I. Soul marks are stupid.

"I find the idea of soul marks frankly stupid!" Bakugo loudly exclaims, tossing his head back as he throws his controller on the side.

It's the start of the winter break; outside, the air is crisp with cold air, and there's been a prediction of snow falling later that day. Bakugo and Kirishima are lounging around, as they do on most weekends. Both boys have been testing the latest video game that Kirishima bought the day before. Bakugo's mom smiles and shakes her head from the kitchen counter, pulling out a tray of homemade goodies she has just finished baking. Kirishima snorts by way of response.

"You got something to say, shithead?" Bakugo growls and turns his head to his childhood friend.

Spending the weekend at Bakugo's house has been a tradition for as long as Bakugo could remember. Kirishima's parents are always away on some expedition—his parents are archaeologists—and Bakugo's mom has taken up the role of being Kirishima's extended mother. Bakugo, being an only child, relishes the company, though he would never say that openly.

Kirishima grins, knowing Bakugo's vocabulary becomes harsher when he's embarrassed. He fiddles with his controller and starts a new game, knowing Bakugo will join in at the last minute. He chuckles, knowing that Bakugo's earlier remarks are most likely due to their inability to clear that last level, causing the hero to agonize over and lament the loss of his soulmate during the closing credits. "Why do you hate soul marks that much? Aren't you the least bit curious about finding your soulmate?" As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Kirishima realizes his mistake and turns to look at his friend.

A look crosses Bakugo's face and his amber eyes gleam so brightly for a second, momentarily freezing Kirishima in shock. He has never seen such pain in Bakugo before, and he wonders, with a heavy heart, if perhaps Bakugo already knew or has met his soulmate. The moment doesn't last long, and Bakugo's face contorts into its usual scowl. "You sound dumber than usual," Bakugo says, voice far quieter than his normal explosive range. "Why should some stupid mark tell me who I'm supposed to love?"

Despite the words coming out harshly, Kirishima could feel himself melt under the sincerity with which they were said. His breath hitches in his throat, and he has the sudden urge to reach out and comfort Bakugo. He catches himself in time and shakes his head to clear his thoughts. No way is Bakugo actually sad about the entire ordeal. That's just absurd. Kirishima forces a grin on his face. "I can't believe those words came out of your mouth."

Bakugo's scowl deepens, and Kirishima laughs good-naturedly. Bakugo throws a pillow at Kirishima as he stands up with a huff. Yeah, I probably imagined the whole thing. Kirishima turns his attention back to the screen just as the opening credits roll up. Bakugo yells at Kirishima for being a cheat and getting a head start, even as he rushes back to grab his controller, shoving Kirishima roughly in the process.

Kirishima ends up being pushed off the couch and lands on his ass in the process. He laughs loudly, his hands still firmly grasping his controller, his attention never once wavering from the screen. Bakugo growls in annoyance and mutters some well-chosen invectives at Kirishima.

Yeah, it's just another normal weekend at the Bakugo household. Kirishima side-eyes his friend right before the game starts, and sighs in relief that his earlier faux pas doesn't escalate further. I can't believe I forgot how much Bakugo hates talking about soul marks. Shaking his head at his own boneheaded comment earlier, Kirishima focuses his attention fully on the game, mentally reminding himself never to bring up the topic of soulmates around Bakugo ever.

.

II. Because Philo solves everything.

~~Plato once stipulated that when a soul is born into the world, it splits itself in half and lives in two separate beings; and these beings spend their lives finding their missing half.~~

Bakugo snorts as he reads the passage in his book. What a load of bull! He continues reading, however, despite not believing the text; his philosophy professor assigned his class this topic, and they all have to submit a paper their first week back after winter break. Sometimes being in his last year at university has its perks; sometimes, like today, it totally sucks.

"Whoa, this stuff is pretty awesome. You have to marvel at this Plato guy because that's exactly what happens when the Oracle tells you what your soulmate's soul mark looks likes!"

Bakugo counts to ten and expels a sigh. It won't do to murder his childhood friend before Christmas. Avoiding Kirishima's question, Bakugo turns to look out the window where snow is lightly falling and immediately falls into a daze. Ever since he was a kid, Bakugo has always been mesmerized by the sight of falling snow.

"Hey, hey, Bakugo. What did the Oracle tell you about your soulmate?"

Then again, maybe he can push Kirishima off the window and into the snow and make everything look like an accident. Bakugo sighs in exasperation and turns to scowl at Kirishima. All that is lost on his friend, who continues to grin at him expectantly. The open smile on his Kirishima's face unnerves Bakugo, and he feels heat creeping up his neck all the way to his cheeks. He growls in defense and looks away, shoving Kirishima's face away from him. "Shithead, I don't talk about that, remember!"

Unfazed, Kirishima swats Bakugo's hand away from his face. "Why are you always like this?"

Not wanting to indulge Kirishima, Bakugo props his book up and continues reading the passage. In the background, Kirishima continues to whine, but when Bakugo doesn't pay him any attention, he stops and turns to his paper.

~~It's been said that souls transcend concepts such as time or even societal constructs such as race, gender, or age. While in many cases, soulmates end up romantically involved, there have been few notable cases of soulmates ending up in platonic relationships.~~

Bakugo frowns at the passage and reads the last sentence again. Unconsciously, his eyes stray towards his childhood friend, whose face is contorted in concentration—sharp canines biting the end of his pen, eyes nearly crossed with the rapt attention, brows slightly furrowed—while reading from the textbook. Unknown to even himself, Bakugo's features soften at the sight of his friend and he continues to stare at the other, unaware of time passing by, the moments marked only by the soft ticking of the wall clock by the door.

Kirishima suddenly looks up and catches Bakugo looking at him. He grins automatically. "Whatcha looking at me for?"

Embarrassed at being caught, Bakugo nearly stammers in his response, "S-Shithead, who said I was looking?" Then Bakugo stands in a huff, feeling his shoulders tighten with tension. He rotates his head and lingers on bending his head sideways, exposing his neck just slightly before repeating the motion but this time moving his head backward and forwards. He repeats this until he feels some of the tension leaving his body. Then he raises his hands over his head and stretches it all the way up, feeling his shoulder bones creak slightly. Arms still raised overhead and feeling satisfied with his routine, Bakugo twists to his right and nearly stumbles at what he sees.

Kirishima's attention is wholly taken by the expanse of skin currently exposed when Bakugo raised his hands over his head. Bakugo swallows hard at the gleam in Kirishima's eyes whose laser focus on his abdomen makes his breath hitch. Kirishima's lips are slightly parted, and his breath is coming short puffs as if he's panting.

