Work Text:
Kotetsu sprawled across his couch in his living room, barely holding onto an almost empty can of beer. Hero TV was on the screen in front of him and he grit his teeth in anticipation as he watched his former partner, Barnaby, having a standoff with an old woman who was clearly agitated, her hair rising and eyes bright blue as her abilities were activated, yet she did nothing as the two stood on a building’s roof.
It was surely keeping all of the audience of the broadcast on their toes, and it felt like hours as the seconds went by as the two just stood. Barnaby was keeping patient with the woman whose eyes were furrowed and he tracked her fingertips as she kept moving them in an odd grabbing motion.
Patience, that’s what his old man taught him.
Yet ironically Kotetsu’s mind was racing as he watched the two on the screen, “Bunny- quick!! Do something Bunny!” He quickly sat up and started waving his beer can, droplets of the drink flying as he was getting anxious.
And soon after his chant, Barnaby let out a ‘tsk’ from under his mask and lunged towards the woman. His opponent’s face twisted into what looked like soon to be regret as she reached her hand out and simply tapped on his suit’s shoulder- and as soon as her fingertips made contact with him, the suit collapsed. Barnaby collapsed. The sound of the armor clanged against the ground.
Kotetsu’s heart dropped and all the intoxication in his body had suddenly disappeared. He quickly got up and rushed around his house to grab his iconic green and white outfit, scattering to find his watch.
The woman had rushed out of the scene, leaving the pink clad suit on the ground, discarded like nothing.
Blue Rose and Dragon Kid had finally reached Barnaby, worry all over their faces as they rushed over to his still body.
“Barnaby! Barnaby, oh no- no- Barnaby- are you awake!?” She could fear the sting of tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she patted down his chest with her shaking worried hands.
The suit moved ever so slightly and the two girls heard a groan emit from behind the helmet, and they both let out a synchronized sigh of relief.
Kotetsu whipped his head as he heard his old buddy’s voice come from the livestream, he also let out a sigh.
“I’m fine- I just feel-” his helmet unraveled itself to reveal nothing.
Barnaby’s face was not there. No one was inside the suit.
Blue Rose and Dragon Kid let out high pitched screams, synchronized- and Blue jumped away from the suit in shock, her whole face turning dark in horror. Dragon Kid’s face dropped in horror at the predicament.
“Huh? What’s wrong? I’m fine.” Barnaby’s voice was still coming from the empty shell of a suit that was somehow moving itself.
“B-Barnaby? You’re not in the suit- you’re- I don’t see you! Where are you?” Blue kept stepping backwards.
“What do you mean? I’m right here, don’t you see?” He waved his hands, and it was clearly him moving but his face- his body- it wasn’t inside the suit.
Kotetsu’s eyes stared wide at the screen.
---
The veteran hero was standing in front of Agnes who had a pair of glasses floating right beside her. She jabbed her fingers into Kotetsu’s chest, just like how she always did and will continue to, as she groaned.
“Barnaby won’t be allowed to work until he- his actual self comes back. I can’t have an invisible Barnaby roaming around. I need you to let him crash your place until the ability of that NEXT wears off. Got it?” Agnes furrowed her brows, expecting a hesitant murmur.
And a hesitant murmur was exactly what she got.
“But why me- can’t he just stay at his own place? Just because he’s suddenly a ghost doesn’t mean he can’t be alone. Ghosts are alone all the time!” Kotetsu protested.
“I was told there might be some side effects to the ability. If I was alone and something happened, do you know what that could warrant, old man?” The pair of floating glasses spoke, and Kotetsu scratched the back of his head, unnerved by the fact that Barnaby was and wasn’t there.
“So you’re okay with me baby sitting you, Bunny?”
“Of course.”
---
Kotetsu opened the door to his home and Barnaby- or Barnaby’s glasses slowly flew past him and the older man couldn’t help but giggle at the odd sight- yet when the lenses quickly turned to face him he felt a shiver rush throughout his spine. He raised his palms up and laughed it off, “Listen, Bunny, I’m sorry it’s just funny seeing just your glasses. But- why is it just your glasses? Don’t you have any clothes on-” Kotetsu’s face dropped at the thought. That Barnaby was naked the whole time and that the young hero only decided to keep his glasses on.
