•Chapter Twenty Five•
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Kirishima woke to a text on his phone. Five simple words.
From: Katsuki
We're going to the aquarium.
Received at 6:47 AM
He sat up, yawned, and rubbed his eyes with one hand as his fingers fumbled around the warm screen.
To: Katsuki
Isn't it closed today?
Sent at 8:34 AM
From: Katsuki
Don't worry about it. Be ready at noon.
Received at 8:35 AM
Katsuki didn't askーhe demanded it. Kirishima didn't need to hear Katsuki's tone to know the text was a demand, and while he wasn't complaining about hanging out with Katsuki, he didn't know how about the total lack of... a question? It was a very Katsuki thing to do, but they were dating, right? Wasn't Katsuki supposed to ask him out on a date, not demand it?
Wait, they were dating, right? What the hell, Kirishima didn't even know. Was it a date? He assumed as much, given the fact that confessions were given and Katsuki might've kissed him. He wasn't entirely sure about that either. Fuck. He wasn't sure about anything anymore.
Kirishima navigated to the group chat Mina, Kaminari, and he were in. His finger slid over all the options at the top of the screen, stopping at the phone icon. He pressed it and listened to the steady rhythm of the ring. They were probably sleeping.
"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered. Mina. She always pulled through.
"Mina?" Kirishima said.
"Yeah? What's up, Kiri? Is something wrong? You never call this early..."
"Oh? Yeah everything's fineー"
"Who decided to call me at the ass crack of dawn? I need my beauty rest," an irritated Kaminari interjected.
Damn. He woke both of them up. Guilt washed over him in an instant, his face flushed with heat as his stomach churned. Honestly, it was a stupid reason to wake them up, but he knew both of them had some fashion sense to an extent, especially Mina, so he wanted to ask them if they'd be willing to help him pick out his clothes. Any other day he wouldn't have minded throwing something together. Today wasn't like any other day, thoughーit was his first date, if it even a date. He was going to be with Katsuki. Alone. And unlike every other time, it was going to be different because it wasn't for practice or to study. They weren't going as friends, but as boyfriends...
...right? God, he still didn't know. How was he supposed to know? All of this, the kissing and the going on dates and the confessing was all so new to him. Never in his life had he done any of it before. Well, he kissed that girl that one time and he didn't feel too strongly about it, so he doesn't count it. Kissing someone as an experiment is vastly different when compared to kissing someone you actually want to kiss, especially when it's the person you like.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you guys up. Maybe we can talk in a few?" He suggested and readied himself to hang up.
"Nonsense Kiri," Mina reassured. "I'm already up, right? We might as well talk." A short pause followed by shuffling. "And Kami, you douchebag, no amount of beauty sleep will help that mug of yours. It's also not the asscrack of dawn. It's like... what? Almost nine? You got your sleep. Now Kiri needs our help, be a good friend."
There was a groan from Kaminari's end of the phone, and then more shuffling. "Fine... only because Kiri is my bro. And you may say my face in a mug, but someone happens to like this mug."
"That's because it's either you or that one hairy dude who looks like he's going to feel you up the next chance he gets."
"So, guys," Kirishima cleared his throat causing them to stop their bickering. "I need help. I think Katsuki asked me out on a date I need help picking my clothes."
"Wait wait, back up. You think? You don't know? Didn't you guys like..." Mina trailed off.
"Confess? Yes. But I don't think anything was made official?"
"You have so much to learn." Kaminari sighed into the phone.
"Shut up, Kami. Anyway, Kiri, go grab three shirts and three pairs of pants. Turn your video on so we can see. You wanna look casual because you don't wanna look like you're trying too hard, but you still gotta impress you man, okay?"
After what felt like hours of being told the shirt had a stain on it or the pants just didn't work, they finally settled on something, or rather, Mina finally found something that she didn't completely hate. Kirishima could've picked the outfit himself if he wasn't so worried about looking like a dork instead of wasting forty-five minutes just for Mina to decide on a black, red, and white styled baseball jacket and a pair of black joggers, or "fuck boy pants" as Katsuki liked to call them. It was the biggest waste of time that he won't ever get back. His stupid insecurities told him he needed a second pair of actual working eyes to stray him away from heading down the path of unintentionally looking like he crawled out from the viaduct.
Kaminari provided hardly any insight and spent most of his time complaining about how long they were taking. He did, however, tell Mina the joggers would look decent with a t-shirt or hoodie. They briefly got into it because apparel, t-shirts were too basic and hoodies were too sloppy and lazy. A stupid argument that lead up to the decision of the baseball-inspired jacket.
Kirishima didn't know how to feel. Mina and Kaminari both told him over and over that he looked good, that Katsuki would be the blind one if he wasn't able to see just how hot Kirishima looked. Part of him wanted to believe them because they were his friends and wouldn't like to spare his feelings, but another part of him told him just that. They were lying to avoid the probability of him abandoning the date altogether.
You look fine, he told himself.
You look fine.
