The Heart Exchange (bnha agere)

Chapter 7: Troubles

Cws: upset little, abandonment issues
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  The heat of Katsuki's face began to dissipate as he calmed. Kirishima's hand rubbed up and down their back. "Feeling better?" Eijirou asks. Now almost entirely in a child's head space - three to be exact - Katsuki nods, wiping away the remains of speckled tears from his face.
  "Y… Yeah. Better now." They sniffle, leaning back against Kirishima. "Love my blankie"
  Eijirou opens their mouth and closes it repeatedly. Kiri felt a little bit awful for cringing. It was just… Different, and pretty weird. Katsuki's voice had a twisted, childish tone. Eijirou watched him as he nibbled on his blanket and wiggled his socked feet. At least he wasn't crying anymore. Kirishima opened YouTube on his phone, and started playing a compilation of cute cat videos. Katsuki takes the phone, and watches it contentedly. Kiri awkwardly observes as a string of saliva draws from Katsuki's lip to the blanket. Kirishima didn't sign up for whatever this is, and he's frightened he's going to screw this up - frightened he's going to make Bakugo cry.

  After letting a half hour pass, Kirishima decides to leave. He needs time by himself to figure out exactly how to deal with something like this, and he has to investigate it. It definitely has something to do with the misspelled texts. "I'm going now, okay?" Eijirou says, taking back his phone, and edging out from behind his boyfriend. Katsuki frowns, and removes the corner of the blanket from his mouth. He shakes his head.
  "Yeah, I'm going." Kirishima insists. "I'm really tired, and I have to get at least a bit of studying in before I sleep." It was mostly a lie, but Kirishima determined that giving a reason for his departure, would help his boyfriend to understand. Of course, it's Bakugo, so this didn't happen.
  The blonde shook his head again, eyes squinting as a pout places itself on his face. Kirishima notices the darkness under their eyes. The two of them needed to have a serious conversation about Katsuki's feelings.

  "Stay." Katsuki orders. Kiri sighs, sticking his phone in his pocket. This wasn't a good time to argue. Well, it's never a good time because arguing is not fun, but now, it seems like a truly terrible idea. Now, with what Eijirou can only evaluate to be a child. A Bakugo-tempered child.
  "No, Katsuki, I'm not staying. You need to sleep too. You look really tired." Bakugo's knuckles turn white as they clench their blanket.
  "No!" They protest. Kirishima bites his lip, hand rubbing the back of his neck as he tries to conjure a solution that allows both of them to be happy. Nothing comes to mind fast enough, as Katsuki is already getting worked up about it.
  "No, don't leave. I don't want you to leave!"
  "I know you don't but-"
  "Stay! It's not fair!"

  Kirishima may as well be conversing with a brick wall. At the very least, there was a lack of swearing. But Katsuki appeared distressed nonetheless, digging his nails into his blanket, and sending Kiri a distrusting glare. "I know you want me to stay," Kiri argues in as soft of a tone as he can manage without letting his nervousness get the better of him. "But I don't want to, okay? Katsuki, have a nap. You know where my room is, so if you still need me when you wake up, you can come and find me, yeah?" It was the best bargaining Eijirou could do. Sure, it was an invite for this dawdling, emotional Bakugo to show up in his room in the middle of the night, but it would spare Kirishima some time to figure things out. Bakugo's pouty face stiffened, and he crossed his arms. It was actually kind of a funny sight.
  "I hate you." He mutters. Kirishima shrugs. He's decided to not take it with any level of seriousness on the basis of Bakugo clearly being more of an impulsive child than thoughtful teen.

  "Okay, whatever. Have a little sleep for me." Eijirou says, opening the door, and giving his boyfriend a goodbye wave. "I love you." And then he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
  Katsuki's expression dropped from anger-filled panic to immense sadness. They stare at the door, willing their boyfriend to return. They really, really didn't want Eijirou to go. There was something far above Bakugo's list of hated things - miles ahead of being ordered about, or the whole wet sock thing. And that thing was none other than the feeling of being abandoned. It was unbearable. Completely, and utterly unbearable. Katsuki's eyes got teary, and he tried to fight away the feelings of despair whilst he changed into something more comfortable. His breathing quickened, and a sudden bolt of fury shot through him. Because how could Kirishima do that? How could he leave?
  But when Katsuki stamped his foot, his throat got all tight, and he broke out in a stupid, whiney cry. He was trying so hard not to cry again; he was really trying to be a big boy and manage his feelings. But everything was so huge that it felt like he was being crushed.

  Bakugo rolls onto his bed, punching and hitting his pillow as the scary thoughts eat him up. They don't want to be away from Kirishima. Kiri is all they have - he's strong, and brave, and he says super nice things about them that make their heart all bouncy and happy. Bakugo shoved their finger in their mouth, and curled up as small as they could. The trio of emotions - anger, sadness, fear - cycled through over and over again, tearing him up inside. Katsuki grabs his blanket, holding it to his face, and nuzzling into it. It's not fair. They want Kiri's voice, and his comforting smell, and his arms around them, kissing them on the back of the head.
  Bakugo wriggles underneath the covers, still sucking on his thumb, and hoping Eijirou will somehow know he's crying and return. It feels so cold without Kiri. And when Bakugo shuts his eyes, nestled in bed with damp cheeks, he pretends his boyfriend is there. He pretends that Kirishima understands everything. And he pretends that Daddy is giving him a good, reassuring bedtime cuddle.
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A/N: school has been so demanding of my attention lately and I have just had zero time to write, but here's the next chapter anyway, took a bit longer than the others :)