Four days. 

Katsuki has gone a total of four days without speaking to Izuku. 

In spite of his bitter feelings towards the entire situation, Izuku admires the amount of dedication that Katsuki has for completely ignoring Izuku's existence altogether. He wouldn't even look in his direction, let alone speak to him or greet him with that cute little smile like he does every morning. What's worse is that no matter how badly Izuku wants to somehow blame this on Touya, he can't. This one's all on him. 

That's not going to stop him from giving Touya shit about it, though. 

"I hate you." 

"I know, Midoriya." 

"I want so badly to kick you in the taint." 

"I know, Midoriya." 

"...why does he like you so much? I mean, I've been a damn good brother. I'm only trying to protect him from himself and he doesn't even realize that I'm only being an asshole because I care about his little cute face." He rambles on, cheek rested against the table of the campus cafeteria where he was seated with Touya, Shouto and their usual friend group. He knows very well that they're quite sick of hearing him whine about it but they also know very well that he's not going to shut up about it until Katsuki isn't angry with him anymore. 

"Maybe it's because I treat him like a delicate adult person and not an incompetent toddler?" 

"Fuck you, nobody asked you." 

"You literally just did."

"Quit being a pussy and apologize." Hitoshi---Izuku's reluctant best friend---says for what has to be the third time today. It's the only advice that he has for Izuku, quite frankly, because no matter how they slice it…

Well, Izuku was being an asshole. 

"Toshi. I'd apologize if he would actually acknowledge me." 

"He'd acknowledge you if you weren't such a piece of shit." 

"Dude, who's side are you on?"

"Speaking frankly? Katsuki's. Never met the kid but Fumi told me how fuckin' wholeheartedly sweet he was and I'm kinda mad you hurt his feelings like that." Hitoshi points, jabbing at his pork with his chopsticks with a bored expression as Fumikage nods his affirmation at his side. "He absolutely was a sweetheart. I've never seen someone so precious before and I have never been one to be angry at anyone, Midoriya, but...I'm fairly upset with you." The beta says from his spot in Hitoshi's lap. 

"And my mom told me the same thing, you know. He was talkin' about how everyone at the station loves him." Hitoshi adds and Izuku groans, annoyed. "That's because it's literally damn near impossible to hate Kacchan. The only people in the world who would hate Katsuki are the same kinds of people who sacrifice babies and kick puppies."

"And you made him cry because you didn't want Touya getting more attention than you---" 

"I am not jealous of your trash ass brother." He points at Shouto accusingly and the omega scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Please, if you could see the way you were practically foaming at the mouth every time Katsuki even so much as smiled at Touya, you'd get pissy about it." 

"Because he's obviously tryna---he's fucking seducing him with his degenerate ass bad boy schtick, okay? Everyone knows that the innocent little cuties are always drawn to the mysterious bad boy types and they end up getting ruined by them---that's how it goes." 

"Treating him like a person is seducing him? Be for real, dickshoes. I didn't start looking at Katsuki that way until recently---" 

"SO YOU ADMIT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HIM THAT WAY?!" 

"Well I'm not fuckin' blind, asshole, he's fuckin' pretty! You want me to lie to myself?" 

"I want you to keep your dick away from him!" 

"I have been on my best damn behavior!"

"Would you two meat-heads shut up for a second?" Shouto intervenes, sick of their constant bickering. "Touya's definitely been behaving. He hasn't done anything inappropriate and he's been looking out for Katsuki's best interest. He's allowed to think Katsuki is attractive. Like he pointed out a few days ago, Katsuki isn't a child." He begins, pointing his chopsticks at Izuku and narrowing his eyes when the alpha begins to object. It's enough to shut him up.

 "Secondly, I think Katsuki is very capable of deciding what he wants for himself. While I do agree with you that he may not always understand what's best for him, it's not because I think he's incompetent. It's because he doesn't understand other people just yet. He thinks that every person is a good person. Well, almost every person." The one exception seems to be Neito Monoma.

