Chapter Text
Day 0.
When he felt fingers wrapping around his neck and Deku didn’t make it on time he knew he would be in for a rough day. But that’s what he thought it would be, just one shitty, terrible day. After that he would escape on his own, or if things got too bad, All Might would be there.
It was two days.
The villains talked a lot but it was all white noise for him.
And All Might was there. Just not focused on saving him. That was alright, he was the number one hero, the one that needed to bring peace to society; that meant he needed to defeat villains, and Katsuki was grown enough to get out of there on his own. And he did at first, kind of; grabbing that redhead’s hand and getting to safety. He was an obstacle for All Might’s fight.
Later, when he was safe, dread filled his stomach as he realized everything was his fault. When All Might pointed at the camera and talked he was a corpse of a hero. All Might, the Symbol of Peace was done for. And Katsuki being weak – not enough, “you always make a mess”, “you should grow up already!”, “why are you behaving like such an omega?!” – was what fucked it up. His body felt like dropping from exhaustion when the scenery changed.
Day 1.
To say Bakugou Katsuki was confused as hell was an understatement. Fingers were around his neck again, less than a second after the view before his eyes changed. This time he went still. Deku was extending his hand, but he could just look at it while darkness encompassed him, not even warning him to stay away. He felt dizzy. The league was talking to him, repeating the same words they had before. They paused after some moments. He knew he was being made to sit down on the chair, getting restrained and missing his chance to get away, but the only thing he could focus on was the ringing in his ears, still processing that he had killed All Might, now he was back here?!
What had they done? He had escaped, why was he back to this? Was it a quirk? Maybe it was a hallucination quirk, used while he was still in the camp. It was the one with the highest probability, since time quirks were rare as fuck.
“What the fuck”, Katsuki said, more as a statement than as a question. Fingers snapped in front of him, making Katsuki blink fast, disconcerted. What were they doing? His mind was racing with possibilities, trying to find what elements were different, what was off.
“I don’t think he’s that sound, Shigaraki”, drawled the burnt asshole with a bad dye job, “rude”.
Katsuki ignored them, looking around for a sign of who could have done this. Scratch looked a little displeased, as if Katsuki being out of it was messing up his plans. Well, fuck him.
“I don’t give a shit about your lame ass mind games! I’ll get out of here no matter what dirty moves you pull!”
Day 2.
And he was back.
Day 3.
And back.
This was bullshit.
He was back and this time he got Psycho Bitch offering him breakfast again. He was hungry days ago. He was still hungry, and while his body seemed to reset along with him, it was still gnawing at his mind. It wouldn’t hurt to eat something, right? Maybe he would be less of an annoyance this time if he had more energy to run away. Maybe he would be able to get away without their h- without the others. Himiko smiled wide at him, giggling.
“Are you going to eat now? You look so cute when you stop growling!”
At least he was getting food in his mouth. He felt mentally exhausted from all this bullshit, but All Might always pushed his own limits. Heroes went beyond their limits. He will get out of here soon. He just needs to focus more and discover how to get away.
“You know, I like cute things! I think Dabi has his eyes on you, but I would need to fight him! I don’t want to die though! Oh, do you think I could give you a nickname?”
She didn’t shut up. Ever. It was the same every single time. He didn’t want to know the roasted alpha thought that kind of thing about him; unless they met his criteria no fucker would even come close to hold his hand, and he was sure as hell Mc Crispy didn’t.
Oh shit, she was yapping about Deku now. Fucking disgusting.
Day 4.
Back.
Shigaraki was talking with him. Always the same speech.
“Even if we are different, we could still work together, don’t you feel mad at the injustice that hero society brings? Don’t you want heroes to really save you, instead of acting like it and then letting you on your own?” Katsuki usually didn’t answer.
“I don’t give a shit about what others think of me, Shigaraki, and I’m fucking sure I don’t need anyone to save me!” Even if he had wanted to look less pathetic with the Sludge villain.
Shigaraki hummed, contemplating his words.
“But what about the ones that need it? Young kids often need saving, but heroes fail and fail and fail, don’t they?” He sounded bitter and insane; he often did when excited about the league. What hero had fucked up with him?
It wasn’t his business though.
Day 5.
No matter how he repeated his escape it was looping. None of the villains seemed to be the one with the quirk. Time loop quirk. That was too overpowered. His head was killing him and he was hurting his lips from biting them so much.
