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The Gift of the Magician and the Artist
“I wonder if this is what it’s like to hit rock bottom.” Bakugou Katsuki stumbles up the stairs of the rundown apartment complex, with only muscle memory propelling him closer to his paint-chipped door. Sighing, he rummages through his back pocket to find his keys, trying each one of them in the lock. “Come on, I don’t have time for this.” Finally the door opens, quicker than expected, and he falls into his small apartment. “Really?!” He curses under his breath as he stands, dusting himself off.
He turns the kitchen lights on whilst he takes off his too tight Oxfords and tosses his keys in the bowl on the counter. The light flickers above him, reminding him of all the bills still left to pay, one of which being, of course, electricity. “Hate this stupid apartment.” Bakugou grumbles as he pulls out a folding chair, and sifts through the alarmingly large and ever growing pile of bills on his counter.
Three hours later, he decides enough is enough, and heads to his room. He strips off his clothes, not caring that it’s 12 degrees outside, 4 in the morning, and ignoring the very real possibility that the heater is broken. He turns on the shower, grimacing when he’s met with freezing water with weak pressure. “Great. Guess I’m showering faster than ‘The Flash’ today.” Stepping in and gritting his teeth, he showers, gets ready for bed, and sits back down at the counter. He pulls out his wallet and counts his money. “For real? $4.32. This makes my day. As if I could get jack with $4.32.” He places his head in his hands, thinking about what he could get Kirishima for Christmas. He had a day to think of something, considering it was December 24th. Rubbing his temples, he thinks of what his husband adores most, and then, almost a little too strikingly, it hits him.
Kirishima plays music like no one else. He will play and play until everyone is just as lost in the sea of lusting notes as he is. Inspiring, breathing, and overwhelmingly beautiful is the best way to describe what it’s like listening to him play violin. Kirishima loves that violin more than any other object he’s ever owned. “That’s it!” Bakugou whisper-shouts to himself as an idea pops into his head. He glances over at his typewriter, in all its black Corona LC Smith glory, and sighs. You see, Bakugou has a love for writing. His writing is full of fantasies and memories, from fiction to science novels, Bakugou has written all sorts of short stories, novels, poems, you name it. He supposes that the typewriter and Kirishima have been what has gotten him through all his hardships. His father gave him the typewriter when he was twelve, and he;s never stopped writing since. He looks up at the clock, and sees the time. “I swear, I just want this day over. Just let it be 2022 already.”
He gets up and drags himself into his bed, careful not to wake up Kirishima. The second he settles down, Kirishima rolls over and stretches. “Kat?” Bakugou rolls over to be met with Kirishima Ejirou’s stupidly big grin. “Yeah Ei?’ Kirishima pulls Bakugou into a better cuddling position. “I love you, Katsuki.” Bakugou smiles. “I love you, too, dummy.”
…
Bakugou rolls over and sighs contently to see Kirishima snoring away. Silently, Bakugou gets up, gets dressed, and grabs his typewriter and keys on his way out the door. Running down the creaking stairs, he practically collides into the glass door of the local pawnshop. “Woah there fellow! Why such a rush?” The woman sitting in her chair seemed to have perked up seeing Bakugou, almost as if he was her new source of gossip information to post all over social media and what not. “Sorry, are you open?” She laughs, a deep, hollow laugh. “ Yes kiddo, we’re open. You must have something worthwhile considering you almost became a pigeon on my glass.” Bakugou closes the door and grimaces. “Yeah, sorry about that. How much do you think you would pay for a black Corona LC Smith typewriter from the 1930's?”
The woman looks at him dumbfounded. “How… how on earth would you have one of those? They sell for a good $600 dollars!” Bakugou smiles. “Thank god. I have it here, could you pay now?” The woman looks at the typewriter in his hands. “ Well don’t just stand there kid, let me see it!”
