Archive of Our Own

‘’I’m home.’’ Keigo called out as he stepped inside the apartment, clicking the door shut behind him. He locked it out of habit, then dropped the key into its usual place before bending down to take off his shoes.

‘’You’re late.’’ The flat reply came from deeper within the apartment.

Keigo snorted under his breath, slipping into his indoor shoes. ‘’So close, it’s ‘welcome home’.’’

A small pause, then that same voice dryly called out, ‘’Welcome home. You’re late.’’

‘’Yeah well, when am I not?’’ Keigo huffed, shrugging out of his jacket before tossing it aside onto the counter. ‘’I work overtime every day, you should be used to it by now.’’ He added as he moved down the hallway.

The living room greeted him familiar as ever, the television playing some news broadcast quietly in the background. Of course, all that came second; Keigo’s gaze immediately fell elsewhere.

Touya was exactly where he always seemed to be around this hour; sprawled across the sofa, propped up against his one remaining arm with his gaze half paying attention to the screen. He wore white trousers and a loose black shirt, the right sleeve hanging just past his shoulder where the arm used to be.

‘’Don’t go giving me office worker excuses.’’ Touya scoffed, and although he didn’t look away from the television, Keigo knew he was listening. ‘’You’re the president, stop giving yourself overtime.’’

‘’There’s still a lot to do.’’ Keigo replied easily, a smile already tugging at his lips as he stepped closer. He bent over the back of the sofa, leaning forward closer to Touya. ‘’I can’t be working less than my employees, what kind of message would that send?’’

Keigo’s hand came down, fingers slipping beneath Touya’s chin to tilt his face just enough. And, before the other could protest, or more like pretend to protest, Keigo pressed a kiss to his cheek, right below the pinkish-red line of the skin graft. He made sure the kiss was obnoxiously loud for good measure.

Touya didn’t move away. He did however finally glance at him, one white eyebrow lifting in silent judgement.

Keigo only grinned, clearly unbothered. Then his nose slightly twitched, his attention drawn elsewhere. ‘’Something smells good. What did ya make?’’

Touya’s expression remained flat, his gaze returning to the television. ‘’Beef skewers with rice.’’

Needless to say, Keigo perked up immediately. ‘’My favorite? Wow. If I’d known, I might’ve actually skipped overtime and come home earlier.’’

‘’Like hell you would.’’

Alright, maybe he wouldn’t, Keigo mused with a quiet laugh. Of course, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be home sooner. He just really had a lot in his plate, and the work he did now was just as important as before. And, you couldn’t exactly blame Keigo; working at the Commission was something he had quickly learned to love; to be able to actually support his side even after losing his quirk, to be able to reform the corruption that ran rampant within the organization, to be able to allocate resources that actually made a difference in Japan; these were all things that he took great pride in.

Everyone was working hard even years after the end of the war, and Keigo wasn’t about to slack off and let everyone else handle it.

‘’Let me go change, and-‘’

Keigo cut himself off as he straightened up from the sofa, finally glancing around the apartment properly. Soon enough, he lightly frowned. ‘’Did you clean up?’’

‘’Yeah.’’

‘’Why?’’ Keigo huffed out, the word coming out just a tad sharper than he meant to. ‘’Didn’t I tell you to wait for the weekend so we could do it together?’’

‘’I’m not incompetent.’’ Touya shot him a glare from the corner of his eye.

‘’..I didn’t say you are.’’ Keigo said, softer this time, as he tilted his head to the side. ‘’I just don’t want you tiring yourself out.’’

‘’Tiring myself out from what, exactly?’’ Touya scoffed, lifting his left leg just enough for the black monitor around his ankle to show beneath the cuff of his trouser. ‘’From sitting around all day?’’

Keigo huffed out a small breath through his nose, alongside a half-roll of his eyes. Alright, alright, he wasn’t going to argue. He just turned, and headed for the bedroom instead. He unbuttoned his white dress shirt, tossing it aside alongside his trousers to pick up later for laundry. He then changed into something more comfortable, namely sweatpants and a loose old t-shirt. Running a hand through his hair, Keigo then made his way back to the living room.

Keigo understood, of course he did. Touya was bored. Being confined within the premises of their apartment, and only allowed out for a few designated hours for therapy every week didn’t leave him with much to do. There was only so much television he could half-watch, so much doom scrolling he could do before even that got boring.

The only thing Keigo knew Touya never got bored or tired doing, was cooking. That one had caught him by genuine surprise.

The first time Touya had ever cooked for him was many years ago. Back when Keigo was still undercover and infiltrating the League, after one of their usual trysts that ended with them back in Keigo’s then penthouse. Both too hungry to even wait on delivery, Dabi had taken it upon himself to go through his cupboards and fix up whatever he could with the limited ingredients that were stocked up because, naturally, Keigo never had time to cook for himself.

In all honesty, Keigo was surprised there were even any ingredients left that hadn’t yet expired. He was even more surprised after taking in a cautious first bite of the plate that was shoved in front of him ten minutes later, only to find that it was absolutely delicious.

When he had asked where the hell had Dabi learned to cook so well back then, he didn’t receive a straight answer. Years later, Touya simply admitted that he had to feed himself, so he learned.

Keigo craned his neck from side to side as he walked back into the living room, a small crack sounding each time he did so. Touya was still sprawled where he’d left him, so he didn’t bother asking about dinner yet; he wasn’t that hungry anyway. Instead, Keigo circled around the sofa and dropped down between Touya’s legs, then leaned forward, letting his body settled over him.

As usual, Touya didn’t complain or push him off. He only shifted a little, sinking deeper into the cushions and resting his head against the armrest to get more comfortable, his one arm coming around Keigo’s waist without much thought.

‘’Shoto texted me earlier.’’ Touya muttered after a few moments of silence, the television still low in the back.

‘’Oh yeah?’’

‘’Yeah. Something about lunch tomorrow.’’

‘’Ah, right.’’ Keigo blinked. He had almost forgot about it. ‘’They’re coming over tomorrow. Miss Rei called me in the morning, so I invited them. Hope you don’t mind.’’

Touya gave a small shrug, what was left of his shoulder shifting lightly. ‘’Could’ve told me earlier. I would’ve ordered more groceries in the morning.’’

‘’..Well, she called me around noon, so it was kind of last minute.’’ Keigo said with a quiet laugh. ‘’But, it’s fine. They’re not expecting anything big, they just want to see you. ..Although, since you ignored me and cleaned up anyway, this kind of works out actually. We’d be cutting it real close tomorrow with shopping, therapy and cooking on top.’’

‘’Goes to show you should keep your smart mouth shut more often and let me do my thing.’’ Touya muttered, his hand slipping from Keigo’s waist just long enough to flick him on the forehead.

‘’Aye, aye.’’ Keigo laughed, even as he rubbed at the sore spot.

They stayed like that for a while more, ten minutes, maybe twenty. Neither of them spoke, not that there was any real need to. Over the years they’d both gotten used to this, to simply bask in each other’s presence without any real need to fill in the silence. Touya lay with his eyes half-lidded, gaze loosely on the television, while Keigo rested his head against his chest, listening to the slow, steady heartbeat under his ear instead of whatever the news was going on about.

Eventually they did get up, moving around each other easily as they started getting dinner ready. Like always Keigo handled setting the table while Touya took care of the food, reheating and plating it before they both settled across from each other at the kitchen island.

Dinner was good, really good, like it always was. One of the few good things that came from Touya’s house arrest was that he had all the time in the world to cook, to try out new things and actually have fun with it. Keigo, for his part, certainly wasn’t complaining. Growing up on whatever scraps had as little mold as possible, then later living off takeaway, instant meals and supplements, coming home now to proper homemade food every day was something he would be forever grateful for.

..Which made what he was about to say next all the worse.

They had a good thing going on tonight; quiet, easy, comfortable. And Keigo was definitely about to ruin it. Still, better now than later. He knew that keeping it as a surprise would only end up making things a hundred times worse.

‘’..So, about lunch tomorrow. With your family?’’

‘’What about it?’’ Touya glanced up after swallowing with a raised eyebrow, his spoon already full with his next bite.

‘’Enji’s coming too.’’

Touya’s expression didn’t immediately shift, though Keigo felt the change anyway; the way it sharpened, the way his pale blue eyes turned to ice until it sent an actual chill down his spine. Touya nodded once, then again, his jaw slightly shifting like he was biting the inside of his cheek.

Then, without warning, he dropped his spoon. It clattered loudly against the plate, rice scattering across the counter and onto the floor.

‘’Touya-‘’

Keigo didn’t manage to get another word in. Touya shoved his chair back with a loud scraping sound, and stood on his feet. He grabbed his plate, still half-full, and walked around the island without a word, flipping open the trash can and dumping everything inside, plate included.

Keigo just stared.

And then Touya was gone, striding out of the kitchen, through the living room and straight into the bedroom. As expected, the door slammed behind him hard enough to rattle the hinges.

Keigo sighed, setting his half-eaten skewer down as he dragged a hand over his face. Welp, that went about as well as he expected. Still, Keigo didn’t get up, and he didn’t follow. Experience thus far had taught him better than that. Going after Touya right now would only make things worse; at best he’d shut down completely, at worst Keigo would have to dodge whatever came flying at his head. So, he stayed where he was, picked his skewer back up, and finished his dinner alone in silence. It sure didn’t taste as good anymore, but it did its job.

Once he was done Keigo gathered the dishes, including the one he had to fish out of the trash can, and brought everything to the sink. He washed them quietly, set them aside to dry, then moved to tidy up everything else; wiping the counters, sweeping up crumbs and the scattered rice, pushing the chairs back into place.

