It's been a few days now, as far as Katsuki can tell, and he's starting to feel normal again. He doesn't sleep all the fucking time, can move around pretty well and he is bored out of his mind. Yep, that sums up his process pretty well! He never left the room he was in when he first woke up and there weren't exactly a lot of exciting things to do here. Wherever here was that is.

He had a bed, which resembled a hospital bed more than anything. There were two chairs as well and a very small bathroom with a toilet, shower and sink forced inside. You could barely even turn around in there, really. His feet were in the shower when he sat on the toilet and his shoulder would hit the sink when getting up. But it was better than nothing, more than he expected too.

There was also a cabinet filled with medical supplies, which was always locked unless Kurogiri came to treat his injuries. Most burns were gone by now though. Except for his right arm and the right side of his torso, which were still bandaged, there were only a few scars left. Thin ones, light, almost blending in with his skin. He should be lucky it all healed so well. That his stupid escapeplan didn't leave any significant trace. Well, guess that's also thanks to the treatment he's been getting...

He still didn't know what Hisashi was planning and he started to think that there might not be a plan at all. Katsuki didn't expect them to treat his injuries, for them to keep him alive and bring him food and water three times a day. He didn't expect Hisashi to come in here every day, sitting down in one of the chairs and just...stare. That's all he did, really. Stare at him, almost as if studying his behaviour.

It creeped him out and Katsuki had the reflex to lock himself away in the bathroom while that man was here. He'd just put on the shower and wait for him to leave, hoping he'd never actually come inside if he thought Katsuki was showering. Up until now he hadn't and Katsuki was able to breathe again when he finally left. His actual showers were very short, his nights even shorter. He barely got a blink of sleep, which isn't all that surprising considering the situation. He was kidnapped for crying out loud!

And although his accomodations were a hundred times better than the first time around, it didn't mean he stayed willingly. Escape was always on his mind, but he hadn't found a single weakness to exploit yet. This room was sturdy as hell and the doors were practically made of steel. There were absolutely no tools at his disposal and he didn't have a quirk to cause some chaos eiter. He was weak... Weak and helpless and unable to figure out a way out of this mess... It made him feel small.

Unlike his first kidnapping, he didn't have access to footage from the outside world, so that left a lot up to the imagination as well. And once his thoughts started spiralling... Well, without confirmation that people were looking for him, how could he be truly sure? Ugh, he never thought his medication would have such an effect on his thoughts... Or rather, the lack thereof...

He was finally taking something that seemed to be working and now this shit happened! All those damn toxic thoughts were returning and there was nothing he could do to stop it! He couldn't fight it! Couldn't fight the voice in his head telling him how worthless he is... That no one was missing him, that no one was looking for him... It wasn't true. Deep down he knew that wasn't true. At least, he hoped it wasn't.

But sometimes his rational thoughts were overshadowed by that voice, yelling and shouting and making sure to be heard. Unable to ignore, to fight off. Katsuki felt small. So very very small. Of course Hisashi had to pick that moment to walk in the room... Katsuki immediately shot up from his bed, his eyes darting from the ceiling to the man and after that to the bathroom door.

"Hello Katsuki, good reaction time, nice to see you're recovering so well" he smiled, walking over to a chair. His smile was unsettling, not at all like Izuku's or auntie Inko's smile. But what got his attention was the fact there was a greeting at all. He spoke, unlike the many other times he came in here.
"And before you flee to the bathroom, I'd like to have a little chat"

Katsuki frowned, glancing to the door that led outside. He tried opening it once when Kurogiri was here to treat him, making a rush for it while the man was busy looking for stuff in the medical cabinet, only to find the door auto-locks. It can only be opened from the outside too, so that only added to the difficulty factor. He wasn't getting out of this conversation...

"...About what?" Katsuki asked, still sitting on the bed. He had gotten used to his presence, a little bit at least. He wasn't as scared as he was in the beginning so his words were clear, his voice not shaking all the time.
"You, Izuku, your relationship, your future" he answered vaguely, gesturing to the seat in front of him.