He had to try harder to get out, he would never be the number one hero if he couldn’t get out a shitty time loop. Watching Aizawa speak highly of him on national television felt like a nightmare. Eraserhead wouldn’t think good of him if he knew how pathetic he was being in this situation.
Dabi was sitting in front of him and something changed.
“You think an awful lot, doll”, he leaned over the chair, curious, “wanna share your thoughts?”
“Why would I want to speak with you?!” Dabi was a pain in the ass, always talking without a care of the consequences.
And he had thrown him to Twice to deal with. Which didn’t offend him, no.
“Because maybe you will understand that we only want a better world? Sure, there might be some psychos, but don’t you worry about all of this”, he made a vague gesture with his hand, “it’s just a reflection of the corruption and violence on hero society?”
“Right, because you aren’t just a bunch of losers with bloodlust”.
“Guess they were right about blondes”, Dabi sighs dramatically, and takes a cigarette to his lips, making a flame on the tip of his finger; “at least you got nice tits to look at”.
Katsuki would kill him. He refused to eat that night, almost trembling with rage.
Day 6.
Katsuki lets out a laugh when the explosion takes him far away, enough they wouldn’t be able to grab him. This time he got out completely on his own, without those nerds. His smile shakes a little when he watches as All Might points at the camera and talks. This time… this time things would be different, right?
Day 7.
Wrong.
“Why do you think hero society is bad enough that civilians need to die for it?”
Dabi blinked slowly.
“Uh”, he said lazy, “can you invite me a coffee first?”
Katsuki closed his eyes. What a way to waste his time. He should had known better, even if it had been something to get himself out of his mind.
“Don’t get mad, mn? I was joking”. He opened one eye, peeping at him, “all big changes bring death, just look at history, isn’t it better than doing nothing? Civilians are part of our society too and they can’t disengage themselves from it”.
“You talk about people dying as if it’s nothing”. Dabi looked at him, his lips quirking up.
“There are things worse than death, doll”.
Day 8.
“If I win will you join?”
“No! Now bishop to C4”.
“I’m so sad! That’s exciting!”
Twice constant changes made him an interesting chess player.
Day 9.
Maybe he was doing something wrong.
Day 10.
He is feeling tired, but he swallows all the disgusting things that clog his throat and this time he grabs Deku’s hand. All Might had chosen him as his successor. It should break the loop.
Day 16.
Nothing is working.
Compress sits by his side, babbling about how he would shine brighter by their side, about how he should be allowed to take his own decisions and how he was his own person. As if he didn’t know all that. The heroes had more… reservations towards people with his character, but he had seen victory on All Might and that wouldn’t change.
He would reach his victory.
Day 20.
Bakugou is mad. Kicking Compress’s nuts helps.
Day 27.
Now he was drinking tea with villains. Life sure sucked. There was a lot of time to kill, given that every loop lasted as much as his kidnapping. Two days before it resets.
“We are only saying that there is more than one way to see things. Why are our values chosen for us?”
“Killing people is wrong, Compress, how many times you are going to make me repeat this?!” Katsuki’s hair was falling because of them.
“My apologies, all I do are things that you would see in a bad light, kiddo, but that’s what I am good at!”
Day 30.
Maybe he feels fond of them now. It’s not like he doesn’t want to be a hero anymore, but he can understand where they come from.
Victory seemed so far away now though. Days had started to blur and he found himself surprisingly relaxed when Dabi tensed up while chatting with him; maybe parents were a sensitive topic? Whatever.
“Free my hands”, Dabi squinted at him. He looked dumb.
“Are you planning my murder again, kitten?”
“If you don’t want that then don’t call me that shit. Just free my hands and put your head in my lap. Now”. Dabi moved faster, there was a weird expression on his face, like he was questioning his life’s decisions. Wasn’t he too late for that? He should have thought about that before using cheap dye.
Katsuki carefully ripped away the scent patches on his wrists and brought them down on Dabi’s hair. If it could be called that. He pets and massages his head, keeping his movements slow. Dabi started rumbling after a while, burying his face against his belly.
This was nice, he guessed.
Day 34.
Despite the popular belief, Bakugou was patient. He knew how to bid his time. If he moved too fast it wouldn’t work. Kariage compared him with a cat once. He got hit.