Once he was finished, Keigo let out a small sigh, running another hand through his hair before turning towards the hallway to the bedroom. The door was still shut, not that he expected otherwise.

He knocked once, and received no reply. He knocked again, and still, nothing. Well, he saw that one coming too.

He didn’t bother knocking a third time. Instead, Keigo reached for the handle, turning it slowly, and thankfully found the door unlocked. He pushed it open and stepped inside, closing it quietly behind him.

The room was dark now that the sun had set, barely illuminated by a few stray slivers of moonlight slipping in through the gaps of the drawn curtains. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, before he properly glanced around the room.

Touya was on the bed, all the way to the far left, turned on his side with his back to him. He wasn’t asleep, Keigo knew that much, though he still made no signs of acknowledging his presence. Keigo took in a slow breath, then moved to his side of the bed. He slipped off his shoes, and climbed up. Even when the mattress dipped slightly under his weight, he received no reaction.

So, Keigo carefully lay down, then shifted closer. Then closer still, until his knees lightly brushed against the back of Touya’s legs.

‘’..Just to be clear, it wasn’t my idea.’’ Keigo mumbled quietly. He heard Touya’s sharp exhale through his nose, but given he received no actual reply, he went on. ‘’Miss Rei asked if he could come along, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her no.’’

‘’And you had the heart to announce it to me just fine.’’ Touya shot back in a bitter voice.

‘’Well, I’ve told her no the last.. what, five, six times?’’

‘’Tell her no again. It’s your house, isn’t it?’’

Keigo let out a small sigh. ‘’It’s not my house, Touya, it’s our home.’’

‘’Is it? Sure doesn’t feel like it.’’

Okay, that one stung a little. Keigo’s expression tightened, his gaze dropping to the mattress. ‘’..He’s still her husband, Touya. And.. he wants to check up on you.’’

‘’He can check up just fine through a text. To you, not to me.’’

‘’Well, he did that the last handful of times he wasn’t invited. You haven’t seen him in what, half a year?’’

‘’..If I had it my way I’d never see his pathetic mug ever again.’’ Touya muttered, his voice pure venom.

‘’I know.’’ Keigo said softly, finally reaching out, his hand settling on Touya’s arm near his shoulder. ‘’..Look, I get it. You don’t want anything to do with him, and I’m not going to force you to interact with him either.’’

‘’Oh really? Sure sounds otherwise.’’

‘’..It’s just one lunch. Just so they can see you. Even Natsuo’s coming, and he’s not exactly thrilled about Enji either.’’

Touya didn’t respond. His shoulder stayed tense under Keigo’s hand.

‘’You don’t have to talk to him.’’ Keigo added after a moment. ‘’I’m not asking for that. Just.. tolerate him being there for an hour or two, that’s it.’’ He briefly hesitated, before he added, ‘’..It would sure make your mother happy.’’

‘’Playing the mom card. Again.’’

‘’Well, she is the only reason I said yes.’’ Keigo said, pushing himself up on one hand so he could lean over and get an actual look at him. ‘’I wouldn’t do this to you otherwise.’’

Touya stayed quiet for a bit, though Keigo did notice some of that icy edge in his eyes slowly melting away, just slightly. That looked like a good sign.

‘’Just two hours, okay? You don’t have to talk to him, you don’t even have to look at him. Pretend he’s not there.’’

Another small pause. Then, slowly, Touya’s gaze turned to meet his.

‘’..If you pull something like this again, I’m cutting this monitor off my ankle and you’re never seeing me again.’’

‘’Deal. Never again.’’ Keigo said, a small smile pulling at his lips even when he’d heard this threat more times than he could count by now.

Finally Touya shifted, rolling onto his back before turning onto his side to face a visibly happy Keigo. Who, became even happier when Touya lifted his hand, a single curled finger brushing lightly over the scar along Keigo’s cheek, then trailing it down his neck. He followed that path slowly, his eyes calm and half-lidded.

..And then he slipped his hand under the loose collar of Keigo’s shirt, and pressed his palm flat against his chest.

‘’Fuck!’’ Keigo jerked, grabbing his wrist to yank it away. ‘’Asshole. I’m never getting used to how cold your hands are now.’’

‘’It’s been three years.’’ Touya said with a small, but obvious shit-eating grin on his lips. ‘’You should be used to it.’’

Three years. That’s how long they’d been living together, not how long it had been since the war. That had ended six years ago. What had they been doing during these three years in-between, one might ask? Well, Keigo had been doing the same exact thing he was doing now; hard at work at the Commission. Touya on the other hand, had some much, much rougher years.

He’d been kept on life support for close to five months before the doctors finally started easing him off the machines. And, even that hadn’t been simple. It took his entire family with Rei doing the most to get him to agree to treatment at all. From there, it was surgery after surgery; bone reconstruction, skin grafts, organ transplants, everything. Touya had been put into a medically induced coma that stretched on for nearly two years, while doctors, machines and quirks alike worked on him. And, when he finally woke up, there was still months of physiotherapy waiting for him.

Of course, the moment Todoroki Touya was discharged from the worst of it, he was put on trial.

Needless to say, keeping Touya quiet during his own trial had been the biggest challenge of it all. Enji had hired the best lawyers in Japan, the cream of the crop, but even they couldn’t argue against the evidence piled up against him over the years. So, they didn’t even bother trying to deny it. Instead, they leaned on claiming diminished capacity.

And, it worked.

It wasn’t exactly a lie, either; Touya certainly wasn’t exactly stable during all those years, neither physically nor mentally, and Enji stepping forward to admit his own part in everything tipped the scales just enough. What could’ve been life, or worse a death penalty, was reduced to ten years.

The judge luckily also credited him the two years spent in hospitals, which knocked his overall sentence down to eight years total.

How was he out and about in Keigo’s apartment in only three years, then? Well, the answer was simple.

Touya did serve his first year in prison, and had barely lived through it.

Not that he was attacked in prison or anything like that; he wasn’t even sent to Tartarus, given his physical condition and his now lost quirk. His body simply couldn’t handle it. Too many complications, too many lingering issues from the burns, the surgeries, the grafts, and him being an amputee to top it all off. Touya suffered infection after infection in the prison’s less than ideal conditions, to the point that eventually, even the prison’s medical staff had to admit that if this kept going on like that, the next infection might be the one that finished him off.

Thus, Todoroki Touya was granted a compassionate release. Not that he got away with it scot-free, of course. His sentence was simply modified to home confinement for the next seven years of his sentence.

Keigo came into the picture a couple of months after that; to most people’s surprise, especially the Todoroki family’s, he was the one who suggested Touya move in with him.

They weren’t together back then, not really. But, they weren’t strangers either. Before the war, while undercover and well, before Dabi nearly blew Keigo’s back clean off, they were.. well, fuckbuddies. That would probably be the most appropriate term for their relationship. They hooked up regularly without much thought behind it, without labels and without feelings more complicated than ‘It feels good, so why not?’ They met when they could, and wherever they could; Keigo’s penthouse, the League’s hideouts, later the mountain villa. They kept it up until the last possible moment, as if in those moments everything else mattered little to none, as if the world around them would temporarily cease spinning for them and them alone.

It got a little more complicated after the war.

Keigo visited him a few times when he was first put on life support, and to say it was awkward would be a major understatement. Clearly, neither of them knew what they were supposed to do now that everything had fallen apart. Clearly, neither of them had ever planned for what comes after. Still, a few visits turned into more, until that turned into a routine of itself; weekends, rare days off, whenever Keigo could make the time he would visit. The awkwardness didn’t end up lasting very long. Somehow, it became easy again soon enough.

No one would’ve probably expected it, but Hawks the Hero and Dabi the Villain went along surprisingly well. Talking came naturally, whether it was pointless things or heavier ones, whether it was lighthearted teasing or mocking remarks with a little more bite behind them. Sometimes they just sat there, the glass panel separating Keigo sitting on a chair, and Touya held up by machines and metal. They would simply stare at each other at times like these, as if their eyes alone could hold a conversation on their own.

They kept meeting after Touya woke up from his coma too, especially once they found out they had ended up in the same physiotherapy facility. Touya was there for his arm, his skin, for.. well, everything, whilst Keigo was there to learn how to live without something he’d had his entire life.

Touya had been quieter back then. Not in a sharp, biting way; he seemed dull, and defeated. Tired. Not just from the surgeries and the rehab, but from everything.

The first time Touya smiled ever since the end of the war, was on a day when the both of them coincidentally arrived at the rehab facility at the same time. Touya was being pushed inside by his mother in a wheelchair, while Keigo was already inside, rolling himself on his own wheelchair.

‘’..What happened to you?’’ Touya had asked, frowning lightly as he gazed at the heavy cast wrapped around most of Keigo’s right leg.

‘’Ah, well..’’ Keigo had said, scratching at the back of his neck with a crooked, sheepish grin. ‘’My alarm didn’t go off, and I was late for work. So I kind of.. jumped out the window. Figured I’d just fly there.’’

Rei would later tell Keigo she hadn’t heard Touya laugh like that since he was a little kid.

Keigo visited Touya once while he was in jail, around a month into his sentence. It was the same as it always was; their usual teasing, back-and-forth conversations, only this time with another glass panel between the two of them. It felt normal, as if nothing was out of the ordinary for them. But, at the end of it, just as the time was about to run out, Touya told him not to visit him again while he was in there.

It caught Keigo off guard, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded, and left it at that. It was true that shame sometimes got the better of people, and it was common for prisoners to refuse visitations out of a desire to save face, though Keigo highly doubted Touya carried any shame like that. It must’ve been something else, though what exactly Keigo didn’t know, and would never find out.