"Yeah well, he ain't gonna have to worry about Neito anymore. I hit him so fucking hard that he swallowed his own back teeth. I hope I broke his fucking jaw." Touya bites.

"You didn't, but I went back and did it for you." 

He looks up to see Tetsu taking a seat across from him and Touya grins, bumping his fist together with his own. "Good look, man. I dunno how many times we're gonna have to kick his ass before he gets it through his thick skull that harassing omegas is gonna land him in the hospital every single time." 

Tetsu snorts out a cynical laugh. "He's a fuckin' bigot, man. They don't learn. They just keep doing the same shit over and over again and then playing the victim when someone teaches them what it feels like to be helpless." He drawls and Hitoshi raises a curious brow at him. "Then what do you do?" 

"Keep teaching the lesson until they learn it, obviously." 

"Fuck yeah." Touya chuckles heartily, glad to have someone who understands. Fumikage shakes his head with a sigh and Tetsu shrugs. "What? It's not like we're terrorizing innocent people. We only kick the shit out of terrorists." 

"Doing the lord's work." Touya chimes and Tetsu whistles low. 

"Amen, amen." 

"You're both a hot ass mess." Shouto says with a roll of his eyes. "Where's your brother, Tets?" 

"Somewhere on Gamma Hall. Tamaki had a meltdown earlier so he went back to the dorms to calm him down." 

"Shit. We're supposed to be meeting Denki and Mashi downtown in an hour. I'm gonna go check on them, see if I can get Maki out of his funk." Shouto sighs, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. He leans over to press a kiss to Izuku's lips, patting him on the shoulder. "Apologize to Katsuki and stop treating Touya like a criminal when he hasn't done anything wrong. Once Katsuki sees that you respect his decisions and look at him like a competent person with a brain and not some mindless little kitten, he'll stop being so pissed at you. Yeah?" 

Begrudgingly, Izuku grunts out a non-committal affirmation. 

"Yeah, okay, I hear you." 

"See you tomorrow. We're still going to that party at Mina and Ochako's?" 

"Yeah, baby. Love you, be safe." 

"Love you more; be good."

And he watches Shouto leave with a suffering huff. He turns to Touya with a glare. 

"I hate you." 

"I'm aware." 

"But I need your help." 

"Why should I help you?" 

"I'll...be cool about you looking at Kacchan that way, okay? I'm tryna not be a spastic shit about it but I need you to help me out and maybe get him to talk to me so I can apologize." 

Touya stares at Izuku for a solid thirty seconds but he doesn't reply. Fumikage and Hitoshi are watching them as well, curiously awaiting his response. Tetsu seems oddly confused about the situation at hand but he remains silent as well, ready to back Touya if need be. 

"Fine. But I'm not doin' this for you and I'm not doin' it cause I need your blessing to like Katsuki. I'm doin' it because I hate watching Kitty walk around all sad and shit because he thinks that you think that he's a moron." Touya clarifies, packing his books away. "Tetsu, I'm gonna catch you later, man." 

"Course, man, handle your business. I didn't know you were dating anyone, dude." 

"We're not dating." 

"Oh." 

"Yet."

"What was that?" Izuku butts in, gaze narrowed and piercing right through Touya's skull but the older alpha shrugs. "Nothin'. Let's go, I promised my mom I'd be home for dinner tonight. I'm not tryna make saving your ass an all day thing." 

Man, does he love getting under Izuku's skin. 

#

Toshinori feels a whirlwind of emotions as he sits down in the aluminum chair, Shota at his side---not only as a witness but in case Toshinori needs back-up. He hadn't expected to be doing this so soon. He didn't know what he'd do when this moment finally came and now that he's here, it feels like his head has been dunked under cold water. 

"...do you know where you are, Mr. Shigaraki?" 

The beta's gaze is completely blank, almost as if he's staring right through them. Toshinori begins to wonder if Tomura is even capable of speaking with the way he's all bandaged up---he did slit his throat, after all. 

