MINIMAL [s.hitoshi & k.denki]

sixteen

Attacks aren't unfamiliar to Denki.

He's had panic attacks sometimes after a traumatic mission, usually holed up beneath a desk with music in his ears until one of his coworker's manages to find him or when he's called out of hiding.

He's been face-to-face with threats, with people that have wanted to hurt him simply because they were treated unfairly by the supernatural society they all coexist in.

It's why he doesn't hesitate to reach out when he finds Shinsou crying in the living room, huddled up in a ball and staring into nothing as tears dribble down. It's similar to that of a doll, how still he is, not even fazing when Denki makes an appearance.

He placed his apartment keys gently on the coffee table, gentle clack that doesn't seem to ring either of their ears.

PTSD isn't something he's touched, never confronted with a person suffering from a flashback. It's hard to get out of such a dark place; whether from near-death situations, horrible memories, even just a slippery thought can cause the biggest damage.

So the blonde tugs a blanket over his roommate carefully, plopping his bag of cornerstore late-night munchies to the side in favor of comforting the other man. He tries to gently wipe away at the tears when he crouches in front of the man, saddened by the little flinches that Shinsou gave.

His thumbs continued to wipe and pat away the tears, with a patient expression.

He's helped comrades out of panic attacks, had rescued people in what could be called 'dissociation', he's even took the effort to learn a bit of human psychology. He's even helped his past girlfriend out of her accounts.

So Denki only pats the tears away, before looking his friend in the eye with a soft smile.

"Is it fine if I hug you Shinsou?" He whispered, soft but loud enough for his friend's eyes to hear. Those eyes open to stare, shutting only to shed the onslaught of tears dribbling, but after a couple more wipes of the tears, the blonde is given a nod.

It only begins with more tear-wiping, thumbs brushing the tracks away and hoping the warmth of his palms are better than the warmth of his tears. Shinsou doesn't flinch as much when Denki takes the spot beside him, not bothering with the blanket as the blonde only tightens it around him before wrapping his arms around the insomniac.

It's odd, to be so tall and being cradled by someone so much smaller.

Denki is slow with the embrace, careful with the way he places his arms around Shinsou. He doesn't want to freak him out, so in the side hug, his hands only end up at his biceps.

It's an awkward embrace, but the insomniac seems to appreciate it. His body doesn't shiver as badly and his entire form leans closer into Denki, like a cat stretching in front of a smoking fireplace.

"You alright?" Denki hums, taking a hand and gently pressing a finger against his friend's ear. Nails tickle where the curls of his hair ended, hesitant to try anymore contact.

"Mmm.." is all Shinsou responded with, sniffling and trying to breathe evenly. Even the blanket became more of a cocoon around him, Denki feeling the warmth of their bodies through the soft fabric. "I.. I'm fine."

The blonde smiled as he pulled Shinsou just a bit closer, scooting himself to sit on his heels as he let his fingers slowly tangle themselves into the purple locks.

"It's fine to cry a bit more." He hummed, feeling the body beneath him still before melting, hands underneath the blanket reaching for him with hesitant movements. "No one will hurt you here, Shinsou."

If the sniffles got louder and if Shinsou shivered just a bit harder, Denki listened to all the wet mutters that came from the man before him.

The food sat in the plastic bags on the ground, but Denki doesn't mind eating it cold.