A year later, Touya was out. And, after another month and a half stuck in a hospital bed, he was released under home confinement to the Todoroki estate. And that in turn lasted a little over two months, before Touya was at his wit’s end.

On paper, house arrest sounded lenient. Generous even, for someone like him. But, that didn’t mean much to him when it meant living under the same roof as Enji for the next several years. In Touya’s own words, he would’ve much rather been dealt the death sentence.

So, when Keigo suggested he move in with him instead, things moved quickly, quicker than anyone expected. After all, Touya was sentenced leniently to begin with due to Enji’s extended confession of guilt for his abuse in Touya’s upbringing; no court could exactly argue against a victim wanting to live away from their aggressor, even if said aggressor was his own father and the previous No.1 Hero.

And thus started the beginning of Keigo and Touya living together. The first couple of weeks were quiet. Not tense, just distant. Keigo worked long hours like always, and Touya stayed shut in his bedroom for most of the day. They only really crossed paths in late evenings, when Keigo would knock on his door and ask what he wanted to order.

Then, on a morning like any other, that also changed.

Keigo had been in the kitchen, halfway through one of those protein pouches he lived off for ‘breakfast’, about to head out when Touya walked in and dropped a piece of paper on the counter.

‘’What’s that?’’ Keigo had asked, leaning over to glance down at it. It seemed like a.. shopping list?

‘’I’m tired of eating takeaway every day.’’ Touya had flatly scoffed. ‘’Buy groceries for once.’’

Well, Keigo hadn’t argued.

And that same night, when Touya called him into the kitchen and set down a proper, home-cooked meal made with one hand like it was nothing, Keigo didn’t even pretend to be surprised. He had a feeling Touya wouldn’t bother cooking just for himself, and he had been right.

From that day forward, Touya handled the cooking. Nearly every day without fail, except for the rare times Keigo particularly craved takeaway.

After that, they started seeing each other more. Or, more accurately, Touya started coming out of his room more. A month in, the door stayed open most of the time. Another month later, Touya only really went in his bedroom to sleep, spending the rest of his day moving around the apartment instead of hiding away.

A month after that, things shifted once again.

There hadn’t really been a big moment leading up to it; no long talk, no confession, not even a small conversation, really. They were just sitting on the sofa one night, both slouched into opposite corners with takeaway boxes on their laps, while some movie or whatever played on the television. At some point, Keigo set his food aside and glanced over.

‘’Hey.’’

Touya hummed, glancing back at him.

‘’Does your dick work?’’

There was a pause, a rather long one. They just stared at each other, neither looking away, nor even blinking.

Then, Touya let out a quiet chuckle, tilting his head slightly. ‘’Wanna find out?’’

Turned out it did work. And it worked very well indeed.

After that, they regularly began having sex. And well, the rest was history. The only real differences to how they were before and how they were now, were that one; they were no longer a hero and a villain at opposite sides, and two; Keigo wouldn’t describe their relationship as fuckbuddies anymore. It was.. well, more than that. Sure they had never discussed it, and sure they had never placed a label on it, but they didn’t need to. Whatever it was, they both knew it. And that was enough.

‘’Hey.’’

‘’What now,’’ Touya muttered, shooting him a half-hearted glare. ‘’Got any more secrets hiding from me?’’

‘’Nah.’’ Keigo gave him a small grin. ‘’Just wanted to ask if you wanna do it.’’

Touya scoffed. ‘’First you betray my trust, and now you’re trying to bribe me with sex? You’re really shameless, President.’’

Ah yes. Another difference, was that the mocking, teasing Hero that Dabi used to call him had now turned into a teasing President whenever he got on Touya’s nerves.

‘’Is that a no?’’ Keigo asked instead, earning himself a look. A look that however wasn’t exactly a no, given the ever so slight curl of Touya’s lips, and the tilt of his head against the pillow.

Keigo’s grin only widened as he shifted up, sliding lower on the bed to straddle Touya’s legs. He wasted no time in reaching out, fingers hooking onto the hem of Touya’s shirt and lifting it up. Leaning down, Keigo pressed his lips gently to the flat stomach, kissing the cold skin, tracing every jagged scar from grafts and surgeries alike with the tip of his tongue. Some were pale like his complexion, some were pink, some were purple. Keigo showed the same attention to each one.

His other hand wandered lower, cupping Touya’s cock over the soft fabric of his sweatpants, rubbing circles around the slowly hardening shape. He heard Touya’s breath hitch when his hand finally dipped inside the waistband; Touya’s cock was hot and heavy in his palm, already twitching as it hardened under his hand’s slow strokes.

Keigo hummed against Touya’s stomach, clearly pleased, nipping at a scar line while steadily pumping his hand, his thumb swiping over the slit to spread the precum everywhere. He saw Touya’s lone hand flex beside him, long slender fingers curling around the sheets tightly.

‘’..Hurry up.’’ Touya finally mumbled in a slightly rough voice, his cheeks already flushing pink despite himself. When Keigo glanced up, he found his eyes half-lidded. ‘’We have to wake up early tomorrow, stop wasting time.’’

‘’So bossy.’’ Keigo chuckled, but complied. He tugged Touya’s sweatpants and boxers down his legs in one smooth pull before moving lower, between his open knees. His palms held Touya’s hips, thumbs pressing into the hipbones as Keigo leaned down, his eyes fluttering shut. He let his lips brush against the hardened cock softly at first, trailing gentle kisses from the flushed head down the veined length. Then, his tongue swiped out, licking a long, flat stripe from the tip down to his balls. The precum was salty on his tongue, but he was far too used to it by now to really mind.

Finally, Keigo parted his lips wide, and took Touya’s cock in his mouth. He hollowed his cheeks tightly and swirled his tongue around the shaft, lapping at the vein underneath while still sucking greedily. Soon enough saliva began pooling messily around his chin, dripping down each time he bobbed his head, his hand stroking anything his mouth hadn’t yet reached. He could feel Touya’s hips twitching under his grip, but Keigo kept them pinned down, not allowing him to buck them up.

There was no need for it, after all. Keigo easily relaxed his throat to sink lower, inch by inch, until his nose was buried in rough white pubes. He heard Touya groaning low above, the other’s hand finally stirring, fingers sliding through Keigo’s messy blonde locks. They were gentle at first, but quickly started to grip tighter as the pleasure built up.

Keigo lifted a hand up, his palm open and expectant. Touya caught on quick enough, reaching out blindly to the nightstand for the usual bottle of lube. He popped the cap, and squirted a generous amount into Keigo’s waiting hand, all while that mouth around his cock continued steadily bobbing.

Keigo pulled off just enough to make himself more comfortable, then dove straight back down; throat relaxing around Touya as he yanked down his own sweatpants and underwear with his free hand, stepping off them quickly enough to then toss aside. He brought his lubed hand behind, fingers slowly tracing his hole, teasing the tight muscle before Keigo pushed a finger inside, curling it gently as he worked himself open. A second one joined soon enough, scissoring both widely, making him let out a muffled moan around Touya’s cock.

By the time he added a third finger Keigo had tears in the corners of his eyes, and knew Touya wouldn’t last much longer. He kept at it for a minute or so more, the now three fingers plunging deeper, twisting to graze against his prostate on every push, the lube squelching obscenely with each movement.

Finally, Keigo slid his fingers free and pulled off Touya’s cock with a wet pop, his lips swollen red and his chin messy with spit and precum alike. He licked them seductively, dragging his tongue slowly across, his eyes never once leaving Touya’s flushed face. Sitting up Keigo then stripped his shirt off, tousling his blonde hair and leaving himself fully nude.

He knew what Touya liked well enough by now. So, Keigo leaned back on his hand, knees splayed wide above Touya’s hips as he lifted himself up. His other hand gripped Touya’s cock, aligning the head to his hole.

‘’..Ah, fuck.’’ Keigo moaned out loud as he sank down slowly, feeling the initial stretch as the head pushed past his rim. He felt Touya’s hand landing on his thigh instantly, long fingers squeezing the firm muscles.

‘’..You good?’’ Keigo then breathed out, sinking lower, taking in more and more until his ass came flush to Touya’s hips, his cock fully sheathed.

‘’..You’re the one getting fucked, not me.’’ Touya rasped, his hand leaving Keigo’s thigh to rake through his white hair, shoving it back from his face. ‘’Are you good?’’

Keigo’s voice was particularly husky when he chuckled, leaning forward to brace both hands on the mattress beside Touya’s shoulders. He lifted his hips tentatively at first, testing the stretch, then higher, before slamming back down. ‘’..More than good-.’’ He moaned sharply when Touya’s cock grazed his prostate dead on.

Touya’s hand suddenly sought Keigo’s, his fingers brushing against his own. Keigo was mildly surprised for a moment then laced their fingers tightly together, squeezing as he bounced harder. His own cock stood hard by now, slapping wet against his stomach with every lift of his hips, precum dripping thick across Touya’s scarred abdomen.

Keigo rode him steady and easy, mainly because by this point he’d done it a hundred times before. His hips rolled smoothly, lifting high enough to let Touya’s cock drag out near the head before dropping back down, burying in deep every time. The stretch was sweet and comfortable by now though the best feeling was certainly the sight of Touya’s face flushed in pleasure, his eyes half-lidded and dark with desire, low groans rumbling breathlessly straight out of his chest. Keigo didn’t bother holding back his own moans, spilling free from his parted, shiny lips.

‘’Fuck- I’m close.’’ Touya groaned quickly enough, finally bucking up his hips to meet Keigo’s.

‘’Yeah..’’ Keigo nodded once, breathless. ‘’Me too.’’

