Ten TDBK/BKTD fics

day eight: robot

Shoto is a cyborg. He can't cry, laugh, or show most emotions. He can definitely feel them, though, and that's a big problem.

In which Katsuki may or may not have accidentally fallen in love with a cyborg.

TW: homophobia

~~~

Shoto wakes up in a cold sweat. 
they'll find me-

He pats the bedding next to him, and no one's there.
they'll bring me back-

They won't find him today, he knows, because Momo's coming over.
Momo is his solace. 
Momo will protect him.

they'll always come back-
No, they won't. They won't ever come back.

Shoto reminds himself that his hair is different now, and so are his eyes. Contacts change his eye color from gray and cyan to a simple brown. His hair, which was unnaturally red and white, is dyed black.

He greets himself in the mirror- or he greets his new appearance, at least.
He looks almost unrecognizable.
Almost.

~~~

"Shoto, I brought cookies!" Momo sets down a large tin on the counter, and races over to hug him.

"Momo," he manages, which is surprising, considering all of his bones might be broken now.
But they aren't, because they're made of steel.

Momo notices his sad look, and hugs him again, as if hugs (and tea) are the cure to the world.

(They are to Momo, at least.)

~~~

"I may have set you up on a blind date," Momo sheepishly admits, "but it's okay. He's cool- kind of."

"What the hell, Momo?" 

"He's Jirou's friend, and I trust him."

"Does he know about me?" Shoto gestures at himself, even poking his prosthetic elbow joint to make a point.

"Oh, Shoto," Momo eyes him dejectedly, "it won't matter, don't worry. It shouldn't matter whether you're cyborg or not. Plus, only some cyborg parts are really noticeable- the skin grafting covered the other parts."

"Fine," Shoto says, "but only because you already signed me up. Don't ever do it again, by the way."

Momo lets out a squeal, somewhere between a cat screeching and the sound of nails on chalkboard. "I promise!"

~~~

Shoto leaves the house at 10:15, making sure to cover all of his more visible cyborg parts.
Not because he gives a shit about the impression he'll make, but because he's scared they'll know, and find him again.

They won't, he tries to reassure himself. 
He subconsciously reaches toward his ears, where the sound receptors are metallic gold. He can't really cover them, but they're small enough to be overlooked. 
He hopes so, anyway.

He arrives at the meeting spot at 10:30, only to see an ash blonde yelling at another lady.

"FUCK YOU- SO WHAT IF I'M GAY?!"

"I'm just saying you people shouldn't be allowed to be in such close vicinity with others," the woman protests.

Shoto wants to step in, but his processor keeps telling him to not react, and to stop being so angry.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem here, babe?" Shoto taps the blonde's shoulder, hopefully conveying his message well enough.

"I'm going to have to ask all of you to step out," a waitress announces.

Even though the blonde looks like he's going to explode, he allows Shoto to drag him out of the shop. 

"Are you also- you know, one of them," the woman asks, and Shoto tries not to glare too hard.

"I'm also gay, if that's what you're asking," Shoto says.

The woman wrinkles her nose, and Shoto is glad for once that his internal processor is so good at managing his emotions.

He leans up, whispers a rushed 'sorry', and kisses the blonde on the lips.
To his surprise, the blonde kisses him back, and Shoto has to remind himself that the butterflies in his stomach are not acceptable, and this is only for show.

They leave, blowing air kisses at the woman as they go.

~

"Sorry about that," Shoto says.

"It's fine- sorry, too, I guess."

It's more than fine, Shoto thinks, and hates that his processor doesn't filter thoughts like these. "I'm Shoto."

"Oh- you're the one I'm supposed to be on a blind date with," the blonde says. "I'm Katsuki."

"Great time we've had so far, huh?"

Katsuki flashes a toothy grin. "Sure, pissing other people off is one of my favorite activities." 

Shoto thinks this blind date thing might not be a disaster after all.

~~~

It's been three days since he last saw Katsuki for their second date, and so far, all he can say is that he's fallen. Hard.

Momo was ecstatic, saying something about having more connections to the outside world, and recovering from his experiences, but mostly she was just happy for them.

Based on Katsuki's actions, Shoto thinks maybe Katsuki won't hate him for being a cyborg.
Maybe he'll accept Shoto as he is.

~~~

On their fourth visit, Katsuki visits his house.

"It's so fucking neat," is his commentary.

"You're just messy," Shoto retorts.

"What's this?" Katsuki picks up one of the hexagonal bits that are required for skin grafting, and Shoto panics.

They'll find me- they'll come back and get me, he'll tell everyone-

"Hey, Shoto, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Shoto says.

"I know what this is," Katsuki says, and Shoto's blood goes cold. "Cyborg skin grafting. Shoto, are you-"

"Yeah," he admits, and tears are streaming down from his eyes now.
They'll find me-

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"You don't hate me?"

"I'm in fucking love with you, Sho."

~~~

844 words and insanely rushed