Glass Hearts || KatsuDeku

Heartbreak ✖ I

Katsuki wasn't dumb. Far from it, actually. He knew he had problems and he especially knew that his behavior wasn't exactly heroic. All those times as children--when he'd punch others and spread nasty rumors--he'd feel the backlash. Just a little. 

As Katsuki aged, his nonchalance for other's pain grew. The problem was that his guilt also sweltered. He could never truly escape the emotions, not even through violent outbursts. It simply wasn't possible.

The first time Katsuki truly felt regret was in second grade. He wasn't sure what spiraled the situation truly out of control, but one moment he was teasing that fucking Deku and the next--?

Hot, blistering skin. Remnants of ash. Sweat. And, the worst part; the part that sticks to the back of his mind every time he says something hurtful--the crying. He was used to Izuku crying. He really was. But there was a difference between crying for your feelings and crying for true pain.

Katsuki had burned Izuku that day. It was the first time he'd injured him to the point of needing to see a doctor (not that the doctor was necessary, but that's beside the point).

He'd sat at the hospital with his mother and Izuku's mother while the doctor reassured them all that Izuku was just burned and it wasn't too severe and blah, blah, blah.

None of that day stood out too much. It was just the tears and the betrayed whimpering that stayed with him over the years. That, and the look of pure disappointment from his own mother. She knew he was the one responsible for the injury. Inko knew too, but she refused to believe it.

There was one other thing that Katsuki could remember. He wouldn't call it the worst part, but it definitely the most frustrating when he thought about it.

Forced to apologize, he'd visited the Midoriya household after Izuku was allowed to go home (alongside the instructions for the burn). He'd knocked on the door, Mitsuki by his side. Izuku was the one to open it because his mother was cooking dinner. He'd looked genuinely surprised to see Katsuki standing at his doorstep.

"I-I'm sorry." he scoffed out tensely. His mother lightly smacked the back of his head, hissing something about honesty and shit.

And then the Deku, like anyone would expect, gave a nervous smile and responded as if nothing ever happened, "It's okay, Kacchan. I know you didn't mean it!"

His heartbeat exploded in his chest. It ached and tears pricked at the corner of his eyes.

He did mean it. He really did.

Oof. A little late on the update. I kinda forgot this story existed. Thank you Rus for unintentionally reminding me. I'm going easy on the angst here. Just to start. I don't want to make anyone cry for another ten chapters or so. I'll try to get a longer chappy out next time. Maybe it'll actually resemble a one-shot instead of a crappy drabble. Who knows~?