Touya finally released his hand, wrapping it around Keigo’s cock instead; he began quickly pumping it in firm strokes, his thumb circling the flushed head before sliding down the full length, softly grazing the sensitive skin with the tip of his nail. As always, that did the trick; Keigo moaned loud and wrecked, his last few thrusts stuttering as he came, cum spilling hot across his and Touya’s stomachs alike. Touya himself came seconds later with a low groan he couldn’t quite hold back, still buried deep inside Keigo.

After several seconds of ragged breathing, and Keigo trying to blink the stars away from his vision, he finally collapsed forward, head tucked into the crook of Touya’s neck. The latter’s cock finally slipped free, softer now, and only then did realization shine upon Keigo; when he felt Touya’s cum dripping out of his twitching hole.

‘’..Ah, we didn’t use a condom?’’

‘’Thought you skipped it on purpose.’’ Touya sighed, raising an arm to swipe away the sweat at his own forehead.

‘’Nah, I actually forgot. Ah, damn, now we gotta shower.’’ Keigo mumbled with a half-hearted sigh of his own.

‘’We’d shower anyway. Now quit being nasty, and get up.’’ Touya huffed out, shoving at Keigo’s shoulder until the other finally moved away.

With heavy legs, Keigo finally pushed himself up, hands settling on his own hips as he stretched his back with a low groan. After a moment, they both moved towards the adjoining bathroom. Keigo stepped into the shower first, since he was already naked, adjusting the water temperature while Touya undressed behind him. Luckily Keigo’s shower was big enough that neither of them had to crowd too much, the overhead shower spilling evenly over both once they stepped under it.

They washed quietly, taking their time and moving easily around each other. When they were done washing the sweat and other dubious fluids from their bodies inside and out Keigo leaned out past the glass, grabbing the small stool from where it sat nearby and dragging it into the shower, setting it down in the middle of the space.

‘’Sit, I’ll wash your hair.’’

Touya gave him a look, one eyebrow lifting as wet strands of white hair clung to his skin. ‘’I can wash it myself.’’ He said, blinking away the water droplets hanging off his eyelashes.

‘’Didn’t say you couldn’t.’’ Keigo replied with an easy smile. Touya rolled his eyes, but sat anyway.

This had started fairly early on them living together, with Keigo insisted on doing it whenever they showered together. Back then it made a little more sense, given Touya was still adjusting to life using his then non-dominant left hand. Now of course, he managed just fine on his own. But, that hadn’t stopped Keigo.

In truth, he just liked it. It was certainly unexpected, given he had never done it for anyone else before, but Keigo soon realized it actually felt great and he relished doing it.

He worked the shampoo between his hands until it foamed then reached down, fingers moving carefully yet thoroughly through Touya’s hair. The strands were soft like silk under his hands, certainly much smoother than they’d been years ago, and he took his time working it in properly, fingers massaging along his scalp. Every now and then his eyes flicked down, watching Touya’s expression; how he seemed to relax, how his shoulders lowered, how he quietly and without complaints let Keigo do this for him.

Keigo smiled all the way through rinsing the shampoo out, even throwing in a quick wink when Touya finally opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow at his expression.

He washed his own hair quickly after that, with far less thought behind it, before reaching up to shut the water off. He stepped out first, grabbing his robe and slipping it on, before holding the other one open for Touya.

Touya’s thanks of course, came in the form of a towel being thrown to his face.

Keigo huffed out a laugh as he pulled it off, watching Touya grab another one for himself before they finally both made their way out of the bathroom.

 They changed into fresh clothes, with Keigo once again helping Touya into his to speed things up. After that they settled on the bed, Keigo reaching over to plug in the hairdryer. He started with his own hair, figuring it’d be quicker since it was shorter, while Touya sat behind him, roughly towel-drying his own hair, white strands sticking out in every direction.

Once he was done, Keigo shifted onto his knees behind Touya on the bed, and brought the hairdryer up again. Touya didn’t protest, he sat still and just let him do it. Keigo ran his fingers through the damp hair as he worked, combing through the strands so the heat could get through them evenly. Thankfully neither of them bothered with much styling, especially not during the weekend, so Keigo just made sure it was dry and not resembling a look one would get after sticking a fork in an outlet.

It must’ve taken twenty minutes total, after which they both brushed their teeth side by side at the bathroom sink, before finally making their way back to bed, for good this time.

Given it was spring the weather wasn’t too warm, but it wasn’t too cold either. A light cover was more than enough, with Keigo pulling it over them before shifting closer to Touya, who was already laying on his back. Keigo inched closer until his forehead pressed against Touya’s shoulder, close enough to feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

As usual, it only took a few minutes for Touya to move.

He slid his arm under Keigo’s head, looped it around him, and settled his hand flat against Keigo’s back.

And, as usual, Keigo immediately left out a soft sound at the contact.

While Touya losing his fire quirk unfortunately meant that he wasn’t as good of a heater as he used to be during the colder months, his now icy cold hands did wonders for Keigo’s back. The pain of a long day’s slouching in front of his desk at the Commission, the ache from the scars that came and went with the weather, and even the rare (rare now, not before) phantom pains from his lost wings, Touya’s soothing palm was somehow able to smooth it all away.

‘’..What would I do without you.’’ Keigo sighed in bliss, his voice a murmur against Touya’s shoulder.

‘’Probably still be a hero. And have your quirk.’’

‘’..Do you have to ruin the moment?’’

Sleep came easy for both of them, ten or so minutes after that.

They woke up early the next morning, and while Keigo brewed coffee -black for Touya, three sugars for himself-, Touya sat at the counter, scrolling through the grocery app in his phone and ordering everything else he’d need for today’s lunch. Seven people meant he’d have his work cut out for him, although he had already decided on what to prepare.

Breakfast was quick; just rice and miso soup, nothing heavy. By the time they were done getting dressed their doorbell rang, and two full bags of groceries were waiting neatly outside the door.

They didn’t have time to actually start prepping or cooking right now so they put everything away, organized what they could, and left the rest for later. Shoes on, light jackets grabbed, and after Touya slipped on his compression sleeve, the one over his arm stump that tied around his other shoulder, Keigo picked up his keys and they both stood by the door.

Keigo fished out his phone from his pocket, checking the time. 8.59 am. He stayed there, staring at the screen, tapping his foot lightly against the floor. Every now and then he glanced at Touya, watching the faint frown on his face, the way he glanced down at his phone before half-rolling his eyes and looking away.

The second time flipped to 9.00 sharp, Keigo slid his phone back into his pocket and unlocked the door, holding it open for Touya to step through first.

House arrest made things like this kind of.. particular. The allowed hours were strict, and while leaving a couple of minutes early wouldn’t land them in any serious trouble, it would still be enough to trigger a call to Keigo’s phone from the local police department. They’d learned that the hard way early on, and so since then, they had just made sure to be rather exact about the time.

The elevator ride down to the garage was quiet. They walked over to Keigo’s sleek, red car, with Keigo getting into the driver’s side and Touya on the passenger’s, both buckling in their belts before he started the engine. And, a minute later, they were out on the road.

Driving was something Keigo didn’t particularly enjoy at first. Compared to flying, it felt lacking in every sense and way. It wasn’t fast enough, and the busy roads felt suffocating compared to the vast expanse of the open blue skies. But, he had to drive to work, and, on a good day, if he rolled the window down just right, the wind almost felt close enough to the one he remembered from years ago.

 He had offered to teach Touya a couple of times. Or at least help him find a place that would. After all, there were modifications and adjustments they could very easily do for Touya to be able to drive with just one hand once he was free from house arrest. But, Touya turned him down each and every time, claiming that he never really liked cars.

That was also something Dabi never told him, but something Touya admitted later on; that he got motion sickness quite easily. So, Keigo would do his best to drive slower, steadier, and take the routes he knew had the least amounts of turns as possible for his comfort.

Touya had appointments three times a week; two shorter ones that lasted around two hours, and a much longer one on Sundays that could drag on for up to six hours. Saturday mornings meant one of the shorter sessions, although it being ‘short’ didn’t exactly make it any easier on Touya, physically or mentally.

The routine was the same as always. First, came the scar therapy. Skin grafts tightened over time, and needed constant work to keep them from stiffening too much, so Touya had deep massages done twice a week, meant to break up the adhesions and keep the skin flexible.

The first time Keigo heard that, ‘massages twice a week’, he’d thought that sounded like heaven. Well, that thought didn’t last very long; especially after Touya eventually described the sensation of the massages as ‘someone trying to peel my skin off’. Needless to say, Keigo never commented on it since.

After that came sensitivity work. Due to Dabi quite literally blowing himself up, Touya was left with hypersensitivity in some parts of his body, and a lack of sensitivity in others, mainly due to his nerve endings being literally fried off. From what Keigo had seen, this work involved the therapist running different fabrics and textures over his skin and scars, basically trying to teach his brain to register each one normally, or at least as close as it once could.

It had gotten much better by now, especially compared to three years ago. Back then, Touya could barely stand certain textures against his skin without flinching or being in outright pain.

Last but not least, came the movement training. Exercises for his remaining arm and for his balance, since his torso now had an uneven weight distribution, especially given Touya’s continuous refusal at getting a prosthetic.

Keigo sympathized with this training the most, because he had been through it himself.

He had similar appointments to these years ago, when he had to learn how to live without his wings. Not that he realized it, at first; it was only after friends and acquaintances started pointing out how much he was swaying and slouching forward, that Keigo realized his body needed some help in understanding there wasn’t a massive weight of feathers on his back keeping him balanced anymore.

