Ten TDBK/BKTD fics

day five: water

They were on the swim team together. Key word: were. Now it's just him, because Shoto is dead. 

is it bad that this was the easiest one to write during writer's block

does include an OC, but really its only a short appearance and because I couldn't find a therapist suiting enough

~~~

Katsuki slams the empty cup against the table. "Another one," he orders, and the server looks concerned at how inarticulate he is. His words are slurred, and his vision is blurry. 
He would be concerned about his vision, but he assumes it's just the tears running down his face at the moment. "Please," he adds when she doesn't move.

"O-of course," she says, and stumbles away. 

He clumsily stacks the empty cups in an uneven, wobbly tower of glasses, and tries to count them, but his vision is too weak to see them clearly. Maybe four or five cups?

"Here you go, sir." Placing the glass on the table, she walks away, but not before shooting him another worried glance. Shouldn't she be used to this by now? 

Some obscure part of his brain tells him that consuming this much alcohol this rapidly can't be good for him, and that he should probably stop soon.
Again, an obscure part of his brain.
He did not stop drinking.

~~~
It had been three days since Shoto died.
Bakugou wasn't the first to find out.
Endeavor had called him, coldly saying, "he's dead," then hanging up.
Endeavor was an asshole.

The entire bakusquad  had tried to comfort him numerous times, but he shooed them out, all of them disturbed by his unusually quiet threats.
He just didn't have the energy or will to yell anymore.

He doesn't eat, barely sleeps.
He knows this isn't at all heathy for his body.
He doesn't care.

~~~

Eventually, he works up the courage to go back.

"Good to see you, kid," Aizawa greets him, looking genuinely relieved to see Katsuki up and doing well. 
If only he knew.
Katsuki hums, and Aizawa steps aside to let him see the water.

The sun makes snakeskin-like patterns on the water, and the pool and pool deck are both completely empty except for Katsuki and Aizawa.
The water looks almost inviting, shimmering and sparkling.
Katsuki remembers the last time he swam.

It was maybe half a year ago, and Shoto was still alive.
He can't swim anymore, not if the water only brings back memories of Shoto.

He hates the water, and he hates that he hates the water.

"Do you want to get in?" Aizawa's voice startles him, and he whips his head around to meet his eyes. 

No, he wants to say. I don't want to get in. But he doesn't want Aizawa to worry about him, so he just nods. 
The water is colder than he remembered it to be, and it doesn't seem so inviting anymore. The cold isn't unbearable, simply uncomfortable, and it just keeps reminding him of when he was still on the team.
With Shoto.

He's really only half in the water, his head and most of his torso still dry. 
He doesn't think that he can come back up if he ever puts his head in the water.
He kind of wants to just stick his head in and wait for the oxygen to run out.

Then I'd see Shoto again, he thinks, and the thought almost motivates him enough to try, until he remembers Aizawa.
What would Aizawa think of a dead body in his pool?

He doesn't want the same thing that happened to him to happen to his family and friends.

He'll live, for now, at least.