Izuku's Tangles

The Green Rabbit

It took him a few minutes of staring to register where he was. The warmth from Hitoshi, arms wrapped around him, head tilted to his neck. Snores from below. His hand is in Hitoshi's. Darkness surrounded the room. An airy noise filtered through the vents.

He was home.

Except, it wasn't his home.

Izuku yawned, rubbing his eyes with his empty hand. Hitoshi looked peaceful sleeping, utterly unaware of the thoughts flying through Izuku's head. He wished his heart was filled with butterflies and contentment, rather than guilt and sadness.

Katsuki looked calm too, just happy Izuku was with him.

Izuku didn't know what to do.

He knew he wanted to cry and scream.

Glancing around, he felt his nerves settle. Analysing his thoughts, he learnt it was a dream. The field and his house were just a dream. Just like the dream in the forest.

However, as much as he wanted to relax and forget about it, he couldn't. It struck him as odd that both dreams had a green bunny–the first probably being a foreshadowing of the second. They both also showed his dad ignoring him.

Is that how he feels? Just a ghost around his dad?

Maybe the dream was just showing his deepest desires. Dad told him they could do that a few months ago.

Was the rabbit him? If he's saying dreams show your unconscious mind, does that mean the rabbit was representing him? The bunny goes into the house, leaving the house; the different points in Izuku's life. It cuddles with his dad, and it tries to tug Izuku away...

The bunny was him.

Izuku groaned, rubbing his eyes, untangling his hand from Hitoshi's. He was curious about what he would say about the dream. Though, he isn't sure if he would ever say it.

He felt ashamed that he wanted to go back–no, he needed to go back. If the dream was his desire, wouldn't that mean it was what was happening to his dad? It felt too real. Even though it was a dream, that doesn't mean it's entirely fake. It could've been a reflection of real life.

Either way, even if it's not, that still means he needs to go back. What happens if dad is harmed but is unable to travel to the hospital? He's in trouble.

Izuku needs to stop being so selfish and get back to dad.

However, that thought made him want to scream. Leaving Hitoshi? No. Leaving Katsuki–when he just got Izuku back? No. If Izuku departs... he's being selfish in the eyes of Katsuki. What about Hitoshi? He'd stop being a hero for Izuku.

That's why he had no idea what to do.

A squeak.

"Heh?" Izuku turned to the noise, eyes going wide. Katsuki and Hitoshi stayed oblivious to the noise–snoring even louder. His heart skipped a beat out of fear, pumping so fast, it could've jumped out.

The bunny, the green rabbit he thought was just residing in his dreams, was staring back at him, with black, beads eyes. It bucked the wood from the door, pushing it just a sliver so it could slip through.

Was the dream truly a reflection of real life? Does that mean dad's still hurt? As it was a dream, Izuku hadn't healed dad in real time.

Dad could still be in pain.

The bunny squeaked, and Izuku frowned. It was shaking its head–like it was human-like it knew what Izuku was thinking.

He needed to go home–but how? He had no way of getting there and he had no idea where to go. What way, how to get back to the town or the forest? Hitoshi went down so many twists and turns on their way there as if he was trying to get lost.

As if he was trying to get Izuku confused.

Suddenly, the idea of staying didn't sound so good. Was this Hitoshi's plan? To get Izuku to stay with him? No wonder why he was disappointed whenever he spoke about leaving, he didn't want Izuku to go.

That's why he was so prescient in getting proof, allowing Katsuki to be snappy, he knew that would persuade Izuku to stay.

At that moment, the idea of being used sounded not that bad, better than being with someone so secretive. Except, dad is secretive too.

They both are.

Perhaps it was the idea that Hitoshi was perfect, that his hero made it hurt way too much.

Hitoshi wanted to get Izuku away from his dad.

Maybe that's why he tried to break in– to ruin his life with his dad. If it wasn't for him, he would never have figured out how toxic his and dad's relationship is.

Hitoshi messed it up.

Izuku glared at Hitoshi, removing the limbs from his chest. Untangling his legs, the butterfly feeling throbbed, trying to get him back under the covers. As though, Hitoshi was calling for him in his sleep. Hitoshi began to move, Izuku stiled, watching from where he sat, twisting to his side.

Izuku sighed, happy Hitoshi was just sleeping.

However... that didn't stop him from whispering Izuku's name while he sleeps Izuku's heart throbbing.

He didn't want to leave.

He wanted to keep feeling happy.

Except, he can't. If he stays, he will know the truth and would only want to feel butterflies, being selfish.

Izuku shifted himself to the end of the bed, nudging off it.

The bunny continued to stare.

Katsuki stretched, creaking the bed.

Izuku watched.

He doesn't remember Katsuki, but he remembers Izuku. Was he being selfish wanting to leave? To get back to a normal, orderly life?

Maybe he was.

But he owed his dad.

He can come back and visit Katsuki another time. After all, he was being selfish to his dad first, then to Katsuki.

He looked at the two, squinting his eyes, getting up from the bed.

A squeak.

Izuku looked down. The bunny looked at him as if he was trying to get his attention. It bucked its head against the air, huffs coming from the nose. Perhaps, just like his dreams, the bunny can bring him home.

Izuku mouthed out the words, knowing full well Hitoshi was a light sleeper. "Can you bring me home?"

The bunny nodded its head.

He should've been freaked out that the bunny knew what he said and even nodded.

Except, he was tired. He wanted to go home.

Shaking his head, he followed the bunny out the door, taking a second to look at the room. The light from the hall shined into the room, and thin specks of light glowed on Hitoshi's face.

The butterflies came back one last time as a last-ditch effort to make him stay.

He shook his head.

No, he had to leave.

This was it.

"Bye... Hitosh and Katsuki."

He wanted to hug them–to say goodbye to them properly, but he couldn't. They'd never understand, simply because they want him to stay–to leave his dad. They'd make him stay. Perhaps, they were holding back all this time. If they hadn't, they'd have forced Izuku to stay.

Stopping the tears from dripping, and gritting his teeth, he pushed the door and closed it.

Heading home, following the rabbit.

He'll come home and face the punishment his dad chooses.

As that's better than heartbreak.