By the time today’s session was over and they were back in the car, Touya looked absolutely worn out, slouched in his seat with his gaze fixed out of the window, scowling deeply. No surprise there; it was exhausting work, and Touya was always irritated afterwards. But, he still agreed to each and every appointment, and he did show up every time, so Keigo counted that as small wins.

‘’Why don’t you lie down for a bit?’’ Keigo offered once they were back in the apartment, well within the allowed time window. ‘’Rest for half an hour or so, we can start cooking after.’’

‘’..Do you know how much work it is cooking for seven people?’’ Touya muttered, dropping onto the sofa, still in a mood as he pulled the compression garment off his stump. ‘’We’ve got what, less than three hours?’’

‘’Just tell me what you need prepped and I’ll handle it.’’ Keigo laughed, giving Touya’s shoulder a push that sent him laying down on the sofa far too easily for someone complaining.

Of course, even after all these years, Keigo still couldn’t cook to save his life. But, under Touya’s scrutinizing gaze, he had learned how to at least prepare ingredients; rice in the cooker, cutting vegetables, slicing and marinating meats, that much Touya allowed him to do by himself. Everything else, he was only allowed to attempt when Touya was by his side.

Touya told him what he had in mind for lunch; tonkatsu, cold soba, rolled omelet, and sides of rice, miso soup with mushrooms, and a cucumber-seaweed salad.

‘’Soba, huh? Making Shoto’s favorite?’’ Keigo chuckled after they changed clothes, then stepped into the kitchen and tied one of the aprons around his waist.

‘’It’s my favorite.’’ Touya shot back when he returned to the sofa, already stretched out and comfortable. ‘’He just copied me.’’

Keigo huffed out a small laugh and left it at that, getting to work instead. The prep wasn’t anything complicated, he could handle most of it. For the tonkatsu, all he had to do was tenderize the pork piece by piece, coat it in flour, dip it in some beaten eggs and then press it into the breadcrumbs. The actual frying part, obviously, he left for Touya.

The soba was easy enough too. Boiling noodles was about the one thing Keigo could do unsupervised, and cold soba wasn’t a demanding dish. He cooked the noodles, rinsed them under cold water, then just portioned them with scallions and a little wasabi on the side. Likewise, the salad took little effort; he thinly sliced the cucumbers with a mandolin, mixed them with seaweed, then a little bit of rice vinegar and a little bit of sugar. Done, in just a few minutes.

Last, was the miso soup. He let the mushrooms soak in hot water first, then set everything in a pot; the mushrooms with the broth, ginger, a little bit of soy and oil, and just left it at that for Touya to finish. Same with everything else he wasn’t trusted with, he just left it all neatly prepared so Touya would have to do the least amount of work possible.

It took him around forty minutes to get through everything. When he was done, he didn’t wake Touya right away. He looked too comfortable, curled up on the sofa as he was, finally relaxed after the long morning. So, Keigo left him, settling into the armchair nearby and scrolling through his emails for a bit.

Unfortunately, after fifteen or so more minutes, he had to finally wake him up.

‘’Touya.’’ Keigo said quietly, kneeling by the sofa and giving his shoulder a light shake. ‘’Rise and shine.’’

Touya rose, though he certainly wasn’t shining. He cracked one eye open, slowly focusing on him. ‘’..What time is it?’’

‘’Uh, around 12.40?’’

That earned him a long exhale through the nose before Touya pushed himself upright, stretching his arm above his head. ‘’You should’ve woken me up sooner, now we’ve only got an hour.’’ He stood, still drowsy, rubbing absent-mindedly at the stump on his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen.

‘’It’s fine, it’s fine.’’ Keigo said, following after him. ‘’I got most of it ready, we’re not gonna be late.’’ He promised, tossing Touya the headband he always wore to keep his bangs away while he cooked.

It was always incredible to watch Touya in the kitchen, even if most days Keigo missed it because of work. He moved with quick and precise movements, doing everything with such ease one could easily forget he only had one arm to work with.

They weren’t late, just like Keigo promised, but they certainly cut it close. By the time Touya finished frying the cutlets and set them aside to rest, Keigo was already pulling off his apron in a hurry.

‘’Alright, we’ve got just enough time to change before they get here.’’

‘’What am I changing for? I’m already dressed.’’ Touya raised an eyebrow, pulling off the headband and letting his bangs fall into place.

‘’..You’re meeting our guests in sleepwear?’’

‘’The guests are my family. I don’t care.’’

Well.. Keigo couldn’t argue with that. Fair enough. For Touya, at least, not so much for Keigo. He turned and headed straight for the bedroom, swapping out his t-shirt and sweatpants for something just a bit more presentable.

As he should’ve probably expected, the Todoroki family arrived ten or so minutes earlier of the appointed time. The doorbell rang before Keigo was done, just as he took off and tossed his sweatpants onto the bed.

‘’Can you get that?’’ He called out from the bedroom. ‘’I’ll be right there.’’

Touya rolled his eyes but went anyway, unlocking the door and pulling it open.

The first person Touya saw when he opened the door was Fuyumi. Her hair was a little longer now, tied back into a low ponytail, her grey eyes brightening behind her glasses the second they landed on him. Her face lit up, and, before he could say anything she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him.

‘’Touya, you look so well! Much better than last time, did you put on weight?’’

‘’..Maybe a little.’’ Touya admitted once she pulled back, earning himself a satisfied smile from his sister before she stepped past him into the apartment.

Natsuo came next. He was certainly more reserved than Fuyumi was, but he still offered him a small smile as he stepped in, reaching out to wrap an arm around Touya’s back for a brief pat. ‘’Looking good.’’ He simply said.

‘’You too.’’ Touya nodded.

Shoto followed after. Unlike the other two, he didn’t move in for a hug, or even a pat on the back. He just quietly looked at him for a moment with a steady gaze before giving a small, polite bow. ‘’Hello, Touya.’’

Touya blinked, then nodded his head back. ‘’..Hello.’’ He wasn’t sure whether Shoto could somehow sense the slight awkwardness running through him at that moment and chose to hold back, but Touya decided not to overthink it.

Then, came Rei.

Dressed in a beautiful long blue dress with a few white patterns near the seams, and her hair still cut into that neat, short white bob. She smiled gently as she stepped forth without hesitation, reaching up to pull him into an embrace, arms wrapped around him as if she’d be waiting to do it for a while.

‘’It’s so good to see you, Touya.’’ She said softly.

After a second or so Touya lifted his own arm, resting it around her waist and holding her there a moment longer, before they both pulled away.

‘’..It’s good to see you too.’’ He finally said, his tone quieter.

After Rei stepped inside, there was only one person left.

Touya lifted his gaze, staring straight into his father’s turquoise eyes, small and meek behind the heavy red scarring on his face. He was dressed in a light navy shirt with white trousers, and well-polished shoes. One of his shirt’s sleeves, the right one, was tied into a knot high up near the stump of his missing arm.

Enji stared at his son, and Touya stared at his father.

The moment Enji made to open his lips, Touya took a step back and slammed the door in his face.

..Is, what would’ve happened, had Keigo not reached it just in time, catching the door with his hand before it shut. He shot Touya a quick, tired look as the other turned and walked off utterly indifferent, leaving Keigo to pull the door open again.

‘’Enji!’’ Keigo greeted, bright and easy like nothing had happened, already stepping forward to give the man a small half-hug, more of a quick pat on the back. ‘’It’s good to see you! Come in, come in.’’

‘’..It’s good to see you too, Hawks.’’ Enji nodded, finally able to step inside. ‘’I trust you’ve been well?’’

‘’Ah, you know me. Same old, same old. Just busy with work.’’ Keigo waved it off easily, already guiding him towards the kitchen.

Touya was standing there, still as a statue, watching as everyone else moved around him. Fuyumi and Rei were already picking things up, carrying dishes over to the kitchen island while Natsuo and Shoto set the table.

‘’..Can’t you just sit down?’’ Touya huffed, his hand settling on his hip. ‘’You’re ‘guests’, aren’t you? We can handle this.’’

‘’Oh, nonsense.’’ Fuyumi laughed lightly, waving him off as she set another plate down. ‘’We’re family, we can help out. It’s the least we can do after everything you’ve prepared!’’

That of course only succeeded in setting off a barrage of further comments; Rei musing about how long it must’ve taken to make everything, Fuyumi asking about his recipes and techniques, Natsuo making the occasional remark of how good everything smelled and looked, and even Shoto, quieter as he usually was, added a few small observations of his own.

By the time everything was said and done the counter was full, and everyone started taking their seats. Said seats, of course, were methodically arranged.

Touya sat at one end of the kitchen island, while Enji sat at the other. Between them, along the side, the rest filled in; Rei closest to Enji, then Fuyumi, Shoto, Natsuo, and finally Keigo, right beside Touya. Once they all settled down their hands came together in a brief moment of thanks, and then, they dove straight in.

‘’We really hope we didn’t inconvenience you too much, Touya.’’ Rei was the first to speak up, her voice soft as ever as she glanced towards her oldest son. ‘’Weekends are the only time we can all come together, and I figured today would be better than Sunday, but..’’ She let out a small sigh. ‘’I do feel bad for asking on such short notice, knowing you had to come back from therapy and get to cooking right away.’’

‘’..It’s fine.’’ Touya shrugged, lifting his miso soup and taking a small sip. ‘’Keigo helped with prep. It wasn’t that much work.’’

That earned Keigo a small, warm smile from Rei, which he returned easily. Without really meaning to his eyes flicked to Enji, mainly since he was sitting beside his wife. He looked.. off. Stiffer than usual, with his gaze fixed on his plate. And in the end, it didn’t take much to figure out why; the next time Keigo glanced back at Touya, it was just in time to see him glaring daggers at his father. Ah, maybe they should’ve thought through this seat arrangement a little more, Keigo realized.