Unable to bear the attention any longer, Bakugo looks away and brings his hands down on his table. The sudden noise snaps Kirishima from his trance, and Bakugo observes him surreptitiously from the corner of his eyes. Despite the chilly weather, Bakugo suddenly finds the heat unbearable in his room. He tugs at the front of his shirt in an attempt to cool his suddenly heated body. He looks down and sees the text.

~~In close vicinity of each other, soulmates often react to each other instinctively. Cues are usually visceral and when uncontrolled, soulmates would suddenly find themselves bathed in uninhibited lust for the other. This lust usually manifests in short breaths, rapid breathing, heated bodies, loss of concentration…~~

Bakugo slams the book shut and heads straight for the door, ignoring Kirishima's shouts on his way out.

.

III. Origins.

Most people remember their visit to the Oracle; quite often these memories become part of important milestones—such as weddings or anniversaries—and are often retold during the celebration of such special occasions.

Bakugo remembers his own visit somewhat differently. He remembers the vast amount of snow that fell that day. He remembers sitting on the chair in the Oracle's office and looking out the window. Unlike most others, who visit the Oracle at a much younger age, Bakugo is nearly 10 when he visits. While not uncommon, it certainly raised a few surprised looks, making Bakugo feel even more anxious.

The visit itself is unremarkable—the Oracle looks him over once, makes a comment about his soul mark, then said his soulmate's mark is located behind his left earlobe. Bakugo only half-listens to the entire spiel, his attention on the falling snow outside the window—the only thing calming him enough, so he doesn't bolt out of the room immediately. When the visit is over, his mom thanks the Oracle and they talk about a few more things; Bakugo makes his way towards the door, eager to leave the office as soon as possible.

He remembers the ride home to be just as unremarkable; he remembers the heaps of snow by the side of the road and how the sunlight glints off the ice just right, making the tiny crystals sparkle into a variety of colors. As soon as they arrive home, Bakugo recalls the urge to share the news with his new friend—the Kirishima family has just moved to their neighborhood then—and it may have taken a while, but he soon becomes friends with the family's young son.

"Bakugo! Bakugo! You won't believe it!"

Speaking of said friend, Bakugo looks up and sees Kirishima bounding, his face split into the biggest smile Bakugo has yet seen on him. Bakugo stands still, anticipating the onslaught of enthusiasm from his friend. Kirishima comes to a stop in front of him, hands on his knees, chest heaving from his recent run. When he looks up, his eyes crinkle at the edges and the corners of Bakugo's lips pull upward into a lopsided smile.

"Bakugo! You won't believe what happened!" Kirishima says, eyes nearly bugging out of its sockets in his excitement. Bakugo remains silent and waits patiently for his friend. "Bakugo! I finally got my soul mark!"

The moment Kirishima's words leave his mouth, Bakugo's heart starts thudding madly. Goosebumps crawl up his arms, and he shivers slightly, knowing full well the cold weather has nothing to do with it. He clenches his hands at his side and wills himself to calm down.

"Oh man, I never thought I'd get my soul mark you know? I mean, most people get theirs by their 7th birthday but mine came and went, and it never showed! So all this time I thought I'd never get it!"

It has been widely practiced for families to take their children to visit the Oracle from a young age; there's a belief that the earlier one manifests their soul mark, the better the union would be. A visit to the Oracle would yield information whether one has or does not have a soulmate; and in the event of the former, their soulmate would then manifest a soul mark on their body. Many believe that certain cues, when triggered early, would help make it easier for two fated souls to encounter each other early in their lifetime, and thus enable them to build their relationship early on. While there is no shortage of souls meeting each other later in their lifetimes and still having a prosperous union, the common practice has always been to visit the Oracle as early as possible and allow the soul mark to manifest as soon as possible.

Bakugo suddenly straightens up subconsciously, feeling the warmth emanating from his soul mark. The memory of how he got his soul mark comes unbidden in his mind.

Bakugo's soul mark manifested when he was seven. They were on vacation at the time; he was playing by the shore when sudden heat emanated from his back. It had been so intense that he stumbled and fell to his knees. Thankfully, he was on the shallow end of the beach. He nearly blacked out from the pain, which did not subside for a couple of minutes. When he regained consciousness, he was lying down on the sand, his mother, Mitsuki, hovering over him concernedly.

"Katsuki, what happened?"

Bakugo blinked and realized the pain was gone. He sat up and anticipated the pain, but none came. Suddenly his mom gasped beside him.

"Katsuki! There's a huge mark on your back! Oh! I bet it's your soul mark!"

Ever since he was young, he had heard so much about soul marks. Curious and excited about the mark, he immediately stood and turned his head to look at his back. He ended up pivoting on the spot in his attempt to see his back. He became dizzy and fell in a heap on the sand. When he recovered and sat up, he saw his mother giggling uncontrollably by his side. Incensed by his mother's reaction, he crossed his arms in a huff and growled at his mother.

"Stop laughing, you old hag!"

Mitsuki wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and looked squarely at Bakugo. Amber irises gleamed against the sun, and Bakugo suddenly felt a chill. Stubbornly, he glared back.

"Awww, is Katsuki embarrassed about his soul mark?"

His mother continued to look at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes and a smirk on her lip. Enraged, Bakugo huffed and looked away. "No, I'm not." Bakugo tried to quell his curiosity; he didn't want to give his mother the satisfaction. "It's stupid. Who wants to look at a dumb mark anyway?"

"You sure you don't want me to tell you what it looks like?"

Mitsuki's tone was teasing, and Bakugo had had enough. He stood and stomped away from her.

"Are you sure, sweetheart, because I can tell—"

"Shut up, old hag! I don't want to hear it!" Bakugo covered his ears and ran away. He could still hear Mitsuki's mocking laughter, as he slammed the door to his room angrily. Mindful of the sand he just tracked inside his room, Bakugo chose to sit in a corner instead of plopping down on his bed.

"Stupid, old hag, teasing me like I'm still a little kid," Bakugo muttered under his breath, even though there was no one to hear him. After a few minutes, when he finally calmed down, Bakugo stood up and walked to the bathroom. He paused tentatively by the door then decided there was no better time. He pushed the door open and switched on the lights.

Bakugo locked the door after closing it. He didn't want any sudden interruptions; the embarrassment he experienced earlier was enough. Bakugo inhaled deeply then exhaled. He turned to face the wall, his back towards the mirror, then he turned his head around and looked into the mirror.

Right smack in the middle of his back was a bright red mark. As he looked more closely at it, Bakugo felt irritation crept in. The mark was so plain it could have been a birthmark to anyone who didn't know what it really was. 'Is this it? Is this the soul mark?' As he continued to look at the mark, he waited expectantly for something—anything—to happen. When minutes passed, and nothing happened, Bakugo sighed in irritation and stepped into the shower area.

