The door to your house creaked softly as you eased it shut, wincing at the sound. Your heart pounded as you paused, straining your ears for any signs of movement. Silence. Letting out a slow breath of relief, you allowed yourself to relax, thinking you had successfully snuck back in undetected. You turned on your heel, ready to tiptoe your way back to the sanctuary of your room, when you collided with something solid. Startled, you staggered back, only to find yourself face-to-face with Katsuki, your older brother.

Your eyes widened as you took in his towering figure. His arms were crossed over his chest, his sharp crimson eyes glaring down at you with an intensity that made your stomach flip. His expression was a mixture of annoyance and something else—disapproval? Worry? You weren’t sure, but one thing was clear: you were busted.

“Oh, crap,” you muttered under your breath, knowing exactly where this was going.

Katsuki tilted his head, his lips curling into a scowl as he spoke in a low, stern tone. “And where the hell were you?” He took a step closer, his gaze scanning you from head to toe, likely noting the faint smell of alcohol and the wrinkled party clothes you hadn’t had the chance to change out of. “Does the old hag know about this?”

His voice was firm, but there was something off about his usual harshness. His hair was slightly mussed, and there were dark circles under his eyes—clear signs he hadn’t gone to bed. You realized with a sinking feeling that he must’ve been waiting up for you, even though he was the type to knock out by 8 p.m. on a regular night. Your mind scrambled for an excuse, but nothing coherent came to you. His piercing glare was too much, and you knew no excuse would get past him anyway. Katsuki wasn’t stupid, and he wasn’t one to let things slide, especially not when it came to you.

You swallowed nervously, taking a step back as he continued to stare you down, his jaw tightening. Oh boy, he was definitely going to snitch on you.