A Shadow of The Past 💥BakuDeku💥

Chapter 17

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Wounds That Bind

He had been here before—he'd seen this version of Izuku through the USB, through the actions of the last few months, and under the Red Lotus, he was the one who held the reins when everything else crumbled away. And when Reaper wanted control, he dominated the other parts of Izuku without hesitation. No matter how much Katsuki hated to admit it, there was no getting through to the other side of Izuku if Reaper didn't allow it.

Katsuki sucked in a sharp breath, forcing himself to swallow the urge to lash out. "Fine," he relented, unwilling to let go of his anger but knowing this was the only way.

Izuku's sharp gaze flickered at Katsuki's sudden shift in tone, his eyes raking over Katsuki like he was waiting for a trap. But Katsuki wasn't done yet.

"Uraraka," Katsuki started, eyes never leaving Izuku's, watching for any change in his expression. "She gave me the USB you left for IcyHot."

Izuku's eyes widened, just for a split second, a flash of surprise breaking through that cold mask. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a carefully neutral expression. Still, it was enough for Katsuki to know he'd hit something.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" Katsuki continued, his voice hard, but with an edge of something else—something closer to curiosity than rage. "She found it. And now I have it. I've been putting together the pieces—the pieces you left behind, the ones you were having trouble putting together."

Izuku stood suddenly, dusting himself off with a swift, almost dismissive motion, like the tension between them hadn't even touched him. He straightened, tilting his head slightly as he regarded Katsuki.

"Did you now?" Every time he spoke, every time Katsuki looked at him, it felt wrong—like he was talking to a stranger wearing Izuku's skin. And that's what it was, wasn't it?

He wanted to strangle Izuku. God, he wanted to punch him until his fists bled, until he could beat some fucking sense back into him, force him to snap out of this. To rip it out of him. But at the same time, buried deep under all that rage, was something else.

Katsuki wanted to hold him.

Even now, after everything, after the hell Izuku had put him through, Katsuki wanted nothing more than to reach out, to pull him close and cling to him like he had in the months after the coma—when Izuku was warm and alive and felt like home. He hated himself for it, for wanting something so damn desperately that he knew wasn't there anymore. Because this thing in front of him—it wasn't the Izuku he loved. It looked like him, talked like him, but it wasn't him.

His green eyes gleamed with something dangerous, something wild, like he knew exactly what was going through Katsuki's head, like he could see right through the anger and frustration. His lips twisted into a smile—but it wasn't a smile. It was a crazed grin, unsettling as fuck in its coldness, like it had been stretched too far. Almost as if he were not only enjoying what he could see but something Katsuki didn't yet understand.

"I already figured out what they're doing," Izuku said casually, but his voice had an edge to it, a dark undercurrent that made Katsuki tense. "More or less."

Katsuki felt his jaw tighten as he stared Izuku down, not entirely sure if he was bluffing or not.

"I know about Phazewave," Izuku continued, his voice soft but laced with a dangerous certainty. "I know that serum... EcksTerminus... it was used on Phazewave. Some kind of testing—experimenting with it. They're playing with fire trying to amp up the Nomu's."