Summer Breezes

Snap-and-Pop

I strained a back muscle and I've been acting like an old man for two weeks
——————

Bakugo's bedroom light still blazed through the night, far past his bed time to which he strictly adhered. It was unbelievably unlikely that Bakugo was still awake, and Kirishima figured he'd just fallen asleep with the lights on again but some itch of curiosity got the best of him.

Pushing off his blankets, he swung his legs over the bedside and headed out onto the balcony to see what was up. The slider opened with a quiet swoosh and made sure to close it softly behind himself. Cool air whipped around his cheeks, the night awake and surprisingly refreshing. Above, the stars shone clear and bright and the moon would be full in just a day or two. Below, trees rippled in the breeze as it began to pick up, swaying to the rhythm of leaves and branches bumping gently around.

To his surprise, Bakugo was still wide awake,  sitting atop the blankets in bed, simply scrolling his phone. It was almost odd seeing him awake so late, especially without an urgent reason, but something about the scene was odd. Katsuki's brow was furrowed, scrolling rapidly through whatever app, not truly looking at anything just passing by as uninterested eyes watched the rainbow of pixels fly past without any care or thought. He wasn't calm like he usually was when he was tired or comfortable or just winding down for the night, he seemed in a way, distracted, distant almost. Eijiro watched quietly, almost worrying, elbows resting on the railing as his hair tumbled in the wind, occasionally obscuring his view despite his attempts to tuck it behind his ears.

Bakugo shifted, looking for a more comfortable position, as he went to rest his chin in his palm his eye caught on the figure outside his porch window, eyes fixated hawk-like into his room. Hoping he hadn't been spotted the redhead turned away, watching the trees sway in the cool night air, a wave of fireflies illuminating the grasses as they shifted like a vast green sea. But the neighboring slider swished open despite his slight hope.

Bakugo poked his head out but when Kirishima didn't acknowledge it, stepped out onto the balcony, the sliding hiss of the door closing behind him. Briefly holding his tongue, Bakugo followed suit of his friend as he propped his elbows on the railing, observing the quiet slice of nature below before lush trees and grasses faded into concrete and asphalt. It was quiet for a moment, the wind dying down as his gaze shifted to his friend, observing him with quiet intensity.

"Eijiro?" he started, letting the distortion of the sound settle in the air before continuing, letting his tone find a slight amusement. "What're you doing creeping around out here?"

"I dunno, just wondering what you're doing still awake." He shrugged genuinely, red hair ruffled in the wind, his eyes still far off, flecks of neon city light reflecting in deep crimson irises.

"If my light is keeping you awake I'll turn it off." The blond offered, though Kirishima just shook his head. He exhaled calmly, breath carried by the wind. "I can't sleep."

"I know." Eijiro said softly, finally meeting his Katsuki's eyes a small smile crossing his cheeks. "I didn't mean to spy on you, you're usually not up this late, I was just kinda curious."

"You're so weird for knowing that."

"Probably." A quiet laugh puffed from his lungs, a light pinkishness tinting the corners of his smile. His grin was contagious and the blond returned a gentle smile at the pure foolishness. "Are you ready for this year to be over?"

Katsuki opened his mouth but hesitated.

"Sure," He offered blandly, thumb rubbing against the grooves of his palm, in the familiar pattern that it always followed when he was uncomfortable.

"Something on your mind?" The red head guessed. "You seem a little... off."

"I guess. I don't really care about school though." His words came like stifled breath, unsure and off rhythm. Eijiro studied him for a moment, moonlight falling bluish silver on Katsuki's face, usually comprised of warm shades it looked strikingly different in cool hues.

"I mean, you kind of do. Always studying with straight A's and top scores."

"Shut up." a laugh threatened his stern demeanor, cheeks a slight shade warmer in the blue moonbeams. "I'm a fine student, grades just don't really mean much for hero work."

"No, I know what you mean," the air quieted comfortably with a passing gust as a moth hovered around the yellow glow from Bakugo's door before moving onto another inviting light the vast inky night. "Something matters though."

A beat passed in length, and Bakugo sighed deeply.

"I dunno...you're the only person I can tolerate and actually kind of enjoy," he shrugged, palm nestling in the nape of his neck, expression drawn unreadably as his eyes pulled far off to the horizon. The gap between their balconies seeming to shrink within the quietness of their conversation, like a quiet heartbeat amid the bodily functions of the busy city just down the hill. "It's boring without you."

"I'm gonna miss you too."

Impulse hit Bakugo, his immediate response was  lighthearted denial but he bit his tongue, good-natured playfulness crumpling in the anticipation of an approaching lonely reality.

"Yeah," he managed, air suddenly thick in his lungs, calm face contorting into grim silence. Frogs croaked a humming background and a few far off cicadas hissed like a white noise machine a room over, before Eijiro's gentle scoff of a laugh broke though.

"I'll only be in Kurashiki for three weeks. We have the whole rest of the summer, you know."

He nodded absently, the words: not enough teetering at the tip of his tongue, though, knowing to release them would be ungrateful for the abundance of time they already had together.

"I'm not doing anything all summer and you know where I live..." he trailed off, lacing fingers together in a lazy motion, warm, sticky palms fizzing and popping softly, a noise he hoped wasn't audible over drivers laying on their horns as they trailed slowly behind a dump truck like a makeshift train.

"You're gonna eat those words," Kirishima reached over the railing, punching his friend's shoulder, his mischievous smile warranting Katsuki's raised eyebrow. "You'll be lucky to get rid of me."

"Ha, sure." He wasn't terribly convinced but it was nice to joke.

"Speaking of, wanna come over tomorrow?"

He shrugged a yes, ignoring the relieved swell in his chest. A noticeable pop exploding from his palm, surprising them both like he'd been hiding a snap and pop between his fingers. Kirishima didn't bother to hide a snicker. A yawn overtaking the blond before he could utter a snappy retort.

"I think I'm gonna head inside." Kirishima said, weakly suppressing his reciprocal yawn. "You should go to bed too."

"I—"

"Even if you're not tired, just try to get some sleep, tomorrow's gonna be crazy." Predicting Katsuki's words with a lightness and ease, the redhead offered him a partial smile, sobering moonlight illuminating the slight eyebags beneath his sharp, excitable, eyes.

"Yeah, I will." Oddly, he meant it.

"G'night, Kat," pushing back from the railing, Kirishima stretched far up practically brushing into the stars, before crumpling back into his normal height, absently scratching his stomach beneath his shirt, in a way he often did when fighting off tiredness, reaching toward the sliding door with his other hand.

"Night."

They parted ways and Kirishima struggled to stay awake the two minutes it took for Bakugo's light to go off before slipping into a fast and heavy sleep, muddled with half-baked dreams and fuzzy moonlight.

————————
Somedays you write a paper, bake brownies and hem your pants in two hours and somedays you fall asleep at 3pm on the floor