Author's Note:
I will take this as an opportunity to welcome myself back into writing (although I never really stopped; I just wanted to work on a few personal projects that were just for me :]). Um, I don't have much to say about this other than I actually like it! I think it turned out pretty well, so props to me 🎉.
This is technically a Kiribaku x reader, buuut TWIST, Kirishima isn't really in this one. Mostly just y/n and Bakugou interaction. Yeah, fun.
I promise this is fluff. It's a little angsty, but not to any extreme. Just nightmare comfort and snuggles with Blasty.
Anyway, enjoy!
-Sugar
Warnings: Cursing, implied severe nightmare(s), mentioned character death (just kinda talking about it, nothing actually happened, dw), soft Bakugou (like, really soft)
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
You bolted upright, chest heaving, disoriented.
Everything around you was uncomfortably hot—unbearable. A sheen of sweat coated your skin, and the sheets beneath you were damp. Your heart pounded in your chest, making it hard to think, hard to breathe. Darkness pressed around you, only making it easier to see your visions again, playing over and over in your memory.
Desperate, your hands patted blindly around you, looking for something that would make it stop, something to help you feel better.
Your trembling fingers bumped into a warm, solid mound beside you and you latched onto it, hoping to find solace in this sea of fear and nothingness.
"Eijirou?" you gasped, already somehow feeling more grounded as you shook the man's arm.
"Hm?" Rather than who you'd been expecting, a familiar rough voice emerged from the dark mass beside you.
"Katsuki?" you called out instead.
"What?" He rolled onto his back, dragging a hand over his face. "(Y/N)? What time is—"
You suddenly tackled him into a hug, burying your nose into his shoulder. "You're alive! Thank goodness you're okay!" You could sob with how happy you were to find that your nightmare had been little more than just a dream, that Bakugou and Kirishima weren't dead, and that you were still safe.
"Why wouldn't I be okay?" he asked gruffly. "And what's got you shaking so hard? Was it another—"
"Bad dream," you affirmed, pulling off of him and straightening. "Just a ... dream."
"Oh," he muttered, sitting up.
"Sorry I woke you up. I was trying for—"
"Eijirou?"
You nodded sheepishly. "Not that I don't want to talk to you, I just ... forgot he wasn't here."
"Oh."
Now it was coming back to you. Kirishima was away on a mission on the other side of the country. This was yours and Bakugou's second night without him, but it still felt so foreign to have him missing from your bed. The sheets felt ... colder and emptier with him gone. Yes, the redhead had a habit of spreading out in his sleep and snoring much louder than necessary, but both you and Katsuki (though he wouldn't admit it out loud) had grown quite fond of his presence.
"Need anything?" the blond grunted, bringing you out of your thoughts.
"Um," you mumbled, thinking. "Maybe some water?"
Bakugou stood without another word, sliding silently out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen. Flicking on the light, he grabbed a glass out of the cabinet.
For as long as you'd been sharing a bed, Bakugou had been aware of your recurrent nightmares. He'd always been a light sleeper, so it was unavoidable that your muffled whimpers and kicking would wake him up. He was there for you when you needed him, yes, but ... it didn't take long for Katsuki to realize that Eijirou was just better with this sort of thing.
Bakugou didn't know much about emotions, or comfort for that matter. He tended to just blast his way through things and hope others did the same. He had more important things to worry about than "feelings". But he'd be a damn fool to overlook how powerful they could be, especially when it came to you and Eijirou. Hell, even the weight of his own feelings for the two of you shook his world from time to time.
But it just wasn't something he was good at, and it frustrated him. He had to be the best. The best of the best, especially for someone like you. You were his partner, and he'd vowed to himself to be the best boyfriend to you no matter what. Maybe he was being a coward. Shouldn't he work on the things he wasn't good at? Even when they didn't come easy?
He had to at least try.
Bakugou came back into the bedroom with a fresh glass of water in his hand. You took it from him gratefully, letting the cool liquid clear your mind as it slid down your throat.
"Better?" he asked, his voice low.
"Yes. Thank you." You set the glass on the nightstand beside you, curling back into yourself.
The blond racked his mind. What did Kirishima do? Usually as soon as the redhead was awake and cooing over you, Katsuki would try to fall back asleep. He knew you were safe with him, so what was the point in doing anything more? Besides, Bakugou's sleep schedule wasn't something to be messed with. But now Eijirou was gone, and you needed someone to be there for you. You were more important to Katsuki than sleep. And you were still shaking.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Bakugou finally managed.
You thought for a moment before shaking your head. "It was just a dream. I don't want to think about it more than I need to."
"Oh."