He shrugged off the rest of his clothes then turned on the shower to wash the sand off his body. He exhaled deeply, as the disappointment rolled off him in waves. 'I thought adults talked about it so much because it was supposed to be great or something.' Still pissed off after the hot shower, Bakugo decided to sleep off his frustration and disappointment over the soul mark.

That evening, as they sat together for dinner, Mitsuki kept giving him knowing looks which Bakugo pointedly ignored. His dad, Masaru, caught up to the silent eye exchanges and casually asked, "What's going on? Why do you two keep glaring at each other?"

Bakugo saw his mother open her mouth. He decided to cut her off before she could say anything. "DON'T SAY IT, I'M WARNING YOU OLD HA—"

"Katsuki!"

Masaru's sharp tone, despite the calmn in his voice, sent a shiver down Bakugo's spine. He closed his mouth, his lips thinned to a line. He gritted his teeth and looked away.

"Bakugo got his soul mark today," Mitsuki said.

Bakugo hissed and looked down into his plate; he felt his face heat up in anticipation of what his mother would say next.

"Oh, interesting," Masaru responded.

There was nothing said after that and Bakugo looked up to see his parents had gone back to their meal.

"Say, I heard that there's a pirate ship somewhere here—"

"Oooooh, exciting! Maybe we can look for it tonight—"

Bakugo looked from one parent to the other suspiciously. But they were not giving him any attention at all. He scowled and transferred his attention to his food instead. 'Adults are so weird!'

"BAKUGO!"

Blinking his eyes, Bakugo sees a hand waving in front of his face.

"Hey, were you listening to what I was I saying?"

He looks at Kirishima and blinks some more.

"You weren't, were you?" Kirishima pouts. "I was telling you about my soul mark!"

Bakugo's attention snaps to Kirishima instantly. His heart thuds in his chest wildly. He watches as Kirishima opens his mouth.

"EIJIROU!" The shrill voice startles both boys who visibly jump at the sound.

A middle-aged woman comes running towards them, stopping just beside Kirishima. One hand on her heaving chest, she sighs in exasperation and turns towards Kirishima. "I told you to stand still!"

"Aw mom, I saw Bakugo, and I had to tell him!"

"Be that as it may, I still need to treat you!" Etsuko glares at her son and then grabs his arm. "Look what happened, you wound yourself right when you got your soul mark!"

Kirishima winces just as his mother wraps her hand around his wrist. From what little Bakugo could see, the skin underneath Etsuko's fingers is red. His eyes widen, and his mouth suddenly feels dry. A flashback of the image of his own soul mark flashes in his mind—how red it had been and how much it hurt when his mom touched it.

No, no, no! Bakugo is suddenly dizzy with the realization that Kirishima is not his soulmate. He remembers that the Oracle specifically mentioned that his soulmate's mark would be behind his left earlobe. He takes a step back, suddenly overcome with disappointment.

"Bakugo, Bakugo!" Kirishima calls his attention enthusiastically, but the sound of his voice is suddenly jarring to Bakugo's ears. "Isn't it exciting? I wonder if maybe I have met my soulmate before, like we could've run into each other on the street—"

A horrible feeling envelops Bakugo—he suddenly realizes the implication of Kirishima getting his soul mark. A mark that does not correspond with what the Oracle has told him. It means that one day, Kirishima would meet someone who would replace him—Bakugo—as Kirishima's most cherished person. The thought sends shockwaves of disappointment coursing through Bakugo's senses; his heart constricts, and breathing becomes difficult.

"—Bakugo! Bakugo, what's wrong?"

Kirishima's voice suddenly seems so far away, and Bakugo only hears a hollowed echo in his ears. He takes a step back and then another. He looks up to see his friend's concerned face; Kirishima's mouth opens and closes but Bakugo does not hear a word. Pain shoots through his heart so suddenly, making Bakugo gasp audibly and his hand automatically clutches at his shirt right above where his heart is. He clenches his eyes tightly and grits his teeth; he whimpers, unable to bear the pain tearing through his heart.

Just when Bakugo thought he would pass out from the pain, it suddenly vanishes. As quickly as it came, the pain disappears, and Bakugo's mind clears. Only then does he feel the warmth of the small hand pressed against his back. He opens his eyes and looks up to meet gleaming amber eyes.

"Bakugo! Bakugo, are you ok?"

Kirishima's face is merely inches from his, and this close, Bakugo could clearly see the minute nuances of his friend's features—from the knit of his eyebrows, to the slant of his nose, down to the tightness around his jaw. Bakugo blinks slowly, his brain hasn't caught up yet with the influx of sensations and emotions coursing through his body. When it does catch up, a flush rises from his neck upwards to his cheeks. He instinctively leans as far back as his head would allow and then takes a step back. The sudden movement dislodges Kirishima's hand on his back, and the loss of warmth makes Bakugo shiver.

"Katsuki-kun, are you feeling alright?"

The voice jars Bakugo's thoughts, and he shifts his gaze upwards to Etsuko's face.

"I need to get home." His mouth moves of its own accord and the words fly out before he could think. Without waiting for a response, Bakugo pivots and takes off in a run.

"BAKUGO, WAIT—"

He hears Kirishima shouting behind him, but Bakugo doesn't dare look back. He keeps his head down and continues running. Despite not having a fixed destination in mind, Bakugo's only thought is to run away; run as far away as his legs would carry. Away from Kirishima and the onslaught of feelings he just can't handle at the moment.

.

IV. Things you discover during a snowball fight.

Bakugo opens his eyes, and a small gasp escapes his mouth. He feels disoriented, a common occurrence after one suddenly wakes up from a deep slumber. He stares, unseeing, at the darkness overhead, and when his eyes finally adjust, he blinks and wills his body to relax. He expels the breath he's been holding. Remnants of his dream slip through his mind; he tries to latch onto some but they slip by too fast until the only thing left is the gaping feeling of uncertainty weighing down on him.

His friends have always teased him about his non-belief—near hatred—of soulmates and soul marks. Truth be told, he doesn't exactly abhor the concept. While it's true that he seems to have detested his soul mark when it appeared, it's mostly due to embarrassment and slight disillusionment. His stance on the concept of soulmates has always been neutral—apathetic even—until that fateful day. He has since been dreading the loss of his best friend to some stranger, who just so conveniently happens to carry a mark that matches Kirishima's.

The soulmate and soul mark ideas are stupid, stupid little constructs by some batshit old fool who doesn't know a thing about reality. Bakugo sighs, knowing his inner rants aren't gonna do him any good. He gets up and decides he might as well go running if only to ease the tension in his body.