“You know, doll, your tits look heavy, next time you should let me hold them. Taking the weight out your back and all that”.
Dabi fumbled a second with his phone and got up to take a piss, given that it was 12:36 already. Like a fucking clock. He threw some comments about being a good pup and walked towards the door. When it was opening, midway already, he attacked.
“Try hard enough and I’ll let you”.
Dabi’s head hit the door. That mark would stay till tomorrow.
Day 41.
Dabi smirked at him, too happy with making the best out of his situation. Feeding him wasn’t that hard. Dabi was always a dumbass.
“Such an obedient little hero you are! That’s it. Open your mouth wide, mn? And be careful with your teeth, doll”. God, Dabi could be simultaneously hot and ugly as hell. He hated that he wanted him. His dick could be a raisin and Katsuki would still want to get fucked by him.
The first thirty nine times it had been embarrassing enough to bite him hard or ignore him and do without dinner, but this time he had the upper hand. Katsuki looked up to blue eyes, knowing his eyes would look bigger in that position. He could stop frowning for this. His tongue teased his lips, wetting them. Dabi followed the movement, now completely distracted from his task. Katsuki made eye contact before opening his mouth wide and letting his tongue out, flat against his lips.
“Oh” .
Dabi got food on his face.
Why was he stupid in the worst moments?
He might have seen a blush on Dabi’s face while he made a stupid comment to cover himself up, but Katsuki couldn’t see or hear well over his own laughter. What a loser.
Day 45.
He was bitter. Blame him. Whatever, he didn’t take Dabi’s smartass comments that well this time. So what if everyone thought he didn’t belong to the heroes, what if even his classmates would agree? Fuck him. It was midnight and he was done with everything.
“At least I’m not throwing my daddy issues all over the place, what if you get therapy instead of acting like you got a shitty dick up your ass all the fucking time?”
The words sprouted ringed in the silence that belonged to the bar at this time of the night, when only Dabi was watching over him. The last few times he had been bickering with him some sort of peace had been created. That peace, those soft moments, only made his constant change of attitude hurt like shit. He didn’t want to constantly gain Dabi’s attention. He wanted for it to stay, for the soft confessions and words and jokes to stay for once. He wanted to get out of the stupid loop and be able to do more than being trapped like a beast.
Blue eyes pierced through him, cold and mad.
“And what do you know, uh? Pretty brave of you to act as if you don’t have tonshit of unresolved trauma being covered by what? Screaming like a bitch?”
Dabi didn’t talk with him again after that. He had never felt lonelier.
Day 46.
Dabi repeats the same disinterested comments he does every time, even when his own heart feels like it would get out of his chest any second. Today Dabi didn’t look at him like he was something to snarl at, to look down to. He didn’t look at him like he wanted to eat him either.
He looked at him like he didn’t know him. He didn’t. Even if he apologized now it wouldn’t make any sense. Katsuki had acted like a brat (“you just make everyone hate you, brat! Is that what you want?!”) and he would fuck it up again.
Everything kept erasing itself. His actions and his words meant nothing. Who cared about him being good or bad, a hero or a villain, when he was completely useless?
He barely manages to grab Kirishima this time, but he slips down midway, hand too sweaty to avoid it. He falls down and he feels nothing. He doesn’t remember what happened after that.
Day ?
All Might looked more violent than the villains did, today. Katsuki felt a little sick when he took down some of them the same way he did with him at the test he had with Deku.
His image of victory… he was ashamed to recognize it wasn’t All Might anymore.
Day ?
He was exhausted. He went about his kidnapping like it was a tiring routine, barely seeing or knowing what he was spouting at this point. Even his screams sounded like he had ran out of battery. Ha. Is this like how office workers feel? Sucks to be them.
Day ?
Katsuki wished he could say he wanted to go back home, with his parents and on the safety that it should come with. But he had never felt safe there, not since he was so young glitter was the most fascinating thing in the world, before hitting him every time he talked back was the norm and when hugs were comforting.
He knew they would be disappointed and start apologizing to everyone about him. Everyone around him did that. They would tell him how weak he was, how much he made everyone’s lives difficult. As if he didn’t know that already.
He wished he could go back to some kind of home, a real one.
Day ?
Things were just happening around him. He gave up on talking back.
