Hi all! Sorry It has been so long! I'm currently finishing up my Masters of Science in Biomedical Sciences and I had my thesis due the beginning of this month, and then all the craziness with the COVID-19 happened. I completely forgot in the midst of my thesis and all-nighters to update the story on . I will be doing a double update for you all so it'll be chapter 17 and chapter 18! Yay!

Its a really big word dump so I hope you guys enjoy! Especially in these times were its looking like we're going be inside for a while. I hope you all are in good health and please stay safe! Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review if you're still out here! They mean a lot to me!

Warnings: Top Ten Anime Betrayals


Chapter 17 - Oxygen

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The first thing Katsuki remembered feeling was the fresh breeze that blew into the room.

He blinked opened his eyes slowly, confused as the early winter air brushed over his exposed torso. A small trail of goose bumps followed as he fully sat up, palms rubbing his eyes of sleep.

Next, Katsuki did was what he now did every day for the last two months: reach out for Izuku. His vision was blurry, the bright sun blinding him as he lazily reached for the warm smaller body that was usually snuggled into his side.

However, instead of warm freckled skin, his fingers were met with the cold surface of the mattress.

Huh? Katsuki turned his head fully this time and blinked several times. The absence of the usual bundle of literal sunshine made the grogginess quickly leave Katsuki's body.

"'Zuku?" He called out confused in a raspy tone.

The bright sun flooding over the red sheets made Katsuki squint his eyes, and his world was blurry. Sharp red eyes and messy bedhead shifted to gaze over his shoulders to the bathroom in the master room, wondering if Izuku was showering, but no water was running. He frowned.

Just as he was about to get up and wander into the bathroom, gradually the savory smell of cooked vegetables, eggs, and meat filled his senses. He then realized that Izuku was already up and in the kitchen. Katsuki smiled and slowly made his way out of the bed.

The tired man stretched his limbs and followed the alluring aroma and light call of music drawing him in closer and closer to the kitchen. When Katsuki arrived, he until he stood in the walkway, drinking in the happy sight of Izuku.

The greenette was already dressed in his work clothes, eyes wide awake and a gleeful expression engrossing his face. He was adding the finishing touches of cooked vegetables on the two plates full of food just in time for the blond to enter the space.

"Already up bright and early I see," Katsuki teased, voice still raspy. He leaned against the white wall in his red boxers to toss a handsome smirk towards the busy working, green eyed man.

Then, like slow motion those shimmering viridian eyes turned towards Katsuki and for some reason they looked a million times brighter than they usually did in the morning.

"Ah, mornin', Kacchan!" Izuku happily beamed as he picked up the two plates gracefully. "How did you sleep?"

Katsuki studied his boyfriend who seemed to be in an exceptionally cheerful mood as he walked up to him and stood on his toes to plant a small kiss on his cheek.

"I slept good. Took a while to get to sleep but I'm well rested now," Katsuki said with a smile as he followed Izuku to the dining room table. They took their normal seats and the elder man couldn't help but notice the abundance of extra food piled onto his plate. "You're in a good mood. Extra eggs? What happened to you saying too many eggs is a bad thing for my cholesterol?"

"I think today can be an exception," Izuku replied back easily with a soft expression. The greenette picked up his chopsticks and playfully poked Katsuki's nose with a grin. "Big operation calls for a big meal, right? I already ironed your clothes and stuff as well so you can sit back and enjoy your morning."

"Oh, wow," he responded with an inflection of surprise. "Thanks, 'zuku. That's really thoughtful of you." Katsuki's golden-brown eyebrows raised up, taken with the saccharine mood.

Of course Izuku was sweet, he always was—it came naturally. But this, it felt different. It somehow felt even more sweet, like it was intentional.

The rest of their morning continued, coated in the bright sweetness. Izuku walked around like he was happily in his own head, and the younger man was even fucking humming. Katsuki had no damn clue what the hell changed but he wasn't going to try to tear it down.

If the young detective wanted to be in a good mood before this operation, then hell, why not? At least one of them was.

Admittedly, Katsuki was still worried about the undercover plan. Even after Toshinori set up the extra precautions, the lieutenant's unsettling gut feeling kept the tension in his shoulders strained. It strung up the air in his lungs tight and made him sometimes forget to breath until he would blink and recall to exhale.

As they headed down the elevator in his building, Izuku made a small suggestion about riding Ground Zero today. Katsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes with a smirk when the younger man said he missed wrapping his arms around Katsuki's waist.

The blond shot down the idea, winter streets in Shizuoka City covered in snow was no place for Ground Zero. Until the roads were clear, they would just walk.

They headed towards the glass doors outside, hand in hand, ready to go about their day until the voice of the doorman stopped them.

"Mr. Bakugou," the doorman called. "A gentleman came by and left something for you."

Both officers turned around, not thinking much about it. But it admittedly gave Katsuki a level of pause.

Who was dropping stuff off at his place that couldn't wait until he got to the station? Katsuki tried to recall the work schedule, and last he remembered, he scheduled all his pain in the ass friends to come in today.

However, when the doorman held up a cerulean blue rose, simultaneously Katsuki and Izuku both felt their hearts stop for entirely different reasons. Katsuki's expression twisted in offense while Izuku's sunk into a deep pit of dread.

Immediately Katsuki reached out to grab the item, fingers careful of the sharp thorns that were not cut off. His fingers touched the green stem and eyes assessed the poem on the brown aged paper carefully with judgmental eyes.

"Losing you knowing

you no longer love me.

but loving another.

at is simply, but dreadfully,

the worst pain to ever cross my heart."L.W.

Why the fuck is Mirio still sending Izuku this shit?

"Can you tell Mirio to stop sending you this kind of crap?" Katsuki hissed. "I know we just recently made things official, but it is extremely disrespectful to send this type of shit to my home."

He waited for Izuku to say something, but green eyes were transfixed on the unnatural sapphire colored flower.

"It's not Mirio," Izuku whispered, like he was both ashamed and afraid. Katsuki brow creased with confusion because that wasn't the answer he was anticipating.

"What do you mean it's not Mirio?" He asked slowly. "There was one on your bed at your old place when you had the housewarming and another when I slept over. Who else would be sending you roses with sappy ass love poems attached?"

Emerald eyes snapped up to meet his own and sitting there, deep in Izuku's eyes, was apprehension. The earlier happiness that graced his features had been chased away. Katsuki watched as Izuku's Adam's apple bobbed with a thick swallow and his mouth parted slightly.

"I don't know," Izuku said wearily. "I...I really don't—it's been happening for over a year now."

Katsuki paused his thoughts, and stared at Izuku's unsure expression, letting everything sink in.

"Wait...Izuku do you mean—"

But before he could finish, the ghostly looking green-eyed man let go of his hand and walked up to the doorman. Izuku's eyes were wide, worried, and wild as he placed both of his palms flat on to the surface of the wooden desk and leaned in, desperation emitting from him.

"E-Excuse me, what did this man look like?" Izuku's soft voice pushed as he leaned in. "The one who dropped off the rose?"

"Oh—um, I didn't get a good look, I'm sorry." The door man looked up, startled. He glanced between Izuku and Katsuki perplexed at the sudden interrogation. "He had his coat's hood all the way up with a baseball cap and mouth mask covering his face. I didn't get a good look at his face before he kept his eyes down, just heard his voice."

Despite the dark-haired doorman giving Izuku an apologetic look, the young detective pushed more.

"Did he have bluish silver hair by any chance?"

That's when Katsuki made the connection. Izuku had drawn colored portraits of both Shigarakis out for everyone and that was their key feature: silver hair with blue undertones. The blond's frown creased deeper into his face when everything suddenly felt like it was spinning.

His crimson eyes looked down at the blue rose in his hands and stared at the thorns with a new meaning.

"No, it was just black, I think. Like I said, I didn't get a good look because of the hood and baseball cap. He just dropped this off and said it was for the guy living in apartment 902, Mr. Bakugou."

"Damnit," Izuku sighed. The greenette turned around with a frustrated look and ran a shaky hand through his curly hair. His eyes started to dart around the lobby like he was dizzy from trying to draw connections in mind, but none were coming up.

