Chapter Text
Last Moment
Siren heads ringing from on top of the police cars. Caution tapes were placed around to keep the public from getting any closer. The rain mostly likely contributed as it washed the stench of blood, letting it disappear through the drains of Aldera Middle School.
Right there in the center, laid the body of Izuku Midoriya.
Amidst the crowd that was slowly gathering around the body. A boy his age stood still amongst the bustling of the witnesses that day. In an Aldera school uniform, his spiky blond hair stood amongst the crowd.His hair getting wet the more he stayed on the rain.
He hates the rain...
He was just headed home that day. After he had talked with his homeroom teacher about his future career, he was just about to do just that. Instead, he stood at the front of the crowd staring at his lifeless body.
Katsuki Bakugou was hyperventilating. He felt his heart skipping a beat every time he tried taking a sharp breath. He was losing it... and he knows it. His whole body shaking, almost shivering, but he figured that it was not from the cold of the rain. Eyes blurry and head getting fuzzy, no one noticed how he was desperately trying to catch his breath.
Breathe... just breathe...
He blinked once, and then twice until he finally snapped when he noticed they were already carrying the lifeless boy away—white sheets draped on top of his whole body.
His body moved on its own.
Racing past the people on his way, one hand reaching out to grab the white drapes that was on top of the green haired boy before he was pulled back by two officers. His ears were ringing as he desperately tried to reach him. They were yelling at him, he knew that. But his eyes were solely focused on the lifeless body of Izuku as he watched the nurses carefully settle him inside the ambulance. One came to talk to an officer before she too went inside, closing the doors before it drove off the vicinity of Aldera Middle school.
He wanted to follow them. Wanting to know this wasn't real. Deku is not really on that stretcher heading for the hospital. He thrashed, but the hands that were holding him in place wouldn't let him go. They were adults, he's just a kid. A middle school kid. He wanted to scream, he wanted to tell them off, to get the hell away from him.
Get the fuck off me!
But his mouth felt dry. Not a single word passed through his lips.
Damn it!
The crowd was now starting to surround them. They were whispering in hush voices, but the buzzing in his ears only got worse. The police tried their best to dissipate the crowd but it was useless when curious passersby would sometimes add in with the crowd. It was useless. The ambulance was gone, and so was the evidence of blood in their surroundings.
"Get the hell away from me!"
~ • ~
"Hey Bakugou! Got a sec?"
It has been two years since that incident. Katsuki Bakugou was now a 2nd year student in UA. During his first year, he entered UA's entrance exam and garnered a perfect score on his written exam and was the top 1 with both rescue points and villain points in the practical exams. Even during their sports festival in his first year, he never left number 1, forcing hero agencies all over Musutafu to pay attention to his first year self. His iconic duel with a fellow classmate is always in the back of everyone's mind until now.
He looked back to see red hair slowly approaching him. One hand hidden inside his pockets and the other calling out to him.
"What do you want, shitty hair?"
"It's Kirishima! Man, you really don't like using our real names."
Katsuki could only groan in annoyance as he waited for the other boy to get straight to the point. Kirishima only looked back towards the doorway where he saw the rest of the group. Sero and Kaminari were both leaning on the door frame, looking pretty nervous for Kirishima. Mina on the other hand stood next to Kaminari whilst Jiro, a new addition to their group, had her phone out just behind them. Probably on social media or something. Bakugou wouldn't care nonetheless.
The exchange of silence gestures between him and the group continued on for a few minutes before they finally came to an agreement when Kirishima sighed in defeat. Katsuki on the other hand stayed silent, seemingly accepted he'd be stuck with them longer than he anticipated. If he'd have to guess, it's probably to ask him to hangout or something.
"So you know everyone's been kinda busy with their own stuff so the squad kind of decided to han---"
"Hell no."
And right on the money he was. The way they were all acting, he can read them like a book now. He kind of expected it, having been classmates for two years now. He'd be a damned idiot if he didn't guessed it. Kirishima looked back up to the group again with disappointment, but also a kind of expected look on his face.
"I told you guys."
He was about to turn away when Mina stepped up. Determined to not let her friend out of the loop, she marched towards them.
"Come on, Bakugou! Exams just finished and we just wanted to hangout as a group for once before we start our hero course studies again."
Katsuki won't deny that every one of them are starting to have a name for themselves. Including himself. There would be absolutely no time for them to have fun like normal highschool students would. But moving towards this kind of life, it's inevitable. He knew the consequences of choosing to be a pro hero over being a normal civilian.
"Come on, Bakugou."
"We promise we won't hold you long if you really need to go."
