He rewatched the broadcast after the police let him go home.
"He is a replay of Yuuei's official apology press conference, which took place just before several heros stormed two villain hideouts to rescue kidnapped student-"
"Katsuki? Are you awake?" He heard his mother walk into the living room.
Tsk. "It's already noon. Why wouldn't I be up?"
Aizawa sensei was talking on the screen. "...we neglected to properly set safeguards against villainous intent. We deeply regret…"
His mother flopped down besides him, outstretched legs bumping next to him. For once he didn't complain.
"Please tell us, what sort of explanation..." some reporter on the screen was being an idiot. He scowled, thinking about throttling said idiot.
Truthfully, he had seen this while he was still captured, but there was something about watching it again, now that he had time to think, now that he wasn't fearing for his life, and all he could think about was that-
"Your teachers at Yuuei sure do have a lot to deal with," his mother said softly, like she read his mind somehow. He sent a mental waves of irritation to her, despite knowing that her quirk had nothing to do with mental abilities.
A small silence settled over them as Katsuki watched his teacher straight up defend him in front of probably millions of people, like he was still something to be proud of, like he didn't just royally fuck up their whole school's reputation, like he didn't just end All Might's career as the greatest hero of all time. His mother leaned forward to take the piece of paper laying on the coffee table. She read over it in the dim light provided by the TV, despite having gone over it already multiple times.
At the top of the page, it was titled 'Yuuei School Dorms.'
"Do you wanna do it?"
"Is that even a question? I'm halfway done packing."
"That's true, and I won't stop you. In fact the sooner you leave the better." She chuckled, ruffling his hair. He ducked away, but his heart really wasn't on it, eyes still focused on the screen. His mother sighed. "I just wish that maybe you can take off the giant sign on your back that says 'kidnap me!' "
He finally turned toward her. "It's not like I can just tell the villains to stop targeting me!"
She met his stare evenly. "You're right. You really can't." She put both hands on his shoulders to make sure he didn't turn away. "Katsuki, there's nothing you can do that'll stop them, if they really want to." Her grip turned tighter. "And there's nothing I could do to protect you either."
There was squeezing feeling in his chest and a coldness at the base of his throat. "Of course not," for once, his voice low, "They're villains. And you're..." he faltered.
She nodded. "I already knew the danger you would be in the moment you said you wanted to be a hero. And I didn't stop you despite of that. I just didn't think, didn't realize that I would be seeing you in it so soon."
He took a moment to turn over her words, watching the worry and grief swirling in her eyes before choking out, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so caught easily."
Katsuki embraced her son tightly. "I know, I know. It's not your fault." She murmured to him, keeping back tears. "You will be a hero someday. You'll even surpass All Might. But for now, you're still just a student. So, just do your best, and try to be careful, alright?"
He nodded, clinging to his mother like he hadn't done in a long, long while.
"You know, I'm really thankful for your teachers at Yuuei, Katsuki, your homeroom teacher especially, gets you really well." She said as they finally let go. He rubbed at his eyes."Meeting them earlier, I couldn't help but be reminded that they're not just heroes because of their quirk or physical strengths, but because of how much they truly care about everyone."
"Not really. Eraserhead is like the opposite of that sometimes. He's actually just so damn lazy."
His mother laughed. "Doesn't change the fact that he's a pretty awesome hero, right? I remember you were pretty glad to have him as a teacher."
"He's too damn noisy." He thought back to the times the man had stopped him from fighting Deku, or anyone else, really.
"That's a great trait to have in a teacher. I'm glad that someone will continue to look out for you."
"I don't need looking after."
"Fine. Keeping an eye on you so you don't strangle your classmates, then."
Hmp. "As long as they don't provoke me first, then they don't have to worry about it."
"Being annoyed is not the same as being provoked Katsuki. Seriously, you need some patience in you life." She waved the flyer at him. "I'm hoping this will teach you some."
He stood up, sparing a glance at the TV, still replaying Eraserhead bowing his head and saying, "That boy is impatient… impatient in his pursuit in the name of top hero."
"I was going to say to rest. I'm sure that you're still not fully fine after what had happened. But I'm even more sure that you're itching to do something productive. Go finish packing up, Katsuki."
"Don't tell me what to do." And he turned to go to his room and finish packing up..
"And," his mother called out from behind him. "Don't forget to thank your teachers too!"