Chapter Text
Summer had caused quite a shift to Bakugo’s habits. He still kept the house clean, still made food for himself and whoever else was in whatever house he was in, still argued with his friends over how much they wanted to hang out. But he had adapted Aizawa and Kirishima’s habit of sleeping in late, let his room get just a little messier than he’d ever admit to anyone else. He blamed his later hours on the part time job he’d picked up, working the night shift in the kitchen of some shitty fast food place so he’d have some extra cash that was his alone, not pity pocket cash from Dabi.
The raven hadn’t understood at all, offered to pay him double to spend the time with him instead. After Bakugo had gone off on a tangent about how he refused to have a sugar daddy at eighteen, the man had backed off, albeit begrudgingly. Most of the blonde’s days were spent at the raven’s house anyways, and Dabi was always awake to pick him up after his shift.
Because of that though, he hadn’t spent a lot of time at Aizawa’s. Who, once summer had begun, had almost completely shifted his schedule to that of a vampire. So, when Bakugo now woke up at eleven a.m., he still considered it early by comparison, bake to directly compare after spending the night at home finally. It was the first night he’d spent there in a few days, and maybe he was feeling just a little guilty about it. Especially since he was leaving almost right away, but the older brunette would definitely still be asleep by the time he got back, so it didn’t really matter.
Dabi was finally taking him to his tattoo appointment, the first of two. He’d meet the artist today, get the details of the design figured out, and in a couple days they’d go back so he could finally get his biggest shame covered. Excitement didn’t even touch on the feelings drowning his chest. It wasn’t something he was merely looking forward to: it was a need, an obsession: something he couldn’t live without, just like the blood in his veins.
He got dressed slowly, made a simple breakfast while he waited for Dabi to text him. As he was killing time playing games on his new phone - which he had proudly bought with the money from his first paycheck - he got the message that the raven was outside. Bakugo responded with a quick ‘kay’ and went out into the living room to put his boots on. They were slipped on, laces tied tightly around the leather hugging his ankles. Just as he spun around to walk out the door, though, something caught his eye. In the corner of the living room, where Aizawa hung the few photos that meant anything to him, it looked like there was a new frame hung on the wall. Curiosity winning out, Katsuki wandered over to investigate. He stopped, shocked, when he realized he had been correct. There was, indeed, a new photo hung up amongst the man’s precious memories.
It was a photo of Aizawa, and him, on the day of his graduation. Not one of the cheesy ones where they’d plastered on fake smiles and glossed over emotions, though. Some candid Meg must have snapped without them even realizing, a handful of seconds caught between their awkward moments before the camera. Aizawa was looking down at him, eyes bright with a soft smile on his face. Bakugo was looking off in the other direction, a wanna-be scowl on his face as he tried and failed to hide a smirk that the camera saw right through. And he looked happy.
A real kind of happy, easy in the way it made itself known - like the peaceful feeling of staring at autumn leaves in a sunset, lost in appreciating the world as it was for a moment. Bakugo bit his lip while he stared at it, a surge of feelings sweeping through him like wind clearing away a storm. No one had ever hung a photo of him in their house before.
His parents certainly never had, never cared enough about him to even pretend. But here he was, displayed among family and friends and moments that didn’t want to be forgotten. His chest tightened as tears picked his eyes, so caught off guard at realizing just much Aizawa truly cared. At just how much he cared: he’d never looked that happy at home.
“I wish you were my dad,” Bakugo whispered to the smiling, stubble covered face in the photo. I wish...I had moved in here a long time ago. He wished for so many things that could no longer be, but it only made him appreciate what he did have now so much more. Aizawa may never be his blood, but they felt like a family all the same. His phone buzzed in his pocket, reminding him he had things to do other than get lost in the photograph. Still, he snapped a photo of it before heading out the door, so that he could have a copy with him all the time. “You okay?” Dabi asked after he’d gotten into the car. “You look...weird.”
“Hah,” Katsuki laughed, “Yeah, everything’s great.” And finally, he could say those words and actually mean it.
~
The tattoo shop Dabi took him to was on the outskirts of downtown, a small standalone building with ‘Triple Threat Tattoo’ in stylized letters on a sign above the door. A bell rung as the walked through the entrance, leading them to an empty reception space just beyond the tinted glass windows facing outside. A couch sat in one corner, in front of it a small table covered in books of flash art.
There was a vacant counter half extended into the room that had leather bound photo albums on it, and hand-drawn artwork in tons of different styles hung around the walls. A girl popped her head around the corner, covered in long lilac blue hair and piercings that could rival Dabi’s. She had spiral shaped plugs in her ears, and blue eyes that echoed the color of her hair. “Oh, Dabi! Here to finally let me pierce your-“
“Tamaki in yet?” Dabi interrupted, despite Bakugo’s curiosity about what the end of her sentence was going to be. “Yeaaah, he’s back in his studio,” she pouted. “Go on back. But come see me after!” She called as she walked away. “There are still tons places we need to pierce!” Dabi laughed and shook his head, before nodding to Bakugo to follow.
They walked down a small hallway, turned the corner, pushed past a heavy, black curtain to walk into a room that looked like it’d been decorated by a mortician. There were a few skulls scattered around the room, dark and creepy artwork covering the walls. A full length mirror was screwed into one wall, opposite a dentist-style chair and a desk covered in sketches and colored pencils. A figure was hunched over it, scribbling at something.
He looked up after hearing them enter, peering over his shoulder. He had black, almost blue tinted hair, and ears that were pointed like an elf’s sticking out from behind his bangs. “Oh, is it that time already?” The man Bakugo assumed was Tamaki asked timidly, still mostly hunched over his desk. Katsuki immediately raised an eyebrow, wondering how someone like him was the person that had tattoo’d Dabi. The guy didn’t even look that much older than the raven.
“Sorry, I got lost in a drawing.” He muttered as he finally stood up and walked over to them. He bypassed introducing himself, instead reaching out to grab Dabi’s arm and pull it close to his face. “Hmm..” He hummed as he inspected the ink visible on Dabi’s upper arm, below the hem of his shirt sleeve. “The work over the scars could probably use some touch ups...” He seemingly muttered to himself, still solely focused on the blue and black pattered embedded into the skin.
