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Bakugou wasn’t angry for any particular reason. It was just loud.
Moving into the dorms and constantly being surrounded by people meant it was now noisier than he was used to. Like sure, he and his mom could get into some arguing matches, but for the most part, living at home and living in a dorm were two different experiences.
His classmates, his friends, were always trying to get him to join in on their antics, to involve him in stupid shit he didn’t care about.
That wasn’t necessarily the case now, but so many voices on top of each other as everyone hung out in the common area was grating on his last nerve.
Until finally he snapped.
Shooting up from the couch in irritation, he started stomping off toward the stairs.
‘’Hey! Where are you going?’’
Kirishima noticed him get up and turned to shout in his direction.
‘’You’re all so damn loud! I’m getting the hell out of here before I get a headache!’’
He kept moving, not stopping to see or hear anyone’s reaction to his outburst.
‘’Geez, rude much.’’
But everyone continued their conversations as if nothing happened. They were all used to him being that way now and didn’t let him ruin their mood.
None of them even noticed that someone else had exited the room. He left much quieter though, so it was easier to miss.
Bakugou made it up to the second floor, questioning if he should go back to his room before deciding there was a more relaxing place to be.
Moving toward the end of the hall, he opened the door to the third room on the floor and slipped into the darkness there.
As lame as the girls thought it was, Tokoyami’s room had its own charm. He liked the skulls, but he especially liked how dark it was. Disappearing into the soft hue of the purple lights as he made his way to the other boy's bed and crawled into it. Lying his head down on the pillow and threw the fluffy black blanket over himself casually.
He closed his eyes and let himself relax.
He didn’t bother to open them when he heard the soft click of the door opening and shutting again, as someone quietly entered the room with him.
The soft thumps of bare feet on the floor as they walked the short distance from the entrance to the edge of the bed.
He felt the weight of another body eventually join him, rustling about and getting comfortable, until they were lying still beside him.
‘’Overwhelmed?’’
It was a whisper, Tokoyami’s deep voice not far from his ear, and it sent chills over Bakugou’s skin. He shouldn’t be so easily affected by someone else so much, but this boy was the exception. The only exception.
Bakugou grunted in response. Shifting his body a bit to indicate to Tokoyami that he could get closer. He waited until he felt him snuggle into the space he created, resting his head on Bakugou’s chest and wrapping his arm around his stomach.
The two of them lay together in silence for a while, the only thing either could hear was their own and each other's breathing. The sound of Bakugou’s heartbeat a low thrum against Tokoyami’s ear.
At some point in the silence, Bakugou rolled over and wrapped his arms around Tokoyami, one hand around his waist, the other around his back. Tokoyami returned the hold, interlacing his fingers together behind Bakugou’s back near the center, pressing his palms against him, a warmth settling there to Bakugou’s enjoyment.
Tokoyami moved his head down to press against Bakugou’s chest more comfortably while Bakugou settled his chin to the top of his head.
Occasionally, the low hum of Tokoyami’s A/C kicked on and added another dull noise aside from their breaths and Bakugou’s heartbeat that Tokoyami was listening to.
This was the type of silence only Tokoyami could create for him. A calm that he could fall into easily and know there was nothing more expected between them.
Simply being held tightly when all his annoyances, frustrations, or any of his other emotions threatened to overwhelm him, and how easy it was to take them out on others. Something he was still trying to get better at controlling, and would hope to keep in check the older he got.
But he knew Tokoyami would be there regardless, open arms, and a quiet, dark room to disappear into when he needed it. To hold him and stabilize him.
They lost track of time like that. Tokoyami would have assumed Bakugou would fall asleep if it weren’t for the soft stroking motion of his thumb against his back. The back and forth feeling right between his shoulder blades.
It was so comfortable and warm, it would have been easy enough to fall asleep in each other's arms.
‘’Thanks.’’
Now it was Bakugou’s soft whisper just above his head, his words ruffling his feathers as if the words would be kept a secret in them.
Tokoyami only hummed in acknowledgment.
‘’I feel better now.’’
Tokoyami nuzzled his face against Bakugou’s chest a few times before finally lifting it up, moving up in order to rest the lower part of his beak into the crook of Bakugou’s shoulder.
His arms were now higher on Bakugou’s back, holding him tighter.
It was all the confirmation he got that Tokoyami understood.
Bakugou clenched his eyes shut and tightened his hold, bringing Tokoyami in as close as he could get, enough that he heard Tokoyami let out a subtle grunt from the force. He gripped the other boy’s hoodie in his hands, bunching up the black fabric between his fingers.
‘’Stay here with me, okay?’’
It settled back into silence. Soft breaths, the low hum of an A/C in the last days of summer kicking on and off, and the soft rustling of Tokoyami’s hand running through Bakugou’s hair, caressing his head as he continued to hold him with the other.
‘’I am not going anywhere. I will be here, for as long as you need me.’’
Bakugou’s hands loosened their grip, relaxing into the gentle petting Tokoyami was still doing to his hair.
Bakugou let out a quiet chuckle, more breathy than an actual laugh, as he started to move his hands over Tokoyami’s back, matching his comforting strokes. Applying pressure in a way that he hoped felt good to the other boy.
‘’What if I need you forever?’’
There was a playfulness to his tone, with something deeper underneath. Something less certain.
Tokoyami let out another hum, giving Bakugou no indication of what emotion he might be feeling. It made him nervous; enough for his arms to stop moving. Leaving them to rest against Tokoyami again as he went back to just holding him.
Tokoyami started to pull away from his shoulder, and on reflex, Bakugou tightened his grip. Afraid to let him go, an irrational panic that he might actually leave because maybe he was being too much, worried Tokoyami didn't like this needy side of himself.
But Tokoyami simply moved his face so that his beak was now pressed against his ear, Tokoyami’s voice reverberating directly into his brain and sending shivers down his spine.
‘’I do not find it necessary to repeat myself. I meant what I said. Should you need me forever, then so be it.’’
Not a hint of playfulness or teasing in his tone, and suddenly Bakugou was grateful for their position, because if Tokoyami could see him, he would see his face turn bright red.
As Tokoyami’s words settled into his chest, they got more comfortable in his bed. Letting Tokoyami go long enough for him to roll over and settle into a spooning position. Bakugou wrapped his arms back around Tokoyami’s body and held him tightly against himself.
Tokoyami’s hands came to hold Bakugou’s around his waist as he closed his eyes. Gently rubbing his fingers over his.
Several minutes passed again, and Bakugou could tell Tokoyami was falling asleep in his arms, and he wasn’t far behind.
It was his turn now to bring his mouth to the side of Tokoyami’s head, but not to whisper any final words for the night; everything that needed to be said was said.
Bakugou pressed his lips to the side of Tokoyami’s face to kiss him goodnight.
He fell asleep to the quiet breaths of the boy he loved, sleeping peacefully in his arms.