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The sound of Shouto’s voice wakes him up. Katsuki turns his head to the side to face his apparently still sleeping boyfriend. Shouto’s laying on his stomach, face turned toward him, mumbling something about something-or-the-other, completely unconscious.
Katsuki holds back a chuckle, turning from his back and onto his side to better watch the murmurs escaping Shouto’s mouth, lips quirked in the smallest of smiles. It’s so goddamn adorable, fuck.
Only a few weeks after they’d started dating, during Katsuki’s first night staying over at Shouto’s place, did he learn this very important fact that he’s proud to be the only one (other than maybe fucking Deku) to know about it: Todoroki Shouto is a sleep-talker.
It’s usually nothing that makes sense, just incoherent noises, murmurs, and sounds. There have been a few instances of actual fucking words; Katsuki’s personal favorite is from about two months ago when it had just been a string of cuss words (he was proud) that had ended with a ‘ fuck you, Endeavor ’. It ended because Shouto woke up right after, confused at Katsuki’s manic cackling at two in the morning. Also, the bastard emotes a great deal more when he’s dead to the world than in his waking hours. It’s all quite entertaining to watch.
Which is what he does this time, gazing at Shouto in the dark, just barely illuminated by moonlight filtering through. Even though it’s 4:38 am and he has to be up at six for work later, the soft features of his boyfriend’s face as he continues his dream conversation with whoever the fuck is something he doesn’t wanna miss.
He reaches a hand out and brushes Shouto’s bangs away from his forehead, once, twice, and tucks a few strands behind his ear, letting his hand linger on the plump cheek and stroking it with his thumb. The small smile widens into a grin and Shouto hums. He nuzzles his face into Katsuki’s hand and fucking giggles when his nose presses into Katsuki’s palm , still completely fast asleep. He repeats the motion over and over with the smile still plastered on his beautiful fucking face. Fuck, it’s so cute .
Katsuki can’t help it so he leans forward to press his lips to Shouto’s forehead. When he pulls back his boyfriend makes another adorable sound and shit, he goes in for a second forehead kiss when–
“Mm, Zuk–stop itt.” Another soft chuckle.
The fuck ?
Katsuki pulls back, confused. Did he just say…?
His thumb is still stroking Shouto’s cheek when he speaks again. “No, ‘Zuku, that tickles, stop!”
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Why the hell is Shouto saying Deku’s fucking name in his goddamn sleep like this ??
A bunch of emotions suddenly flood Katsuki’s chest. Anger first; his immediate response to most things that upset him. But then the real ones make themselves known: hurt and an odd sense of betrayal. He knows that Shouto had a schoolgirl crush on the nerd when they were first years at UA but it’s been like five years since then. So, what the fuck?
Katsuki instantly removes his hand from Shouto’s cheek and scoots back a little.
“Mmm, ‘Zuku, ‘dun gooo. Wanna cuddle…”
Well, goddamn. What does he– what ?
His heart still manages to break a little when he sees the smile from Shouto’s face turn into a frown, bicolored eyebrows scrunching, suddenly sad and fucking longing .
“‘Zuku…?”
The hand resting next to his head lifts in search of something (someone?) and Katsuki automatically nudges his hand against it. Shouto grips it and clings onto it immediately. He pulls Katsuki’s hand and holds it against the space under his chin, tight. The mournful fucking expression immediately disappears, the tiny smile reappearing before Shouto’s face settles back into neutral. His breathing slows once more and he doesn’t make any more sounds.
And Katsuki doesn’t know what to think as he stares at his hand in Shouto’s. He thinks he’s holding Izuku now, isn’t he? Shouto’s dreaming about fucking cuddling Izuku even though they’ve been together for a year now.
People can’t control what they dream about so he shouldn’t hold this against Shouto. It’s not fair. But…but he’s allowed to be upset right? Besides, aren’t dreams like your subconscious thoughts or some shit? Like there’s truth behind them? So, does that mean…?
Fuck. Fuck .
He can’t–he can’t follow that train of thought this fucking early in the goddamn morning. But he needs to know dammit. Right fucking now.
“Shouto,” he whispers. No response. He tries again a little louder: “Shou. Shouto .”
Heterochromatic eyes slowly blink open. “Wha–Katsuki? What’s wrong. What happened, did something–“
“No, shh, everything’s fine, don’t get up.” (Well, not everything).
Shouto’s body relaxes again as he blinks at Katsuki with sleepy eyes, perplexed. “Why did you wake me?”
Katsuki bites at his bottom lip, not sure if he’s annoyed or kinda embarrassed now. But still, he needs to know.
“D’you love me?”
Shouto’s eyebrows pinch closer together. “What? Yeah, of course I do, Kat. What kind of question is that?”
“Well, you were giggling and talking about cuddling and saying fucking Deku’s name in your sleep, so what else am I supposed to ask?” Katsuki blurts out.
Shouto continues to look confused and Katsuki kinda want to flick his forehead. “I said Izuku’s name?”
“Yeah! More than fucking once too. ‘Zuku this and ‘Zuku that .” He adds that last part with his most annoying voice. “Fucking annoying !”
Shouto’s eyes drift away from his as he tries to recall his stupid dream. As if Katsuki wants him to relive the damn visions. He reaches and grabs Shouto’s jaw to make him look at him again.
“So? What’s your fucking explanation, you bastard? Not good enough for your goddamn dreamscape, hmm?” The achy feeling is still weighing in his chest and he hates this so damn much. It’s so stupid but it hurts.
Shouto’s eyes search his and then suddenly his eyes light up in realization.
“Zuko!”
“I fucking get it, stop saying his name!”
Shouto shakes his head. “No, Kat, Zuk- o.”
Now Katsuki’s the one that’s confused. “Like…that dumbass from the last airbender?”
Shouto nods. Katsuki makes a face.
“You having fucking sex dreams about a fictional character?”
Shouto rolls his eyes. “First, you said I talked about cuddling not sex, so no. But, it’s not him, just the name.”
What the fuck is he talking about.
“You’re not making any goddamn sense, moron, are you sure you’re awake?” Katsuki makes a scene of snapping his fingers in front of his boyfriend’s face which is instantly swatted away.
“Stop that. What I mean is…” Shouto sighs, looking away, a bit pink in the cheeks. “We’ve been wanting to adopt a cat for a while right?”
“Uh huh.” It’s true, it’s something they’ve talked about.
“Well, I’ve been going to the shelter the past few weeks and there’s one kitten that I may have gotten attached to already…”
“…and it’s name is Zuko? Like the fucking character?”
Shouto smiles and nods. “He has this patch of dark fur just over his eye,” he says, pointing to his own face. Fuck, no wonder the man’s already attached.
Katsuki’s heart instantly becomes twenty times lighter and a hundred times more full for this idiot in front of him. He leans forward and pecks Shouto’s lips and stays there a bit longer. Because he fucking can.
“So, you saying I got jealous and upset over a goddamn cat you hope to cuddle someday?”
“I guess so.”
Fucking ridiculous. Katsuki grins, so, so fond of this asshole.
“How about you dream about me next and maybe we can consider going to the shelter this weekend to bring the menace to his new home?”
Shouto laughs, shifting so that he can get closer to Katsuki. He kisses him again, long and sweet.
“Why do I have to dream when I have the real deal right here?”
A week from now he might regret it when Shouto picks Zuko over him to embrace at night. Or maybe he’ll just have to cuddle both cats at once.