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Katsuki sighed as he received a message from his best friend, boyfriend, and smoking buddy. He had to get a lighter for the other since everyone in his friend's area knew he smoked.
Katsuki didn't smoke, he vaped. Sweet cotton candy and strawberry flavors that hid his activities from anyone else.
Kariage supplied his pods. He couldn't just walk into any old smoke shop and ask for vape pods. He was a minor and hero student, so he let his friend take care of that.
It was a mutually beneficial relationship in addition to them being friends.
Katsuki had honestly been having one of those days where he wished it was the weekend. He was addicted, he knew that. He didn't want out, though. He loved the feeling.
He'd refused cigarettes, so he was offered a vape. Where Kariage got these was a mystery, but he wasn't about to ask. There was no point. Kariage got vape pods, he got lighters and cheap cologne.
His phone chimed again and he opened it. It was after school and he was down in the lounge with his classmates.
———
Kari-smoke-ge
I need another lighter, I lost mine | 1:15 pm
Wasn't my fault though | 1:15 pm
That guy started it | 1:16 pm
You up for today?? I'm lonely | Just now
———
It seemed as though Kariage also wanted to meet up. He replied back that he'd been there soon.
Now, He had things to do.
Katsuki went back to his room and changed into loose ripped jeans and an oversized black sweatshirt. He slipped a few dollars into his kangaroo-pouch and swapped his indoor shoes for a pair of bright orange high tops.
Buying the lighter came next. He walked out, ignoring any comments about him always leaving. The dorm keys were hooked on his belt loop and his phone was in his hands as he walked.
He headed for a convince store to buy the lighter. He got a black one. When the middle aged cashier made a comment, Katsuki simply smiled and told them that his school was doing a science lab. He didn't give further details and they didn't ask. He threw out the receipt.
Their usual spot was a decent distance from Yuuei, but it was both midway between their two locations and a good place to make sure no one from his school knew about his dirty secrets. He had many.
Katsuki didn't mind the walk. The lighter was safely tucked into his pocket and he played around with his phone, scrolling through social media while he walked.
He turned down a sketchy alleyway and turned again onto an even sketchier one. Nothing that he couldn't handle.
A few crates were stacked by a fence. The fence served as s blockade for passerbys sight into the dirty alleyway. It worked perfect in their favor.
Kariage was already there, tossing a packet of cigarettes up and down with one hand and his phone in the other. The teen looked up when Katsuki approached.
"Hey KitKat! You got the goods?"
He pulled out the lighter and tossed it to the other. "Do you?"
He was handed a vape as he stood in front of Kariage's crate. The boy leant down and pressed a quick kiss onto his lips. Katsuki stood on his tip toes to make it more comfortable for the other.
Moving across the the alleyway, he climbed up onto a dumpster. No one really used the ones in this alley and those that hung out here covered the top in cardboard.
"We should try one of those Spiderman upside down kisses some time" He was told. Katsuki snorted in amusement.
"Yeah sure" He pressed the button on the device for a second and a small blue light lit the bottom. He brought it to his lips. "You didn't swap anything, right? It didn't need anything"
Kariage shook his head and flicked the lighter a few times before the flame stayed. He held his cigarette to it. When the dark-eyed boy released the lever, he shook it, cooking his fingers. "Damn I never get used to that"
Katsuki laughed and inhaled from the mouthpiece, pulling in the flavor and nicotine laced air. The blue colour of the light got momentarily brighter as he did. He exhaled out the smoke into a cloud of sweet cotton candy. That was his favorite.
"Babydoll, wanna know what happened yesterday?"
"I hate that shitty name, but sure, go ahead'
"Okay, do this guy, I told you about him, he's the chili guy; so he barged into my flat yesterday and demanded to know where I hid his shit. I told 'im that Jamie had it and he left, right? It's under my bed. Jamie left to visit Tokyo Sunday evening, so it's even better" Kariage seemed very pleased with himself so Katsuki applauded him.
