Death Paradox 💥BAKUDEKU💥

Chapter 3

Part 1
The Fool

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Chapter 3

Katsuki looked like he was on the verge of exploding, his fiery temper barely held in check, when someone stepped up behind him. Before Katsuki could react, a hand darted out and snatched the notebook from his grasp. It was Kendo, her usual bright demeanor replaced with a rare sternness. "That's not nice, Bakugo," she said firmly, her tone cutting through the tension. Without missing a beat, she tossed the notebook back to Izuku. "Seriously, he didn't mean to crash into you. Give him some slack for once, would you? God, sometimes you're worse than Monama with Class 1-B."

Izuku's eyes widened in shock, gratitude swelling in his chest. Kendo had just saved him from what could've been a disastrous confrontation. He caught the notebook with trembling hands, feeling relief flood through him like a tidal wave. She had thrown him a lifeline, and he was so thankful he could have kisses her in sheer relief, absurd as it was.

But he couldn't stick around to see how Katsuki would react. He needed to get away—now. Without waiting for any further response, Izuku turned on his heel and bolted for the elevator. He could feel their eyes on him, burning holes into his back as he fled, but he didn't care. The overwhelming need to process everything that had just happened, consumed him. That and he needed to put as much distance as he could between him and Katsuki.

Katsuki's voice thundered through the hall, reverberating off the walls. "Get back here, Deku!" he yelled, pissed as hell. But Izuku didn't stop. He practically flew into the elevator, jamming the button for his floor with a shaking hand. The doors slid shut just as Katsuki's footsteps reached them, sealing Izuku inside.

For a brief moment, Izuku allowed himself to breathe, his chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow breaths. Okay, that was close. Too close. He could still feel the lingering tension in his muscles, the residual panic that hadn't quite faded. He clutched the notebook to his chest, feeling the sharp edges press into his skin. The hum of the elevator's ascent offered a small comfort, helping him relax slightly.

But when the elevator dinged and the doors opened on his floor, that fleeting sense of relief vanished. Izuku's stomach dropped as he saw who was waiting for him—Katsuki, arms crossed and an expression that could melt steel. His heart lurched in his chest. Oh no. Oh no, no, no. His mind screamed at him for not taking the stairs, for thinking the elevator would be a safe haven. Katsuki must've sprinted up while Izuku was stuck inside, and now there was no escape. Damn it, he should've known better. But it was too late for regrets.

Katsuki stepped into the elevator without a word, his presence filling the small space, making it feel impossibly cramped. He slammed the fourth-floor button, the doors closing behind him with a finality that made Izuku's pulse spike. Izuku backed up until his back hit the wall, his grip tightening on the notebook like it could shield him.

Katsuki's glare could've cut through steel, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at Izuku. The elevator felt like it was shrinking, the walls closing in as Katsuki loomed over him. Izuku could barely breathe, his chest heaving as he tried to make sense of what the heck was going through his head, but all he could focus on was the fury radiating off Katsuki in waves.

The silence was suffocating, Katsuki's piercing gaze locked onto the notebook clutched to Izuku's chest. For a moment, the only sound was the faint hum of the elevator as it carried them up. Then Katsuki blinked, his eyes snapping up to meet Izuku's. His expression twisted into a sneer, but his voice was disturbingly calm when he finally spoke.

"What... The hell is going on, Deku?" Katsuki's tone was low, but it was laced with enough menace to make Izuku flinch.

Izuku's mouth went dry, and he stammered, his mind racing to find the right words. "K-Kacchan, I... I didn't—" His voice was trembling on top of that, and he hated himself for it. "It's complicated. There's nothing to you need to worry about." That was probably the wrong thing to say.