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It starts in a movie theatre. The venue is not Barnaby’s choice for a first date by a long shot. In fact, it’s probably the worst kind of date since there’s minimal to no interaction in a dark room with a movie playing surrounded by people who’d throw popcorn at you at a moment’s notice. But then again, was it really a date if his partner’s child also tagged along? Not that Barnaby ever resented Kaede’s presence; he felt the exact opposite of resentment. The kid was smart and loving, and seeing Kotetsu delight in being present for his daughter filled Barnaby with simultaneous joy and longing. It was an odd conglomeration of emotions that inevitably sent him down memory lane.
The dim lights are gone now, and a hush fills the theatre because the movie is about to start. Not three seconds into the production intro screens, he feels Kotetsu’s hand grope around his side and thigh until he finds Barnaby’s hand. Hands mold together by instinct, and Barnaby squeezes Kotetsu’s hand lightly. This is definitely a date.
Kotetsu gives him a quick look, a quick smile. He’s going to spend the majority of the day basking in this very moment his daughter will probably forget - just a small, inconsequential drop in the bucket of the rest of her life. But Barnaby knows Kotetsu is not watching the movie at all.
-?-
“Good movie,” Barnaby comments as they exit the theatre after nearly two hours. He reaches out to take Kaede’s greasy popcorn bucket that was now empty save for a few unpopped kernels.
“It was alright,” Kaede says, blushing furiously as she hands over her garbage. Barnaby sees her hands shake even without any hundred-powered eyesight. She really was an adorable kid. “Will you be coming to dinner with us?” she asks.
That was kid code for “please come to dinner with us.”
“I don’t know, Kaede,” Barnaby says kindly. “I wouldn’t want to intrude on time with your father.”
“He doesn’t mind!” Kaede says emphatically, pleading to Kotetsu with her eyes.
Kotetsu arches an eyebrow and looks at Barnaby in a mock-surprised look. “Huh? You mean you weren’t going to join us for dinner? I made a reservation for three…”
‘Don’t react. Don’t react.’ It was pointless though. Barbaby could feel his smile erupt in the muscles of his face, could feel his body warm at the very thought of being so effortlessly included, but that was just Kotetsu’s way.
“Time to go to the bathroom!” Kotetsu announces unceremoniously and loudly.
“Dad!” Kaede whisper-hisses. “I’m not a baby.”
“Of course you’re not a baby . If you were a baby, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But you finished that extra, extra double large pepsi by yourself, and we’re not stopping at a gas station on the way to the restaurant.”
“Ugh, fine.”
“We’ll wait right here.”
Kaede speed-walks to the bathroom.
Kotetsu chuckles to himself briefly at her retreating form that was picking up pace rather rapidly, before rubbing his temples.
“Hey Bunny,” he says, “We’ll do it right sometime later.” I’ll make it right .
It . Barnaby debated on playing dumb, but that was never his style.
“Kotetsu,” he starts, “Have I given you a reason to suggest I’m unhappy?” Barnaby asks.
Kotetsu scratches his chin and shakes his head. “Well not exactly, but…” But I still chose to spend time with my daughter instead of going on a solo date with you on our off days, and I wonder if that’ll irritate you one day.
He doesn’t have to say it for Barnaby to pick up on it immediately.
“Trust me, I’ll speak up if there’s something wrong.”
“Yeah,” Kotetsu laughs, not bothering to hide the relief. “I know you will.”
-?-
It’s a school night for Kaede, and she’s on the train back home after dinner. Kotetsu had selfishly wanted to write up a fake sick note, but Kaede wouldn’t hear of it.
“No, I have to go to school tomorrow. I gotta show my friends the selfies I took with Barnaby!” she had exclaimed.
“It’s really okay, darling,” Kotetsu had pleaded. “I can say you contracted a nasty stomach bug! Or the flu! Or both! Make it a four-day weekend.”
She had rolled her eyes. Good lord, she was at eye-rolling age.
“Dad, you can’t encourage truancy! You’re a hero!”
So she went on the train, and that should’ve been that. But she did give him a big hug before she left, and that was something. That was always something.
“Headed home?” Barnaby asks. “Or are you up for that drink?”
“I think home,” Kotetsu replies, eyes still on the train that’s long since gone.
“I’ll drive.”
“Okay.”
-?-
“You know, I think it gets harder to send her back on that damn train,” Kotetsu grumbles, looking attractively disheveled. His tie lay rumpled on the sofa next to him as he sipped on some expensive, imported booze that Keith had gifted him on a secret santa pick last year. The eighty proof has made him a bit chatty
“It’s not safe for her in the city,” Barnaby reminds, swirling his own tumbler.
