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To say that Bakugou was living his worst nightmare was the understatement of the century. He was sitting on a chair, placed in the corner of the groom's room as he watched the love of his life getting dressed for his wedding. He had to keep pushing down the lump in his throat.
Kirishima looked so handsome, wearing a red suit with a black shirt, and red tie. His long hair was half tied up with a braid through part of it, as the rest cascaded down to about his mid-back. It took every single ounce of restraint that Bakugou had to not rush toward Kirishima. To not start pleading, begging, sobbing, and whatever else it took for Kirishima not to walk down that aisle.
It was too late. He had wasted years pining after his best friend. Too scared to say anything. Too scared of losing those bright red eyes, and that beautiful sharp smile. Too scared he wasn’t good enough. That Kirishima deserved someone that was able to love him the way such a kind and amazing man deserved. Someone who wasn’t scared to put his feelings into words.
Now, he had to stand right next to him and watch as Kirishima married Tomo.
The middle school friend Kirishima had run into him not even a year ago. The one Kirishima came back to their shared apartment gushing about. The one Kirishima started dating not even a week after that. The one he had dated for maybe three months before they got engaged. And now, six months after the start of that engagement, he was watching as his last shred of hope died, and he couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful Kirishima looked.
“Kats?”
Bakugou blinked, he had been so lost in thought he hadn’t realized that Kirishima had been trying to talk to him. “What?” he replied, trying to focus.
“What do you think?” Kirishima asked as he spread his arms to his side and made a slow turn to show off his outfit.
Bakugou’s breath hitched as his heartbeat against his chest breaks even more than it already was with each beat. A confession almost slipped through his lips, but he swallowed it down just in time. “Looks… you look… it ain’t as shitty as usual,” Bakugou ended up choking out. You look fucking gorgeous.
Kirishima laughed, “That’s the best compliment you have ever given me.”
Bakugou flinched, was it really? Had he never said anything nicer than that about his best friend? He just let out what he hoped sounded like an annoyed hum.
“I was able to talk Tomo into doing the first look video before the ceremony,” Kirishima grinned.
“Oh, that’s cool,” Bakugou told him, not able to make it sound like he was excited.
“Yeah, we have about… 30 minutes before that,” Kirishima said sheepishly. “I’m so nervous.”
“What the fuck?” Bakugou frowned. “Why the fuck would you be nervous, Red?”
“I… I don’t know,” Kirishima said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “Tomo didn’t really want to do this… what if he was right and it’s just stupid?”
Bakugou didn’t miss the way Kirishima’s smile faltered. It made his heart ache, knowing just how often Kirishima’s smile had been faltering lately. He could feel his blood heating up… but he had no right to be mad.
“It isn’t stupid,” Bakugou finally said, a bit quieter than he would have liked. “You want to do it, and it will be great. Good for the wedding video and all that.”
“Thanks,” Kirishima grinned,” I knew there was a reason why I picked you to be my best man.”
Bakugou opened his mouth, about to say something, he wasn’t sure what when there was a knock on the door. “Hey, we- Oh, Kiri! You look so handsome!” Ashido practically squealed, rushing forward to hug Kirishima.
“Thanks, Mina,” Kirishima told her as he hugged her back.
“I know you need him here,” Ashido started as she pulled away, “but can I borrow the best man real quick?”
“Yeah, sure,” Kirishima told her with a nod as they both turned to look at Bakugou.
Bakugou let out a groan as he started making his way out the door. He did need a break. Calm his aching heart before the actual ceremony. Maybe he would be able to do what he had been trying to do since Kirishima got engaged and let himself let go of Kirishima. Maybe he would finally move on from his best friend.
“Come on!” Ashido told him, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him along.
“What the fuck do you need me for anyway?” Bakugou demanded to know.
“We are going to play a prank on Kiri and we need your help,” Ashido explained in a hushed voice followed by a giggle.
“If you fuckers do anything to ruin Ei’s wedding, I fucking swe-”
“Just wait!” Ashido huffed at him as she opened a door.
Bakugou blinked as he saw Sero and Kaminari on the other side. Both of them with wide grins. Bakugou looked down at what they were holding, the pieces clicking into place. “No, no fucking way,” he told them, but the look on the three idiots’ faces told him there was no way he was going to get out of this one.
*
Kirishima stood anxiously in front of the mirror. Fixing his tie for what felt like the hundredth time. His hands shook slightly as he did so. He let out a long breath, he should be happy. He was happy. It was just…
He wondered if everyone felt nervous on their wedding day. As if they were choking but not quite to the extent that they needed to gasp for air. Just enough that he wanted to run to feel the air moving around him. He adjusted his tie once more, loser this time.
