Sometimes Katsuki wakes up in the middle of the night, plagued with nightmares.
He pretends not to remember them sometimes, trying to trick himself into believing a lie. That he's stronger than some weak dream. But it doesn't always work.
On those nights, he sneaks out of his room, legs carrying him on a path he knows all too well.
He's in front of a lone door, standing just outside it, but not bold enough to go in.
Many nights he convinces himself that he doesn't need help, that he's just overthinking again. And on those nights, he forces himself away from the door, telling himself that it's too easy. that he's being pathetic.
On those nights, he stomps back to his room, slamming his door as he goes. And he’ll lay in his bed with his eyes closed. Though rest never comes.
Tonight wasn't one of those nights.
Tonight, no matter how much he wants to, he can't get himself to leave, but he also can't bring himself to knock. Something is stopping him, be it fear - as much as he hates to admit it - or something else, he doesn't know. But he just stands there, aimlessly. Lost.
He feels something coiling in his chest, tightening to the point of suffocation and he can't breathe.
He just can't.
Dark thoughts loom in the front of his mind, threatening to pull him down, sinking into a place he can never return from.
It's always so constricting.
There's a creak behind the door and he startles with a gasp. He should go, but his legs are stiff as tremors wrack his body. He hears a click, a creak, and then the door is slowly pulling open. Silence passes between the two, yet neither moves to speak.
Flitting veridian try to meet scarlet, but the blond had dropped his gaze, choosing instead to glare at his slipper-covered feet. His eyes are burning something fierce, but he refuses to acknowledge it as he braces himself; trying to look up. But he never gets the chance.
A scarred hand is under his chin -the touch so gentle, so comforting and soft- as it tilts his head up, forcing him to stare into kind, yet concerned forest green eyes. Somehow, that sight alone is his breaking point.
A silent sob punches itself out of his chest as he hiccups, breath stuttering and body trembling. Instantly, he's pulled into warm arms, face hidden in an equally warm neck.
It's nice.
Reassuring.
More than it should be.
It only serves to break him more.
Another sob leaves him now and this time it's vocal. The arms around him tighten for a moment and then loosen. Katsuki, in his panic-addled mind, thinks the other is leaving. That he's somehow made a mistake. That he overstepped. His breaths come faster as he tenses, thoughts spiraling as he wracks his brain for some kind of explanation for this. For any way to make this less painful than it already is. Though, he doesn't need to.
As quickly as they'd left, the arms were back. Gentle where they hug him close, rubbing and lightly tugging them backward.
The blond is confused for a moment, wondering why he's being pulled at, that is, until he realizes he's being coaxed into the room behind them.
Suddenly, he’s not so hesitant to follow.
As soon as the door closes behind him, the room is engulfed in darkness. Though somehow, it's not as oppressing this time.
It isn't cold.
It isn't lonely.
The boy is guided blindly deeper into the room, shuffling as he goes and completely trusting the greenette not to mislead him.
In another moment, his back is hitting a soft bed. For a minute he's alone as he lays there but doesn't panic. Instead, he waits and is pleasantly rewarded when the bed dips somewhere beside him and arms slowly wrap themselves around his waist.
He lets it happen.
And when all is still, he wraps his own around the other's neck, tugging at him until their foreheads are lightly pushed together. One of the arms around his waist leaves for a moment and he closes his eyes when he feels a gentle finger swiping at his cheek, clearing away the tears that just keep falling.
"Sleep."
He hears the boy whisper. And he wants to argue. He wants to put up a fight and tell the other off, but he doesn't. He doesn't have the energy.
He doesn't have the energy.
He doesn't feel like putting up the front that keeps people out and pushes them away.
He doesn't feel like yelling and screaming in anger, just to mask his inner insecurities and hurt.
He doesn't feel like insulting others and berating them when it's really just projection.
He doesn't feel like pretending.
He doesn't feel like lying.
Right now, he isn't Katsuki, the strong steadfast explosive hothead eager to prove the world wrong. Right now, he's just Kacchan. Protected, content, and safe in the arms of the childhood friend who never gave up on him, no matter how much Katsuki thinks he should have.
The childhood friend who’s stuck by his side, no matter how many times Katsuki tried to push him away. The childhood friend that offered his hand over and over again and knowing that Katsuki had no plans to accept it, and yet offered it anyway, no matter how many times it was slapped away.
He is the childhood friend who saves.
The one that saved him, time and time again.
To everyone else, he's a hero.
The next All Might.
The next protector.
But to Katsuki? He's just Izuku.
And only for Izuku, is he willing to just be Kacchan.
END