Kaminari and Sero added as they both placed their hands on Katsuki's shoulder. The latter having a bad feeling for what's to come, stepped back only for their grip to tighten on his shoulder. He could only grit his teeth in annoyance as he watched Mina skip towards the doorway, which was followed by his boyfriend who had a grin on his face. Jiro stayed by the doorway as she just silently watched the spectacle before walking beside Mina on their way out.
In the end, Sero and Kaminari had dragged him by his shoulders leaving Katsuki with no choice but to go along with them. They first went out to get a grab of food before they went towards the arcades.
"There's more people around here than usual."
Jiro spoke for the first time that afternoon as the group looked around the place. It was Wednesday in the afternoon. They first tried the shooting game before moving on towards the claw machines. Jiro won two small plushies for both hers and Mina's. They also tried the basketball shooting one before they all got tired of it and moved on just looking around.
"Hey, why don't we try Karaoke next?"
They all looked towards Kaminari who was pointing at an empty booth that was reserved for a group of karaoke. Mina agreed as she pulled Jiro to talk to the staff if they could use the empty booth while the rest of the group didn't even bother to wait on the girls as they just went inside booth. Katsuki followed behind them, already brooding how he's gonna hate it when his eyes caught something green passing by. Looking back behind him, he saw no one.
"Bakugo! Come inside already!"
Mina called from inside the booth, already placing her bag on the seat beside Kirishima's own bag. He didn't even notice when Mina and Jiro came back. He was left there standing in the middle of the busy arcade looking at nothing. He shook his head as he disregarded any thoughts he had as he followed them inside.
Three songs in, he was already building a headache. Katsuki took his phone out to check for any messages from his mom but noticed it was already past 5 in the afternoon. He looked out towards the door that had a little window. His eyes squinted when another flash of green passed by their door. This time he didn't bother to look away or disregard it anymore. He just needed to get away.
Now.
"Fuck."
"Hmm? What'd you say Bakubro?"
He hummed in response, ignoring his question overall before he stood up and grabbed his bag from the seat beside him.
"I'm leaving."
This statement made the rest of the group stop as they watched Katsuki already walking towards the door. Although a little disappointed, they all kind of expected him to leave them one way or another.
"Well, alright then. See ya tomorrow dude."
"Text us when you get home."
Katsuki clicked his tongue knowing shit they won't expect anything from him.
"As if."
Sero and Jiro waved him off as he walked out the door. A few seconds after the door closed, the group sighed together once they made sure he was gone.
"Man, I know I'm not the only one who noticed but don't you think Bakugo is acting a little weirder lately."
Kirishima said as he sat comfortably with Mina, his arm resting on her shoulder. Mina on the other hand nodded her head and leaned against Kirishima.
"I agree."
"Yeah, for real. Normally he would blast us off before we could even drag him away but now..."
Jiro and Kaminari added. Sero gave it a thought for awhile while the group waited for his own opinion. His mind clearly already made up a theory about his friends recent actions. He looked around, noticing their silence and sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Guess he has no choice but to spill it.
"To be honest, I'm worried for the guy."
The group looked at him a bit confused. But before they could even ask, he beat them to it, knowing they would bombard him with questions at the same time if he didn't.
"I saw him walking out of the clinic one time. Recovery Girl didn't seem bothered about anything as she walked him out of the door, but Bakugo was definitely avoiding eye contact with her."
He stopped as he watched them process his words before continuing.
"Notice how the teachers started to talk to him, one on one about something during our hero course studies. He's hiding something. And it probably involves his own health."
The group stayed quiet as they let it sink in. They let themselves succumb to their own thoughts as silence engulfed their once happy atmosphere.
Katsuki on the other hand lets his own feet drag him, staring at nothing in particular. Consumed by his thoughts and the green fluffy hair he saw. He knew it was only hallucinations created in his mind. Gritting his teeth, he felt an ache rising up towards his throat. He rubbed his throat with his hand as he rounded a corner towards an alleyway. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief he would always carry around nowadays. And coughing up the all too familiar blood... and a yellow petal of a carnation flower.
Shit.
He could barely remember when it first happened but he was sure it started when he reached his 2nd year in UA. It was subtle. It started with the ache on his chest that happens from time to time. He thought it was due to his exhaustion from using his quirk all the time when he was doing hero work. But the pain slowly crept up towards his throat. There were times he wouldn't notice them, but there were also times where the ache became unbearable that he wanted the scratch it all the way through his throat.
He felt like he couldn't breathe, like he was choking on a hard rock that wouldn't go away no matter how many times he swallowed. It reached a point where a few of his teachers had noticed him constantly rubbing his throat and recommended him to go see Recovery Girl before it gets bad. But the petite old lady saw nothing of the ordinary to his physical condition and dismissed it.
Until it happened.
