Firework | A Tragic Tale of Two Siblings

36 | Get Out

The sky was orange when Katsuki ventured to Recovery Girl's office. The halls of U.A. were mostly empty, save for the few students of different years that skittered about between destinations. The familiar weight of his bag on his shoulder was a good distraction, but he could barely focus with his redheaded friend staying in-step next to him.

"Man. Today was a total blast!" Kirishima laughed, his hands woven behind his head, wide awake despite the amount of anesthesia he inhaled earlier. "Even though we were running around like headless chickens most of the time."

"Shut up already!" Katsuki growled, quickening his pace.

Kirishima cocked his head and caught up to his blond friend. "Hey man. You okay?" he asked. "You've been tense ever since Mr. Aizawa replayed the recording."

"I'm fine. Leave me alone!" Katsuki snapped, his hands balling into fists inside his pockets. Kirishima gave him a questioning look.

"Are you worried about Cherry Bomb?"

"No." That was a lie.

Kirishima frowned. "I saw the feed too, ya know? You're not the only one who's worried about her–"

Katsuki grit his teeth. "Keep your distance, Shitty Hair, and stop following me!"

Kirishima raised a brow but complied to his angry friend's request, slowing to a stop with a look of concern. Katsuki clicked his tongue when he no longer saw the redhead in his peripherals and rounded the corner.

The recorded footage of the ordeal plagued his mind like a sickness. When the video played on the projector, he felt a massive weight fall on his shoulders when he saw himself collide with his sister. He couldn't see what actually happened near the end of the feed, but he had a feeling that he broke her nose on impact, the subtle throb on his temple was the only indication.

The hallways felt longer than they should be, almost as if Katsuki was walking backward on a moving conveyor belt. The weight on his shoulders grew heavier as he neared the medical wing of U.A. and the walk felt longer. When he reached the room his sister occupied, the door slid open before he touched the handle.

Izuku backed out from the room with a soft look, hushing something to the room's occupants, but when he turned and met Katsuki face to face the soft expression fell. Too distracted to sneer, Katsuki watched his rival silently walk down the hall and disappeared around the corner. Katsuki clicked his tongue, taking hold of the door and slid it back open. The sight of his sister made the weight fall to his chest.

She was wearing a white gown instead of her costume; no black sleeves or red crosses but still mostly white. She was bruised all over, from what Katsuki could see, especially her face—cheeks flushed and bottom lip swollen. Her fingers were bandaged, too, mummified to the point where they looked like gloves. One glance at the thick bandage that shaped her nose confirmed his suspicion and he flattened his lips.

"Miss Cherry Bomb has had enough visitors today." Recovery Girl gave Sachi a gentle peck on the cheek before turning around. The elderly woman's brows raised in minor surprise, the wrinkles on her forehead deepened, but the shock was replaced with sympathy. "I'm sorry, dear, but your sister needs rest. She's had a rough day already."

"It won't take long," Katsuki replied swiftly, walking further into the room after shutting the door. Recovery Girl didn't stop him as he walked passed her, standing at the opposite side of the bed. The look in his eyes was familiar. He's seen his sister in hospital beds for the majority of his life, yet the feelings never dampened.

Sachi's breathing was rugged and quick. She wasn't asleep but she was pretending to be.

"I know you're awake." Katsuki leaned his weight on one leg and readjusted his bag, watching Sachi open her eyes tiredly.

"What do you want?" She sighed out.

Katsuki frowned at his sister and dismissed the subtle sharpness in her voice. "Figured you'd be awake at this time. I wanted to come and see you before I went home."

Sachi flattened her lips and hummed. "Do you know how hard it is to breathe through a broken nose?" Katsuki remained silent and Sachi gave a dry, sarcastic laugh. "Of course you don't. You're untouchable."

"Sachi–"

"But it was my fault anyway." Sachi interrupted, lethargically talking with her bandaged hands. "How was I supposed to know what that trick would do? To you or me? I did it on a whim and here I am. Lying in a gown and hooked onto an I.V. drip."

Katsuki scowled at the pessimism in her voice and shifted his weight. "Shut up, will you? I know I should've–"

"No no, you were only playing the part," —Sachi shifted in the bed and she flinched— "but like I said before, I'm made of glass. Do you know what happened when I created that sonic boom?"

Katsuki waited for her to continue.

"Everything went viral. My vitals, my senses, everything. Recovery Girl said it was the worst she'd seen me. My nose started bleeding the same moment you and the others slammed into me. The largest nosebleed since the Octopus Villain."

Katsuki grew frustrated with his sister's attitude and guilt-tripping and he growled, "Sachi. Shut it."

"No. I won't 'shut it'." The blonde girl turned towards her brother, her voice rising. "You knew full well that I'm fragile and get injured easily, yet you blasted me and threw me against a pillar! Do you know how much that hurt? I couldn't breathe!"

Katsuki was about to argue but he kept his mouth shut.

Sachi waited for his retort but she clenched the bedsheets when he didn't. Sachi released a heavy breath, glaring at her older brother, who was unscathed compared to her. "I'll ask again. What do you want?"

Katsuki gulped as the weight piled on. "I wanted to apologize."

Sachi glared at him. "You never apologize. Why start now? Why the change of heart?"

He wanted to say how he was sorry for the way he treated her, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. After seeing the hurt in her eyes when they faced off in Ground Beta, Katsuki felt like he needed to confront the situation that's been growing since childhood. Now, the words dissolved in his throat before they reached his tongue.

When he kept quiet, Sachi stoically stared at him with eyes full of anger and she whispered hotly, "Get out. Now."

Katsuki narrowed his eyes at her, heat rising in his chest, and he left the room in a fit of rage without saying goodbye. He couldn't get the words out even if he tried forcing himself to and that frustrated him immensely.

He was frustrated with himself, his actions, and his sister. He understood that Sachi didn't want him there, that she was furious with him, but the least she could've done was let him speak without being guilt-tripped.

As he exited the school grounds he grew angrier. He wanted to shout from the top of his lungs but he refrained from doing so. Instead, he gritted his teeth and shoved his fists into his pockets whilst cursing under his breath. He didn't calm down until he reached his neighborhood, taking long strides to get home faster.

There was a distant buzzing near his ear and he swatted at whatever insect that decided to fly too close to him. The buzzing continued and he waved his hand more harshly. The noise stopped for a few seconds but continuing on his other side. He growled lowly, entering his front yard and swiftly turned on his heel.

The noise stopped completely. Everything was silent. Katsuki glanced at his surroundings, around the yard and the sidewalk, no insects. No bees, flies, beetles, nothing. It was as if Katsuki imagined the noise from his own anger. The frustrated teen glared at nothing, shook his head, and entered his home.

When the front door slammed shut, the buzzing continued from different sources.