Sleep Induced [6/9]
Title: Sleep Induced
Fandom: Tiger&Bunny
Pairings: Kotetsu/Barnaby
Summary: Kotetsu and Barnaby sleep in the same bed. Everything's fine until one mishap causes them to crash and burn.
Barnaby woke up with a start, conflicted feelings of sorrow, fear, longing, anger whirling together as the last of his nightmare dissolved into hazy memories, ones he knew too well to forget. Sweat clung to his clammy skin, gasping from the tears forcing themselves out of his eyes. Inhaling deep, steady breaths, he sat up, unconsciously glancing at the empty space beside him. A sudden pang in his chest left him frowning. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the aftermath of his dream or...
Dismissing the issue, he looked up at his digital clock. One o'clock. He had slept two hours but didn't feel any fatigue, just the distinctive need to get out of his bedroom now. Which he did, ignoring the book he had sometimes read, Kotetsu's head on his lap-
He hated when Kotetsu was bored out of his mind. The old man would ask "What are you reading, Bunny?", peer over his shoulder to read a few lines when he didn't answer, huff in his neck to then slump down on the bed again, closing his eyes, roll around and finally rest his head on his lap. Looking up at him, grin firmly in place, Barnaby would glare down at him to convey the annoyance he felt. Not saying a word, he'd go back to his reading, Kotetsu quickly falling asleep after he started running his hand through still slightly damp, shaggy brown hair.
-or the white tank top hung on the back of the chair in the corner-
During Kotetsu's first nights at his place, Barnaby had lent him a shirt and loose pants to sleep in. The habit settling in, those rapidly became his appointed pyjamas, never once bringing some. The blond got used to putting them in his partner's pile when they did the laundry. They never discussed the issue. That white shirt and those grey bottoms had been Kotetsu's since he had first put them on.
Unbeknowst to him, Barnaby was out of his room, reminiscing decidedly useless things.
But he couldn't help it. Never would he have thought that sharing a bed would make him feel something akin to loss. He had been alone most of his life. The presence of another had long since been forgotten. Until Kotetsu came that is, and reminded him of a distant time where his happiness relied on others. The kid he once was yearned for warmth and security that dark and vacant rooms could never give, only protecting him from getting hurt.
And he admitted it, he was hurt. His revenge-driven life had deprived him of any human attachments, afraid his heart would be trampled on. The one time it had happened left him completely broken, and weak because he was too young. All the precautions he had taken didn’t matter anymore: his heart was smashed to pieces.
And he didn't know why.
His eyes widened, overlooking the city from his living room window. The realization of why it hurt hit him like a trainwreck. He could see all the pieces falling in place, unable to look away, unable to lock away those bubbling feelings like he had always done-
Kotetsu was the first in a very, very long time he had let in. He started to appreciate the old man, taking in strides the clumsy but full of good will way he acted towards others as well as himself. His partner wanted to help everyone and Barnaby was no exception. A bond had created itself between the two, their already good teamwork improving immensely (even earning Wild Tiger a few points which Apollon Media still had problems admitting). However, that bond, that slowly thickening thread linking the two, was pulled taught at the moment.
What scared him the most was the possibility of it breaking.
The sudden understanding of their situation - the fact he actually liked his partner and wasn't just tolerating him like he thought he was - delayed his notice of the knocking on his door. Head shooting up, whipping around to look at the source of the noise, he frowned. Who would it be at - glancing at the clock - half past one in the fucking morning?
Moving to open the door, he never thought of checking through the peephole who it could be. Knob in hand, door wide-open and Kotetsu on his doorstep, he wished he had.
The older male looked up, weakly smiling at the shocked blond. A feeble chuckle escaped his lips, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he muttered a quick, "Surprised?"
Barnaby collected himself, schooling his face to a blank expression that unknowingly put a knife through Kotetsu's heart, the sharp pain only noticeable by the tensing of his shoulders.
"What are you doing here?"
Kotetsu clenched his fists, eyebrows drawing close, the caustic reply not soothing his pained chest in the slightest.
"I can't sleep."
"And that's why you're here and waking me up? Making sure I get just as much sleep as you do? How thoughtful." It was unnecessary to let him know he hadn't been sleeping and that for the little he had had, it had been awful. Even though, Bunny was surprised by the knowledge he hadn't been the only one.
Kotetsu felt a tired smirk pulling at his lips. "Is Bunny that eager to-"
"I don't want to hear it." Barnaby intended to close the door-
"Stop! Bunny, we need to talk-"
He stopped his movement, eyes on the floor as he slowly replied, "No, we don't. Now get back home. I don't care anymore."
He turned around as he slammed the door shut, feeling it resist in the last few inches.
"But I do!", Kotetsu hollered, suddenly angry. Barnaby noticed the blue aura surrounding him and the steel blue glowing in his eyes, intensifying his furious gaze in the dark. Paralyzed at first, his face morphed into blind fury as he wrenched the door open and shouted, "What do you want?"
Kotetsu, not prepared for the door to suddenly give in, stumbled a few steps before standing inches away from Barnaby's nose. He could feel hot air on his face gushing out of the blond's mouth in harsh pants, visibly keeping himself from lashing out. Eyes still glowing, they moved from gritted teeth to a tumultuous stare storming with badly concealed anguish. He lowered his gaze, asking to himself "What do I want...?"
He stayed silent for some time before looking up again, expression softening as words spilled past his tight throat.
"I want you to sleep..."
A small smile formed on his lips, concern etching on his features, the corner of his eyes tightening.
