Strings and Buttons

Chapter 29: Tumble

The rats watch him from the corners of the room as he runs after the rat with the marble in between two of its paws. Katsuki chases after it, angry footsteps banging against the creaking wooden floor. 

"Come back here you fucking rat!" 

Smaller black rats get in front of him, running in front of his boots and the way ahead. Now, he really tried to not step on them, but it's their own fault for getting in his way. His brain blocks out the feeling of guts squelching and squishing under his shoe as he runs, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he chases after the big rat. 

It is heading right out of the flat, towards the front door. Katsuki is going to do fucking anything to make sure it doesn't make it there. He bursts through the door, the rat crawling through a small hole, squeaking with the marble held firmly in its two paws. 

Katsuki has a passing moment now that they are outside, to take in the house as he's chasing the little bastard. It's become more distorted, as if someone took a picture of it and started to stretch it out and darken it. 

He decides fuck it and starts to run down the stairs, feeling the structure begin to shake slightly with the force of his descent. But it'll all be worth it! He can see that piece of shit, and he's only getting closer and closer. 

He's running down the stairs as quick as he can, almost sprinting. Thats why he can't even stop when he gets to the ground floor. 

"Fuck!" 

He only gets to yell one word before his ankle twists and he slams into the floor, scrapping his knees and elbows when he tried to catch himself. There is a sickening crack when he lands, and grit digs itself into his skin. 

He gets up and breathes heavily, wincing slightly. He wipes the grit from his skin and stands up wobbly, gritting his teeth at the throbbing of his ankle. He looks around him quickly, eyes darting anywhere he could look, seeing no sign of the rat. 

"Damnit!" 

He kicks the wall of the house angrily, which doesn't help his ankle at all. He lets out a choked-out yell and he looks down, pulling up the leg of his sweatpants to look at it. He can't see much besides a growing bruise and swollen skin, the rest of the damaged unseen because of his boot.

 That was the last thing he needed besides his parents. Now, it's not like he can waste time walking around looking for that fucking thing, it would take too long, and he would run out of time. 

Not to mention now with his fucked-up leg how the fuck is he going to cover that much ground. His head is spinning, and he hopes its just from the shitty fall and not from hitting his head. He's about to take his anger out on the wall of the house again before there is a cough from behind him. He whips his body around only to seethe through his teeth in pain. 

"Oh motherfucker that really hurts! Ow!" 

His eyes land on Shoto, who's paws are a bright red. His eyes shine and he tilts his head, gesturing to the big rat in front of him. Its head is the only thing that remains, the marble inside of its mouth. 

Katsuki grimaces when he sees the rest of its body torn up in different areas. 

"I was not aware that i would need to do your job for you. I expect a reward later on." 

Katsuki glares at him and picks up the rat's head, throwing it somewhere quickly after taking the marble. 

 "I wonder where you're gonna get that from, because it's definitely not going to be from me icy hot."

The cat looks at him like he's the dumbest thing he's ever seen, and turns its head away, licking at its paws. The voice of the last mirror ghost rings in his head, 

"She will never let you go. She never follows the rules. You are still in terrible, terrible danger."

Katsuki puts the marble into his pocket. Now the only thing he needs to do now is find his parents and get the fuck out of here. Which would be a fucking cake walk. He already knows where they are. 

He's learned over and over again that the other mother can't really create anything on her own because she has no need to. She can only twist and change the things that Katsuki has in his life to make them seem more appealing on her side. 

So why go through all of the trouble of making some extra shit when she clearly needs the energy on other things. Unless she really needs the snow globe on the mantel. Thats where his parents must be. 

"I know where my parents are. Are you coming or am i just wasting my time." 

Shoto looks at him, his eyes reflecting annoyance.

 "Yes, you're wasting so much time." 

He says sarcastically.

 "It's not like you can get very far anyway with that swollen ankle. Besides I-" 

He abruptly stops, eyes focused somewhere behind Katsuki. The blonde gets sudden chills, and he whirls around.

 "What the fuck are you looking at?! Scaring the shit out of me!" 

The house, previously really not that bad, was now turning into something completely different. All of the intricate designs and feelings were gone now, replaced by some dark slashes and whites, like a charcoal drawing just crudely made. 

A scribble of a house made on a grey piece of paper. 

"Well, I'd love to stay but i really don't want to go in there so-" 

Katsuki turns back to shoto, who is walking backwards. The cat stops halfway, and its fur stands up all at once, his tail bustling. Katsuki watches him confused and freaked out. 

"What the fuck are you doing."