𝔸 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 💥𝔹𝕒𝕜𝕦𝔻𝕖𝕜𝕦💥

Scars

Art is from chiyaya666 on twitter

in honor of 400 reads I released a second chapter this weekend, thank you all 💥

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Chapter 17

Katsuki had spent an hour or so exploring the apartment. All Might had left him a laptop for work so that he could answer emails and continue his Hero documents as if he was still at the agency. He was impressed that a building as rundown as this had a spacious living room and a modern kitchen. Curiosity led him to check on Izuku, finding him sound asleep. He decided not to disturb him but left the bathroom doors open in case Izuku woke up.

As Katsuki settled into bed, the room fell into a profound silence, allowing his thoughts to consume him. How the hell was he going to navigate this situation? He had undergone training for such scenarios, but the physical reality of the moment made his head spin, stirring up a flurry of butterflies in his stomach.

It had been years since he and Izuku had some time together alone, and now here he was practically nursing him back to health. It was a role that didn't come naturally to him, given his rough edges and lack of nurturing tendencies. Yet, seeing Izuku in such a vulnerable state made Katsuki question if perhaps he did have a softer side buried within him, if only for Izuku's sake.

Thoughts of the League's interest in Izuku swirled through his mind. With All For One and Shigaraki seemingly out of the picture, there was no way for them to forcibly steal One For All from Izuku. Katsuki doubted that Izuku even understood what had occurred when his quirks went fucking haywire destroying the room. Yet Deku was practically defenseless and moldable enough to be made into a living weapon, especially in the state of mind he had been in for the last few days. Still, Katsuki was told that after the meltdown, One For All had seemingly gone into a dormant state, undetectable and drained of its immense energy, rendering Izuku essentially quirkless for now.

The word 'defenseless' echoed in Katsuki's mind, triggering memories of the Nomu's horrifying presence looming over Izuku's trembling form. He was certain that if he had arrived any later, Izuku would have died to the sheer terror of the situation.

Horrible thoughts and fears gnawed at Katsuki's consciousness. What if he had been too late... What if he had been taken, or worse... What if it had gutted him for the sake of preventing a strong challenger from opposing the league. The haunting images of Izuku drenched in blood, torn apart by monstrous claws and fangs. The visceral details of this nightmarish vision tortured Katsuki's thoughts, each grotesque detail etching itself indelibly into his consciousness.

He desperately tried to push those distressing thoughts aside, but an overwhelming sense of dread took hold of him. He felt a tightness in his chest and a sense of impending doom as if the walls were closing in on him. His breaths came in shallow gasps, as if he was starting to suffocate.  The familiar shadow of anxiety danced around him, making his skin tingle.

"Fuck, why now..." Katsuki muttered to himself, rising from the bed and sitting on its edge. He gripped the sheets tightly, attempting to steady himself and regain control. Inhaling deeply, he focused on his surroundings, trying to ground himself. But the suffocating dread only intensified, making him feel as though he was being swallowed whole.

Feeling disoriented and dizzy, Katsuki stumbled towards the bathroom. He managed to turn on the faucet, splashing cold water on his face as he clung to the sink, desperately concentrating on the sound of his own breathing, trying to drown out the rising panic. Suddenly, a faint sound caught his attention.

It came from the other room.

Deku?

Katsuki's heart skipped a beat as he walked into the dimly lit room, drawn towards the source of the whimpering. As he approached the bed, his own racing pulse began to slow, a sense of calm washing over him. Izuku lay there, tangled in the sheets, sweat glistening on his forehead. He tried to toss and turn, but his body was far too weak. As he continued to mumble, a tear streamed down his cheek. The panic attack Katsuki was having faded away as he saw Izuku.