A/N: hey guys. new update schedule for this fic is Sundays. FYPM will be on Tuesdays. My schedule has becoming increasingly more hectic than usual so now I have to manage my time a little better. Thanks to those still reading! Please enjoy this boring filler. ❤️

Where is everyone?

Katsuki's been stumbling around that massive house for quite some time and he hasn't seen a single familiar face in at least thirty minutes. He's unsure of whether or not this house just seems so much bigger than what it is because he's inebriated or if he's simply just lost his way among the many rooms and corridors. He should have known better than to leave his phone behind; at least that way he would have easily been able to call Touya or Shouto or anyone for help.

That man in the mask has been prowling behind him this entire time.

It doesn't even feel like he's trying to be even the least bit inconspicuous, flashing Katsuki a friendly wave every single time those bourbon eyes meet his own. Katsuki is attempting to rationalize the situation---to tell him that he was safe so long as he was sure to stay in close proximities of other people. Surely this strange man wouldn't try anything with so many witnesses around, right? It's logical, yes, so Katsuki tries to make it work for his quaking anxieties but all that it does is remind him of being cornered and hunted down like prey by Inasa.

Katsuki wants to go home.

He's forced to take a moment when he begins to feel winded and disoriented, slumping against the wall at his side as he tries to catch his breath in a timely manner. He's unsure of what he's supposed to do in a situation like this. Should he just grab the nearest person and tell them that he needs help---that he's lost? He's done that before and ended up being antagonized by Neito Monoma. Is it a risk worth taking or would he put himself in twice as much of a predicament. Should he circle around and try to go outside instead? He's scared and he's confused and, at the moment, on the verge of tears.

Where's Touya?

Where's Touya?!

"Are you okay?"

The voice in his ear doesn't startle him nearly as much as the hand that seems to appear from nowhere at all and gently grip his shoulder. Katsuki's heart nearly jumps out from his throat as he scrambles into the wall, back flat against it to face the culprit only to find kind, wide eyes staring back at him.

A woman.

Not any woman that he recognizes. She's got long, dark hair and fringe that falls just above that compassionate gaze. She's not much taller than him at all---if only by an inch or two. A beta, he thinks but he can't quite tell with the almost overbearing scent of so many others swirling about. She's wearing plain jeans and a t-shirt with a smiling green frog on it.

"Sorry. You just seemed like you were in trouble and I didn't want to leave you alone when you look so scared. Is everything okay?" She asks and though her facial expression doesn't quite convey the worry in her tone, Katsuki can tell that she is genuinely concerned. His anxiety, however, is quite a different beast in his current condition and he fails to find a voice for his pleas. His eyes dart between her and the masked man who is---as he had been---still quite literally stalking him from afar. This new stranger follows his panicked gaze and, much to Katsuki's relief, seems to understand the situation without him having to further struggle to put it into words.

"He's following you?"

Katsuki nods, frantic and fevered.

She glances back at the odd man again, reaching down to take Katsuki's hand in her own as she quickly turns on her heels and leads him through the dense crowd. It's overwhelming for Katsuki---an overload of sensation to his senses that feels like he's being jostled and tossed through a blender. Too many touches. Too many different scents. Too many different noises---but he's able to endure it long enough for them to duck out of the room and make a mad dash for the semi-crowded staircase. He tries his best to keep up with her but he feels like he's going to vomit, dizziness and disorientation coming back full swing. He can hear her assure them that they're almost there---wherever there may be---so he tries the best that he can to keep himself together. It isn't long before they reach a room on the far end---a bedroom, to be exact. She's sure to lock the door behind them, just in time to catch Katsuki before he tumbles face-forward onto the cold tile floor.

"It's okay; I've got you." She helps him sit down on the bed as he struggles to catch his breath, eventually encouraging him to lie down a moment until he feels well enough to speak.

The ceiling fan makes him nauseous, so he closes his eyes instead.

There's shuffling around the room and cabinets opening---perhaps a light switch being flickered in the adjoining bathroom. Running water. A cool towel being rested over his forehead.