"...not dead." Tomura finally replies, voice like gravel. A sardonic laugh follows, shoulders bouncing as he shakes his head. "Fuck. Fuck. I'm not dead." He breathes, eyes darting around anxiously. "Where's my baby?" 

"Not bedridden and moments away from death like he was when we found him. That's all that you need to know." Shota's tone is firm and Tomura's expression turns venomous. "Oh, you think you're so fucking smart, don't you?" 

"I'd like to think we're pretty good at our jobs." Shota says, growl rumbling low in his throat. "And I'm smart enough to know that you're going to wish we had let you die but that would have been too merciful for a sick fuck like you." 

"Well, you may as well had let me die because I'm not going to tell you anything." 

"That's fine. The several bodies we found in your basement will tell us more than enough." 

Tomura's fingers twitch, teeth grinding together as his eyes pinch in Shota's direction. 

"Bring Katsuki to me." 

"Absolutely not." 

"Bring me my fucking child." 

"He isn't your child." 

This seems to be news to Tomura, confusion plastering itself to his features. There's that laugh again, accompanied by a shake of denial. 

"What are you talking about? Katsuki and I have been together forever; you can't just take him away from me---" 

"Katsuki was comatose and verging on death when we found him. If you weren't already under arrest for kidnapping and murder then you still wouldn't be allowed to have him back; you're unfit to be a guardian. And you think you were good to him? Lying to him about being sick? Drugging him to keep him from going into heat---what? Were you tryna keep him ripe for someone else?" 

"W-What? No! No, I just…" his gaze floats between Toshinori and Shota once more. He seems, more or less, defeated. 

"I want a lawyer." 

"Smart. We were prepared for that. But just so you know…" Toshinori says as he stands from the chair. His eyes are cold and calculated, cutting right through Tomura. If he could, he'd end him right where he sits but that wouldn't be proper justice. 

"This room is under 'round the clock surveillance. You eat, you breathe, you take a shit and we'll know about it. Choose your next moves wisely."

As of today, Tomura Shigaraki---formerly known as Tenko Shimura---is officially under arrest. 

#

"Are you okay?" 

Toshinori huffs out a cynical laugh, fingers rubbing at his temples as his headache begins to bother him more. What is he to say? He feels it would be a lie if he tells Shota that he's fine. He's angry. Hell, he's absolutely livid. He's hurt. He's sad. He wants Tomura to hurt. Hurt for what he did to Katsuki. Hurt for what he did to Nighteye. 

But something isn't right. 

"He seem a little off to you?" 

Shota hums. "Yeah. Like he's a little off his rocker. He doesn't seem to remember what he's done. Either that or he's a damn good actor."

"See, if that was just it then I wouldn't be so bothered but…" 

Something about it makes Toshinori's skin crawl. Like Tomura shouldn't be the only one going down for this. 

They're missing something. He just doesn't understand what it could be.

"Are you going to tell Katsuki that he's awake?" 

"I can't. I can't do that, not right now. Maybe once we get him booked properly. Maybe once we get him detained. He's gonna wanna see him. Talk to him. I don't think that's a good idea until he can do it from behind that bulletproof glass." 

Shota offers him a styrofoam cup, filled to the brim with dark coffee. Toshinori takes it with a sigh. "Thanks but what I really need is a drink. Maybe some whiskey." 

"Then I'll tell Hizashi we'll be at the tavern for a while after work. You need a break and I'm not leaving you to get yourself into trouble. I'm sure he won't mind." 

Toshinori manages a smile. What would he do without Shota always having his back? He's grateful to have met him, he knows that this will be a friendship that transcends a lifetime. 

"I'm surprised Hizashi hasn't shown up at my door yet for keeping you away so much." He says jokingly and Shota scoffs, gently shoving at Toshinori's shoulder. "As if he'd think I'd run off with a pale nightmare like you, old man." 

