Kiribaku?

Chapter 7 (Lunch Break)

The rest of the afternoon, the boys practiced, and Bakugo watched as Kirishima played, noticing way his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he fell into a rhythm. His technique was great, and it was clear he was hyper-focused whenever he played, yet he would constantly critique himself, claiming he messed up after a flawless attempt.

"That was bad," he muttered, wiping the sweat off his forehead, "Let me try again."

"Woah, take a break," Bakugo said, taking the drumsticks from his hands, "You've been playing for hours and still aren't happy with yourself. You need to chill out."

"But, you're supposed to be teaching me how to get better!" Kirishima protested, "All you did is give me a couple small tips. I'm still not making any progress!"

"That's because you don't need to make any more progress. It's perfect. I guess all this loud music is rotting your thick head and making you dumb if you can't realize that."

Kirishima didn't know how to reply to that, staring dumbstruck at the boy in front of him. Bakugo wordlessly grabbed Kirishima and lifted him from the stool, taking him firmly by the hand and leading him to the garage door. As the pair stepped outside, Kirishima was startled by the growling in his stomach. He'd been so focused on practicing that he hadn't had time to think about his hunger.

"Uh, while we're taking a break, maybe we could grab a bite to eat?" He mumbled sheepishly.

"Sure, I'm kinda hungry too. Where do you like to eat around here?"

Thirty minutes later, the boys sat on the curb in front of a food truck, sloppily eating tacos out of paper plates.

"I thoth you were thaking me to a real reshtraunt." Bakugo grumbled around his meal.

Kirishima scowled at his manners, shrugging his shoulders in reply to the boy's comment. When they finished, they sat there for a while, paralyzed by the fullness of their stomachs. Kirishima lazily glanced over at Bakugo, noticing a few dribbles of food around his lips. He reached up to wipe it off with his fingers, brushing the crumbs off. His hand lingered where it was, caressing the side of the blonde's face, as the pair remained still, silently holding eye contact.

"Today was fun," Kirishima whispered, "I can't thank you enough for your help."

"Don't mention it, shitty hair. You didn't need my help anyway. But I enjoyed watching you play."

Kirishima smiled, his cheeks stinging from the uncontrollable grin that took over his face, making his heart flutter with joy. Bakugo's expression was so soft, so relaxed. This moment seemed like the perfect one for a kiss. But just as quickly as the moment came, it passed.

Bakugo's face suddenly shifted, his smile wavering. He leaned away, slipping his face out of Kirishima's hand. For a minute, Bakugo's walls had come down, just for them to be forced back up again in an instant, as though he couldn't allow himself another moment of vulnerability. Kirishima cherished the times Bakugo allowed himself to feel comfortable around him, but it was almost like he just didn't want to get comfortable.

"Come on, let's get back to your house." The blonde said stiffly, avoiding eye contact as he stood up.