Kiss of Life | K. Bakugo

Chapter Eleven

We made our way to the bar. The older crowd had mostly vanished while younger attendees got drunker and less professional as the music transitioned from jazz band to DJ. Everyone ordered drinks from the bar at this point rather than waiting at tables to be served. The lights dimmed drastically and the dance floor was beginning to fill.

I saw Endeavor pass by, and I did my best to avoid his gaze. I didn't think he'd have any reason to talk to me, but if he did, I'd probably get myself fired by the end of the conversation.

My fists clenched and unclenched thinking about Shoto's speech as we waited at the bar. By the time we ordered our drinks, I was ready to forget everything about his stupid speech, and the stupid press, and stupid Endeavor, and all of the stupid shit I had to deal with over the last couple weeks. That reflected in my drinking choices after I ordered three shots, taking them all in quick succession.

"Whoa there tiger, you wanna slow down a little bit?" Katsuki asked.

"No," I grunted, as I tried to get the bartender's attention yet again.

Katsuki intercepted me, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the bar as he finished the last bit of the singular drink he had ordered.

"Shoto's a dick, and his speech was shitty, but let's not let it ruin our night, yeah?"

I continued to stand there grumbling, arms crossed, not wanting to join in his very mature behavior.

"Come on brat," he laughed, "let's go dance."

"Really Katsuki?" I asked, perking up, "You don't seem like the dancing type."

"Shut up. I can do anything I want to," he said, grabbing my hand. Most of our group was already on the dance floor, so sliding in was easy enough. Kirishima and Mina looked elated to see us out there.

Katsuki grabbed one of my hands and spun me around, eliciting a laugh. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," was playing, and it was hard to maintain a sour mood with that song in the background.

The group of us boisterously sung the words to each other, while Mina performed an elaborate dance acting out the valleys and mountain tops mentioned in the lyrics. At the end of her performance, Kirishima grabbed Mina and dipped her, forcing Katsuki and I a little closer as the DJ transitioned to some remix of a Drake song.

I knew it was a work function, but I couldn't help wanting that closeness with Katsuki. Between the drinks swirling through my system, and Katsuki's intoxicating caramel smell, Hitoshi was somehow washed from my mind.

My back was flush against his chest while he expertly moved our bodies in sync to the beat. His breath was warm against my neck, and his hand trailed lightly up my side. I grabbed it, pulling it more firmly against me while wrapping my other arm around his neck behind me, taking control of the movement for myself. It was intoxicating, the way our bodies came together. The slightly damp warmth of his hard, muscled body against me.

I turned around to face him, lacing both of my arms behind his neck. Katsuki's right hand snaked its way into my hair, and his left hand came to rest at my lower back, pressing me against him, our chests touching with every heavy breath.

He tugged my head back by my hair ever so slightly as he looked into my eyes, assessing me, searching for something. I looked down at his lips. It felt like the world had stopped, like no one was around, and all that separated us was this heavy tension.

"Katsuki, I-" I breathed, not knowing what to say, how to tell him I wanted this too, even if it was probably the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Then suddenly, someone knocked into me, spilling their cold drink down my back and over Katsuki's hands.