No way. Katsuki was not having a face to face with him. He'll stay right here, thank you very much. Here, in bed, with the safety of his blanket and the wall behind him, giving him an overview of the entire room. Hisashi sighed, guess he realised Katsuki wasn't going to move.
"A few days ago, I asked after your intentions with Izuku, did I not?" Hisashi asked.

"I have this quirk that can...detect heartbeats, to say it like that. I feel the rapid beating of your heart when lying or excited. Feelings laid out without the target being able to hide anything from me"
Okay... So what? Katsuki bet he had all kinds of weird dangerous quirks and this wasn't exactly the most intimidating one. Why was he explaining it to him?
"I've been watching you these last couple of days, as you know, and now that I have a good feeling about your standard heartbeat, I think we're ready for this conversation"

Katsuki's eyes widened. Of course he didn't come here to stare at him without a reason... He was observing him, learning his patterns, watching his feelings, his reactions... That way he wouldn't be able to lie, the change in his heartbeat would give him away. This might be a bit more challenging than Katsuki bargained for...

"So, do you truly like my son?"
"Yes" Katsuki answered. That was an easy question. He loved Izuku, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Hisashi hummed.
"And I take it you only hold his best interests at heart, correct?"

"Yes" Katsuki reacted again. Of course he wanted what was best for him, to see him happy and smiling and for him to never get hurt again. That was impossible to realise though... Izuku was reckless and stupid and he'll jump into danger head first every damn time. He's going to become a pro hero for crying out loud! Those get hurt all the time and there is nothing Katsuki can do to change that.

"And haven't you ever considered that maybe what is best for him, isn't what's best for you?"

Katsuki made eye contact for the first time during their conversation after he heard that question. What..? Where was he going with this..? Katsuki glanced back down again, his hands fiddling with the blanket. It would be best if he stayed honest. Who knows what punishment would follow if he lied?

"...I have"

"Oh? So you realize that Izuku would be happier if you weren't in his life?" Hisashi asked.
"What's that supposed to mean..?" Katsuki grunted.
"Izuku likes me, he was the one who confessed first, who started this relationship"
"You tormented him his entire childhood, all the way until high school. He was scared of you, Katsuki" Hisashi added.

"And now that you're fragile and in need of protection, he somehow sees himself in you. He wants to prevent the very same thing you did to him from happening to you. Because he's traumatized by you. I bet that in his mind, he makes you out to be a whole other person because he just can't stand to be near the bully that made his life miserable"

Katsuki simply sat there, stunned in place. He knew about all of this... Of course he fucking knew! Izuku wanted to protect him, he didn't want anything bad to happen to him! He's his fucking boyfriend for crying out loud! Yet... The way Hisashi made it sound... It sounded like-
"Do you know why he doesn't want you to wear that explosive support item?" Hisashi asked before he had time to wrap his head around it all.

"It's like I said, he sees you as a whole different person now. But if you somehow got your quirk back... If you were to become that person again... Well, his fear would return, I'm sure. He won't be needed to protect you anymore and his feelings will fade. It's as simple as that"
"N-no... That's not... That's not true..." Katsuki breathed, trying to convince himself otherwise.

"Like it or not, in his memories you are a monster. The big evil that tormented his existence for so long. You scare him, Katsuki. You make him feel miserable" Hisashi pushed.
"I-I... No! That's over! I-I apologized!" Katsuki hissed, trying to keep a positive attitude.

The memories of their childhood were all coming back... The way he treated him... He really was a monster... But Izuku forgave him, right? He said so himself! Yet the way he looked when Katsuki first showed him what he'd been working on... It was undeniable that he didn't like it. So is that why? Because it reminded him of who he used to be..? Of who he really is... A monster...

"Once he sees your quirk is back and your personality becomes aggressive again, he'll realise it too" Hisashi stated, now walking up to Katsuki.
"Izuku's eyes will be opened once he is reminded of the demon you truly are... Taking your quirk away was fun, seeing you squirm and cry, it really was. But it's time for us to end this, Katsuki. Time for the final act of this show"

Katsuki's breath hitched as his head was yanked up by his hair and Hisashi pressed his hand to his face.

