Sleep Induced [7/9]
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.
His breath caught in his throat.
What was he saying? Why did he want that? How--?
How had he known he couldn't sleep without him?
It didn't matter. What mattered though was to get Kotetsu out of his home - his life, his head, his heart - before he could get in even further and stay there forever.
But he couldn't do it. He tried and failed to summon the rage that made him shout moments ago, the one that vanished once Kotetsu had opened his mouth, breaking through his impassive front, revealing whirling feelings that flickered in the green of his irises, the crease of his brows, the tightness of his mouth.
Suddenly conscious of his exposed façade, he ducked his head, hiding his distorted features from him. Kotetsu who was able to read each line of his face better than he could, so used as he was to polite - fake - smiles and enthousiast - bland - salutes to please everyone. And maybe, in some way, himself as well.
Long fingers threaded in his hair before a large warm palm landed on his head, staying there, its circular motion barely felt. A faint - nearly whispered - chuckle pressed the hand down a bit harder, so short and yet so misplaced.
"Don't worry about what I just said, Bunny. I'm just an old man," Kotetsu admitted, a crooked smiled twisting his lips in a mockery of his usual cheerful one.
Barnaby didn't react, not moving an inch, eyes fixed to the floor - which he could barely see, envelopped by the night's darkness seeping through his window. Why weren't the lights on? - waiting for -
What was he waiting for?
Another quiet - too quiet - chuckle.
He frowned.
"Guess I'll let you sleep then, huh? Wouldn't want you to miss your beauty sleep," Kotetsu painstakingly went through the effort to bring their usual banter in the one-sided conversation. He wanted a reaction. He wanted Bunny to be angry, sad, happy to get rid of him-- Whatever he could get. But not this total lack of response, Barnaby's head bowed and his entire body sagging with fatigue and the unmistakable drooping shoulders of giving up.
No, it's not what he wanted but if that was all Bunny was willing to offer, he'd take it.
After all, Kotetsu never really knew how to get what he wanted.
As he uttered those last words, he ruffled blond tresses, genuinely smiling for a second, before retracting his hand. He stopped however when the mop of hair lifted a bit, his attention returning to a pair of green eyes partly hidden behind a blond fringe and dark shadows throwing sharp contrast on pale skin.
"Don't."
The steady gaze wavered a bit as Barnaby forced words to form on his suddenly very heavy tongue.
"If... If that's what you want," he paused, straightening to his full height, the dark hand still tangled in his hair.
"Don't go."
And suddenly, Kotetsu understood. Relief washed over him, the ever-present weight of dread trickling away.
Everything was okay. They were okay. And that was enough for now.
Next thing he knew, Barnaby's hair was a mess, his hand was on the back of his head weaved amidst the disarray of locks, a fond smile filling hazel eyes with affection as he soothingly whisper-sighed, "Let's get you to bed, Bunny."
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.
His breath caught in his throat.
What was he saying? Why did he want that? How--?
How had he known he couldn't sleep without him?
It didn't matter. What mattered though was to get Kotetsu out of his home - his life, his head, his heart - before he could get in even further and stay there forever.
But he couldn't do it. He tried and failed to summon the rage that made him shout moments ago, the one that vanished once Kotetsu had opened his mouth, breaking through his impassive front, revealing whirling feelings that flickered in the green of his irises, the crease of his brows, the tightness of his mouth.
Suddenly conscious of his exposed façade, he ducked his head, hiding his distorted features from him. Kotetsu who was able to read each line of his face better than he could, so used as he was to polite - fake - smiles and enthousiast - bland - salutes to please everyone. And maybe, in some way, himself as well.
Long fingers threaded in his hair before a large warm palm landed on his head, staying there, its circular motion barely felt. A faint - nearly whispered - chuckle pressed the hand down a bit harder, so short and yet so misplaced.
"Don't worry about what I just said, Bunny. I'm just an old man," Kotetsu admitted, a crooked smiled twisting his lips in a mockery of his usual cheerful one.
Barnaby didn't react, not moving an inch, eyes fixed to the floor - which he could barely see, envelopped by the night's darkness seeping through his window. Why weren't the lights on? - waiting for -
What was he waiting for?
Another quiet - too quiet - chuckle.
He frowned.
"Guess I'll let you sleep then, huh? Wouldn't want you to miss your beauty sleep," Kotetsu painstakingly went through the effort to bring their usual banter in the one-sided conversation. He wanted a reaction. He wanted Bunny to be angry, sad, happy to get rid of him-- Whatever he could get. But not this total lack of response, Barnaby's head bowed and his entire body sagging with fatigue and the unmistakable drooping shoulders of giving up.
No, it's not what he wanted but if that was all Bunny was willing to offer, he'd take it.
After all, Kotetsu never really knew how to get what he wanted.
As he uttered those last words, he ruffled blond tresses, genuinely smiling for a second, before retracting his hand. He stopped however when the mop of hair lifted a bit, his attention returning to a pair of green eyes partly hidden behind a blond fringe and dark shadows throwing sharp contrast on pale skin.
"Don't."
The steady gaze wavered a bit as Barnaby forced words to form on his suddenly very heavy tongue.
"If... If that's what you want," he paused, straightening to his full height, the dark hand still tangled in his hair.
"Don't go."
And suddenly, Kotetsu understood. Relief washed over him, the ever-present weight of dread trickling away.
Everything was okay. They were okay. And that was enough for now.
Next thing he knew, Barnaby's hair was a mess, his hand was on the back of his head weaved amidst the disarray of locks, a fond smile filling hazel eyes with affection as he soothingly whisper-sighed, "Let's get you to bed, Bunny."