SOLD

Truth

~~~

The world had come to a standstill.

It was as if the entire room had been dunked underwater, white noise muffled to nothing.

Izuku could feel that Kacchan was ridged against him, the mutter of disbelief and shock slipping past his lips, rattling through his ribcage and onto his resting cheek.

It was harder to breathe, either not knowing what to say or do - Kacchan had said too little; Izuku had said too much.

The minutes tick by like hours, and now the two begged the other to say something. To elaborate, or lecture, or even change the subject.

But it's hard to.

The milk had already spilt, and it's impossible to ignore it.

And yet it was like they were both walking on eggshells, sudden movements causing that iconic cracking sound, which can only resort to another breakdown.

Neither could bare to deal with that right now.

Kacchan chooses to break the silence, his voice trembling with an unknown emotion.

"You..."

He whispers, his voice raw.

"You can't..."

The hold Izuku was in tenses slightly, the muscles against his arm now stronger.

"I-I'll die."

The atmosphere was akin to that of a graveyard.

Deadly.

 A silent killer.

His words hold a strain, something guttural.

"You mean... too much... to me."

Eyelids block out the crimson light of his eyes, now scrunching in pain.

"I can't... f-fucking imagine what I'd do... if you..."

Both of their lungs had collapsed, no longer able to inflate. The lumps in their throats couldn't be swallowed down either.

They both needed each other.

That was the unmissable truth, found somewhere deep inside their broken hearts.

"Sorry."

Kacchan's eyes snap back open upon hearing the whisper, resting back on the hiccupping boy, guiltily staring at his palms.

"T's not your fault," he mumbles back.

'It's mine.'

Because if he had been stronger, or less weaker, or had defeated Shigaraki quickly enough before Izuku could feel the full effect of his heat, they wouldn't be in such a mess. Those bombs could have stopped firing, and maybe Sero's valiant life could have been spared. But he wasn't fucking fast enough! Too damn slow! Not good enough! 

"Not yours either," he mumbles back, though there was a little lightness to his words. And, if you pay attention closely enough, there is evidence of the barest of smiles pulling at his lips.

"S'that a challenge, Deku?" Kacchan smirks playfully in return, nudging Izuku gently to encourage the smile to grow.

It works, if but for a second, before it falters.

"It's just..."

The arms around him shift, cradling him with care.

"Take your time," he coos, rocking them back and forth. It made Izuku's head clear a little, the huger things becoming less overwhelming because, at that moment, he felt tiny in the Alpha's hold, as if he were fragile. It made him feel safe, and protected from the demons lying in wait.