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Toga spots them first. Her sharp elbow jams itself into Katsuki's ribs, irritating and insistent. With a snarl, Katsuki shoves her away but she evades his hit by sneaking in close, grabbing his hand and capturing it against her body in a bone breaking hug.
"Katsuki! Look, look at them." Toga's eyes shine as she points to the corner of the coffee shop, her breasts annoyingly pressing along his arm.
Katsuki is about to go nuclear on Toga when the sneer on Katsuki's face drops, his bad attitude swept away because of where the tip of Toga's finger leads him.
"Fucking perfect." Katsuki growls, smirking meanly. He starts stalking forward, dragging Toga with him. "What the fuck, how the hell did you luck out by noticing those two?"
The two in question, target painted blood red on their unsuspecting backs, have no fucking idea what's headed their way now Toga's caught sight of them and their perfectly adorable date. And it is adorable, with treats and cakes shared in the middle of the table between brightly blushing cheeks. Nerds, Katsuki thinks to himself joyfully, two fucking naive nerds.
"Cute! Katsuki, they are so cute. Oh my, look at her dress?! Modesty is such a tease," Toga chatters away, her claws digging gouges in Katsuki's arms. "And the freckles on that guy? I could eat him up with a spoon."
Katsuki licks his lips. "Thats my Deku. Don't fucking scare them off, I'll kill you."
"And I'll gut you like a pig if you lose your temper and start a fight." Toga sing-song replies. Katsuki shoots her a bloodthirsty grin.
Like a proper prey animal, Deku seems to sense the danger. His body freezes in place first before he slowly turns his head to blink wide-eyed in their direction. The girl pauses at the interruption and follows his gaze. Katsuki wants to pull their hair so bad, especially with the clear sight line to how damn big their stupid eyes are. Too fucking cute to handle, damnit.
Toga smiles with all her teeth, tilting her head lower, dropping her shoulders and adding an extra pigeon toe walk to her step - the perfect picture of a cute and harmless school girl.
The most Katsuki can do is grind his teeth and shut up - no amount of simpering is going to make him seem innocuous. Especially around Deku.
Fuck, it's been ages since they last saw each other. The idolised childhood spent playing at the park, skipping around town and giggling innocently... being a kid was fucking stupid, but being a kid with Deku around fawning over Katsuki's every move was damn amazing.
"Hello!" Toga beams, charm turned all the way up. "I saw your table the moment we walked through the door, and I am so so sorry for bothering you, but I saw you and couldn't help but think how absolutely in love you two look."
Katsuki watches the girl and Deku immediately turn tomato red, their body language switching on a dime as they hastily lean away from each other, hands up and flailing around in panic.
"Love?!" The girl squeaks.
Deku garbles out some garbage, mumbling a mile a minute about love, friendship, platonic relationships and blah, blah, blah. The only part worth listening to is the amusing panicked reassurance he spews to the girl about how she is still special, even if love is too strong of a word.
Katsuki smirks and slides into the booth next to the nerd. Toga copies him on the other side, her face way too close to the other girl. He knocks her feet, a rude reminder for Toga to behave.
"So, you two are not a couple then I guess. Does that mean you are single, pretty thing?" Toga asks the girl bluntly, the flirty fluttering of her eyelashes a pathetic window dressing.
The girl giggles nervously, cautiously mumbling out an answer to Toga.
The nerds are too soft, too polite to tell Toga or Katsuki to fuck off, like anyone else with half a mind would do if two strangers just randomly joined their table.
Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Katsuki bites his tongue, casually draping his arm behind the cute boy's head. He didn't realize the human body can get any tenser, the plastic of the booth squeaking as Deku goes rigid faster than the speed of light.
"Um, I'm sorry. Do I know you? You do seem extremely familiar." He asks Katsuki, voice muddled with confusion over the situation.
"No." Katsuki shoots that down fast.
Katsuki can't change his face like Toga, who is pretending to be some boring teen chick. However, he stole some of Dabi's ugly hair dye and a pair of Magne's reading glasses. The clothes he is wearing is personally picked out by Twice, so the chaotic colour combo is nothing like the usual casual stuff Katsuki prefers.
In essence, Katsuki should not look anything at all like the version Deku remembers. Now with dark hair, square glasses and an outfit suited to the blind. Deku better not actually recognize him. Katsuki will riot if this effort is for nothing.
