Don't Be Afraid of Shadows (BakuDeku)

◅ Chapter 10 ▻

'The wounded recognize the wounded'
Nora Roberts

Bakugou Katsuki did not believe in fate, or destiny, or any of that other predestined bullshit, but really? What are the fucking odds?

Katsuki had bolted from Yagi's shop with Kiri hot on his heels, and despite his friend's cries to 'Hold up, man!' and 'Slow down, bro!', he did no such thing. He just ran faster. He ran until his lungs burned and the familiar metallic taste of overexertion crawled up onto the back of his tongue and spread across his taste buds. He ran without direction and with only one thought on his mind - What the actual fuck?!

He hadn't really made it past that thought yet, he seemed to think he could outrun it instead. Yet, like all things you want to avoid in life - death, taxes, the indescribably cruelty of fate - they all catch up to you eventually.

Katsuki's crash back down to reality came in the form of a redheaded, heavily panting and frankly pissed off Kirishima taking him to the floor in one helluva tackle. The blond's face was smashed into the frozen grass below him as Kiri wrangled his hands behind his back, using his body weight to hold him down.

"Let me go Shitty Hair! Fuck!" Katsuki yelled, vaguely registering his surroundings.

They were in some kind of park and his eyes flicked around to see if there was anyone around to witness his descent into madness. He was thankful to not see another living soul in his limited field of vision.

"When you calm down bro! And stop runnin'!" Kiri huffed, keeping a firm grip on his friend's wrists, "The way you left Yagi's dude- not manly! I had to shout an apology at the man and bolt after your ass!"

"Kirishima, I swear if-"

"Oh, I see, pulling out the real names to try and scare me bro? Yeah, not gonna work. Stop struggling already. You can't run from this! You're just prolonging the inevitable!"

Katsuki couldn't see Kiri's face, but he pictured him red with exertion and slightly preening at his victory over the blond. Katsuki was not happy about this but he conceded and went limp on the icy ground. It was cold as fuck, and his neck still stung as it rubbed against the fabric of his coat.

"Alright! Alright!"

"Good job, dude-" The redhead said seriously, without a hint of being patronising.

"I swear to- Shut the fuck up Kiri!"

There was silence for a few moments as Katsuki laid there with his eyes closed trying to calm himself enough not to run again, trying to count his breaths as they dragged in and out of his nose. Kiri knew him too well, because he hadn't let up his hold yet.

"Why would you even run, Kat?" Kiri finally spoke, and there was sadness in his voice, "I know it's a shock, some weird fate shit at work, but you love Mido. I know you don't wanna admit it, but we can all see it. I know you don't wanna run from that- well, from him. No matter what it takes to stay, you'll do it."

Katsuki huffed at his friend's faith in him and smacked his forehead into the ground with a dull thud, "Okay, okay. Shit, it's fucking cold, lemme up."

Kiri scooted back, kneeling next to the quarterback as he brought himself up into a seated position. Their red eyes met and he hated to admit that Kiri was right, there was no way around it.

"Yeah, maybe I do, love him or whatever. Fuck! I dunno!" He threw his arms up in annoyance and crossed them over his knees, "It's some sick fucking shit to make me the one who discovers his dead mother in my yard!" He sighed and glowered at the ground, as if that would make everything right and set his world back on an even keel. "Kiri, Deku's had bruises ya' know? I knew, and I didn't do anything because he told me not to. Told me his reasoning too. And he proved he could give as good as he got. Told me he beat his bastard dad up pretty good. Told me as soon as he's eighteen he's outta there, but fuck, this means his dad..."