As soon as he steps out of the house, the cold sting of winter air hits his cheeks, and he shivers, his breaths coming out in short white puffs around his face. He pulls the hood of his coat over his head and begins his usual route.

Bakugo enjoys his morning runs, even during winter, finding the cold air invigorating as it clears his thoughts. When he's running, there's nothing but the passing scenery by his periphery, the kiss of the wind on his cheeks, and the feel of solid ground underneath his feet. He loses himself in the repetitive motion, and he welcomes the bliss of his brain on limbo during those moments.

He makes a turn and sees a figure in a red tracksuit up ahead. His heart speeds up minutely, and he nearly missteps; he covers for it by slowing a bit as he turns his head to look at the grinning face of his childhood friend. The sparkle in Kirishima's eyes nearly undoes him, so Bakugo turns his head away and continues his sprint.

Unfazed, Kirishima easily falls into step with him. Bakugo knows even if he tries to increase the pace, Kirishima will easily catch up. Being naturally athletic, Bakugo has always found it easy to excel in sports, and very few of his friends could keep pace; Kirishima seems to be one of the few exceptions. Perhaps it's precisely because of this that Bakugo hates soul marks even more. The idea of Kirishima ending up with a total stranger later on in his life, who may not be entirely compatible with him, is ludicrous.

They continue their pace for the next half hour, with neither of them saying a word. Bakugo enjoys this time when the world around him is silent. Soon the sky turns from purple to pink; Bakugo stares ahead, fascinated by the changing hues. As the pink fades from the sky, Bakugo knows that soon after, their neighborhood will be waking up. After they complete their usual route, both of them head towards the park. Bakugo stretches before taking a seat on the bench. He has no sooner sat down when Kirishima pipes up beside him.

"Did you wake up late today or something?"

Bakugo snorts by way of response. Kirishima knows full well that Bakugo wakes up earlier than his alarm. Bakugo knows Kirishima is baiting him for being a few minutes late. It was that fucking dream! At remembering remnants of his dream, Bakugo's scowl intensifies.

Kirishima side-eyes his friend and chuckles at the murderous expression on his friend's face. "No worries, man, I mean if you need extra morning time for you know… uh… private stuff, it's cool."

The intended effect of his words hits Bakugo instantly. "HAH?! Do you have a death wish, fuckmunch?"

Kirishima laughs heartily, enjoying the vile reaction from his friend. Bakugo turns and stares at his friend, and his throat goes dry. Kirishima has his head completely thrown back, exposing the long column of his throat and his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with each bark of laughter. While Bakugo has always known his friend is reasonably attractive—hell, he's had a crush on him for years—the sight of Kirishima utterly lost in laughter always catches him by surprise.

Perhaps it's Bakugo's gruff nature, his overly-serious approach to just about anything in his life, or his highly-competitive nature, that light moments normally don't feature a lot in his life. Friends are far and few in between as well; and he can't blame them, his nature is prickly at best. Seeing someone laughing so brazenly, so freely, feels surreal for Bakugo. His eyes soften, and his heart pricks with tender emotion. Kirishima always manages to inject sunlight in Bakugo's otherwise sullen mood. His heart swells at the thought that he could cause someone as shiny as Kirishima to laugh that openly.

What do I do when you run off with your soulmate, Eijirou?

The unbidden thought sends daggers of pain slicing through Bakugo's heart. He instinctively turns away from the sight of Kirishima, scowl marring his features. He's been dreading that day since he was 10. He's been dreading the day Kirishima finds his soulmate, and Bakugo is cast aside as "just a friend." Perhaps this is why he has such aversion to the concept of soulmates—how something so absurdly abstract can tear long-standing friendships apart like all their years together doesn't matter. How an inconspicuous mark determines who one is supposed to be with for the rest of their life—is he merely supposed to forget everything he and Kirishima went through because a mark says so?

Something cold and wet smacks him on the cheek and Bakugo yelps in surprise.

"HAHAHAHA! That one hit you square in the face!" Kirishima clutches his sides, bent over and laughing at Bakugo's surprised look.

For a moment, Bakugo thought it had been Kirishima who threw the snowball until a small voice pipes up in front of him.

"Mister, I'm so sorry. My aim was bad and hit you!"

Bakugo stares at the small figure of a girl, most likely no older than seven, looking up at him with tearful eyes. He opens his mouth to say something when another voice interrupts him.

"Don't be mad at her. It's not her fault!"

Another little girl, who seems to be about the same age as the other one, latches onto her friend's arm and looks up at Bakugo with such a defiant face that it reminds Bakugo of himself. The sight of the two friends holding onto each other and squaring off against a perceived threat creates a lump in Bakugo's throat. Not knowing how to be gentle with words, Bakugo bends down and scoops a handful of snow into his hands.

"Oi, Oi, Bakugo, c'mon, that's taking it too far!" Kirishima, who has been watching the exchange silently all this time, attempts to intervene, thinking Bakugo has chosen to retaliate.

Bakugo pays Kirishima no heed and continues to pack the snow in his hands. When he's done, he holds the snow out to the two little girls, who are huddled together, faces a mixture of fear and trepidation of what Bakugo is about to do. Bakugo snorts and rolls his eyes. "Here! Take it!" He makes the motion of urging the two kids to take the snow from his hand.

Both girls look at each other; then the more defiant one walks closer and takes the snowball from Bakugo's hand. They look at each other again, confusion evident on their faces.

"So, why don't we make it even with you hitting that doofus over there right on his face?" Bakugo says with a straight face and jerks his thumb towards Kirishima.

Kirishima makes an indignant sound while the two girls stare at Bakugo with blank looks on their faces. Then they look at one another again as if silently communicating on what to do. Finally, after a last glance at Bakugo, the girls turn around and walk away. Beside him, Kirishima snorts and shakes his head.

A beat of silence passes, broken only by the sounds of other people around them. The rest of the neighborhood seem to be waking up: salarymen are hurriedly walking towards the station, some older folks are walking around with their canes, some with their dogs on a leash, some hand in hand with young children.

SPLAT!

Bakugo's eyes widen when he looks up and sees the two girls from a fair distance giggling at them. After seeing Bakugo looking at them, the two girls squeal and run away. Despite himself, Bakugo grins at the antics of the two girls. He turns and looks at a clearly dumbfounded Kirishima, whose face is wet from where the snowball hit him.

"Serves you right, shithead!"

Kirishima recovers from the shock and wipes the moisture from his face. He grins at the two girls running around and squealing in the distance. "You're just a sore loser, Bakugo!"