“No Kotetsu-san!” Barnaby sounded flustered. “Obviously my clothes are on,” the sound of patting himself down came from the invisible figure. “I just don’t know why my glasses are the only thing everyone can see.”
From the looks of it, Barnaby had sat down on the couch. Kotetsu didn’t know, but he was looking at where his hands would be. He felt a weird void form in his chest, a twisted conflicting one. No one could see him. He didn’t even have to follow Kotetsu into his car and be driven back to his house. Yet, he did. Barnaby could be anywhere, or really- everywhere.
“Well, it can’t be all that bad. I’m sure you’ll come back soon enough Bunny.” the old man patted the couch down so that he wouldn’t have accidentally crushed Barnaby- he felt what seemed to be Barnaby’s thigh and he heard a sigh come out from his invisible partner. “Oh- sorry buddy.”
“No- you’re fine. It’s just-” Barnaby’s mind flipped like a switch and Kotetsu tripped onto the couch, a ‘woah-woah!’ slipping out of his mouth as he felt his back being pulled against Barnaby’s chest. Kotetsu had no right to protest, he knew this was going to happen. He let out a worried sigh, as he tried to feel up what seemed to be Barnaby’s arms that were so desperately holding close to him. They were squeezing across Kotetsu’s stomach and he felt his chin place itself on his shoulder.
Kotetsu found Barnaby’s hands that were holding his lover so close and after a few fumbles of attempts, interlocked their fingers.
“Kotetsu-san,” red rushed to Kotetsu’s cheeks as he heard Barnaby’s soft breath against his ear, and he felt something poking up against his rear. His shirt was being lifted up yet nothing was there- he could only feel it. Barnaby’s slender fingers had slowly found their way up his shirt, his stomach and pecs were being squeezed. Kotetsu hung his head low, slowly melting and feeling himself grow weak at just the slightest touch. Just as he heard Barnaby hum behind him, his nipple got pinched and Kotetsu let out a yelp and quickly got up from the invisible lap he was sitting on.
“T-That’s enough young man! Calm yourself!” he pointed directly at the pair of glasses that seemed to just stare back at him, and yet he could tell Barnaby felt a bit of defeat. “Listen Bunny, it’s just weird to not be able to see you! We… we can do that stuff when you’re back to normal okay?”
“Sorry, Kotetsu.”
“Aghh…,” The dark haired man felt bad, and he knew that Barnaby was still young and was just getting excited over this new advantage he had over him. He walked over and carefully felt around the air surrounding the lenses until he felt Barnaby’s forehead, and planted a soft kiss on it. “I promise, when you’re back we’ll have fun, okay? For now, I’ll make you my super famous fried rice~!” Kotetsu sang that last bit as he walked towards his kitchen, waving his hands in excitement, as cooking for Barnaby was one of his favorite things to do.
Barnaby smiled.
He felt his heart ache. It was unnerving yet inevitable, this feeling washed over him. Barnaby had always loved Kotetsu, he loved the way Kotetsu smiled in hard times. He loved how Kotetsu had excessive trust and compassion. Barnaby’s world was so small, Barnaby’s heart was so closed off until he met this man. A veteran hero who cared more about what being a hero really meant- rather than what some television broadcast made it out to be.
He gripped his thighs, just trying to feel his fingers scratch against his pant leg, reminding himself that even though no one could see him- he was still there. Barnaby took off his glasses, folded them, and put them on the table in front of him.
But now, Kotetsu was helpless. He couldn’t be a hero anymore. He retired, officially. Barnaby had to be there- has to be there for Kotetsu now. If he ever had to feel Kotetsu’s last breath while holding him in his arms again- he would never forgive himself.
His partner hummed to himself as he tossed the pan above the stove, oblivious to Barnaby shuffling around in his living room.
Barnaby could feel his heart racing, these thoughts seemed too- too off. Would Kotetsu be okay if Barnaby was gone? Because the young man knew that if he ever lost Kotetsu, he would never live happily again. The death of his parents was already enough, yet the old man showed him to trust and love again.
But if Kotetsu ever died, a piece of Barnaby would too. They were buddies. Lovers.