Bakugou sat on the bed in silence. Now what? If you weren't going to talk, how was he supposed to know what to do?
"What does Kirishima do? When this happens."
You glanced at the rumpled blankets underneath you, suddenly—for seemingly no reason—shy. "He usually holds me."
Of course he did. That was your combined solution to everything. Figures.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," you threw out quickly. "I know you're not really in a cuddly mood right now—"
Bakugou gathered you up in his arms and shoved your body into his chest. You gasped at the abrupt motion but were just as quick to relax against him, suddenly feeling secure in his strong hold. His body was a little different from Kirishima's; still thoroughly well-muscled, but otherwise smaller and leaner. You breathed in his scent—also different, but still so heavenly familiar and sweet.
"What gave you that idea?" he asked, his chin resting gently on the top of your head.
"You, um, were facing away from me when we went to bed."
"Tch, dumbass." He shifted you into a more comfortable position on his lap, kissing your scalp. "Now what?" he mumbled into your hair.
"He ... talks to me."
"What does he say?"
"I don't know," you whispered. "He reassures me, I guess."
Bakugou frowned. "How am I supposed to do that if I don't know what your shitty nightmare was about anyway?"
He felt you stiffen in his hold, and he knew he'd messed up.
"Look," he muttered. "I know this really isn't my thing, but please. I'm just trying to help you."
"Thanks," you mumbled in a small voice.
Silence.
Bakugou didn't mind silence. In fact, he generally preferred it. It gave him peace to think to himself, and he hated it when there was something annoying and distracting buzzing around him, especially when it was some dumb, unimportant person.
But you weren't dumb, or unimportant to him, and this time, he felt truly uncomfortable in the quiet dark. Why weren't you saying anything? You weren't exactly the type to never stop talking—you could be pretty quiet yourself, actually—but even you had a tendency to fill the void with something.
If you weren't going to do it, he might as well just get it over with.
"You said something about me being alive when you woke up, yeah?" he asked you. "Scared of me dying?"
You paused, then nodded, tightly clutching the front of his tank top.
"Nothing can kill me," he said, trying to approach with his cocky attitude.
"... you know that isn't true," you murmured.
He scowled. "Are you doubting me or something?"
"No. You're just ... no one's invincible, Katsuki. Not even you."
Bakugou huffed. This wasn't going the way he'd hoped. How did Eijirou do this so often? Why had Bakugou never paid enough attention? Now he was starting to feel guilty. Had he been slacking off with you?
"I think you're amazing, 'Tsuki," you went on. "But I'm scared of losing you. Both of you."
He sighed. "Now why are you worrying about that?"
"I don't know ... ." You shrugged. "I guess that the simple answer is because I love you. Of course I worry about something happening. I don't—I don't know what I'd do if one of you got hurt, or—or worse." You bit the inside of your cheek, fighting to keep yourself from crying.
"Hey," Bakugou said softly.
You nuzzled yourself closer into his chest, sniffling a little and taking a deep breath.
"You know you're strong, right?" he muttered, brushing his thumb over your shoulder. "I see it in you. I have for years. I trust that you can handle anything. You've been through a lot."
It was your turn to sigh. "But I don't want to go through something like that."
"You think anyone does?"
"Well, no. Of course not."
"Listen. You're talking about two of the best pro heroes there are, okay? We've all got each other and we can take care of ourselves, got that? Worrying about us isn't gonna do you any favors."
"I can't just 'stop worrying'," you countered.
"Okay, but don't put so much into it. We're here with you now, dumbass. Enjoy it while you can."
"... Eijirou's not here."
Bakugou paused, thinking. "'That what all this is about?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know. Probably."
"I'm sure he's safe." Katsuki rocked you ever so slightly in his arms, settling back into the quiet night.
"Do you miss him?" you asked.
"... 'course I do."
You smirked. "Aww."
"Hey!" he protested. "I ... I'm not scared to say that I love him. Or you for that matter."
"I know." You leaned up, touching the tip of your nose to his.
He blinked in surprise at the gesture, but then smiled softly and rested his forehead against yours.
"This is weird to say," you began after a moment, "but I can't really sleep without him snoring in my ear like a lawnmower."
Katsuki barked out a laugh. "Are you kidding? This is the most peaceful night's sleep I've gotten since we moved in together."
You giggled. "Okay. But don't you miss his good-night kisses?"
"Tch," Bakugou grumbled. "Of course not. He's so clingy and annoying."
"Oh? That's not how I remember it," you laughed. "You love it when he gets like that."
The blond scowled in the dark. "Alright, maybe it's not so bad."
You hummed, resting your head on his shoulder again. "I love you both, you know," you said. "I can't wait until things can go back to normal."
