*Author's note: So sorry for the wait! Thank you for being patient with this story!
Kirishima sucked in a sharp breath and Bakugo glanced at him in confusion. Kirishima's face was pale. "Sir, I know I messed up but if you'd give us another chance-"
The president shook his head. "Having heroes in relationships be partners is against company policy. There are too many complications. Emotions inevitably cloud judgement and people get hurt. We were lucky this time, all things considered. Besides. Tetsutetsu has been a real asset in our eastern division. I'm sure he'll be a great partner. At least temporarily. You've been doing pretty good lately Bakugo, I do think Kirishima has been a positive influence on you. Consider this like a small stepping stone to being on your own again. Kirishima was like a crutch, Tetsutetsu is like a walking cast. Pretty soon you'll be walking on your own again. In the meantime, take the weekend off and come in on Monday ready to patrol with Testsutetsu."
Testsutetsu formally held his hand out to Bakugo, and Bakugo reluctantly shook it. "I'm excited to be your new partner, it's good to see you again. I've been following your career since UA, I'm honored, truly." His smile was as wide and toothy as Kirishima's but lacked warmth to it. Bakugo glanced at his teeth and remembered how it felt when Kirishima bit into his skin. He felt his face getting warm and looked away in embarrassment.
Kirishima coughed and patted Tetsutetsu on the shoulder heavily. "It's good to see you again, you make sure to take care of Bakugo for me, ok?" His words were friendly but there was no mistaking the sharp warning in his tone.
Testsutetsu's smile turned into a knowing smirk. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your...." His face screwed up in mock confusion. "Ex? Ex-partner, I mean."
"Boyfriend." Kirishima glared at Tetsutetsu now.
Bakugo stiffened. What the fuck? He grabbed Kirishima's arm and pulled him toward the office door. "I'll see you Monday morning, Tetsutetsu. I apologize for all the trouble we caused today, President."
Bakugo dragged Kirishima out of the office and pulled him into an empty meeting room. "Boyfriend?! Since when? I don't remember that conversation."
Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, everyone is going to know about us now. There's no point trying to hide it. Do you want everyone grilling you about us? They're going to want to know what we are. Having a label will stop at least some of those awkward conversations from happening."
Bakugo wasn't sure how he felt about everyone thinking that they were boyfriends. But he could see Kirishima's point. He sure as shit didn't want people giving him attitude and getting all judgmental. "You want people to think we're boyfriends now even though our deal is off?"
Kirishima froze, and his eyes went wide. "What? Off why?"
"The rules, remember? Rule One- This relationship is temporary and when our partnership ends, it ends. Rule Two- We stay best friends no matter what. Rule Three- No messing around during our shifts. Rule Four- Stay professional and respectful. Rule Five- Keep us a secret." Bakugo ticked the rules off on his fingers as he repeated them.
Kirishima opened and shut his mouth in hesitation. "We've already broken rule three and five. Do you want to stop this thing between us?"
No. The answer rattled around in his mind, rocking him. He looked away from Kirishima and a silence rested heavily between them.
"Fuck if I know," Bakugo answered finally. If he wasn't an idiot he would call things off now but he couldn't lie and bring himself to say yes.
Tetsutetsu poked his head into the meeting room. "Oh, hey, look, sorry to come between your partnership. No hard feelings, right?" He cocked his head in Kirishima's direction.
Kirishima grinned toothily at Tetsutetsu. "Of course not, my man!" The lack of warmth in his eyes was palpable. "It sucks that Bakugo and I won't be working all the time together but I see him all the time outside of work. We're practically joined at the hip." Kirishima slid a hand around Bakugo's waist and Bakugo sucked in a sharp breath.
Tetsutetsu barked out a loud laugh. "Is that what they're calling it these days?"
Bakugo sputtered in outrage and Kirishima smiled genuinely down at the blonde hero, his face relaxing. Tetsutetsu chuckled, obviously enjoying Bakugo's reaction.
Bakugo pulled himself away from Kirishima and stomped toward the elevator, flipping the other two heroes off. "Keep laughing like that and you both better start watching your backs!"
"Hahaha...Oh, wait! Babe!" Kirishima started towards the elevator as the door shut, leaving Bakugo alone and fuming.
By the time Bakugo changed into his street clothes and left the building Kirishima had caught up with him. "So, since we're boyfriends now do you want to go out on a date?" Bakugo considered ignoring him as he pushed open the building's door and walked outside. Kirishima continued, "I'm thinking about this nice steakhouse I saw the other day in quadrant one."
"A date? Like in public?" The thought was unsettling.
"Sure, the sooner everyone knows about us being together, the less out of control rumors will get, don't you think?" Kirishima spoke calmly but the expression on his face was a bit too pleased for Bakugo's liking. He was starting to feel manipulated and he didn't like it one bit.
Still. Maybe Kirishima had a point.
He sighed, rubbing a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Fucking hell. Fine. When?"
"Tonight? Does seven o'clock sound good? That way we have time to get ready."
"Get ready?"
"Well, yeah, it's a date! And the steakhouse is kinda nice. I want to look hot."
Bakugo glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he reached his car. He was tempted to give him shit and say something about Kirishima needing more time for that, but who was he kidding? Kirishima was always hot.
"You need me to pick you up from your place?" he asked instead.