Sadly, Deku does not seem convinced if the skeptical look Katsuki receives is anything to go by. "Are you sure? Um, my name is Midoriya Izuku?"
Katsuki rolls his eyes. "Are you stating your name or asking a question? You are a damn weirdo."
Toga kicks him harshly under the table as Deku cringes away. The girl on the other side of the table whirls on Katsuki with a harsh glare transforming her face from adorable to pissed off immediately.
"What the heck is your problem? Did you come here to insult us?! We didn't invite you to join us, you know." The girl has some spark and Toga grins at her in admiration at her gall.
Katsuki can sort of see the appeal in the girl, now that her temper is showing. She seems strong under that layer of femininity and softness. Capable and cute. Toga must be in love.
Whatever, Katsuki isn't here to make the girl happy. Deku is his goal, Toga is his partner in crime. Katsuki sneers, making a face even as Toga rolls her eyes at him.
"Ignore him, okay? He is all bark and no bite, I promise." Toga rests her hand softly on the girl's shoulder. "And you should introduce yourself, unless you want me to keep calling you pretty girl in my head?"
"Uraraka Ochako." Uraraka isn't letting up her glare on Katsuki one bit. "Who are you?"
"I'm your new best friend," Toga beams at her, easily side stepping answering. "Are you a model or something?"
Uraraka blinks, Toga working her magic to make the other girl feel at ease. It's fucking creepy in Katsuki's opinion. No one should be able to switch from cookie cutter cute to blood thirsty demon as fast as Toga can. And so many victims consistently fall for it, it is insane.
Deku looks Katsuki up and down again, his face puzzled. "I'm sure I must know you."
Katsuki shrugs and grunts. "Maybe in your dreams, nerd."
That comment gets another cute blush and more useless spluttering. "That's not it!" Deku denies. "Why did you two really come join our table? You're not making any sense with your answers."
Katsuki stares at Deku's familiar face, the curve to his cheeks with the smattering of freckles there. He looks tired, his eyes swollen and red from lack of sleep and an overabundance of tears. Stupid Deku.
"Idiot." Katsuki spits out. "Shitty nerd. I do what I want, and I wanted to sit here. That's all you need to worry about."
Giving in to the urge to bother Deku, Katsuki reaches out and tugs on a frizzy green curl. "Fuck you doing sitting with a cute girl like that, huh? Trying to seal the deal?"
"No!" Deku yelps, curiously not moving away from Katsuki's exploration of his hair. "Just taking a break, you know? It's good to try new things. As friends."
Katsuki starts pulling on Deku's hair harder. He smiles at the same time, looking at Deku over the rims of the fake glasses just to watch Deku's protests die. "I got a lot of ideas for new things. Wanna do something more fun than sitting in a bakery with a bunch of chicks?"
Toga turns to him, one of her hands boldly intertwining with Uraraka's. "Brother, why don't we go for a walk with our new friends? The river is beautiful at sunset."
"Oh!" Uraraka subtly tries to gain space between her and Toga, gesturing to the table full of food. "I mean, we are still eating."
Katsuki keeps eye contact with Deku and leans over to his milkshake. Taking the same straw that Deku must have drank out of, Katsuki wraps his lips over the plastic and sucks. The sweet drink is disgusting but Katsuki chokes it down aggressively, refusing to be beat by sugar and cream.
"Oh, good idea!" Toga says before she pulls Uraraka's drink into her hands and chugs it down. "Here, can I have some of your pastry? It looks so yummy~! Almost as sweet as you, Ochako-chan!"
"Oooh, okay, I guess I can share? Here, try it." Uraraka timidly holds up a flaky cream stuffed croissant sprinkled with icing sugar.
Like the freak she is, Toga leans forward and eats the treat right out of Uraraka's hand. Behind the crumbs and sugar falling messily to the table is Uraraka's blushing, shocked face.
Katsuki chuckles and smirks at Deku. "Feed me too, Izuku-kun?"
Coyly, Katsuki opens his mouth wide, tongue sticking out and ready to taste anything Deku gives him. Katsuki is sure he looks dumb, but not as dumb as the slack jaw expression on Deku's face.
Toga snorts at him, helplessly giggling when Deku drops his treat everywhere, crumbs littering the table and making a mess over Katsuki's pants.
"Sorry!" Deku wails, frantically cleaning up. Uraraka helps by giving him more tissues.
