ⁱˡᵒᵐⁱˡᵒ

ᵗʰᵉ ᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈˢ

A/N: DabiBaku centric chapter! The next few chapters will be that way as well just to take a break from the angst and focus more on the main pairing.

"...Baby?" 

Katsuki's eyes flicker up from the half eaten slice of pizza on his plate to meet Touya's worried gaze. He doesn't seem to be enjoying himself and Katsuki can't help but feel like he's the one at fault. He wishes that he could pay more attention to his love on this date of theirs; he'd taken his time to plan this out for them, after all. It's just that he can't stop thinking about Keigo's bloodstained hands and the way that he towered over Rei's limp body---about the knife that had clattered to his feet. He knows that Touya is trying to do his best to cheer him up but he can't help but wonder about the horror that would have unfolded had Keigo not come home when he did. Even a moment later and…

Well. Thinking about it makes his stomach turn. He's made himself lose his appetite. 

"I-I am sorry…" he says to the raven who offers a soft and understanding smile as he reaches out to take Katsuki's hand in his own. "No, that's okay, baby. I know today was a little more stressful than we'd planned for it to be. I don't have much of an appetite, either. I was just hoping I could get you to smile a little." He says, squeezing Katsuki's delicate hand in his. "I can take you home if you'd like and we can just cuddle. I dunno about you but holding you always makes me feel better." He adds. Katsuki is quite grateful to have an alpha in his life that is so gentle and understanding with him. Patient. Unwavering. 

"Being so close to you brings me great joy. When you hold me and when you kiss me. Holding my hand. Even when you do small things for me, listening to me ramble about nothing for hours and holding on to every word that I say because, to you, it is important. I often feel I am the luckiest boy in the world because of you, Touya." 

The alpha blooms bright red, right up to the tips of his ears as he sheepishly rubs at the back of his head.

"Baby, you're making me blush, here. Cut that out." 

"Oh? I think that it is quite a charming look for you, my love." Katsuki giggles as Touya pulls away to wipe at his face with his tattooed hand. It's not often that Katsuki gets to see Touya so flustered. In fact, he can't actually recall a time he's ever seen him flustered. A little awkward, maybe, but never flustered like this. He flashes Katsuki that million dollar smile, though the color has yet to retreat from his cheeks. "C'mon now. I've got a reputation to maintain here." He jokes and Katsuki snorts at him with a roll of his eyes. "Is that so? Are you worried about your several admirers finding out that the infamous bad boy Touya Todoroki is...what is it that Shouto calls you? Oh yes, I remember. A big softie ?" Katsuki teases, watching Touya stand from his chair and shrugs his jacket on. He walks around the table to pull Katsuki's chair out for him and help him up from his seat. He pulls him impossibly close, flush against his own body as he leans down to ghost his lips against his forehead. 

"Not a bad boy. Just a troubled soul with good intentions." He murmurs, trailing down until he's kissing at Katsuki's jaw. "Besides, I ain't worried about catching anyone else's eye as long as both of those beautiful eyes of yours are on me." Katsuki shivers unbidden and Touya raises up to give him a curious look in his eyes. Their relationship isn't one that's sexual in nature; Touya hasn't even ever used his tongue when he kisses Katsuki. He doesn't grope or tease him. He doesn't make any moves to be provocative or suggestive. He doesn't want to feel as though he's influencing Katsuki to do anything that he's not ready for. If that means that he's got to use his hand for the next year or so, well…