“It’s fine for now.” Dabi said as he extracted his arm. “We’re not here for me today.” The man looked up at Dabi slowly, then over to Katsuki. “Right. Sorry, how rude of me. I’m Tamaki,” he introduced himself. “Bakugo,” he said with a nod of his head. “Okay, that seems like enough introductions. Would you come over here please?” Tamaki asked, walking back over to sit on the rolling stool by his desk.
Katsuki sent Dabi a look, who smirked wickedly, able to read the blonde too well by now. “Tamaki’s the best cover up artist around. Promise.” Bakugo’s first inclination was to not believe him, but he’d seen, admired, the work that covered Dabi’s skin. He assumed the other random tattoos’s Dabi wore were also the man’s handiwork, and he loved all of them. Of course that was mostly because it was Dabi they were attached to, but still.
With a sigh, he went and sat on the chair, the artist in front of him, head level with his chest. “I’ve been told a little about why you’re here. I understand you had something pretty terrible done to you that needs to be covered, correct?” The man asked, looking up at him with a neutral expression. Bakugo shot a look over at Dabi, who gave him an apologetic look.
Of course, he had assumed as much would have to be told to the artist, but it still prickled his skin to know people talked about his trauma. The impulse to hide everything was still deeply seeded inside him. Swallowing, Bakugo nodded his head. “Okay. I’ll need to see it.” Bakugo clenched his jaw. Of course, he knew that. There was no other way for it to get covered, after all. But no one aside from Dabi had ever seen it. It felt wrong to take his shirt off just to show it to somebody he didn’t even know.
Tamaki must have been able to sense his hesitance. “I know it’s hard. It’s uncomfortable to show something so personal to a total stranger. But I’m just here to help. I won’t judge you.” Bakugo looked down at the man with a skeptical scowl on his face, but the eyes he met were soft and understanding. If cover ups were his specialty, surely he’d seen many scars, many tattoos people would rather forget. Must’ve heard stories like Bakugo’s a hundred times: the raven standing off to the side was a perfect example, and if Dabi trusted him, Katsuki reasoned he could as well.
“Okay,” he breathed, glancing to Dabi for one last reassuring smile. Bakugo gripped the hem of his shirt with clenched fists, and slowly tugged it off over his head. With a tense jaw he glanced back at Tamaki, skin electric from how exposed he felt. It felt wrong for someone other than Dabi to be staring so openly at the thing he hated most about himself, the reminders of all he’d suffered through. Not to mention the other scars that adorned his exposed body, chains sewn into the skin.
There wasn’t any sense of shock or pity in the man’s gaze as it scanned over him, though. It was careful, and studious, the way an artist would gaze at someone’s naked form with thoughts of lines and curves, rather than sexually. Katsuki relaxed slightly, until Tamaki grabbed a pair of latex gloves and slid them on.
“May I?” He asked, halfway extending a hand towards the tattoo on his chest. Bakugo tensed up again, fighting the urge to recoil from the the mere suggestion. But that’s why he was here. It could never be covered if he wouldn’t let the guy even touch it. Katsuki nodded tensely, watching the hand as it got closer. The tattoo was worse now, even uglier, which he had never imagined possible. Now bisecting it at an angle was a scar, just beginning to get the silvery sheen of his other, older ones.
There was even a slight indent where it began close to the center of his chest, where muscle had been sliced but hadn’t fully healed yet. Cool, plastic covered fingers pressed against the skin, tracing over the lines of the letters, the length of the scar. Bakugo didn’t know what he was looking for, but the man kept the same studious expression the entire time.
“Okay,” he muttered as he pulled away and rolled the stool back over to the desk. “I’ll just need to take some pictures and do a tracing.” It wasn’t a question, but still he looked back over to Bakugo as if waiting for permission. He shrugged a shoulder and grumbled “Just do whatever the hell you have to, I guess.” Tamaki nodded and walked back over holding a cell phone, held it close as he shot pictures of the tattoo from a few angles. After setting the phone back onto the desk, he came back holding a sheet of translucent paper and a pencil. “Lift your arm?”
Bakugo did as he was asked, lifting his left arm and holding it out. The paper was set against him, as the man stole his secret by drawing it onto the paper. He marked out a few other areas around his chest before seeming to be satisfied and returning to his table. “Okay, that’s all I need. You can put your shirt back on.” Katsuki didn’t have to be told twice, was already sliding the fabric back over his head.
“So,” Bakugo heard the man begin, “what were you wanting put there?” The blonde turned towards him like the question had been asked in German. “How should I know? Isn’t that what you do?” Tamaki stared back with wide, sheepish eyes, like a nervous owl. “Uh...Well, people usually have some ideas they want...” Katsuki just tsked, but still thought on it for a second.
“No... Honestly, I don’t give a damn what you replace it with. Just- make it go away.” He said quietly. Tamaki gave him a kind, sympathetic look. Not patronizing like so many people tended to be, just understanding. Absently Bakugo wondered what memories of his own the man had hidden behind ink. “Just- no knives,” he added softly.
Tamaki’s eyes flashed downwards, to where the scar sat behind his clothes, then back up to Katsuki. “Okay,” he replied, turning to scribble a few notes on the paper that held the tracing of his body. Bakugo couldn’t make out what they said, but figured it didn’t really matter, as long as the shitty tattoo and shitty scar got covered. “That’s it for today then. I’ll see you in a week.”
“Okay,” Katsuki nodded, hopping off the chair. Dabi, who’d been playing a game on his phone, also stood, nodded farewell to Tamaki. One more week. Just one more...
~
The next seven days passed with a pit of anxious excitement deep in Bakugo’s gut. He couldn’t remember what it felt like to not be ashamed of his body, to not feel the need to hide away behind clothes. He’d never been able to go swimming with his friends, to change in a locker room without hiding in a stall.
The fresh physical injuries he’d had to hide were long gone, healed over by the passing months living without fear. Some scars remained, which he’d rather not have seen, but those had long ago become so insignificant in comparison to the slur carved into his body. Six letters that had haunted him for years, made him feel like shit over just being who he was, over liking the gender of people that he did. Because he was proud, and unashamed, and wanted no reminders of people who tried to tell him to be otherwise.
He didn’t tell Aizawa, because he knew it’d just be one more thing that worried him, one more dagger of guilt and regret the man would feel. A past and a present that didn’t need to mix anymore. Because every time he saw that picture on the wall, every time they had breakfast at five p.m. and talked until midnight, Katsuki knew this had been his home for a long time - a home that didn’t need any more reminders of that house filled with demons.