Snorting and deciding he's had enough of the cold, Bakugo gets up from his seat and stretches. He starts to wonder what his mom could be cooking for breakfast and his stomach grumbles. He turns to Kirishima to tell him they're going when something cold and wet hits him squarely on the face. As the snowball crumbles and falls from his face, he sees Kirishima grinning at him, another snowball on his hand.

Bakugo wipes his face with the sleeve of his arm and says in a feral voice, "Hair for brains, you wanna die today, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know Bakugo," Kirishima says as he bounces a packed snowball lightly on the palm of his hand. "It's been a while, but I used to be a pitcher in junior high—" A snowball cuts off the rest of Kirishima's sentence.

"You talk too much, shithead. Let's see who—" The soft crunch of snow hitting skin silences the conversation.

"You were saying, Bakugo?"

Bakugo growls, and Kirishima whoops in delight, dodging the flurry of snowballs Bakugo suddenly pelts in his direction. When Kirishima finds his chance, he switches to the offensive and lands two solid throws to the side of Bakugo's head, sending the other boy sprawling down the snow-covered ground. Kirishima relishes his victory for a moment, hands on his waist, as he laughs heartily. Suddenly, he falls back as Bakugo comes at him in a flying tackle.

Both boys land on a pile of snow with a soft thump, Kirishima cushioning most of Bakugo's weight. A little dazed from the sudden attack, Kirishima looks blankly at Bakugo for a few moments, before his face splits into a huge grin and he starts chuckling.

"God, you're such a sore loser, Bakugo!"

"Shut up, fuckmunch. You wanna die that badly, huh?"

Kirishima continues to laugh, tears gathering at the edges of his eyes. Bakugo lays atop him, their chests separated only by sheer will from Bakugo, who broke his fall with both hands on either side of Kirishima's neck. Despite not touching, Bakugo feels Kirishima's chest rumble with every laugh. He is also close enough to see Kirishima's eyelashes splayed against the pale skin of his cheeks. His eyes stray lower to Kirishima's mouth, and one thought runs through Bakugo's mind—would Kirishima's lips be cold if he touches it with his.

"Mister! Mister, are you okay?"

The sudden voice interrupts Kirishima's laughter, causing him to open his eyes. He meets amber eyes gleaming so brightly against the morning sun, as a beat of silence passes between them. Something flickers in Kirishima's eyes and Bakugo feels the strangest need to want to know what it is.

"Mister! Hey, Mister, if you stay there for long, you're gonna get cold!"

Kirishima's gaze shifts to the side, and he smiles. "We're ok! We were just playing and took a tumble."

Knowing the moment has passed, Bakugo pushes up and away from Kirishima. He stands quickly, shaking off the bits of ice that stuck to him during the fall. He looks around and notices there are more people out and about now. His stomach rumbles once more, and he turns to Kirishima. "I'm hungry, let's go!"

The two girls wave goodbye at them; Bakugo only blinks at them while Kirishima waves energetically. On their way back, they talk about nonsensical things—their Philo paper due on their first week back, a new movie they have both been waiting to see—then Kirishima's phone buzzes. He fishes it out and checks the screen before accepting the call.

"Yo, Mina, what's up?"

Bakugo assumed it's Ashido Mina, a mutual friend from school. He can't hear what she she says, but it causes Kirishima to chuckle. "Hang on." Then Kirishima holds the phone out in front of them and taps on the speakerphone button.

"Kiri! Whatcha doing right now?"

Kirishima looks at Bakugo for a moment; he responds by raising an eyebrow at him. Kirishima chuckles, "Eh, just out with Bakugo on our morning run."

"Oooohhhh… I see."

Mina chuckles on the other end, which Kirishima ignores. He clears his throat and asks, "Was there anything you needed?"

"A bunch of us are hitting the mall later to check out the stores. Join us!"

Kirishima looks at him for confirmation, and Bakugo only shrugs. "Sure Mina, what time are we meeting?"

Bakugo immediately scowls but waits for Kirishima to end the call before saying, "Dipshit, I never said anything about going."

They stop in front of Bakugo's house, and Bakugo pushes the gate open. Kirishima closes the gate gently then hurries after him to coax him to agree. "Aw, c'mon Bakugo, it'll be fun."

"Go have fun then. Just leave me out of it."

The smell of breakfast wafts in the air as soon as Bakugo opens the front door. His stomach grumbles again, and he scowls, feeling grumpier with each passing second. A hand suddenly slings around his neck, and Bakugo flushes at the contact. He nearly flings Kirishima off when he feels the latter's breath ghost his ear.

"How about we visit that takoyaki place you like so much after? You know, the one that serves spicy sauce? My treat!"

Bakugo freezes for a second, as Kirishima's voice sends ripples of uninhibited lust running through his body. He nearly swoons but catches himself in time. He flings Kirishima's arm off and stalks towards the dining room. "You're buying me loads, hair for brains!"

Kirishima chuckles behind him, then politely greets his mother and apologizes for the intrusion.

"Eijirou!" Mitsuki chides gently, one hand still clutching a spatula as she scoops rice into bowls. "How many times do I have to say that you don't need to do that every time you visit? You practically live here!"

Bakugo snorts and rolls his eyes as Kirishima reddens and becomes flustered while Mitsuki sits him down and prepares his meal. Despite having spent so much time in their house, Kirishima never once lost his manners in front of Bakugo's family. He smiles as he shovels rice into his mouth, eyeing Kirishima and the adorable blush on his best friend's face.

.

V. Running away never solves anything.

"WAIT!" Kirishima yells as he chases after a rapidly disappearing Bakugo. Damn his childhood friend is fast; he has forgotten that Bakugo used to be on the track team in junior high. "BAKUGO—goddammit," He dodges a passer-by, who looks on in surprise. "—slow the fuck—" his breath comes out in short huffs. "—I'mma pummel you—"

He doesn't even have time to react to what he has just heard. One minute he recalls standing there laughing with Bakugo and the others over a joke, the next Bakugo stands stock still and then bolts without a word. Kirishima remembers his own body moving on its own, which is how he has ended up chasing after his hot-headed friend.

Up ahead Bakugo neatly dodges the passers-by and makes a sharp left turn. His mind is full of nothing but the need to escape, to run, to get as far away as possible. He's had a crush on you for years! The words ring loudly in his ears, and a hot flash of embarrassment creeps up his body. He has already started running before he realized; Kirishima hot on his heels. Dammit, why won't Eijirou just fucking leave me alone!

He comes to a sudden stop, chest heaving from exertion, and looks up at the tall wall looming in front of him. He mentally curses, realizing too late that he must have made a wrong turn somewhere. He looks back, willing his aching body to run the other way, but Kirishima is already there, blocking his way. Bakugo looks to the side, silently assessing if he can maybe body slam Kirishima and bolt out of there.

