Safe Space

Free

"But I didn't." She laughs.

"Bullshit, you knew who Mimikyu was."

"Cause memes, obviously."

"Don't you fuckin' lie to me, Round Face, I'll terminate this friendship and Team Rocket the fuck out of you right out of this fuckin' window."

Ochako throws herself over him in an incredibly intrusive hug.

"Katsuki, you see me as your friend?!"

He tries to pry her off of him, but to no avail. "Fuckin' obviously. All of you fuckwits are my stupid ass friends."

"Even Iida?"

"Even Jet Legs."

"That's literally the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say."

"Well, fuck, I must not have set the bar all that high then."

She releases him and moves to sit on his bed when her foot kicks something heavy and pain shoots through her toes.

"Ouch! What the heck are you storing under there? Cement blocks?!" She accuses, rubbing at her sore toes as she balances herself on her other foot. Katsuki snickers at her, turning back to his textbook as she lifts his blanket to drag the box from underneath the bed and set it atop of his duvet.

When she opens it, she doesn't know how to feel.

"These...these are your toys."

Katsuki doesn't say anything as her head swivels around the room. She takes in the fact that all of his shelves are cleared, save for a few framed photos of he and Shouto. There are also a few photos of he and his friends---of Mina, Kami, and Sero along with Eijirou. There are even a few family photos---ones that include Izuku and Inko.

No toys. No stuffies. None of his bedtime books.

Her heart sinks down into her stomach.

"...Katsuki...are you---"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

"But...why?"

He's giving up all of his favorite things. He's rejecting his little self. All of the things that make him soft. That make him fun. That keep him sane.

He's rejecting everything that makes him happy.

"Because I---I'm a liability, Ochako. I used to be the baddest fucker walking these halls and now that I've let myself become so lax, become so fucking vulnerable to people...I've been sexual violated twice. I've been raped. I've been beaten. All because I could take myself out of that dark place long enough to defend myself. I can't do this anymore. It's not---"

It's not fair to you all.

It's not fair to Shouto.

And he knows it won't be easy but he'll do whatever it takes to stay OUT of little space from now on. Maybe one day he won't need it.

Maybe one day he won't miss it.

Ochako shakes her head, abandoning the box to throw herself around him again.

"It's not your fault! None of that was your fault, we should have been there to---"

"Do you see what I fuckin' mean?! I'm capable of fucking defending myself---doesn't even fucking matter because now everyone looks down on me and I don't even know how to fucking be okay again! How the fuck am I supposed to be myself again?!"