"If you start to feel like you might puke, I've put the garbage bin to your left. I'd like to go and get you some water but I'm afraid to leave you alone so once you're able to walk again, feel free to use the bathroom, okay?"

Katsuki gives her a small nod and hopes that she can tell that he's affirming her, sighing as his body is finally able to relax a bit.

It doesn't feel like someone's trying to punch a hole through his lungs anymore, at least.

"T-Thank you."

"No problem. Are you going to be alright?"

"Physically, yes."

She hums and Katsuki takes a deep breath as his stomach begins to settle. Why do these sorts of things always seem to happen to him at parties? Getting into troublesome situations. Ending up in someone else's bedroom? He supposes this one instance, he's happy to be locked in there instead of being caught in the clutches of someone who's quite obviously up to no good.

"I am Katsuki." He greets her. It feels appropriate to do that much, at least. She flashes an equally kind smile at him, offering him a gentle pat to his knee. "Tsuyu. But you can just call me Tsu."

Katsuki sits up from the bed with a bit of difficulty, cool towel falling to his lap after having gone lukewarm. She seems to be occupied with something on her phone, tapping away at the screen. He feels bad that she feels the need to lock herself in there with him just because he isn't capable of looking after himself. She had no other reason to help him and yet she's here from the kindness of her heart just to make sure that he's safe.

"I-I am sorry for causing so much trouble for you." He says and she looks up from the screen with a rather confused expression on her face. "You aren't any trouble to me. We're supposed to look out for one another---especially beta females and omegas. Alphas don't have a reputation for being the best of people. I wouldn't ever be able to live with myself seeing someone in trouble when I know there's something I could do to help them."

Katsuki can relate to that sentiment, though there hasn't ever been much he could do to help others in need unless you could count offering his love and support.

He's not very helpful in way of protection.

"Denki and Mashirao are good friends of mine; I live here while they're away on tour to make sure the house is being taken care of. I shot Mashirao a text to let him know the situation. He said they'd be right up in a second." She discloses, looking down at the screen when it lights up again.

"Oh, you're Touya's boyfriend? I've heard a lot about you but I didn't think I'd get to meet you. I'm sorry that it had to be under these circumstances."

"I am not sorry about it, as I am not sure I would be in the best of situations had I not run into you when I did."

"Mm, I guess that's true too. But to be honest, all the other people here are personal friends of Denki and Mashirao so I'm sure that if anyone would have seen you were in trouble, they'd help. I've never seen or heard of that man before, though and after describing him to Mashi, I don't think they know him at all. There's a strong chance he saw the party going on and decided to crash it. Creeps like him show up at parties and crash all of the time."

And Katsuki could see how that could be a reoccurring situation, especially since Denki and Mashirao seem to be fairly popular. Katsuki doesn't quite understand what it is that they do---just that they're famous. From what Touya tells him, crazed superfans do that sort of thing quite often. Just last week, Keigo had to call the police on a fan who had been camping out in their garage to try and get a photo with him.

If Katsuki has learned nothing else about the world outside of Tomura's attic, it's that there are likely more people who are---as Keigo would say---a few Kangaroos short of a bungalow than there are normal people in the world.

Apparently they breed in abundance in Sapporo.

But if this man was simply a crazed fan of the blonde superstars then why would he be wasting his time stalking Katsuki? Why target him of all people?

Nothing makes any sense to him these days.

"I worry to think of how often they must endure something so horrible."

"I wouldn't. They're pretty good sports about it."

A feat of its own. Katsuki couldn't imagine living a life without any peace at all---constantly having your privacy invaded for the sake of someone else's selfish desires.

#

Touya can't think straight.

He feels like he's scoured this damn place from top to bottom and still, no sign of his timid little lover. Shouto isn't of much help as he'd passed out drunk on the downstairs sofa about an hour prior, forcing Izuku to leave the party early to take him home or to a hotel---whichever the half-drunken idiot made it to first. Touya had told them take an Uber instead---that if Izuku made the decision to drive drunk and managed to kill his little brother that he'd gut the freckled alpha with his bare hands---but he sincerely doubts that Izuku is capable of not being hard-headed for five minutes.