"Don't—even think—about it," Kirishima's voice sounds ragged, and his shoulders are slumped. He puts his hands on his waist and takes mouthfuls of air. "Look, man, I don't even know why you ran!"

"Then why'd you follow me, shithead?"

Kirishima straightens up and looks at Bakugo. He takes a step forward, small measured steps closer towards the other boy. Bakugo fights to keep himself still, to not step back and not appear intimidated in the slightest. Damn Eijirou for being so brazen. His fists clench at his sides, and he grits his teeth. He opens his mouth and prepares to throw a few well-chosen invectives to distract Kirishima.

"Is it true?"

The words die down in his throat. His mouth going slack until it closes; he swallows and licks suddenly dry lips.

"What Mina said—is it true?"

Lie! Say something and lie! Bakugo wonders why he suddenly finds speaking difficult as if the words are suddenly stuck to the back of his throat.

"It's true, isn't it?"

Suddenly Kirishima is directly in front of him, his body mere inches away from his. Bakugo doesn't know what's more difficult—coming up with a lie to tell his friend or looking at Kirishima's face and seeing the hopeful gleam in his eyes. Damn soul marks anyway. He looks away, unable to bear looking at Kirishima's face a second longer. In a gruff voice, he says, "What if it were?"

The silence that follows rings loudly in Bakugo's ears and he wills himself not to look back to see the reaction on Kirishima's face. He knows his own face must be very red. He clenches his fists at his side and expels a heavy sigh. Patience has never been his strong point, and the longer he waits for Kirishima's reaction, the more anxiety is building up inside him—like a time bomb waiting to explode. "Look, fuckmunch—"

"Then why'd you run away?"

The confusion in Kirishima's voice causes Bakugo to turn his head and stare at him. His eyes meet Kirishima's wide eyes, amber irises flickering with an emotion Bakugo can't decipher at the moment. His own heart lurches in his chest, and he finds himself speaking before he could process the words. "Why wouldn't I run away? Did you expect me to stay there after—" His voice trails off towards the end, and he nearly chokes on the words, unable to continue his train of thought.

"I thought Mina was talking about me." Kirishima's voice wavers a bit, but Bakugo could care less. Is he saying what I think he's saying? Bakugo remains silent, but his gaze never leaves Kirishima's face. He watches as Kirishima swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with the motion. When Kirishima next speaks, his voice quakes more than before. "When—when she said that, I thought she was talking about me. Then you went off running, and my body just reacted on its own. Halfway through chasing you, I remembered that Mina said something else after."

Bakugo's eyes widen, and he could feel his cheeks heating up again. Despite himself, he asks, "What did Mina say?"

Kirishima snorts and scratches his head as if he has just remembered himself. Bakugo rolls his eyes at how effortlessly charming his friend can be. With a grin, Kirishima says, "She, uh, she said 'Go get your man, Kiri!'"

Heat suffuses Bakugo's cheeks, and he has the sudden, very primal urge to strangle a certain pink-haired alien-looking friend of theirs.

"Then I wondered for a second why she would say something like that. I had never told anyone about—" Kirishima pauses and turns red, and Bakugo blushes as well. After a few seconds, Kirishima clears his throat, "—well I had never told anyone. So I thought, maybe she wasn't talking about me… maybe she was talking about you."

At the end of his explanation, Kirishima's cheeks match the color of his hair. It would have been hilarious if Bakugo's own cheeks don't resemble the same. An awkward tension suddenly envelops both of them, and they immediately look away from each other—Kirishima finding the slate gray walls interesting, and Bakugo angrily staring at the grubby tiles at their feet.

A cold breeze blows and Bakugo shivers. Since rushing outside to escape, both have not put on their coats, thus making both underdressed for the cold outdoors. Bakugo is about to suggest heading back when he looks back at his friend and sees Kirishima's face go slack. Unknown to them, snow starts falling, little white flakes like multiple feathers dropping from the sky. Bakugo has always been fascinated by snow, but this time, he's more fascinated by Kirishima's face as his friend stares at the falling snow in awe.

"You look even stupider than usual, hair for brains," Bakugo says, his voice flat, his tone a little gruff, but there is no hiding the affection in it. "It's just snow, it's not like you haven't seen it before."

Kirishima turns to him, a wide smile on his face, his eyes gleaming brightly, and Bakugo is instantly reminded of them as kids. Their childhood flashes before his eyes, and despite himself, Bakugo feels the beginnings of tears form in his eyes. He squints to stop the tears from falling, and furrows his brows. "Fuckmunch, I'm cold. If you wanna stay here and stare at nothing, suit yourself."

Then Bakugo turns away and starts walking, knowing that Kirishima will follow shortly. True enough, Kirishima sidles up to him after a few paces. One well-muscled arm slings around his neck and pulls him in a rough side-hug. The heat envelops him quickly, and he instinctively moves closer, even as he scowls deeper and more invectives flow out of his mouth. Kirishima merely laughs and pulls him closer.

"Ne, Bakugo, does this mean you'll be a whole lot nicer to me now?"

Bakugo shoves his elbow at Kirishima's side, which the latter neatly dodges in time. "Shithead, I'm not doing your homework for you."

Kirishima whines and Bakugo elbows him again. "Mou, Bakugo, so mean. Is this how you treat your boyfriend?"

Despite knowing there is nothing to be embarrassed about, Bakugo still flushes a deep red at Kirishima's statement. "D—D—die you fuckmunch!"

"HEY, YOU TWO!"

Up ahead they see their pink-haired friend waving at them, the rest of their friends not far behind.

"Where have you both been? We've been so worried!"

"Yea, man, you just bolted out of there so fast. Mina and I've been looking for you guys, especially when the snow started falling."

Shivering from being exposed to the cold far longer than ideal, Bakugo eagerly takes the coat from Kaminari's hands. He mumbles his thanks before slipping into his jacket. He shivers once more as he feels warmth spread through him. Beside him, he sees Mina helping Kirishima into his coat. He watches as the two exchange glances, and Bakugo vaguely remembers what Kirishima said about whether Mina knows about his feelings.

Wanting to finish their conversation without the others around, Bakugo takes hold of Kirishima's hand and announces, "Yea, ok, Kirishima and I are heading home now. Thank you, I guess, for looking after our stuff." Then he turns and starts walking away, Kirishima in tow, without waiting for any response.

"Oi, oi, Bakugo, slow down. What's the rush?"

"We were interrupted in our conversation, I wanted to finish it."

"Oh."

