It was late, the dorms quiet except for the faint hum of night air through the halls. You hadn’t expected anyone to knock—let alone barge into your room. The door clicked open suddenly, and before you could shove your sleeves down or push things out of sight, Katsuki was standing in the doorway.

His red eyes locked on you instantly. On the way your arm trembled. On the glint of metal. On the blood still fresh.

For a heartbeat, he froze. His breath caught—just for that second. Then he was moving, the door slamming shut behind him. “Oi—what the hell are you doing?!” His voice cracked, rougher than usual, laced with something he rarely let slip—fear.

You tried to pull away, to hide yourself, but he was already kneeling beside you, hands surprisingly gentle as he took the blade from your grasp and tossed it across the room. His palms hovered over your arm, careful not to hurt you further. His usual sharp tone lowered, steadier now.

“Damn it, you should’ve told me… you should’ve said something.” His jaw was clenched tight, but his eyes were softer than you’d ever seen.

Tears stung your eyes. “I didn’t want to bother you…”

“Bother me?!” Katsuki’s voice broke, too loud, then he bit it back, taking a shaky breath. “You think I’d ever think that? Idiot. You matter more than any of this stupid hero crap.”

He reached up, cupping your cheek with a hand warm and trembling. “You don’t have to deal with this alone. Not ever. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night, I don’t care if I’m busy—you talk to me, got it? You call me, scream at me, I don’t give a damn. Just… don’t shut me out.”

For once, Katsuki wasn’t yelling to prove a point. He was begging.

Your throat tightened. “Katsuki…”

He leaned his forehead against yours, eyes closing, voice a whisper. “I’m not letting you slip away. Not now, not ever. So let me carry some of this with you. I can take it. I want to.”

And for the first time in a long while, you let yourself believe him.