Work Text:
September 20th, 20xx
4 months after the war
The sun peeked through Izuku's curtains, casting soft light across his room. Items were strewn haphazardly across the cedarwood floor, accumulated over months of neglect. The walls, which used to be plastered with All Might posters, were bare, and the shelves on them were empty. Inside the closet, the All Might merchandise was visible as the closet door was slightly ajar. It appeared to have been shoved in carelessly, simply to get it out of sight.
The one item that was carefully laid out on his desk was a small, wooden box, which was locked shut. It was the only thing that appeared to be in perfect condition, clear of dust, and purposefully placed right in the center of the desk, as if to make sure it wouldn't fall. Handcrafted and beautiful, the box had an intricate carving of one of Katsuki's gauntlets, as well as a series of swirls and striking patterns along its sides.
Blankets slid to the floor from the messy bed, sheets, and blankets clearly unwashed for at least a few months. Everything was a dim shade, replacing what used to be All Might blankets, sheets, and pillowcases. Really, everything in the room was a shell of what it used to be, as if the very life had faded from it.
Izuku lay, curled up, with several blankets covering him. His cheek rested on his bare pillow, his body still but his eyes open, staring out at nothing. Chills seemed to course through his body despite the heavy blankets over him, and he shifted, pulling his knees up to his chest.
Morning sunlight bore into his eyes, and he squinted them against the brightness. It stung and burned his eyes, and was slowly giving him a headache, but he relished in the pain. The pain was a welcome distraction from the void within his body, a gaping hole inside him that nothing could seem to fill. All that he could do was search for sensations that dulled the feeling of hopeless emptiness which never left him.
Earlier, a week ago perhaps? Someone had left his window slightly ajar. Now, a light breeze carried through and into his room, chilling him even further. Izuku shivered, pulling one of his blankets over his head and curling even further into himself. Cold grief flooded into his chest, filling his lungs and nearly suffocating him with its familiar weight. He could sense the season shifting, the world was moving on without him and Izuku couldn't bear it. Every time the sun rose and set without him it felt wrong . How could the world continue spinning when his world had ended on that battlefield? Nothing would ever be right again, and it was all his fault-
The alarm he had set suddenly went off, blaring in his ears from the desk where he had set it. Izuku lay there for a few minutes more, before letting out a soft sigh and pulling himself up. He rose to his feet and briefly felt his word tilt, vision blurring. He staggered, leaning against his bed frame before regaining balance. Once he did, Izuku stepped forward and grabbed his phone, turning off his alarm. His phone background popped up, vermillion eyes gazed into his own, the spark of light within them taunting him-
His eyes burned.
Dropping it, he abandoned his phone yet again, turning to the bathroom, and drearily making his way over. Leaning against the doorframe, Izuku lifted his head to observe himself in his bathroom mirror, feeling a twinge of surprise at his ghastly appearance. His face was pale, eyes sunken in with heavy, puffy bags underneath. His cheeks were hollowed out, lips cracked with a purplish tinge to the usual pink. His eyes were the strangest part. His usually bright vidrian gaze was dull, empty. He stared at himself and nothing stared back.
His own lifeless eyes sparked a hint of unease within himself, and he quickly turned away, only to be forced to pause, his head pounding at the quick movement. Once he'd recovered, he trudged back to the phone resting on his desk. Hesitantly, he turned it on, squeezing his eyes shut, and turning his notifications back on. With them in the way, he wouldn't have to meet the gaze of the one he had failed to save. When he opened his eyes again, notifications sprung up immediately. All Might, Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Kirishima, Aoyama, Tsu, Denki.. Almost the entire class, and several of the teachers, had messaged him multiple times. The light of the screen cast a blue glow on his gaunt features as he stared for a few moments, before turning his phone off again. He couldn't do that right now, his limbs still heavy with exhaustion. That, and he had things to do.
Slowly, he changed his clothes. When he tugged his shirt off, he paid no mind to the rapidly dwindling muscle mass and his ribs, which were beginning to jut out. The boy pulled on a hoodie, despite the warmth of the end of summer, he was always cold. He ignored the fog filling his mind when he moved too quickly, almost wanting to move faster just to spite it. He fought the urge. He was already running late.