Tomo was… great. He was nice and they got along fine. It was very romantic after all. Running into his middle school best friend randomly one day. The dating and getting engaged… it was… good. It was great.
Sure, he didn’t know how Tomo took his coffee. So what if Tomo didn’t like watching Crimson Riot movies with him? So what if Tomo didn’t go see him at the hospital after he got injured in battle? It was fine. They were good. They knew enough about each other… even if he didn’t actually know what Tomo’s favorite color was. Did Tomo know his favorite color? They had their whole lives to learn all of that. They had their whole lives to figure it out.
They had been fighting a lot more lately. About things that seemed small or even dumb, both during the moment and after the fact. He couldn't remember the last time he had a conversation with Tomo where one of them didn't end up storming off. It was the stress of planning a wedding, that's what they kept blaming it on... but it felt like...
None of that mattered. He was in love. He was sure he was in love. People that were in love got married and that was what they were going to do. Get married and start their lives together, and everything would be alright in time.
“Kiri?”
Kirishima turned around to find Sero standing at the door with a grin. “You ready for your first look at your groom?”
“I thought I had… 10 more minutes?” Kirishima turned to look up at the clock on the wall.
“Photographer has to set up,” Sero said with a shrug. “Since you’re both reacting, they got to make sure the angles are right and all that. I had to do it at our wedding.” Sero couldn’t help but smile at the memory.
Kirishima looked down as he walked. Sero and Ashido were the only ones in his close group of friends that were married. “Sero, were you nervous when you got married?”
“Yeah, terrified that Mina would change her mind. That she would realize how amazing she is and that she was settling for me or something,” Sero chuckled. “Other than that, I was so excited. Honestly, it was the best day of my life. Seeing her there, beautiful and radiant… and her eyes focused just on me… as if the rest of the world didn’t exist… her smile… I lost all my fears in that millisecond.”
Kirishima thought about Sero’s words. Where those the exact same type of nervous he was feeling? To him, it was more like... dread? Uneasiness? The moment he saw Tomo, he would feel better. At least, he should feel better. Kirishima ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. “Thanks for the insight.”
“Any time,” Sero told him.
They were outside the venue now, right by one of the big pillars that they would use for the reveal. Kirishima felt his stomach twisting almost painfully.
“Mr. Kirishima?” the photographer called out to him. “I think we are going to start a bit early, so could you please lean against the pillar?”
Kirishima could only nod, doing as he was told. At least the pillar was keeping him grounded.
“Alright,” the photographer said as they started taking pictures of Kirishima against the wall. The videographer also moved around him and then walked toward the other side of the pillar.
“Okay, now reach your hand out and hold hands,” the photographer instructed.
Kirishima’s heart sank, was Tomo already there? He did what he was told, and before long there was a hand in his. Kirishima felt it squeeze him, and it felt… it felt like it belonged there. He squeezed the hand back, his thumb brushing the knuckles softly. Has Tomo’s hands always been that soft?
“Now, we need you to face this way,” the photographer continued.
Kirishima turned, heart, beating in his throat. If he took one more step, he could turn and see his groom, but he kept his eyes focused on the horizon. The hand in his was shaking, but held on firmly.
“Without looking, take a step forward, close your eyes if you have to.”
Kirishima closed his eyes. He had to. He wasn’t sure why he felt like his world was falling apart. As if this moment was suddenly too real, too uncomfortable. Too much for him to deal with.
“Okay, now turn to look at each other.”
Kirishima inhaled, turned to his side, and opened his eyes.
He froze.
There was no brown hair nor the bored expression he had been waiting for. There was no black suit because colorful suits were tacky. There was no sigh and "Is it over now?" There was no Tomo standing in front of him.
Instead, there was blond hair that reached just above broad shoulders. Hair that was being grown because of a bet that Kirishima had won a couple of months ago. A strapless corset wedding dress made his figure stand out in such a way that it made Kirishima's mouth go dry. Under a short veil were those intense red eyes, which were usually so focused and sure of themselves, looked nervous as they waited for his reaction.
Kirishima opened his mouth, trying to say something. Anything.
His best friend was standing in front of him. Bakugou Katsuki.
Bakugou, who told everyone that he took his coffee black but actually drowned it in sugar when they were at home. Bakugou, who would sit next to him on the couch as soon as Kirishima mentioned that he wanted to rewatch a Crimson Riot movie. Bakugou, who always ran to his side after he got injured, even if it was just a bruise, lectured him about being more careful with worried eyes. Bakugou, whose favorite color was black, but Kirishima knew he also liked sky blue and just wouldn’t admit to it.
