bakugou is touch starved and affection starved.

so when he’s dragged to an arcade by his friends and kaminari hands him the grossest little pokemon thing he’s ever seen, his heart melts a little bit.

no one has ever bought him anything nice and said, “it reminded me of you.”

it’s a small little typhlosion, and he fits a little too well in his arms when he experimentally holds him to his chest when no one’s looking.

the plush isn’t exactly special.

there’s no ulterior meaning benind it when he sees him win a pink teddy bear and give it to ashido.

but he names him typho, and holds it in his lap when they go out for pizza, careful not to get him dirty or drop him.

then kirishima grabs it without warning and he almost screams at him to hand it back.

it’s not his and it wasn’t mean for him! he doesn’t need to touch him!

he only plays with it for a little before handing it back, and katsuki’s sitting it beside him as he joins in conversation, warmth flooding his stomach as he calls sero a god damn bean pole.

they’re not like his old friends.

they’re more than dumb followers.

he likes that.

when they get back to the dorms, he’s cuddling the plush beneath his sheets, one arm wrapped around it as he buries his nose against the side.

he sleeps better that ever that night and wakes up warm with the pokemon teddy still under his arm.

and that’s how every night goes.

he can’t sleep without holding it, not when kaminari spent ten dollars trying to win it because, “it’s so ugly just like bakugou!”

but it’s not ugly.

it’s definitely not cute, but it’s not ugly, just a little funny looking. an awkward in between. kind of like kaminari too.

not... not that he likes, kaminari. that’d be ridiculous.

no one likes kaminari, and that’s what makes him so likeable. he’s everyone’s favorite, hated student.

but suddenly the plush is more than a plush, and now it’s a placeholder for a person that might never be there.

and he knows the other would never date him, accepts it the second he first imagines holding him in place of typho.

it doesn’t even feel weird when he does everything from studying to reading with it. or when he takes it with him to get water in the middle of the night.

“bakugou?”

he turned around, a glass in one hand and the pokemon in the other.

“you kept it?”

well no shit.

it reminds him of not only the blond across the room, but of the people who actually, kind of, maybe, sort of, made him feel like more than his quirk and grades.

and it’s soft. nice to hold and squeeze.

“what do you want?”

“movie night in sero’s room. we were gonna tell you, but you were asleep already, or so we thought.” he answered. “wanna join?”

“whatever.”

he’s excited.

he kind of likes the movies that jirou and kirishima picks.

ao he followed him to sero’s room, watches as the room lit up and they smiled at him.

“thought i smelled gremlin.” jirou teased and he flipped her off as she made a spot on the bed of him to squeeze into.

and saueeze he does, with her to his left and kaminari to his right.

he likes the pressing of their skin against is, of jirou’s leg on his and kaminari’s arm around his shoulder.

he’s got typho on his lap too, and every so often kaminari sets a hand on his head, plays with the little orange fire and squeezes his arm.

bakugou gets tired half way through the movie, closes his eyes and leans his head against kaminari’s shoulder subconciously as he pulls the pokemon close.

he’s warm while surrounded by friends, and kaminari leans against him as well.

“night, kacchan.” he said quietly.

“night, kami...” he yawned, nose nuzzled into typho’s head and cheek resting against kaminari’s side.

a blanket is pulled higher on him, and he falls asleep with a warm chest as he’s sandwiches between people who actually cares about him.

it’s so nice, he never wants to leave.

and when he wakes up, he’s completely on top of kaminari, two arms wrapped around him and his teddy.

there’s a foot in his face from hanta, jirou’s head is on his thigh, ashido’s legs are on his ankles, and kirishima’s head is just a few inches from his.

it makes his face burn.

he’s not used to it.

no one has ever tried to get so close, so personal, and he’s kind of obsessed while also a little disgusted in himself.

but he doesn’t move. refuses to move.

now that he has gotten physical affection, he doesn’t want to let it go. it’s so nice.

they don’t stop either.

kaminari will take any chance he can get to sit by him and kirishima will throw his arm over his shoulders every day.

even jirou likes to fistbump him every time they see each other.

it public it’s gross. but not when it’s all just them.

it’s not that gross when ashido kisses his cheek and calls him sweetheart. or when sero lets him lay his head on his lap as he reads manga, his plush on his chest.

and no one questions why he brings the toy to every group hang out. or why it’s always in his bed when they visit.

he appreciates that.

“i’m secretly in love with the fact someone actually worked to to get me something,” and “it makes me feel not alone when i fall asleep,” were not “manly” answers to give.

and he has a reputation still. he can’t let people think he has gone soft.

he’s not soft.

he is the next number one hero and he will fucking kill someone.

he just also enjoys cuddles from his friends and all the weird looking teddy bears his friendd are starting to give him one by one.

they’re so ugly. he‘ll cherish them forever.

[ idk what this is tbh its 4am and i just wanna write bksqd and soft bakugou and him secretly craving physical affection and him having a plush that he loves because he loves his idiot friends and they love him and idk please accept this weird thing i made ]

also... rip @ those typos. i shouldn’t make threads when im half asleep