Work Text:
Out of all the aspects that come with being a Hero, Kotetsu hates advertisements the most. Being a Hero is about saving people, not about slapping some company name on a suit to sell some crap or doing photoshoots shilling whatever the sponsors feel like shilling that month.
But Kotetsu especially hates this photoshoot.
Theoretically, it’s supposed to be a jewelry ad, but someone (and if he ever finds out who, he’d like to have some strong words with them) got the idea to have two hot women use Barnaby’s face as a backdrop for their bracelets and rings. Kotetsu seethes in the corner, unsure as to why he even needs to be here. He feels like yelling out pointers, like the fact that it doesn’t matter how beautiful the jewelry models are if only their hands are in the pictures. Or how no one’s even going to pay attention to the jewelry when Barnaby’s looking at the camera the way he is.
“It’s just acting,” Barnaby had once told him. But that was before they’d taken things further in their relationship; before Kotetsu had seen that look in a much different setting. Barnaby must feel the weight of Kotetsu’s gaze on him, because his eyes flicker over to him.
Behave yourself, the slight quirk of his brow seems to say.
What do I get if I do? Kotetsu signals with a smirk. Barnaby’s gaze turns molten then, and the photographer makes a ruckus about the perfect shot, but all Kotetsu can hear is Barnaby’s voice in his head.
Be good and maybe you’ll find out. Kotetsu shivers and bites his lip. The room is suddenly way too hot, all the super bright lights definitely not helping the situation. The photographer barks some orders and the models adjust their hands; one of them moves her finger so that it’s just slightly pulling down on Barnaby’s bottom lip and angled so her ring sparkles. Kotetsu scoffs. As if the jewel on the ring is any match for Barnaby’s emerald eyes. He’s wearing contacts for the photoshoot and Kotetsu swears there must be some sort of devil technology in them that intensifies Barnaby’s eyes. Following further instruction, the model pulls down Barnaby’s lip even more, and Kotetsu shoots to his feet, accidentally knocking his chair over. Everyone turns to look at him and he laughs awkwardly, wishing he could disappear.
“Um, who is this again?” someone, maybe the director of the shoot, asks. Lloyds, who had been schmoozing on the other side of the room, rushes over.
“Oh, don’t worry about him, his engagement was canceled,” he says with a smile, waving his hands. “There’s no problem, right?” The question is directed at Kotetsu, and Lloyds’s strained smile dares him to talk back.
“No, it’s just…” How can Kotetsu not explain how much he hates this? Watching his partner being used as a prop, making him look like that for everyone to see…he doesn’t really get why he’s so mad. This is what advertising’s all about, isn’t it?
“It’s nothing,” Lloyds finishes for him. The director shrugs them off and turns his attention back to the models. Kotetsu catches a questioning glance from Barnaby before Lloyds grabs him by the elbow and walks him towards the door. “Honestly, I should’ve told you to go back to the office once I got word that your ad was canceled. Do me a favor and wait in the dressing room, please?”
“Fine,” Kotetsu grumbles, “but don’t you think they’re kind of exploiting Bunny?”
“It’s marketing, of course it’s exploitative,” Lloyds says flatly. He shoves Kotetsu out the door and closes it firmly behind him. Kotetsu huffs and stalks down the hall to the small room that Barnaby had been given to keep his stuff in during the shoot. He sits down hard in the single chair and crosses his arms. What a stupid idea for an ad. Who was going to see it and think they wanted to buy jewelry instead of how debauched Barnaby looks? Kotetsu grinds his teeth at the thought of millions of people seeing Barnaby looking like that. Sure, he’d done suggestive photoshoots before, even bathing suit ads, but that was before he was Kotetsu’s Barnaby.
Shit.
Was Kotetsu jealous?
Jealous of what? That people would get to see how hot Barnaby is? Like they didn’t see that every day. Like Kotetsu himself hadn’t used some of Barnaby’s ads as fuel for his own fantasies. At least he’d had the decency to feel ashamed about it. He refuses to acknowledge the heat in his face signaling a blush. It’s not like he owns Barnaby. He just isn’t very keen on sharing him, is all.
“I thought I told you to behave yourself, old man,” Barnaby says, coming through the door. He has a towel around his neck and a few drops of water cling to the ends of his bangs.
“Did you wash your face?” Kotetsu asks. Barnaby raises his brows in surprise.
