~BNHA~ Everything That I Am

Chapter 11

The silence in the room was like thick molasses that stuck to the skin, with the reality of everything taking over. Izuku had stepped away from everyone moving to the farthest corner of the training room. He needed space away from the truth that was crushing around him for the second time.

But the news clung to him, coating the back of his throat until he felt like he couldn't take in a breath.

"Breathe." Kacchan said.

Izuku shook Kacchan's hand from his shoulder. He pressed himself deeper into the cold surface of the wall. The coolness dug into Izuku's flushed cheeks as he tried to stop his raging thoughts. Kacchan was the only one Izuku could tolerate so close to him at this moment. As his lungs burned and everything became too loud inside him. One for all scraped at his bones, begging to use on those that had hurt his friend.

"I said breathe!" Kacchan yelled.

Desperate air filled Izuku's lungs as he did as Kacchan demanded. His thoughts cleared, if only for a moment. Kacchan counted out eight seconds as Izuku held his breath in his lungs. He needed to let his friend take control of his actions because Izuku couldn't trust what he would do at this very moment.

"Breathe again Deku." Kacchan said.

"They're supposed to be heroes.....Kacchan....I trusted them, I told her it would be fine." Izuku said.

"Don't think about that right now Deku, you're having a panic attack I need you to focus on your breathing." Kacchan said.

Izuku shook his head, he understood on some level that Kacchan was right, but his brain wouldn't settle; his body betrayed him as different muscles and limbs shook and twitched. It felt like something or more everything was building in his chest, coiling in a tight grip around his heart.

"It's my fault Kacchan....But you knew.....You knew they couldn't be trusted." Izuku cried.

His vision blurred, the build-up of tears overflowing as they fell to the floor. Izuku slammed his fist against the wall, making it dent and give way under the force. The hole was small, but he didn't care to worry about it.

"You need to calm down Deku." Kacchan said.

Izuku turned his head to look at Kacchan. His face lay only inches away from Izuku. This was the closest they had ever been since they were kids sleeping in each other's beds. The feathering touch of Kacchan's hand against the back of his neck registered, and Izuku began to settle as he focused on the redness of Kacchan's eyes.

"Idiot, you can't lose it now. Now breathe with me." Kacchan whispered.

His words brushed against Izuku's heated skin, and he managed to take a small shaky breath for the blonde.

"Alright, good....good." Kacchan said.

Izuku's focus moved across Kacchan's face. From the soft flush of his cheeks. The dark bruising bags under his eyes gave away how little he was sleeping. He could hear Kacchan swallowed before taking a deep breath in, Izuku following his lead.

Kacchan counted the seconds as Izuku's world began to center around his friend. The way he counted with his finger into the dip where Izuku's neck and shoulder met. Kacchan counted eight taps before releasing the air, and Izuku followed his lead, their breaths mingling between them.

Kacchan began a slow pattern, and Izuku did as told until his breathing evened. His eyes were dry now, making them itchy and glazed as he concentrated only on Kacchan.

When Kacchan was satisfied, he stopped as he dug his finger into the soft fleshiness of Izuku's skin, and a strange shudder coursed through Izuku's body in response, but he was too tired to question or pull away.