‘’..How has your therapy been going, Touya?’’ Rei gently shifted the conversation, since she had probably also noticed what was going on. ‘’How was today’s session?’’

‘’Fine. Same as always.’’ Touya simply replied. Then, after seemingly thinking about it for a few seconds, he decided to add a little more. ‘’I got to rest for a bit earlier, while Keigo handled the ingredients.’’

Seeing that was all Touya had to offer Keigo smoothly jumped in, turning towards Natsuo with an easy grin. ‘’So, how’s the life up north treating you and the wife?’’

Natsuo chimed into the conversation easily, talking about how things were going really well, how the pregnancy was progressing smoothly, and how the past winter had been just the way he liked it; cold, and quiet. He and his wife had recently upgraded to a larger house, given they had a baby on the way, and Natsuo hadn’t had a chance to visit in a good few months.

From there, Keigo smoothly shifted the conversation to Shoto next, albeit with a hint of amusement this time. ‘’What about you Shoto? How’s life treating the No. 2 Hero these days?’’ He asked with a knowing wink.

Shoto answered calmly, admitting that things were going well, if anything far better than he expected. He mentioned having more free time in his hands now than when he was just a student, something he certainly never saw coming. ‘’Of course, that’s due to everyone’s efforts, not just mine.’’ He added.

Of course, he didn’t mention where everyone’s efforts had mattered the most.

Of course, it was during the war, the one a little over six years ago that had shaped the very present.

Even after all these years, the war remained a sensitive topic of conversation amidst the Todoroki family. To Touya specifically, it seemed that Keigo was the only one not afraid to bring it up.

Still, the conversation smoothly moved on. They talked about smaller, lighter thing after that; Shoto’s woodworking classes, Natsuo’s newly picked up hobby of fishing during the colder months, Fuyumi’s work as a secretary and her volunteering during the weekends.

Enji remained mostly quiet throughout dinner. He listened to whoever was speaking, nodded when appropriate, and maintained calm eye contact to show he was paying attention; unless of course, the one speaking was Touya. Then he lowered his gaze, and only quietly listened.

Near the end of the meal, Touya suddenly excused himself. He pushed his chair back with one hand against the counter and stood, muttering something about washing his hands- or well, his hand in the bathroom. No one questioned it, and no one followed him; everyone just nodded with small smiles. Everyone except Keigo, who watched him leave, then waited a minute or so before standing as well.

‘’Ah, I forgot to replace the towels in the bathroom this morning.’’ Keigo exclaimed lightly, glancing around the counter with a small laugh. ‘’Tossed the old ones in the laundry. I’ll grab him a new one, be right back.’’

It was a good excuse, and not even a lie. He had taken out the towels. Of course, Touya was perfectly capable of fetching himself a towel just fine, but that wasn’t the issue here.

Keigo made his way down the hall, knocking once before opening the bathroom door just enough to peek inside. Like he expected, Touya wasn’t washing anything. The tap was certainly running, but he was just standing there, one hand bracing against the sink, staring at his reflection on the mirror above.

‘’You good?’’ Keigo asked quietly as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

‘’Fine.’’ Touya muttered, not even looking at him.

Clearly, he was not fine. Keigo exhaled softly and stepped closer to wrap an arm around his waist. He nudged his head against Touya’s, glancing at him through the mirror. Even then, he noticed Touya’s eyes remained fixed on himself, never straying to Keigo.

‘’..Sorry.’’ Keigo eventually mumbled after a moment, his gaze lowering now. ‘’I really shouldn’t have-‘’

‘’It’s not him.’’ Touya cut in with a small, sharp sigh. ‘’I can tolerate him. For now.’’

‘’..Ah.’’ Keigo’s arm slightly tightened around him.

Now he understood what the issue was. A recurring one that flared up here and then, sometimes every other week, sometimes every other month. This wasn't an issue that Dabi or Touya ever brought up with him; it was something Keigo himself had realized through sheer observation, something he remained exceedingly skillful at even after quitting his hero work.

To put it simply, Touya sometimes just couldn’t handle the way his family looked at him. That was the easiest way to put it. Not Enji, of course, Touya couldn’t care less about what Enji did, but the case wasn’t the same for the rest of his family.

The easiest way to explain it was this; just like Touya’s family sometimes looked at him with a slight mix of unconscious apprehension and guilt as their eyes landed on the scars Touya had inflicted upon himself, culminated all across his life up until the end of the war, Touya felt the same apprehension and guilt as he looked back into his family’s faces.

The small frown on Natsuo’s eyebrows, the light marks on Fuyumi’s face, the large, still vibrant red scars around his mother’s eyes. Keigo understood the sight ached him, despite Touya never outright admitting to it. He got that look in his eyes, clouded and guarded, the same kind of look he sometimes got as he ran his cold fingers across the scars on Keigo’s back.

If you asked Dabi whether he felt any remorse for everything he did, the pain he inflicted onto others, or the lives he took, he would answer with a resounding no.

If you asked Touya whether he carried any guilt now that the dust had settled.. the answer would be more complicated than a no or a yes.

After all, it all came down to the same reason; the fact that Touya survived the war. Something nobody, not even himself had accounted for. He was still learning to live with the consequences of his actions, still trying to decipher the emotions he had only now began to experience, emotions other than anger, vengeance and hatred.

Keigo wouldn’t push this; during times like these, the thing Touya needed the most was some space to gather his thoughts.

‘’..Well, take your time, ‘kay? Throw some water on your face, and come once you’re feeling better.’’ Keigo smiled at him through the mirror. ‘’Or.. don’t. You can go hide in the bedroom if you want, I’m really good at coming up with excuses.’’ He added with a wink.

Touya huffed under his breath and finally, his icy blue eyes shifted to meet his. Keigo bumped his temple lightly against Touya’s, then finally pulled his arm away and stepped back, moving towards the door before sliding back out and closing it with a soft click.

Keigo made his way back to the kitchen, slipping back into his seat like nothing had happened, picking up both his food and the conversation once more. About ten minutes or so later, Touya came back, and quietly sat down again without a word. Nobody commented on his prolonged absence, not that Keigo had expected anyone to.

‘’Ah, leave everything there, we’ll tidy it up later. How about some tea?’’ Keigo offered once everyone had finished their meal, already getting up before anyone else could beat him to it. Unsurprisingly, he received nods from every Todoroki in the room.

Keigo had always been more of a coffee guy, but, after getting a little more ‘involved’ with the Todoroki family due to Touya, there wasn’t a day where his apartment wasn’t stocked up with the finest green tea of the market. Even when, most of them were gifts Rei regularly brought over.

By the time he set the water to boil on the stove Rei and Fuyumi were already up, gathering plates and stacking them neatly, while Natsuo had already began washing them one by one over at the sink.

‘’..Didn’t I just say to leave them?’’ Keigo laughed sheepishly. ‘’You are guests, you know.’’

‘’Yes, yes, we know, Touya said the same thing.’’ Fuyumi replied with a light laugh, carrying over four plates at once with ease to the sink. ‘’It’s fine, we don’t mind. Sit back, we’ll be done in no time.’’

‘’..Maybe I’m the guest here.’’ Keigo wondered under his breath, earning a knowing, amused look from Touya as he passed by. The oldest Todoroki was still sat on the counter with Shoto.

Once the tea was ready, Keigo poured it out and handed the cups around, then drifted towards the living room, settling down beside Enji who was already sat on the sofa. Keigo handed him his cup with a smile.

Back at the counter, Shoto slightly tilted his head, quietly studying Touya’s face for a few moments. ‘’Touya, did you.. pierce your nose?’’ He asked after a moment. ‘’It looks like before. Just a little.. off?’’

Indeed, while at first glance the three silver piercings on the right side of Touya’s nose looked just like they did before he, well, before he torched himself up, upon closer look one could tell the top one was just ever so slightly misaligned.

‘’Ah, that’s on me.’’ Keigo called out from the sofa, leaning back with a small laugh. ‘’Turns out my aim’s not as good as I thought.’’

Keigo had done all of Touya’s new piercings a month or so ago. It was something Touya himself brought up on a day like any other, admitting he thought about having them done again. Needless to say Keigo told him he could do whatever he wanted, although given his house arrest, they had to result to home piercing kits and do them in Keigo’s apartment. Not that Touya particularly cared, of course; it wasn’t as if he had any of his old ones done at a professional’s either. Every piercing he ever had, every piece of metal or stitch on his skin, Dabi had pierced with his very own hands.

Though of course now Touya had a singular hand, and aiming could be a little tricky, so Keigo had offered to do them for him. He’d done a pretty good job, if you asked him, on both ears and his nose. Just.. that specific one had gone a little astray.

‘’Your aim’s fine.’’ Touya muttered, glancing over. ‘’Your hands were just shaking that bad.’’

‘’Hey, it was my first time doing piercings.’’ Keigo shot back with a small, fake pout. ‘’Cut me some slack.’’

By the time the dishes were done, the entire Todoroki family gathered back at the kitchen island, tea in hand, sitting close and falling into easy conversation once more. Most of it naturally circled back to Touya, though he didn’t shut it down; he answered most of the questions, and even asked a few things himself. Even when he was quiet, everyone could tell he was genuinely paying close attention to what was being said.

Keigo watched him for a bit with a small smile tugging on his lips, until he suddenly heard the sound of someone lightly clearing their throat.

Well, the entire Todoroki family except one sat at the counter. The head of the family, remained seated next to Keigo.

