freedom.  a single word drenched in a hundred layers of exhaustion from none other than the seventh  hokage  himself.  night has already began to creep in accompanied by the cacophony of rain pounding the roof.  he’s sure naruto had to go through flood reports on top of the necessary mission reports  &  emails with the mixture of the two.  absently he wonders if naruto was looking for sympathy  ,  but he knew sasuke well enough that the man wouldn’t offer it.  instead he raises his glass to cover a mere ghost of a smile.  a mocking one at that   ,  but amused nonetheless.  “   what’s wrong  ,  seventh  ,  still getting beat by all of the paperwork  ?  ”   a calm statement before he’s taking a drink.  the eye that’s uncovered shifts to the man placing his garments on the hook  &  he’s quick to layer on more  ,  “   i'm surprised you didn’t fall asleep there.  you look dreadful.   ”

WISPY LASHES FLUTTER AGAINST CHEEKBONES ROSY WITH HEAT , ebbing in and out of consciousness.  the prospect of sleep is alluring and she would give anything to succumb to a deep slumber , if only to banish the pre - mission nerves that plague every inch of her body.  she finally surrenders to the fact that a full - nights rest is completely out of the question , but the final nail in the coffin comes from the sound of naruto’s voice from his cot across the room.  she stirs completely now , body shifting to peer at his form shrouded in darkness.  she won’t admit to her restlessness and instead chooses to deflect with feigned irritation , desperately hoping that he doesn't see right through it.    ❛  well not anymore , idiot.  ❜

     “   THEN QUIT MOVING DAMMIT !  ”    his tone is drastically misplaced for the circumstance of trying to put a damn  braid  in kirishima’s hair.  frankly  ,  bakugou  himself is misplaced with his fingers in red hair.  he has no knowledge of styling hair  (  who needs it when you wake up with the same hairstyle as you had going to bed  )  and little patience for attempting it on someone else.  however  ,  when you’re asked  (  he refused at first  )   and then have to witness pathetic struggling to achieve the smallest possible braid in the world  ...  it sparks a certain kind of determination.  three youtube videos later and here bakugou is  :  fighting  with the loose strands of kirishima’s hair.  he’s on his third attempt and probably  definitely  pulling a little too hard.  “   there.  you have a stupid braid !  are y’ happy now  ,  shitty hair  ?  YOU’D BETTER BE  !  ”

                                           kageyama     for     @bakaaruo

     “  watch you  ?   ”   it’s a parrot from the other  ;  expression puzzled.  what the  hell  kind of request is watching shitty hair do crunches  ?  “   the hell kind of request is that  ,  horn-head  ?  ”   he snorts.  birthdays really didn’t mean that much to bakugou  ;  just another day  ,  another year older.  still  ,  he didn’t think  CRUNCHES  was a legitimate part of a celebration or whatever you’d call it.   “   better make it fifty for every sweet you’ve had today.   ”