What Is Free? (Kiribaku Midevil Au)

part 12

One week later and they were finally reaching the end of the plains. Kirishima was excited. After the plains, there was a small sliver of woods that would be all that stood between them and the mountains. That was all that stood between them and the league. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. On one hand, they were facing some of the most powerful sorcerers in the world so powerful that they have wiped entire species off the face of the planet. But on the other hand, all of them have been training so hard, gotten stronger, and grew together as a team. Even Katsuki grew begrudgingly closer to the other two. He doesn't threaten to murder them every other day. But maybe that was just Kirishima being biased. Ever since that night under the stars and Denki's caravan visiting them he and Katsuki grew a lot closer. Sure they trained together daily but he felt the air slowly shifting between them. He felt like he could read Katsuki better now. Sure he wore almost the same annoying or pissed-off expression every day but when Kirishima looked into his eyes they told a different story. He could recognize how his eyebrows would twitch slightly when he was pondering something or his eyes would shake a bit when he wasn't focused. Kirishima found himself sometimes just staring at Katsuki, getting lost in his presence. He'd been caught a few times but no one really questioned it anymore. Kirishima was just being Kirishima. Sometimes, when he was caught, Katsuki wouldn't say anything. Sometimes he'd just stare back. It should have made Kirishima uncomfortable but it didn't. Nothing about Katsuki made Kirishima uncomfortable. And deep down, Kirishima thought Katsuki felt the same. He was the only person Katsuki would offer to train with. He was the only one allowed to call him Katsuki. And he was the only one Katsuki would allow to touch him. Not to even mention their bonding mark. The two were practically inseparable now. For every Katsuki scowl, there was a Kirishima smile. They were a perfect balance.

"We should reach the end of the plains today!" Izuku smiled as he practically skipped alongside Todoroki.

"It's about fucking time. I'm sick of seeing nothing but grass." Katsuki huffed.

"Plus we would be less out in the open." Todoroki's logical voice stood out.

"Yea! I'm sick of eating dried-up jerky and field mice. I wanna eat some real meat!" Kirishima said. "oh! What if we go to another market! I can get another turkey leg."

"That really shouldn't be our number. one priority," Izuku said.

"And why the hell not? If we are going to take on the league we need to be at full strength. I don't want to hear Eijiro complaining about being hungry the whole fucking time." Katsuki surprisingly agreed with Kirishima, making a bright smile etch across his face.

"Yea! You heard him!" Kirishima spurred on. The sky above them was sunny but abundant with fluffy white clouds banding together. It was a tranquil feeling, staring up at the clouds. One that Kirishima didn't even realize he missed. He sighed in content and closed his eyes as he walked. He was soaking up the calmness around him when a shiver ran up his spine. A shiver that broke that tranquility. Something was wrong. They reached the top of the last hill. Kirishima felt a huge pressure slam into him, his smile fell, his body tensed, his face twisted into discomfort. What was going on? Why did he all of a sudden feel this dread cast upon him? It hit him like a wet blanket to his normal sunshine. It was at this point Kirishima finally opened up his eyes. In front of him was a calm, crystal blue river that separated the plains from the rich deep green woods full of towering trees. It was beautiful. Grotesquely beautiful. The feeling never went away though. He saw Todoroki and Izuku walking down Infront of him but he couldn't find himself moving. The dread cast its spell over Kirishima and held him in place. He dared to glance next to him and the sight chilled his bones. Katsuki stood next to him, unmoving, not breathing even. His skin had gone ghostly white, his ruby eyes were wide and shaking a bit. Katsuki didn't see a blue river in front of them, nor did he see the towering tall trees or the cloudy sky above them. No, all he saw was red. The street flowed with blood, the trees were covered in blue flame.