played established kotetsu/barnaby relationship.
the artwork used in the theme is by beardorado. icon by mochinue.
(( Another little drabble-y, two daddies endish commission. ))
Barnaby likes sleeping, when he’s able.
He’s never been very good at it, the whole business of resting. If it isn’t the prospect of missing out on valuable research time, it’s still simply thinking about everything - every mistake he’s made, every opportunity lost, every failure, every little thing in every part of every day -
Sometimes, Barnaby truly does wish his mind would shut up.
(( A quick drabble commission, pre-relationship. ))
At best, Kotetsu is annoying.
He’s a troublesome partner to be sure, and the source of many a headache. Barnaby rather wishes Kotetsu didn’t make him think so much - about numerous things, about his job as a hero or about anything that isn’t Ouroboros, revenge, his parents - but such luxuries seem to be a thing of the past nowadays.
Barnaby contemplates blocking his number on Kotetsu’s phone, in hopes of getting some peace in his life again without the man calling, checking on him at odd hours, asking if he’s been eating correctly or - well, anything terribly obnoxious that Kotetsu likes to do. It’s why he has the man’s phone in his hand now, flipping through his contacts, coming to his own name and selecting it with full intentions of not only blocking it, but deleting it.
A temporary solution, but one all the same.
What brings him pause, however, is the fact there’s a picture of him there - not simply the default icon as he expects. No, Kotetsu must have snapped it when he wasn’t looking, possibly at some photoshoot when he’s well-dressed and without a single hair out of place. He’s smiling, and it doesn’t look terribly forced, and Barnaby wonders what had actually and honestly amused him that day.
He wonders what made Kotetsu actually bother to take a picture like this.
His hand wavers, and Barnaby sighs, setting the phone down, resolving to simply not think about it - and resolving even more so to just ignore Kotetsu’s number when it comes up on his own cellphone, rather that outright block the idiot.
He’d have to deal with Kotetsu’s questions at work, after all, and that’s far more annoying.
(At least, that’s his reasoning for now).
He had ample opportunity to do it that one night, but Kotetsu was drunk, and Barnaby himself too unsure of what to say (and also, later, just as drunk).
Obnoxious, really, how he felt so helpless when Kotetsu was right there, sitting in front of him, bandaged up from actions and exploits that had been for Barnaby’s benefit. The least he could do was say something to better express his appreciation.
It never quite happened then.
The next opportunity he should have taken made him hurt when he didn’t - made his chest twist and made him throw himself into battle as heavily as Kotetsu had done, because wasn’t that all he could do at that point? Kotetsu, sprawled out on a hospital bed, brought back to life after Jake nearly tore him to pieces -
And Barnaby couldn’t say a damned thing.
If he was a better person, a bigger man, he would have put aside feeling misunderstood in favor of walking in that room and at least thanking Kotetsu for what he’s done.
Instead, it’s months later with a fine edge of alcohol and enough pent up emotions and battles fought, won, and lost to nearly kill him, and Barnaby still finds it difficult to say it. Instead, he shows it, with fumbling hands and lips and insistent breaths that might have been whispers of I want you, I need you, I love you.
It works out, in the end, and never once did Kotetsu question him - because if nothing else, Barnaby knows he is honest, even if it takes awhile for the truth to come out.
In the meantime, it’s best not to say anything at all (and wait, until one is sure to make the right impression).
a little smutty thing for pory!
(( Figured I better get off my butt and finish my half of the trade, especially after you worked so hard on yours!
Sorry for many sleepless nights, my love ;;; You’re a real sweetheart and I’m so glad to have met you! I hope you enjoy this!
… And also, it fulfills another anon’s request sorta, imagine that:
Enjoy! ))
Even after the first time, it’s still more than a little overwhelming.
Happy Mother’s Day!
If she were still here, he’d probably get her flowers.
Or not. Perhaps the idea seems a bit too contrived in his mind - but more so than that, Barnaby finds himself worried that he can’t quite remember what flowers she preferred.
Roses. Daisies. Or maybe orchids, something more exotic; all he can remember is something pink, his father planting a kiss upon her cheek, and her saying she would cherish the ‘drawings’ (rather pathetically rendered, mind) that Barnaby made for her forever.
Maybe a better gift would be something of an essay, heralding her work, how his mother’s exploits in the field of technology did so many good things - how he’s proud to be the son of someone that talented, that intelligent, and how he’s certain that if it weren’t for her -
Barnaby settles on roses, because they’re a classically beautiful thing, just like his mother was admired to be, and leaves them at her grave (with a few for his father as well, because what would his family be without him, too?).
Happy mother’s day is a phrase that isn’t quite enough, especially in death; thank you for everything, even though your time here was far too short seems far better, far more appropriate, and leaves his eyes wet as he leaves to continue his day.
“You’re an idiot.”
Barnaby yanks on the bandages a bit too tightly, he knows. He doesn’t feel guilty about it until he sees Kotetsu wince, and even then, he suppresses it to a frown. Really, the man has brought it on himself. He’s careless, and Barnaby has enough to worry about without considering what trouble Kotetsu has gotten into on any given day -
“You’re the guy bandaging up the idiot,” Kotetsu sighs at him, reclining when Barnaby tucks the last bit of wrapping into place around his torso. “What’s that say about you?”
The blond’s lips purse further. “That you need to take care of yourself better. And it’s always this - ” He pokes the shoulder, for emphasis. “Shoulder. You should really improve your guard on that side, every single time you’re injured there - “
“Geez, Bunny, I fell off a damned building.”
“So try to rotate so you don’t fall on your weaker side next time!”
Kotetsu rolls his eyes skyward, and reaches out to, presumably, touch Barnaby’s hair, his face, something. Barnaby’s inclined to move away, but for once, Kotetsu’s too fast for him - he usually is, when determined - and the softness of his lips press at the corner of Barnaby’s mouth, the roughness of his beard and the pads of his fingers drag across his flesh and Barnaby is suddenly, starkly reminded of what it is like to not be annoyed with this man.
“… You have a penchant for worrying me. Stop that.”
“And you wonder why I don’t tell you everything,” is Kotetsu’s sigh.
“That worries me even more.”
All in all, Kotetsu is an idiot of the truest sort, but Barnaby finds himself less inclined to complain when the man is safe and well in his apartment, bandaged up and on his way to recovery - for now.
It’s a fortunate thing, at least, that Barnaby doesn’t mind doing the bandaging.
(( The other one. ))
What was once a thing that ‘never happened’ is now something of a problem.
Barnaby likes touching Kotetsu’s hair about as much as Kotetsu likes touching his - except it’s probably weirder coming from him, because Kotetsu doesn’t have curls that bounce or spring back with the slightest tug. No, he just likes Kotetsu’s hair - thick and heavy underneath his fingertips, a little wiry, and sort of pleasant to tug at and wind around his fingers when the man leans against his shoulder at the end of a long day.
It’s only proper that his touch goes a bit further each time, and now it’s diverting into the lightest of massages - his fingertips dragging along Kotetsu’s scalp, behind his ear, stroking down the back of his neck, and that’s all it takes, really, before Kotetsu is all but purring, leaning into his touch and sighing out slow, content breaths.
Even if it’s weird, even if it’s a problem, Barnaby can’t really hold issue with having Kotetsu doze off against his side like this, happy and pleased all from a few little moments spent playing with his hair.