‘’So, how’s retired life treating you Enji?’’ Keigo eventually asked, keeping his voice low enough that it wouldn’t disturb the others’ conversation.

‘’..It is calm.’’ Enji answered after a moment. His tone was quiet just like Keigo’s, though softer still. ‘’Peaceful. I’ve.. grown more used to it, now that some years have passed. I imagine you understand how difficult it is to simply stop doing hero work from one day to the next.’’

‘’I do.’’ Keigo admitted with a crooked smile, eyes dropping briefly to the teacup in his hands. ‘’Though I didn’t really get the chance to sit still for long. Been busy since I got out of the hospital.’’ He said alongside a small, awkward laugh. Then, he immediately lifted a hand. ‘’I mean, not that you don’t keep yourself busy, just- y’know what I mean.’’

The old Endeavor he remembered might’ve bristled at that, probably cast him a glare or two. Enji however didn’t. He only nodded, taking a slow sip of his tea.

‘’Certainly not as busy as you.’’ He eventually said. ‘’But, I commend you for that, Hawks. You had every reason to step away, to retire and live comfortably. Instead, you chose to continue working for this country’s future through the Commission. Not many would have made the choice you did.’’

‘’Hey, hey, it’s not me doing all the work.’’ Keigo waved the praise off quickly with a laugh. ‘’I just help coordinate things. Everyone’s pulling their weight.’’ He glanced at Enji with a small grin. ‘’You included. The donations you’ve been sending to help us aid victims of villain attacks have helped much more than you can imagine.

‘’..It’s the least I can do.’’ Enji murmured.

For a moment, he didn’t look at Keigo again. His gaze drifted ahead, settling on his family gathered around the counter. At Rei’s quiet smile, at Fuyumi laughing at some teasing remark to her brother, Natsuo rolling his eyes but smiling anyway, and to Shoto, watching them all, relaxed in a way he never used to be.

And, to Touya. Leaning against his fist, his half-lidded gaze peaceful as he glanced at whoever was speaking.

‘’Hawks.’’ Enji said, his gaze still up ahead.

‘’Hm?’’

‘’..How has Touya been?’’

‘Well, he’s right there, why don’t you ask him yourself?’ ..Was what Keigo almost said, before deciding otherwise.

Of course, Enji could never hold a conversation like that with Touya, no matter how much he tried or wanted to. Everything he knew about his son these days came either through Rei, during her occasional visits, or when he really couldn’t help himself, through texting Keigo himself.

Keigo of course, never minded sharing. Even when Touya caught a glimpse of Enji’s name on his phone and grimaced, turning away like he’d just tasted something bitter, Keigo would just laugh it off and reply anyway. After all, it was harmless. Enji just wanted to know how his son was doing, all while keeping the distance Touya demanded.

‘’He’s been well.’’ Keigo said, leaning forward to set his teacup down before sinking back into the sofa. ‘’Really well. He’s calm, and in a good mood most of the time. Well, except after therapy. He gets grumpy for a bit after that.’’ He said with a small, amused huff. ‘’Still, he goes to every appointment. He never complains, or argues.’’

Keigo smiled as his eyes once more found Touya across the room. He looked.. soft, interacting with his family. Unguarded.

‘’He’s even been trying out new hobbies. Besides cooking, I mean.’’ Keigo grinned as he turned back to Enji. ‘’Couple of weeks ago, he even tried knitting.’’

‘’..Knitting?’’ Enji echoed, the surprise clear on his face.

‘’Yep. Got everything to try it; yarn, needles, instructions, all of it.’’ Keigo snorted a laugh. ‘’Okay, well, maybe ‘try’ might be generous. He gave it a shot for like half an hour before getting frustrated and tossing everything aside, and he hasn’t touched it since. But, hey, at least he did give it a shot.’’

Enji’s gaze lowered, his hand slightly tightening around his cup as he gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

‘’I think he’s happy.’’ Keigo continued, quieter now. ‘’Or, at least he’s getting there. He’s having fun.’’ His smile softened. ‘’And, once the house arrest is over in a couple of years, I think we’ll be having even more fun.’’ He stretched his arms up, then folded them behind his head.

‘’..Are you hopeful for the future?’’ Enji asked.

‘’Not just hopeful, I’m excited.’’ Keigo let out a small laugh, glancing back towards the others for a second before continuing.

‘’Neither me nor Touya had it easy growing up, you know that. Both when we were kids and then later on, in our teens. Hell, I mean, we’re both about to hit our thirties and neither of us have ever been on a date in our lives. Isn’t that kinda sad?’’

Enji gave a small nod, but didn’t comment.

‘’So, yeah.’’ Keigo went on, his grin returning. ‘’I’m looking forward to it. All of it. Stuff normal people do every day. Going shopping together, going for walks, visiting places we’ve never been to.. dates too, of course; cafes, parks, arcades, cinemas, aquariums, everything, I want to do it all. Sure, Touya will probably think dates like those are lame, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll come along anyway.’’ He laughed gently at that. ‘’But.. yeah. All in all, he’s been great.’’

‘’..What about yourself?’’ Enji finally asked, after a long yet light wave of silence.

‘’What about me?’’ Keigo asked back in mild surprise.

‘’Have you been great too?’’

Although Enji had already asked that earlier today, Keigo could tell this wasn’t the same question as before. He let out a small breath, then smiled. ‘’I really have. Better than ever, honestly.’’ And he truly meant that.

Enji didn’t reply right away. His gaze drifted again, down to his hands, then to the tea, then back to the others gathered at the counter. After a while he leaned back, fingers loosely interlacing over his lap.

‘’I was.. surprised.’’ He started slowly. ‘’When you first proposed Touya living with you, back then.’’

Surprised was a mild way to put it. Keigo still remembered Enji’s expression shifting through all five stages of grief within five seconds, before the man had ultimately hung his head low, averted his gaze and muttered that if that’s what Touya wished, he could do it.

‘’You may think that my opinion never held any real weight in that decision.’’ Enji continued, his voice quieter than before. ‘’And, you wouldn’t be wrong, knowing Touya would never consider my opinion. But..’’ Enji took in a short but deep breath, as if to steady himself. ‘’That’s not the only reason I agreed. I agreed, because I.. I understood that it would be good for Touya.’’

Keigo blinked. They had never talked about this before, not really. This was news to him; Keigo truly believed that Enji only ever agreed because as he said, his opinion didn't matter, so he might as well just agree.

‘’I was cautious of you, when you first began visiting him.’’ Enji admitted. ‘’While he was still on life support. I could not understand your reasoning. Not after everything he had done to you.’’

There was no need for details, of course; Keigo knew ‘everything’ referred to the scar starting on his cheek, traveling down his neck and disappearing under the collar of his shirt.

‘’But, you kept coming.’’ Enji went on. ‘’And Touya did not turn you away. Even after his release, you continued to see each other, at the rehabilitation facility. Watching him interacting with you there was..’’ A faint breath left his lips. ‘’A bit of a wake-up call. He interacted with you in a way he didn’t interact with any of us. He was calmer, more open. As though he was not holding anything back.’’

Another pause, longer this time. Keigo stayed quiet, letting him speak.

‘’I found myself.. angry.’’ He admitted, before slightly shaking his head. ‘’..No, angry is not accurate.’’ His fingers tightened together. ‘’I was envious.’’

Keigo blinked.

‘’I did not expect Touya to behave this way with me.’’ Enji continued. ‘’But, perhaps with Rei, or Shoto. I could not understand why you made such a difference. What it was that you had.. that none of us did.’’

Keigo still said nothing. His expression remained neutral, and his lips stayed in a thin line as he carefully listened to every word Enji said.

‘’..It was only after he was released from prison, and placed on home confinement that I understood the difference. After he chose to leave our home, and move here, I realized that.. you understood him better than any of us did.’’

‘’..Now, now, Enji.’’ Keigo let out a small, awkward laugh. ‘’That’s a little-‘’

Enji lifted a hand, stopping him mid-sentence. Keigo quietened again.

‘’Hawks, the difference is that you knew Dabi. And we didn’t. Apart from him being a highly prolific, dangerous criminal, we knew nothing about him until the very end.’’ Enji’s eyebrows knitted together. ‘’Dabi died at the end of the war. He killed himself, trying to take as many as he could alongside him. All that remained afterwards, was Touya. And, even Touya himself didn’t know how to be Touya. Perhaps he had forgotten, or, perhaps he had never truly learned. That.. second one sounds just as plausible.’’

Keigo didn’t interrupt.

‘’But, all of us- Rei, Fuyumi, Natsuo, Shoto, myself, we only knew Touya. The child we remembered.’’ Enji sighed slowly. ‘’And, I believe that.. the more we tried to reach out to him, the more pressure it placed on him. To be someone he did not know how to be. To act in ways he did not understand.’’ His gaze lowered. ‘’I do not think he ever planned for what came after. I.. do not think he believed he would survive long enough to face it.’’

The quiet chatter from the others barely reached Keigo’s ears anymore. All he heard, was Enji’s words.

‘’I will not claim to understand him.’’ Enji admitted. ‘’I have no right to. But, when I consider it, I cannot help but think he must have felt.. lost.’’

‘’And, that is where you came in.’’ Enji said, drawing in a deeper breath before finally turning to look at Keigo. ‘’Someone who did not know Touya, only Dabi. Someone Touya could keep his guard down around, someone who had no expectations of him he had to struggle to reach.’’ Enji’s gaze was steadier now. There was more conviction in his tired, turquoise eyes than Keigo had ever seen before.