"And right before the curtains fall, your blood will spill over the stage~" he grinned as Katsuki's eyes widened, his body trembling at the familiar pressure that was building up in his chest. It was the same feeling as back then... As when his quirk was taken away... His body felt numb, completely paralysed by the fear that consumed it.

"Oops, guess I spoiled it"

//\\
\\//

Izuku didn't react as his alarm clock rang through the room. He simply kept staring at the ceiling with swollen red eyes. He had been crying, again. It's been almost a week since Kacchan was taken and people slowly started giving up on him. Izuku had wanted to go search for him. He even sneaked out with the pro's when they got their first lead, which he was extensively lectured about afterwards, by both teachers and his classmates.

He sneaked out two times after that, only to get caught and brought back to campus. The first time it was Eraserhead and everything was taken care of within UA. Second time... Well he didn't get so lucky that time. He was caught by another pro hero, Death Arms, to be exact. From that point on Izuku was kept under close surveillance.

The worst part of it all was the fact the school acted as if nothing was wrong. They still had to go to school, do homework, study for tests, train... Policy stated only the affected class was to be given special treatment and other classes had to strive not to fall behind in crisis situations regarding only one student. Iida checked. And since Kacchan wasn't part of class 1-A anymore, they had to try and continue the program as scheduled.

Class 1-F got some time off but most of them were already back at school. It's not like Kacchan was very close with a lot of people in his new class so... And the faculty did understand his situation, so they weren't as strict as they'd normally would. His alarm stopped by itself, going into auto-snooze. Izuku knew it would come back in a few minutes, but made no moves to shut it off. He blinked when a knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Midoriya, mon ami, are you going to school today?"

It was Aoyama, his neighbor. He checked in on him every now and then. It was sweet of him. Of course all his classmates knew how rough he had it. The Bakusquad was devastated too. Neither of them were going to school, but some of them still trained. You know, to keep their mind off of things.

The rest of class 1-A tried to stay strong, to keep going like they were supposed to. Of course they were all hurt by what happened, Katsuki had been an unignorable part of class 1-A for so long and now he was just...gone... Nobody knew whether or not he was okay, whether he was alive... Thinking about it was just too much to bear...

"Midoriya?" Aoyama asked again, wanting to make sure the green head heard him. Izuku sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before sitting up straight and shutting off his alarm the moment it sprung to life again. With a sigh, he got out of bed and strolled over to the door. Just as Aoyama was about to knock again, he opened up. He must've been quite the sight, his whole face and hair a mess, his clothes in a disarray, all wrinkled up.

"I-I-" Izuku started coughing as he felt how hoarse his voice was.
"I-I'm up..."
"...Oui... Uhm, do you want to come downstairs to have some petit-déjeuner?" he asked.

Izuku rubbed the sleep out of his eye as he tried to remember what that French word meant in the sleepy state he was in. Why did he have to talk in a foreign language at this time of day..? It was so annoying... Izuku wasn't in the best of moods and anything could set him off, but French first day in the morning? That was enough to put most high schoolers off...

"Hm?" was what he settled on.
"Oh, uh, breakfast" Aoyama clarified. The class had been taking care of one another during these difficult times, making sure no one was neglecting their health. Iida especially was very strict on that. Being a big brother to everyone kept his mind off of things, so people didn't try to stop him.

Izuku yawned, knowing that if he didn't go down for breakfast now, someone would come check in on him at lunch and watch him eat something.
"Y-yeah, let me get, uhm, let me get dressed first, okay? I'll be right there" Izuku mumbled, already closing the door again.

"Of course" Aoyama answered, waiting patiently in the hallway for Izuku to get ready. The green head sighed, opening his closet and forcing himself to get dressed. He didn't want to. Didn't feel like doing anything at all. But he had to. He didn't want to worry his classmates or have another intervention like the one they had on day three... Izuku shivered at the memory. Todoroki had almost frozen him in place just for him to hear them out...

