~ Third Person P.O.V ~

Katsuki heaved a burdensome groan as he rested his head back against the wall, cobwebs tickling his cheeks as he angrily swatted them away. The two had been in the closet for about an hour or so by now, Shoto had left a little over twenty minutes ago— slipping both boys a single canteen to share as well as snacks they packed. At least they didn't have to starve while they were in there. However, giving them only one canteen to distribute between the two of them proved to be an abysmal choice of judgment on Shoto's end.

For the duo was currently bickering over who gets the last sip of water in the small container.

"I barely eat or drink anything throughout the day, so I should get the last sip!" Izuku exhaled, his grip on the canteen ironing as he pulled it more towards himself.

"Tough," The blond scoffed, pulling the container his way as he spoke. "But seeing as though this is my canteen, I should get the last sip."

Nettled by the elder's words, Izuku sighs with heavy exaggeration— placing his other hand on the canteen as well; determined not to give up. If he truly weren't so parched he would have just let the boy drink the rest of the water, yet since he and Shoto seem to think he can live off of rabbit-sized meals and drinks he'd be damned if he just gave up. Tensing his shoulder, Izuku places a foot on the wall right by Katsuki's hip— giving the water-filled container one last hard tug.

With that being said, this maneuver expedited in the two of them falling to the ground. Now keep in mind just how close compacted this closet was, leaving the duo in a rather anomalous position. Izuku flat on his back on the floor, his legs propped up on the wall and Katsuki scrunched in between them; the blond's face buried in the younger's chest.

"Get . . . Off . . . Of . . . Me," Izuku rasped, the burden of Katsuki's body beginning to demonstrate just how little strength the green-haired male had. Which brought up the query of how they ended up like this.

"It's not my fault you caught me by surprise with that little stunt of yours," Katsuki defended, attempting to push himself up at the same time Izuku began to as well.

Which resulted in an even more peculiar placement than the last. You can imagine the mixture of anger, as well as embarrassment, Izuku felt when he ended up face first in Katsuki's crotch. Swiftly pushing himself up without a word, the two both opted for sitting down— backs against opposite walls and knees up and pressed into one another's.

"I'm gonna fucking kill Todoroki when he comes back," The elder muttered, shifting a bit to pull the canteen from under his back. He stares at it for a few moments, debating on what to do, as Izuku sits silently seething on the other side.

After a few more moments of his internal conflict, Katsuki heaves a sigh. "Here," He utters, handing him the container.

Izuku froze at the sight, perplexity lacing over his usual mascarade— it took him a few minutes or so to fully piece the facade back together as his fingers slowly reached out. The tips of his digits brushing over the canteen's leather embroidery, as well as Katsuki's hand; his emerald eyes scrutinizing the blond with vehemency and skepticism. Is he for real right now? There was no plausible explanation Izuku could muster for Katsuki's sudden act of human decency.

Just like all the other times, the elder would go from being a prick to semi-nice.

"Thank you," Izuku hummed curtly, his brows drawing together and forming a line in his forehead.

"Tch, whatever,"

The younger, however, continued to intensify his gaze upon Katsuki; his orbs painstakingly grazing over every nook and cranny of the blond's expression. His hands still ploddingly gliding the tip of the canteen up to his lips as he did so. If anything he was trying to figure out what sparked his abrupt kindness in this ordeal, of course without actually flat out asking the boy. In doing so he came up remaining as flummoxed as ever.

"What the fuck are you staring at?" Katsuki asked with a short scoff, there was no light inside the close— however, after being in there for so long the two were able to have their eyes adjust to it.

Cocking an eyebrow, Izuku brought the container down from his mouth. "The only other person in here with me, dumbass," He replied, resisting the smirk that plagued his lips.

Somehow, in spite of this unwanted situation, Izuku's mind traveled back to his family. His grandmother in particular. She would most likely be proud of how much she rubbed off on her grandson, especially in a moment like this. He could practically hear her response to what he just said.

You're such a smartass Izuku . . . you get it from our side of the family, obviously,

The notion managed to bring a light lipped smile to his mouth.

"Stop fucking doing that, you look creepy," Katsuki grimaced, earning a slap on the knee from the younger.

"Fuck off," Izuku growled, folding his arms and opting for staring at the floor now— hoping there weren't any bugs in the tiny closet.

With pursed lips and raised eyebrows, Katsuki leans back against the wall; an amused expression ghosting his features. "You know you're pretty bipolar," He observed, "Most of the time you're an asshole, then the next you're all soft and shit."

"That's rich coming from you," Izuku retorted, hardening his focus on the ash blond.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Shrugging his shoulders indifferently Izuku flickers his gaze off to the side. "Basically what you're doing right now . . . One minute you're treating me like I'm fucking inhuman or something, then the next you're being a decent human." He stated blandly, picking at loose strands in the carpet.

"It gets confusing after a while," He added monotonously.

"I don't do that," Katsuki argued weakly, only to give up his pathetic attempts when the younger shot him a dubious expression. "Okay . . . so maybe I do that, but who cares?"

Again, Izuku gave a slight shrug of his shoulder— his gaze never leaving the carpet below him. "'Dunno,"

It was stagnant for a little while. The shorter of the two continued to be engrossed by the carpet's loose strings, twirling them around his fingers and letting them go— leaving them coiled. However, it was now Katsuki's turn to stare at the other male. His ongoing battle with himself had begun to die down little by little, especially after Izuku's uninterested like observation. The once iron grip he had on his stubbornness was beginning to weaken with each passing second.

As much as Katsuki made every effort to hold onto it, to that bull-headed mindset he had built for himself, it was fucking crumbling. Right beneath his fingers. He couldn't let that happen, he had to hold on just a little bit longer— at least until he was alone with Shoto, the only person who understood his reasoning behind it all. He refused to breakdown right here, right now. Katsuki wouldn't give Izuku the satisfaction of seeing him at his lowest point, because that was most certainly where he was headed. But the more he fought against it, the harder that shit pushed back.

The more he willed any tiny bits and pieces of obstinateness he had tucked away somewhere, the more his walls would shift and fumble. How did this happen? How did this stranger, this nuisance, this Small Fry get to him? How did his words get to him?

Maybe that just proved how weak he was. Just like his father was.

Maybe it was because it was the words he needed to hear, it was the words that made him realize his stubbornness was his downfall.

Maybe Izuku helped him without even realizing it.

And without thinking, Katsuki uttered the two words he'd never thought he would say to Izuku.

"I'm sorry,"