Bakugou Katsuki, who made him feel at peace just sitting together in a room.
So many other thoughts ran through Kirishima’s mind. Every single detail he knew about his best friend. Every single memory. From UA to becoming pro heroes to being roommates. Every single time he had-
“Look, Red,” Bakugou started, eyes looking away from Kirishima. “It’s a stupid prank that Sero and Denki came up with… The dress is Mina’s and just… fuck, don’t be mad, alright? I’ll just… I'll just fucking go. Let's just forget this ever happened...” Bakugou tried to move away, but Kirishima was still holding onto his hand.
Kirishima pulled him back, and those red eyes were on him once more, but this time they looked so confused. Kirishima took a step forward, his other hand cupping Bakugou’s cheek. Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned down, his lips finding Bakugou’s. Slow at first, so slow and careful, as if he was scared of breaking him. He let go of Bakugou’s hand, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him closer. Bakugou didn’t hesitate, and Kirishima felt the way the blond leaned against him. That was until he pushed him away.
“W-wait,” Bakugou said, the cutest flush on his face, “you-you’re about to get married.”
Kirishima shook his head, “I can’t. I can’t get married to him.”
Bakugou blinked, his voice so small as he asked, “Why? You-”
“Because he isn’t you,” the words came easily now. “Because he isn’t you, Katsuki. He doesn’t have your blond hair or your fierce eyes. He doesn’t sit with me in silence while we do our own work. He doesn’t make me my favorite dinner simply because he thinks I might be upset. He doesn’t lay in bed with me after I have a nightmare and soothes me back to sleep with just his voice.” Kirishima grabbed Bakugou’s hands in his, “He isn’t the one I want to spend my life with… because that person was in front of me the whole time. I was just too blind to see it.”
He watched as tears started forming in Bakugou’s eyes, “Eijirou, do you… do you mean it?”
“Of course I do,” Kirishima told him. “I love you. I was an idiot for not noticing it sooner.”
“Say it again,” Bakugou pleaded. “Please, say it again.”
Kirishima smiled, leaning down, and whispering so only the two of them could hear. “I love you, Katsuki.”
Bakugou let out a small laugh, his hands finding their way to Kirishima’s face, “I love you too, Eijirou. I have for so long… I thought- I was so-”
Kirishima didn’t need to know. He leaned forward, kissing his best friend, the man he was in love with, as sweetly as he could. As sweetly as he deserved.
“I hate to interrupt this sweet moment- and the fact that you two finally got your heads out of your asses-” Ashido started, “but there is a whole wedding that’s supposed to take place... today... in a couple of hours.”
Kirishima pulled away from Bakugou, looking around and remembering that they had an audience. He cleared his throat as he felt his face turning red, “I’m not getting married.” He looked over at Bakugou, “At least, not today.”
Bakugou smiled, grabbing Kirishima’s hand with a smirk. That was enough to let Kirishima know everything he ever needed to know. Without a word they started running, Bakugou let out a laugh as they made their way to the parking lot, and Kirishima couldn’t help but join him.
They made their way to the car that Kirishima had rented to take him and his future husband to the airport. Well, he was still taking his future husband away with him in it. Maybe he should go talk to Tomo, and explain that he couldn’t go through with it. The media would have a field day, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was that once inside the car, Bakugou was kissing him again.
“That dress looks gorgeous on you,” Kirishima said breathlessly against Bakugou’s lips.
“Don’t tell raccoon eyes that, it’s her dress, and was a bit annoyed that it actually fit me,” Bakugou laughed, and Kirishima realized that he hadn’t heard that beautiful sound in so long. Finally, he got to hear it again, and he would make sure to hear it as often as possible.
“Hope she isn’t expecting it back in one piece,” Kirishima said with a grin as he eyed Bakugou.
“You sure you want to… just leave like this?” Bakugou asked nervously.
“I’m sure,” Kirishima said as he placed the key in the ignition and made the car roar into action. “Tomo… he will be happier about this too. I don’t think either of us wanted this. At least, not for the right reason. I will explain everything to him later,” he reached for Bakugou’s hand. “I don’t care if this makes me the bad guy because it means I get you.”
Bakugou leaned over, kissing Kirishima, once, twice, “Let’s go then.”
Kirishima grinned as he put the car on the drive and sped away. The only thought on his mind was Bakugou sitting next to him. Feeling happier than he had in months.