Deciding not to bother with changing his pants considering how sluggishly he was moving, he just leaned against the wall and slipped on his socks, then his shoes, pausing between each action for a minuscule rest. Head resting against the wall, curls acting like a cushion while he willed the dizziness away. Finally, he returned to his feet properly, and moved to the door, head down.
Leaving his room, Izuku pressed his hand against the wall as he walked. Leaning a good half of his weight against the wall, he was able to walk at what was almost a normal pace, unlike the shuffle he'd have to do otherwise, with long pauses for recovery when the fog came. He reached the stairs, and just as he touched the railing, he heard a voice calling out to him.
"Deku!" Uraraka hurried over, eyebrows furrowed in concern as her gaze met his. "Are you, um, doing alright..? You don't seem too steady."
Izuku merely shrugged, eyes returning to the floor as he shuffled in place. Uraraka hesitated, before speaking again. "I know you're having a rough time. I mean, we all are, but especially you. I just want to help. Please, if there's anything I can do for you, just tell me. Okay?" She offered him a small smile of reassurance, praying that he would respond.
Looking up again, he stared at her blankly for a few moments, before giving a tiny nod, "I'll tell you." He croaked out, voice weak from lack of use.
Uraraka felt another rush of concern, and biting her lip, she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to go through this alone, Deku... We're all here for you. We all.. miss him too." She spoke in a gentle tone, an attempt to reach him.
Uraraka's voice faded into a whisper in his mind, her image clouded by the fog as his consciousness seemed to retreat. Izuku squeezed his eyes tightly shut at her words, at her mention of him . He couldn't do this. Not here. Choked noises rose in his throat, and he pulled back, distressed panic filling his chest.
Uraraka stepped back too, regret flooding her features. "Sorry, I'm sorry. Take a deep breath, Deku.." She took a deep breath, motioning for Izuku to do the same.
Izuku couldn't hear properly. His head was foggy and his body felt so light... No, that's not quite right. He felt like his mind had abandoned the heaviness of his physical form, floating high above his head. He opened his eyes, gazing down at Uraraka and his head, completely disconnected from his body. If before he had felt empty, now was less than empty, as if he had never existed in the first place. Truly detached, he could no longer even register the ground beneath his feet, or the railing his hand was touching.
It was as if his soul was merely observing from above, leaving his body devoid of anything living. Dull eyes gazed at something no one else could see, mouth open as he breathed air that couldn't truly fill his lungs.
His blank gaze caused Uraraka to grow even more worried. "Deku..? Hey, Deku, breathe with me, okay? And, uh, tell me five things you can see!" She gave him a tense smile, attempting to be encouraging.
Izuku tried. He breathed in and out, gaze flicking around and monotonously reeling off things he saw, things he heard, and felt. Even when he was back in his body, the fog remained, leaving his body practically numb and a void in his chest that nothing could seem to fill. At least now he could hear more clearly.
"You alright now..?" Uraraka inquired gently, hesitantly reaching a hand out to touch his.
He nodded, meeting her gaze. A thin smile stretched across his face, so utterly fake and wrong that Uraraka suppressed shudders at the sight. His eyes bore blankly into hers, and paired with that smile the lack of his spark had never been more obvious. "I'm alright now. Please don't worry about me, Uraraka, I'll be fine." He murmured.
Uraraka shook her head slightly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "Please... Don't lie to me. No one has seen you for the past week. You look like you're about to drop dead, I haven't seen you eat in I don't know how long... I can't bear to see you like this, but I don't know how to help you.." She whispered, clutching his hand tightly in her own.
Izuku knew he should feel guilty. His friends were so kind, so worried for his well-being, but... He just couldn't feel anything. The void that consumed him left thoughts for one person and one person alone. Even so, he summoned everything he had in him and gave her hands a gentle squeeze in return. "I'm sorry. I'll eat when I get back, alright?" He gave another tiny smile.
Tears spilling down her cheeks, she met his blank gaze once again. "Promise..?" She croaked.
"Promise.." The boy murmured, pulling her into a hug. It might feel like an empty gesture for him, but he knew this simple action would comfort Uraraka.
She hugged him tightly for a few moments, before pulling back. "Be safe, Deku." She told him, a wobbly smile accompanying the tears flowing down her face.
Izuku nodded and finally continued hobbling his way down the stairs, clutching the railing like a lifeline. He made his way down and out the door, pulling it open with a puff of effort. The boy winced, eyes squeezing shut at the overwhelming light of the morning sun. He hadn't been outside during the day in a while now, and when he was fully awake the glare hurt his eyes, but he continued.