That day, school ended earlier than usual and Katsuki was not feeling any better as he just wanted to be left alone. He was just walking by a nearby park when he felt his chest started to burn. He started clutching his neck when the pain slowly crept up his throat. The burning sensation was unbearable. He felt like there were thorns scratching at the back of his throat. He felt like throwing up.
He started coughing uncontrollably, wanting to remove that horrible feeling already. Until he coughed up a few yellow petals that were dripped with his blood. He soon identified those petals as carnation flowers. At first, it confused him about the flowers that came to be. Realization soon hit him when he knew exactly what it meant and how fucked up his situation was. Normally he could've gone to a nearby hospital... he didn't. Not to say pointless even if he did go to a hospital.
And that he probably deserved what was coming for him.
He knew the ending to those with Hanahaki. There's nothing that was gonna change that. Even worse, he knew what was causing him this. At the very least, he knew deep down, he cares for that shit of a nerd who's now laying on that hospital bed. Not knowing if he'll ever wake up again!
Katsuki sat on a nearby stool that the nurse had already arranged for him. The nurse basically already knows his routine. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, around 6 PM, and 5 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a boy with blonde hair and red eyes would linger at the entrance of the hospital before going inside for his everyday visit. He watched Izuku's pale freckled face. His once plump face was no more as he got skinnier and skinnier for the last two years, getting more malnourished as time went by. His once glistening eyes that always looked up to him that yells admiration for his quirk, are now shut tight. His mouth that always called him Kacchan everywhere they went was now dry because of dehydration.
Every time he remembers that day, he wanted to scream. Everyday for the last two years, he never failed to visit Izuku. And everyday, he regretted everything he said and done to him. It all started from him anyway. When they found him and were sent to the hospital, they found he had a few broken bones on his ribs, a fractured arm and burns due to one of them being fire quirk users. Worst of all, he received a blow on his head that caused him to go into a comatose state. The police had already explained to the public that it was a bunch of kids messing around.
Yeah, right...
"Don't fuck with me!"
Katsuki was later sent to the police station as a person who knew the victim before hand. He was now sitting in front of a detective in the interrogation room. Hands were cuffed with a quirk suppression cuff due to him almost blowing up the Aldera school grounds. And almost blowing up the faces of his suppressors.
"Did you really think those guys were just messing around?! His whole face was covered in blood god damnit!"
The detective could only stare at the boy in front of him in silence as he rubbed his hands in his face, seemingly stressed from trying to calm the angry teenage boy. And Katsuki? He was seething. His emotions were in turmoil. He could not comprehend why he was feeling this way.
Was it guilt? Sadness? Anger?
He felt like laughing. They weren't even friends for years now. Why the hell would he care so much?! It was driving him crazy! Crazy enough to actually want to blow up everyone who's against him killing those boys who did that Izuku. Cops or not. Katsuki looked up when the detective sighed loudly and stared at him directly in his eyes. His eyes glaring hardly at the detective in front of him.
"Listen kid, we received a call from the poor boys mother."
Inko?
His red eyes softened as they slowly widened in shock realizing how his poor aunt would react after this. They probably even called his own mother too.
"She's fully aware of the situation right now and decided she won't press charges."
He was about to protest when the detective raised his hand to shut him up.
"Under certain conditions from the other parents."
Katsuki settled down as he quietly listened to the adult. He won't entirely agree nor will he let the boys pass an insincere apology.
"Firstly, they were to be expelled from your middle school and be homeschooled until they reach high school. Secondly, the kids would need to see a counselor for a year to reflect on their actions. Lastly, if the kids showed no progress during that process, then she might press charges. The parents all agreed to that condition."
A year did pass and the first thing they did was visit Inko at her apartment door. Around that time, Katsuki was going to invite her for dinner when he saw them talking to her at their doorstep. The first time he saw them again, his first instinct was to beat the shit out of them that he almost blew up the apartment building. But Inko being an angel as she is, stopped him before any damage was done. They told him and Inko that they wanted to apologize for what they did for Izuku. Assuring her that they would do everything they can to make up for it. They stayed in contact with her and from time to time they would accompany her during her off days. Katsuki was skeptical at first but became lenient when he noticed Inko would let her walls down around those boys.
It was hard to see the lovable friend of his mother dissolved into a somber state as he and his mother would visit her for dinner once in awhile. Just to check up on her. But there were times where they would notice her just staring at an empty space, deep in her own thoughts. Although somewhere along the way, Inko had started to accept this new reality of hers. Katsuki checked the wall clock that was in the room and noticed it was already past 7.
How long was I out?
He huffed as he stared at Izuku one last time before he got up and finally left his room. A nurse had noticed him leave and just waved him a 'goodbye' and a 'see you tomorrow'. He said nothing to the nurse and continued to walk out of the building.
~ • ~
"Okay Bakugo, we already talked about this when you left but..."
