The Corpse in the Creek

I've Seen Crazy

Drop had nightmares every single day that he stayed in Bakugou's room. If the older teen hadn't been staying in said blonde's area, he might not have ever noticed it. Drop was good at hiding it when he was with the others but in the quiet darkness of the room, it was hard to hide the shaking breaths and slight trembling of his shoulders. Still, Bakugou said nothing and always stayed where he was but both teens knew that the other was aware of the night terrors. It was confirmed every night when Drop, unable to go back to sleep after the measly four hours he managed, toed on his shoes and muttered a quiet 'thanks' before disappearing out of the door to who-knows-where.

Katsuki knew he probably should do something, he knew Deku and his little squad would, but he couldn't think anything up. If he tried offering a hug, Drop would most definitely think he was sick or planning his death. Despite him not doing anything, though, the older teen still offered words of gratitude as if Katsuki did do something and he just- didn't understand.

Drop did tell him about the bits of pieces of memories he received. He still remembered when the older teen told him in the quietest voice he had ever heard that he had a sister and he wasn't sure if she remembered him. He said that names always left him, sounded like static in his mind like something in his mind wasn't quite connecting.

"I have a connection to water." Drop had told him once as he balanced an empty cup on two fingers while Bakugou sat at his desk working on an assignment for Aizawa. "It's not a quirk, it's something... More."

"When we went to the creek," Katsuki began because this wasn't a conversation he could pretend to ignore. "We could hear your voice but you weren't fucking there. At first, we chalked it up to you being a ghost. I mean, movies always make it so ghosts can do that. Shit, who are we to know if they're right or not?" He tapped his pencil on the ground as he thought. "What if that's not it? You said you have a connection to water, right? Maybe... Maybe you were the water?"

Katsuki was expecting Drop to say his theory was ridiculous, something Half and Half would come up with, but he looked back to see the other sitting in stunned silence. When the older teen didn't move, Bakugou slowly turned his head to face him fully. "When Deku and I visited the creek all those years ago, we didn't know you were there until we touched the water and... Felt what you were feeling." He studied the other's widening eyes and grimaced. "I think you should talk to Nedzu about this. I don't fucking know what to think anymore. It all sounds crazy as shit."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Drop said with a slightly strained smile. His eyes lost focus for a moment, something Bakugou knew happened when he was thinking back on the nightmares he wouldn't talk about. "I've seen crazy. This is actually pretty tame."

"No shit?" Bakugou couldn't help but feel a bit impressed considering the things that he experienced since coming to UA. "You'll have to tell me about it one day."

"One day." Drop agreed as he stood up, placing the cup that was in his hands on the blonde's desk. "Thanks, by the way. I know all this talking isn't your thing so I appreciate it."

Bakugou scoffed and turned back to his homework, though his thoughts were far from it. "Whatever." He watched from the corner of his eyes as the older teen grabbed one of his large burnt-orange sweaters and shrugged it on but refrained from saying something for once.

--

Drop's hero outfit was mostly done but Hatsume refused to let the older teen look at it, partially due to Kaminari and Jirou's insistence and the other part due to her wanting to see the full finished product on him. Her babies would be perfect for him. She would only make the best for someone who would no doubt come back to blow shit up with her for fun. The only reason why she was calling him in before the actual finished product was to see if any of the support items suited his needs. She wouldn't be showing him the ones she already built for him, just similar enough ones to gauge his abilities.

"Nice place." Drop said when he walked in, as if he wasn't keeping his hands tightly bunched in the pockets of his jeans to avoid touching anything. He observed everything with a keen eye and his gaze only snagged on one or two things for barely a moment before it moved on. "You ever leave it?"

"Only under the threat of death."

"...No you don't."

"No," She nodded. "I don't. Okay, so, I have really awesome babies for you to try out! What do you want to start with first?"

Drop looked around once more before focusing on the pink-haired girl again. "What do you want to show me first?"

Hatsume lit up because his tone wasn't resigned, tired, or annoyed. Despite keeping his arms close to his body and his hands shoved in his pockets, Drop actually looked highly interested in her work and he kept leaning over some of her unfinished babies to get a better look at them without touching. "I have a self-aiming gun!"

"Gods no." Drop looked a bit contrite about his interruption but he also seemed firm in his decision. "Sorry, Bubblegum, but me and guns don't mix. At all."

"No problem!" She chirped and tossed the gun away, which shot the ceiling with an enthusiastic "pew!" from wherever it landed before promptly blowing up. "I have a wooden staff!" She procured it from the giant pile of support items next to her and brandished it towards him. "This one won't explode. I think."

He stared at it for a moment before shrugging and grabbing it. "Works for me." He did a few experimental swings, slicing the air with quick movements before twirling it in his hand for a moment and placing it on the tabletop once more. "I like the weight of it. It's a good height, too. I prefer staffs that are a bit shorter than me, so this is perfect."

"Awesome!" She rummaged in the pile and came out with a one-handed double edged sword and held it out proudly. "What do you think of this?"

Drop looked at it oddly, his expression puzzled, before he reached out to it, gripping the handle gently. "A sword?"

"Well, yeah!" She snatched it back from him and made exaggerated cutting motions in the air. "I thought it'd be cool! Plus, the way you held the stick reminded me more of a sword than a staff, so I thought I'd add this to the support items list. I-"

The older teen took the sword back from her, twirling the hilt expertly in one hand without looking at it as he gently placed it on the table. "As long as they're not something I have to shoot, I think I'll trust your guys' judgment." He gazed at all the weapons and a wistful sort of expression made its way onto his face as the scene before him seemed to flash to a smaller building with swords and bows in his mind. "I know I'll train my hardest no matter what."

For once, Hatsume wasn't bouncing all over the place as she studied the older teen carefully. Drop seemed so lost and alone, like he wasn't standing just a few feet away from her, and she found herself reaching towards him to make sure he... Stayed. "I won't let you down!" She plastered a grin on her face even as her hands shook before she made contact with his sleeve. "Everything should be ready by tomorrow!"

Drop didn't say anything for a moment as he looked at her but he smiled softly and his hand was gentle and cold as ice. "It's okay, you don't have to rush. I'm not even a hero, so it's not a priority."

Hatsume could feel her lips wanting to frown so she made sure her expression was that much happier as she took the chance to turn to her inventions so he didn't see the way her emotions warred on her face in a way she hadn't experienced before. "It'll be the best." She swore, looking back up at him with determined eyes. "I won't give you anything less."

The older teen inclined his head towards her and his sea-green eyes sparkled. "I know you won't."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

words: 1,459

song: The Judge - Twenty One Pilots (lyrics)