“Yes. People were touching it all afternoon.”
“I’m aware of that.” Kotetsu stands and goes to Barnaby, reaching up to brush the water droplets out of his hair. Barnaby stares at him intently the whole time and the heat Kotetsu had felt earlier washes over him again. “Y’know,” he says, pulling Barnaby in by the waist, “you might be way too good of an actor.”
“Maybe I wasn’t acting this time,” Barnaby says, wrapping his arms around Kotetsu’s neck. “Maybe I had a certain someone in mind.”
“Bunny.” Kotetsu’s voice comes out in a groan, and then he can’t hold himself back anymore. He leans his head forward and catches Barnaby’s lips with his own, gently tugging on that blasted bottom lip the model had been toying with. Barnaby gasps and pulls back a bit.
“What’s gotten into you?” he asks, a little breathlessly. “And the way you were watching me during the shoot…”
“Don’t act like you don’t know how gorgeous you are. You were driving me crazy back there. And those girls with their hands all over you…”
“Kotetsu. Are you jealous?” Kotetsu chokes out a sound that says guilty as charged and rests his head on Barnaby’s shoulder. Barnaby laughs softly and runs his fingers through Kotetsu’s hair. “Don’t overthink this. They’re just pictures, and people will think what they please about me. But you,” Barnaby says, trailing his fingers along Kotetsu’s jawbone, “get to have the real me.” He leans in until his lips brush against Kotetsu’s ear. “Would you like to?”
“L-like to?” Kotetsu stammers. He’d had every intention of ravishing Barnaby as soon as he’d walked into the room, but somehow Barnaby has taken the reins.
“Have me,” Barnaby whispers. He reaches behind him to lock the door, then raises Kotetsu’s head to give Kotetsu that look, the molten gaze from the photoshoot that makes Kotetsu feel weak in the knees and a little tight in the pants. Barnaby pulls on Kotetsu’s tie to bring him in for a kiss, and dammit, does Barnaby even know how crazy that makes him? Judging by the smirk Kotetsu’s kissing, he does. Kotetsu smirks back. Two can play at this game.
He spins them around and walks, kissing Barnaby the whole way, until his partner’s back hits the far wall. Barnaby’s breath leaves him in a strong exhale as Kotetsu nudges his legs apart to stand between them.
“Okay, Bunny?” Kotetsu asks.
“Yes.” Barnaby’s voice is all breath and he’s sporting the most adorable blush across his cheeks. And those eyes . Barnaby’s face has always been an open book, but it’s his eyes that reveal the most, and right now they’re downright radiant with love. Kotetsu caresses Barnaby’s cheek with the back of his hand, and Barnaby melts into his touch, shivering. He pulls on Kotetsu’s tie again and kisses him deeply, the minty scent of the gum he always keeps on hand flooding Kotetsu’s senses. Combined with the heat of Barnaby’s tongue against his and the close crush of their bodies, it’s making Kotetsu feel hazy around the edges.
His hips grind against Barnaby, and he gasps. He can’t believe how achingly hard he is already. Barnaby’s hands are on the move, tugging down Kotetsu’s suspenders, then trailing down his chest. Kotetsu bites back a groan when one hand dips below his waistband, fingers ghosting over his cock. He moves his hips again, chasing the friction, and the groan finally bursts out of him when Barnaby undoes his fly and starts stroking him in earnest. With one hand, Kotetsu braces against the wall; with the other, he grabs Barnaby’s thigh and lifts it to his waist for leverage as he fucks into Barnaby’s hand.
The temptation to look down and watch what Barnaby’s hand is doing is strong, but Kotetsu knows it would finish him off too quickly. Instead he looks at Barnaby’s face, noticing how the red of his blush makes his green eyes even more vibrant; the furrow of concentration between his brows; the way he’s biting down on his lower lip. Apollon would make a killing if they could capitalize on the way Barnaby looks right now, and the thought causes a growl to rumble in Kotetsu’s chest. Barnaby gasps, parting his lips, and Kotetsu kisses him deeply, possessively, until he pulls a soft moan from his partner.
“Bunny,” he whispers, “you’re gorgeous. You’re so good. I love you so much.” He keeps whispering soft words of praise into Barnaby’s ear, listening to his partner’s breath quicken. It had taken some time to figure out what made Barnaby tick, but when he realized, whether Barnaby admitted it or not, that he likes to be praised, Kotetsu was more than happy to oblige.
