Chapter Text
Katsuki could feel himself unraveling. Mitsuki refused to believe his account of seeing Deku. She urged him to try therapy with her, but he was seething with frustration. He was utterly convinced of what he had witnessed. Driven by his certainty, he found himself wandering the streets well past curfew, armed with a flashlight. He combed through the dimly lit alleys, skirting around abandoned buildings and homeless encampments. As he peered through the dusty basement window of an old apartment, his beam of light revealed nothing but emptiness. Despite hours of searching, he remained determined, continuing to scour the area long after passing most shelters.
Katsuki cautiously approached the supposed abandoned parking garage, its entrance barricaded with a wooden plank. With a quick, forceful shove, he cleared the way inside, his quirk lighting up the dim space with sparks. Suddenly, he felt a powerful push, his face abruptly meeting the rough surface of the wall, while a sharp blade pressed against his throat. As he slowly turned his gaze, he locked eyes with a pair of glowing green eyes. In a sudden moment of recognition, the grip on him loosened, and a familiar voice uttered, "Kacchan?"
The tension in the room was palpable as the hand released him and the figure slowly backed up, turning towards the door. Katsuki's heart was racing as he lurched forward, instinctively grabbing the collar of the sweatshirt. "Don't you dare, Deku," he growled, his voice filled with urgency. Deku finally stopped, his eyes locked on the ground, and Katsuki tried to catch his breath before speaking again. "Where have you-"
Katsuki's words were abruptly cut off as Deku suddenly turned around. Katsuki braced himself, expecting a confrontation, but to his surprise, Deku wrapped his arms around Katsuki's torso, burying his face into his shirt as he held on tightly. Katsuki stood there in shock, not knowing how to react at first. After a moment, he awkwardly patted Deku on the back, feeling the tension leave Deku's muscles as they hugged it out.
"Why are you here?” Deku asks a confused expression on his face, pulling his arms back a bit and stepping away to get some space.
“The hell do you mean? I should be asking you that question!” Katsuki says sharply, his voice laced with frustration.
Deku hesitates, visibly distressed, and says, “I can’t go back, Kacchan. Please don’t make me.”
Katsuki scowls, his brows furrowing deeply. “Why the hell not?”
“B-because they’ll put me in a foster care system,” he insists, his voice breaking just a bit, “N-no one would be kind to a Quirkless nobody like me.”
“They can’t do that and you know it,” Katsuki snaps, his tone reflecting a mix of concern and anger.
Deku rubs his face, his eyes betraying a sense of helplessness. “Y-yes they can and they will!”
Katsuki scowls even more, his voice softer but no less intense, “When was the last time you had a full meal? A shower maybe? When was the last time you brushed your teeth?”
Deku stood frozen, his mouth slightly ajar as he hesitantly spoke, "I-I've had full meals and a shower... P-please..."
Katsuki wrinkled his nose in disgust, "You don't smell like it."
Deku flinched at the sharp words, replying, "Well, no shit."
Katsuki shot Deku a warning glare before his gaze fell to the floor, where he noticed something familiar. It was a costume. A costume that sparked recognition. "What the heck is that, Deku?"
Deku tensed up, "It's my costume."
"For what?" Katsuki demanded.
"Vigilanting," Deku awkwardly confessed.
Katsuki stared at Deku in disbelief, "But you're Quirkless."
Deku simply shrugged, "So?"
Katsuki was taken aback, and Deku quickly ushered him towards the door, saying, "Good talk, but you're stressing me out."
Stopping in the doorway, Katsuki made a proposition, "I'll leave if you agree to one thing."
"Yes, anything," Deku responded hastily.
Katsuki scowled, "You know where my house is. At least come to the window, and I can give you a proper meal and some medical attention."
Deku pondered for a moment, then nodded and extended his pinkie. Amused, Katsuki raised an eyebrow, "A pinkie promise, really?"
Deku let out a huff, "Kacchan, you used to pinkie promise all the time."
With an exasperated sigh, Katsuki shook his pinkie in agreement.
For the first time in a while, Deku's smile was genuinely content.