"Hey now, I look damn good for my age." 

"Yeah, yeah. Classic handsome dad." 

Toshinori's smile spreads and he shakes his head fondly, eyes following Shota as he takes the seat next to him with a sigh. 

"I just wanna help the kid." 

"I know. Me too." 

"You've been doin' really good with him. Having that experience as a dad really helps you when it comes to troubled kids. Touya doesn't respect too many figures of authority but that kid worships the ground that you walk on and Katsuki looks at you with stars in his eyes. A real hero." There isn't a lot Shota can do in situations like these. He admires Yagi's strength and resolve. All he wants is to help people and he's saved so many at any cost. 

Shota is a realist. He can't be some sort of shining beacon of hope like Yagi. But he can have his back and he'll have it for as long as he can. As long as Toshinori needs him too. 

"You're a hero, too. I'd have gotten myself killed long ago if not for you." 

"Somebody's gotta keep you outta trouble." Shota sighs, sliding his still full cup of coffee over to Toshinori and patting the alpha's shoulder as he stands. "Gonna go grab something for lunch from the cafeteria. I'll bring you something back. Meat buns? Katsudon?"

"I...Katsudon is fine. Thank you, Shota." 

"Yeah, no problem."

#

"Katsuki? You busy, doll?" 

Touya can't hear anything on the other side of Katsuki's bedroom door. He's beginning to wonder if the omega is even in there; had he somehow managed to run off again? 

"Touya?" Ah, there he is. 

"Hey Kitty. Yeah, it's me." 

"Are you alone? If you are not then I do not wish to see you right now." 

It's funny that Touya knows that he just wants to make sure that Izuku isn't hovering around nearby without Katsuki ever saying the freckled alpha's name. It's even funnier that Katsuki went out of his way to purposely avoid saying Izuku's name. He must really be pissed. 

"Yep. Just me, Kit." 

It takes a moment but eventually the sound of the door lock clicking has Touya taking a step back from where he's leaning against the door. It cracks open just a bit, a bourbon colored orb blinking up at him as if to double check whether or not he was alone before it opens all the way and Katsuki steps back. 

"Come in." 

Touya's heart rate spikes as a million and one horribly suggestive thoughts cross his mind but he coughs aggressively into his hand and clears his throat, mutely reminding himself that he's here to play wingman and not get into a fist fight with Izuku by crossing unspoken boundaries. 

"U-Um, I, uh. Just wanted to know if you wanted to come downstairs and hang out with me for a while." 

"We are able to do the hanging out here, are we not?" It comes out a bit sassy and Touya can't say it doesn't make him feel things. Sassy Katsuki is so much cuter than Innocent Katsuki. He's like a tiny, angry kitten. "Well, I guess we could but I dunno if that's a good idea." He responds honestly and Katsuki huffs at him, skrawny little arms folding over his chest irately. "Is that so? What? Do you think me incapable of making my own decisions as well? Am I so gullible to you that you do not think I am able to make sense of my surroundings and situations?" 

"Yeesh, somebody's a cranky kitty." 

"I am not in the mood to be picked on, Touya, so if you do not want anything then please leave." 

"Hey---Kats, wait a sec." Touya objects, shoving his foot between the door and the door frame to keep it from shutting in his face. "I'm just tryna be good, you know? I don't think you're stupid or that you don't know anything. I'm just tryna make sure I'm not crossing any lines, you know?" 

"Who's lines, exactly? I have invited you in, have I not?" Katsuki counters and Touya blanks. 

Point taken. 

"Alright. Well...may I still come inside?" He immediately regrets his choice of wording, filthy mind working against him to send absolutely sinful imagery to his brain that runs rampant with them. Katsuki's tight fitted and low cut dress doesn't help him much either. He must be getting close to his next rut. He's never been such a fucking pervert before. 

Katsuki makes a gesture with his hand that tells Touya to enter and the alpha does as he's told this time around, closing the door behind him even though he feels like he's gonna get a hell of a lot of flack for that later on. 