Eyes fixed on the comforting gray of the pavement, he shuffled his way along, knowing the route like the back of his hand. The sunlight should've felt warm on his back, but instead, chills gripped his body. Bleakly, he wondered if he'd ever feel warm again.
Leaves fluttered along in the gentle breeze, the rows of trees alongside him finally blocking out a lot of the glow of the sun. The patches of sunlight that managed to break through the foliage danced across the pavement, and Izuku gazed upwards at the gaps of light. He recalled that once upon a time the sun had cast a warm yellow light across the earth, brightening his day. Now the same light felt freezing, mocking him with its pale rays that failed to compare to the real sun of his life, the light of his life that had been ripped away from him. It didn't even shine through the leaves correctly, making them grayer than the vibrant green they should've been, that they would've been if he was here-
With a heavy sigh and a hand clutched to his empty heart, he continued along the path, his slow shuffle speeding up to a walk, despite the way his head spun and begged him to slow down. He pressed onwards, so close to his destination that he couldn't bear to slow down now. How could he, when what was left of his light was waiting for him? Izuku could never let him down again.
Finally, he arrived. His feet crunched across the gravel path as he entered the cemetery, heading to the cool, smooth stone that was waiting for him. A pretty headstone, despite its simplicity, tall and sleek. Maybe Izuku was biased, having helped create it, but he thought Kacchan would like it. He hoped he would.
Izuku kneeled next to it, knees hitting the soft dirt with a thump , letting out a soft, shaky sigh as he gently traced the words inscribed upon it.
Katsuki "Kacchan" Bakugo
Born April 20th, 20xx
Died May 17th, 20xx
Son, friend, hero
Tears welled up in Izuku's eyes, quickly spilling over as a strangled noise tore through his throat, and he couldn't breathe. He wrapped his arms around the cold stone, pressing his chest against it as sobs wracked his body. Izuku's heart thudded in his chest, and isn't that strange? How could it continue to beat so easily, as if his true heart wasn't buried right beneath him, stolen away before he could even turn 18.
Gasping sobs echoed around the cemetery, his face pressed into the stone to muffle it. "Kacchan.." He choked out, breaking off to gasp for air. "Everything is so dark without you... Nothing is right when you're not here. I miss you so bad I can barely breathe. I don't think... I can go on without you anymore.." He cried, clutching the stone as tightly as he could.
"Please, I'd do anything... Anything just to see you one more time. Anything to hear you again. Just for a minute! Please. Come back to me, a minute is all I need. I want to tell you I'm so sorry I was too late. That you mean everything to me... That I lo-..!" He broke off, before letting out a scream of utter despair, burying his face further into the stone as he wailed.
Losing control of himself, he slumped against it, slowly slipping down and eventually ending up on the soft dirt right next to Katsuki's grave, shoulders shaking in silent gasps and sobs. Digging his nails into the dirt, he tore his hands across the ground, dirt spraying up behind him. He did it again, and again as he lay there shaking, even as his nails broke and his fingers bled he continued, a desperate need to be close to Katsuki was all that was in his mind.
Izuku had completely lost several fingernails, his face a mess of tears, and his body curled against the dirt, when he felt the presence behind him. Then a hand touched his shoulder. Izuku stiffened, hoping beyond hope that it could really be-
"Kid... You're hurting yourself-" The second user's voice started.
Anger boiled up inside him. Fury that it couldn't be him , hate for who it was, hate for himself for daring to hope. Izuku cut him off furiously, "I don't CARE !" He snapped, completely refusing to look at him. The resemblance to Kacchan would only make him more distressed, he thought as he clenched his fists. "What are you even doing here?! I haven't seen any of you since... Then."
2nd was silent. The wind whistled around them as he contemplated what to tell Izuku, who impatiently waited for his answer. In his mind, there was nothing to say. Not to anyone who wasn't Kacchan. Besides a few instances, he hadn't spoken since Kacchan's funeral, and his voice was scratchy due to lack of use, a small spike of pain piercing his throat as he spoke loudly. He didn't care.
