The Heart Exchange (bnha agere)

Chapter 14: Sleepy Boys

Cws: nightmares, abandonment issues
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     Bakugo blinks awake. He's surrounded by darkness. All he can hear is the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. Their throat is tight, and they struggle to sit up. It feels like the bedsheets are drowning them. Their hand slips across the familiar fabric of their blanket, but it doesn't help much to calm them. Despite not remembering the content of the nightmare, Katsuki definitely had one. He wrangled out of the sheets as his eyes adjusted to the darkness that enveloped his room. For a few moments, he thought he was alone. And it was this idea that he had to fight all of this fear off by himself, that made his mind turn back. His eyes darted around, and his chest heaved. They were terrified. They were going to be sick, they were going to be sick, they-

     "Hey, b… Baby?" Kirishima's sleepy, croaky voice resounded from beside him. Katsuki felt around till Eijirou's hand touched his. Kirishima shuffled over and switched on the lamp sitting on Katsuki's bedside table. "Why are you awake?" Kiri asks, the pair of them squinting as their eyes adjusted to the light. Katsuki's lip trembled. Eijirou had called him brave before, and he didn't want to disappoint now. Yet, it's difficult for him to bite back the clenching of his throat, and the cold sweat on his neck. Kirishima's face creases, and he sits up. "Oh no, what're we cryin' for, cutiepie?"
    Katsuki lets out a shaky breath, shrinking as his boyfriend brings him into his chest. "Did you have a bad dream?" Kirishima murmurs into their ear. He's rubbing up and down their back, even as they sob into his shoulder. Bakugo grabs onto him. He doesn't want to ever let go; he wants to stay in Kirishima's arms forever. Here he's safe. Here, nothing can hurt him.

     And Bakugo can't really help it - the words just tumble out. "Daddy… I'm scared." They cry quietly, keeping their face buried in Eijirou's chest. This leaves Kirishima momentarily speechless. He has never once been referred to with such a term. And sure, it feels slightly odd, but it makes it obvious to him that Bakugo is regressed. He kisses them on the head. Their skin is so hot, and they're making the distressing little crying noises Eijirou hates to hear. Nightmares really suck, and this one Katsuki had, had probably been torturous. So, if Katsuki wanted to call him Daddy as a comfort term, that was fine by Eijirou. The hysterics are more important.
     "Shh, shh, I'm not going to let anything hurt you. You're safe." Eijirou reassures them. Their body shifts in his arms. They look exhausted. His poor, grumpy boy in a state like this is agonising. Eijirou fishes the boy's blanket from across the bed, and dabs Bakugo's wet face with it. They mumble something incoherent, and grab a corner of it, putting it in their mouth. Kirishima gingerly wonders if Katsuki would entertain the idea of a pacifier. It's a thought, though he figures he should save it for when Bakugo's back in his big head space.

     "Come on, you have to get back to sleep." Eijirou says, laying the two of them back down. Katsuki lays half across his chest, and he seems okay until Kirishima switches off the lamp, and the room is once again plunged into darkness. Then Bakugo begins whimpering again. Kiri can feel them shaking. "It's okay. I'm still here, baby." Eijirou's words drop useless as Katsuki's wriggling about and breathing too fast. Eijirou squeezes their hands, and drags the little closer, tighter. "Baby," He whispers. This next part was going to feel a bit weird to say. "Daddy isn't going to leave you. There's nothing in the dark, but if there is, you bet I can kick its butt, hm?"
     Katsuki scrunches up his face, but his breathing calms. He hugs onto Kiri, still with his bundle of blanket. "Mm." The blonde replies.

     Kirishima forced himself to remain awake until the little one fell asleep. This meant laying awake for a whole hour, listening to Bakugo sniffling and mumbling gibberish to himself. Eijirou couldn't understand a word of it, but it wasn't directed a him anyway - it seemed to be a way for Katsuki to calm himself down. When the boy eventually dozed off, Eijirou was grateful. He was exhausted from both staying awake, and having to deal with his distraught boyfriend. He shut his eyes. The weight of Bakugo against him, their hands clasped for comfort, it was pleasant. It had been a long day - too long, perhaps.

     "Daddy." Kirishima's eyes cracked open with a huge reluctance. What's the time? He shifts. Katsuki is still against his chest, but Eijirou can feel something wet around his finger. He almost yelps when he registers the fact that Bakugo's nibbling on it.
     "Baby, what is it? I'm tired, and you're supposed to be asleep." Eijirou sighs. He doesn't want to admit he's losing patience. Katsuki makes a small noise, and Eijirou feels the boy's teeth graze his finger. Katsuki has their own damn fingers to chew on…
     "M… Pr… Promise." They whisper back. Eijirou holds back an irritated groan. Was this so important that he had to be woken up again?
      "Promise what?"
      "That… That you're never ever goin' to go away."

      Kirishima frowns. He carefully pried his finger from out of their mouth, wiping their saliva off on his shirt. He combs a hand through their hair. "Baby, I'm never going to leave you, mkay? That's a promise, and you know I don't break my promises." He says. Bakugo gives a subtle nod, eyes lulling again. Eijirou is starting to realise how deep this abandonment issue is running, and he doesn't like it one bit. Katsuki shouldn't be so petrified of such a thing. Eijirou kept brushing the little's hair till they fell asleep again. It was true; Kiri never broke his promises.
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A/N: I have time off right now B) which means I've been arsing about playing the sims and doodling. Came back to update this tho :)