He was acting hysterical, angry and mad at anyone and anything and frustrated that nobody let him help out in the search. Saddened by the fact they still didn't have a clue where Kacchan might be or what state he's in... Desperate to find him because people were slowly abandoning hope... He took a shaky breath, trying not to break down crying. Even if he wanted to, he doubted he had any tears left to cry...

After a few minutes he walked out, going downstairs with Aoyama. People were getting ready for school when they arrived, some already in uniform, most still eating.
"Morning Midoriya" Uraraka greeted him, knowing better than to use the nickname he had always called him. She stopped using Deku after he lashed out at her and broke down in tears afterwards. It had been a few hectic days, to say the least...

Everyone was having a rough time, but they've gotten through bad times before and they'll do it again. They're class 1-A after all. Nobody here would give up hope on Bakugou until they see his dead body themselves. Stubborn, maybe, but it was what they needed to survive in this harsh world.

"M-morning" Izuku replied, quietly making his way over to the kitchen cabinet and taking out his All Might themed cornflakes. The milk was already on the table so all he needed was a bowl. After he poured everything in, he started eating. Or well, he took a bite every now and then while he watched the others move around, seeing the morning scene play out. Moving images gave him something to focus on, allowing his mind to stay distracted and empty.

After a while, almost everyone left. Izuku's bowl was only half empty, but he didn't care. As long as people saw him eat, that's all that mattered.

"Hey Midoriya, wanna spar with me today?" Kirishima asked as the redhead sat down next to him. Eijirou didn't always skip school. He tried to go to class like normal at first, but recently he's been skipping more often than not. Instead he goes to the training grounds and just smashes things to pieces until he can barely move. It's not a healthy coping mechanism, but it was getting his strength up by tremendous rates.

"Maybe... Mom is visiting today so..." Izuku mumbled, absentmindedly stirring around the cornflakes. Inko was checking up on her son on a regular basis, as well as supporting Mitsuki and Masaru. They sat down the day after the school festival and she told him all about their current financial situation. All Might promised to help out with things regarding his education so he could stay enrolled at UA and Inko was looking for a job in order to earn some money. Yet that wasn't all that simple...

When Izuku suggested getting a part-time job so he could help out, it was immediately shut down. Inko insisted he'd focus on his education and his own dream. She didn't want this to be the reason he wouldn't be able to reach his true potential. Izuku was grateful for that, don't get him wrong, but it also irritated him that he was unable to help out his own family.

"Auntie is coming over?" Kirishima repeated, as if to confirm the information for himself.
"Oh, uh, in that case I'll go ask someone else. Tell her I said hi, okay?"
"Yeah" Izuku hummed, watching Eijirou get up and leave the common area again.

Izuku sighed, getting up and throwing away the cornflakes that were still in his bowl before putting it in the sink with the other dirty dishes. They had a schedule to clean the dishes, like they had schedules and rules for most things around the dormitory, but that wasn't a priority right now. When Inko came around, she told him they had finally found a lead on Katsuki and that a lot of pro heroes were sent out to confirm it. A rescue mission. One Izuku wasn't allowed to be a part off...

It didn't matter who saved Kacchan though, Izuku would be more than happy if the ash blonde returned alive. To have his boyfriend in his arms again... Izuku hoped they'd find him, that Kacchan was okay... All Might came by not much later, asking to go for a small walk while they talked.
"I know this is not easy on you, young Midoriya my boy, but you can't neglect your training like this" Toshinori sighed.

"The pro's are doing everything in their power to get him back and you gave them all the info you have. There is nothing more you can do but put your faith in them"
"I-I know..." Izuku breathed, staring at the ground as they walked along the pathway.
"I get how you must feel, believe me. I want to help too, but in my state... Well, I'm more of a liability to them" All Might chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"I just... I was allowed to help with the raid on the yakuza, wasn't I? So why aren't they letting me in on this? I know I can help!" Izuku stated, frowning.
"I know you can, my boy, but you are too personally involved in this case" All Might said, repeating the words Aizawa had spoken days ago. That he was too involved, too emotional to think rationally.