Oh well. He'll cross that bridge when he gets to it. 

The room looks the same as Touya remembered it did when it was just a guest room same for the few personal touches that Katsuki had added like the little glass unicorn on the dresser and the large, stuffed Unicorn sitting up on the bed. The corners of Touya's mouth turn up in a smile as he sets his school bag down on the floor. 

"Unicorns, huh?" 

"They are very pretty and colorful. I think I rather enjoy more whimsical things. I've never been very grounded in reality." Katsuki shrugs, seemingly unbothered. More like he's come to terms with it, Touya realizes. It's good for his peace of mind, he thinks---being able to understand something so crucial about himself and live around it. For whatever else Katsuki may be, Touya has found time and time again that the kid is a champion. 

"Nothing wrong with that. Reality can be pretty shitty sometimes." He replies, sitting down on the bed next to Katsuki. "I wish I could be like you sometimes." He says and Katsuki raises a skeptical brow in his direction. "To be completely oblivious to any and everything?" 

Touya snorts with a shake of his head. "No, Kats. I mean to just be able to live in the moment instead of worrying so much about tomorrow. That's a hell of a way to live; never worrying about something that may not ever come. I think people would be much happier if they lived like that instead. And you're always grateful for what you have; never complaining or wishing you had more. You're a real gem." He explains, smiling down at Katsuki who's flat expression slowly widens into a grin. He's blushing, probably flattered. Of course he'd consider that high praise. 

"Every time I begin to doubt myself, you come to me and you say something that makes me feel...alright." 

Touya mirrors his smile, ruffling Katsuki's hair. "You've got nothin' to doubt yourself about. You've got a lot going for yourself, you know. Smart. Gorgeous. Well-spoken. Determined. Not to mention you're so damn lovable. I can't name a single person you've met that dislikes you." 

"What about your angry blonde friend?" 

"Who, Neito? For starters, darlin', he ain't any friend of mine. Neito is a misogynistic bigot. Not to mention a complete narcissist. He doesn't like anyone but himself." 

Katsuki hums in understanding. "But you two seemed very well acquainted. Are you certain you are not friends?" 

"He's well acquainted with my foot and my fist." Touya points, noting Katsuki's mild confusion. He pauses, correcting himself in a way that Katsuki would understand. "It means that I kick his ass on a regular basis. I don't like bullies, Kitty Kat." 

"O-Oh. Are you going to beat up Izuku?" 

He sees Izuku as a bully?

"You want me to?"

"...not really. I just want him to at least understand that what he said...really hurt. But I do not really think that Izuku cares." Katsuki laments, frowning as he pulls his knees up to his chest. "I have been kind to people. I know that I do not always quite understand how things work, as this is all very new to me but I am not completely ignorant. I know things." 

Touya thinks he might give Izuku a good kick to the balls anyway. 

"You don't have to explain that to me, Katsuki. I think you're brilliant. You just...sort of lived in a different time. A time before things became how they are now; that's how you learned about the world. It isn't any fault of yours. And it isn't wrong either. Just late. Everyone has room to grow. Nobody knows everything." 

Katsuki sniffles, wiping at his eyes but he does flash that beaming smile Touya's way again. 

"See? You always know what to say." 

It's a first for Touya. He's the absolute worst at words and comforting others but the words come naturally when it comes to Katsuki. Part of him thinks he just might be lucky, but the most rational parts of him understand that it's because he's simply telling Katsuki the truth. If he isn't good at anything else, he's at least good at that. 

"Can I give you a word of advice though, Kit?" 

Katsuki turns to give him his attention with an affirmative nod. 

"You've gotta...be more assertive. I know being sweet and cuddly is really just in your nature and that's totally cool; you can still be sweet and cuddly. But when it matters, you've really gotta put your foot down. When Izuku starts talkin' out of his ass, you make sure he knows that you don't need his entitled ass opinions." 

