Fuck You, Pay Me!

8. On the Run

A/N: Transitional chapter.

The sun is rising.

Katsuki can't quite tell how long he's been sitting there, bone cold and soaked from the rain where he's tucked himself away in a corner that's easily blocked from view by living room furniture. He's got no clue of where he is---or more like who's house he's in---but he does know that it's been hours since he and Hitoshi separated.

What if he's dead?

What if those guys know where he is?

He'd call Izuku or...or Shouto---fuck, he'll even call Kaminari but his phone is dead and he's much too afraid to leave his hiding spot and look for an outlet.

Not a moment later does the door swing open, slamming against the wall behind it as muddy boots come into view. Katsuki puts a hand over his mouth to stifle his startled yelp, curling in on himself as some comes walking in. They don't bother taking off their shoes, just shutting the door behind them. Katsuki feels his trembling intensify and he mutely wonders if they could hear him at all.

"Katsuki?"

It's Hitoshi and he sounds like he's about to drop dead right on the living room carpet. The booted feet drag against the floor a bit, pausing just at the coffee table.

"You can come out. It's just me."

Katsuki squeezes his eyes closed with a shake of his head. He doesn't want to see. Doesn't want to have to look at what they did to Hitoshi. The older man is practically wheezing with every breath. There's no way in hell they went easy on him.

"You gotta, cause we gotta move. We can't stay here long, baby, they'll find us. We have to leave. I won't hurt you. You know I won't hurt you."

He does know that---or, really, he doesn't know for sure but it doesn't feel like Hitoshi would hurt him. It could just be those mind games that he plays---luring him into a false sense of security but Hitoshi just killed someone for him.

Hitoshi just nearly died for him.

The entirety of it all is so incredibly overwhelming that he feels his stomach lurching all over again, dry heaving behind blood stained fingers. He swallows it down with a sob.

"Toshi, I-I'm scared---"

"I know, Kats, I know. I'm sorry you got pulled into all of this."

Hitoshi let's out a wet cough and Katsuki sees blood splatter onto the carpet, only confirming the idea that Hitoshi is in seriously rough shape. He's feet drag forward a bit more and Katsuki can hear the sound of Hitoshi's hands slapping against the coffee table as he uses it to steady himself.

"You were never supposed to know or get involved. Midoriya  made sure of that and I was here to fuckin' enforce it but I got too comfortable."

Deku?

"W-What are you saying?! Are you trying to say that Deku is one of them?!"

"Not one of them, no. He's scarier than any of those fucks could ever be. Well, to the average guy, anyway. He doesn't do much for those of us who ain't got a damn thing to lose."

A lighter flickers. Katsuki can make out the distinctive noise of an inhale as the air permeates with cigarette smoke. He's seriously taking a smoke break at a time like this?

A loud crash sounds from outside---car doors slamming and someone yelling orders. Hitoshi curses underneath his breath.

"Katsuki, we have to leave now, baby. I'm not leaving you here so get up or we both die."