So the days passed easily, too quick yet too slow and all of a sudden Dabi was picking him up again, driving them through downtown and pulling up outside of Triple Threat Tattoo. “How are you feeling?” Dabi asked before they left the car. Bakugo nodded slightly before saying “Good...I just want this to finally be over with, y’know?”
“Yeah, I do,” Dabi replied with a sad, knowing smile. Katsuki leaned over the middle of the car and kissed Dabi quickly, giving the raven a small smile before getting out of the car. The counter was empty again when they walked in, but this time Dabi didn’t wait to be greeted before walking past the counter, towards Tamaki’s studio down the hall.
Bakugo followed close behind, almost unable to believe it was really, finally happening. He didn’t know how he could ever repay Dabi for doing this for him. Knew the raven didn’t expect anything in return, but how could he not feel grateful for the gift he was going to receive?
Tamaki was hunched over his desk again as they went in, didn’t seem to notice their entry from the complete non-reaction he gave. Dabi cleared his throat and the man flinched, peeking back at them from behind his bangs. “Is it time already? Sorry, I was working on this thing...” As the man talked his words devolved more into a muttered mumble, staring at whatever piece of paper was on his table. “Tamaki.”
“Right. Sorry.” The man said, snapping out of his distraction. “Bakugo, if you want to come over here, I can show you what I came up with?” Katsuki almost said that he didn’t give a shit, that anything would be better than what he had there already, but he supposed it made sense to weigh in a little, especially since he’d given no direction on what he even wanted. Admittedly, he was a little curious what the guy had come up with.
Katsuki walked over to the table covered in half finished sketches and scribbles, where Tamaki was pulling a loose piece of paper out of a large sketch book. He set it on the table for Bakugo to look at. It was a mostly done sketch, filled in loosely with bold, bright colors, just enough to give the impression of the intentions. “Oh, woah. That’s pretty cool,” Bakugo said with a bit of awe in his voice. On the page was a grenade, a long,swept back spoon extending the length of the body. It sat on a bed of thorn covered vines, three roses sitting on the left side of it. “You went with orange for the flowers?” Bakugo asked curiously. The raven-headed man nodded and said “Yeah. They mean-“
“Passion, desire, energy...” Bakugo finished. Tamaki nodded again. “Yeah. They’re fiery, which I think suits you.” Katsuki’s lip twitched into a small smirk. He had a feeling Dabi may have been consulted a bit when coming up with the design, but loved it even more for that. “It’s perfect.” He said quietly. “Well, I guess we can get started then. You’ll need to take your shirt off.”
Bakugo hesitated just like last time, before he realized this would be the last time he needed to pause. The last time he’d ever have to wait and feel ashamed. With a deep inhale, Katsuki stripped off his shirt. Tamaki’s face remained neutral and unreadable even as he studied the area again. After sliding a pair of gloves on, he squirted some type of liquid onto a paper towel and lifted it to his chest. “This’ll be a little cold,” the man remarked just before he wiped the towel over his skin to wet it.
The area tingled, just from the sensation of someone touching such a hidden part of him, and Bakugo had to actively keep from flinching away because the hand wasn’t Dabi’s. A thin sheet of paper, ready with a purple outline of the design, was lifted up to his chest and pressed agonist it after Tamaki had taken a second to position it where he wanted. Sliding his stool back a bit to examine it, he said “Alright, look in the mirror and tell me if you like where it sits.”
Bakugo almost didn’t want to step in front of the full length mirror, to see that cursed tattoo even one more time. But still, he did what was asked. The dark lines of the grenade sat over the letters, the scar, crisscrossing the black lines embedded into him. “Looks good to me.” The dark haired man simply nodded and said “Go ahead and lie back on the chair then, and we’ll get going on it. We’ll probably be able to do the whole thing today, but it’ll take a couple hours.”
Katsuki didn’t give any response, just sat on the cool leather and leaned against the reclined back, suddenly feeling nervous. The one being covered aside, this was his first tattoo, and he had no idea what to expect - he hadn’t even been conscious getting the first one. When he looked over at Dabi, the man must have been able to sense something in his gaze, because he offered Katsuki a reassuring smile. “You’ll do great, Kitten,” he offered.
“Ugh, don’t fucking call me that in public, asshole.” There wasn’t any malice to his tone though: he was much too used to it by now. “I’m going to adjust the chair now, so you’ll be lying flat,” the artist said, apparently not paying any attention to their conversation. The chair dropped down a few inches and reclined to the point he was almost completely laying back, so that the man on the stool sat well over him.
A few small, clear vials were filled with varying colors, greens and oranges and three entire pods of black. The machine was picked up and buzzed on and off a few times, seemingly being tested. When the man was satisfied, the tip was dipped into one of the black inks, and Tamaki looked over at Katsuki. “You ready?” He asked, and Bakugo couldn’t really articulate just how ready he truly was. So he just nodded, and looked over at Dabi as a rapid buzz filled the room. The raven was watching the tattoo machine, and Bakugo could swear he felt it before it even touched his skin.
He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, really, but it wasn’t the sharp, pinching sensation that began to drag across his skin. Uncomfortable but not excruciating, though from what he’d heard the coloring would feel even worse. He thought back to all the ink infused into Dabi, wondered how many hours it had taken, how long he’d sat and suffered just to cover his own horrible memories.
It seemed Tamaki wasn’t much for small talk, which suited Bakugo just fine, so there was mostly silence in the small space aside from the few conversations Dabi started to distract him. It didn’t seem like too long before the outline was apparently done, though he didn’t look to check - didn’t want to look until it was completely finished. He only knew it was done because Tamaki told him so, and the area was already becoming sore. Needles were switched out, tubes of color brought to the forefront. “Now we really get into it. You still doing good?” Bakugo just nodded again.
The machine buzzed to life again, a vibration that had slowly become a slightly comforting sound over the past however long. Dabi was distracted by whatever game he’d been playing, though he looked up every now and then and smiled at what he saw. Tamaki began to color in the outline he’d made, working greens of all shades into the main part of the tattoo. It certainly hurt more than the last part had, especially with how the color was being worked in so solidly.
“Hey Dabiii~” came a voice that suddenly appeared in the doorway. Bakugo looked over to see the girl from the other day poking her head around the curtain, staring at the raven. “Hm?” He responded absently, barely glancing her direction. “My appointment canceled, and it’d be such a waste to have gotten set up for nothing. So...”
