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Another fight. Another wound. Another pounding headache. Clothes tear, Garou mends them. His stomach growls, he deals with it, in the worst possible way. At the height of his eighteen years, Garou can handle anything.
Anything but the restlessness in his chest. Even breathing hurts, which is weird, no idiot hero had hit him there recently.
Ah. Then he remembers, only because the burning in his chest and the lump in his throat fade the moment he thinks of him.
That thick-headed idiot. It’s been, what, over a month since they last saw each other, right?
Garou growls, sitting on the sidewalk, watching the kids play at the park while he makes up his mind.
Continuing whatever he has with Metal Bat is stupid. He’s a hero! Even if he’s got potential to turn into a monster like Garou.
But Metal Bat would never join him. The sky would fall before that blockhead believed in his potential.
Then again… Garou wouldn’t want Badd to become a monster. It doesn’t suit him. He might be rough around the edges, but saving civilians and beating up monsters, that’s what he does best. With those funny eyebrows always furrowed, pretending he doesn’t care about the thanks he gets.
So that’s the reason Garou, what, fell in love? Got interested? Whatever.
There’s no use denying it. He misses that bonehead, and he needs to visit before all these ridiculous feelings mess up his battles.
And that’s that.
Garou takes his time before heading to his… “boyfriend’s” house.
Even the word sounds stupid — ridiculous, really — and Garou shouldn’t use it, but he still does, just to annoy Metal Bat. He’d once read their old text messages, just curious, and found out that’s what Badd called him. So, naturally, it became Garou’s favorite word.
He shows up past midnight. It’s been a while since he’s come around, so the windows are locked, great. He tries the back, and ta-da, the laundry window’s open. He’s halfway in when something metallic glints, ready to smash his fingers.
Garou jerks back, lands lightly, and stays on his feet.
“Are you outta your damn mind?! You almost hit me!” he growls, keeping his voice down so the neighbors don’t wake.
“Outta my mind?” Badd echoes, dripping sarcasm. “You’re the one breaking into my house in the middle of the night! Shit, I could’ve caved your head in!”
Garou puts his hands on his hips, raising an eyebrow.
“As if you could.”
“What the hell are you doing here anyway?”
That one catches him off guard. Teasing Metal Bat about fighting skills is one thing, giving a reason to let him in is another.
He doesn’t know if he can do it.
And he’s definitely not telling the truth. Right? No, that’s way too stupid.
Right?
“I…”
“Spit it out.” Badd grumbles, gripping his bat. “I gotta take Zenko to school early tomorrow.”
Garou turns his face away, a low growl escaping. Badd raises a brow. Ugh, why does this idiot make everything so damn hard?
Garou mutters something, but Metal Bat’s an idiot with wax in his ears.
“What? Didn’t catch that.”
He’s not whispering, his voice just doesn’t cooperate.
“I said I MISS YOU, YOU DUMBASS! HEAR THAT, OR SHOULD I DRAW YOU A PICTURE?!”
“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A DUMBASS, YOU STRAY MUTT?!”
“Mutt?”
The neighbors start yelling, and Garou instinctively flinches. Badd, though, looks more affected, running a hand through his hair. It’s loose tonight, dark and straight as the night sky.
“Shit…” Badd rubs his eyes, still holding the bat tight. Then he looks at Garou.
The night chill seeps into Garou’s bones, and seeing Badd standing there in a simple pajama set doesn’t help. All he wants is to bury his nose in the crook of the hero’s neck and fall asleep there.
Maybe stay for breakfast.
Lunch.
Dinner, too.
Garou shakes his head. He needs to be direct, hit where it hurts. He doesn’t want to, but fine. Taking a deep breath, he faces the sleepy hero.
“Please.”
Badd narrows his eyes like some damn judge.
“Fine. Come in.” He starts pushing the window open, then pauses halfway. “Wait. What the hell happened to your hair? It’s red.”
He starts pushing Garou back out, and Garou growls. He’s not some damn cat! And even Tama gets treated better!
“It’s… blood.” He just wants to sleep.
“Blood?!” Badd chokes.
“What’s the problem, hero?” Garou taunts, might as well use that to sneak his way into the bedroom. “You’re not scared of blood, are you? That stuff on your face when we met wasn’t exactly paint.”
Badd frowns. It’s gorgeous, but not a good sign.
“That’s completely different, Garou! I don’t even know why I’m still talking to you after disappearing for weeks!” He moves to shut the window again, but Garou blocks him. Badd sighs. “Fine. But you’re taking a shower first!”
“What?!” He must’ve said it too loud, because Badd’s frowning again.
“No ‘what’! I’m not sleeping next to you smelling like a dumpster! I always shower after patrol!”
Garou rolls his eyes. This is ridiculous.
When he comes back, the bat’s there, and somehow, it’s scarier now.
“Either you shower, or you sleep outside. Your choice.”
“Fine, fine. Let me in already.”
Badd finally opens the window and lets him in. Once it’s closed, Garou grins, ready to snatch a kiss, the one he’s been craving for weeks.
Until the idiot holds out a hand.
“That’s included too.”
“What?!” Garou snaps. “Metal Bat!”
“Keep your voice down!” Badd grabs his hand. “You think I’m gonna kiss some filthy guy? Go shower, Garou! End of discussion.”
