#snuggle bug | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

makethiscanon · 6 months ago

Text

Snuggle Bug - [Ojiro x Reader]

Word Count: 3500

Rating: G

Warnings: none

Tags: Reader-Insert, Pining, Class 1A Shenanigans, House Party, Fluff, Slow Burn

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One evening during summer vacation, the entirety of Class 1-A decided to pile into the Yaoyorozu family estate, ready to celebrate a few weeks of freedom from your studies.

Yaoyorozu was more than happy to host, and her parents were even happier to retire to their summer home so that everyone could relax without any parents cramping their style.

"Let's play a game!" Declared Ashido excitedly, barely waiting long enough to let everyone settle in.

"Did you have something in mind?" Jirou asked with a roll of her eyes, knowing fine well Ashido had been scheming from the moment today's plans were first announced.

"You bet."

Her smile was devious. It unsettled many.

Just to her left, you were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Hagakure on one of the many plush armchairs dotted across the lounge. You were interested in what Ashido had to say, but couldn't help smiling as you looked around at everyone.

You were a few weeks into summer vacation, meaning you hadn't seen many of your classmates in that long. You were surprised by how much you'd missed them.

"Hey, stranger," Hagakure murmured, leaning close to your ear. "Don't think you're leaving here without arranging a hangout with us, Miss 'I never answer my texts'."

Her words lingered as you smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Hagakure. It's been a busy few weeks."

Truth be told, you hadn't been busy at all. But something had happened in the final week of term that had left you dealing with feelings you didn't know what to do with. And you were sure hanging out with the gang would only make those feelings worse.

Without meaning to, your gaze wandered across to Ojiro. He was sharing a couch with Tokoyami, looking as calm and as cheery as always, wearing black sweats and a grey, sleeveless hoodie that kept pulling your gaze back to the broad definition of his shoulders.

He glanced your way as you watched him. He seemed surprised at first, but smiled and gave you a little wave hello. With a jerk, you sat up straight and dragged your attention back to Ashido, already feeling your cheeks threatening to burn.

You just couldn't look at him the same way now.

During the last week before vacation, you had found yourself in just the right place at the right time to overhear Ojiro defending you to a group of boys from another class. Apparently they had said some less-than-reputable things about you. Which wasn't unheard of. You knew you were a bit of an odd-bod and people did like to talk.

But you'd never heard Ojiro so angry before. He was quick to defend you, and even went as far as rattling off a long list of things he liked about you to prove that they had misjudged you.

Honestly, you'd never heard anyone say such nice things about you before. Let alone so many at once. Every time you thought back on the moment, you ended up flustered.

Trouble was, now you couldn't look at him without feeling nervous. He'd only defended you as a friend, but knowing that he had your back like that, and that he thought all those nice things about you... it was hard not to look at him differently. It was hard not to notice the softness in his expressions, or the deep lull of his laugh, and suddenly you were seeing handsome little quirks in his mannerisms that you were sure hadn't been there before.

Your feelings were getting out of control, and what was worse, you knew you were making a bigger deal out of him defending you than necessary.

You didn't like that your heart was trying to jeopardise your friendship, so you were doing all you could to hold Ojiro at arm's length until you got it under control.

"Let's play snuggle-bug!" Ashido announced.

The declaration was met by confused silence.

"Snuggle-what-now?" Hagakure asked. She sounded intrigued, but no less confused than anyone else.

"Snuggle-bug!" Ashido said again, like she couldn't believe no-one had heard of it before. "Oh, come on. It's like hide-and-seek. We draw lots to decide who the bugs are, then everyone spreads out; the bugs have to hide and everyone else has to find them. If a bug isn't found in ten minutes, they win. Otherwise the person snuggling them at the end wins."

"Snuggling them--?" Mineta nearly choked. "You mean actually, physically cuddling them?"

"Yes!" Ashido said with a gleeful grin. "And if someone else finds your bug before the end of the game, you've got to give up your bug and find a new one. So if you like your bug..." She made meaningful eye-contact with a few different people, including you. "You'd better keep them hidden."

The hairs along your neck stood up. For some reason you felt like your secret feelings had already been rumbled. But surely Ashido couldn't know. You'd told no one, and had done your best to keep things under wraps.

