𝔸 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕍.𝟚 💥𝔹𝕜𝔻𝕜💥

Chapter 23

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Unmistakable Tension

KATSUKI

Katsuki's jaw clenched in annoyance as he held the damn phone away from his ear, enduring Aizawa's relentless scolding. He stood in the kitchen, feeling utterly drained, dressed in nothing but a tank top and boxers. This morning, the first thing he did was check Izuku's meds. And what did he find? No anti-depressants among the prescription bottles. Talk about a colossal screw-up, and now he had to deal with this infuriating fucking phone call on top of everything else.

Aizawa's voice grated on his every nerve like sandpaper, each word adding fuel to the fire of his frustration. Of course, he knew how crucial Izuku's. How could he not notice the damn pills were missing earlier? No wonder Izuku had been acting like an emotionless robot lately. He mentally kicked himself for not being more vigilant.

"Look, I know I fucked up," Katsuki interjected, cutting off Aizawa's lecture. "But I'll make sure Deku gets his meds from now on. Just get them so he can actually take them."

There was a pause on the other end, probably Aizawa contemplating whether to keep chewing him out some more. But Katsuki really wasn't in the mood for more lectures. "Fine, but I'm coming over to check on him," Aizawa finally relented with a tired sigh. "He shouldn't have gone this long without his meds."

Katsuki nodded, even though Aizawa couldn't see him. "Yeah, whatever." He ended the call, clicking his tongue in frustration. He knew he should've paid closer attention to Izuku's needs, especially if he was so off but there was no use crying over spilled milk now.

Making his way to the living room, Katsuki found Izuku slumped at the wrecked kotatsu, eyes glued to a video game. He walked over and plopped down next to him, his eyes immediately catching the subtle tremor in Izuku's hand as he gripped the controller. The physical therapy had helped him regain some control, but it was still a struggle.

Clearing his throat, Katsuki readied himself for a serious talk. "Oi, Deku. I need to talk to you about something important, so listen up." he said, his voice firm and direct.

Izuku paused Smash Pros, curiously glancing up from the game. "Yeah?" Katsuki noticed a slight improvement in Izuku's overall mood since last night's heart-to-heart. Maybe it had made a difference, after all.

Taking a deep breath, Katsuki delivered the news. "Turns out you haven't been taking one of your meds for over a month. The anti-depressant crap." Izuku's eyes widened in surprise, probably realizing why he'd been feeling like crap lately. "I haven't been taking my medication? but I take them every day?" And then came the hard part. Katsuki admitted his own negligence. "I didn't realize it was missing from your damn prescription bottles. It's my fault."

"Well... that explains a lot," he said softly, his gaze shifting as he processed the revelation, setting the controller down on the table.

Izuku's fingers fidgeted nervously before he laid his palms flat on the table. His disfigured hand trembled as he tried to extend it against the cold surface. "If I'm being honest, Katsuki... I feel a little better today because of... well, everything we talked about last night."

Katsuki arched an eyebrow, intrigued by Izuku's admission. He cocked his head slightly, watching Izuku's curls fall over his eyes as they stare at each other. The vulnerability in Izuku's expression struck something deep within Katsuki, but he pushed aside his own emotions for the moment.

"You do?" Katsuki's voice carried its usual rough edge, but there was a hint of something softer beneath it. "What's been going through that damn head of yours, nerd?"