He lets go, and Garou crosses his arms.
“It was just a kiss…” he mutters as Badd walks off.
“Shower, Garou! And keep it quiet, if you wake Zenko, deal’s off. You’re out!”
“With you yelling like that, you’ll wake her up first.”
“Shower!”
Garou gives up arguing and heads to the bathroom. Badd tosses him some clothes and a towel while he’s still in the shower, not his own clothes, Garou’s too big for that. He’d bought them online, back when Garou almost gave up everything to stay.
The shampoo, conditioner, and hair creams, all overused. Not because he’s annoyed. He just wants to please the hero, that’s all.
Red rinses down the drain, and he feels lighter. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he steps out. Badd must’ve heard the water stop, because he knocks.
“Don’t forget to brush your teeth!”
Garou grumbles. He opens the drawer, his toothbrush is still there, next to Badd’s and Zenko’s. Badd didn’t even throw it out after all this time.
Idiot. He shouldn’t be here. He’s a parasite in Metal Bat’s house, and for some reason, the hero keeps treating him like a stray dog he might adopt instead of the pest he really is.
More knocks.
“Garou?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”
Badd hums a tune outside.
Right. That’s why he came, isn’t it? To hold Metal Bat, to kiss him, to bite at his neck, to drown in his scent, and leave by morning.
Garou doesn’t like that last part.
Badd’s waiting in the hall, no bat in sight, yawning wide.
“Let’s go?” They walk to his room. The lights stay off, like Badd’s trying to stay half-asleep on purpose. “Garou?”
Garou just nods and crawls onto the bed, where Badd lifts the blanket for him.
Then he laughs. Garou hates that.
“Guess that shower mellowed you out, huh? You were all tough before. What, someone pour salt on your tail?”
Garou growls and does what he came for, grabs Badd by the waist and buries his face in his neck.
Badd keeps laughing, but he accepts the closeness.
“Shut up,” Garou mutters, pulling back just to kiss him, rough and deep, ignoring the cold in his gut and the heat rising to his face.
He’s got Metal Bat now, and that’s all that matters. He nips at his lips, deepening the kiss, reclaiming every bit of dominance. But then Badd pulls away, and Garou growls again, leaning in.
“Whoa—Garou! Easy!”
“Quiet.” Garou kisses him again, his lips, the corner of his mouth, his neck, leaving a mark there.
He’s not making up for lost time, obviously. Just… a relapse. This’ll be the last time he comes here, the last time he holds Metal Bat this way.
He hates that thought.
He grips Badd’s thigh and pulls it over his waist. The hero tilts his head up, confused. It’s almost funny.
“You okay?”
Garou nods, kissing him again.
Come to think of it, the idea of leaving forever sounds pretty bad.
He wants to, right?
Right?
If he wants to keep chasing his dream of becoming the ultimate monster, then staying away from Metal Bat is the smart thing.
But Garou hates it.
He’ll come back one more time after this.
…Maybe twice.
Three times sounds fair.
Couldn’t Badd just decide to be a monster too? Damn, that’d make everything easier.
No. No. He’s a hero, through and through. Garou grabs his hand and kisses it.
“Garou?” Badd murmurs, still dazed.
He can’t leave. How the hell did he even last a month without him? He must’ve gone insane.
What is that idiot, anyway, a sorcerer? A witch? No, Badd’s not that smart.
Garou’s fingers trail down to Badd’s waistband, but the hero’s hand stops him. Their eyes meet, gold against hazel.
“When’re you leaving?” Badd asks softly, not demanding, just curious. “In the morning, like always?”
Garou looks away. He’s not a parasite. Badd doesn’t deserve that. Letting go of the fabric, he wraps him in an embrace instead.
“I shouldn’t be here. Last time I came… it was supposed to be the last.”
Badd lets out a quiet “Ah,” somewhere between surprise and understanding. Garou leans in, pressing their foreheads together.
“But you’re here. Why?”
“Because I don’t wanna leave you, hero.” Garou murmurs, thumb brushing Badd’s thigh. “And now that I’m here, I realize… I don’t wanna go.”
He nudges Badd lightly.
“Ow!” Badd rubs his arm, then blinks as the words finally sink in. “O-Oh. Of course you can stay. Honestly, I thought you were gone for good. But then you showed up, and I was like, yeah, guess I’m the idiot again.”
“Sorry.”
Badd blinks again, surprised. His hands find Garou’s shoulders.
“It’s fine. Nobody’s born knowing how to handle this stuff, right? I don’t want you to leave either.”
“I won’t.” Garou takes his hand again. “Promise.”
Badd raises an eyebrow, then closes the gap between them, kissing the monster. It’s slow, grounding, and Garou’s chest burns with something dangerously close to joy.
He won’t say it out loud, obviously, but the small smile tugging at his lips says enough.
Badd pulls back just a little, staring at him seriously. Garou frowns, confused.
“But you’re still gonna take a shower every day. And find a job!”
“Of course I will, idiot! Who do you think I am, some bum?!”
The hero looks away, clearly flustered, and Garou leans in again to kiss him.
“That’s better,” he mutters.
“Shut up,” Garou growls, silencing him with another kiss.
Only for Badd to bite his lower lip on purpose.
Yeah. This was gonna be a long night.