"...without having nightmares."
Fandom: Tiger&Bunny
Pairings: Kotetsu/Barnaby
Summary: Kotetsu and Barnaby sleep in the same bed. Everything's fine until one mishap causes them to crash and burn.
Barnaby woke up with a start, conflicted feelings of sorrow, fear, longing, anger whirling together as the last of his nightmare dissolved into hazy memories, ones he knew too well to forget. Sweat clung to his clammy skin, gasping from the tears forcing themselves out of his eyes. Inhaling deep, steady breaths, he sat up, unconsciously glancing at the empty space beside him. A sudden pang in his chest left him frowning. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the aftermath of his dream or...
Dismissing the issue, he looked up at his digital clock. One o'clock. He had slept two hours but didn't feel any fatigue, just the distinctive need to get out of his bedroom now. Which he did, ignoring the book he had sometimes read, Kotetsu's head on his lap-
He hated when Kotetsu was bored out of his mind. The old man would ask "What are you reading, Bunny?", peer over his shoulder to read a few lines when he didn't answer, huff in his neck to then slump down on the bed again, closing his eyes, roll around and finally rest his head on his lap. Looking up at him, grin firmly in place, Barnaby would glare down at him to convey the annoyance he felt. Not saying a word, he'd go back to his reading, Kotetsu quickly falling asleep after he started running his hand through still slightly damp, shaggy brown hair.
-or the white tank top hung on the back of the chair in the corner-
During Kotetsu's first nights at his place, Barnaby had lent him a shirt and loose pants to sleep in. The habit settling in, those rapidly became his appointed pyjamas, never once bringing some. The blond got used to putting them in his partner's pile when they did the laundry. They never discussed the issue. That white shirt and those grey bottoms had been Kotetsu's since he had first put them on.
Unbeknowst to him, Barnaby was out of his room, reminiscing decidedly useless things.
But he couldn't help it. Never would he have thought that sharing a bed would make him feel something akin to loss. He had been alone most of his life. The presence of another had long since been forgotten. Until Kotetsu came that is, and reminded him of a distant time where his happiness relied on others. The kid he once was yearned for warmth and security that dark and vacant rooms could never give, only protecting him from getting hurt.
And he admitted it, he was hurt. His revenge-driven life had deprived him of any human attachments, afraid his heart would be trampled on. The one time it had happened left him completely broken, and weak because he was too young. All the precautions he had taken didn’t matter anymore: his heart was smashed to pieces.
And he didn't know why.
His eyes widened, overlooking the city from his living room window. The realization of why it hurt hit him like a trainwreck. He could see all the pieces falling in place, unable to look away, unable to lock away those bubbling feelings like he had always done-
Kotetsu was the first in a very, very long time he had let in. He started to appreciate the old man, taking in strides the clumsy but full of good will way he acted towards others as well as himself. His partner wanted to help everyone and Barnaby was no exception. A bond had created itself between the two, their already good teamwork improving immensely (even earning Wild Tiger a few points which Apollon Media still had problems admitting). However, that bond, that slowly thickening thread linking the two, was pulled taught at the moment.
What scared him the most was the possibility of it breaking.
The sudden understanding of their situation - the fact he actually liked his partner and wasn't just tolerating him like he thought he was - delayed his notice of the knocking on his door. Head shooting up, whipping around to look at the source of the noise, he frowned. Who would it be at - glancing at the clock - half past one in the fucking morning?
Moving to open the door, he never thought of checking through the peephole who it could be. Knob in hand, door wide-open and Kotetsu on his doorstep, he wished he had.
The older male looked up, weakly smiling at the shocked blond. A feeble chuckle escaped his lips, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he muttered a quick, "Surprised?"
Barnaby collected himself, schooling his face to a blank expression that unknowingly put a knife through Kotetsu's heart, the sharp pain only noticeable by the tensing of his shoulders.
"What are you doing here?"
Kotetsu clenched his fists, eyebrows drawing close, the caustic reply not soothing his pained chest in the slightest.
"I can't sleep."
"And that's why you're here and waking me up? Making sure I get just as much sleep as you do? How thoughtful." It was unnecessary to let him know he hadn't been sleeping and that for the little he had had, it had been awful. Even though, Bunny was surprised by the knowledge he hadn't been the only one.
Kotetsu felt a tired smirk pulling at his lips. "Is Bunny that eager to-"
"I don't want to hear it." Barnaby intended to close the door-
"Stop! Bunny, we need to talk-"
He stopped his movement, eyes on the floor as he slowly replied, "No, we don't. Now get back home. I don't care anymore."
He turned around as he slammed the door shut, feeling it resist in the last few inches.
"But I do!", Kotetsu hollered, suddenly angry. Barnaby noticed the blue aura surrounding him and the steel blue glowing in his eyes, intensifying his furious gaze in the dark. Paralyzed at first, his face morphed into blind fury as he wrenched the door open and shouted, "What do you want?"
Kotetsu, not prepared for the door to suddenly give in, stumbled a few steps before standing inches away from Barnaby's nose. He could feel hot air on his face gushing out of the blond's mouth in harsh pants, visibly keeping himself from lashing out. Eyes still glowing, they moved from gritted teeth to a tumultuous stare storming with badly concealed anguish. He lowered his gaze, asking to himself "What do I want...?"
He stayed silent for some time before looking up again, expression softening as words spilled past his tight throat.
"I want you to sleep..."
A small smile formed on his lips, concern etching on his features, the corner of his eyes tightening.
"...without having nightmares."