"Let's do it!" Kaminari said eagerly, leading a charge that rippled through everyone and got them into a man-hunting mood.

That, or everyone really needed a hug.

After some prep-work, Ashido had all of you pick a slip of paper from a bowl. Three of the slips were bugs, and the rest were blanks.

You checked your paper. On it were the words: 'snuggle bug.'

Your heart started beating nineteen to the dozen. That was a lot of pressure.

Faced with the uncertainty of who could be about to cuddle you, you suddenly became aware of all the different players. You glanced at Mineta, in particular. If he wasn't also a bug, you needed to make sure you hid well.

When the game began, Yaoyorozu shut off the lights then everyone fanned out. You had one minute to hide, then the claxon would blare to signal the start of the game.

You didn't know the layout of Yaoyorozu's home all that well, but luckily, aside from the class president herself, no one else did either. Hoping to use that to your advantage, you put as much distance between you and the lounge as you could. The main house was large. It would take anyone a while to search room-by-room. So you needed to find a far-away corner to sit tight in.

And you found just the spot in Yaoyorozu's parents' room. You hesitated at first, realising whose room it was, but figured that the same hesitation might stop others coming in to find you, too.

You climbed into the large ottoman at the foot of the bed just as the claxon sounded.

Ten minutes. You could do this.

As you waited to hear the second claxon, you congratulated yourself on finding such a comfortable hiding spot. You hoped Yaoyorozu's parents could forgive you for lying on their folded bed-linens, though. Even with ample wiggle-room, you tried to keep still so things wouldn't get too creased.

It was hard to tell how much time passed. You were in total darkness and the linens muffled most noises, but when you listened closely you could hear people running around. You wondered if another bug had been found yet.

The creak of a floorboard suddenly pulled you from your thoughts and back to your senses. The fact you hadn't had to strain to hear the noise meant one thing: someone was in the room.

Suddenly aware of how loud your breathing was, you clamped your hands over your mouth and stayed deathly still. You wondered what your chances were of remaining unfound. But then again. If you were anyone else, the person-sized chest would be the first place you'd check.

Their footsteps were quiet. You really had to strain to hear them -- which immediately put you on edge. They either had to be someone light-footed, or someone who weighed less than average because they were small.

That last thought horrified you.

You prayed not to see Mineta's purple hair as the chest opened.

Truthfully, you were only half-relieved when you saw it wasn’t him.

“Ah. You found me.”

You looked up at Ojiro, noticing that his tail started wagging when he realised who he had found, nestled amongst the bedding.

Even in the dark, you could see his pleased smile.

“I guess I don’t need to ask if you’re a snugglebug, then?”

He stepped back, offering you his hand to help you out of the chest.

But you hesitated to move. You could only be thankful for the lack of lighting. It hid the fact you were both giddy and panicking at the same time.

The game dictated that you and Ojiro had to cuddle. It was the best—no, worst—no... it was a situation, and you didn’t know how to feel. You weren’t sure if your heart could take having Ojiro cuddling up to you now, not when you were trying desperately to deny your own feelings for him.

But you supposed snuggling was the name of the game. You had to do it, to avoid the question of why you didn’t want to do it. It would only be for a short while. You could endure the cuddle, as long as your heart remained under strict instructions not to run off with your feelings.

Perhaps Ojiro caught wind of your hesitation, as he let his hand drop when you failed to climb from the ottoman. He cleared his throat, then sat down with his back pressed against the outside of the box. For a moment, he looked back at you with a friendly smile then turned his attention elsewhere.

When he seemed to look settled, you quirked an eyebrow. You opened your mouth to ask if he actually intended to cuddle you, but stopped when you realised it would come out sounding desperate.

You couldn’t ignore how disappointed you felt, lying alone in the ottoman now.

“Aren’t you… meant to hug me or something? That’s how the game works, right? You cuddle the bug?”

You did your best to play your nerves off as a playful dig as you sat up, resting your chin on the lip of the ottoman. Ojiro couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw what you were doing, how childish you looked with a small pout on your lips that you weren’t aware you were making. But then his smile faltered.

“I won’t force you into a cuddle you don’t want. I’d never want to… make you uncomfortable.”

Silence followed. You weren’t sure what to say. His words felt loaded, and you could hear a melancholy tone to his voice that made your chest ache. This wasn’t like him.