Dabi looked over at her finally, an eyebrow quirked. “Oh c’mon! By now you know if you want it or not.” Dabi seemed to consider for a moment, before a small smirk pulled at his lips. Looking over at Katsuki, he asked “Will you be fine here alone for a few minutes?”
“Tch, yeah. Go get your dick pierced or whatever.” The blonde replied with a smirk of his own. Dabi sent him a wicked smile before getting up and following the girl out of the room, to her great pleasure. Bakugo watched him go, feeling a little more wary once he was alone, despite his words.
Tamaki must have sensed as much, because for the first time he attempted making conversation. “How long have you two been together?” The man asked, still mostly focused on his work. “I dunno. Few months, I guess. Not that long if I think about it, but...it feels like longer.”
“Mm, I can see that. I’ve never seen him so happy.” That caught Bakugo a little off guard, because Dabi hadn’t seemed that different to how he usually acted in public, his usual too-fucking-cool-for-everything self. “You know him pretty well?” Katsuki asked, a little flare of jealousy flashing through him. “Just from doing his tattoos the past few years. We go get a drink every now and then, but I wouldn’t call us friends or anything.”
“You even old enough to drink?” Bakugo asked skeptically. Many times now he had wondered how someone so young could have done Dabi’s tattoos four years ago. Tamaki paused in coloring in the tattoo, looked up at Bakugo with a blank look. “I’m thirty-four.” Katsuki’s face twisted into one of disbelief, to which the man smiled for the first time. Quirking an eyebrow, the man went back to coloring in the tattoo, this time with shades of oranges in a new spot.
It fell silent for a few more minutes, before Bakugo asked “So you knew him back then?” Tamaki’s eyes flashed up to his face, before going back to the tattoo as he said “Like I said, not as friends or anything.” Bakugo wondered for a second if the man knew about Dabi’s past, but that hadn’t even really been what he was referring to. “I was wondering about his scars before the tattoo. I hate that people made him feel like shit because of them.”
Tamaki was silent for a moment, the buzz of the tattoo machine the only thing to fill the empty space between them. But then he said “It was more of a personal thing for him, I think. They were pretty bad, his scars, and take up a large portion of his body. Like all my clients, it was something he hated to look at, things that reminded him of times better off left in the past. It took almost a year to finish all of it, what with the varied healing process and whatnot. Going though all of that isn’t something you do because of other people.”
Katsuki was quiet while he pondered that. Before just a little bit ago, he hadn’t ever really considered how much time and pain had gone into Dabi’s cover-up, how many hours the raven had sat in a chair getting needles drawn across his skin just so he could stand to look at himself in the mirror. “Speak of the Devil,” Bakugo smirked as Dabi reentered the room shortly after, a slightly pained limp to his walk.
“Talkin’ shit?” Dabi teased as he walked over to stand next to the blonde. “Well, wouldn’t need to if there was anything nice to say about you.” Dabi laughed quietly, and Katsuki smiled too, and for a second he forgot there was anything else going on in the room until Tamaki said “I was actually just telling Bakugo about how you helped with the design of the tattoo.” Bakugo’s eyes widened, and he returned his gaze to Dabi. “You did?”
“I mean, not really,” Dabi mumbled, looking away with what couldn’t %possibly be a slightly embarrassed look. “Just told him a bit about you, ‘cause you were so entirely unhelpful, which I said wasn’t even a little surprising.”
“Off, fuck off,” Bakugo said, wishing he could hit the man, if it wouldn’t screw up his tattoo. “You’re luckily I’m immobilized right now,” Bakugo scoffed. “Hm, that can be arranged for later, too,” the raven teased with a sultry smirk on his face. Tamaki cleared his throat rather loudly, sending Dabi an unamused look, to which the raven just smiled deviously. Bakugo felt he might die of embarrassment, and added that to his list of things to punish Dabi for at some undetermined, later date. He really had grown too soft over the last few months, he felt.
They all sat quietly for a while longer, and Katsuki had to fight more and more with his urge to look down at the tattoo, if only to try and guess how much longer he’d have to lie there. It turned out he didn’t have to wait too much longer, because after a few more minutes of ink being colored into his skin, Tamaki wiped the area with a cool liquid, and sat back to examine his work. “I think we’re done, Bakugo. Want to take a look?”
Katsuki sat up on the table, more nervous than he’d ever admit to. He couldn’t even feel the numb pain that covered half his chest, the throb of the flushed skin. This was it, and he was terrified that maybe it hadn’t worked, that maybe Tamaki had ‘done his best’ but the old tattoo couldn’t be fully hidden, would be left to haunt him forever. Swallowing thickly, Bakugo nodded his head.
Tamaki was taking off his gloves, cleaning up his area, but stood to stand by the mirror Katsuki was clearly supposed to go stand in front of. He cast one last gaze at Dabi, who only smiled reassuringly and nodded to the reflective pane of glass. His stomach was in knots as he walked the few steps over, eyes closed just as he stepped into sight. One last breath, one nervous swallow, and Bakugo’s eyes snapped open.
Immediately they fell to his chest, to the spot he’d stared at, avoided staring at, so many fucking times. “Holy shit,” Katsuki whispered hoarsely. It was gone. Completely gone, and in it’s place was a bright, colorful image that seemed to capture some intrinsic view of who he was. Greens and greys fell over the spot, bright orange flowers floating over the center of his chest on thorn covered vines. Even the scar seemed to be hidden, tucked away in the dark space between the scales of the grenade.
“Holy shit,” he whispered again, covering his mouth with a hand as tears pricked at his eyes. Tears of joy, for perhaps the first time in his life. It’s...I can’t, see it... Bakugo looked down at his chest, as if to make sure his reflection wasn’t lying to him. Fingers hovered over the newly colored skin as he bit his lip to keep it from shaking, tears already wetting his eyelashes. “Thank you,” Bakugo said as sincerely as he could to Tamaki, who just smiled at him warmly.
Katsuki looked back to the mirror, took in his whole self for the first time in years. He didn’t look too different, over all, from months, years ago. Still the same face, the same hair. Yet he felt so different, a person deconstructed and rebuilt like a robot given life. A better person now than he had been, kinder and open in ways he’d never even wished for.
