Death Paradox 💥BAKUDEKU💥

Chapter 5

Strength

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Chapter 5

Izuku woke to the sound of someone calling his name, but it felt like it was coming from underwater. His limbs were cement. His mouth dry. His head pulsing in that same place it always did now—just behind the eyes, sharp and rhythmic like something was trying to crack him open from the inside out.

"Nerd."

No. Nope. Absolutely not.

He curled tighter under the blanket, burying his face in the pillow with a groan that sounded more like a wounded animal than a person. His entire body ached—his back, his stomach, his jaw, everything. He wasn't even sure how much sleep he'd gotten. Three hours? Maybe two?

"Deku."

The voice was closer now. Sharper. Familiar.

He didn't answer. Just groaned again, low and ragged, and tried to will his body back into unconsciousness. It didn't work. Nothing did. Not the blanket. Not the half-hearted attempt to pull the pillow over his head. The pain was too loud. The cold too deep. He felt like he'd been wrung out and left to rot in a laundry basket.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and shook—firm, not rough.

"Nerd," Katsuki said again, crouched beside the him now, sitting back on his feet. His voice wasn't angry, but it was impatient. "Come on. You're gonna be late."

Izuku cracked one bloodshot eye open and stared at the floor. He hadn't even felt Katsuki get up to get ready for class.

"...Don't feel good," he mumbled into the mattress.

Katsuki didn't budge. "Yeah? You think I didn't notice that you were constantly tossing and turning last night? Get up."

"Leave me here," Izuku groaned. "I'm a lost cause."

"You're a goddamn drama queen," Katsuki muttered, but he didn't move to drag him out of bed like he normally would have. He just stayed there, crouched at Izuku's side, eyes narrowing slightly. Reading him.

Izuku didn't lift his head. Didn't roll over. Didn't even try to act like he had it in him to argue. His entire body was one long throb of nope. The nausea was worse now—low and constant, not sharp but rolling, like his stomach was trying to digest gravel.

Katsuki shifted. He leaned closer, and when he spoke again, his voice had dropped just a little.

"You're not faking, are you?"

Izuku didn't even pretend to deny it this time. Just mumbled, "Nnnnnope."

Katsuki sighed again—heavy this time. Irritated, but not at him. Not really. "You got a headache again?"

What was the point of lying if he could barely function right now? Izuku gave the faintest of nods, just enough to count. "Mmmhmm."

"Bad?"

Izuku winced, the movement pulling across his temples like rubber bands about to snap. "...Yeah."

A pause. Then Katsuki asked, quieter this time, "You got any painkillers?"

"In the cabinet," Izuku mumbled, voice muffled by the pillow. "Top drawer. My desk."

He heard Katsuki get up, the soft rustle of footsteps across the floor, the scrape of the drawer opening. A short rustle. The sound of the bottle cap twisting. Then, footsteps again—this time heading for the bathroom.