With his father being the villain and his boyfriend being the victim, he was too unpredictable and the other heroes didn't think he would be able to follow protocol when push came to shove. They were right, of course, but that didn't make Izuku any less frustrated. All Might stopped and placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder, making the green head look at him.
"Look, it doesn't matter who saves him, right? I'm sure that as long as you're here for him when he gets back, everything will be alright"

Izuku gave his mentor a small smile, nodding in agreement. It was true, he didn't have to be the one to actually get him out of his father's grasp, he just had to be there for him while he recovered. That was the most important part. As Izuku opened his mouth to answer, a dark swirl in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He glanced aside, his eyes widening when he saw a portal open on the grass, not far from where they were standing.

It was Kurogiri's quirk, no doubt about it. A large box was pushed through, all wrapped up and with a big bow on top. Almost comical, really. Toshinori noticed Izuku being distracted and turned to look, only for the portal to vanish, leaving the large present behind. It all happened so fast... Izuku barely had the time to register what was happening. He carefully approached it, All Might closely behind him.

"I don't think we should touch it. We don't know what's in there or how it got here" All Might stated, wanting to be careful. He should warn the faculty, the alarms were obviously malfunctioning if nobody noticed a portal being opened inside the gates of UA.
"There's a note on here" Izuku noticed, allowing his fingers to smooth out the paper so he could read it clearly.

See this as an early birthday gift ;)
I love you Izuku

- Dad

His eyes widened and he pulled away immediately. All Might gave him a questioning look while he lifted his phone to his ear, already calling principal Nezu.
"I-it's... It's from m-my father..." Izuku breathed, making Toshinori's eyes get bigger in shock and surprise.
"It's f-for me..."

"All the more reason not to open it. Stay clear of that box Midoriya" All Might stated, turning a little as Nezu answered.
"Ah, principal Nezu, yes, there is an emergency-"
Izuku tuned out, not listening to the conversation. Instead he stared at the box. All For One sent it to him, so he doubted it was a bomb. Not that UA would take the risk of not getting in a bomb squad though. This was his father's idea of a present, after all.

Izuku was sure that whatever was inside of it, wouldn't hurt him. All For One went out of his way to show how much he cared for his family, so why would he do something like that? Even with that knowledge, this box angered him. How dare his father just drop this gigantic present off at UA while he was keeping his boyfriend hostage?! Was this supposed to make up for that?! Nothing could make up for the fact he took Kacchan from him again!

Izuku frowned, glancing aside at All Might to make sure the ex-hero was still distracted. He needed to know what was in this box. And if it was some shitty present to try and cheer him up, he'll just smash it to pieces and post it online. His father was sure to see it that way, wasn't he? He'll get the message. He'll know that Izuku didn't want anything to do with him anymore! That he hated him and he should stay away from him and his mom!

And so he pulled at one of the ribbons, tugging the bow on top apart and letting the box unfold itself as it fell apart. All Might's eyes widened as he saw what Midoriya had done, quickly moving to pull the boy away, only to freeze up when he saw what was inside. No, not what, who. Izuku felt his eyes start to water at the sight alone.

Kacchan...

It really was Kacchan! The ash blonde slowly lifted his head, his eyes blinking to get used to the sudden light. He was bound to a chair, his hands locked tightly in quirk erasure cuffs and a muzzle pulled over his face. Hisashi had paralysed his body before Kurogiri strapped him in and he was placed in this dark container. He'd been in there for a while, feeling himself being moved around in silence.

Silence that was interrupted when he heard Izuku's voice from outside... And now he was able to confirm it. Izuku was right there, standing in front of him, and Katsuki couldn't make a sound or move a muscle. Couldn't hug him, tell him he loved him... Nothing...

