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“Katsuki, you okay?”
“I’m fine, shitty hair,” he snapped back, far grouchier than any normal day.
It was fine, he had long ago gotten used to the ever-changing moods of Bakugou Katsuki.
They had finally managed to get a hold of the common room tv where their group had planned to have a gaming marathon followed up by watching as many movies as they could. Mina had claimed the job of finding enough blankets and pillows to keep everyone comfortable, Denki supplying the console and games. Sero had movie picking privileges because he always found something that appeased Katsuki and his needs for action while still supplying enough humour to keep Mina and Denki’s attention. Katsuki was in charge of snacks which meant Eijirou was his co-chef.
The whole night had been planned out weeks in advance and they were all excited for it, even Katsuki who had tried to play indifferently whenever their friends planned to hang out, but really he had started making most of the snacks as soon as the day was planned.
As the night went on Katsuki’s attitude went from the usual level of mean to grouchy. His snide comments are a little more clipped and his patience running dangerously low. Having been together for well over a year, Eijirou knew how to differentiate between regular Katsuki and bothered Katsuki. He watched Denki push Katsuki’s boundaries, something he did regularly but this time Katsuki’s nose scrunched up, shoulders full of tension. They laughed about it often but Katsuki was the human equivalent of a cat. Everything about his body language screamed that he was revving up for a fight, not the loud bickering that usually followed his everyday friendships, but a battle that would be littered with vicious words.
Eijirou knew his boyfriend well enough to know that he needed a break. Sometimes he would get too overwhelmed, and not know how to get himself out of situations like this. For all of Katsuki’s temper, it was seldom said with the intention to hurt.
“Bakubabe, come over here! I want to see you,”
Eijirou had claimed one of the couches all to himself while the others crowded the tv battling over some racing game. It was the perfect place for Katsuki to get his space but still be involved.
He turned, lying down with his head on one of the arms while reaching out to Katsuki. He watched as the blonde looked over, grumbling something under his breath but stood up, all the same, to come over. The wrinkles on his forehead smoothing out when they locked eyes.
Katsuki climbed between Eijirou’s legs, crawling upwards so he could lay his head in the crevice of Eijirou’s neck, stretching out before curling up tighter onto his chest.
He smiled, pulling a blanket from the back of the couch then wrapped his arms around Katsuki’s body holding him tight.
“You doing okay, babe? Seemed like you were getting a bit overwhelmed,”
“I’m fine, just getting frustrated with those idiots,” he sighed, running his nose along the side of Eijirou’s neck.
“That’s okay, you can keep me company over here,”
“You could be over there kicking everyone’s ass, you know.”
“Yeah, but I like watching you lean every time your character takes a corner,” he laughed, holding Katsuki tighter as he swatted at his shoulder.
“I do not lean going around corners, you shitty bastard!”
“You totally do, and you stick your tongue out of the side of your mouth when Sero gets close to passing you.”
“You are the worst,” Katsuki groaned.
“Yeah but you love me,”
“Yeah, maybe I do.”
Eijirou smiled, running a hand up and down Katsuki’s back watching their friends fight over characters.
It was nice getting to spend the time together completely unworried about tomorrow, and the endless responsibilities that came with becoming heroes. Knowing them, they probably wouldn’t be going to sleep until the early hours of the morning and then sleeping away all of tomorrow. They were doing well considering it was nearing midnight, and they had all had a rigorous day of training.
“Okay boys, I think it's time we switch to movies because if Denki tries to zap me one more time I will not be held accountable for my actions.” Mina proclaimed while standing up, then heading towards her chosen chair for the night.
“I would never use underhanded tactics to win, Mina. How dare you accuse me of such crimes,” Denki flailed, smoking Sero in the stomach with a wild arm.
Sero wheezed out a stuttered breath before tackling Denki to the ground. They all laughed at Denki’s high-pitched yelp followed by a string of poor excuses for mercy.
It was comforting having them all gathered. Katsuki would call him a sap but he really did love spending time with his friends.
After settling down, they all got comfortable on their designated spots and no one complained as Sero put on the first movie, while Denki disappeared into the kitchen cheering about popcorn. Eijirou huffed out a laugh at his antics.