"Hmmmm, nope. Let's meet there." Kirishima explained where it was in quadrant one and Bakugo realized he'd walked past the restaurant many times, but he'd never gone in. It did seem like a fancy place.
Bakugo showed up at the restaurant a few minutes before 7:00 wearing a slate grey button-up shirt and his best, hand-tailored black pants. His stomach churned with nerves and he stood tensely just outside the front doors, berating himself. He was just having dinner with Kirishima. He'd had hundreds of meals with him, this shouldn't be any different. Why did it feel different though?
Because it was a date. At least Kirishima called it a date, anyway.
When was the last time he went on a date? He couldn't even remember. This was definitely his first date with a guy, though. And not just any guy, but his best friend. So strange.
He made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat, stood a bit straighter, raised his chin defiantly and entered the steakhouse. The smell of meat cooking struck him first. Everything was bathed in dim ambient lighting intended to make the restaurant feel cozy and intimate. Quiet, soothing jazz music played from overhead speakers.
A well-dressed hostess smiled at him politely. "Hello, table for one?"
Bakugo hesitated. "I'm supposed to meet someone here..."
She peered at a tablet on the podium in front of her. "Did they make a reservation? Or, can you tell me what they look like?"
"Tall, red hair, pointy teeth."
"Oh! Yes! He just sat down just over there." She gestured toward a corner in the back. Then she looked at him sharply. "Wait, you're Ground Zero! I'm a huge fan! Oh! That was Red Riot, of course! Let me show you where he is." She had a little pep in her step as she weaved through the tables while Bakugo followed her.
Finally, Bakugo caught sight of Kirishima as they passed a huge, decorative column. Time slowed as he took in his best friend-turned-boyfriend. Kirishima stood up and grinned widely at Bakugo, his sharp teeth somehow looking even more white in the dim lighting. His hair was tamed down and tied back. It was no wonder the hostess hadn't recognized him. Bakugo didn't like it. He preferred Kirishima's hair like a wild mane around his face. Kirishima wore a red button-up shirt that matched his hair perfectly. As Bakugo approached the table he realized that Kirishima was holding a single red rose out to him.
"Is this reality? Someone pinch me," the hostess breathed in excitement.
Bakugo marched quickly over to Kirishima, snatching the rose from him, hoping that not too many people saw it. Kirishima smoothly pulled out a chair. Bakugo stood there for a moment in confusion and Kirishima motioned meaningfully for Bakugo to sit down.
"Oh my God," he huffed and sat down quickly.
Kirishima sat down across from him. "You look really nice," he said admiringly.
The hostess made a choking noise, distractedly patting her apron like she was searching for her phone. "Um, your waiter should be here in just a moment. In the meantime, if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask. Me. Ask me. Please."
As soon as she left Bakugo leaned across the table toward Kirishima. "What do you think you're doing?"
Kirishima tilted his head. "Going out on a date with you?"
"You know that's not what I mean!" he hissed.
"Showing you that I'm the best date you've ever had?" He still wasn't getting it. Kirishima opened his menu. "Get whatever you want. I was thinking about getting a bottle of Moscato, what do you think?"
"Wait, you drink wine?" Bakugo had only ever seen Kirishima drink beer or liquor.
"Eh, not often. But this is our first official date, so I'd say it's a special occasion!" There was a spark of joy in his eyes that dumbfounded Bakugo into silence.
A waiter appeared and took their order with polite, professional indifference. Bakugo couldn't even remember what he ordered. All of his focus was on not looking around them at the other restaurant patrons. He felt like everyone was watching them and it made his skin crawl. He even thought he caught a glimpse of the hostess taking a picture of them from behind one of the decorative columns.
He was beginning to remember why he hadn't dated in so long. Why he'd settled into solitude. Kirishima's chatter more than made up for Bakugo's awkward silence. He tried to concentrate on what he said, adding in a few terse responses occasionally, but the effort was draining. Eventually their food came but his steak might as well have been leather, he could barely taste it.
Why couldn't they have just had dinner at his apartment? They could have eaten in peace and groped each other under the table. Bakugo glanced at Kirishima's mouth, at the tips of his sharp teeth just behind soft, kissable lips. He couldn't beg Kirishima to bite him in the middle of a restaurant. This was awful. Why was everything so damn difficult?
A hand settled on top of his left hand, which he realized was clenched around his fork in a death-grip. Red eyes looked at him in concern. "Are you okay? You seem...off."
"This isn't what I want," Bakugo blurted out in a rush.
Kirishima stilled. "What isn't?"
"This!" He motioned all around him.
"You don't like this place? We can leave if you want." Kirishima flagged down a waiter and asked for the bill.
"No, everything. This isn't me. I don't want to fake date for other people. I don't want this for us." The words were falling out of his mouth rapidly now, near-hysteria bubbling in his gut.
"I don't want that either," Kirishima agreed slowly. "I just want..." A buzzing was filling Bakugo's head. "...whatever you're...." His voice was fading in and out. "...with you."
Bakugo stood abruptly. "I can't do this." His voice was sharp with desperation. Some part of him knew he was being irrational but he couldn't help it. Nothing was going right. His life was off the rails and he had no control. "I'm sorry, I just..."
Then he bolted, leaving the restaurant in a blur of tables and chairs, stupidly huge columns, and gawking strangers.