“Kotetsu.” Barnaby gasps, and his head falls back against the wall with a heavy thud. He suddenly moves his hand away from Kotetsu, who nearly whines from the loss, until he realizes that Barnaby is hurriedly undoing his own belt and zipper. Kotetsu groans a curse when Barnaby wraps a hand around both of them, swiping his thumb over Kotetsu’s leaking tip and spreading the slickness down their lengths. Sometimes Barnaby was content just to give Kotetsu a helping hand, so to speak, and Kotetsu savors every moment; but he truly cherishes the times when Barnaby wants to join him, to chase their pleasure together, and right now it’s making Kotetsu’s knees tremble. He presses further into Barnaby, pinning him more steadily against the wall so he doesn’t slip, and the unintentional added pressure makes them both gasp. Barnaby strokes them faster, panting now, while Kotetsu tries to muffle his moans against Barnaby’s neck. It always amazes him how quiet Barnaby is during sex, but it’s proving to be useful now when, despite the haze settled over his brain, Kotetsu remembers that they’re in a semi-public place and that Lloyds will probably be looking for them soon if he isn’t already. He never, ever wants Lloyds of all people to see them in such a compromising situation, but the thought that only a dubiously locked door is keeping others out sends a jolt down Kotetsu’s spine and right to his cock.
“Shit. I’m close, Bunny,” Kotetsu rasps.
“Mmm…me, too,” Barnaby replies, his voice all breath. Kotetsu pulls back to look at him, to catch another glimpse of that pretty blush; instead he’s floored by the way Barnaby’s looking at him through heavily lidded eyes, only a sliver of green peeking out from under his long, thick lashes. He shudders and closes his eyes, a low keening sound escaping his parted lips. The pace of his hand slows for a moment before speeding up again, and Kotetsu matches the pace with his hips, mind empty of all thoughts other than the heady bliss between them.
Barnaby’s free hand grasps the back of Kotetsu’s head and pulls him in, pressing their foreheads together, and gasps his name as he comes. Kotetsu follows a few seconds later with a heavy groan, hips snapping one last desperate time before falling slack against his partner. He slowly lowers Barnaby’s leg to the floor, while Barnaby slowly strokes the back of his head. They take a moment to just breathe together as they come back to themselves, lips meeting once, twice, a few more times before Barnaby reaches for the towel that’s still around his neck. Just as he finishes cleaning the both of them up, a rap on the door makes them both jump.
“Barnaby?” It’s Lloyds, and Kotetsu thanks every god he can think of that the knock hadn’t come five minutes earlier. “Are you ready to go?”
“I’ll be out in a moment,” Barnaby calls, and Kotetsu shouldn’t be so impressed by how composed he sounds.
“I managed to schedule a last-minute interview for you, so don’t be too long.”
“Understood.” Barnaby groans after the sound of Llloyds’s retreating footsteps fades, and rushes to the mirror. He hurriedly rearranges his clothes and fusses with his hair, while Kotetsu lazily tucks his own shirt back in and pulls his suspender straps back on.
“Well that was good timing, huh?” Kotetsu says.
“You be quiet,” Barnaby snaps. “I can’t believe we just did that. Do I look okay?”
“Your hair’s a little mussed but I don’t think anyone’ll be able to tell what you were up to.” He pauses, suddenly feeling uncertain without the heat of lust surging through him. “You don’t regret it, do you?”
“Of course not.” Barnaby’s eyes meet his in the mirror and his face softens. “I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to. Now let’s go before Lloyds comes back and starts asking questions.” He grabs his jacket and the small bag he’d brought with him, then extends his hand to Kotetsu, who takes it and gives it a squeeze. Suddenly, he pulls Kotetsu into a tight embrace. “I love you,” he whispers. “Don’t forget that BBJ might belong to Stern Bild, but Bunny is yours and yours alone.” The smile he flashes as he pulls away is genuine, but turns a bit snarky right before he turns and heads out the door. Kotetsu’s heart does a somersault and he feels himself blushing. He really doesn’t know how he got so lucky, but as he rushes out the door to catch up to his partner, he thanks the stars that when it comes to Barnaby, the real Barnaby, he doesn’t have to share.