And now, as he stared at the new ink in his skin, at the picture painted over the ugliness he’d been stained with, it was like the last piece fell into place. The hole that’d been ripped out of his soul patched back together with gold and silver, and he finally felt like a person again. As if it was the last thing he’d needed to close the chapter of an old life that was no longer his, of a horror story he’d crawled his way out of. With this, an entire new life began.
~ ~~~~~~~ ~ Seven Years Later ~ ~~~~~~~ ~
“Jesus, does this town ever fucking change?” Bakugo asked as he sipped on a glass of champagne. He and Dabi were wandering through the rose garden of the museum, open so late at night to host the fundraiser Shouto had organized, the latest of his efforts to seemingly win the nonexistent prize of ‘best person alive.’ Normally Bakugo would have outright scoffed at the idea of traveling to attend some stuffy party full of rich jack-asses, even if they had been invited by Shouto personally, but it’d been a long time since either of them had been back home, and Bakugo missed Aizawa and those of his friends that‘d stayed around their city.
After graduating high school, Katsuki had went to the local university for a year, having been too late in applying to be able to get into his preferred schools. It’d meant more time spent with Aizawa and Kirishima though, so he hadn’t minded, even if he grumbled about it to keep up appearances. For the two years after that, he’d gone to his dream school in New York, where he’d learned from the best of the best. And Dabi, as promised, followed him there without question.
Afterward Dabi taught him French and they moved to Paris together, where for the next two years Katsuki had worked in kitchens that had tested every bit of cooking knowledge he’d had. He’d fought his way through, though, offending more than a few half-assed chefs with his abrasive attitude. Some saw it for the passion it really was, though, and those select chefs had taught him more than he’d ever imagined possible.
Once he’d stolen all the knowledge he felt was needed to create his own food, his own signature style, they’d packed up and moved back to New York, where Bakugo was working on creating a name for himself at the top of a place drowning in talent. But he was going to be the best, and wouldn’t back off until it happened. So he’d been busy, and hadn’t been home as much as maybe he should have been, and so they’d accepted Shouto’s invitation and used it as an excuse to come back for the weekend.
It didn’t hurt that the museum was full of memories for Katsuki, and still just as beautiful as it’d always been, if not more so. Something about not having it so readily at hand made him appreciate it a little more now. The lights had been left on in the garden for any guests who wanted to wander the maze, but so late into the party it seemed like at the moment it was just the two of them. The air was heavy with the sweet perfume of roses, and Katsuki lingered at a section of bright, orange flowers.
Even when he finally moved on, Dabi stayed back for a moment, before catching up with him as they unconsciously moved towards the gazebo that still sat in the center of the garden. Bakugo felt something slip over his ear, and surprised, looked over at Dabi, who was staring down at him with a devilish smirk. Bakugo lifted a hand to feel the flower that’d been put in his hair, surely one of the orange ones that they’d just been admiring. “I won’t tell if you don’t,” Dabi winked. “Looks better on you anyways.”
Katsuki tsked and rolled his eyes, but allowed the flower to stay tucked away in his ear, the soft, velvet petals brushing against his face every now and then. Finally, after a little bit more walking, they are upon the old white structure, still the same as it’d always been. Walking up the few steps to stand under the roof sent a strange twist of nostalgia through Katsuki’s stomach.
Leaning against the railing, Dabi pulled out and lit a cigarette, blowing a cloud of grey that hung in the air for a second before fading away into nothing. The lights shining over the flowers caught the raven in a halo of gold, illuminating the side of his face as he casually looked out over the sea of flowers. Electric blue eyes slid over his way and caught him staring, a small smirk tugging at Dabi’s lips. “Tch, shut up,” Bakugo growled, purposely turning away to light his own cigarette.
He heard the man chuckle, but it was silent for a second while they just stood enjoying each other’s company. “Do you remember when we snuck in here for your birthday?” Dabi asked lowly, suddenly behind him. Turning around so his back faced the garden, Bakugo looked up at Dabi, who had an arm stretched out on either side of him. “‘Course I do,” he replied softly. “Remember how I fucked you right here?” Dabi asked, lips now only inches apart as Katsuki nodded his head.
Their lips met, the taste of bitter, familiar smoke filling his mouth as their tongues swirled together. Dabi broke away, trailing his mouth down Bakugo’s jaw to nibble at his neck. “Dabi,” Katsuki half panted, half moaned. “We’re not going to screw at your brother’s charity event,” he argued. “Tsk,” the raven protested, but still relented and pulled away from Bakugo’s personal space. There was some part of himself that was disappointed, screamed to just say ‘fuck it’ and go for it, but Dabi was already next to him, arms leaning against the old railing.
Bakugo sighed and turned back around as well, puffing on the cigarette that still burned between his fingers. “It doesn’t really seem like it was that long ago, does it?” Dabi asked as if far away, voice slightly muted from the memories he was lost in. It seemed to be rhetorical though, because before Katsuki could say anything in reply the raven was speaking again. “And yet, it’s been over seven years of you driving me totally crazy.”
“Tch, right back at ya, asshole,” Katsuki quipped before puffing on his nicotine. “Ha, the best kind of crazy. We’ve done so much together, and I always just expect you to be there now, right by my side. Really, the only thing I want anymore is for you to be right next to me, driving me the best kind of crazy, forever.” Katsuki hesitated with the cigarette inches from his mouth, slowly looked over at Dabi.
The raven was looking intensely out at the garden, before he stuck his cigarette between his lips and reached back into the inner pocket of the matching suits they were wearing. From the pocket, he took out a ring, rolling it between his fingers for a second. Katsuki was staring with wide eyes now, heart thumping in his chest harder than when someone had been pointing a knife at him.
Without looking his direction, Dabi held the ring out to him. With fingers a gust of wind away from shaking, Katsuki reached out and gently took the metal from Dabi. It was blackened silver, with a thin, delicate engraving of two thorny stems circling around each other. The stems met at the top, where two rubies carved like roses met and melted into each other.
Katsuki had to blink away the mist that’d began to fog up his vision, so that he could watch himself slipping the ring onto the proper finger of his left hand, where it fit perfectly. Bakugo bit his lip as it trembled, and Dabi asked “Katsuki...Kitten...will you drive me crazy for the rest of my life?” Bakugo nodded his head, still staring at the ring that now sat on his finger. “Yeah,” he added in a whisper, “forever.” He glanced back at Dabi, still teary eyed, and was surprised to find the raven in a similar state, looking at him with eyes that were so emotional, vulnerable.