"Good boy" He took pride in how Kariage reacted to those words. The boy had some praise kink or something and it was so easy to exploit. "Bean Bitch needs to chillax"
Kariage grinned at him as Katsuki took another drag. He blew the cloud out in rings. It took him forever to master it, but he could do it now. Kariage could somehow make waves. He had no clue how and the boy refused to tell his 'trade secret'.
• • •
Those in the lounge glanced over at Bakugou as the teen's phone chimed. The blonde didn't notice, too engrossed in whatever the notification entailed. The teen's face, however, displayed an obvious look of relief.
When Bakugou leapt up and left, Todoroki told them about his idea.
"We should follow him today"
Those in the room gave various looks. The occupants included Todoroki himself, Kirishima, Midoriya, and Jirou.
"I'm in" Jirou said. Midoriya nodded in agreement.
"That's kinda invasive, don't you think? Bakubro will be mad when he finds out..."
"Kirishima" Midoriya refuted. "We're not going to tell Kacchan. We're just making sure that he's safe. Right guys?"
"Of course" Todoroki nodded. Kirishima still looked hesitant, but he eventually nodded and agreed. They waited until Bakugou had left before moving. Midoriya took the lead and Kirishima took the back of the group. They followed from a safe distance, acting as they normally did as to not be suspicious to passerbys.
Bakugou walked into a store and Kirishima sighed. "Welp, now we know where he's going, let's go back"
"No, no, a store this size doesn't match up with how long he usually leaves for" Midoriya muttered.
"He could be just on a quick store run today..." It was becoming painfully obvious how uncomfortable Kirishima was on the subject of stalking Bakugou.
The target of the topic then exited the store empty handed, though they all saw him slip something small into his back pocket.
Unexpectedly, the teen continued walking, but in the direction of the less traversed part of the city. Towards the shady alleyways and untrustworthy businesses. They had no clue as to where he was going. They split up to blend in more. Midoriya and Jirou took one side of the street while Todoroki and Kirishima took the other. Jirou followed closest to their target, with the rest in various distances.
Bakugou turned into an alleyway and they followed. Kirishima nervously followed from the greatest distance as they traveled down the alleyway. When Bakugou took another turn, Jirou paused, hiding behind the corner. The rest joined her lead, crowding in a line against the building they were next to.
"Hey KitKat! You got the goods?"
Midoriya peaked around Jirou to see and he gave a light gasp. "That's Kariage! He's from our middle school!" He whisper-yelled.
Jirou put a finger to her lips and the freckled boy blushed. He hasn't meant to be so excited like that. Todoroki patted the boy's shoulder as a means of comfort.
The one and only girl of the group tilted over to observe and quickly slapped a hand over her mouth to quiet her reaction.
"They kissed" She reported before turning back to observe more. Kirishima was looking flabbergasted while Todoroki and Midoriya shared knowing looks. The two had created a theory about Bakugou dating someone a while back. They hadn't been able to confirm it until now.
Jirou pulled out her phone, catching all three's attention. She opened her camera and slipped it over the edge of the building so that it was out just enough to see.
Images of Bakugou vaping entered her camera roll. The other boy, dubbed Kariage by Midoriya, had a cigarette.
"Good boy" They all heard Bakugou say. The way it was said made a few shudder. It was so unusual to hear words like that from Bakugou of all people. The way it was said though, held no doubt in what reaction his partner had. Jirou caught the boy's flushed face as she magnified it a little more.
The two quieted for a few moments as they seemed to compete in a smoke shape competition before they started a conversation about going to meet up on the weekend.
"We should go now, I think we have plenty" Kirishima pleaded. They listened to him this time and retreated from the alleyway. They headed back towards the dorm. Jirou refused to share the video with any of them, simply telling them that the two were talking while Kariage smoked.
She wasn't a snitch.