Safe Space

Vow of Silence

A/N: sort of a filler, I've been super busy but really needed to update today. Next upload will be longer.

Four days.

It's been four days and Katsuki still hasn't come out of headspace.

Izuku thinks that it's due to traumatic experience. He thinks that if they can just figure out what happened that day---figure out just who hurt him then maybe they can help Katsuki but---

But he won't talk.

Not even a nod or a shake of the head.

Shouto usually wouldn't complain about Katsuki being in headspace but it's obvious that something is so very wrong that it's got him absolutely stricken with grief and anxiety.

Nevertheless, he remains strong.

Not just for his sake, but for Katsuki's as well.

"Katsuki, baby?"

Dull eyes flicker up to look at Shouto from where they were glued to a bowl of curry. It has undoubtedly begun to get cold but the blonde has yet to even touch it. He's been sitting at the table for thirty minutes; he hasn't moved an inch.

"Daddy needs you to eat, kitty. Even just a little. Can you do that for me? Pretty please?"

The boy's brows knit together ever so slightly and he hangs his head between his shoulders, shaking just enough that Shouto can tell that he won't be eating dinner tonight.

Just like last night.

And the night before last.

The older boy has to resist the urge to pull and yank at his hair. He doesn't need to make such a mess of himself in front of Katsuki at such a critical time, but it's becoming more and more difficult every day to navigate such a dilemma.

"Are you feeling sick, princess? Does your tummy hurt?"

Katsuki doesn't look up. He just shrugs and, after a moment, lifts his arms to be picked up. Shouto complies, carrying him up on his hip as they leave the dining area to cross the common room. There aren't too many of Class A lounging about and Katsuki doesn't seem all that interested in being social, so Shouto makes his way to the elevator with as much as a nod in greeting to a classmate every now and again. It's only until he makes eye contact with Eijirou that he's forced into any actual engagement, but he welcomes it now that he's got so much turmoil swirling around in his head.

"Hey, how is he?"

Shouto sighs. "Still silent. Won't eat, either. I'm going to take him him upstairs and lay him down for the night. We'll try again tomorrow." He replies, allowing Eijirou to run a soothing hand through Katsuki's hair. He leans into the touch, but keeps his face tucked away in the crook of Shouto's neck. Eijirou gives him a sad smile, eyes trailing up to look into mismatched ones. "And what about you? How are you holding up?"

Shouto offers him a look and Eijirou accepts with a look of his own. He knows Shouto is having just as rough a time. It makes him upset that he can't do much to help.

"Izuku's gonna be up in a bit to take a look at those bruises so don't put him to bed just yet."

"Right. Thank you, you've both been incredibly helpful as of late."

Eijirou pats him on the back with a smile.

"No worries, man."

And Shouto heads upstairs for the evening.

#

Izuku tries as best he can not to put too much pressure on the several scrapes and bruises littering Katsuki's body, but it's nearly impossible to do so when he's covered in so many. The one on his face has started to fade a bit, which is good, but the others don't seem to be budging at all.