Cookie Crumbs · dkbk/bkdk

Auditory Overstimulation - fluff, comfort

It was too loud.

Too bright.

Too much.

As Katsuki stood there with his eyes trained on all the people gathered inside the luxurious ballroom he felt all too small, too out of control. Amongst the hustle and bustle, looking just as extravagant as everyone else in his formal attire. His mask remained over his eyes, making his ruby red glare appear all the more striking.

And perhaps, holding his wine, he looked fine. He looked normal, like he usually did, casting forlorn glances at the partygoers while he all but stood off to the side minding his business and only speaking when spoken to. He didn't go out of his way to kiss ass to the officials and that earned him far more respect than most would think. And those who weren't kissing ass were enjoying their time dancing or socializing, some like his high school trio Cellophane, Red Riot and Charge Bolt were hogging the buffet table as their partners partied.

Of course, Katsuki's own partner (hero and personal, mind you) was partying. Somewhere.

He'd lost track of him at some point, not a thing that usually happened since he was the type to watch Izuku like a hawk because there was nothing as worthwhile to look at and there were too many people throwing themselves at the pro heroes feet.

And he was not fine, not like he usually was, no.

But, considering how it was the first time invited to one of these events and it was such a large scale one with so, so, 𝘴𝘰 much talking and so much going on he was feeling a bit overstimulated by the noise.

Katsuki knew himself well, could act pretty damn good too, but the stress was currently getting to him. Not only was this their first hero gala since debuting but there were cameras everywhere and people criticizing his every move to see if he earned his place as more than just a hard headed young pro.

And, fuck, it was so loud.

It wasn't this loud earlier, he had been talking to someone just prior but now he was just.. staring into space with his eyes trained on some random object, the wine glass sloshing in hand as he tried to figure out what to do. His eyes wandered aimlessly as he tapped his fingers on the hilt of the glass in an unsteady rhythm, perhaps trying to get that drumming beat going that he'd memorized.

But he could hear that couple laugh. And those keys jingle as they're handed to the vault outside of the open door. The honking of the car across the street. The faint hum of the AC through the vent overhead. The tapping or scuffing of loafers and heels. The low buzz of a hundred or more voices all jumbled together. The click of a camera. The shut off of someone's phone. The jazz music on stage. The hinges of a clasp purse. The feedback of the microphone.

All of this swirled in his head and he was beginning to feel nauseous as the room began to swim. His air was restricted in the cusp of his throat, knees locked and muscles tensing up.

𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘛𝘖𝘖 𝘔𝘜𝘊𝘏!

Two hands gently came in front of his own, holding his shaking ones firmly as they pulled the wine away to set it down on the table to his side. There was nothing from his voice, just those scarred hands guiding Katsuki. Soon the noise went off altogether, weighted noise-canceling headphones being pressed to either side of his ears in sleek black, made like those for business. Then music. Grounding, heavy, intense music that made his brain blank out and body slowly decompress. Pulling Katsuki closer backwards to the corner of the room, Izuku brought him closer to his chest while they hid there from most of the others for a moment.

And he didn't ask, didn't need to speak, didn't do anything but rest one hand on Katsuki's stomach and tap the rhythm of the music against his belly playfully until he felt him squirm with a faint smile instead of the deep frown over a vacant face.

Then both hands came to his waist, squeezed tight, grounded him to the moment. To him. Made him feel whole, put together, supported.

Izuku's chest was warm, his heart beating like that of a mockingbird in the cage of his ribs as he pressed to Katsuki's back. He pulled Katsuki in until the blonde could completely rest all of his weight on his front, focusing on nothing but his touch and the music while they watched those go about the party. And, sometimes, people would come up to speak to Izuku and he'd feel the rumble in Izuku's throat against him. The vibrations of his voice, despite the soundlessness to the outside world.

Sometimes, when Katsuki would wobble, Izuku would squeeze his waist tight in the way that made him feel good. Made him feel small on the comforted way, the protected way without rattling in his brain. With Izuku's large, defined hands encompassing him so thoroughly that his fingers nearly touched in the center of his stomach.

They'd stay like this until Katsuki felt comfortable again. When he paused the music, Izuku warmed him up to the noise slowly, soothing his scalp with fingers as he kept the headphones in but music off, then the noise canceling off, then taking the headphones out all together.

"Thank you." Katsuki murmured, allowing Izuku to press tender kisses to the nape of his neck, adjusting the suit he wore.

"Of course, Kacchan. I know it's hard but tell me if you're able to, okay? If not, I know your cues." Izuku massaged his narrow hips, looking over his shoulder as he directed his voice quietly into Katsuki's ear. He made sure his lips brushed the shell and the lobe, forcing him to focus on him alone. "Overstim?"

"Mm."

"Yeah, I get that, it's really noisy right now, even I'm getting a damn headache." He smiled a bit at Izuku's curse, it was so rare he found it endearing. "Tell me if you want us to move away, okay? It's gonna be awhile and the rewards won't start for another hour." Izuku yawned, breath fanning over the back of Katsuki's neck as the blond focused on the raspy hitch that happened to Izuku's voice when he did so. "And after rewards 𝙄 wanna go home so don't be afraid to literally drag us out. I'm exhausted."

Katsuki chuckled. And subtly, he let Izuku overwhelm his senses like he always did, until everything else was just background noise. Just extra. Extras.

He couldn't do it alone all the time, no matter how hard he tried, so a little bit of support here or there always helped; especially from the one he loved most.