"Izuku, what the hell is going on?" Katsuki interrupted. He could tell his voice pulled Izuku back to reality when the distant green eyes focused back on him. Slowly, Izuku's face dropped and a look of shame and fear washed over him.

"This is going to sound like a lot," Izuku started, shifting nervously on his feet. "First, you have to promise me not to freak out."

Katsuki looked at the freckled man sideways. He wasn't about to make promises he couldn't keep.

"Izuku," he spoke sternly and immediately Izuku bit his lip and his eyebrows knitted together with a daunting task.

"I-I started receiving those when I turned twenty-two," Izuku whispered after a long pause. He gestured towards the rose in Katsuki's hand. "I-I don't know who sends them. My best guess is either it's Shigaraki Jr. sending them to me as a reminder that he's keeping an eye on me—he likes to play mind games like that. Or...my next guess it that I have some poor guy with an unhealthy fixated on me. Probably someone I slept with during my spiral."

What the fuck—

"You're shitting me, you have a fucking stalker?" Katsuki hissed, walking into Izuku's space.

Instantly the doorman's head shot up and the elder gentleman dropped his wooden pencil to the ground. Both officers realized they were in a public space when the doorman awkwardly tried to seem like he wasn't listening.

Izuku breathed heavily out of his nostrils before gesturing with his head outside the door. The two walked outside into the chilly winter air, the frost in the air nipped at their noses while they both stared at the unnaturally colored flower in Katsuki's hand.

"Have you told Toshinori about this?" The blond whispered, worried.

"Of course he knows," Izuku replied, shoving his hands in his jacket's pockets. "When it started to become a pattern, every time I got one of these, I ran it for prints or DNA. But it always comes up clean. Toshinori has even tried to track people who purchase roses in Yaizu around the time I get them but it's always too much to filter for."

"Well, have you narrowed down a list then? All the people you've slept with and who it could be outside of Shigaraki junior?" Katsuki asked like it was common sense. But the silence from Izuku said otherwise.

"...I can't."

"You can't? Why not? It should be simple to compile a list of people you've been with Izuku."

"I can't because I don't know how many people I've slept with," Izuku said so quietly Katsuki barely heard. "I stopped keeping count after a while. I wasn't always coherent, and I was in and out of a lot of sketchy places. Majority of the people were just strangers that I never saw again."

Red eyes stared down at the shorter man in disbelief, trying to process the information. Everything in Katsuki's mind jumbled when he realized just how entangled this was. Izuku didn't know. Izuku didn't fucking know how many people he slept with—

"Please, don't give me that look," the greenette said while averting his gaze down to the ground and away from Katsuki. "I know that's not what anyone wants to hear about someone they just started dating. But you have to understand, I wasn't in the best place mentally and I was so naive. I-I lost the three people I loved the most all at the same time. I would've given anything to make my mind just stop spiraling for a couple of hours."

Katsuki watched how Izuku's eyes quickly swelled with tears as he tried to hold them back from falling. When one escaped past Izuku's emotional mask, the greenette quickly lifted his shaky gloved hand to wipe it away. Katsuki felt his heart clench.

"I don't give a damn about that Izuku, we've been over this," Katsuki whispered, walking closer to the now silently crying man. "I'm not going to fucking slut shame you for a goddamn coping mechanism you had no control over. I know you're actively working on it. But this—" Katsuki held up the blue rose to eye level for emphasis. "This right here is fucking dangerous. Why didn't you say something about this sooner?"

"It's not your battle," Izuku muttered under his breath. "I'm not going to put you in harm's way and I didn't exactly know how to come out and say, 'Hey, there's a possibility that I'm either being stalked by some lovesick guy, or one of the most powerful drug lords in Japan is reminding me he has his eye on me'. Just everyday problems—no big deal."

Izuku exhaled heavily, the oxygen in his body made what seemed like a small smoke cloud in the air.

"Everything about my past is complicated and it's why I wanted to leave it behind in Yaizu," Izuku continued. "I-I'm just afraid of you lo—liking me less when you hear about the type stuff I've done...or the type of things past me did. I don't want to lose you...I just got you."

"Kami, come here," Katsuki said while shaking his head.

He affectionately hung his arm around Izuku's shoulders and pulled him close. They walked together in the cold weather in silence, with Izuku studying the ground, body clearly stiff.

"Why do you have to always go and say sad shit like that? I'm not going to drop you over having a phase like that. While I personally will never understand that type of need, I don't judge you for it. I'm just more worried about the fact that whoever is keeping close tabs on you. But Toshinori is well aware of this, right? How about Mirio?"

"Yes, Mirio knows—er, well, kind of. He's just aware of the possibility that it's a stalker. I-I never explained the All For One issues to Mirio...just Toshinori. He told me not to tell Mirio."

"Has anyone tried to harm you? Like break into your apartment?"

"No," Izuku murmured. "It's just been these flowers at my door. My guess is that whenever I get drunk, I start talking about roses, so they probably thought this would be romantic to give the lonely broken-hearted guy. As for Shigaraki...well, he was aware of my mother selling roses and even bought a couple as a power move. It could honestly be either."

"But nothing has happened."

"No," Izuku said while shaking his head. "It's just been roses. Always roses." The end of the sentence was said with a decent level of contemplation as Izuku's voice dipped low into a whisper.

The conversation drifted off as Katsuki held up the thorn covered rose in his gloved hand. Its petals were pure and fresh like it had been recently purchased. The azure flower felt like it was staring right back at Katsuki and it made him sneer thinking about All For One.

He tossed it in the next garbage he saw without a second thought, taking Izuku's hand.

. . .

After they arrived at the station, Katsuki kept trying to figure out how Izuku managed to keep it all together. On the walk over, Izuku explained the roses first appeared after he went out for his 22nd birthday and then shortly after gang activity in Yaizu spiked briefly.

The greenette said all of this with a distant look, and a smokescreen in his eye that was unreadable. There was a small glimmer of something close to anger that trickled out of the emotionless mask Izuku kept solid whenever talking about All For One.

Izuku resented them.

Katsuki could tell. Izuku hated the Shigarakis for what they had done to his life, and the assumption that the roses were a sick, twisted joke from Shigaraki Jr. only added to Izuku's burning hatred.

The rest of the day was spent reviewing over the operation's layout: getting Izuku close to Yotsubashi, finding out his headquarters and close enough to Dabi to figure out what his endgame was. They all sat silently with Monoma's squad and S.W.A.T going over the details of the plan:

The first stage was entering. Katsuki, Shouto and Izuku were chosen to go inside the club while Shinsou would stay outside in two separate cars with Monoma that would be parked discreetly in the alley that was across from the entrance of the door.

Toshinori detailed how everyone that would be inside would be equipped with tracking devices to ensure the best safety. Izuku especially.

As time grew closer Katsuki watched Izuku change into the short, decorative green kimono. His dark colored crimson eyes traced the delicately intricate floral pattern and noted mentally that they reflected Izuku in a strange way. Beautiful, alluring and complicated.

When Izuku finished getting dressed Ochaco came in with the kitsune mask Izuku would wear off to the side on his head to fit the 'costume' theme of the nightclub. She placed it perfectly to only cover the top half of his head tilted to the side.

Embedded inside was a one-way audio device that would allow everyone on the intercom channel to listen in on the conversation inside the V.I.P section while the rest of them talked and communicated through two-way earpieces.

Katsuki tried his best to ignore the growing feeling an uneasiness as the clock ticked and ticked closer to nighttime. Ochaco put light makeup on Izuku claiming that it would 'enhance' his features and, unfortunately, she was right.

Whatever the fuck she did, she made Izuku's already smooth skin on his face seem pore-less like a doll without covering his freckles. The brown-haired woman pulled out some cherry tasting gloss that made Izuku's lips pinker and fuller. She even styled his hair to have a flowing bang without losing the curls and waves he naturally possessed.

Even Shinsou made a light comment about how with the clothes and the light make up, Izuku looked close to irresistible—and Katsuki knew he was right. Izuku would be a shoo-in the second he stepped outside in those clothes.

Everyone left, Shinsou and Monoma heading out early to get visuals on the gang members and the other officers got suited up in their tactical gear. Katsuki, Izuku, and Shouto waited for the signal from Toshinori in the precinct patiently. When Shouto dismissed himself to step outside for some air, it left the couple sitting alone getting fully in gear.