2nd seemed to be choosing his words carefully, an unusual occurrence. He finally sighed in exasperation, "Listen, we learned some stuff directly after the battle, and we kept it from you. We've been keeping it from you in hopes that you'd be able to recover, and we'd let you know when you were in a better place." He paused for a moment, "However... You don't seem to be getting any better. Your body is slowly but surely dwindling, and your mental health is even worse. You don't care anymore."
Izuku scoffed. "How would this stuff you learned even help me? You hear my thoughts. There's only one thing that could possibly help me, and it's- it's never happening, okay?" He choked out the last part, tears welling in his eyes once again, and he finally turned to face 2nd.
His eyes, the same color as Katsuki's, bore into his own. It didn't bother him quite as much as he thought it would, because, besides the color, they didn't resemble his. Kacchan's eyes burned with every emotion he experienced, nothing could match their fierceness, and nothing could stop his heart quite like when they softened.
2nd watched him carefully, and replied, "Listen... The only reason we kept it from you is because we wanted you to recover on your own, okay?"
…
What?
Izuku stared at him, brows furrowed in confusion, he watched him with suspicion quickly building up in him. "What... Do you mean by that?" He asked quietly, clenching his fists once again as he fought back anger as best as he could.
The vestige sighed and started fading away. Izuku scrambled to his feet, lunging out towards him, "Hey! What do you mean?!" He cried, becoming further upset by the lack of response.
He grabbed onto 2nd's clothes, feeling a flicker of surprise when he could touch the vestige. Briefly distracted, he shook his head and regained focus, pulling 2nd towards himself with a fierce glare and scowl. "What do you mean by that?!" He demanded, a hint of frustrated tears welling up in his eyes.
Just then, Izuku felt the presence of another behind him, one that he recognized. He stared at the fading vestige of 2nd for confirmation, who gave him a small nod before fading completely. Frozen, Izuku waited, hardly daring to breathe in case the presence vanished. Then...
"Hey, Izuku.."
The voice that spoke was one that he had burned into his brain, the voice that he had been missing for months and begging just for a chance to hear once more. At the sound of it, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest, and he spun around as quickly as possible, completely ignoring the way the world tilted and spun when he did.
Standing before him, was the boy who he had desperately longed to see, but thought he never would again. Izuku's mouth went dry as he stared, blinking furiously to make sure Katsuki wouldn't disappear. He took a step towards the blond, before racing forwards and crashing into his solid form, Katsuki letting out a small oof as he did, before wrapping his arms around Izuku as gently as if he were handling a child. "Izuku.." He murmured fondly, eyes softening as he gazed upon the boy.
Snapping out of his state of shock as Katsuki spoke again, Izuku burst into tears once again, clutching onto him desperately and burying his face in the blond's chest. "Kacchan..!" He croaked, before breaking off into more sobs, tears sure to stain Katsuki's shirt.
Tears pricked Katsuki's own eyes as he held Izuku closer, reaching a hand into Izuku's hair. "Fuck, Izuku, I missed you so much." He whispered, burying his face in Izuku's curls.
Izuku sobbed even harder at that, tugging Katsuki impossibly closer to him. "I missed you too, Kacchan..! I wanted to see you more than anything... I'm so.." He paused, then the first genuine smile in months stretched across his face, warmth blooming in his chest. "I'm so, so, happy to see you again.." He whispered, muffled slightly by Katsuki's chest, sniffling and sobbing through his words.
Katsuki stroked Izuku's hair with a hand, his own tears steadily flowing down his cheeks, and he let out a choked laugh. "Damn crybaby.." He whispered affectionately into Izuku's green curls, as he held him tightly with his other arm.
Izuku laughed wetly, "I can hear you crying too, Kacchan." His voice took on a teasing tone, even as sobs continued to echo through his body.
Katsuki huffed in amusement. "Me? Crying? Never." He lifted a hand and attempted to flick away the tears spilling down his face, ultimately failing as he continued to cry.
Finally, their sobs died out enough for Izuku to lean back, just enough for him to be able to gaze at Katsuki's face. His breath caught in his throat, and even more tears spilled from his eyes as he took in Katsuki. Vermillion eyes were softened and met his with affection he had never seen before, even as tears trickled down his cheeks. His hair, Izuku thought as he reached out to stroke it, was as soft and pretty as he remembered from when they were kids. His lips were curved upwards in a gentle smile, and his face was painted with the flush of life , as if he was really there, really breathing next to him.
