Prey and Predator

Enjoy. 

I froze in place, my eyes wide as I processed what he just said. Sleep with him? The hell was he thinking, asking something like that out of nowhere? My tail twitched in his grip, a ripple of heat crawling up my spine that I desperately tried to ignore. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

"Deku," I started, my voice coming out harsher than I meant. His ears flinched, but he didn't let go of my tail. Instead, he tightened his hold slightly, like he was scared I'd pull away completely."I mean... just lay here," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to be alone right now, Kacchan. Please."

The way he said it—so vulnerable, so damn quiet—made something in me crack. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair before crouching down to his level. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue," I grumbled, trying to sound annoyed, but my voice softened on its own.

His ears twitched again, and he peeked up at me, the smallest hint of relief in his eyes. "Thank you," he murmured, letting go of my tail and shifting to make space on the bed.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if this was a good idea. But the sight of him, still looking so damn small and fragile, made up my mind for me. "Move over," I muttered, crawling onto the bed beside him. The mattress dipped under my weight, and I felt him scoot closer, his body curling just slightly toward mine.

The scent of him—soft and familiar, like fresh grass after rain—wrapped around me, and I felt my tail twitch again as I forced myself to relax. His breathing steadied almost immediately, and I realized just how much tension he'd been holding onto until now.

"Better?" I asked quietly, turning my head to glance at him. His eyes were closed, his ears still flat but not trembling anymore. He nodded faintly, his hand brushing against mine again."Yeah," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "You're warm..."

I rolled my eyes, but a part of me softened at the words. "Dumbass," I muttered, but I stayed where I was, letting his presence calm me too. The ache in my chest was still there, but it wasn't as sharp now.

Whatever was going on, whatever he wasn't ready to tell me... I'd wait. I didn't like it, but I'd wait. Because even if he thought he had to face this alone, I'd make sure he knew I wasn't going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.