Bakugo stops and turns back to Kirishima, suddenly concerned. "Did—did you not want to continue talking about it?" Suddenly unsure of himself, Bakugo becomes conscious of his hand around Kirishima's wrist.

"No, no, I do! I mean I want to continue!" Kirishima excitedly confirms. "I just didn't think you would." He averts his gaze and ducks his head.

Finding the entire thing adorable, Bakugo gruffly says, "Fuckmunch, you sound dumber than usual."

.

VI. Of soulmates and soul marks.

Looking outside the window and into the street below, Kirishima watches, mesmerized, as the snow continues to fall down in a steady stream. It hasn't been snowing heavily, so the streets below are only wet but not covered in white yet. As Kirishima watches the traffic of people below, he thinks back to the afternoon he has just had. It has been slightly surreal for him. He has never expected for the day to turn out the way it did. Even now, Kirishima thinks he has just imagined the entire thing.

"Hair for brains, were you listening to anything I'd been saying?"

Kirishima jolts out of his reverie, and turns to look at Bakugo, who is scowling at him. He grins sheepishly and scratches his head. This elicits a growl from his usually hot-headed friend.

"Just for that, I'm not gonna repeat anything I said!" He follows this announcement with a huff and crosses his arms in front of his chest for good measure.

Despite himself, Kirishima chuckles. Bakugo can be so predictable sometimes. "Aw, c'mon Bakugo. I'm sorry, the snow outside distracted me." He moves away from the window and joins Bakugo on the floor by the foot of his bed. "What was it you were saying? I promise I'm listening now!"

Bakugo mumbles something that Kirishima doesn't hear very well. He leans in closer to hear his friend. "I'm sorry Bakugo, what?"

"SHITHEAD! I ASKED IF YOU MEANT WHAT YOU SAID THIS AFTERNOON!"

There is a moment of silence as Kirishima stares blankly at Bakugo. Then a shrill voice yells from outside Bakugo's room. "KATSUKI, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! IT'S LATE! DON'T BE SO LOUD!"

The admonition elicits a low growl from Bakugo and Kirishima couldn't help himself; he bursts out laughing. Naturally, the laughter only serves to incense Bakugo further.

"SHITHEAD! I SAID—"

Without warning, Kirishima launches himself at Bakugo. Unknown to him, the contact sends Bakugo's senses into overdrive, who feels dizzy with want as each lungful of air becomes rife with Kirishima's scent. Kirishima wriggles in his attempt to hug Bakugo better, which only makes matters worse for poor Bakugo who could only restrain himself so much. "Kirishima, I swear to God, get off me, or I'm… I'm gonna… KIRISHIMA!"

The sharp tone causes Kirishima to stop wriggling. He releases Bakugo from the hug and scoots away. "Bakugo, are you ok?"

When Bakugo doesn't respond, Kirishima holds out a hand to check on his friend. "Bakugo, what's happe—" Kirishima ends his sentence in a gasp as Bakugo looks up at him, his amber irises flickering like wildfire. There is a hunger in Bakugo's eyes that causes Kirishima to freeze. He gulps, and his hand falls to his side, suddenly weak with uncontrollable lust in response to the look in Bakugo's eyes.

Bakugo moves closer, and Kirishima lets him. He doesn't know why his body doesn't move away like he usually would, but something inside him is telling him it's ok. Bakugo's face is mere inches from his; he is, in fact, so close that if Kirishima juts his chin out, their lips will come in contact. Kirishima's throat goes dry at the thought.

A loud knock startles Kirishima and his gaze shifts towards the door. "Boys?"

Bakugo sighs and moves away. "Yea mom?"

The door opens, showing Mitsuki on the other side. "It seems the snow isn't gonna let up all evening. Eijirou, I think you should stay the night. I've already called your parents to let them know."

Kirishima could only nod, then Mitsuki bids them both good night before shutting the door. Kirishima remains frozen on the floor, and for some unknown reason, his gaze lands on the only bed in the room. His face bursts into a myriad shade of red, especially after what just happened moments ago.

"Dipshit, stop thinking perverted thoughts!"

Kirishima splutters. "Ba—Bakago—I mean Bakugo, I wasn't. What—what are you mmppffhh—" Something lands on his face and muffles the rest of his sentence. Kirishima removes the object from his face and sees it's a towel.

"Stop talking, hair for brains. Go get yourself cleaned up, and DO NOT use up all the hot water for fuck's sake!"

As he passes Bakugo on his way out the door, he sees a faint dusting of red on the other's cheeks. Kirishima smiles to himself. Heh, maybe Bakugo isn't as unaffected as I thought.

After both boys have cleaned themselves up, Bakugo brings out his game console and throws one controller over to Kirishima. Soon, both boys become preoccupied with blasting alien ships into smithereens. Outside, the snow continues to fall until it blankets everything in white. Kirishima turns to look out the window while the next game is being set up. There is something calming in watching the steady stream of falling snowflakes.

"What will you do when you meet your soulmate?" Bakugo's voice startles Kirishima, and he shifts his attention back to his friend. He notices that their gameplay has been paused and Bakugo has a serious look on his face.

Kirishima shrugs. "I don't know. I never thought about it, to be honest." He scratches his head, only just realizing that their situation does pose a problem for when one of them meets their intended soulmate.

"Dipshit, are you telling me you don't even know what you'll do?"

Despite Bakugo's harsh words, his tone doesn't rise to its explosive range like it usually does when Bakugo is angry about something. Kirishima senses the hurt and insecurity in his friend's voice. Kirishima's features soften as he looks at Bakugo's scowling face. "I meant that I don't know what to do about the soulmate—like, do I talk to them, do I even go and meet them?" Bakugo's scowl intensifies, and Kirishima nearly chuckles at his friend. "What I do know is that you'll always be my best friend and that what we have—" Kirishima pauses for a beat and licks sudden dry lips. His heart thuds wildly in his chest. "What we have is beyond anything any soul mark can replicate."

Kirishima blushes profusely after that. He doesn't know what has gotten him to say those words, but he's not about to take them back. In his heart, he sincerely believes that his and Bakugo's relationship cannot be merely supplanted by one borne out of some omnipotent force's decision.

"Fuckmunch, you always talk too much."

He blinks once at his friend's sudden pronouncement, then Kirishima bursts out laughing. Huffing at Kirishima's obvious enjoyment at his expense, Bakugo stands and pulls his shirt over his head in the process. Kirishima stops laughing and stares at his friend's exposed torso. "Uh, Bakugo… what are you—what are you doing?"

Grinning at the red spreading across the expanse of Kirishima's cheeks, Bakugo smirks at his friend, happy to finally have the upper hand. "Shithead, I thought I told you to stop thinking perverted thoughts?"

