Through the Years

Sleepiness

"Starlight."

You feel a hand on your shoulder, shaking you awake gently. You groan in response, burying your face further into the pillow and squeezing your eyes shut even tighter in defiance.

"You need to get up and eat something." Tomura says, his tone telling you that you probably shouldn't push your luck.

He never got mad at you, not really, but he was stern when he needed to be, and was ten times more stubborn than Dabi was.
He wouldn't buckle with an innocent doe-eyed look like your pawpaw would.

"Sleepy." You say, your voice muffled by the pillow.

"You've been asleep since three p.m. it's been three hours. You won't sleep later if you stay asleep now." Tomura says simply, squeezing your shoulder before getting up from the edge of your bed. "Hurry, before it gets cold. Cloud, come on."

You feel the lump of a cat you'd been curled up around standing up, chirruping at Tomura's command, and immediately purring as he jumps off your bed and rubs against Tomuras ankles.
You turn at this, frowning.

"Don't take Cloud."

"He needs to eat too. Come on." Tomura replies, lifting Cloud up into his arms, holding him like a big fat baby.

He walks out of your room, leaving the door open behind him. Your lips turn downwards as you fight back a groan of frustration, but know better than to fight Tomura on this and take a moment to wake up properly, rubbing your eyes and yawning.
You eventually get out of your bed, padding barefoot across the hallway into the kitchen, where Dabi passes you with a bowl in each hand.
He drops a quick kiss to your head as he passes, Tomura following behind with one plate in his hand, the other being used to turn you back around and lead you alongside him, resting at the back of your neck.

"At the table." He says simply.

You let him lead you there, his thumb stroking the skin there faintly.
Dabi had never changed, he was always really affectionate with you, and Tomura both, even if you didn't reciprocate it. He was less likely to be physically affectionate with Tomura if someone else was around, but he would always have a hand on you or give you a hug or peck on the top of your head no matter who was around.
But for Tomura to be affectionate with you unprompted, it means something must be wrong, or he's worried about you.

Tomura sets the bowl he'd been carrying down on the table, motioning for you to sit there as Dabi puts the other two bowls down.
You sit under the chabudai, tucking your legs under the blanket, looking over the table as Tomura and Dabi take their places too.

"Good nap, hon?" Dabi asks affectionately, ruffling your hair the second he's sat down.

You swat him away, earning a chuckle as always, and his metallic knuckles stroking your cheek a couple of times before he accepts your silent protest and keeps his hands to himself.

"You still takin' your iron tablets, Star? You're sleepin' a lot lately." He asks, watching as you slowly take bits of food from the bowls around the table.

"Yeah, dad." You reply tiredly, keeping your eyes on your food, missing the exchanged look Tomura and Dabi give each other.

"You feelin' alright?" Dabi asks, going to press the back of his other hand against your head.

"I'm fine, dad." You insist, moving your head back so he can't touch you.

A flicker of hurt flashes in pale blue eyes, but Dabi brushes it off quickly, sniffing and smiling although it doesn't reach his eyes.
Cloud pads in, licking his lips still and immediately rubs up against Dabi, purring happily despite not even being pet in response.
Dabi grumbles as Cloud climbs onto his lap, which he always does, to leech off his heat while he's eating.