Eijirou had gone as well, taking Tamaki home as he'd felt like he'd had enough partying for one night. Tamaki couldn't agree more, social battery completely drained from a night of trying to be supportive to his friends. Touya can't blame them; all of this commotion probably wasn't the best for their unborn pup, either.

Mina and Ochako were somewhere undoubtedly fucking each other's brains out.

He has absolutely no fucking idea where Hitoshi and Fumi ran off to.

Not to mention that his cell phone is dead.

He's starting to get a little pissed off but he doesn't even have anyone to be pissed at, which just makes him even more pissed off.

The only thing he can think to do is go back to the last place he'd seen Katsuki, remembering that the blonde did leave his purse and shoes behind. There wasn't anything in the purse that he can remember---just his cell phone and some lip gloss. If Katsuki's phone isn't dead, Touya could at least call Hitoshi and tell him to help him look for him---maybe even call his father to have him come and pick them up as there's absolutely no way that it's safe for Touya to drive after the amount of alcohol he's had to drink. His anxiety isn't helping, urging him to grab another beer every time he passes by the fridge or any of the drink tables.

He had just wanted to go home and pass out in bed. Preferably with a hand up Katsuki's shirt and a perky little tit in his palm.

Now? Now his brain is having the worst of field days, conjuring up several worst case scenarios of what has come to be of his beloved. His inner alpha is struggling to claw its way out, frantic in its need to sate it's protective instincts. Where is his mate? What if he's hurt, scared and alone? Will Touya have to murder someone tonight? Not that he minds; he's quite fond of giving any asshole who'd dare to commit such transgressions towards the one that he loves exactly what's coming to them.

He needs to see him.

If he could just see that he's okay then he'd be fine.

He'd be...fine.

He finds his way back to the area where he'd left Katsuki's thing, only to find that there's someone going through them.

An odd looking fellow in a mask.

He's no bigger than Touya, if not even a bit shorter but he's a right scrawny bastard, scrolling through Katsuki's cell phone as he holds the little red purse in his free hand.

Touya approaches him quite violently.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

It carries over the music and the shady man pauses, gaze flickering over to where Touya is standing with an air of nonchalance about it. Like he isn't at all worried that he's just been caught going through something that obviously doesn't belong to him.

"What do you want, boy?"

Touya grabs the man by the collar of his shirt, snatching Katsuki's phone out of his gloved hands and pocketing it. His brain is cycling through several options at once---the most prominent being whether or not to break this fucker's nose. He's drunk, obviously, and more volatile than he usually is. Beating the shit out of some random old guy may not be the most considerate thing he can do in his friends' home. This particular crime doesn't have any victims. No one's hurt. Just some creeper going through his boyfriend's stuff.

Touya's fingers twitch and he almost swings anyway---almost.

"Fuck you doin' goin' through my baby's stuff?"

A curious quirk of the stranger's brow.

"Your...oh. I see." Is all that he says and Touya can physically feel himself become increasingly more piqued.

"Get the fuck outta here before I lose the little bit 'o patience I have and skin you alive, you fuckin' chicken shit bastard." He gravels, vehemently releasing the stranger with a harsh shove. The older alpha adjusts his clothing, curious brows pinching together in mild annoyance.

"You, boy, are lucky that you are your father's son." He hisses and Touya, completely caught by the ankle, can do little more than gape at him as he turns to walk away. Who the fuck is this guy?

And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

He debates punching him the back of the head but relents with a sigh as Katsuki's phone vibrates in pocket. It's not a saved number, but he recognizes it anywhere.

Denki.

#

A loud and thundering knock at the door startles Tsuyu and Katsuki both. They share a look with one another, unsure of what to do.

"It's us, guys! I brought Touya and Hitoshi up with us; it's okay."

It's Mashirao's voice, muffled from the other side of the door.

Katsuki releases a breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding as Tsuyu hurriedly goes to unlock the door and open it for them. Sure enough, Mashirao is there with both Touya and Hitoshi in tow. Katsuki is so relieved that he feels he could cry---he actually might---and stands from the bed to throw himself into Touya's arms but he stands much too quickly, feeling as though the floor has been pulled from beneath his feet like a rug. There's a collective outburst of worry and Katsuki feels himself being held upright by an arm around his waist---as upright as he could be with his body slumped the way that it is. His rising anxiety has made him incredibly faint and the alcohol in his system doesn't seem to be doing him any favors.

