Where We Began

Chapter Nine

Izuku wasn't exactly sure how he woke up. All he knew was that Katsuki was bleeding. A lot. Blood was gushing out of Katsuki's palm, and Izuku didn't know how to stop it.

There was rope, tightly securing his wrists behind his back, and Izuku panicky fidgeted with them to get them off. Using his quirk didn't seem like the best idea, but neither did letting Katsuki bleed out. Not to mention the burn marks on Katsuki's neck and the fact that his shoulder was still injured from before.

Katsuki looked just like he did before when Izuku had woken up the first time. His face was flushed, his eyes were hazy, and there was blood all over him. His fingers were also slightly burned, but Izuku highly suspected that was from his quirk.

"Kacchan! What happened? Are you alright?"

That was a stupid question, Izuku thought, looking over Katsuki. He obviously wasn't okay.

"I'm fine, you dumb nerd!" The blonde boy snapped, seemingly in a worse mood than he usually was in.

Spotting some cloth on the floor, Izuku wiggled toward it. He felt stupid doing it and probably looked like a worm, but it was for Katsuki's sake. He snatched up after a few tries and squirmed back to Katsuki.

"Here, for your hand," Izuku said, wincing a bit when he saw Katsuki's palm.

Blood was already drying around the wound, forming a scab.

Katsuki just felt disoriented. Everything was blurry, and whenever Izuku spoke, it felt like his head was underwater.

Just God- everything hurt.

Katsuki's shoulder ached, and whenever he learned or had it at the wrong angle, pain flared through his shoulder and rippled through his chest. Having his hands tied behind his back made it so much worse.

Then there was his palm to deal with. He couldn't feel the tips of his fingers; his head was too cloudy for him to form a proper string of thoughts. Instead, everything came out as though his hearing had been blurred.

All Katsuki knew was that Izuku was close enough to his face that he could make out the soft features by just blinking a few times to focus his eyes.

Izuku's cheeks were covered with freckles; if Katsuki connected them like a game of connecting the dots, he could make two diamonds - one on each cheek. His hair looked the same like it did in middle school: curly and coming down a little past his ears. Izuku kind of had small ears now that Katsuki was looking closer.

It should have been easy to pick out any flaws on Izuku's face with him so close. But he doesn't have any, Katsuki thought hazily, blinking at Izuku.

Wait, no. What am I thinking? God- NO! No bi thoughts. Not right now. Not the time, Katsuki, he scolded himself, cursing softly under his breath. No bi thoughts. Especially not about this stupid nerd.

"There," Izuku mumbled, pulling away from Katsuki. He'd somehow managed to wrap the cloth around the wound, but there was still some blood - enough blood to stain it.

"Hey, Deku?" Katsuki said, his voice much calmer and softer than it was before.

God - Katsuki was so tired.

Izuku hummed, sighing as he worriedly looked Katsuki up and down.

"I...I don't- I don't feel too good," the blonde said, blinking furiously in an attempt not to pass out.

Izuku sucked in a breath, noticing how Katsuki was beginning to sway from side to side like he was about to drop dead.

Is it selfish to be sad right now? Izuku wondered, Is it bad that I'm sad? I mean. . .he's only telling me this because he's out of it. I should be doing something to help him. I shouldn't just be sitting here.