A deep breath. Another deep breath. He ran his fingers through his hair, making sure his hair was at its optimal spikiness. Smoothed out his already perfectly flat and unwrinkled clothes to kill several more seconds as a way to avoid going downstairs. He put on a little more deodorant, fucked with the laces of his tied shoes, felt around his face for any possible pimples. Anything, he would do anything he could to procrastinate. And he did.
Kirishima scrolled through his social media pages, and nearly shouted in frustration when each one told him there was nothing new to see. All his homework was completed the night before. Kaminari and Mina hung up, both claiming they had things to do. He stuffed his earphones into his ears and made an attempt to listen to an audiobook, found himself unable to pay attention for more than four seconds at a time, and inevitably ended up ripping the earphones out.
Noon rolled around, and left with nothing more to do to kill time, to avoid having to go downstairs a minute before he needed to, Kirishima found the courage and descended the stairs a leisurely pace, Riot following close behind.
"You look nice. Where you off to?" Ayami asked from her spot on the couch, a cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of toast for the other.
His face burned. This entire time, he was trying to avoid his moms. He had gone downstairs, bargaining that they were both at work or were off doing their own things that didn't involve them being at the house. Ayami was here and Kaori wasn't. At least, he didn't think she was.
"On a date."
"With Katsuki?"
Kirishima nodded.
"When did that happen?"
"After the competition."
He could hear the smile on her face as she said, "I'm happy for you. Have fun, okay? And be back by dinner. Katuski can join us."
It seemed he was only capable of nodding. What more was there to say? He looked nice and she was happy for him. That was all that mattered.
Kirishima called Riot into his harness and fastened the clips before he let the April air pull him into a tight embrace. Spring was upon them. Snow still lingered in some yards and on the streets and on the furthest mountain peaks, and in the morning the air was still rather frigid. As the day continued on, once the sun began to rise and shine down on them, larger winter coats were no longer needed. A hoodie or light jacket would suffice.
Spring definitely had to be one of his favourite times of years. Winter was too cold, summer was far too hot, and autumn was just... autumn. It was like spring's wannabe cool cousin. Autumn lead prepped the world for death. Leaves turned weird shades and fell off their trees as they died, and animals hid away. It was like the world temporarily died. But spring was when everything started to come back to life. Flowers bloomed, trees began to turn green again, and all the creatures that had tucked themselves into their homes started to grace the world again. Spring was a time for life.
"Shitty Hair," Katsuki called from the driver's seat of his dad's truck. "Need help getting to the truck?"
Kirishima's entire face lit up as he shook his head, giving the command for Riot to start walking. Nerves danced around in his blood, his heart constricted the closer he became to the car, and his brain felt like it had been covered in a thick layer of fog. No signals going in or out. How he was still walking was a question scientists had yet found an answer to. Sheer will power. That was it.
His fingers danced around the cold metal door until he found the handle and jerked it open, allowing Riot to jump in first, then Kirishima followed. Inside the truck smelled... different compared to the last time he was in it. Many scents collided, but one he could make out was sweet. Burnt sugar? No, something along the lines of caramel. Unconsciously, he leaned a little closer to Katsuki without making an attempt at being inconspicuous and took a deep, loud breath. It was confirmed: Katsuki smelled like fucking caramel and something about it was so perfect.
"What theーdid you just fucking smell me?" Katsuki's voice boomed in the small space.
Kirishima clumsily tripped over his words, stuttering and mumbling as he tried to make way through the fog covering his brain. Finally, he settled on, "I smelled something... sweet and didn't know what it was but I thought it was coming from you."
"So you fucking smelled me?" he asked, a brow arched high. Finally, he began driving down the slushy street.
"Well... yeah?"
"That's weird."
"I'mー"
"Don't apologize for it. I'm weird, too."
The conversation ended there. Kirishima hadn't known what to say that wouldn't sound... strange. He was tempted to ask Katsuki how he was weird, but the conversation could have lead to so many things, some good and some bad. Some lead to an awkward atmosphere, some lead to embarrassment. He hadn't wanted to fuck up the peace in the air, so he kept quiet.
Another, completely different, question popped into his mind.
"How the hell are we getting into the aquarium?" Kirishima asked, flicking his eyes over to the general area of where Katsuki sat. The shadows showed that one of his arms were stretched out, grasping the wheel, and his hair was still the fluffy mess Mina described it as.
"Oh, right. Todoroki pulled through and swiped a set of keys from his dad, who I guess owns the place."
"So we're breaking in?"
"It's not breaking in if we have keys, dipshit. Also, I'm like, ninety-eight percent sure he cleared it with his dad."
"I thought you and Todoroki weren't on good terms..."
"He annoys me to no fucking end. Rich kid. Blah blah."
"He's not that bad, ya know."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I knew him and Deku during my childhood. I know he's not shitty. He's just... annoying. It makes me want to jump out of my skin."
Kirishima chuckled and shook his head. So Katsuki was capable of putting aside his own feelings to see the good in the people he can't stand.