“I know, but I keep missing all the things in her life,” he continues. “Every time I see her she has a new hair style I didn’t know about.”
“Yes, young girls will tend to do that.”
Kotetsu is quiet for a while.
“Maybe I’m-”
“You’re not a bad father,” Barnaby cuts him off.
The flush of alcohol hasn’t hit Kotetsu yet, so Barnaby knows the flush is the result of embarrassment. “H-Hey! I wasn’t going to say that.”
Barnaby sips.
“Okay, maybe I was going to say that.” Kotetsu breathes out slowly and slumps. “Thanks, Bunny.”
“It’s nothing to thank me for. Anyone with eyes can see how much you love her.”
“Sometimes that’s just not enough.”
That was true, Barnaby supposes.
“Bunny?”
“Hmm?”
“C’mere.”
Barnaby sets his tumbler down on the end table and moves closer to Kotetsu after the beckoning, willing his heart to act normally when he sees Kotetsu’s stare focused on him. The power of a held gaze was nothing to scoff at. Kotetsu’s hand reaches out to pull Barnaby closer to him by the waist, so that their noses are nearly touching.
“We’ll do this right later, Bunny,” Kotetsu repeats his statement from earlier that day. He promises.
Kotetsu’s hand feels scalding on his waist, despite being separated by two layers of clothing.
“We will.”
They do not kiss, but Barnaby helps Kotetsu with some of the peskier buttons on his shirt before leaving for the night.
-?-
Catching criminals and going on stakeouts did not count as dates. There was, without a shadow of a doubt, great enjoyment that Barnaby felt from working with a man like Kotetsu. Even if Kotetsu wasn’t his boyfriend, he would’ve been happy to work with a person as committed to the job on top of possessing an intuitive talent for it. But there were times that working with your boyfriend was not ideal. Like today.
“No points,” Barnaby sighs, aware of the sullenness creeping into his voice. He could feel microfissures around his ribs from where the NEXT kicked at him repeatedly, and he’d probably need a day or so of physical therapy to ensure optimal physical health. He felt winded and couldn’t wait to collapse in the shower.
And it was truly a ton of work for nothing since he and Kotetsu had pretty much done all the hard work of getting the NEXT to exhaust their powers on them while Black and Thomas snagged the capture. It was a bit irritating given the beating. Unavoidable. Inevitable. Understandable. But Irritating.
“Aw, c’mon, Bunny!” Kotetsu replies jovially. “The criminals were captured, and that’s what counts. Careful there, you’re starting to sound like your old self.”
It was as if a lightning bolt of irritation struck, and Barnaby was the hapless rod.
“And you are the same, Kotetsu,” Barnaby grits out icily.
Now would have been a great time to storm off, but Barnaby’s legs chose to give out at that exact moment, causing him to stumble right into Kotetsu’s arms.
“Woah,” Kotetsu says quietly, bracing Barnaby’s body like an anchor. “I got you.”
Saito picks them up for a quick ride back to HQ, and the two are silent.
-?-
Barnaby does not use hundred power as he soaks in a medicinal bath at the HQ rest facility. While his power accelerated cell turnover and healing, applying it incorrectly could actually cause some damage and internal bleeding, so he typically opted to heal naturally in most instances. Medicinal baths had become a staple in recent years.
There is a knock on his door, and he already knows it’s Kotetsu from the stupid knock pattern he always insisted on using.
“...Bunny?”
Barnaby sighs, tilting his head back to lean against the wall cushion supporting his upper body. At this point, he didn’t even have the energy to push him away because he already knew Kotetsu would probably just camp in front of the door.
“It’s unlocked,” he says wearily.
Kotetsu enters immediately, face drawn with concern.
“I was planning on ignoring you,” Barnaby sniffs.
“I’m really glad you didn’t.”
Kotetsu kneels by the tub wall, observing Barnaby silently as if searching for something.
“Are you sure you don’t need to stay at the hospital for a while?”
“I’m sure, Kotetsu,” Barnaby reassures. “I just need to soak for a while and get a good night’s rest. I promise it’s nothing overly serious.”
“That’s good.” Kotetsu is silent for a beat before opening his mouth to speak again. “Listen, I’m sorry for earlier. Didn’t mean to rub salt on wounds.”
And Barnaby feels a bit foolish and small at Kotetsu’s apology. He knew Kotetsu didn’t mean anything bad by his words, but it really was the wrong thing said at the wrong time.
“I apologize as well,” he responds. “But not for what I said.”