Izuku's light in his life had always been Katsuki, and as he saw him again, the world seemed to light up once more, like Katsuki was the sun. The cold, mocking rays of the false sun had been replaced by a vibrant, warm glow, the leaves on the trees around them were bright green, fading to an orange or yellow due to the rapidly changing season. Even the dirt beneath them seemed more alive, flowers that he hadn't noticed before seeming to spring out, the grass in some areas lush and soft.
Izuku slid his hands down to Katsuki's cheeks, tracing his fingers along his face as complete and utter joy bubbled up inside him. Another laugh escaped him, and he leaned forwards once again, pressing their foreheads together. He simply breathed in his presence, life blooming inside him for the first time in months. "Kacchan.." He whispered, just to say his name.
Katsuki leaned forwards too, meeting him halfway and bumping his head into Izuku with a tiny smile. "Izuku.." He whispered back, pulling Izuku's hands off of his face just so he could intertwine their fingers. He pulled back after a moment, his blissful expression fading slightly as he fully took in Izuku's appearance for the first time. "Fuck, Izuku, you don't.. Look well." He murmured hesitantly, concern etching itself into his features.
Izuku sighed quietly, nodding and glancing at the ground, "I know. I just... I can't seem to eat or sleep. I've tried, I really have, but everything tastes like dirt in my mouth, and when I can force something down, it usually comes back up again. When I sleep, all I see is you on that battlefield, and everything is red with your blood. God, I can't stand it-" He choked on yet another sob, "There's no escape. I can't even forget it in my sleep. Everything is so dark without you, Kacchan, I can't-" He sniffled, and threw himself against Katsuki once again, "I can't live like this anymore..!"
Katsuki immediately pulled him back into a hug, heart twisting in his chest as Izuku clung to him like a lifeline, violently sobbing. He stroked his back in a futile attempt to comfort him. "It's... It's gonna be okay, Izuku. I promise, alright?" He whispered into his ear, tears pricking at his own eyes. "They wouldn't let me see you before, but I'm right here now. I'm here . My body may be beneath the earth, but damn it, my soul will ALWAYS be right by your side."
And for a moment, Izuku let himself hope. He tucked his head against Katsuki's chest, pressing close to him and waiting for the thump of his heart, the one sound that above all else, he wanted to hear. And he waited.
…
And he waited.
…
…And he.. Waited..?
…
…
The reality of the situation once again flooded through his body, icy-cold as if he had just plummeted into a freezing lake. The blond's heart wasn't beating. It never would again.
And of course it wasn't, Izuku cursed, even more tears welling up in his eyes. Because Kacchan was dead. That's what he just said, his soul would be there. And maybe that was the important part, but the missing sensation stabbed into Izuku's fragile heart. He curled further into Kacchan's cold body, and oh god, was it always cold? Was every sign of life going to be taken from him?
Did it matter, if Kacchan was still there?
The green-haired boy wanted to accept this, he really did. To face this new reality, because still having a fragment of Kacchan was better than nothing, wasn't it? Couldn't he get better, learn to live without Kacchan in the same realm as him, to move on?
No.
Izuku was a selfless hero. He would rescue people no matter the cost to his own body. He would break, over and over and over again to keep just one person safe. But he wasn't without his selfish side. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, to the rest of the heroes, was that Izuku would have torn apart the world to keep Kacchan safe. There was no length he wouldn't go, nothing he wouldn't do, nothing he wouldn't sacrifice in order to save the only one he couldn't.
And he realized then, that his selfishness longed for all of Katsuki, longed to be fully together with him, and it didn't matter if that meant that they were dead or alive.
Izuku finally leaned back again, eyes wet and sorrowful as he gently cupped Katsuki's face, wiping away his tears with his thumb, giving him a sad smile, "I wish... I wish that could be enough." He murmured.
Katsuki breathed in sharply and his eyes widened, stomach dropping as he grabbed Izuku's hands, "Hey, what the fuck are you thinking about?" He hissed, urgency apparent on his face, "Don't you dare think of doing anything stupid!"
He sighed, and looked away from Katsuki's burning gaze, "I'm not- Kacchan I can barely eat or sleep, exactly how long do you think I'm going to last?" He asked quietly.
Katsuki paused, then shook his head, "I'm here now! It's different now! You're going to be fine, got it?! I won't let y-"
"Kacchan, I'm dying." Izuku interrupted with a solemn expression, clasping Katsuki's hand in his.