Katsuki chuckled a bit as Izuku tied the laces on his red sneakers tightly and then picked out a small pistol and began to load it. The greenette closed one eye and aimed the weapon at Dabi's photo to test the weight of it in his hand.

"You know," Katsuki spoke with a mirthful tone. "You look reallyfucking sexy with a gun in your hand and dressed like that." He smirked wide when Izuku shot him a playful look from over his shoulder.

"A deadly kind of sexy, right?" Izuku teased back, sliding the gun in the back of the kimono's bow and walking over to Katsuki sitting at the table. The lieutenant just smiled and reached out a hand to play with the hem of the black thigh highs covering Izuku's burns.

"Like a black widow," he laughed and Izuku joined in the small humor. Red eyes settled on the soft looking green ones and slowly some warmth slipped into the expression Izuku was giving him.

The greenette quickly looked over at the door of the conference room before sitting down next to the blond man.

"Katsuki, there's actually something I want to say before we go," the soft voice whispered. There was pure affection in his eyes and soon Izuku's soft hands reached out to hold Katsuki's own calloused ones with great care.

"What is it? Are you worried about going?" Katsuki asked but Izuku shook his head, beautiful curls bouncing with the motion. The freckled man squeezed his hands, emerald eyes staring down at their intertwined hands in a contemplative manner.

"No, it's not that. It's just…I meant to say something on the way over, but the rose ordeal distracted me," Izuku began, eyes still not lifting. "You're so kind and you've been so patient with my mess. I-I care a lot about you—more than I've cared about someone in a very long time."

Izuku paused briefly to suck in his lips.

"Certain words and phrases are hard for me to voice because I always worry what will happen after I speak them," Izuku whispered lowly.

Small hairs on Katsuki's arm stood up, the air suddenly feeling warm. He realized where this was going. The blond's breath hitched, and eyes went wide when a sugar sweet blush spread across Izuku's face.

"I love you, Katsuki," Izuku whispered like it was secret. Jade colored eyes slowly lifted to meet his and Katsuki felt himself let out a heavy breath of relief when a weight was lifted from his chest from hearing those three words. "I heard you say it last night. I had been thinking about it for a long time, but I was just afraid to say it because—"

Without letting Izuku go on further Katsuki leaned forward all the way to capture Izuku in a passionate kiss. He could feel Izuku make a surprised sound, but the blond didn't care.

Izuku loved him.

With everything Katsuki had, he passionately kissed the man he had fallen so unexpectedly in love with. His fingers intertwined into too soft curls and he worked his mouth against the cherry tasting lips that kissed him back like he was oxygen needed to breathe.

They broke apart, breathing heavily. The two lovers stared into each other's eyes and slowly started a chuckle happily between each other as Katsuki rested his forehead against Izuku's, cradling his freckled face dearly.

"I love you too, Izuku," he whispered back.

Katsuki couldn't recall a time his heart felt fuller.

It felt like everything was amplified and Izuku had become the oxygen that fed the flame inside of his chest. The youngest broke out into a large, gorgeous smile and squeezed their hands together while leaning in for a simple chaste kiss.

A knock on the door broke the spell that had enraptured the two officers. They both glanced up to the doorway to see Shouto leaned against the door frame with a knowing look on his face.

"If you two lovebirds are ready, I just got the signal from Toshinori. Everyone's ready to go and Yotsubashi was spotted heading inside."

All three of them shared a serious nod as they suited all the way up to leave. They piled in the back of Shouto's plain black detective car. Katsuki couldn't help but steal one more kiss and an 'I love you' as Izuku gave him the warmest smile.

But it worried Katsuki, that even with all this love filling his chest, how the growing feeling of dread didn't go away.

. . .

Katsuki smoothed out the dark blue open button up he was wearing as he walked up the club with bright neon lights accompanied by Shouto. The venue looked like any other ordinary night club on the outside, but Katsuki supposed that's what made it the perfect spot for drug lords: hiding in plain sight.

The loud bass music filled their ears and the vibration sunk into Katsuki's bones with each pulse of the beat. Calculating red eyes looked at all the people standing in a disorganized line that snaked around the corner, everyone engrossed full of idle chatter. The blond resisted the urge to roll his eyes when he noted how everyone's clothes barelyfit the theme of 'costume' party.

I fucking hate clubs. Katsuki thought privately to himself. He looked over at Shouto who wore an expression that was equally unenthusiastic. They mutually shared an exhausted stare while scanning over the crowd.

Majority of the women were in skin-tight shimmery dresses accessorized with some form of animal ears and, every now and then, a tail. Many of the men were wearing what Katsuki and Shouto were, just regular clothes with various types of masks on.

Both Katsuki and Shouto went the route of plain black baseball caps and black mouth masks that had sharp, shark toothed smiles painted on them in luminescent ink. The white print intertwined in the masks glowed brightly giving both undercover officers a look that blended in just enough.

On the other hand, Izuku, several people in front of them, undoubtedly stood out amongst the crowd in his kimono and kitsune mask. Several people were already chatting it up with the freckled beauty.

"Are you all in position?" The voice of Toshinori echoed over the intercom.

Katsuki discreetly raised his hand to press the button on his hidden earpiece to respond in a low voice. "Yes, everything is set up. We're going in now."

"Okay, good job, Bakugou. Monoma's squad and S.W.A.T are on standby. Remember no losing sight of Midoriya tonight."

"Got it. Won't let it happen."

"Signal Shinsou and I in when they begin to make a move towards headquarters," Monoma's voice chimed in. "We'll come and drop off Todoroki's car for you and begin the trailing."

"Will do," Katsuki replied easily and Shouto nodded approvingly.

The intercom signal died and slowly the trio inched into the club. Katsuki showed his fake ID that had his father's name on it for extra precaution due to his high status in Shizuoka City.

When they fully got inside, the club itself was vibrating with life. Neon colored spotlights were anchored on the ceiling and moved around with the high bass music. Katsuki squinted when the flashing deep hues of blue, red, and blue nearly blinded him with the dark contrast. The bartenders were all dressed in the same white colored dress shirts and red bow ties shaking up colorful drinks for people clearly already inebriated.

In the center of the large black tiled floor was a large elevated stage with male and female strippers doing impressive acrobatic poses on silver poles. Colorful yen was overflowing from their clothing that was clinging to their gracefully moving bodies and pouring onto the stage.

Katsuki scanned the room to see Izuku posted up against the bar, already working his charm. The bright, irresistible smile was on his face and the aura of innocence with a hint naivety was leaking off his figure. Katsuki watched as the greenette slightly propped out his hips and he could see everyone that walked by taking a quick glance at the short-hemmed kimono that was barely hiding Izuku's sensitive areas.

Dark colored crimson eyes scanned the large room and zeroed in on a small section off to the side holding just the man they were looking for. Behind a red rope and three bodyguards there was a decent sized group of people sitting in a comfortable section, spoiled with wine, food, and flat screens.

Yotsubashi's loud chuckle echoed through the air, cutting through all the loud music. The gang leader's bright orange hair was slicked back, and he was wearing, in Katsuki's opinion, a really fucking tacky green pinstriped suit.

The man was leaning against dark red cushions smoking openly as a woman brought out a large bottle of wine with a bright sparkler. He paid her no mind as he continued to laugh alongside several other powerful looking men, however none of them fit the description of Dabi.

"Yotsubashi is off to the right side in the back, Midoriya. Position yourself in eyesight," Shouto said.

The greenette looked over his corner to lay eyes on the ginger man. He turned back around and wrapped up whatever conversation he was having with the bartender to move gracefully down to the other side of the long bar. The enticing curly haired man aligned himself directly in Yotsubashi's line of vision without seeming suspicious.

Katsuki glanced up to see an upstairs that was as equally packed and motioned to Shouto for them move up and get a clear aerial view of the entire situation. The two undercover officers weaved themselves through the dense crowd. The various smells of perfumes, colognes, sweat and strong alcohol mixed together as they worked their way up their stairs.

