Crossing Fates : Special Story 5 - The Unicorn Attends A Sleepover (BakuDeku)

13 - Exposed

When Izuku met his husband's gaze, he saw that Katsuki's red eyes had darkened.

Compared to their normal brilliance, they looked almost dull.

Immaculate and as coolly poised as if she were still drinking coffee on the veranda, Kaina stepped around the clump of angry, unsettled people on her doorstep.

The Light Fae Queen and the Lord of the Nyr regarded each other for a moment.

Katsuki growled, "Your people have a discipline problem under pressure, Kaina. Tell them to put their damn weapons down."

Unhurriedly, she studied him while making no move to do so. "You're infected."

"Apparently, yes," Katsuki said between his teeth. "With whatever the fuck this is."

Infected.

The word bounced around in Izuku's head. This time, instead of struggling to get to his husband, he met Shinso's grim gaze.

His breathing sounded harsh to his own ears.

"Did you get bitten?" Kaina asked.

"On my arm," Katsuki said tersely.

"What happened to the one who bit you?"

"It was with a group of thirty or so others. I burned them."

Katsuki's gaze switched to Izuku. He told him, "Whatever this is, it's affecting my Power. I can't telepathize, and I can't shapeshift either. I had to hot-wire a car and drive here."

Struggling to sound calm and rational, Izuku said, "What the hell is happening?" He rounded on Kaina. "What do you mean, 'he's infected'?"

Regret filled Kaina's expression, along with resolve.

The Queen said to Mailey, "Call Hora back to the house. Tell him to hurry." Then she turned to her guards. "As long as Katsuki remains lucid, don't shoot him."

*****

Despite Katsuki's warning to stay away from him, Izuku plunged across the lawn.

Ochaco, the sentinels, and Mailey followed him immediately.

Uneasily, Katsuki took several steps back as they neared.

"You guys have to stop," Mailey insisted. "He could turn rabid at any time."

Katsuki felt the urge to bare his teeth at her, but he was mindful of the guns still trained in his- and now Izuku's- direction and refrained.

Kaina's guards were spooked enough. If he showed how he was really feeling, the gods only knew who they might accidentally shoot.

"I'm not turning rabid right at the moment," he snapped.

Kaina's guards weren't the only ones who were spooked.

Mailey gave him a leery glance. She asked, "How long has it been since you got bitten?"

"Over forty minutes ago."

He turned his attention to Izuku, who was pacing around him in a wide circle, wearing a fierce scowl in that beautiful freckled face.

"We're not in Anju five minutes," Izuku flung up a hand, fingers and thumb splayed. "Five minutes, Katsuki, and you managed to get bitten by... by ..." he stopped pacing. "What bit you?"

There's just something scary when Izuku calls him by his name and not Kacchan.

"An infected Light Fae."

Izuku studied him worriedly. "Show me the wound."

In answer, he unwrapped the cloth from his forearm and showed it to him. They both regarded the bite mark, which was clearly visible, the tears in his skin dark red.