Katsuki paused, staring at him, face blank with shock, then distress became apparent on his features. "What the fuck are you talking about?" He snapped, clenching his teeth, "If I have to possess someone to make you live I swear to fucking god I will, you're NOT dying!"
Izuku smiled, adoration in his every look as he watched him, just a hint of sadness in his gaze now. "Just.. listen to me, won't you?" He whispered.
Katsuki huffed and stared at the ground for a few moments, before meeting Izuku's eyes once more. He gave him a nod.
"You sacrificed yourself to save me, back during the first war. You didn't die then, but you were prepared to, right?" Izuku said, and Katsuki slowly nodded. "Well, why did you do that?"
Katsuki scoffed, and glanced away again, before finally responding, "You being in danger scared me so bad it felt like I was the one on death's door. All that I could think about was saving you, I didn't care if it meant my death." He shook his head, "But this is different! Don't you get it Izuku, there's nothing of me to save !"
"I know. There's nothing I can do to save you anymore, but that's not what I'm trying to do. You're half of me, and when you died, that half died alongside you. You're asking my heart to beat though it's been sliced into two, my lung to breathe air as if it still has its partner, my mind to think like every part of it is there when all I can do is long for you. My heart yearns to be alongside yours, and my body may still be living, but my soul is dead, because we are intertwined beyond what I can understand. My body cannot survive without its soul, and it can't survive without you ." Izuku clutched onto Katsuki's hands tighter, willing him to understand.
Katsuki's breath caught in his throat. He swallowed and made a last attempt to convince Izuku, "The world is moving on. Look around, the season's changing. People are there for you, All Might, your friends, your mom. I know you can keep going."
Izuku shook his head. "It's always been them and us. Their world and ours. Their world may still be spinning, but mine has stopped without you. I belong next to you, I can't bear to have it any other way. And... I can't even use One For All anymore. This body will never be able to return to a healthy form, you might not be able to tell but I can , okay?" He shook his head, eyes filling with tears once more, "it will die, and it won't wait for me to be ready any longer."
Katsuki stared at him, before letting out a weak chuckle, tears spilling down his cheeks, "You're fucking crazy, you know that?" He whispered affectionately, bumping his forehead against Izuku's.
Izuku laughed through tears, pressing his head against Katsuki's. "Yeah, I know." He murmured, wrapping his arms around Katsuki's neck in a hug.
They stayed like that, holding each other, for what could've been minutes, hours, or days. It didn't matter. The world moved around them, but they stayed still, just like it had always been, and always would be. Finally, Izuku spoke again.
"I love you, Kacchan." He whispered, nose brushing against Katsuki's.
Katsuki drew impossibly closer, and murmured back, "I love you too, Izuku."
And there they sat, next to Katsuki's grave, silence between them. There was no need for words, not anymore. The hours drew on in quiet, and the sun began to set. The orange glow made Katsuki look even more beautiful than before, Izuku thought with a smile as he wrapped him into a hug. Katsuki clutched Izuku to his chest, burying his face into Izuku's curls, and they waited.
It grew dark, crickets chirped from their hiding places among the tall grass at the edge of the cemetery. Birds flocked to their nests, a chill rising from the earth. Katsuki tugged Izuku closer still, even though his fate was already set in the same stone as Katsuki's he foolishly wished to keep him warm. Izuku didn't have the heart to remind him that he emitted no heat.
Izuku grew weaker, shivering as he slumped farther down. But the colder his body became, the warmer he seemed, and there was no fear when he started to feel himself fade. He traced Katsuki's face with his numb, frozen fingers, whispering something Katsuki couldn't quite make out. He nodded along anyways, pressing a kiss to the top of Izuku's head, and Izuku let out a content sigh.
Eventually, Izuku's breathing slowed, and his heart rate too. As he drew shallow breaths, Katsuki began talking to him. He could barely hear him, but he smiled softly, taking comfort in Katsuki's voice as he exhaled a final time, eyes fluttering shut. Katsuki very gently rested Izuku's body on the ground. It was time.
Katsuki stood, reaching a hand out to him. His spirit opened his eyes, and took his hand. He was pulled from his body, and he intertwined his hand with Katsuki, pressing a kiss against his lips. The two souls smiled at each other, and together, they could finally be at peace.