He never wants to touch another drop of alcohol again.

Or go to a party. Parties fucking suck.

"Hey, hey, baby. You okay? Can you hear me?" Touya's voice sounds like he's being held underwater for a brief moment but Katsuki is soon able to lift his head enough to answer with a weak hum. His lover is guiding him to lay back against the bed and Katsuki keeps his eyes closed---knows that the ceiling fan is going to make him nauseous again. Tattooed fingers card through sweat slicked, flaxen hair to try and soothe him. Katsuki leans into his palm to seek more of that comfort.

"You're okay, baby, I'm here. Sleep if you need to; I'm not going anywhere." He encourages, though he'd been ready to fuss at Katsuki for running off without him or anyone else there to look after him only moments prior but Katsuki's physical and mental well-being outweighs the need for a lecture.

For now.

"Asui." Hitoshi prompts and the beta answers with an expectant glance in his direction. "What happened to him? Did he somehow manage to hurt himself?"

"Not exactly. I think he's just had too much to drink. He's been scared out of his mind for the last thirty minutes or so, too, so it's been a bit of a spiral for him." She responds, tacking on an exasperated, "And I told you to call me Tsu." Hitoshi does apologize, at least, and assures her that he'll do his absolute best not to do it again.

"If my understanding of the situation is correct, some weirdo in a mask has been following him around since he got separated from us. Most likely just a party crasher lookin' to steal something of Denki's that he can sell for a profit online or some asshole paparazzi." Mashirao chimes, attempting to ease their minds if only even a little. As Tsuyu had said before, this sort of thing happens to them more often than not. Mostly when they're staying in hotels during tours.

Touya feels an uneasiness creep up on him.

"...weirdo with a mask."

"Well, yeah, but---"

"Doesn't make sense. If they were after Denki or any of your shit then why would they be antagonizing Katsuki?" Hitoshi points and Mashirao, unable to formulate a response in his defense, seems to catch on fairly quickly.

"You're saying this was a targeted thing?"

"Seems like it, doesn't it?"

"I found some fucker in a mask looking through Katsuki's stuff earlier when I was looking for him. I didn't think twice about it then but he acting really fuckin' familiar with me when I confronted him." Touya adds.

He's uncomfortable with the implications of what's happened there tonight.

"Where's Denki?"

"U-Uh---he's downstairs clearing everyone out. Fumi's with him. Should we...do we call the police?" Mashirao is becoming increasingly nervous with every new realization. Hitoshi declines with a shake of his head. "No. Chances are that this guy's is long gone by now. If you call the cops and tell them that Katsuki was nearly snatched up, they're gonna send an entire fleet. It's just gonna cause a bunch of chaos and disarray. Could make the situation worse."

"Then what? Do we just...send everyone home? Sure, Katsuki would probably be safer after leaving here but this place is big enough for that weird guy to be hiding literally anywhere." Tsuyu points and, again, she has quite a valid point. They'll have to call the cops either way; they can't just leave the place unchecked when Denki, Mashirao and Tsuyu all have to sleep here tonight.

"I'll call my mom. It's late, but he'll come. Especially if it's for Kats. I'll have him bring a few friends along to check the place out and put out an APV for that masked fucker." Hitoshi suggests and it's about the best option that they have. Shota is inconspicuous, at least. It would be best if they could do this without causing such a commotion. "We all need to sit tight until they get here---but the guest should be gone before the cops get here too."

"I'll go help the boys clear everyone out. Mind giving me a hand, Tsu?"

She and Mashirao leave them to head back downstairs and Hitoshi almost goes with them to help move the process along but thinks it better to stay behind with Katsuki. It's not that he doesn't think Touya is capable of taking care of Katsuki on his own, but being able to see Katsuki with his own eyes puts Hitoshi's paranoia and anxieties to rest.

Man, he's getting soft.