Deku's Descent | BNHA | BakuDeku | ShotoDeku

Chapter 6 - Memories

It was very late, Izuku wasn't sure exactly what the time was since his phone was broken and he didn't wear a watch but the moon was high in the sky, occasionally making an appearance when the clouds parted. He'd been walking aimlessly for hours, not really seeing where he was going, just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other while dark thoughts swirled in his head.

He'd briefly considered going to Shoto's place but then remembered what had happened when he had called earlier, and didn't think he could stand the shame and embarrassment of facing him after that. There was no way he could go home either, his mum would be back by now and he didn't think he could look her in the eye and pretend everything was okay like he normally did, not this time.

They were his only two options for the moment, knowing that he could go to his work but it was likely packed with people as it was so late and knew that was too much for him right now, he needed to be alone.

Deciding he had no choice but to wander the streets he continued, blindly moving through rows of houses or apartments, stumbling down quiet rows of shops all closed for the night. No matter what he did his mind wouldn't stop replaying the night's events, showing him everything again and again, telling him all the things he could have done to lessen or even stop the abuse he faced. 'Hindsight is a wonderful thing...' he thought to himself bitterly, burying his hands deeper into his pockets and sinking further in the darkness of his hood.

Luck was not on Izuku's side tonight. As he turned into another street it began to rain, lightly at first but slowly turning into a torrential downpour. Izuku panicked, looking up for the first time in hours, taking in his surroundings properly. He vaguely knew where he was, coming slightly back to his senses and picked up his pace, jogging to a nearby park hidden in a grove of trees. It was very similar to one he had played in as a child with Katsuki. Picking one of the more sheltered structures in the park he crawled inside, pressing his back into one of the corners, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them burying his face in his knees.

"How the hell did I get here?" he whispered to himself, breathing becoming more erratic as he started to cry again. Izuku had been nothing but kind to Katsuki their entire lives. He had followed Katsuki around like a lost puppy as they grew up and then worked harder than he thought possible to follow him to university so they could be together again. "Kaachan clearly doesn't care about me..." Izuku said with a small sob. "He h-hates me..." he gripped his legs even tighter, crying harder and harder with every breath. But the memories came crawling back, clawing at his insides with no way of stopping them.

- - -

"Kaachan wait for me!" stumbling up the hill, 11 year old Izuku shouted with a laugh at the blonde haired boy racing up ahead of him. Izuku and Katsuki had been friends for as long as either of them could remember. They lived very close to each other and their parents had always put them together growing up but neither of the boys minded as they got on extremely well. Katsuki, the natural born leader of the two, was always leading Izuku off on yet another adventure, Izuku following with the blind devotion of a best friend.

"Come on silly Deku!" Kaachan shouted back with a laugh, stopping at the top of the hill grinning down at his friend, "We'll miss it, get a move on!" Izuku continued to stumble up the hill, laughing as Katsuki shouted encouragement and finally got to the top, running straight into Katsuki and knocking them both to the ground. Both boys laughed as they untangled themselves from each other and got to their feet.

Katsuki grabbed Izuku's hand making Izuku's heart skip a beat and pulled him along.

"Come on Deku, I'm not going to leave you behind," he grinned and started running, pulling Izuku along behind him.