You’d been gone for a while.

Long enough that returning to 3-A - back to Heights Alliance - felt strange, like stepping into a place that had kept moving without you. It was late when you arrived, late enough that announcing yourself felt unnecessary. Heading straight to your dorm seemed like the better choice.

The common room was quiet. Too quiet. The stairwell echoed faintly with your footsteps, and the elevator’s low hum filled the silence as it carried you up to your floor. Everything felt suspended, as if the building itself had settled in for the night.

When you reached your room, it was dark, just as you expected. No one should’ve been there. You closed the door behind you softly and reached for the light.

The room flooded with a warm orange glow.

And there - on your bed - was Katsuki.

He was curled slightly inward, clutching one of your shirts from the closet, the fabric twisted in his hands. The sudden light made him jolt. His eyes snapped up, sharp and defensive, shoulders tensing as if ready to snap at whoever had caught him. His grip tightened around the shirt, pulling it closer to his chest on instinct.

Then he saw you.

The tension drained from his face in an instant. His expression faltered, eyes widening as recognition set in, his hold loosening as his hands stilled around the fabric. For a moment, he just stared - caught between surprise, relief, and something far more vulnerable he clearly hadn’t meant to show.