The workers stare at them, a manager scowling and ready to kick them out. Katsuki sticks up his middle fingers and shows his tongue to the workers while Toga hauls Uraraka out of the chair. Deku scrambles to follow, Katsuki tugging him along.
"Let's go!" Toga cheers, the bell of the cafe jiggling behind them as they make their exit. "River walk!"
Toga slips her free hand over Katsuki's wrist, loosely holding on to him. The four walk together side-by-side, Uraraka and Deku completely separated from each other.
"Um, where are we going?" Deku asks. He is staring at Katsuki.
Toga squeezes him, nails slightly scraping the thin skin of his wrist. Katsuki doesn't shake her off, letting the coolness of her skin steady his nerves.
"For. A. Walk." Katsuki says slowly. "Everytime you open your mouth, I get stupider."
Toga kicks the back of his heel.
"Stop kicking me!" Katsuki snaps at her. "I ain't good at this cutesy crap!"
"We can tell," both girls say in tandem. Gasping in excitement, Toga whirls on Uraraka, pulling her in a tight hug.
"You are my soulmate!" Toga laughs, forcing Uraraka close. "It's like you can read my mind. Oh, I'm never letting you go now."
Uraraka looks too flattered to realize how truthful Toga is being in this moment in time. She'll learn one way or another. Katsuki is going to steer clear of that relationship milestone.
Silence is Deku's response. He is chewing his cute little lip, the cogs in his mind constantly turning. Katsuki is on borrowed time.
Casually, Katsuki hip checks Toga. The girl pauses briefly, eyebrow raised in his direction. A tilt of his chin is all that is needed before Toga sends him a soft smile and starts to walk faster, Uraraka still stuck in her hold.
"Ochako-chan, come with me. I have to show you the best spot for stargazing."
"It's still early evening," Uraraka says, and continues to follow Toga, not slipping away.
Katsuki slows his own steps, adding distance. Deku must be pretty confident or distracted to let Toga steal Uraraka away so easily. It's not like Katsuki thinks they've been particularly subtle with what's going on.
But he guesses this is what happens when people are so used to never saying no, that when things seem fine on the surface, they learn to ignore the red flags screaming at them to dig a bit deeper, to open their eyes wider and see.
Whatever. Katsuki won't let Deku make this naive mistake anymore. He won't let Deku out of his sights again. It's a promise, one way or another.
When Katsuki left, leaving behind his family and joining the Villains, he expected Deku to stay out of the way. Meander through school, get a dull office job and pine for his missing Kacchan.
Not this - not getting caught up in with the heroes.
And Deku, green eyes burning brightly, brows furrowed, knows too much about Katsuki to go free.
Katsuki leads Deku closer to the river, away from the crowds. Toga and Uraraka are barely in their field of view now, tiny specs in the distance.
"Are you ever going to answer any of my questions?" Deku asks, his voice much deeper and firmer than Katsuki's elementary memories.
"Ask away, nerd." Katsuki kicks a rock into the water, watching it skip perfectly.
"Like that!" Deku shouts. "That wasn't an answer at all. Why are you walking with me?"
Katsuki grunts. "It's not because I like you or anything."
"That doesn't make sense," Deku splutters. "You say you don't like me yet you drank my milkshake and practically kidnapped me from the cafe."
Snorting, Katsuki shakes his head and lightly punches Deku in the arm. "What the hell do you want me to say? That a nerdy, curly haired and quirkless kid like you is worth my time and energy?"
"That's harsh." Deku steps away, raising a hand up to his forehead to shade his eyes against the low sun light, searching for Uraraka in the distance. "I know I'm nothing special, but you don't need to be cruel about it."
Katsuki's hackles raise up and he growls. "What the hell, who says you aren't fucking special?"
"You! You just did!"
"Yeah, well." Katsuki grumbles. "Don't fucking be so sensitive."
Deku laughs in exasperation. "The more we talk, the more I think you are crazy. And it's driving me crazy the longer I'm standing next to you. Just... just tell me your name? Please."
"Idiot Deku," Katsuki says softly. "You know who I am."
Deku stills, freezing in place. Katsuki gets uncomfortable watching the nerd's brain process the nickname drop, dots connecting in real time. Katsuki is barely prepared as Deku's lip trembles and tears stream down his cheeks.
"... Kacchan?"
Oh.
Hearing that name sends a shiver down Katsuki's spine. Swallowing loudly, Katsuki nods.
