Violet Eyes

Chapter 43

Later that night, Katsuki fell asleep with me in his arms, but I was still awake. Hitoshi had somehow managed to fall asleep, past out on the far side of the bed. Eijirou was still awake, the only evidence being his hand in my hair, absently playing with my curls. It was weird, him being up so late. I had a feeling he was only awake because I was. 

"Do you think he's gone for good this time?" I whispered. The question had been on my mind all night and I wanted an outside perspective. 

"I don't know." 

"What if he comes back?" My heartbeat sped up at just the thought of it. 

"Keep a bat by the front door?" I wasn't sure if it was a joke or not, but knowing Eijirou it probably wasn't. 

"I won't be able to use it," I confessed into the darkness. "I can defend myself fine, just... not with him. It's like my whole body freezes up and I'm a little kid again, getting screamed at by my dad." 

"I know the feeling," he said with a sigh, shifting from his upright position to spoon me from behind, one strong arm secured around my waist. 

"Is that why you let him hit you?" I asked softly, referring to his own father. I knew Eijirou, I knew he could fight back against just about anyone. If his dad had landed a hit on him, it was only because he had let him. 

"Partly," he admitted, his breath tickling my neck as he spoke. "Partly because I... felt like I deserved it." 

"You know that you didn't, right?" 

"Yes, darlin'. Don't worry." 

"That's kind of all I do." 

"I know," he murmured, his forehead moving to rest against the back of my head. "Do you know that you didn't deserve it?" 

"I don't know," I whispered, his arm tightening its hold and moving me closer to him. "Sometimes... sometimes it feels like he's right and everyone would be better off if I just... ended it." 

I was suddenly rolled onto my back, Eijirou hovering above me with his arms caging me in. "Never," he said through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing in the dim room. "Nothing would be better without you." 

I slowly nodded, just wanting him to stop looking at me like that. He had never looked so.. feral, for a lack of better term. He was ready to tear through someone at just the thought of losing me. Did it really scare him that much? 

He dropped to his elbows, his forehead resting against mine as he closed his eyes. "Please, never think that again. I can't lose you, Izuku."  

My hands made their way to his hair, holding him there. "I'll try." 

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The next day I was off, noticeably off. I was quiet and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, except for my boyfriends. They weren't acting any more normal than I was. 

Eijirou physically would not let me go. Literally. He followed me around to all my classes and sat in, even when teachers scolded him. If they wouldn't let him stay in the class, he'd pull me to my feet and we would leave. All day. 

Katsuki was almost as quiet as I was. The only exception was when he'd threaten people for so much as looking at me. It was... sweet, a little intense, but I knew it was just his way of trying to protect me. It got exhausting after a while though. 

Hitoshi was... well, he was Hitoshi, but to a whole new extreme. Every time he opened his mouth, it was a smartass, sarcastic remark at the expense of whoever dared talk to him. Except for me, Eijirou, and Katsuki. If it was us, a switch flipped and he suddenly turned soft and kind.