Bakugo didn’t even notice he’d forgotten his bento until lunchtime hit like a right hook to the gut. He was halfway through a report, a fresh cut bandaged on his shoulder, and his stomach growling loud enough for Kirishima to raise an eyebrow from across the office.
“Didn’t pack lunch today?” his red-haired friend asked.
“Tch. I packed it. Left it on the damn counter.”
Kirishima laughed. “You’ve been all scatterbrained lately. Everything okay?”
Bakugo didn’t answer right away. He hated how obvious it was. How his mind kept drifting—toward texts with little heart emojis he’d never admit to liking, toward soft, flapping hands and careful words spoken in low tones. Toward the guy who always remembered the little things when he didn’t. Who noticed patterns and sounds Bakugo missed completely. Who—
Before he could say anything, the agency door buzzed, and one of the interns poked her head in. “Uh… Bakugo-senpai? There’s someone here asking for you. He said he’s your boyfriend?”
Time froze for a second.
Kirishima’s chair creaked as he sat up straighter. “Wait. What?”
Bakugo’s heart jumped into his throat. He stood quickly, growling low. “Yeah. What about it?”
He stomped past the stunned office, ignoring the way Sero whispered, “Did he say boyfriend?”
At the front, there he was—wearing that oversized hoodie he loved, carrying a carefully packed bento box with Katsuki’s name scrawled neatly in marker. His gaze flitted quickly around the room, never quite meeting anyone’s eyes for long. One hand was gently tapping against his leg, rhythmic, grounding.
He spotted Bakugo and brightened, holding the bento out with a small, crooked smile.
“You forgot this,” he said quietly, voice soft but sure. “You were in a rush and I noticed. The rice has seaweed faces like you like. I put an extra umeboshi in, too.”
Bakugo felt the heat rise in his chest. Embarrassment, pride, fondness—all twisted together like a fuse ready to blow.
“Dumbass,” he muttered, snatching the box from him with far less aggression than his tone implied. “Thanks.”
His boyfriend tilted his head. “Are you okay?”
Bakugo softened. Just a little. “Yeah. Now I am.”
He glanced over his shoulder—and immediately regretted it.
Kirishima, Sero, and even Kaminari had poked their heads around the corner, wide-eyed and openly gawking. Kaminari gave a little thumbs-up, whispering, “Dude. He's like, so cute.”
Bakugo scowled. “Get back to work before I explode something.”
They scattered like roaches, giggling like idiots. He turned back to his boyfriend, whose brow had creased a little.
“They didn’t know,” Bakugo admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Was I not supposed to come?”
“No—hell no. You can come by whenever you want.” He paused. “I just… I’ve never done this before. The whole… dating thing.”
His boyfriend nodded slowly. “Me neither. But I like it. I like being with you.”
Something in Bakugo's chest cracked open at that. He looked down at the bento, then back up at him.