“Cool,” the man said shakily, quickly turning to look back out at the sea of color. “So, uh..what do you want to do for dinner tonight?” Bakugo didn’t know whether to laugh, or punch him. “Shut the fuck up,” is what he settled on saying, walking over and spinning Dabi around, pulling him down by the lapel of his suit to try and melt their mouths together.
Dabi slid down to sit on the bench circling the interior of the gazebo, and without breaking the kiss Katsuki crawled onto the raven’s lap, straddling him like they’d done all those years ago. They pulling away for air, their foreheads resting against each other as they caught their breath. Dabi’s hand settled against his cheek, thumb gently caressing his skin. “I love you so much,” Dabi whispered with closed eyes. “You’re my everything.”
Katsuki rubbed their noses together, brushing their lips ever so softly against each other again. “I love you too. Forever and always. There’s no me without you there.” They kissed again, deep and passionate and full of all the words they didn’t know how to say. There they stayed until the party ended, until the lights were shut off, until they knew they’d have to sneak out of the garden once again. Until they could prove to each other their forever.
~~~
Bakugo stood in front of the mirror in his dressing room, fiddling with the lapel of his suit, adjusting the cuffs as if something was wrong with them. As if he hadn’t checked them ten times already. He unbuttoned and then rebuttoned the vest sitting under his black jacket - the vest which was deep red, like wine had seeped into the fabric, and was embroidered with black silk that swirled in patterns so similar to the tattoos Dabi wore. It sat tailor fit over his black shirt, black tie.
He ran his fingers through his hair again, checked to make sure the thin line of eyeliner he’d put on wasn’t smudged. “You look great, dude,” Bakugo heard from the doorway. Quickly turning around, embarrassed to be seen fiddling about, Katsuki spotted Eijirou leaning against the doorframe with a wide smile on his face. “Yeah?” Bakugo asked as he turned back towards the mirror, gave himself another once-over. “Totally. Would I lie to you about that?” The red head asked as he sauntered into the room. “Yeah, you are my best man after all.”
“Hey! My duties are to make sure you have the best day ever. No lies allowed.” Bakugo hummed, unconvinced, but let it pass to stare at himself again. “I’m, like, nervous for some reason. Is that weird?” He asked Kirishima. His stomach had been twisting into tighter knots the further into the day they got, despite everything being planned to perfection.
It’d taken a little over a year of preparation, mostly directed by Dabi, with Katsuki being left to make the final choices on floral arrangements and place cards he couldn’t give less of a shit about. If it’d been up to him they would have just gone to city hall that same night Dabi had proposed, called it good and done with right then. But Dabi was a boujee bitch, though he’d never admit it, so the whole thing had turned into quite the event.
They’d rented some manor on the outskirts of the city, which would have been too ridiculous for his taste if it hadn’t been so stupidly beautiful. Their family and friends had all flown out from wherever they had been living, some close and some far. Even Eijirou’s parents had come, which made Katsuki extremely happy. Flowers were everywhere, including a small, red rose tucked into his suit pocket were a piece of fabric would normally go. Everything had turned out so perfect though, and it’d only been that same day Bakugo had realized Dabi’s expensive tastes must have been rubbing off on him all those years.
“I think it’d be weirder if you weren’t nervous, actually,” Eijirou commented with a laugh. Bakugo clicked his tongue at him, but after messing with his hair a little more decided there wasn’t much else to do. He just wanted to look perfect for Dabi. There was a knock at the door, and the two men turned to see Aizawa standing in the doorway. “I think it’s about time,” he said with a small smile.
Katsuki’s eyes widened slightly, and he looked over to Kirishima, who only mimicked Aizawa’s expression. “That’s my cue. Guess I’ll see you up there, dude.” With a light bump of his fist to Bakugo’s shoulder, the red-head left, leaving Aizawa and Katsuki alone in the room. “How do I look?” The blonde asked nervously, standing still to let the dark-haired man look him over.
“Great,” he said slightly hoarse. “Let me fix your tie though.” The man stepped closer, readjusting Katsuki’s black silk tie so that it sat against his throat a little better, tucked behind the luxurious red fabric a little nicer. “Tch, I knew Ei was full of it,” he grumbled while he let his clothes be rearranged. “No, you look perfect,” Aizawa said softly, putting a hand on either of Katsuki’s shoulders as he looked at him fondly.
“You’ve grown into such a fine young man, Katsuki.” And maybe there was just a hint of tears to the man’s eyes, a huskiness to his voice. “Hey, you’re gunna infect me with your feelings, old man,” Bakugo grumbled without any weight to it, busy fighting off the sting in his nose. Aizawa just shrugged as his arms dropped back to his sides. “What can I say, most people get emotional when their kid gets married.”
“Tch,” Bakugo scoffed while turning away, to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks. “Shall we then?” Aizawa asked, holding an arm out. Katsuki didn’t respond, just wrapped his hand around the offered limb, and they left the room. After a few turns down a few hallways, they came to the set of double doors separating them from the crowd of people who’d come just to witness the two of them being mushy little fucks.
A pair of men stood outside the doors, waiting to pull them open just for him. They both reached for the handles, but Katsuki stopped them by calling out “Wait!” They looked over at him questioningly, but retreated from the doors slightly. He felt Aizawa staring down at him, who then said “I can cover while you run away, if you want.”
Bakugo laughed, saying “I think Dabi would prefer me literally shooting him in the face instead of leaving him at the altar. No, I just...need a second.” He could hear the music playing faintly from behind the door, a dark tune that most people would feel suited the Addams family instead of a typical wedding. They weren’t a typical couple though, the colors and decor of the venue more on the macabre side.
Katsuki inhaled deeply, swallowed down his nerves, and nodded to the doormen. The heavy oak doors were pulled apart, and like a curtain on Broadway it revealed the many faces staring at him as he stepped through the doorway. Katsuki didn’t see the sea of extras staring, or his four best friends waiting for him up by the alter: he only had eyes for one face.
His gaze immediately went to Dabi, who stood in the front of the room like a fallen angel in a black suit, save for the red tie that matched Katsuki’s vest. He was watching Bakugo like the blonde was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, eyes wide and soulful, lips slightly parted as they ever so slightly tilted into a smile, like he was being given the best gift of his life.