As Ojiro continued, he ran his hand up through the back of his hair awkwardly.

“…You’ve been acting different around me recently. Kind of skittish. The last thing I want is to invade your personal space if... you don’t want me there.”

Guilt hit you instantly. Of course Ojiro had noticed you keeping him at a distance. And instead of calling you a bad friend, he was being considerate of your feelings. Just another reason to add to the pile of why your heart increasingly, desperately wanted him.

However, his wording really caught your attention.

You cleared your throat with a quiet cough.

“So, um, just to clarify… do you want to cuddle with me, or not?”

Ojiro’s tail swished like a suddenly-wary cat.

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

You rolled your eyes at his answer, then sat up so you could lean out of the ottoman to look at him properly.

“I asked what you want.”

It was dark so you couldn’t see the full effects of your statement, but given that you only managed to hold Ojiro’s gaze for a moment before he glanced away, you had to wonder if he was blushing. His tail swished again.

“I’d… I’d like to cud—I’d like to cuddle you.” He stammered, though his final words were definitive. There was no chance for misinterpretation. And hearing them only made your heart ache more. Not only were you fighting your feelings, but now you felt guiltier. Because no matter what Ojiro was to you, you had pushed him away and he had noticed. And he wanted to cuddle with you – whether for comfort or something else, you didn’t care. You only knew that you weren’t going to turn him away now, your heart be damned.

Despite the turbulence inside yourself, your words came out in that same, playful and calm manner Ojiro knew from you so well.

“Come cuddle me then.”

You laid down in the ottoman, pressing yourself to the front of it to give Ojiro space should he actually want to join you.

You held your breath. You didn’t know how this would go. But to your relief, you heard Ojiro heave himself up from the floor then he carefully climbed in behind you, before pulling you tight against his chest with very little ceremony, his muscular arms holding you close to him.

You had to fight to hold in the gasp that threatened to burst out of you. You hadn’t expected Ojiro to be this willing to have you pressed so tight against him.

“Sorry,” he said immediately, his breath fanning the back of your ear as his words came out softly. “It’s a tight fit with my tail. It’s always getting in the way.”

You tried to reason with yourself then that, at least in part, Ojiro’s bold embrace was strategic. Holding you close was the only way to get you, him, and his small-human-sized tail into the ottoman all at once.

When he was settled, Ojiro’s tail flicked the ottoman closed, then he rested it over you, hugging you with it like a third arm.

Your face felt like it was on fire. So much of Ojiro’s body was pressed against you, and it felt even better than you could ever have dreamed. His strong muscles, now relaxed, were spongy and soft like pillows, yet you could still feel the strength in arms as he held you.

You weren’t sure you could utter a word coherently right now, so you kept quiet, and instead listened to his breathing as his presence invaded your senses. He was so close. He was so warm. His breath fanned gently against the back of your neck, and he held you so close that you could smell that familiar scent of oranges and vanilla that he liked to wear, mixed in with the comforting smell of his skin.

Unable to find the words, you stayed that way for some time, simply curled up in Ojiro’s arms as you fought to hate the feeling, but you couldn’t. It felt too good.

Just then, you heard the creak of a floorboard. You gasped in surprise, while Ojiro pulled you closer. His wasn’t a jumpy, knee-jerk reaction like yours. It was a slow and deliberate movement, like he was pulling you closer to make you feel safe.

Both of you listened for a while, waiting to hear another sound. But nothing came. Not from close by, anyway. You could still hear the muffled sounds of your classmates around the house, both yells and laughter, but nothing to make you think you’d been found.

You didn’t want to be found. You wondered if you might manage to stay here until the game ended, whenever that might be.

As you thought about that, a knot twisted in your stomach. You didn’t know how much longer you had left. What would happen when the game was over and you no longer had the obligation to cuddle with Ojiro… and he no longer had the obligation to cuddle with you?

“Ojiro…” you began, but couldn’t bring yourself to say more; to admit how you were really feeling. But as the quiet carried on, you realised it needed to be said. You couldn’t bear Ojiro thinking you were uncomfortable around him; that he had done something wrong. You didn’t want him thinking that this cuddle… that you were only willing to do it as part of a game. Because you knew that was the furthest thing from the truth.

