As if frozen, Bakugou looked at the piece of parchment. Kirishima looked at the list with interest and frowned.

"Are all these names?" he asked and pulled his eyebrows together a little more.

Bakugou nodded silently. Please don't read it! Please don't read it!

But Kirishima seemed very interested in the list. He felt the warm parchment and began to read the names curiously.

"What do the pairs mean?" he asked with interest.

Bakugou didn't answer. His thoughts were racing. What if Kirishima found his own name? Right next to his? How would he explain that?

"Oh!" Kirishima exclaimed in surprise. Bakugou flinched. Please don't! "Here's the name of that Suzuki!"

The blonde nodded stiffly. Kirishima noticed his discomfort and looked at him, confused.

"Are you all right, Baku?" he asked worriedly.

Great, now the good-hearted idiot was worried about him. He hadn't intended to tell Kirishima about this list in the near future, let alone what it was all about. But now he was sitting in front of him. The mysterious piece of parchment in his hand and a questioning expression in his big eyes. Bakugou sighed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. And yes, I know her name from this list. By the way, this Kato written right next to her name is her boyfriend," he said defeated. If he already told him the truth, then the whole truth. As much as it went against the grain for him.

"Oh... does that mean these all are couples? Why ...?", Kirishima looked in confusion at the parchment again.

"Read on." Bakugou's voice was almost a whisper. Even though he had imagined this conversation differently, he had decided to conduct it here and now. The opportunity may not have been entirely appropriate, but it was nevertheless a good one. He watched as Kirishima began to read line by line the endless string of names. His facial expression gradually changed from curious to bored. He supported his head on one hand, but he continued reading. Then his gaze paused and he slowly lifted his head. Bakugou knew what names he had just read.

"Bakugou?" he asked whisperingly. So much was reflected in his big red eyes. Confusion, disbelief ... and hope?

The blonde closed his eyes. His heart was racing. "Yes, Kiri. We are on it together."

Kirishima laughed nervously. "But... so... what is this list?" His voice reflected exactly the same feelings that Bakugou had when he first read this list. Doubt and disbelief. Honestly, that's probably how anyone would react.

"The list seems real. And there are couples on it. I call it Cupid's list."

Kirishima frowned. "Come on Baku, you're kidding me." Again, his nervous laughter filled the room.

"Give me that." Bakugou said calmly.

The redhead handed him the parchment, his forehead still wrinkled. Bakugou took the lighter and began to run the flame over the edges.

"Ba-!" Kirishima exclaimed briefly, probably worried that he'd set his room on fire. But he paused when he saw that the parchment didn't start to burn and only a little smoke rose. Then the glowing writing was revealed.

The redhead's mouth opened in amazement. "Is that Latin? What does it mean?

Bakugou nodded. "In Cupidinis tutela este" Kirishima gave him a questioning look before the blonde continued, sighing. "It basically means: "Be under Cupid's protection!"

"So that's why Cupid's list..." Kirishima murmured. His gaze wandered to Bakugou.

There was silence. This one question was unspoken in the room. Did Kirishima love him? Did Bakugou love Kirishima? Were they really meant to become a couple?

Kirishima lowered his head and began to fiddle nervously with his fingers.

"I can hardly believe it," he whispered quietly. When he looked up again, he looked into Bakugou's eyes. "Is that the reason why you kissed me? Because it's written on this list?"

Bakugou swallowed and hesitantly shook his head. "As I said, I don't know."

Kirishima closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "You know, normally I'd dismiss the list as bullshit, but there's something you should know." He opened his eyes again and made eye contact with the blonde again. "I'm in love with you. Since the first day." Kirishima's big eyes reflected uncertainty and vulnerability. Nevertheless, he did not turn his gaze away and looked Bakugou straight in the eyes.

And again, it was as if Kirishima's eyes, those big, red, honest eyes, captured Bakugou. The blonde could not answer. Actually, he had known that Kirishima was in love with him but had always doubted it a little. It was something completely different to hear it from this mouth.

Kirishima swallowed hard when Bakugou didn't answer. "You don't have to say anything. I don't want you to answer it anyway just because it's on some shitty list."

Bakugou finally found his voice again. "I may be a loser in this matter, but I wouldn't do anything like that either. Yet I can't deny that this list has made me think."

The redhead frowned. "In what way?"

"Well, I didn't know I was gay before."

"As I said just because it's written on that li-"

"No, it's not that!" Bakugou raised his hands in defense. "It's not that I know I'm gay because my name is on a crappy list next to you. But I never questioned that before and that's how I realised it." Bakugou let his hands sink again and tried to sort out his thoughts. Quietly, almost whispering, he continued: "I guess that's how I feel about you, too."

Kirishima shook his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Bakugou closed his eyes and prepared himself for his confession. "I've never questioned my friendship with you before. But when you were with me and opened up to me and looked at me with your damn big eyes ...", he became more and more quiet towards the end and buried his face in his hands.

"Baku." whispered Kirishima.

The blonde looked up cautiously and looked directly into said damn big eyes. He was so close to him that he could see the golden dots in the iris again. Kirishima's gaze was soft and a light smile covered his lips. Bakugou felt him relaxing more and more. It was Kirishima. Kirishima.

This time it was the redhead who leaned in. Bakugou's eyes fluttered shut before Kirishima's lips touched his own.