Inspired by this lovely art and concept by stulgoz:

stulgoz dot tumblr dot com / post / 165786560043

Written for the BNHA Rarepair Week event on Tumblr. Prompt: AU

The last rays of sunlight have just hidden behind the horizon when Todoroki emerges from the bedroom, still clad in his pajamas, his usually slicked-back hair sticking out in several directions. He doesn't have to say anything for Bakugou to turn around – the werewolf can sense his presence the moment Todoroki steps into the living room.

"You're up early," Bakugou says, leaning beside the window and not even trying to hide a smirk at the sight of Todoroki rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Anyone who saw him like that wouldn't believe him to be one of the most dangerous predators in the world.

Bakugou wonders if Todoroki realizes how ridiculously cute it is.

"I slept enough," Todoroki replies, muffling a yawn before sneaking his arms around Bakugou's waist, nuzzling his neck. "I miss you."

"I told you to feed before going to sleep, didn't I?"

Bakugou keeps one hand on Todoroki's hip while he pulls at his collar with the other, tilting his head to the side so Todoroki has more access to the skin of his neck.

Todoroki shakes his head – Bakugou can feel the movement through the strands of hair that tickle him – and simply presses a kiss to the sensitive spot on Bakugou's throat instead of biting.

"No, that's not what I meant," he mutters, leaning back to meet Bakugou's stare. "I miss spending time with you."

Bakugou is speechless for a moment – they've been together for decades, and yet Todoroki's bluntness still catches him by surprise sometimes – but then his hold on Todoroki tightens, a sigh leaving his lips as he raises a hand to try to flatten a strand of hair that insists on sticking out from the other's head.

Bakugou understands what he's saying. The harsh truth is that, with one of them always guarding over the other during different times of day, the amount of time left for them to spend with each other has decreased considerably.

However, it's not like they have a choice – much as Bakugou would like them to. When their relationship became public, other werewolves and vampires didn't take to it kindly, most of them too engrossed in the rivalry between races to accept that there could be something other than hate between two of them.

From then on, attempts to separate Todoroki and Bakugou became more and more frequent, most of their pursuers approaching them with nothing less than murderous intent. Even though Bakugou had suggested they just kill nearly every other werewolf and vampire out there – might as well put an end to this fucking war while we're at it – Todoroki had promptly refused the idea, which was why they had to resort to hiding and watching over each other's backs without rest.

It's during moments like this, though, when he has his arms around Todoroki, feeling his cold touch against his skin, that Bakugou knows it's worth it.

"You know I miss that too," he says, giving up on Todoroki's rebellious bed hair. He lowers his hand, sure that Todoroki can hear the frustration in his voice when he speaks. "But I can't let my guard down. We can't let our guard down."

"I know." Todoroki frowns, staring out the window with a pensive look on his face. "We can ask Midoriya to keep watch for us for a few hours," he suggests.

Bakugou scoffs, his tail swishing angrily behind him.

"Deku? You want to ask a fucking ghost?"

"You underestimate him."

"People will think the house is haunted or some shit. Bring attention to us."

"Katsuki." Todoroki fixes him with a pointed stare, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You keep scaring anyone who gets close to the house away. In your huge wolf form. If anyone brings attention to us, it's you."

"I'm just protecting your sleeping ass when I do that, idiot."

"I highly doubt the mailman offers me any threat."

Bakugou grits his teeth, knowing that if he tries to argue Todoroki will just reply with another one of his sassy answers again. He isn't wrong, exactly, at least about the mailman case; however, Bakugou can't help but be protective when it comes to Todoroki.

Bakugou would never forgive himself if something happened to the man he loved simply because he was being careless.

Which is why he feels reluctant to leave their protection to others, too. He knows he can take on whoever might attack them, and he trusts Todoroki to do so as well, but how is he supposed to just leave that to someone else?

"It's only a few hours," Todoroki says, almost as if he knows what Bakugou's thinking. "You can ask Kirishima to help too, if you want. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Bakugou hesitates. Kirishima is one of the few werewolves they still keep in touch with – the closest thing Bakugou has to a best friend, just like Midoriya is Todoroki's. Begrudgingly, he has to admit that the both of them wouldn't mind keeping watch for a while, nor would they take it lightly and risk their friends' lives. For the many years they'd all known each other, Kirishima and Midoriya had always been the most helpful when it came to supporting Bakugou and Todoroki's relationship.

But still-

"Please," Todoroki mutters against the skin of Bakugou's neck, running his lips down his pulse point and stopping to graze his fangs at the beginning of his clavicle. "Just this once."

Bakugou's fingers tighten on Todoroki's waist, breath coming out shaky. He mentally curses the fact that the vampire knows all his weak spots.

"Like you said, I didn't feed earlier. So, I'm really hungry. I could… drink properly if we had more time." Todoroki applies a little more pressure to the place his fangs are touching, and Bakugou can feel the light sting of a cut, the warmth of a few drops of blood that spill only for Todoroki to lick them with a hum of contentment.

"This is blackmail," Bakugou says, struggling to think even though his hand instinctively moves to tangle in Todoroki's hair, keeping him in place.

He can feel Todoroki's smile against his skin. Shameless bastard.

"Does that mean you agree?"

Bakugou considers the options one last time – and it's tempting, to imagine what it would feel like if they had just a few more hours of this, of being close without having to stand on attention for any outside movement, maybe even taking a nap together like they haven't done in so long; of being able to focus on Todoroki and Todoroki alone.

"Okay," Bakugou finally says.

Todoroki's smile widens, and he momentarily raises his head to pull Bakugou into a soft kiss that makes his cold skin seem warm against Bakugou's.

"Thank you, Katsuki," he says, and Bakugou's pretty sure he isn't imagining the happiness in his voice or in the glint of his eyes as Todoroki lowers his head back down, cradling the back of Bakugou's head before carefully sinking his fangs into his neck.

It's a shallow bite, but it makes Bakugou gasp with the prickle of pain mixed with the promise of pleasure, his whole body arching into Todoroki's, who in turn doesn't hold back a moan as he drinks a few mouthfuls of Bakugou's blood.

Soon – way too soon – he pulls back, licking his lips and laughing when Bakugou lets out a displeased whine.

"What happened to all that worry from minutes ago?" Todoroki teases.

"Shut up."

That only makes Todoroki laugh more, but Bakugou can't bring himself to feel angry about it – this is something he rarely gets to see, and it gives the moment a sense of rightness, because here, like this – this is where they belong.

"Believe me, I'd like to continue that right now just as much as you," Todoroki says, ghosting his lips over Bakugou's. "But we have to contact Midoriya and Kirishima first."

Bakugou huffs, but Todoroki is right, so he disentangles himself from the vampire in order to fish his phone out of his pocket.

"Fine. I'll call Shitty Hair."

"Midoriya is probably at Uraraka's magic shop, so I'll try calling there."

To Bakugou's disappointment, Todoroki steps away, going back to the bedroom to retrieve his own cell phone. He immediately misses the other's closeness, but at least this time the loss doesn't mean he's going back to an empty bed while Todoroki keeps watch alone.

That brings a small smile to Bakugou's face as he waits for the call to connect, watching the way Todoroki smiles back at him after coming back to the room, already talking to someone on his phone.

This might be something they both need – a break from all the worry, a chance to escape the fear and tension for a few precious hours. It doesn't mean they're suddenly safe, no, but Bakugou's willing to place his trust in those close to them if that's what Todoroki wants.

And in the end, it doesn't change the fact that, if trouble comes, they'll always have each other's back.