Thirty minutes later, Bakugou exits the store with $600 dollars and a plan on his mind. He makes a beeline straight to the musician store. Three hours later, and $400 lighter, Bakugou exits the store with the most brilliantly crafted violin bow, lined with silver endings, and engraved with the message “Play Me a Story”. It’s a saying Bakugou and Kirishima always say to each other as a form of endearment. After a quick trip to the grocery store, Bakugou comes home with steaks, green beans, and brussel sprouts.
The house starts to be filled with extravagant smells as Bakugou cooks the most delicious meal the two of them have had in a while, all with a smile on his face. Kirishima walks in to see Bakugou completely in his zone. He sits on the counter, and just watches his husband in his element. When Bakugou sees Kirishima, he practically falls from shock. “Ah! Jesus Ei! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Kirishima chuckles as he gets up and hugs Bakugou. “I’m sorry for scaring you Mr.’ I’m so brave nothing can scare me’.” Bakugou whips around. “ It was one time! I said that once, four years ago at a high school graduation haunted house. Once!” The two of them laugh for a while as Bakugou continues to cook dinner.
Placing the dinner down, Kirishima grabs Bakugou's hand gently, and rubs his thumb over the top of it. “I have something for you.” Bakugou looks at him and tilts his head to the side in a confused manner. “What would that be?” Kirishima gets up, pulling Bakugou up with him. “Follow me, close your eyes, and trust me, ok?” Bakugou hums. “Ok, Ei.” Bakugou shivers as he feels the chill from the icy wind of December. “Ok, Kat, open your eyes.”
Bakugou opens his eyes to be met with an absolutely gorgeous hand crafted oak tree desk. Adorned with black staining, silver corners, and extravagant carving consisting of Bakugou and Krishima. Along the edge, it reads “Play Me a Story”. “ Holy… Kirishima how the… why…” Kirishima chuckles. “I figured you needed a place to write those stories of yours, an eye-catching novel deserves to be written at an eye-catching desk. Bakugou couldn’t bring himself to tell Kirishima that he had sold his typewriter, so he just stands there dumbfounded at this too-close-to-ethereal desk.
“Kirishima… Thank you. I love it. Let me show you your gift.” Kirishima hugs him and whispers “You didn’t have to get me anything. You’re more than enough for me.” Bakugou swats at his chest. “Oh hush, no nonsense.” Bakugou grabs Kirishima’s hand and leads them back into their apartment, and places him on their bed. “Sit.” Kirishima does as he’s told while Bakugou leaves to attain his gift. “ Merry Christmas Ei” Bakugou whispers as he hands him the gift.
Kirishima unwraps it, and a tear falls down his cheek. “You… Kat, you got me this?” Now, it was Bakugou’s turn to chuckle. “ Yeah, I did.” Kirishima looks down and starts bawling. Bakugou is immediately by his side, holding him, rubbing dellicatte, comforting circles into Kirishima’s back, and helping him calm down. “Calm down Ei, it’s ok.” Kirishima looks up at him with teary eyes and laughs. A deep, full, laugh at that. Bakugou starts nervously laughing with him. “What’s so funny?” Kirishima sniffles. “It’s actually not all that funny… I sold my violin for the desk.”
Bakugou falls to the floor clutching his sides with laughter. “ Wait, now I'm confused, why are YOU laughing?” Bakugou looks up at him and wheezes. “We’re so stupid Ei. I sold my typewriter for the bow.” Kirishima dead-pans. “Oh my god we’re so stupd Kat.” They both laugh and laugh until they can’t laugh anymore. Kirishima helps Bakugou up onto solid ground and they make their way back into the dining room to continue eating.
Kirishima looks at his husband for a few minutes, and eventually reaches over to gently lift Bakugou’s head towards him. “I love you, Kat.” Bakugou blushes furiously and mumbles “ Idiot, I love you.”
And with that, Kirishima Eijirou and Bakugou Katski finished their dinner, and from now on, they both plan out each other’s gifts with each other, and even if that’s traditionally unromantic, they don’t care.