Barnaby exhales slowly as he sits upright, much to Kotetsu’s worry and protests, but he waves them off impatiently.
“You are the same, Kotetsu,” Barnaby says, “But that’s what I love about you. Among many, many other things.”
He smiles as he takes in Kotetsu’s face morphing from worry to surprised and then giddy.
“Y-yeah?”
“Yes.”
Barnaby is very proud he’s said his peace without stuttering over the key word.
“Well, damn Bunny. Beat me to it again.”
-?-
Barnaby lets him fuss over the wounds for the next three days despite none of the wounds being remotely fuss-worthy, and Kotetsu is annoyingly professional about the whole thing. Not a single untoward overture despite being his actual boyfriend. However, Barnaby’s initial disappointment did fade away eventually as he let Kotetsu take charge. It felt nice to be waited on hand-and-foot by his attractive, middle-aged boyfriend who was surprisingly competent at making sure every conceivable need was met.
“You know, if you decide to open up a hospitality business, you’d do very well,” Barnaby comments one day after he realized that he had never once asked for water because it was always just there . Cold and Fresh.
“And deal with customers? There’s no way,” Kotetsu scoffs.
“Seems odd that you’re a hero if you can’t stand customers…”
“Civilians aren’t customers!”
Barnaby drops it.
“Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for caring for me this week,” Barnaby says, changing the subject. “I’m much better now though.”
“Yeah?” Kotetsu crosses his arms and pins him with a look Barnaby recognizes instantly - one of the looks Kotetsu typically gave to Kaede whenever he was in dad-mode trying to figure out whether or not she was being 100% forthcoming.
“Yes,” Barnaby affirms.
“Hmm.” A beat. “Nope, not buying it.”
Barnaby lets out a sound of frustration. “Here, look.” He stretches his body in conscious postures in the way the trainer had taught. “Not an ounce of pain.”
“Really.” Still the skeptical tone.
“I promise.”
Kotetsu takes a step forward to Barnaby, hand outstretched. “May I?”
“Be my guest,” Barnaby huffs, allowing Kotetsu full access.
Kotetsu lays a hand on Barnaby’s left ribcage just over his shirt. His touches are gentle, gingerly prodding and pressing all the while scrutinizing Barnaby’s expressions for any affect of pain. Finding none, Kotetsu ventures underneath the shirt, exhaling audibly at the purple, yellow, and green splotches over his skin.
“It’s just discoloration,” Barnaby explains uselessly. Frankly, it’s not even the worst injury his partner has seen on him since working together. “I’m fine, Kotetsu.”
Kotetsu says nothing, only moving in to examine him closer. He follows the banding of the marks to outline the streaks of bruising over the small of Barnaby’s back and lower hips. And Barnaby, to his credit, doesn’t utter a sound when Kotetsu pushes down at the bands of his grey, Appollon Media corporate-swag sweats to expose more bruised flesh. All he can do is breathe calmly as Kotetsu feels him up for injuries.
“You know,” Barnaby starts, voice thick with desire, “If you wanted to touch me, you didn't have to come up with an excuse.”
Kotetsu freezes like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar in the dead of night.
“What?”
“I said, you don’t need to make up an excuse to touch me,” Barnaby repeats, exasperated. “You’re my…partner.” Saying boyfriend out loud felt oddly juvenile in this moment.
Kotetsu blinks at Barnaby slowly, confusion written on his face until he takes in the appearance of the man standing before him, half-naked and holding up his shirt above the nipple line with a free hand while Kotetsu had pushed down his sweats until they were seated just above the curve of his ass.
“I was just-” Kotetsu loses his train of thought as he catches a glimpse of an old scar on Barnaby’s hip. He hadn’t meant to do any of this, but like a man possessed, he runs his thumb over that scar, cataloging the smooth ridges of mottled, healed flesh. Kotetsu swallows and stares at a flushed Barnaby who is decidedly avoiding his gaze.
‘ I don’t need to make up an excuse to touch you, huh? ’ Kotetsu smiles and gathers Barnaby into his arms, bodies touching chest-to-chest. Barnaby’s arms and hands find purchase on Kotetsu’s shoulders to steady himself from the impromptu embrace.
Barnaby shivers as Kotetsu closes the distance between the two of them, effectively trapping his semi-hard penis in between their bodies. There’s absolutely no hiding the identity of the growing bulge.
“Kotetsu, what are you doing?” Barnaby asks. He’s unable to leave the hopeful tone out of his voice. He tries his best to stay still, but he fidgets, bucking his hips ever so slightly.
