| Explosive Love |

The Hug

Hugging. Such a simple gesture, a motion to show friends and loved ones that you care for them and one which is often shared between people who don't have any romantic relations. Bakugou knows all this. He sees his friends hug each other as a greeting all the time, not even thinking about such a simple action. He feels the weight of Kirishima's arm wrapped around his shoulders often whenever they're walking around the school campus. Yet, he hesitates when it comes to performing the first step of Mina's seemingly-simple plan: hugging Kirishima.

Bakugou wrings his hands and can't seem to pay attention to the lectures in school that day. The impending doom of hugging Kirishima keeps his mind running circles around itself, preventing him from being the good, albeit hotheaded, student he so often is. He knows it's stupid. But at this moment, facing down rows of villains is far preferable than showing his affection in any manner.

Thoughts ping-pong in his head. What will Kirishima make of it? Will the sudden physical contact allow him to see right through to Bakugou's deepest, darkest secrets? What if he rejects the touch? Will something as simple as this ruin their friendship? What if Kirishima finds out about his stupid crush and rejects him for being the asshole and terrible human being he is?

Despite the fact that he knows most of these thoughts are silly, he can't get them to leave his brain. They cling to his skull and whisper worries and anxieties to him, refusing to let go. Bakugou puts his head against his desk as if to try and block any more thoughts from entering. And all of this is just over a single, measly hug.

Time slips through Bakugou's fingers like sand that day. The dismissing bell rings far earlier than he wanted it to, and it causes his heart to begin thudding in his chest like a heavy drum. He slowly puts his materials in his bag, eyes following Kirishima's every movement as he talks to Mina. She eventually points at Bakugou, and a shiver runs down his spine. The inevitable event draws ever closer as Kirishima walks up to his desk.

"Hey, Bakubro! What's up man?" He says with that irritatingly adorable smile of his.

Bakugou rolls his eyes. "Living my best life before you came to talk to me." Kirishima's laughter fills their conversation as he deflects the hollow insult.

"You ready to head back to the dorms? Cause I really need some help prepping for the math test we have tomorrow."

"Fine. But your dumbass self better do well on this test." Bakugou feels his hands begin to slightly shake as he tries to keep his cool in the conversation.

"I will, I will!"

Bakugou slings his bag over his shoulder and walks to the door. "Then hurry up, shitty hair."

Kirishima trots to catch up, but as soon as he does, he makes Bakugou's already-fast heart rate shoot through the roof by simply putting his arm around his shoulders like he's done so many times before. But today's different. It's different because before the end of their study session, Bakugou will have actually hugged Kirishima.

~•~

"No, no, no, shitty hair! You have to use the triple product rule when you have three functions, not the power rule!" Kirishima laughs as Bakugou berates him for his lack of understanding, causing Bakugou to almost stop simply so that he can take in and examine every aspect of Kirishima's perfect, bubbling laughter.

Still giggling, Kirishima responds. "Sorry! I just always forget. It's stupid that you can't just take the derivative of each term though, isn't it Baku?"

Bakugou's heart squeezes at the nickname, but outwardly he doesn't express it. Kirishima could never know that he's soft enough to like a nickname like that. "Nah. It's just your fault for being stupid."

After several more hours of studying, Kirishima finally begins to understand the material. Leaning his back against the side of the bed, he puts his arms up and shakes his fists slightly as if he had just finished a marathon. Bakugou can't help but admit to himself how cute it is. But the knot in his stomach tightens further. He has to do it soon.

"Well, I'm beat Bakubro. Thanks for helping me study since I'd flunk that class without you."

"Yeah, I know. I'm way smarter than you."

Kirishima pouts and walks over to where Bakugou is seated on the floors, collapsing in mock betrayal next to him. "I'm hurt! How terrible that my true intellect isn't appreciated by my best friend."

"I appreciate your intellect, although only because it's crazy how fucking low it is."

"Terrible. Just terrible." Kirishima says as he dramatically puts the back of his hand against his forehead. After a moment, he stands up and brushed himself off, giggling to himself the whole way. Bakugou could listen to the sound for hours. "I'm gonna head out then bro. See you tomorrow!"

Kirishima makes his way towards the door as Bakugou's stomach drops. He knows he has to do this. Otherwise, he'd just be another one of the cowards he finds to surround him.

Bakugou jumps to his feet and grabs Kirishima's wrist, tugging him around so that he's facing Bakugou before wrapping his arms around the object of his stupid, idiotic feelings. He holds on for dear life, clinging to the warmth of Kirishima's chest as his crush wraps his own arms around him. The two sit there for a minute, stuck in their own little world of confusion, affection, and, most importantly, hope.

Despite wanting to stay like that forever, Bakugou untangles his arms and backs away from Kirishima. After so openly displaying his affection like that, he can't seem to find the courage to look Kirishima in the eyes, so his gaze focuses on the cold floor. Neither of them move, until suddenly Kirishima wraps his arms fully around Bakugou before pulling away and almost sprinting to the door. A distant "see you tomorrow" can be heard before Kirishima's dorm room door loudly shuts.

He did it. Bakugou showed him at least a sliver of how much he cares for the stupid, perfect redhead. But he knows tomorrow will require so much more than today did. He sighs to himself, but can't help the small smile that forms on his face.