You dared to bring your voice just above a whisper as you swallowed to clear your throat.

“I overheard you at school.”

Ojiro pulled you closer, lifting his head so his cheek was pressing against the side of your face so he could hear you better.

“When?”

“When you defended me against those boys. What you said about me.”

His body tensed. It was hard for you to miss.

“I…” he began to stammer, his voice barely contained to a whisper. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m sorry if I— I didn’t mean to speak out of turn. Is that—is it why you’ve been acting off around me—”

Hearing the desperation growing in his voice, you cut him off by finishing your thought.

“It made me so happy.”

Ojiro went quiet. He breathed a single word, like he couldn’t believe what his own ears had heard.

“What?”

You touched his arm as he held you, both as a sign of affection and to steel yourself for the rest of what you had to say.

“I’ve never heard anyone say such nice things about me before. It made me happy. Maybe… too happy.”

You paused to take a breath. You knew you had to tell him why you’d been avoiding him. You knew you had to come clean.

But before you could utter the words, Ojiro turned his face towards you to speak, his nose nuzzling your cheek as he did.

“I meant every word of it. You really are the sweetest girl. You might be a little different but that’s why I like you.”

“Ojiro, I—”

“That’s why I really like you.”

His words hung in the air. What had first sounded like a confirmation of friendship, now had your heart in a tizzy.

“You... like me?”

You murmured, sounding shocked and in disbelief.

Ojiro squeezed you. His tail started wagging, thump-thump-thumping against the side of the ottoman.

“I really do. And I only realised how much once I thought I’d done something to make you hate me. It made me realise… I don’t want to lose you.”

Your guilt at keeping Ojiro at arm’s length hit you all over again.

“I’m sorry. I only kept my distance because I was afraid of my feelings.”

Ojiro’s tail started thumping harder against the side of the ottoman. He couldn’t keep the excitement from his voice.

“Do you like me too?”

Unfortunately the revelation came too late, as Ojiro’s excited tail became a beacon for your location. He had no time to rectify his mistake, as in the next moment, the top of the ottoman lifted up and the pair of you looked up to see Kaminari peering down. Ojiro’s hold on you grew much tighter. You groaned at Kaminari’s terrible timing.

Oblivious to the moment he had just interrupted, Kaminari grinned triumphantly.

“Which of you is the snugglebug?”

Seeing no way to get the moment back, you begrudgingly raised your hand.

“I am.”

Kaminari’s grin only broadened. He threw his thumb over his shoulder, looking at Ojiro.

“Shift it.”

Ojiro hesitated. He made no effort to move at all. Then, suddenly, the claxon blared, making all three of you jump. Kaminari straightened up after hearing the sound, throwing his hands into his hair with an exasperated groan.

“Are you kidding me? I was just about to snuggle with a hottie. Come on!”

The fact he had technically won did not seem to matter. Kaminari felt robbed.

As he skulked off, Ojiro began untangling himself from you, then helped the both of you out of the ottoman. When you were out, in true Ojiro style, he started trying to straighten out the crumpled bedlinen out of respect for Yaoyorozu’s parents. You watched him with a smile, though you felt nervous. Both of you had just confessed your feelings like it was the most natural thing in the world, but you had no idea where that left the two of you.

You bit your lip as he straightened up then closed the ottoman with his tail, giving his attention back to you.

Now that your eyes were adjusted to the darkness, you could see the warmth in his expression as he looked at you. It eased your worries, but you needed to know for sure.

“So… what now?” You asked.

Without missing a beat, Ojiro offered you his hand to hold.

“How about a movie this weekend? Not with the gang, I mean. Just... you and me.”

You could hear the nerves in his voice, like he was putting his heart on the line for this.

With a warm smile, you slipped your hand into his then gave it a squeeze to reassure him.

“I’d like that.”

Now that your fingers were intertwined, the two of you headed back to the lounge, both feeling as nervous but as happy as each other. Neither of you were prepared for Hagakure’s happy, banshee-like screeching the moment she set her sights on you.

You smiled as Ojiro’s hand held yours tighter, then he led you into the room.

So, you didn’t manage to win snugglebug. But truly, you didn’t mind. What you had won, and what the future held, was much, much better.

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