They blended into the chaotic scene as they casually leaned against the railing with other people in the dimly lit nightclub scene, but both their eyes were focused on Izuku who was actively flirting with some extra. Then like magic, Katsuki could see the tall ginger man stare curiously at Izuku's backside and tilt his head.

That was quicker than I thought.

Yotsubashi took a long swing of his drink, all the metallic rings decorating his hand clinking against the glass he was holding. His deep brown eyes stared at Izuku's smiling profile and Katsuki could already tell he was enchanted the same way he way he was all those months ago.

Without taking his eyes off Izuku, Yotsubashi put out his cigarette, lifted his free hand and snapped his fingers. Everyone in the V.I.P section instantly grew quiet, a testament to his power and it undoubtedly put a chill in Katsuki's spine.

The three bodyguards standing in front of the velvet red rope looked over the shoulder to see the ginger man point to Izuku with a greedy smile. The tallest of the three nodded to him before walking over to Izuku and tapping him on the shoulder. Izuku paused his conversation, orange drink in hand to look up at the tall serious man that had his hair slicked back into a neat bun.

"Yotsubashi would like you to join him in the V.I.P section," the deep voice echoed through Shouto's and Katsuki's earpieces.

The man Izuku was talking to immediately looked surprised and backed off without being told, scurrying away and disappearing into the overcrowded nightclub.

Izuku gave a kind smile and allowed himself to be led over to the other side of the room. The guard patted Izuku down briefly, probably not guessing there was a fully loaded gun concealed on his figure due to the lack of clothing. The large man's hands completely failed to feel out the back of his kimono and lifted the rope for Izuku.

Katsuki felt like almost puking at how downright ecstatic the Yotsubashi looked. The ginger man sat down his glass of alcohol and gestured for Izuku to come stand in front of him.

"Well, isn't this the prettiest sight I've ever seen," the deep voice chuckled, wicked smile pointed from ear to ear. Izuku held the kind look on his face and timidly played with the hem on his kimono. "And you're shy? What's your name handsome?"

"Haru," Izuku replied easily in an air light voice. "Your guard told me your name is Yotsubashi?"

"You don't know who I am?" The ginger asked in a highly amused voice. Everyone sitting on the pristine leather couches joined in a choir of chuckles and looked Izuku up and down like prey. But most of all, Yotsubashi looked more than satisfied by the answer. "How old are you, Haru?"

"Twenty." Izuku smiled, and ignored the hungry eyes roaming his body. "Sorry, I don't really get out much. I heard about this party through someone on campus. I've been really stressed out and came out tonight to try to have some fun."

There was an unmistakable hint of suggestion in Izuku's soft voice that made Yotsubashi bite for the bait. Katsuki almost felt proud at how easily Izuku was reeling him in. The freckled man truly was an expert at flirting.

"Would getting in trouble with some bad men be fun to you?" Yotsubashi smiled, leaning forward with his hands clasped. His eyes crawled up and down Izuku's body and stopped right on the edge of the green kimono that was directly eye level to him. "Because if it is then I have a lot of fun to offer you."

Izuku flashed his signature "innocent, yet not" look and shifted in closer. He lifted a careful hand to place on the tall man's shoulder and kneaded it ever so slightly with a sugary sweet smile.

"I think that sounds like just the type of fun I'm looking for. I'm a little cold in this too—I would love for someone to warm me up."

"Wow, you're downright perfect," the ginger man said satisfied. His deep chuckle echoed out and he leaned back and crossed his legs. He threw his arm on the back of the couch and patted for Izuku to sit next to him. "C'mon, take a seat right here and let me keep you cozy."

Izuku gave a flirty smile as he took a seat underneath the wing of the most powerful man in the room.

Time passed on with Izuku throwing his charm all over the V.I.P section, while Katsuki and Shouto chatted idly. Shouto mentioned how surprised he was by Izuku's ability to slip into this persona but Katsuki didn't feel as surprised after knowing he everything did.

He watched Izuku put on those clothes and saw him slip into a part of his mind that had seemed closed off, a place he only assessed when he wanted to. When they had entered the club, he noted how easily Izuku weaved in and out of the crowd, easily slipping into the skin of 'Haru' like this was second nature to him.

The lieutenant watched and listened as Izuku smiled and complemented the clearly tipsy gang leader. The man's eyes were half lidded as he leaned into Izuku's space, offering him drink and whispering very vulgar shit into Izuku's ear, not knowing that Shouto and Katsuki could hear it all.

The witness was right, this man was a fucking pervert.

Just when the all too vivid suggestions Yotsubashi was giving Izuku peaked borderline jail worthy, Katsuki noticed two men gradually enter into view. Katsuki squinted his eyes from up above as he watched them come closer and closer into view, people parting for them like the red sea.

The deep music got louder, and the flashing red lights mixed with purple fell on the two men's faces when they got into full view. That's when Katsuki's knew who at least one of them was.

Standing there like the nightmare he was, was Dabi.

His shoulders were broad, intimidating and his hair was black as his heart. He sported a leather jacket that was lined in silver chains and heavily decorated with silver studs and spikes. The raven-haired man cracked his knuckles and flexed his strong hands that were covered in fingerless leather motorcycle gloves. Katsuki could even very scarcely note the purplish burn marks could be seen peeking out from underneath.

The purple burns on Dabi's neck and upper chest crept up to cover his chin and mouth just as as the witness described, making the silver chains around his neck stand out. They perfectly matched his silver piercings—but what frustrated the shit out of Katsuki was how the upper half of Dabi's face was covered in a black wolf mask.

The mask itself looked hungry, dangerous and emitted the exact same threatening aura as the flames The Cremator wreaked havoc with. It cast a dark shadow over his eyes, making it hard to see the exact color in the already dimly lit room and made him seem soulless.

However, the man with him was someone Katsuki's didn't recognize.

He was of equal height to Dabi with sleek silver hair that was tied back in a half bun. Stoic, deep purple eyes grazed around the club in a calculating manner. His mouth and nose were covered by a black mouth mask with a detailed white skull drawing of a mandible that glowed purple in the dark setting.

"Ah! Finally, Dabi! Nine! There you are," Yotsubashi laughed, grabbing Izuku's waist and pulling him in close. The powerful gang leader motioned for his bodyguards to move aside and gestured for the two newcomers to come in. "The men of the hour! I was worried you two were going to flake on me again."

Izuku turned his head to look at the two men and smiled.

"Hi there, nice to meet you two." The greenette stuck his hand out as the two men approached him, flickering neon lights danced around them.

The silver haired companion politely greeted Izuku, shaking his hand.

But Dabi didn't do anything.

Katsuki frowned, dark blond brows knitting together when Dabi clearly went stiff at the sight of Izuku. The man's focus only seemed to grow progressively more intense as he stared at the dolled-up detective.

Yotsubashi didn't seem to notice the rigidity and playfully ran his hand through Izuku's hair with a smile. "I have a very special guest here tonight. Isn't he ravishing?"

But once again, Dabi didn't say anything.

What the hell is wrong with him? Katsuki thought to himself in a hiss.

This time Yotsubashi squinted his eyes and turned towards the silver haired man. "Nine, what's wrong with him? Is he in one of his moods again and not talking today?"

The man now identified as Nine turned towards Dabi who finally peeled his attention off Izuku's face. The raven-haired man leaned over to whisper something in Nine's ear that seemed to make the silver haired man nod in understanding.

"His throat is sore he says. Can't speak above a whisper," the silver man said beneath his mask, giving a deceptively kind smile through his eyes. "The laryngeal burns have been acting up with the dryness in the weather. You know how it is."

"Damn, that's unfortunate," Yotsubashi murmured with sympathy. "Well, that's okay. Dabi, I want you to meet Haru. He's been a great conversationalist while we were all waiting on you."

"Hi, so nice to meet you," Izuku smiled again and held out his hand for a handshake.

But to everyone's surprise, Nine included, Dabi gently took Izuku's hand and bowed slowly to place a small kiss on the top of his bandaged hand.

Izuku's eyes went wide along with Yotsubashi as Dabi lifted his head to stare directly at Izuku, mere inches away. Katsuki watched how a strange look washed over Izuku's face as he leaned in slightly, squinting while looking into Dabi's eyes.