When they reached the aquarium, Katsuki jumped out and searched around the open back of the truck, revealing that he had packed a woven basket full of food for them to eat. With his heart in his throat, Kirishima made his way out of the truck, and grabbed onto Katsuki's elbow, allowing himself to he guided towards the entrance.
Once inside, Katsuki pulled Kirishima towards the first area and described every little thing to him. It was dark, but the lights lit within the tanks allowed Kirishima to see the shadows of the fish.
"There's a jellyfish," Katsuki said and gently placed his finger on the tank. "He's a weird pinkish-orange colour, and his tentacles look a little fucked, but that's fine."
Kirishima blinked, then squinted his eyes as he peered into the tank, trying his best to make out the shadow. All he could see were backlit blobs, blobs he assumed to be the jellyfish. Sometimes they unfurled to create a somewhat coherent shape.
Katsuki went on to describe the way the top of the jellyfish curved and then opened up at the bottom, like an umbrella. It was transparent. Tentacles were connected to the top while four arms extended from the inside centre of the umbrella-shaped top. Katsuki said those were what stung people.
"Do you see it?" Katsuki asked.
Kirishima tried to form the picture in his mind. He tried to remember the one time he saw a jellyfish, shortly before he lost the rest of his sight, and failed. "No, I can't."
They moved on from the smaller fish to a tubed area. The sides all the way up to the top were made out of glass as a way to make visitors feel like they were immersed in the water. Kirishima remembered that larger creatures, like sharks, were kept here. All around him he could see the shadows, all ranging from small to medium to large, and a wave of contentment washed over him in steady waves.
Katsuki stopped him when they were about halfway through the area, and pulled Kirishima down onto the floor with him, where they sat with the basket of food. Kirishima was handed a sandwich, a small container full of mixed berries, fruit, and a bottle of water.
As he ate, Katsuki watched Kirishima intently. There was something about the image, something about the way the light and the water that bounced of Kirishima's sun-kissed skin that captivated him. Occasionally, Kirishima pulled out his phone, and Katsuki watched him then, too. Watched the way he slid his finger over the screen, listening to the device before moving on. It spoke way too fast for Katsuki to understand, but Kirishima, his ears were trained for the talking speed. It was something he had grown used to over the years.
Kirishima was talking. "Thank you, for saving me." The words after that were muffed in Katsuki's find as he found himself hung up on the unprovoked "thank you" he just received. For a hot second, he wasn't sure as to what the thank you was directed it. It dawned on him, a few moments later, that Kirishima was referring to the bridge.
He was still babbling when Katsuki pulled himself from the depths his thoughts, and as much as he loved to hear Kirishima talked, in that moment he wanted him to shut up.
So Katsuki him. A full kiss where their lips were touching, unlike the butterfly kiss Katsuki gave Kirishima on the kiss. No much movement happened, their lips simply lingered and soaked up the feeling, before Katsuki pulled away.
Kirishima's eyes looked so normal, and for a moment, it almost felt like he was staring back at Katsuki. But he knew he wasn't. He knew all Kirishima could see was a distorted shadow and outline. That's all he would ever see.
"Kirishima," Katsuki breathed. "I'm going to tell you something and I'm going to need you to love me so fucking hard while I tell you this awful thing because I'm a shitty person but I don't want you to see me that way. So I'm going to jump, and I need you to hold my hand while I fall."
As Katsuki spoke, Kirishima looked on in silence. Katsuki explained that he hated Kirishima for beating him all those years ago, he hated how he was allowed into the competition even though he was blind. He hated Kirishima for beating him while being blind. He told Kirishima all the shitty thoughts he ever had, every horrible thing he ever thought about Kirishima. How he hated Kirishima for being blind and talented.
Half expecting Kirishima to hate him afterwards, Katsuki still kept speaking. "I don't think any of that anymore. I think you're perfect, and I love you just as you are."
A soft grin broke Kirishima's face as he shook his head. "You obviously don't think any of that anymore, right? Dunno, I think it's manly... the way you're able to talk about all this. I'm not mad, I understand. I'd probably hate me, too." He chuckled.
"You don't hate my guts for being shitty?"
Kirishima shook his head. "We're all a little shitty, Katsuki. Even the best people can be dicks."
Katsuki was kissing him again. Words felt wrong here, and deep down, he didn't know what he was supposed to say. One hand had moved to the back of Kirishima's neck to bring him closer, and the other had moved to lace his fingers through Kirishima's. Several seconds went by before Kirishima figured out how to move his lips, the shock of the sudden kiss gradually wearing off.
Both boys were breathing deeply when the kiss was finally broken, foreheads pressed together. They basked in the silence, enjoying the presence and company of each other under the dim lighting of the room, if it could even be called a room.
Is it okay if I love you? And could you do me a favour and love me back?
〄
Word Count: 3114
December 24, 2019
christmas eve update, a gift from me to you. i was gonna update on christmas day, but i couldn't wait because i love this chapter a lot. so, enjoy. marry christmas and happy holidays.
-StarsNeverLanding