hear his pulse rush against his eardrums. Their lips met, then parted, then met. Eijirou's hand shook against Bakugou's cheek.

He wanted to be fearless, but this was all so new. What if he messed up? What if he pressured too much and scared Bakugou away? Their lips met. Then parted. Then met. He let Bakugou set the pace, knowing he'd eventually have to pull away for good, wondering which peck would be the last.

But Bakugou just kept giving, and giving, and giving, his lips so very soft each time they pulled back and pushed against Eijirou's, again and again, Eijirou meeting him in the middle each time, until finally, their lips stayed pressed together, neither of them pulling back, only moving.