But just as Izuku leaned in too close, Dabi rose back to full height and let go of the small hand.

The freckled man clearly stumbled and looked at Dabi confused. Katsuki felt like rolling his eyes.

Of course, the goddamn pyro would be a romantic.

"O-Oh, wow. A gentleman," Izuku nervously laughed, fidgeting with his hands. "You're very sweet."

Dabi shrugged and Yotsubashi pointed grin grew undoubtedly wider. Without warning, the ginger slammed his glass on the table with vigor causing everyone to flinch.

"Well, I'll be damned! Tonight is a night of good luck!" Yotsubashi called out, looking between Izuku and Dabi like he just witnessed the impossible. "I've never in my life seen Dabi be cordial towards anyone. It's a fucking miracle—quick, someone go get us another bottle of wine for this special occasion!"

Izuku cocked his head, fully returning his attention to the man whose arm was draped over his shoulders. "It's a special occasion?"

"Well, it's my fifty second birthday, Haru," Yotsubashi said casually. "But I'm becoming an old man, not much to celebrate but this—your looks breaking Dabi's ice wall. We have to make sure its special."

Several people sitting next to Izuku got up quickly and moved when Dabi motioned with a simple, quick hand gesture for them to go elsewhere. The two newcomers took their seats next to Izuku, with Dabi on the other side of the small green haired man.

Izuku continued to talk up the ginger who kept curiously peering over him. Yotsubashi's eyes studied how Dabi kept studying Izuku in between pauses. The man in the wolf mask's attention didn't seem leave Izuku's figure, particularly glancing at the white bandage on his left hand.

Without thinking much about it, the inebriated drug lord bent slightly to whisper in Izuku's ear. "Why don't you go be a good boy for me and sit on my friend's lap, eh? He keeps peeking at you. I'm sure he could use someone to warm him up."

Izuku nodded with a smile before turning around to Dabi and asking if he wanted some company. Dabi slowly leaned all the way back and spread his legs, giving a simple two pats on his leg for Izuku.

"Midoriya's ass is like a magnet for attracting men in powerful positions," Shouto commented with the earpiece off, accompanied with a smug look. "That's a pretty impressive talent I have to admit."

"Shut the hell up, Shouto," Katsuki hissed. He 'tch'd immediately and glared at his partner who only raised a singular brow. Katsuki shook his head, worried for his blood pressure as he held a finger up and pressed down on the small earpiece. "Midoriya, try to get him to take the mask off so we can see this bastard's face."

Izuku shifted himself slightly, crossing his legs directly across Dabi's figure as he turned inward to the man. His laid his arm around Dabi's shoulders while Dabi himself gripped Izuku's waist possessively.

"Dabi, right?" The detective said as he smiled. "I like your mask a lot, it's very suiting for you. But I have to admit, I would love to see your handsome face as a whole."

Dabi shook his head and Nine sighed.

"Ah, sorry about that," Nine commented, leaning in with an apologetic smile. "My friend here can be a little self-conscious of his looks. He has a lot of burns on his face that he doesn't really like to show off in public spaces."

"Which is why I keep telling him to dump those All For One assholes and comes over to me," Yotsubashi chimed in bitterly. "If he became myapprentice versus their errand dog, I can give him all the power he wants. Not a damn soul will give a damn about his looks if he controls half the drug traffic in Shizuoka City."

That information piqued all three undercover detective's interest. Dabi was connected to All For One.

"He's working on excommunicating, don't worry," Nine laughed as he took a sip of his purple drink. "It takes a little bit of wiggling to fully get out of AFO's debt with your head still on your shoulders."

"I know, I know," Yotsubashi sighed, running his hand through his ginger hair. "I'm just very excited to get my hands on the Incinerator detonator blueprints. Give me those, Dabi, and this whole city is yours to burn how you please—but first make sure you cut the Shigarakis off clean."

Izuku cleared his throat and looked at Dabi cautiously. "You work for All For One?"

Dabi shook his head again.

"He's more so affiliated," Nine cleared up. "Dabi is working on his own right now but he has close ties with them."

"Ah, is that how you two met?" Izuku asked with a sweet smile. He leaned fully onto Dabi who started to tap his leather boot and hold Izuku closer.

"Oh no, I don't. I met Dabi recently. His work caught my attention, and I was curious to see what his grand plan was. Now we're more so business partners with mutual interests, you could say."

Izuku smiled and lifted a hand to run through Dabi's hair. "I would love to hear about you're working on—" but as soon as his hand got close to touching the black spikes, Dabi's free gloved hand snapped upwards to grab Izuku's wrist, stopping him immediately. The one holding Izuku's waist clutched him tighter.

Katsuki's breath hitched when the freckled man immediately flinched at the sudden grab, green eyes going wide.

"Careful, Dabi's not a fan of his personal space being invaded," Nine said with a hint of humor.

Katsuki watched how something flashed across Izuku's face as he stared at the large hand tightly wrapped around his wrist. Dark green eyebrows furrowed, looking confused by the grip and Katsuki could see Izuku break character for a bit before shaking his head, trying to snap himself out of whatever memory was triggered.

"A-Ah, sorry. I didn't—" Izuku tried to start again. But the words died off in his throat when he tried to gently pull his wrist back only for Dabi to grip him harder and pull him closer. "...D-Didn't mean to," Izuku whispered, confused.

After several moments, the gloved hand let go but green eyes continued to stare at this wrist as if something important was lingering behind on it.

While Izuku's eyes were downcast, Dabi lifted his fingers again to slowly brush a stray curl behind the detective's pierced ear and carefully touched the gold hoop in Izuku's ear. The sensation made green eyes shoot up and there was a ghostly expression written across Izuku's face that both Shouto and Katsuki could see.

"What the hell was that?" Katsuki hissed to Shouto, who also starred on just as perplexed.

"I don't know, but it looks like the grab threw Izuku off," Shouto murmured.

They both watched how the conversation in the V.I.P section continued on with Dabi lazily tracing circles into Izuku's leg but the freckled detective's eyes kept flickering back and forth between Dabi and where the man had grabbed him.

Izuku did his best to cover up the faltered smile and laugh shallowly at all the jokes everyone made, but both Katsuki and Shouto could see something was wrong. Izuku was disorientated. There was something off in his laugh like his brain was trying to process something contradictory.

"Haru, my friend Dabi seems to like you a lot," Yotsubashi hummed, watching the two of them hungrily. "Would you be up for coming to a private after party with me and a couple of my close friends? I'm trying to show Dabi here what it would be like if he came over to me."

"Yeah," Izuku said with a tight, fake smile. "I would love to help persuade him."

"Perfect little fox," Yotsubashi smirked and turned his attention to the masked silver man on the other side of Dabi. "Nine, do you want in too?"

"Sure," Nine shrugged casually, looking at Izuku. "It's been a while since I had some group fun and he's cute."

"Perfection! Ah, best birthday in a while. Let's finish another bottle, then we'll head out."

As all the men and women in the V.I.P section continued to laugh on, Katsuki could see Izuku start to grow a distant look in his eye. The gnawing feeling of worry grew more intense inside of the blond male's stomach when he could see Izuku's brain was running a mile per minute—but for what?

Time passed on, more people filed into the already packed club, knocking into each other and giggling loudly over the music. The dangerous men finished off their last bottles with Yotsubashi laughing in conversation, while Dabi's attention stayed fully fixated on the greenette in his lap, hands playing in his curly hair the entire time.

Yotsubashi snapped his golden fingers twice and the entire mood of all the whole V.I.P party changed. Everyone in the private party cheered loudly and began to pack up their things. The drunken men and women hung off of each other happily as the selected few people began to head for the door.

"They're on the move," Katsuki spoke into his intercom for Toshinori, Monoma and Shinsou to hear. "They have a medium sized party heading for the exit. Shinsou and Monoma keep an eye on the crew that's heading out and tag where they go to headquarters."

"On it," Monoma and Shinsou replied back in unison.

Katsuki made a signal for him and Shouto to move when Dabi stood tall, and lazily draped an arm around Izuku's shoulders. The raven-haired man led Izuku out the club while loyally following behind the crowd engulfing Nine and Yotsubashi.