"We wanted to make sure you're alright."
The group once again prevented him from leaving as they barricaded his path. Kirishima and Mina on his front, Kaminari to his left, Sero on his right while Jiro stayed behind him. He could only groan in annoyance as he ignited his palm with a few sparks. Already feeling agitated he had stayed longer in this school than he wanted.
"What do you want now? Plain face, raccoon eyes."
"I'm gonna ignore that for now, but please tell us you're okay."
Hands on her hips, Mina stared directly in his eyes. Katsuki showed no emotion in his face as he looked over the worried faces of the group. Their eyes were unwavering as they studied his movements. Making sure he stayed in their inner circle. He gave them all a look that implied they're just wasting their time.
"And why the fuck would I tell you that? I'm fine."
He was about to walk away when Sero and Kirishima blocked his path again. And Katsuki? He tried not to grit his teeth as he closed his mouth shut. His patience was running thin. He was annoyed at the stupid situation they put him in. He just wanted to leave already. To get far away from people as soon as possible. Wanted to be left alone. He just...
...wanted to see him already.
Fuck.
His chest was starting to ache again.
"Move it."
He held the urge to rub his throat as it started to burn. He doesn't need to tell them. He doesn't see the benefit of him in doing so. He would rather take this secret to the grave than let anyone see him in that state. He pushed them aside by the shoulder and started walking towards the doorway. Mina tried to stop him but Kirishima held her back, holding her hand tightly.
"Listen Bakubro, you know you can tell us anything. We're here for you."
Sighing in defeat, Kirishima scratched the back of his head.
"We won't push you any further that's uncomfortable for you."
He stopped in his tracks. Leaning his head to the side, he nodded in their direction before he finally left. The pain was getting unbearable by the minute. He rejected the urge to just let it all out inside the building. Blood started dripping from the side of his mouth. He tried not to run as he went outside to the side of the building.
It usually never happens whenever he's still on UA. But there were times where it happens whenever he thinks about him. And during those times, he learned that it doubles in comparison to the usual pain he felt. And he was right. Not only did he cough up the usual petals of yellow carnations but also the flower petals of primroses and pink camellias. And knowing the meaning of these flowers just dampens his mood even more.
The coughing did not settle down for at least 10 more minutes. He had to make sure no one saw or noticed as he rounded the building to wash off the blood. He cursed under his breath as he cleaned the left over blood and petals inside his mouth. Not only was it disgusting, but it was also disturbing knowing he could die with just the petals stuck on his throat, that would probably choke him. He shook the thought away, just wanting to forget that it's not causing everything in his life right now. Just wanting to believe he can actually change the outcome if he just accepted the fact that Izuku would never wake up again. That there was no way in hell would he ever reciprocate his feelings... even if he were awake.
I mean, why would he?
Katsuki Bakugo was his bully. The one who started the torment in his life. The one that would always say hurtful things to his face just to rub it on him. The one who also ended their friendship long ago just because of his inferiority complex. And the one person who could have saved him if he just set the example of ignoring him. But he didn't. Somehow along the way, he began to realize the only reason he hated that damn Deku so much, was because he couldn't accept the thought of losing him if a quirkless like Izuku would become a pro hero.
The irony.
After cleaning everything up, he began his usual walk towards his old school, Aldera Middle school. He passed by a few kids wearing their old uniform, goofing around as they walked past the sidewalk. He stopped right in front of the school's gate, staring at the very same spot they first found him. He was lost in thought for a while before he headed for the hospital. As he stepped inside the white building, the nurse at the front desk who noticed his arrival greeted him as usual.
"Good afternoon, you're later than usual. Going to visit patient Midoriya again?"
He hummed in response.
"Did aunt Inko or my parents visited today?"
"Yes, Mrs. Midoriya and your mother came by this morning. They stayed for an hour before your mother had an emergency to look out."
"Was there... was there any signs today?"
The nurse could only look at him sympathetically as she slowly shook her head no.
"I'm afraid not, it's still unclear when he'll wake up. But don't you worry, the doctors are providing everything he needs to stay alive. We just need the family and friends to hope for the best."
Katsuki nodded in understanding as he silently walked towards the elevator up to his floor. He stared at his reflection through the elevator mirrors. Eyes relaxed and unfocused, still in his shaggy and baggy uniform, and face contorted in worry and dejection. He was becoming a mess. This image of him is only known to him and him alone in the comforts of Izuku's private hospital room. If the middle school him would see him now, he'd probably wonder how he got to this point. He entered the room as he held his bag on his shoulder, not looking up as he closed the door behind him.
"Ka... cchan..."
His hands dropped to his side. His eyes darted towards the boy who was staring back at him. Green eyes meeting red.
His mouth suddenly felt dry.
"Izuku..."
~ • ~