After being at the mercy of Takahashi, Hitoshi was not doing so hot. Kacchan had been left with the job of carrying his unconscious cousin back to the room, pure fear being the motivator to make it in record time.
Carefully depositing him down on the floor, head supported by his leg so that he was leaning across him, Kacchan repeatedly begged him to wake up.
"Come on man, please."
Hitoshi's eyebrows twitched before pain came to his expression and a groan followed. He cracked an eye open.
"Kacchan?"
"Oh thank god." He took a deep breath. "Don't scare me like that."
"Sorry."
Hitoshi went to push himself up but cried out halfway and lowered back down.
"Just lie still; they really did a number on you."
"It's their favourite thing to do."
"Hitoshi…"
"You know, I really thought that I'd changed. That I wasn't just destined to be their property anymore, and that I was a different person than I was back then. But as it turns out in just four days I'm already back to being their play toy."
"No! You're stronger now." Kacchan sternly stated.
"Am I?"
"You're weak because they took pints of your blood, stop acting like you have any control over this. They think they own you but they don't. And you are stronger; you did that all on your own. You're better than them, and I don't fucking wanna' hear any of that shit again, you hear me? You're in our family now, and this family ain't full of pathetic losers."
Hitoshi smiled.
"You have such a way with words."
"Shut up."
Kacchan smirked a few seconds later.
"Thank you… for that."
"I mean it."
"I know you do."
The purple-haired teen took hold of his cousin's bandaged wrist.
"What happened?" He asked in concern.
"It's nothing, honestly. They just didn't like me mouthing off, that's all."
By day six Hitoshi was barely conscious as they dragged him back into the room.
As had become routine, Kacchan positioned his cousin so that he was resting in his lap, head resting on his leg.
Hitoshi groaned lightly.
"I'm going to kill every single one of those fuckers."
"You already said that."
"Then I need to hurry up and fucking do it then, don't I?!" He growled.
"Just… talk to me, please?"
Unwilling to say not to the soft request Kacchan sighed.
"About what?"
"Anything, surprise me." The purple-haired teen shuffled a little to get comfy, hiding a wince as he did so.
And so he did, talking about times playing in the park or down by the river with Zuku when they were younger, life at school, how Zuku once broke his arm when they went fishing, Shouta's first attempt at cooking when he nearly burnt the apartment down, their first time going to see a movie at the cinema, his Mom's birthday when they ate so much ice cream that all of them were sick the next day, and so much more.
He was willing to share it all in the hope it would give his cousin some kind of comfort through the darkness shrouding them in the facility.
Kacchan looked down to see Hitoshi fast asleep and smiled.
"Just sleep, Hitoshi."
It was later that night when they'd been forced back into the bar area of the facility as per routine for food. Tomura was complaining to Kurogiri about the hero killer yet again as they sat eating the disgusting oatmeal prepared by one of the League members
The door clicked open.
Blue eyes tracked to him before they widened.
"Toshi?"
"Ahh Dabi, pet's back." Shigaraki commented.
"Uhh yeah, so I can see."
"Perfect timing, you can take pet to his room. I suppose you can drag the other one with you as well."
"Sure."
He grabbed them both by the collar as he dragged them to the now annoyingly familiar room, clunking the door closed behind them.
In mere seconds he pulled Hitoshi into a tight hug.
"Koneko."
Hitoshi gasped at the nickname. Having forgotten just how much he'd missed hearing it, tears came to his eyes as he smiled returning the embrace.
"I have missed you so much!"
"I've missed you too."
Kacchan looked disgusted.
"Kacchan, this is Touya, he uhh... he looked after me over the years, we grew up together."
"Uh huh..." He sounded less than convinced.
"He's never hurt me if that's what you're worried about, and he has enough scars on him to prove that he always tried to protect me from them."
"Toshi what the fuck are you doing here?!"
"That new guy, uh, Compress or whatever the fuck he's called, he said Tomura wanted me back so here I am."
Dabi shook his head, scrubbing a hand down his face.
"I never wanted to see you back here, ever."
"If it's all the same, I don't wanna' be here either."
His friend paused, clearly in thought before looking back at the two of them.
"Good, 'cause you're not staying. There's something going down tonight with the boss which means it's the perfect opportunity to get you both out of here."
"How are you gonna' do that? You can't exactly just walk us out the front door."
"That's exactly what I'm going to do."
"Touya, they'll... I don't want them to hurt you."
"You have a brainwashing quirk, Toshi, you could very easily make me do it, it's the perfect alibi."
"Why tonight?"
"I saw some kids hanging around in some god awful disguises; I'm guessing they're friends of yours here to break you out. Not to mention half the hero charts have also been deployed around the city, if I can get you guys to All Might or your stupidly dressed classmates you're good to go."
"Touya..."
"Just, trust me, okay? I'm the oldest so I know best, right?" He teased with a smile, ruffling up Hitoshi's hair.
The purple-haired boy protested as he tried to swat the hands away.
"Okay, we'll do it just, be careful."
Touya quipped a grin.
"I'm always careful."
Author's Note: Koneko = Little Cat
He also sometimes just calls him Little Cat