Katsuki kept his eyes on the red sash tied around Izuku's waist that stood out against all the dark colors as the group walked outside into the chilled air. Several black cars immediately pulled up and the assortment of gang members piled into them randomly. However, Yotsubashi, Dabi, Izuku, Nine and the three bodyguards got into the only white luxury car that was stationed comfortably into the middle.

"Shinsou, Monoma—pull the cars around," Katsuki whispered into his intercom.

The parade of expensive cars started to pull off and within the second the two other undercover officers pulled around the side signaling for Shouto and Katsuki. Smoothly, Katsuki and Shouto walked over to the two black cars positioned off to the side.

Shinsou tossed Shouto the keys to the car as he swiftly got in the passenger seat of Monoma's car. Katsuki opened the door and took his place next to Shouto who was already turning on the engine of the car.

Both detectives stripped themselves of their hats and masks, running their hands through their hair. Shouto drove off, trailing behind Monoma and the long string of cars in the busy, bustling nightlife.

"Let's go end this," Katsuki hissed as he reached in the backseat for their guns and began loading them.

. . .

It felt like forever.

Katsuki's attention and adrenaline were sky high as they trailed behind the cars now blasting loud music, completely unaware of the two cop cars following them. Their radio and earpieces chimed loudly through Izuku's hidden headset from inside the car and dear fucking Kami these men were terrible.

"Haru, I would slit fifty men's throats just for you to sit on my face," Yotsubashi's drunken voice slurred through the intercom. "Like goodness, you're giving me so many dirty ass fantasies right now. I can already see you perfectly covered in all of our cum fucking crying and begging while Dabi fucks you."

"Just fifty? I was thinking more around one hundred," Izuku teased back and everyone in the car erupted in laughter.

Katsuki could feel Shouto look at him out of the corner of his eye, but the lieutenant kept a serious face.

"Do you find it strange Dabi hasn't said a single word all night?" Shouto commented as they turned the corner. "Do you really believe he has laryngeal burns?"

"Possibly," Katsuki murmured, eyes staring at all the people packed on the sidewalk. "You saw those scars on his face and neck. It's very plausible that his throat was damaged somehow."

"How do you think it was burned?"

"He builds bombs, Shouto," Katsuki muttered over the loud radio that seemed to be getting louder. "Unique bombs that can take down entire buildings without a single trace of the device. There's no way the trial and error of making the incinerator left him scot free. That type of shit is bound to follow you for karamatic reasons."

Just when Shouto was going to comment further, the radio signal for Izuku's audio spiked with an argument and the white car slowed down to pull off into a different road completely.

"Nine, are you serious right now?" Yotsubashi hissed loudly. "Everyone is on the way to my headquarters and you guys want to drive to a fucking ground beta right now? What did you forget that was so important? You know damn well I can't be seen on AFO territory—"

"—It's the blueprints for the incinerator," Nine said casually. "Dabi wants to go ahead and close this deal tonight. He says we have everything we need now to complete it. Then we can have some fun later."

"—Bakugou, we lost visual of Yotsubashi's car," Monoma's voice said slowly in his ear. "Should we keep trialing the others?"

Katsuki wearily looked at Shouto before making a split decision when the white car completely pulled an illegal U-Turn.

"Shit, yes," Katsuki hurried while pointing for Shouto to follow discreetly behind the expensive car. "Pinpoint their headquarters and signal your squad for the raid. We'll follow wherever the hell they're going and figure out what the fuck is a ground beta."

. . .

The car drove off to the outskirts of the city and eventually the traffic thinned out the further they got out. Katsuki wearily looked around at the dark sky that was swelled with grey clouds as the tall building soon started to fade out into nothing but barren land.

Shouto slowed down his trailing and turned off his headlights to linger behind when it became apparent that they wouldn't be able to blend in as easy.

The white car eventually stopped at an abandoned warehouse and the radio signal from Izuku's head piece started to fizzle with white noise.

"Why are they pulling over?" Katsuki questioned, face encompassed in worry. "It's the middle of nowhere." Shouto looked at him equally as baffled when the car turned off and everyone got out. The detectives discreetly parked their car far enough and looked onward on the scene with binoculars for clear vision.

Katsuki could see Izuku look around worried when there was no one in sight and stared intensely at Dabi like he was still trying to figure something out.

"Well, we're here," Yotsubashi said, clearly still drunk and bitter. He straightened out his green pinstripe suit with his head down. "Can we hurry this up. I have people waiting on me—"

Quicker than anything Katsuki had ever seen, Nine and Dabi pulled out hidden handguns and lodged bullets inside of Yotsubashi and his three bodyguards. The duo perfectly landed kill shots directly in their foreheads sending blood spattering into the air.

Katsuki and Shouto's hearts stopped.

The bewildered blond lowered his binoculars and stared wide, his pulse pounding loudly in his ear.

"Wait—what the fuck—"

Izuku screamed loudly when all four bodies dropped to the ground and suddenly two other cars encircled the scene. Four people in gas masks got out and tossed Dabi and Nine two masks of their own with a quickness.

When the two tall men began to put on the gas masks, the greenette immediately turned around. Izuku made a move to run but one of the newcomers grabbed him, wrapping his arm fully around Izuku's smaller body and shoving a hand over his mouth to muffle the screams.

"Sorry but you're not going anywhere, angel," the distorted voice chuckled.

Izuku started to struggle and scream, fingers clawing at the overpowering man. He tried to shake his body free hard enough for his kitsune mask to fall off and shatter to the ground.

The radio audio died into nothing but static and Katsuki felt his heart nearly break watching the man he loved being forced into the old warehouse by gunpoint. The silver pistol pressed against Izuku's head firmly and the greenette stopped struggling as he was roughly forced inside the dimly lit warehouse.

Dabi said something inaudible to everyone while pointing to the four dead bodies bleeding out on the ground. Nine bent down to search Yotsubashi cold body and toss the car keys to Dabi who caught it with ease. The black-haired arsonist began to pull out his cell phone and make a call while getting into the car to drive away.

"Bakugou—what the hell is going on over there? Why did Midoriya's audio just die?" Toshinori's voice immediately cut through the signal into the car.

"They took Midoriya inside this warehouse called ground beta by gun point. Dabi and Nine just killed Yotsubashi and his top bodyguards," Katsuki hissed, looking at the scene that was unfolding way too quickly. The new men and women in gas masks expertly cleaned up the bloodied bodies forgotten on the ground. "Monoma what's your status?"

"We're ready to raid Yotsubashi's HQ on your command Toshinori," Monoma echoed back.

There was a long pause and Katsuki felt his heart rate triple waiting for what Toshinori would signal what to do.

If the captain was feeling anything like Katsuki was at this moment, knowing Izuku was being held inside by gunpoint, a fucking turn no one expected, his heart was probably pounding just as loudly as Katsuki's.

"Bakugou, Todoroki—go retrieve Midoriya immediately," Toshinori commanded. "I'm sending back up your way right now, keep your trackers on. Try to get the hell out of there as quickly and discreetly as you can. Something isn't right. Monoma arrest every single person at Yotsubashi's HQ."

"Got it," Katsuki said into his headset and within the second began to strap himself with his holster, bulletproof vest and gun.

Shouto did the same as he killed the car completely. The scene cleared in a matter of minutes, Dabi gone into a different direction with the white car and everyone else going inside the abandoned building.

The two crouched low as they approached the building, searching for an entrance. The winter air snuck under their clothes and vests as they crept around the dark brick building, testing the doors until they found a metallic one that was propped open.

Cautiously, the pair kept low with their guns locked and loaded as Katsuki slowly opened the door without a sound. The smell of rust and old dust filled both of their senses as their eyes adjusted to the dark building. The floor was cement grey, full of cracks and the sound of people shuffling around and talking could be heard.

Katsuki signaled wordlessly for Shouto to head the opposite direction of the voices, trying their best not to get caught as they stealthily rounded the corner. They kept on their toes trying their best to avoid being caught by anyone as they ducked behind various crates and metallic structures when people in gas masks walked by.

They walked further into the labyrinth until they came across a long all way of what felt like prison doors. Shouto peered inside one, flinching backwards when he saw someone sitting inside on the cold floor curled up.