"Kacchan!" Deku wails, throwing himself into Katsuki's space, arms wrapping around his body in a tight, unexpected hug.
Katsuki stands firm, hands out at his sides as he puts up with the touch. Deku's tears sink into his shirt, the fabric sticking to his skin in a way that is totally gross. It doesn't help that Deku's mouth is open too, his lips spreading drool everywhere as he mumbles out things between his cries.
"Deku, oi - that's enough, come on. Stop blubbering like a baby." Katsuki pries Deku off, shoving him away.
Deku's eyes sparkle, relief and happiness pouring off of him. "Kacchan! It's really you. What - where have you been? Your parents, everyone is so worried. I missed you so much - why did you go away?"
"Shut up, Deku! That shit doesn't matter. I fucking found you, okay? Ignore the rest of it." Katsuki snaps.
"No," Deku shakes his head. "I won't ignore it. Please Kacchan - explain what happened to you."
"Shit happened. And what about you? Messing around with heroes when all this shit is going down? They're corrupt, every last one of them. So I gotta get your ass out of here."
"I - corrupt? The heroes? Kacchan, you're wrong. I don't need saving from UA or - hey," Deku rubs his eyes clear of the leftover tears, searching around them. "Where's the other girl? Where is Uraraka?"
"You do need saving, Deku." Katsuki says, stepping closer again. Deku takes a hesitant step back.
"Kacchan - I don't like how you're acting right now. Please, you're scaring me. Just come home with me, come home to the family that loves you. We will figure the rest out. If you're in trouble, we can fix it."
"There's nothing to fix, Deku. I'm happy with my life. The only problem I got is with you, you and your big nerd brain."
"... Kacchan. I have to know. Are you a villain now?"
"Yeah, I am." Katsuki sparks off, quirk booming in his palm and illuminating Deku's frown. "I am strong, Deku. Did you forget that? I've always had to be strong. Heroes don't do shit for people, not really. But being a villain? I've never been so free."
Wavering, Deku dances on his toes back and forth. His mind works hard, feelings so obvious to Katsuki fluttering across his face. Scared, yes. Nervous, yes. Sad, yes. Determined.
Deku turns on his heels and runs. "Uraraka!"
Katsuki leisurely follows, herding Deku forward to the path. Deku calls for his friend, the panicked edge to his voice amplifying as Katsuki crackles off another explosion.
Even Katsuki can hear the sigh of relief from Deku as Uraraka's head pops up around the bend, her cute and gullible eyes wide on Deku's running form.
"What's wrong?" Uraraka's voice asks, her hand reaching out and pulling Deku safely beside her, as if she would protect him from Katsuki.
"That's Kacchan, the old childhood friend I told you about," Deku tells her in a panic. "He's changed, he is a villain now."
Uraraka gasps dramatically. "What?! A villain? Okay, let's get out of here." Uraraka pulls on Deku towards the direction she came from. "Come on, Deku!"
Deku stumbles and stops. "What?"
Big eyes blink at Deku while Katsuki boxes him in from behind, cutting off his escape route.
"Come on," Uraraka beckons. "The villains are here, we have to go."
Deku glances between Uraraka and Katsuki. "What did you call me?"
Uraraka's face beams and she giggles. "Deku!"
Katsuki watches Deku's face drop. Deku spins around, realizing very quickly that they are alone. Katsuki cracks his neck, casually walking closer.
"You're not Uraraka." Deku says, pointing rudely at Toga in disguise. "What did you do to her?"
Toga gently runs her hands through Uraraka's soft hair, smoothing down her cute modest outfit. "Gosh, you are a smart cookie. And I wouldn't dare hurt such a cute girl. She is going to be much more fun unharmed."
"Keep walking forward, Deku." Katsuki says. "We ain't gonna hurt you unless you try to escape, okay? I promise."
Deku is pale, his lips shut for once. The nerd shakes his head in no, as if that makes a difference to what Katsuki is going to do. Hand still hot from his earlier explosions, Katsuki reaches out and grabs Deku's shoulder, steering him forward.
"Don't worry, Deku. I'm going to take real good care of you."
And Katsuki will. Deku may miss his mother, his friends and will never graduate high school, but he will be back at his Kacchan's side and nothing else matters.
Toga, wearing Uraraka's face, tangles her arms on Deku's other side, pressing their bodies together. As a unit, the two villains bring their victims home.