He had to protect Kotetsu.
Some days when Barnaby sat achingly silent in his room, the only company being his plants. He would stare up at his ceiling and think those unwanted thoughts. That one of them was going to die first. Barnaby wanted it to be him first. If Barnaby was dead, then he could always watch over Kotetsu, and Barnaby wouldn’t have to deal with the ache of living without Kotetsu. But then, it would be vice versa. He couldn’t do that to his old man.
Maybe this whole thing was just a trial- a trial to see if he could still love Kotetsu as a ghost. He knew the answer. Of course he would.
Thankfully Barnaby was still here. Barnaby is the reason Kotetsu is so content with his life now. Barnaby gave Kotetsu another reason to keep going.
The blonde stood in front of those picture frames of Tomoe. Tomoe, Kaede, and Kotetsu.
Is this what Tomoe does?
Watch over Kotetsu?
He gripped his chest. It hurt. He was there, but he wasn’t. He looked down and saw nothing. It ached.
---
“Okay Bunny- say ahh- ah wait, where are you? Where’d your glasses go!?” Kotetsu looked confused as he knew that Barnaby was sitting right beside him at the couch but just couldn’t make out where Barnaby’s face would be due to him taking off his lenses. He yelped as he felt Barnaby carefully grab his wrist, pulling his hand that held the utensil with rice closer to his lips. The spoon nudged against something and Barnaby wrapped his lips around the food.
The food disappeared but Kotetsu didn’t see it go down as soon as he felt Barnaby eat at it, there was nothing.
“Woah. That’s so weird, huh!?” Kotetsu poked at Barnaby’s transparent wall of a stomach and the other man let out a scoff.
“What, you didn’t see it go down my digestive tract?”
“No! Maybe I don’t wanna see that, though…”
“Doesn’t matter, Kotetsu-san. What matters is that I can still taste your delicious cooking.” Kotetsu wore a beaming smile, flustered at the compliment. Barnaby wished Kotetsu could see the happiness that spread across his own face. He took the spoon from his lover and Kotetsu watched as the spoon scooped up some rice and was brought towards what seemed to be Barnaby’s lips and watched as it completely vanished into thin air.
“Woah!” Kotetsu repeated that same excitement. Kotetsu just went to grab another spoon as the two of them shared the dish, and the old man watched in fascination as he watched as the food slowly was disappearing into nothingness. He leaned back and let Barnaby take his bites, quickly taking a swig from his bottled water. “So… how is it? Being invisible and all that?”
“It’s good. I can watch you from anywhere and you wouldn’t know.” Barnaby said nonchalantly, not realizing what had slipped from his lips. Kotetsu accidentally gripped the water bottle too hard, and it fell onto the ground. And as soon as he realized what he had said, his heart did a leap and the air between the two was silent for a bit.
Kotetsu furrowed his brows and frowned, not in a serious way- but in more of a ‘you’re weird.’ way. If Barnaby was visible right now, his cheeks would’ve been flushed a tomato red.
“S-Sorry I don’t know what I meant by that- I just. You know- It’s…” Kotetsu watched as the floating spoon was put down onto the plate of fried rice. He looked down onto his thigh as he felt a hand being pressed down, and he felt the weight of the other side of the couch shift. “I wish to always be by your side and watch over you, protect you- and if it meant being a ghost- then I’d gladly be one.”
“Bunny, what are you talking-” he felt Barnaby crash his lips against his and a string of moans came between the two of them. Kotetsu was pushed down onto the couch, his head resting on the couch arm and he felt his body heat up in the situation. He was looking at nothing- thin air- yet he felt everything that was Barnaby.
Barnaby slowly stripped Kotetsu’s chest, and began planting soft peppering kisses across his chest, his hands going back to feel up his torso.
“You just can’t wait huh…” Kotetsu covered his embarrassed face with his arms, he didn’t want to be seen right now, ironically. He bit down on his bottom lip as Barnaby started massaging his thigh, slowly rubbing the area by his crotch. A harsh force pulled Kotetsu’s arms away and he felt his hand being pinned down on his side.
“Don’t hide yourself, Kotetsu-san.” Barnaby whispered against his lover’s skin.