Katsuki simply stares at him a moment---a solid minute and a half before he slants and scrunches his brows together in confusion. 

"You cannot physically speak with your rectum." 

Bless this child. 

"Oh, baby. You're so cute." Isn't what he means to say---doesn't mean to sigh in that dreamy way but it's far too late to take it back now. He decides to change the subject now that he's gotten Katsuki all nice and flustered. "Tell me somethin' about yourself, Katsuki." 

"...what would you like to know? There is not much about myself that I am aware of." 

Touya lays back against Katsuki's pillows, getting comfortable. No background noise. No outside distractions. Just two friends getting to know each other better. 

It's funny. Touya hasn't ever considered many people his friends. Tetsu was one the only ones---if not the only one. If there are others, he can't quite think of them. Associates and acquaintances, sure. But he's only ever had one friend. 

Two, now that he can count Katsuki. 

"Anything you can think of. Anything you're willing to tell me." 

"W-Well...pink is my favorite color and…and...that's all that I know." The blonde says, scent sour with disappointment. Does he really not have a personality? Nothing to define him? 

"Really? There's definitely more to it than that. For instance, I know that you're a Taurus. I know that you like butterflies but you think ladybugs are prettier. You enjoy being outside and wildlife fascinates you. Sunsets are your favorite." He begins, feeling the bed dip low beside him as he stares at the ceiling. He feels Katsuki rest his head onto his shoulder and curls his massive arm around him in a sort of hug. 

"You hate wearing shoes because they make you feel constricted. You really like that one radio station that plays alternative music and your favorite cartoons are those really old school ones---Tom and Jerry. Spaghetti and meatballs are your favorite food and chocolate cookies are your favorite dessert. You like them more than you like hugs. And you've got it real bad for some good hugs." He continues, laughing to himself. It's silent, so silent that for a moment Touya thinks that Katsuki may have gone to sleep on him until he feels the blonde shifting underneath his arm, gently pushing it off of him to sit upright. 

Touya can hear his heart pumping a mile a minute in his ears, when he sees the look on his face and immediately sits upright as well, worried that he's said or done something wrong. 

"K-Katsuki? Hey, did I---shit, did I say something to make you uncomfortable? That was probably creepy, right? Knowin' all that stuff. I'm sorry, I---" 

"No one has ever cared that much before." 

It's barely a whisper, shaky and in one breath. Katsuki's looking at him as if Touya's done something worthy of disbelief and the alpha isn't sure of how he feels about that. 

"I...I care. I mean, I know I'm an asshole sometimes but I'm not...I don't want you to see me as a bad guy. Everyone else sees me as a lost cause and a bad apple---everyone except for you and Nori. But I'm always doing the right thing. Maybe not the most lawful. Maybe not the most peaceful. But it's always the right thing." Touya tries, cursing himself when his voice cracks a bit. 

"I'm not tryna just pretend to be your friend or whatever just to placate you or make you feel good about yourself. Just want you to know that everything I say is coming right from the heart. I'm not the best friend to have around but I'm loyal. And I'll protect you. I do care. Not because of Shouto. Not because of Nori. But because you're just...really amazing."

Katsuki is searching his eyes the way that he does, that look that he gives when he's trying to see whether or not someone is being sincere but Touya can't quite read what he's thinking and it's making him anxious. His flight or fight is beginning to kick in and for the first time in forever, Touya wants to run. 

But Katsuki simply wraps his arms around him and squeezes him tightly. 

"You were wrong about one thing. I don't like cookies more than I like hugs." 

Touya breathes out a relieved sigh, gingerly wrapping his arms around Katsuki to hug him. He's a little worried that he'll break him---he's so small and fragile---but Katsuki encourages him to hold him tighter and Touya obliges, slowly leaning back to rest on the bed again. 

It wouldn't hurt to be just a little late to dinner. Surely his mother would understand. 

"Okay. Why don't you tell me somethin' else then? Tell me about your aspirations."