It was calm, everyone was pretty invested in the movie till Eijirou realized he hadn’t heard any comments from Katsuki in a while.
He looked down seeing Katsuki’s eyes half-lidded with sleep, obviously trying to keep up with the movie but failing to keep his eyes open.
“Katsu, are you sleepy?”
“No, just focussed on the movie,” Katsuki shifted, brows furrowing as he tried to deny how tired he felt.
Eijirou pulled the blanket up higher around Katsuki’s shoulders, then tangled their legs together as he shifted Katsuki to be cuddled closer to the space between the couch and Eijirou’s body, effectively trapping him in a little safety bubble.
A long time ago Katsuki’s nightmares had gotten so out of hand that he would refuse to sleep for days at a time. Eijirou learned that caging him between himself and the couch was enough to put him out like a light, insanely fast. It was a trick he used time and time again that he wasn’t even sure Katsuki had picked up on.
“Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit and I’ll wake you up if something exciting comes on, that way you won’t miss anything,” he murmured into his hair, slowly rubbing up and down the bridge of Katsuki’s nose.
The blonde’s eyes fluttered shut as he melted into the touch, softly mumbling out a reply too quiet to be heard.
Sleepy Katsuki was a side of him that wasn’t seen very often. Usually, he was the first to bed and the first up in the morning, following his routine like clockwork but, Eijirou had known him long enough to have spent many of those rare moments together.
His favourite was the days after class where Katsuki would knock on his dorm room door like he didn’t barge in just that morning, and shyly look up at him through his bangs before quietly asking to come in. Every time he’d walk over to his bed, crawl under the blankets, so he was closest to the wall, then reach out his hand, looking at Eijirou with the softest eyes, every trace of the menacing hero persona replaced with the face of a pouting, chubby-cheeked, baby that really wanted to nap with his boyfriend.
It was the best way to end a long day even if they were rare breaks in Katsuki’s unwavering personality.
“Love you, E,” Katsuki whispered, kissing the side of his neck once before drifting off at record speed, clearly more tired than he was letting on.
“Bakubro is only soft with you, man, honestly I would kill for some Bakugou cuddles. He looks so cozy and warm,” Denki whined, leaning over Sero to look at Bakugou’s peaceful face.
“You and I both know that will never happen, unless you want an explosion to the face then I suggest not going within ten feet of Sleepygou,” Sero added.
“Sleepygou! Sero, you absolutely genius, that is the best thing I’ve heard all week,” Mina wheezed from across the common room.
The three of them had made it their mission since their first year to merge Katsuki’s name with as many words as possible. Bakubro and Bakubabe were the most commonly used but he had a feeling they would save Sleepygou for the days they were trying extra hard to get under Katsuki’s skin.
“Alright, enough you guys. He hasn’t been sleeping well these last two weeks so if you guys wake him up I will kill you.”
“Oh shit, Protectiveshima is coming in hot,” they all laughed.
“Put on another movie and shut up,” he rolled his eyes, smiling fondly.
They carried on in silence, only broken by the occasional comments until even those tapered off. One by one they all curled up, falling asleep to the low volume of the tv till the current movie ended, leaving the room bathed in the faint glow of the movie’s menu.
Eijirou was the last one awake, barely hanging. Being surrounded by his people was like a breath of fresh air and he knew he’d have to jumpstart another group hangout as soon as possible. It was the recharge they all had been lacking on. Now, he felt lighter, things felt less daunting and he knew they all probably felt the same.
He curled around Katsuki, threading his hand in fluffy, blonde spikes before kissing his forehead. Tonight would be a night safe from nightmares, not just for Katsuki but for all of them. Tomorrow they would be tired but it would be worth it to see Denki smile that much brighter, to have Mina walk with an extra bounce to her step and Sero would do some extra teasing. He already knew that Katsuki would call them out for their lack of cooking abilities, but would still make each of them almost more breakfast than they could eat.
Right now though, sleeping with his favourite people around him and the love of his life held in his arms was more than he could ever wish for. Tomorrow would come but right now was more than enough.
“Goodnight, guys.”
It was a good night indeed.