Katsuki quickly noticed the trend as well, confused as to what the hell this place exactly was. They were about to turn the corner until Katsuki quickly held his arm out, stopping Shouto at the sound of someone being choked.

They both crouched low again, guns ready as Katsuki peered around the corner only to see Izuku holding a man in a choke hold on the ground.

Katsuki quickly put his gun in his holster and signaled for Shouto to follow him. They quick paced towards Izuku who finished putting the person in a sleeper lock and stood up, looking extremely disheveled. Green eyes looked wildly up at the two men, startled but relaxed just slightly when he realized who it was.

"Izuku, are you okay?" Katsuki questioned quietly, touching the spot on Izuku's forehead that was oozing bright red liquid. The greenette shook his head 'no' and stared at the two other officers with great fear.

"They tried drugging me. Katsuki, We need to leave now," Izuku said with a shaky voice, looking at them desperately. "All these people belong to All For One and something is wrong with this picture—there's people—t-there's people that should be in jail. My father and Toshinori arrested them three years ago."

Shouto and Katsuki looked at each other went they realized this escalated further than they planned.

"Okay, let's hurry and look for an exit so we can get out of here before Toshinori comes and does the raid," Shouto said as they began to walk down the dark hallway with only one flickering light.

All of the officers' attentions were drawn to the sound of someone groaning and a nauseous feeling in Katsuki's stomach churned as they walked past people stuck inside the rooms.

"What the fuck is this place?" Katsuki asked as bile raced up his throat, the smell of sweat and humans caged filling the air the deeper they all moved into the large building.

Izuku turned towards him, deep apprehension in his eyes.

"All For One, they have ground betas where they keep all their hostages and shipments for drugs," Izuku explained in a low voice.

"This one of their headquarters?" Shouto asked as they looked around a vacant area.

"Not exactly," Izuku sighed as he reached in the back of his sash for his gun. "They have a lot of ground betas, but they have one singular place called 'ground alpha', where the Shigarakis live. If a ground beta is upended, they move ground alpha. It's like a game of chess, sort of. They move their king and double down before you can get close to checkmating them."

"So, if Toshinori comes, then we lose any chance of figuring out where ground alpha is for a really long fucking time," Katsuki hissed.

"Unfortunately," Izuku murmured. "Unless someone can find out where their ground alpha is before they move, they're very quick about moving their leader. Get their King arrested and their whole kingdom crumbs like ash."

Why the fuck did these people think of everything?

Just as they were about to go around the corner, the sound of incoming footsteps could be heard coming in fast.

All three officers looked over their shoulders to see the incoming look of two shadows coming towards them and immediately duck around the corner. Katsuki and Izuku broke right while Shouto went left and hide behind the closet staircase that was casting a dark shadow.

Izuku forcefully pulled Katsuki down behind a tall box of crates and pushed him up against the wall. Each officer held their breath as the footsteps rushed towards them and stopped. The gang members began to knock down boxes looking around, clearly agitated.

"Where the hell did that brat go?" A distorted voice echoed out. "They want to transport him to ground alpha by tomorrow—we can't fuck this up!"

"I still think Dabi should have done this shit himself," another man said bitterly, 'tch'ing. "I don't know why they ordered him to go back to ground alpha and are having us do all the grunt work. They didn't mention how strong that little fucker was; he broke my goddamn nose."

"Because they have favoritism towards that pyro, and you know that. They've let him live three times now when they should've just let him burn to death instead of saving him—hey...wait."

One man stopped walking and Katsuki felt his heart sink.

"Over there! I see someone!" The man called out and the sound of gunshots echoed out to the left and Katsuki could hear Shouto begin running and shooting back. "Get back here!"

On reflex, Katsuki tried to stand up and reach for his gun but Izuku snapped his hand up, pulled him back down and pushed him back against the wall with a deadly serious expression.

"Katsuki, you need to lay low—they cannot find you here," Izuku hissed, green eyes burning into him, pinning him in place.

"I fucking get that. But Shouto—"

"—No. You don't get it. Shouto will be okay. He's good at escaping these types of things," Izuku pressed, hand pushing harder on his chest. Katsuki frowned but the longer he stared into Izuku's eyes he saw something that looked absolutely terrified.

More terrified that Katsuki has ever seen Izuku look—more than afraid than he was at the sight of fire.

The greenette peaked above the brown boxes as the footsteps echoed off into the distance before squatting low again to look Katsuki in the face.

"This specific squad of AFO kills cops—for sport. I-I recognize them," Izuku whispered. "They collect badges as some sort of sick trophies. They get giddier the higher the rank and right now if they find out the Symbol of Victory of Shizuoka City is here; they would do more than shoot you. They will torture you."

Katsuki felt the waves of terror rolling of Izuku and realized that the young detective wasn't afraid for his own life—he was afraid for Katsuki's.

Izuku grabbed his hand and they started heading in the opposite direction. The pair quickly stepped, trying to find an exit. Cold dread slowly gripped Katsuki's skin as Izuku's hand began clutching his unnaturally tight.

The more they searched for an exit from the labyrinth, it felt like every door they tried led to a dead end or was locked. The more doors they tried, the more worried Katsuki could see Izuku become undone.

There was a panicked look in Izuku's eye like he was trapped in a maze of a nightmare he had been inside before.

Just as they finally finished weaving through too many rooms for Katsuki to count, the lieutenant pulled out his phone to check for Shouto's tracker. The green dot on the screen flashed, signaling that the sergeant had somehow made it outside, and it gave the blond some sort of ease.

The pair crouched low around the corner, guns ready, blood dried on Izuku's face as they slowly worked their way silently up to one last door.

Katsuki let out a sigh of relief when the metallic door pushed open and the crisp air of the night winter setting flooded into his lungs. He pulled Izuku forward when the sound of footsteps could be heard while looking around to see where they were, and it seemed like an intricate back alley way.

The freckled man beside him let out a shaky breath, eyes still wide and on high alert. They started moving quickly towards the street and Katsuki could hear Izuku's breathing start to become rapid.

"Hey, Izuku," Katsuki said lowly while stopping. He turned around to grab the smaller man by his shoulder and look in the eye. "You sound like you're having a panic attack. Breathe and focus for me, okay?" Katsuki said and Izuku slowly nodded.

They began to walk quicker and quicker, running into silver fence after silver fence.

"Fuck!" Katsuki yelled out, kicking one of the gates loudly with a rattle. "Why are there so many goddamn dead ends?!"

He turned around, heading the other direction, desperately looking for an out. Izuku reminded quiet and stayed close to him the entire time.

"K-Katsuki," Izuku whispered, footsteps slowing. "Katsuki—stop walking for a moment. There's something really important I need to tell you about me and All For One—"

"—Can this wait for when we're not in goddamn gang territory?" Katsuki hissed, walking around another corner carefully. He tried to step forward but Izuku's hand reached out to grab him by his bulletproof vest and yanked him backwards.

He paused and turned around to see Izuku's face covered in tears.

"No, it can't," his weak voice trebled. A sinking feeling crept into Katsuki's lungs, filling his chest like air as he watched Izuku's eyes nervously dart around. "I-I've been keeping s-something from everyone out of fear—b-but if these people are in Shizuoka City I need to tell you."

Katsuki looked wearily at Izuku. "What is it?"

The bright red blood trickling down Izuku's forehead fell to the ground, but the freckled man didn't seem to care. The red liquid soaked through the white snow on the ground underneath Izuku's red sneakers and spread slowly when more blood trickled to the ground.

Izuku's wide eyes were staring at Katsuki desperately, as if everything they had was going to vanish into thin air with his next words.

"Katsuki...when I was nineteen, I was the one who made—"

Izuku's sentence was stopped short at the loud sound of a gunshot and a bullet came too close to Katsuki's ear for comfort.

"Shit!" Katsuki yelled when a sharp burn grazed his ear, drawing blood.

Without wasting time, he grabbed Izuku's hand and began running around a corner when three more shots rang out. Katsuki tried his best to dodge to the shots that didn't seem to be aiming for Izuku at all, and were trying to immobilize him only.

They ran quickly when the echoes of footsteps crept up quickly behind them and three more shots attempted to land inside of Katsuki's body. The blond huffed heavily as he turned around to stare at what seemed to be the figure of a woman in a gas mask coming full speed at them.