Bakugo was feeling much the same, in awe of the way Dabi looked standing under the lights dangling above him, the soft expression on his face. The entire time Aizawa walked him down the aisle, they only had eyes for each other, neither looking away for a second, even as Aizawa left him to stand before everyone‘s undivided attention.
“Hey, Kitten,” Dabi whispered fondly when they were standing in front of each other. “Hey,” he replied shyly, which was a feeling he’d never really encountered in his life before. Something about the current circumstances had left him feeling so much more vulnerable than usual. It looked like Dabi wanted to say more, an entire ocean swirling in his eyes to fill up the cup Bakugo had brought. Before he could though, their officiant came forward, and began the ceremony.
The man went through all the usual jabber, until it came time for the vows, which they’d written themselves. Katsuki thought he’d get put off by being so open and emotional in front of so many people who distinctly were not Dabi, but standing up there, it’s like he forgot they were even in a crowed room. It was a scene out of some cheesy romantic-comedy movie, where everything else faded away and it was only the two of them standing in an empty room.
So much of his life had felt impossible, though, the kind of things that didn’t happen to people in real life. Things that were saved for the pages of a comic book, with heroes and villains and a never-ending struggle to fight the injustice in the world. Yet it’d all happened, so if he had to take the shit, then he supposed he deserved the nice moments too. The ones that came from cheesy, mushy movies.
“Katsuki,” Dabi began, voice choked up so subtly Bakugo was sure he was the only one who’d noticed, “you’re so many things to me: my best friend, my favorite person, the love of my life. If something like soulmates existed, I know you’d be mine. Most people who know me, knew me, always said I was cold, that I didn’t care about anyone but myself, that I’d be alone- and they were right.
“And I didn’t care, because I only cared about myself. I always thought that’s just how my life was going to be, and it didn’t really bother me at all. But then I met you. And then, we kissed, and then eight years passed by like nothing. And now... I couldn’t imagine a life without you. To me you’re like air, like blood, the thread holding the universe together.
“I need you to live, need you to always be beside me. I simply don’t exist without you. I was always told that I was heartless, but I think that’s because you’ve always been my heart, and I just needed to find you.” Bakugo would’ve laughed at how cheesy that last line was, if it didn’t make him want to cry. He was barely holding himself together as it was, only the almost forgotten notion that they were being watched holding him up.
Clearing his throat, Bakugo tried to keep his voice from shaking as he began his turn. “When we first met, I thought you were an asshole. Sure, I thought most people were assholes, but something about you really stood out above the rest. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get you out of my head, to the point it pissed me off a little.
“What was so special about you, you know? Besides the fact you had some freakish talent to get under my skin. But, looking back, I think that even then it was all ‘cause I knew I’d never met anyone like you before, and never would again. And, one day I realized, that all those times you annoyed me, I wasn’t actually annoyed at all. That’s when I started to think I had a problem.
“A huge, colossal problem, probably with my brain or something. Because, I’d never truly liked someone that way before. I never wanted to be around someone so much, to the point it drove me crazy when I couldn’t see you. It took me too long to realize that, even longer to realize that actually, I had been in love with you the whole time. Maybe even since I met you. “I had no idea what word meant, love. But you showed me, over and over again. When you fixed me up, when you cared about me even though I didn’t care about myself, or all the shit going on in my life. You saved me, in so many ways. No matter what happened, I always, always knew you’d be there for me. That, I could depend on you. And I wanted to be someone who you could depend on too.
I don’t really know when I realized that I’d never be the same without you, that my whole world had changed from meeting you. But I know that it started the second we met. That neither of us could ever go back to who we were before, and I never, ever want to.”
Katsuki was seconds away from tears by the time he stopped talking, and Dabi didn’t look to be too much better, eyes a little too shiny, dark lashes so slightly wet. “Touya, do you take Katsuki as your lawfully wedded husband?” The officiant asked. “Without a doubt,” the raven said with a smile. “And Katsuki, do you-“
“Hell yeah I do.” The two didn’t even wait for the traditional words before Bakugo was grabbing the front of Dabi’s jacket and pulling him down into a kiss. The man’s arms snaked around his waist, pulling him closer, and Katsuki’s arms locked around Dabi’s neck. They didn’t hear the officiant declare them married, or their guests cheering: they were completely, utterly lost in each other.
~
“Dude! That was beautiful, I seriously cried,” Kirishima said, slightly tipsy, as he wandered over to the table where Dabi and him were hanging out. They were well into their reception, the food eaten a long time ago, sappy toasts given by everyone close to them. Now it was a free-for-all of booze and cake and people enjoying themselves while Katsuki and Dabi spent their time watching with amused faces and no intention to join. “Haha, thanks for being here Ei. I’ve really missed you.”
“Are you kidding meee? I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!” Bakugo laughed a little harder. All these years later and Kirishima still was a fucking lightweight. “You guuuuys!” Katsuki heard yelled from behind him, in a high pitched voice that hadn’t changed since high school.
“The gang’s all here!” Mina cooed drunkenly, appearing from no where to throw her arms around Bakugo and Eijirou. “Where’re the other three idiots?” She asked, swinging her heard around. “Denki is getting rejected by a girl somewhere, no doubt. Sero is by the bar, and Shouto’s wandering around somewhere, I think,” Bakugo said, sipping on the beer in his hand. “Unacceptable! We’re finally all together again! We need to hang out all night.”
Katsuki chuckled and shook his head, polishing off the rest of the bitter liquid while Dabi’s arm tightened around his waist. “I think Baku’s a little busy tonight, Mina,” Kirishima added in. “Nooo! When’s the next time we’re gunna all be all together? None of us live in the same place anymore, being an adult is so stupiiiiid,” she pouted.
“You guys are all free to move to New York,” Katsuki said with a smirk. “No way, too expensive,” Mina said with a scrunched up face. “But arguably the best place for a fashion designer to be,” Dabi chimed in from over his shoulder. “Well...That’s true. Maybe I’d sell more than I get off Etsy...” she seemed to ponder that information quite seriously while sipping on the clear liquid in her glass.
“And Ei! There’s plenty of fires for you to fight there, I bet!” She added as if it were some great revelation. The red head laughed and shrugged in agreement. “‘Course, Sero’s got his company though,” Eijirou added. “It’s a moving company! He could just move it there!” She yelled excitedly.