He goes to Kirishima, but the explosion is too big and he stops feeling his arms. Katsuki can’t grab his hand like that. Kirishima’s expression twisted, looking at him desperate but grossed out. Katsuki looked down at his body.
Oh.
There weren’t arms there, not anymore.
Day ?
The fingers, warm, with a different texture from the rest of Dabi’s hand, wrapped again around his neck.
It was the only comfort he felt he would get for a while, things repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and he was standing there again.
Some years ago he had heard about the drop of water torture, you know, the one where cold water is slowly dripped into your face for a long time, and he had scoffed, full of confidence, and thinking something like that would never affect him.
He had been stupid.
The others wouldn’t notice any loop, so maybe he would disappear for them at the “end” of the loop and they would move on. He wasn’t anything in anyone’s life at the end. Just something to apologize for.
He reached for Kirishima (for the sky), he failed (he didn’t) and he fell down, hair whizzing on his ears. It was peaceful. He felt grateful when his head cracked hard into the pavement, bones breaking. He didn’t pass out though, his body stayed alert for a while. Something was warm around his head. He missed him. Blue appeared before his blurry eyes, and he felt grateful to his mind for giving him a nice hallucination seconds before dying. He was feeling grateful an awful lot lately, despite feeling numb. He smiled and things stopped.
Day 60.
The fingers, warm, with a different texture from the rest of Dabi’s hand, wrapped again around his neck.
It was the only comfort he felt he would get for a while, things repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and he was standing there again.
He could see that things were happening, that someone was talking, but desperately trying to avoid snapping. Things went badly when he did and everyone hated it. Not just now with the league, every single time outside of it. His classmates were proof enough, along the way his parents looked at him. He looked down at the floor, trying to count lines, trying to feel like there was a reality to hold to. Just trying a lot, he guessed. Has breathing always been that hard?
One.
Two.
Three.
Probably he would be here for the rest of his life, watching how he fucked up everything he touched.
Four.
Four.
Four.
If it was his punishment for making everyone miserable he would let himself be played with like a doll. Five. Five. Six. Two? Ten? Something was on his face. It felt- it felt hot, like Dabi always did. Like he did before he hated him. That Dabi didn’t exist anymore though. It could. Katsuki didn’t like that it could.
The warmth on his face pressed a little, making his lips pucker and pout. A deep voice, comforting, made him try to focus. His view started to fill with blue and purple. He still couldn’t listen or see shit, but that’s all it took for the numbness that had been stuffing his body to stop existing at once. But he couldn’t breathe. His face was wet and it was too much. He heaves and heaves and heaves. He was choking on nothing.
His body was surrounded by something hot and solid. A musky scent, of ash and smoke, filled his lungs. Katsuki could only cry harder, but breathing had become easier.
“You know”, he managed between sobs; “usually I’m not a fucking crybaby”.
A soft rumble from his back made his body lose some tension, “why are you crying then? Was the kidnapping that scary, kitten?”
Katsuki snorted, feeling out of his mind. He had been out of his mind for a while. He had missed the dumb petnames. He had missed Dabi. “The time loop is driving me insane” and he paused, sniffing and considering it, “not that any of you’ll remember it. You never do”.
Shigaraki’s mind could be heard working even when he was on the opposite side of the room. Katsuki stayed quiet, leaning into the alpha’s body holding him. He shouldn’t make another move before they do theirs. They didn’t know him.
“When does it start? When does it end? How many times has it repeated? What haven’t you changed yet?” Katsuki blinked slowly, a little taken aback. Uh, he forgot for a second Shigaraki was kind of a nerd. He saw this as one of his games. The alpha behind him shook with silent laughter. Shut up, Dabi.
“It starts as soon as Dabi grabs me”, would it be good if they knew about the future? Shigaraki scratched his neck, impatient. Katsuki would grab whatever chance he could get to stop this.
(“I’ll answer the rest if that mentor of yours stops having access to what’s going on in this room”.
A creepy laugh filled the room. “It’s alright; the future is more exciting when I don’t have all the answers. You can take care of this situation on your own”.)
“It ends around a day or so later, when All Might fights with your mentor and… he stops being the number one hero, I guess. He isn’t dead, but he won’t be fighting anymore”. Murmurs filled the room, some excited, some disappointed –at not being able to fight him–. Some were both, in Twice’s case. “It has been going on for more than a month and half already, I lost track after that”.