Kirishima splutters again and averts his gaze so he can stop ogling his best friend's incredible physique. Bakugo did that on purpose, that asshole!

Bakugo snickers. "I need to change into something warmer to sleep in." He turns and walks towards his cabinet.

While Bakugo rummages for a change of clothing, Kirishima, despite his earlier decision not to ogle his friend further, steals a glance at his friend's state of undress. He stares at Bakugo's broad back, at the expanse of skin and the muscles rippling underneath with each movement. Absent-mindedly, his eyes zoom in on a mark he sees dead-center in the middle of Bakugo's back. Squinting due to the dim lighting in the room, Kirishima leans forward in his seat.

"I never knew you had a birthmark in your back?"

The sound of the drawer slamming shut startles Kirishima slightly, and he looks up to see Bakugo standing ramrod straight. "That's because it's not a birthmark, hair for brains. It's my soul mark." His pronouncement elicits a gasp from Kirishima and Bakugo turns around to see Kirishima frozen in shock on his seat. "Oi, shithead, you ok?"

"Bakugo." Kirishima's voice suddenly sounds serious and Bakugo pauses in mid-step. Kirishima looks up at Bakugo, amber irises gleaming even in the relative darkness of the room. "Bakugo, tell me you're not joking."

Kirishima looks so serious that Bakugo decides to forego his usual insult. "Why would I be joking?"

"I always thought your soul mark is in your hands." When Bakugo doesn't say anything, Kirishima interprets it as a signal for him to continue. "Because you always have them covered with those fingerless gloves. I don't think I've ever seen you without them."

Bakugo looks down at his palms and realizes that Kirishima may have a point. He's been so used to putting on gloves every morning. "I have sweaty palms; it makes me uncomfortable when I have to shake someone's hand. That and I easily get cold."

"Oh!" That one word causes Bakugo to shift his gaze back to his friend.

"Oh? That's it?"

Kirishima grins sheepishly at him and scratches his head, a clear sign that he's nervous and Bakugo smiles in the dark. "I just always assumed that's where your soul mark is. I never asked because you never like to talk about soul marks. And—"

"—and?" Bakugo prompts when Kirishima trails off.

A deep blush suffuses Kirishima's cheeks, and he averts his eyes. The sight of Kirishima unsure and vulnerable like this sends heat pooling low in Bakugo's belly. "—I was sad… because it meant you'll have someone else more important in your life." Then Kirishima scratches his head and gives a self-conscious laugh. "It's weird, I know. It was just tough, thinking I'd lose you to some stranger who… who…"

Kirishima trails off, his mood suddenly somber and his eyes suddenly hooded and sad.

"Who doesn't really understand, who's never been there, who won't know how to handle your moods?" Bakugo completes Kirishima's unfinished statement, causing Kirishima to look up and stare at him with wide tearful eyes. "Yea, you're not the only one who thought that. Jeez, you should've just told me, dipshit."

"Bakugo," Kirishima says, voice once again serious. "Can I touch your soul mark?" Without waiting for Bakugo's response, Kirishima gets up and stands behind Bakugo. He doesn't need to pull up Bakugo's clothing to expose the mark, for some reason, Kirishima just knows instinctively where the mark is located. Gently, he places his left palm right on top of where the mark is. As his hand makes the barest contact with Bakugo's back, Kirishima feels his palm getting warmer.

A soft hiss draws his attention from the warmth in his palm. He looks up and goes weak-kneed at what he sees. Bakugo's head is thrown back, his eyes shut tightly, and his mouth slightly open. Kirishima would've been concerned if not for the utter bliss that he could sense in Bakugo's features—his jaw muscles are fully relaxed, and even his shoulders have dropped from their usual hunch. "Ki~ri~shi~ma…"

Kirishima's breath hitches as Bakugo draws out each syllable of his name. Realizing his touch is making Bakugo react this way, Kirishima removes his hand from Bakugo's back immediately.

Bakugo immediately turns to him, a feral look on his face, which makes Kirishima blush. "Bakugo, I didn't mean… I just thought…" The words die down on his lips when Bakugo's eyes stray towards his earlobe. Unknowingly, Kirishima had positioned himself on Bakugo's right side when he stood behind him, exposing Kirishima's left side, particularly his left earlobe. He opens his mouth to say something when Kirishima feels a hand snaking up his neck, fingers ghosting over his skin until one touches the sensitive part just behind his left earlobe.

The effect is immediate. Kirishima goes very, very still as a shark spike of lust erupts inside him. He's sure a moan escapes his throat, if Bakugo's low chuckles are any indication. Kirishima doesn't seem to mind though, his only concern is the overwhelming sensation currently enveloping his senses, and the pulsing need in his body for more… for Bakugo to touch him more.

As quickly as the sensations come, they disappear, and Kirishima blinks in shock. Then he hears a low guttural voice whisper, "Kirishima. You're so dead." Then Bakugo moves away, leaving Kirishima standing in the middle of the room. The loss of Bakugo's warmth leaves him cold, and Kirishima shivers. "Oi, dipshit, get in here. I wanna go to sleep."

Kirishima's body moves, and he finds himself standing over Bakugo's prone form on his bed. Unsure of what to do next, Kirishima hesitates to join Bakugo on the bed.

Bakugo rolls his eyes and pulls Kirishima down beside him. "I told you to stop thinking perverted thoughts, shithead." He forces Kirishima to settle beside him, before scooting backward so that their bodies aren't touching.

After a few minutes, Kirishima finally relaxes. He turns his head to look at Bakugo, who is lying on his back with his eyes closed. He has so many questions he wants to ask, but it seems Bakugo isn't in the mood to talk. Sighing, Kirishima settles on his side of the bed and closes his eyes.

"The day you told me about your soul mark, do you remember? You came running towards me and then your mom came and grabbed your hand. You winced so hard then, and I remembered how the skin on your arm looked so tender. I thought that was where you had gotten your soul mark."

Kirishima's eyes fly open, and he turns his head to look at Bakugo, whose eyes remain closed. "Bakugo…"

"There's plenty of time to talk about it. At least now it's clear that we're both each other's soulmates. So go to sleep, dipshit. I'm tired."

Unable to stop himself, Kirishima turns on his side and presses his forehead against Bakugo's forearm. The contact immediately warms Kirishima, and he sighs in bliss.

"Don't fucking drool on my arm, shithead!"

Kirishima doesn't answer Bakugo and nuzzles deeper against his arm. In the dark, Bakugo smiles.

.

.

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(if interested, the mature content chapter can be found in AO3. /works/17227349/chapters/40510448)