Kotetsu closes his eyes for just a moment and leans up to give Barnaby a quick kiss on his lips that was much too chaste for Barnaby’s preference at the moment.
“I was just making sure my boyfriend was feeling better,” Kotetsu responds simply, finally finishing his thought from earlier. He lets his boyfriend go, pulling down his shirt and fixing his pants in the process. “And it looks like you’re nearly there.”
“ Nearly? I -” Barnaby huffs as he runs his hands through his hair in frustration. His crotch feels heavy as he paces, mourning the onset of blue balls.
He is only mollified by Kotetsu’s hand covering his own.
“Hey.”
“What now, old man?”
“Look at me.”
“No.”
Kotetsu rolls his eyes fondly at the man who’s turned his back on him. Even without showing his face, he had a way of pouting with his entire body.
“I said we’d do it right, Barnaby.” Kotetsu smiles brightly when Barnaby turns around predictably at the use of his actual name. But he also manages to catch the small wince that blooms on Barnaby’s face after the sudden movement. “We can’t bang properly when you’re all bruised up.”
Barnaby feels like even his hair has turned a shocking shade of crimson. “Kotetsu…”
“What happened to ‘old man,’ hmm?” Kotetsu teases before collecting himself. “Listen, I want you-”
Barnaby swallows.
“-And you and I will have a lot of sex-”
It is unbearable.
“-Unreasonably often probably-”
His blue balls feel purple.
“-But not when you’re injured like this-”
Barnaby’s jaw ticks with determination as he grits his teeth. He ignores the sharp sting that results from his brisk steps towards Kotetsu and kisses his contrary boyfriend soundly, hungrily. Barnaby wastes no time in grinding his cock against Kotetsu, moaning softly at the friction and Kotetsu’s enthusiastic reciprocation. The older man spares no time in responding, overtaken by Barnaby’s warm, insistent mouth and wandering hands in an instant.
In the back of his mind, Kotetsu worries about the strain on Barnaby’s body and remembers the visiting doctor’s warning that Barnaby was not to overextend himself if he was resting at home. But temptation came in the form of a horny blond man frotting helplessly against his leg, and Kotetsu realizes he’s an enabler.
“Your injuries-” he tries, pulling away half-heartedly.
“Will heal,” Barnaby finishes rapidly, interrupting Kotetsu to lavish his throat with sharp sucks that bloom red over tanned skin.
Kotetsu moans low and needy, and Barnaby finds that he loves that sound.
“You’re gonna get me in trouble,” Kotetsu pants, eyes hazy as Barnaby sucks hickeys into the sides of his neck.
“Come on, Kotetsu,” Barnaby goads, nibbling at his earlobe gently. “What’s one more lecture from Lloyds?”
But Kotetsu is snapped out of his lustful reverie in a single moment as his wristband beeps and vibrates.
“You gotta be kidding me.”
The beeps continue as the two heroes pant quietly in the static room. After a beat, they separate, both wielding their mutual proofs of desire awkwardly.
“Duty calls,” Barnaby sighs, gesturing to Kotetsu’s wristband that had begun to flash rapidly.
“Yeah.” Kotetsu pats Barnaby on the shoulder. “We’ll finish this when I get back.”
Barnaby snorts. “With our luck, you’ll either be too tired or too beat up.”
“Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen, okay?”
-?-
Barnaby watches Kotetsu leave his apartment, cataloging the way his partner’s back looks as he walks away from him until the door shuts behind him, leaving Barnaby alone once more. There is always the possibility that this could be the last time he sees Kotetsu. However unlikely, the possibility of the worst case scenario was always present - courtesy of the hazards of this line of work. His own body was a reminder of that.
A soft ping from his phone alerts him to a text from Kotetsu.
[ Wait for me. ]
“Wait for you, huh,” Barnaby repeats, a small, fond smile forming on his face. “Silly old man.” He had been planning on waiting regardless.
Barnaby deletes the snarky message he had penned in lieu of:
[ Be safe. ]
Barnaby turns on HeroTV, already airing the details of the crime going down. Some of his other colleagues were already on the scene.
[ We’re finishing what we started .]
[ I promise .]
“Here comes Wild Tiger!” the announcer on the television exclaims. Barnaby is treated to the view of Kotetsu speeding on the freeway. He’s at least five kilometers away from ground zero, but making good time as he weaves in and out of traffic.
And so Barnaby watches and waits.
-?-
“Bunny, I’m home!”
“Took you long enough. Nathan and Keith bagged them an hour ago.”
“I was showering.”
“You could’ve done that here. What are you doing?”
“Finishing what I started.”
“ Oh. ”