He pulled out his gun from his holster, whipping around on his heels. He pointed and perfectly aimed a warning shot at her head that caused her to jolt, surprised and fumble her gun to the ground.

An angry resolve settled into Katsuki's core when he realized whoever this was wasn't skilled at holding a gun. He could see Izuku reach for his pistol as they both turned around and began to chase after the woman who scrambled for her weapon and took off in the direction she came.

"Follow her," Katsuki called and Izuku ran quickly with him. "If we can arrest her we can get some answers."

They kept hot on the trail as she weaved expertly through the endless turning of metallic structures until it was another dead-end.

Both officers held up their weapons and pointed it directly on the back of her figure, chests heaving.

"Drop your weapon right now. You're under arrest," Katsuki called out. But instead of doing what she was told, the woman began cackling loudly, shoulders shaking in the oversized black hoodie and mask.

She turned around, distorted laugh still loud and it gave Katsuki chills at how unhinged the woman was becoming.

"Darnit!" She called out snapping her fingers like it was a game she just lost. The petite woman lifted her hand to remove the gas mask and hoodie, revealing the face of a young fair skinned woman with blonde hair in two buns. "Kami, that thing is stuffy."

Izuku's breath hitched and immediately the bleeding freckled man cocked his gun. "Himiko? Why the hell aren't you in jail?" Izuku hissed lowly in a dangerous voice Katsuki had never heard before.

Crimson eyes curiously eyed the detective next to him when the woman gave a friendly wave towards Izuku.

"Hi, Zuzu! So glad to see you again!" She giggled. "I know you must be super disappointed to see me not in an orange jumpsuit."

"Izuku, do you know this woman?" Katsuki questioned. Something was immediately off about this whole situation.

"Of course he knows me—he knows everyone here. Really well too!" The woman named Himiko answered for Izuku before the greenette could form any words. Weary green eyes looked at him with his gun still pointed on Himiko and the woman started laughing again at the two officers.

"Aw, he didn't tell you everything, lieutenant? Well, I guess if I was Zuzu I don't think I would openly admit to what I built either—"

"—You need to stop talking," Izuku cut her off, clenching his teeth. "Drop your weapon immediately and come with us."

"Or you could come with me, Zuzu." Himiko smiled mischievously. "He's waiting on you, y'know—and he has a lot of questions for you."

"And who the hell are you talking about?" Izuku questioned, looking at the woman completely baffled and angry.

"You know who," she whispered, shrugging her shoulders vaguely with a large grin. "Just think about it."

Katsuki was about to put an end to this bullshit when he realized what she was doing. She was fucking with them, and Izuku was falling into it.

The greenette tightened the grip on his gun and shook his head. "That's not possible. He's dead. I watched him die because of you all—"

"—Are you sure? Completely sure?" She pushed, stepping forward. She tilted her head like a cat playing with a mouse and Katsuki felt his stomach sink further and further because he didn't know what the fuck was going on. "C'mon, I know you're at least curious to see who I'm talking about Zuzu—"

"—No, it's not possible. Quit screwing with my head!"

"Izuku, keep your cool and think straight," Katsuki hissed, looking at Izuku out the corner of his eye while trying to maintain not taking his gun off the woman in front of him. "She's fucking with you and trying to get you to let your guard down—focus for me."

Izuku looked at him again and blinked rapidly before nodding, but there was a skeptical, unsure expression underlying his freckled features.

Katsuki nodded towards Izuku, trying to ground him and fully turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"I'm not going to ask you again to drop your weapon," he threatened, placing both hands firmly on the steel gun. "More backup is coming and this place is getting raided. You need to turn yourself in now."

Himiko's smile faltered and she sneered unhappily at the new information.

The blonde woman looked between the two officers before carefully putting her hands up and lowering the weapon down to the concrete. "Fine—there. Are you happy?"

She leered at Katsuki when he didn't lower his gun.

"Be careful where you point that gun, lieutenant," Himiko muttered, unamused. "I know you don't actually have the heart to pull the trigger and kill me. You're too honorable for that. But out of the three of us standing here in this alley, only one person is directly responsible for countless deaths at this point."

What the fuck does that mean

"—I'll give you a hint," She chuckled. Izuku stiffened beside him as the laughter got louder and louder into the grey night. "It's not me!"

Katsuki clicked the information into place.

"...Izuku, what the hell is she talking about?" He asked wearily.

But Izuku didn't answer.

"C'mon, Zuzu," Himiko called sweetly through a laugh. "Let's go to ground alpha together. He's waiting for you and I promise it'll be worth your time. Otherwise, big boss isn't going to be happy. You don't want to be responsible for another repeat of Makinohara again, do you?"

"Izuku," Katsuki stated firmly, trying to ignore what was being said when Himiko's threatening gold eyes stared right back at him. "Don't listen to her."

Katsuki eyed the man next to him again and saw a distant, petrified look on Izuku's face and a single tear streamed down his freckled cheek. Furious green eyes burned, staying locked on the blonde woman in front of him as if he was afraid of her next move.

"Come with me." Himiko held out her hand sweetly for Izuku to take.

Katsuki stared confused at the gesture and his heart rate tripled.

"...I'm so sorry. Please forgive me for this later," Izuku's shaky voice whispered beside him and immediately the hairs on Katsuki's arm stood up.

"What—" Katsuki snapped his head fully to look at Izuku only to be met with the blunt end of Izuku's gun hitting him full force in the side of the head.

A loud crack of the steel against his echoed into the night, sending Katsuki's world spinning as he slumped down to his knees and fell forward. His vision quickly faded into black as the searing pain from the hard hit to his skull made his blood race.

Everything blurred together into the cloudy, blackish grey night after that.

Katsuki struggled to keep from going under but the hit against his temple was too strong and quickly hauled him under. He briefly felt himself lifted and dragged somewhere. He wrestled to keep his eyes open but all he saw was double vision of Izuku's apologetic face whispering 'I love you, I'm sorry.'

As he slipped under, further and further into the blackness engulfing him, Katsuki wasn't too sure if he heard Izuku's voice say 'don't touch him and I'll go with you'.

Katsuki felt his body propped up against some brick surface. The wet, cold snow seeped through his clothes, and the gritty texture of the grovel poked at him.

The last thing Katsuki remembered was Izuku's sweet touch caressing his face before vanishing like smoke into the darkness.

. . .

"Katsuki—Katsuki wake up," Shouto's voice slowly came into focus with blaring sirens.

A light tap on his cheek slowly brought him back, red eyes blinking open gradually to see half red half white hair in place of where Izuku was last. Red and blue lights swarmed his vision and worried mixed matched eyes gazed upon him. Shouto shook Katsuki's body, trying to get him to focus when panic dripped into his face.

"Katsuki, where's Midoriya? Toshinori just arrived and he's looking for him."

Katsuki held his groggy head as he stood up frantically, world spinning.

Images of the strange blonde woman mixed with Izuku's worried face right before he was knocked out flashed inside of his head. Katsuki stumbled upright, world still dizzy, ears ringing as his pulse pounded in his ear, dulling Shouto's voice in the background.

He looked around to see himself safely surrounded by other officers, snow falling but no Izuku in sight. The dizzy man pulled out his phone to try to locate Izuku's tracker only to find it turned off.

Katsuki felt all the oxygen leave his body when he tried to refresh it over and over again, but no green dot appeared on the map.

"No," his voice cracked, and he let out a lone tear as he leaned weakly against the cold brick wall. His body grew four times heavier as he sunk down into the cold ground, ignoring the petrified stare Shouto was giving him.

Muffled questions of 'Katsuki?' and 'Where is he?' kept coming from the other officer but the blond could do nothing but shake his head in disbelief over what had just happened.

He refreshed one more time when he heard more squad cars pull up—but the map stayed blank. He repeated a string of 'no, no, no, no' out loud and quickly, Katsuki forgot how to breathe when reality sank in fully.

Izuku was gone.


I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think below! I am so excited that were finally rearing into this part of the story. I have been eager to write the full story of Izuku's past and it will be officially revealed in chapter 18 and 19. :)