Undead Revolution (⛔☁️)

S7 - 5. [Flowers]

Katsuki left Nezu's meeting with a tightness in his chest that hadn't been there before. The deal was made, the terms set. He'd get what he needed for Eri, but it left a sour taste in his mouth. Helping heroes had never sat right with him; not anymore, not after everything.

The crisp air hit him through his suit as he made his way to Teskai's, his boots crunching on the gravel beneath him. Eri's future. The words echoed in his mind, and though he knew he was doing the right thing, the weight of it pressed down harder than he'd expected.

Katsuki's steps echoed in the stairwell as he climbed the few steps up to Teskai's apartment. He could feel the dried blood pulling at the fabric of his gear, the metallic scent still clinging to him like a second skin. It wasn't all his blood, but that hardly mattered.

He knocked twice, short and sharp, before letting himself in. The door clicked shut behind him as he stepped into the familiar apartment, the lights low, and the faint sound of a movie playing in the background.

Teskai looked up from his spot on the couch, immediately wrinkling his nose. "You're gonna ruin my furniture if you sit down in that"

Katsuki grunted, already moving past him toward the bathroom as he pulled off his mask. "Like I'm gonna sit down looking like this"

"You look like you just walked out of a horror movie" Teskai muttered, shaking his head. "I hope that's not the hero you just rescued"

Katsuki rolled his eyes, tossing his gear bag to the floor just outside the bathroom door. "It's not"

The bathroom light flickered to life as he flipped the switch, and he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Blood, more than he thought, smeared across his suit. The crimson streaks stood out against the black fabric. Katsuki scowled and stripped off the suit, tossing it into the sink. He could still feel the tension buzzing in his veins, but it was fading now, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

"I'll grab you some clothes" Teskai called from the other room. "And maybe an air freshener while I'm at it"

Katsuki didn't respond, turning the water on and scrubbing at the bloodstains on his skin. As the water ran red, swirling down the drain, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. Another mission done. Another step closer to his perfect life.

But even as the blood washed away, the weight of what came next lingered in the back of his mind.

He heard Teskai open the door and toss some clothes onto the bathroom counter. Eri's small voice called for the teen so Katsuki was quickly left alone.

His shower was finished rather quickly. He stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry off with.

The black sweatpants and gray t-shirt were nice, but the boxers that were covered in bright flowers were not appreciated.

Especially because he couldn't yell at the teen about it without Eri hearing. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

Maybe he should strangle the hacker.

Katsuki scowled at the ridiculous boxers, feeling his blood pressure rise despite the fact that he had just showered. Teskai was definitely pushing his luck. He tugged them on begrudgingly. He could almost hear the smug grin on Teskai's face from the other room.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, still toweling off his hair, he caught sight of Teskai sitting on the couch with Eri, who was sleepily leaning on him. The sight of her calm, safe, and seemingly at ease was enough to pull some of the irritation out of him, though not completely.

"Nice flowers" Teskai remarked without even glancing up, his voice laced with amusement.

Katsuki glared at him, though he kept his voice a whisper for Eri's sake. "You're dead when she goes to sleep"

Teskai gave him a lazy smirk. "Only if you can catch me"

Katsuki's eyes narrowed, but instead of responding, he moved to kneel down in front of Eri.

She looked up from the tablet, blinking tiredly at him. "You feelin' be'er?" She asked quietly, her half asleep voice so innocent that it hurt.

He gave a smile. "Yeah. You ready for bed?"

She nodded, reaching out and allowing him to pick her up. Teskai gathered her blanket and followed him to the bedroom Katsuki had taken over.

Katsuki sighed quietly. "I should really clean this shit up"

Teskai snorted, but wisely said nothing. Katsuki laid Eri down, snatching the blanket from his friend and tucking it around her.

As he left, leaving the door cracked open as he always did, she gave him a quiet "G'night 'Tsuki"

He grinned, pausing in the doorway. "'Night"

Teskai joined him in the living room shortly after, having returned to his own room to change into cartoonish pyjamas.

"You better sleep before I wake up in the morning"

The teen tossed the TV remote at him before disappearing back into his room. Katsuki sighed, shifting to get comfortable on the couch. No promises, but he'd try to sleep.

After he sent in the bounties, of course.

Word Count: 871