"Shitty hair'll be home soon," Bakugou assured you. He chuckled to himself. "Until then, do you want me to snore in your ear for you? How about that? Something like this?" He obnoxiously made a loud, fake snoring noise in the back of his throat, making it sound as gross as possible.
You cracked up laughing, holding him closer to you while your shoulders shook. "Eijirou does not sound like that!"
"Oh, yes, he does," Bakugou argued playfully. "Believe me, I sleep next to him too. And for whatever reason, you like it."
You laughed again, and Katsuki's cheeks warmed at the sweet sound of your mirth. "It's just too quiet without him! I'm not used to it."
"Well how about hogging all the blankets, then? And stealing the whole bed? Would that make you feel better?" Bakugou turned your bodies so he could flop on top of you, starfishing his limbs so you couldn't get up.
"Actually, you do do that," you teased. "You sprawl out on the bed all the time."
He pouted. "Do not."
"Do too."
"Well how about kisses then? I'm the best kisser there is, and I've got two partners that'll attest to that," he boasted proudly.
"Ooh, two partners, huh?"
"Yeah, and you're one of them. Here, I'll prove it."
Before you could say anything in response, Bakugou's lips found yours, kissing you deeply and taking your breath away. Your hand slid up to cup his cheek, holding him in place as he embraced you. His lips were so soft and sweet—he always wore chapstick before he went to bed. You couldn't help but sigh happily as his mouth moved over yours; gentle, but still with the slightest hint of roughness to it he always carried no matter what.
Eventually he pulled back, letting you breathe.
"I do like having just the two of us here," you admitted quietly, brushing some of his spiky bangs back from his forehead. "It's ... different."
You couldn't really see it in the dark, but he smiled. "I like it too." He leaned in and kissed your lips once more. "I love you."
"I love you too." You stroked his cheek with the side of your thumb. "But maybe we shouldn't be teasing our boyfriend while he isn't here to defend himself."
Bakugou snorted. "Eijirou doesn't care. Besides, it's all true."
You chuckled, running your fingers through his hair and scratching at his scalp. "Thanks for making me feel better."
Oh, that's right, he was supposed to have been comforting you. He guessed that somehow, he'd done it. His chest swelled with pride. "Sure thing. Are you feeling alright now?"
"Yeah," you said. "That dream was stupid anyway. It didn't make any sense."
"Of course it didn't." Katsuki pulled you into his arms again, rolling you both onto your sides so he could face you. "Shitty fucking dream. It's not real, and it can't hurt you. I'm here for you, got that? That's what matters. Nothing's going to take me away, and I mean it." He kissed your forehead, pulling the blankets up around your shoulders again. "I fight and win for you, you know. I win for both of you. You two never leave my mind. I'm not stupid and reckless, okay? I'm careful enough so that I don't get hurt like that."
"I know." You rested your head against his chest, sighing in contentment at the feeling of being held by him. It was warm and calming, comfortable and familiar. There wasn't anywhere else you'd rather be.
"Ready to go back to sleep?" he asked you, rubbing your back.
"Yeah," you murmured, shutting your eyes.
He hummed. "Good. I'll see you in the morning, (Y/N)."
"Good night, Katsuki."
Soon, the two of you drifted off to sleep, and until you awoke again at dawn, you were at peace.
...
"I'm home!" a voice called out by the doorway.
You jumped up from the couch, making a beeline towards the entrance of your house. "Eijirou!" you greeted happily, running up to him for a hug.
"Hey! It's my darling, wonderful (Y/N)!" he laughed, dropping his bags and hoisting you up in his arms.
"It's my big, strong manly man!" you countered, laughing.
He brought his face to yours, humming happily as he kissed you several times in quick succession.
"The two of you are going to make me puke."
Eijirou let you go, setting you back down on the floor to look up at his boyfriend, who'd stepped in to greet Kirishima for himself.
"Katsuki!" he said happily, unfazed. He held out his arms, making grabby motions with his hands toward the blond.
Bakugou rolled his eyes, walking up to the redhead despite his annoyed façade. Eijirou hugged him tight, pressing a long, solid kiss to his lips.
"Group hug!" he said, pulling you in again for another hug, this time with Bakugou in the mix. "I missed you guys."
"How was your trip?" you asked him.
"Great!" Kirishima said. "I'll tell you everything about it as soon as I get something to eat, I'm starving."
"I made dinner for everyone," Bakugou said.
"So that's why it smells amazing!" Kirishima kissed Bakugou on the cheek in thanks, then gave you another to be fair. "Let's go then," he said, stepping forward. "Although, I guess I should ask; did I miss anything while I was gone?"