Katsuki frowned, mumbling under his breath (like fucking Deku), trying to figure out how many days he hadn’t counted. Dabi’s hand covered the one he was using to keep track of them and it wouldn’t bulge. The other hand was around Katsuki’s waist, keeping him still. His frown deepened. He was about to complain (throw a tantrum) when Shigaraki spoke, repeating himself.
“What haven’t you changed yet?”
Katsuki knew the answer and it scared the shit out of him. Running away wasn’t the solution.
If he were to join the League and he fucked it up, if they changed their mind when they got to know him… he wasn’t someone who feared the future, but this time loop mess had hit where it hurt. He bit his lip, he really didn’t want to look like a coward or a kid. A finger slipped in his mouth, moving his lip outside his teeth reach for a moment, before playing around, dipping it inside.
He would kill Dabi. He chewed down on him, hard, mad at the blush on his cheeks, trying to drown an embarrassed, happy chirp. He turned and grabbed one of his ears, pulling.
“You are always such an annoying creep, burnt ass bacon!” Dabi was laughing at him, lips stretched wide and eyes on little moons. Shit. Katsuki looked away, if the alpha got to know he had a crush on him it would get used against him. He needed to move before that.
“I’ll join your stupid band or whatever, Shigaraki. Maybe that’ll break the time loop”. He looked down at Dabi, displeased, who smiled sleazy. “Just get your dog a leash”.
“I think he would rather if you got a leash for him”.
“Oh, cool, apparently asking for two months and throwing Dabi at him was all that it took”.
“It wasn’t two months for us, what are you complaining about?”
“A new member! He’s not cute, but I bet he’ll be tons of fun!”
“It would be good to have an omega to balance all these alphas”.
Bakugou snarled at them, what a bunch of brats.
He had missed them too. They would never know while he had control of it. Last time he had said something nice Twice had cried.
Two days before being able to see if the time loop would break. He did his best to relax, but if he had to hear once more how sick he looked he would kick someone’s nuts. For the fifteenth time. He was ready for it, his legs were in shape, he was- he was hugged by Dabi. Unfair how the other knew already. He tried to connect an elbow to Dabi’s ribs, but the asshole blocked him.
“Easy, doll, don’t kick anyone, mn? It’s almost time”.
Bile wanted to climb up his throat. Pucking on Dabi sounded like a good option. Dabi released him and Katsuki chugged down a bottle of water. He couldn’t sit down on the. The Bondage Chair- the stupid fucking chair. He hated Dabi. Since All Might could hurt him when breaking down the door.
The rest was a blur.
This time, Shigaraki’s mentor dragged him with the others back to a dirty looking place. Uh, he wasn’t surprised. Dabi was out cold on the floor. Katsuki lay down by his side, grabbed the hand that had been around his neck so many times, and passed out. Staying awake after all that was for losers like Deku that liked to torture themselves.
Katsuki buried himself further in the soft blankets and pillows. It smelled so good, he felt like purring. But light was filtering through the windows and he probably needed to get up for school already.
School. He was insane. He didn’t have school, he was stuck in the bitchass loop. He cuddled further, lightly pushing a pillow, feeling petty and frowning. That shit wasn’t fair. He got up, stomped inside the bathroom, found himself a new toothbrush and took a short shower.
Only when he was drying himself and putting on a big t-shirt he found around the bed his brain caught up with the situation. The loop. Why was he in a bed, a bed that smelled like alpha of all things if he was stuck inside the loop? He scrambled and ran outside the room. Dabi was asleep on the couch of the living room, but there was a TV there.
It was full of news about All Might and some about him. But the important bit was in the low part of the screen. A whole day had passed since the end of the loop. He sat down on the floor, right beside Dabi’s drooling mouth.
“Thank fuck”.
Dabi made an alarmed noise and shot up. Pft. He looked at him for a moment, then his t-shirt and went back to sleep after mumbling “tiny”. Lame alpha.
But it was even lamer knowing he was making Dabi his favorite breakfast.
Dabi sat down, looking as if the skin patches under his eyes could get eye bags, and as he was eating, he looked up. Katsuki tried to accommodate himself better in the chair. He didn’t have a lot of clothes on right now. He hoped he wasn’t blushing. Dabi seemed to enjoy making him squirm.
“Let’s make it fair”, Dabi said, smirking at him, “be a good pup and tell me about you”.