‘’..What I’m trying to say is, that, with you, he could take his time, and.. learn how to be Touya.’’ Enji went on. ‘’He could make mistakes, and speak without restrain. At his own pace, he could learn how to live. How to become the person he wanted to be, and not the person he was forced to grow into.’’

Enji’s eyes drifted again, settling on the counter. They softened as they lingered on Touya.

‘’..Every time I see him,’’ he said quietly, ‘’since he began living with you, I become more certain that letting him go was the right decision. I do not believe he would be here today, had it not been for you stepping in. And, if he were.. he would be a very, very different person.’’

Keigo took in a deep breath through his nose, then exhaled it all out.

‘’..While it pains me to not be there alongside him on this road he’s walking, I understand it’s for the best. I have no right to do so, only to quietly cheer him on from the sidelines.’’ Enji admitted as he returned his gaze to Keigo. ‘’And, I will continue to do so. Without interfering, and from any distance he’s comfortable with, I’ll continue wishing for his happiness.’’

Enji took in a sharp, shaky breath, before lightly bowing his head.

‘’..Hawks, while it selfishly aches me, I’m still glad my son is thriving alongside you. I hope this will continue to be the case. S-So.’’ Enji said, clearing his throat before bowing his head just a little more. ‘’Please continue taking care of Touya. I entrust him to you.’’

‘’..I’m not yours to entrust to anyone.’’

Enji abruptly lifted his head, and Keigo whipped his own around to find Touya standing right next to him, near the arm of the sofa. One hand was planted on his hip, looking down at them through his white bangs with a faint, irritated frown.

‘’Gossiping about me, hm? And what the hell do you mean ‘entrusting’ me? Am I a bride you’re giving away or something?’’ Touya went on, his scowl deepening as his gaze flicked from Enji to Keigo. ‘’We getting married or what?’’

Keigo blinked once, then again, the weight of Enji’s words finally dissipating enough for him to open his mouth. ‘’..Dunno.’’ He said, tilting his head. ‘’Do you want to?’’

‘’How?’’ Touya shot back immediately. ‘’I’m on house arrest.’’

‘’..Ah, right.’’ Keigo hummed, like this was just some minor inconvenience. He reached out, sliding an arm around Touya’s waist and pulling him down until he was sitting on the arm of the sofa beside him. ‘’Well, that’s fine. We can wait a couple of years.’’

Unfortunately for Keigo, he hadn’t kept his voice nearly as low this time, which meant that within the next five seconds he had some half-excited, half-confused, and maybe a little scared Todoroki siblings asking if they’re actually getting married, when and where.

‘’A-Aren’t you moving a little too quickly?’’ Natsuo asked with an apprehensive look.

‘’I’m so happy for you!’’ Exclaimed Fuyumi with a genuinely supportive smile.

‘’Is it okay if I invite my friends?’’ Asked Shoto with a dead serious look on his face.

The Todoroki family stayed for another twenty minutes or so before Rei suggested they should get going, letting Touya get some proper rest. Touya of course muttered that it was fine, that they could stay longer, but Rei only smiled and gave his arm a soft squeeze.

‘’Thank you for having us over, Touya.’’ She said once they’d all finished their tea, and started gathering themselves. ‘’It was lovely to see you. And in such good shape.’’

She rose lightly onto her toes, and pressed a quick soft kiss to his cheek, right against the slightly raised scar. Touya didn’t return it, but he didn’t pull away either. He just nodded quietly, and murmured that it was nice seeing them all.

‘’Keigo.’’

He looked over, just in time for Rei to step closer and wrap her slender arms around him in a gentle embrace, her head resting briefly over his shoulder.

‘’It was lovely to see you too.’’ She warmly said. ‘’You’ve done so much for our family, that I can’t thank you enough.’’

That threw Keigo off more than he expected. A faint flush crept up on his cheeks as he laughed it off, waving one hand while the other patted her shoulder lightly.

‘’Y-You’re overdoing it, Miss Rei.’’ He said, a little sheepish. ‘’But, it was really good seeing you all too. Enji included.’’ He made a point to add that last part, glancing towards the man just stepped out of the apartment with a short, firm nod.

Enji had claimed that he could never hope to understand Touya. But, after their conversation today, Keigo could only wonder if he truly didn’t realize just how much he understood, without ever being close enough to Touya to find out.

‘’I truly hope you continue being happy with Touya.’’ Rei said once she pulled back, her smile softer now. Then, lowering her voice just a bit, she leaned in slightly. ‘’And, if he ever gives you trouble, you can call me. Enji might be afraid of him, but I’m not. I will scold him for you.’’

Keigo let out a real laugh at that, glancing over his shoulder. Touya had definitely heard, judging by the look he was giving them both.

‘’I might have to take you up on that, Miss Rei.’’ Keigo grinned. ‘’Thank you.’’

After that came Fuyumi, who hugged Touya tightly, and Natsuo, who gave his brother a solid pat on the shoulder before heading towards the elevator.

That left Shoto. Who just.. stood there, staring at Touya. And Touya, who just.. stood there, staring back. For five, ten, fifteen seconds..

‘’..You guys wanna wrap this up?’’ Natsuo called out, holding the elevator door open. Clearly he was running out of patience, given he also had a train to catch back north.

‘’..Just give him a hug, it won’t kill you.’’ Keigo muttered under his breath, before giving Touya a small push forward.

Touya shot him a glare but stepped closer anyway, lifting an arm and awkwardly wrapping it around Shoto’s shoulders. There was a brief, quiet pause, before Shoto returned the embrace easily.

‘’It was good to see you, brother.’’

‘’..Yeah, you too.’’

Shoto pulled back slightly, then bowed his head at Keigo. ‘’You as well, Hawks. Thank you for hosting us.’’

Keigo waved it off with an easy smile. ‘’Anytime. We’ll do it again soon, once your brother recharges a bit.’’

With a few more waves and goodbyes, they all stepped into the elevator. The door slid shut..

..And then opened again.

Shoto stuck his hand out, holding the door open just enough to lean his head through.

‘’Ah, one more thing. Touya, could I be best man at your wedding?’’

‘’..It’s not like I have many options.’’ Touya said flatly, shrugging a shoulder. ‘’It’s just you and Natsuo, so, sure.’’

Somewhere inside the elevator, a quiet yet distinctive huff was heard. Shotto nodded, completely serious, then let the doors close properly this time.

And with that, the Todoroki family departed.

‘’..Well, he took that seriously.’’ Keigo laughed as he finally shut the apartment door, stretching his arms behind his back with a quiet groan. ‘’So, what’s the verdict?’’ He asked, glancing over at Touya.

‘’On what, our marriage?’’

‘’No, today’s verdict.’’ Keigo rolled his eyes with a small smile on his lips. ‘’How bad was it? On a scale from one to ten, with ten being hell.’’

‘’Hmm..’’ Touya hummed, already making his way towards the bedroom, clearly intent on a well-deserved nap. ‘’A three.’’

‘’A three?’’ Keigo echoed as he followed after him, surprise clear in his voice. ‘’Wow. Last time was a three, and Enji wasn’t even there.’’

‘’Don’t push it.’’

‘’Aye, aye.’’

Keigo figured he could use a nap himself, since they had been up since early morning and the day had been rather full until now. He changed back into something more comfortable, and, by the time he was done, Touya was already sprawled across his side of the bed, arms spread and eyes half-lidded, already hovering on the edge of sleep.

Keigo didn’t hesitate to drop down beside him, and immediately reach for his left arm, tugging until Touya finally shifted and allowed himself to be maneuvered. A moment later, Touya was draped right on top of him, his head settling against Keigo’s chest. And, after a few small adjustments to get more comfortable, Keigo got right to work, both hands moving down to Touya’s shoulders.

He’d gotten good at massages over years of watching the pros do it, good enough given the quiet, soft groans he could hear each time his fingers pressed down. Keigo kept it up for a few more minutes, gently breaking down all the knots he could feel in the muscles, until Touya mumbled something about wanting to sleep.

So, Keigo stopped, letting his arms slide away from his shoulders. One arm wrapped loosely around Touya’s back, while the other threaded into his white hair, fingers gently combing through the strands as he absentmindedly patted his head.

‘’..Keigo.’’

‘’Mm?’’

Silence. For a moment, Keigo wandered if it was even possible for Touya to drift off so quickly, or if he’d just forgotten whatever he wanted to say.

‘’..Why did you ask me to live with you?’’

Keigo blinked, then leaned his head back against the pillows, his gaze drifting towards the ceiling. His fingers didn’t stop moving through Touya’s hair.

‘’Hmm.. You want the truth?’’

He could practically feel Touya’s grimace against his chest. ‘’..Yes? Why else would I ask? Idiot.’’

Keigo huffed out a small laugh. ‘’Well..’’ He took in a slow breath, exhaling it softly, the air stirring a few strands of white hair near his chin. ‘’I was lonely.’’

‘’..That’s it?’’

‘’Yeah. Thought you seemed lonely too, so, I figured we could be lonely together.’’

Touya hummed. Whether that answer satisfied him or not, Keigo couldn’t tell. But, he didn’t ask anything else.

‘’Touya.’’

‘’Mm?’’

‘’Give me a kiss.’’

The sigh Touya let out was far louder than necessary. Still, he lifted his head, leaning up just enough to press a kiss to Keigo’s lips before dropping back down against his chest.

‘’Thanks.’’ Keigo grinned, rewarding Touya with a few extra pats to the head.

‘’Don’t get used to it.’’

‘’But I’m already used to it.’’

‘’Shut up and let me sleep.’’

Keigo bit back a laugh, closing his eyes as his arms slightly tightened around him. ‘’Sleep well.’’ He murmured quietly.