Izuku seemed to snap out of his trance first, activating his quirk and getting rid of all the bindings that held Katsuki down. The first thing to go was that muzzle, allowing Katsuki to breathe again, some drool running down the corner of his mouth as he felt his hands get freed. After that he was pulled out of the chair, only being allowed to take a few steps until Izuku pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

Katsuki froze up for a second, before instantly returning the gesture, burying his face in the crook of his neck. They were both crying, emotions washing over them. Katsuki was back! He was finally safe again!
"I-I missed you too, Izuku" Katsuki whispered, clenching his fists around the fabric of Izuku's shirt.

"Y-you're okay..." Izuku breathed, obviously relieved now that Kacchan was in his arms again.
"You're alive, you're okay... I-I'm so h-happy!"
They stayed like that for what felt like a small eternity, up until other faculty members tried to separate them.

They arrived a few minutes after All Might called Nezu and everyone on campus was brought up to speed. No doubt they were informing Masaru and Mitsuki at the moment.
"It's time to let go, Midoriya. Bakugou needs to get checked up by Recovery Girl-" Ectoplasm stated, placing his hand on his shoulder in order to guide Katsuki to the nurses office. Yet that didn't go as peacefully as he'd planned...

Katsuki froze up as he felt rope like black energy wrap itself around both him and Izuku, keeping them in place. He could feel Izuku tense up as well. What the hell was going on..?
"No" Izuku growled, his grip on Katsuki tightening even more. He didn't want to let go of Kacchan, not after what just happened. He didn't want to lose him again... He didn't know what these dark tendrils were that suddenly manifested from his hands, but they seemed to want to keep Katsuki close to him so he wasn't complaining.

"Young Midoriya-" All Might tried, carefully approaching them.
"No!" Izuku hissed, feeling the ropes get more frantic and unstable. This wasn't good... This situation could get dangerous and Katsuki knew that. He didn't know what was happening, but it had something to do with Izuku, right? He was freaking out and that was affecting whatever these black things were doing. So that meant he had to calm Izuku down.

"Izuku... It's okay" Katsuki breathed, moving a little bit to test the possibilities.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise"

He pulled his head back a bit, letting their foreheads rest against each other. Izuku was still crying and Katsuki could feel he still had some tears in his eyes as well.
"I-I am here" Katsuki choked out, giving him a forced laugh. Izuku couldn't suppress a snort and a small chuckle. It was a bit weird to hear All Might's signature catchphrase from Kacchan, but it did give him some sense of familiarity. It calmed him down in a weird way.

Katsuki's plan seemed to be working, the black tendrils weakening their grip on them. Time for his finishing move... He softly caressed Izuku's cheek before leaning in for a kiss. Oh how he missed this. This intimacy... The feeling of love... He didn't even care whether or not there were others looking at them.
"I love you" Katsuki whispered as he pulled back, the black ropes disappearing completely.

"Y-you-" Izuku stuttered, his face flushed a bright red.
"You look terrible" Katsuki mumbled now that he was able to get a good look at Izuku.
"You haven't been taking proper care of yourself, have you? You idiot"
"Y-you were kidnapped!" Izuku sputtered.
"And now I'm back" Katsuki stated, taking Izuku's hands and making sure to keep eye contact.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'll be in Recovery Girl's office while you go take a shower and put on some decent clothes. You can come see me after you've taken care of yourself"
Izuku was baffled, surprised by the confidence Kacchan was showing after what happened. It was unlike his first kidnapping, where he looked so terribly fragile and weak. This was completely different...

Izuku could swear he smelled a hint of caramel in the air. Maybe those were just old sensations he linked to the face Katsuki was making right now. That small smile, that confident look in his eyes... It reminded him of their childhood. It was a face he fell so hopelessly in love with.

"I'll hurry"

"I'm sure you will" Katsuki breathed, giving him one last peck before letting go of his hands and turning to Ectoplasm.
"Right, follow me" the man stated, others collecting the parts of the box and wrapping paper so they could investigate whether or not the material had something to do with the fact their sensors hadn't detected anything.

"You heard him, young Midoriya" All Might sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder as he leaned in.
"And we need to have a conversation about those black whips just now"