“And Kami’s just an electrician, they have electricity in New York!” Her face brightened up, and Katuski could clearly see the ideas working through her head. “I’m going to tell them about this right. Now.” She said determinedly, downing the rest of her alcohol and setting the cup on a table before wandering off across the huge room, heading for the bar where Sero was.
The three of them still standing there laughed, watching her go, before falling into conversation themselves. “Speakin’ of New York though, I read about Ground Zero, dude! ’M not even surprised your restaurant already got a Michelin Star after bein’ open less than a year, but it’s super impressive man. Mom was so proud she framed the article,” he laughed.
Bakugo laughed too, saying “Fuck, of course she did. But thanks man. It was a lot of work, but I love it. I better get at least two next time though,” he grumbled with a scowl, which made Dabi laugh. It was a discussion they’d had many times since the guide had been published: Bakugo lamenting only getting one measly star, while Dabi constantly reminded him it was a feat not too many restaurants accomplished at all.
Before they got any further into the discussion this time though, Shouto came up to greet them, a glass of champagne in his hand. He still maintained his duel-colored hair, despite being on his way to taking over his father’s company. Claimed it’s because he was taking it in a ‘newer, more current direction’, but Bakugo felt he just was too used to having it that way to change it at that point. “Congratulations, you two. It was a beautiful wedding.”
“Hah, well thanks for being my best man.” Dabi replied. Shouto smiled softly, saying “Of course, you’re my brother.” Then he turned towards Katsuki and added “And now you are too.” Bakugo froze, face falling into shock. He hadn’t considered that fact yet. “Oh, fuck...” he whispered, to which Shouto smirked. “Uhm, anyways,” the man said, “Eijirou, could I talk to you? Alone...”
The red-head glanced over at Katsuki questioningly, who only shrugged his shoulders. “Uh, sure,” Kirishima said somewhat hesitantly. With one last look at Bakugo, the two of them headed off to some secret place. “Guess it’s finally just us,” Katsuki said, leaning into Dabi’s side. The raven glanced around the room, still half-full of guests determined to enjoy the night.
“Hmm,” Dabi hummed. After another second, he suddenly grabbed Katsuki’s hand, dragging him along the wall of the room and only answering Bakugo’s protesting questions with a sly smirk. They slipped out of the room that was full of laughter and talking and music reverberating through the background, and into the hallway that was a shock of quiet after the hours spent around the noise of everyone else.
They went down the hallway to the door leading into the next room, some sort of library or study, full of plush chairs and walls that towered with old books. They were next door to the main room, so the music could still be heard clearly, but the other mindless noise was trapped far away from them. “What’s this about?” Bakugo questioned with a raised brow. The cover of Young and Beautiful by Glass Animals came on, heavy piano and ethereal voice floating through the walls. “Just wanted to dance with my husband,” he said with a smile.
Dabi grabbed his hand, putting the other around his waist, and started spinning them into a slow dance together. Katsuki rested his head against the raven’s chest, who laid his cheek against the top of Katsuki’s head as they moved together. It didn’t seem like too long ago that Katsuki had recoiled from being called someone’s boyfriend, and now he had a husband. It’d been a turn of events he had never foreseen, something he once would have even considered impossible.
No one could handle his attitude, his personality in general. At least, that’s what he had thought, before meeting a certain man dressed in black. “You know, if anyone would have told me all those years ago that this is how we’d end up, I would have laughed,” Dabi murmured quietly into his hair, apparently reading his thoughts.
“Hah, forget laughing, I probably would have punched them. I never thought...that someone could love me. Or that I would be able to love them...I’m so glad I met you that day. Glad you annoyed me into talking to you, that you pushed me to do things that scared me.” Dabi hummed in his throat before replying. “What can I say. It’s like I became obsessed the second I saw you.”
“That would have been creepy if you’d told me literally any time before a few hours ago, you know.”
“Oh? Then, what if I told you that I followed you to the park that day, when we had that snowball fight?” Bakugo pulled away from the man’s chest a few inches, even though they didn’t stop their movements around the room. “...What?”
“Mhmm. I saw you leaving just as I got home. It was so very easy to follow you, and you didn’t even notice me. I figured out where you were going, and took some shortcuts to get there before you. I mean, I wasn’t lying when I said I liked to smoke there. I just didn’t happen to be there already is all.” Katsuki could only laugh, not even that surprised. “You’re a fucking lunatic.”
“Only for you,” Dabi smirked. They were silent for another second, listening to the music as they resumed their slow waltz-like dance. “Seriously though, Kat...” Katsuki looked up at the raven, who was gazing at him with a sincere, almost sad look. “Thank you for not giving up on me, not walking away when I tried to. For...believing I could be a better person. Without you, I- I probably would’ve...”
His voice was getting hoarse, shaky, and Bakugo planted a soft kiss on his lips to shut him up. “You saved my life, Dabi. Let’s just say we’ve even.” Half a smile tugged at the raven’s piercing-studded lips, and he leaned down to kiss Katsuki again. “I love you so much.” Bakugo smirked and asked “Even though I’m an asshole?”
“Especially because of that. There’s no one else like you. You’re so fun to be around.” Bakugo scoffed at that, because he had never really considered himself a ‘fun’ person. “I mean it, Kitten.” Dabi swung him around dramatically as he said it.
“Everything about you, in every way possible.” With every sentence Dabi punctuated his words with a flourish of their bodies, writing truths in the movement they spun into the air. “In so many ways, so many parts of you. The sweet and the spicy.
“You’re so funny, when you’re being mean and when you make jokes. The way you plant flowers in the spring, and how frustrated you get trying to teach me to cook. The comments you make on movies, and your face when something doesn’t go your way.” The raven spun them around, leading Bakugo around so quickly he hardly had time to keep up.
“And on the other side of things, I love how aggressive you are. How fiery you get in a fight, the way you try to keep a lid on that hot-headed temper you have. I utterly admire that vile mouth of yours, and how you keep your cool so well sometimes, but explode in an instant other times.”
Dabi leaned Bakugo backwards, so that he curved over the man’s arm. The raven followed after, leaning over him with their chests together, faces inches apart as that smoldering blue gaze burned right into his soul. “In every sense of the word,” he leaned closer, their lips just a breath apart, “you’re a blast.”
~ ~~~~~~~ ~ Fin ~ ~~~~~~~ ~