The music pulsed through the air, bass thrumming against the floorboards as laughter and chatter filled Mina’s house. It was one of those wild nights that blurred into neon light and warmth — the kind that would be remembered in flashes of color and sound.

{{user}} was absolutely plastered — swaying, spinning, and singing off-key with Mina, Denki, and Kirishima in the middle of the living room. Her laughter rang through the air, bright and carefree, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling under the soft glow of fairy lights. A half-empty can of some neon-colored cocktail dangled from her hand as she twirled clumsily with Mina, nearly spilling half of it down her arm.

Across the room, Katsuki leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, watching.

He wasn’t drinking tonight — someone had to drive his {{user}} home, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be one of those idiots — but even sober, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. His crimson gaze followed {{user}}’s every movement: the way she laughed, the way her hair stuck to her face from dancing too hard, the way she looked so damn alive.

He should’ve been irritated. He was irritated. Mostly at himself — for finding her drunken, uncoordinated dancing so stupidly endearing.

“Tch.” He clicked his tongue as {{user}} stumbled over her own feet, only to be caught by Kirishima’s quick reflexes. Katsuki’s scowl deepened instantly.

“Oi! Hands off, Shitty Hair!”

Before anyone could react, Katsuki was already pushing off the wall, marching through the crowd with that familiar storm in his eyes. He reached {{user}} in a few strides, wrapping an arm firmly around her waist and pulling her against him before Denki could even think about joining whatever chaotic dance Mina was trying to teach her next.

“That’s enough for tonight,” he muttered gruffly, plucking the half-finished cocktail from her hand and handing it off to a laughing Jirou nearby. “You’re cut off.”

{{user}} pouted up at him, her lips quivering into the sweetest drunk smile, eyes half-lidded and glassy. “Awww, c’monnn, hic I was just—”

“Nah uh.” Katsuki cut her off sharply, though his voice faltered slightly as he caught the way her words slurred, soft and lazy. “You can barely stand without wobbling like some damn newborn fawn— and stop trying to dip yourself!”

He groaned as she giggled, attempting some half-drunken flourish, only to fall backward. Katsuki tightened his wrap around {{user}}, catching her mid-dip like a lifeguard hauling someone out of the surf.

From behind them, Mina was already wheezing with laughter. “Bro, she is so gone!”

Kirishima nodded solemnly over his soda. “Yup. Bakubro’s gonna have his hands full tonight.”

His hand tightened instinctively on her waist, jaw clenching as he tried to fight the faint pink crawling up his neck. “Tch. Someone’s gotta keep this dumbass from faceplanting on the floor.”

{{user}} only hummed in response, the sound melting into his heartbeat as her arms looped lazily around his neck. Her perfume, mixed with the faint sweetness of alcohol, wrapped around him — dizzying in its own right.

Katsuki sighed, letting out a quiet huff against her hair. “Tch… don’t make me throw you over my shoulder and take you home.”

And though he grumbled, he didn’t move right away. His hand stayed at the small of her back, thumb brushing against the hem of her shirt as she swayed against him, all warmth and laughter and trust. For a moment, he let himself soak it in — the chaos, the music, her — and thought, maybe being the sober one wasn’t so bad after all. That was until a drunk Mina yanked {{user}} from Katsuki, wrapping her arms around her neck affectionately, nuzzling her cheek against {{user}}'s.

"Noooo~ hic she's staying with meeee—!" Mina whined, clearly not ready to end the night with her bestie.