pretend it only happened in a dream | bakuiida

nineteen | bittersweet is a type of sweet

~*~

Sero's gravestone is a small plaque that simply says his name and birth date and death date. I cry a little bit, just reminiscing about everything we did together. I feel better with Kaminari by my side.

"Remember that time we had to break into your house because you accidentally locked us out?" Kami asks.

I laugh. "And Sero shoved Mina through a window."

"My butt ached for weeks after that," Mina states. "I miss you, tape-face." 

Kirishima coughs. "He called Mineta a dirty little scumbag in front of the whole school."

Mina speaks up. "It was cause Mineta threatened to spread my nudes, which weren't even me." She pauses. "Sero didn't care if he got in trouble and he didn't care if anyone hated him for it."

Kaminari sighs. "The most honest motherfucker I ever got to know." After that, we sit together in silence. Minutes pass before Kaminari pulls a picture out of his pocket. "Do you guys remember this day?" he asks.

In the center, I sit with a grumpy look on my face. Mina and Kirishima sit in the bottom corner, Mina holding a peace sign and Kirishima with an arm around her waist. At the top, Sero and Kami are resting their head on each other.

"It's my 14th birthday party," I say.

Kaminari laughs and nods. "Yeah." He puts the photo on Sero's grave. "Happy birthday Sero! Were missing you right now," Kami says.

I head home and lie down.

~*~

It is August 5th. Tenya is silent as he picks me up in his car, and drives us around. I do not know what he will say to me, and so I don't speak first. We sit in complete silence. No music, no speaking. Nothing.

When he finally parks the car, we are at the high school. He sighs, and finally he speaks. "Let's go sit out there, yeah?" I follow him out of the car and sit at the very top of the stands. For the first few seconds, he says nothing to me. "Do you love your parents?" he asks.

I nod. "I do, yeah."

"What about Kirishima and Mina? Do you love them?"

Again, I nod. "Mina is my best friend. Of course I love her. And Kirishima is also one of my closest friends."

"Kaminari?"

"Yes, I do."

Tenya doesn't look at me. "Do you love me?"

"Yes. I love you so much."

His eyes finally meet mine. "This town. You have lived here all your life, right?"

I nod. "Yeah, I have. Why?"

Tenya shakes his head. "Katsuki," he starts. "Oh Katsuki. What does one say to you? You are my favorite person on this earth. I would do anything for you, I think of you every time I wake up, and every time I go to bed, and every time I listen to romantic music. You are my favorite scent, my favorite past time, and the only thing I have truly, dearly loved."

His hand reaches for my check and rests so gently. "You make me feel important. You put me first, you understand me. You don't see Tenya Iida, you see me. You are my first everything. Katsuki, my entire heart belongs to you, and if it were anyone else it would be wrong."

I start crying, because I already know.

"If- if things were different. Katsuki, I would burn down the entire world for things to be different. But they're not, this is us, raw and true and awful. I cannot rip you from your hometown, from where you belong for my own selfish desires."

He has begun crying, the tears rolling down in passionate strides. "I cannot take you with me, and I cannot listen to your protests. It is final."

My world is collapsing around me. "I love you, Tenya."

He smiles, even though he is crying. "I love you, Katsuki. I hate saying goodbye."

I wipe my tears and pull him in for a kiss. It is long and soft and passionate and painful. "Will we cross paths ever again?" I ask.

He nods. "Yes. Hopefully. And then things may be different." He pauses. "I'm so sorry Katsuki. I love you so- so fucking much."

I hold his hand. "One last drive home, yes?"

"One last drive home."

Inside the heaven that is Tenya Iida's car, I trace over the good vibes sticker on the ceiling. It is the last time I will ever see that sticker. Tenya turns on Off To the Races by Lana Del Rey. We cry all the drive back, screaming the lyrics to one another.

When we arrive at my home, Tenya walks me all the way to the door. I stare at him, still feeling tears drop. He hugs me as tightly as he can, using his big arms to keep me with him. "Please don't forget me," I mumble.

When he pulls off, he gives me a peck on the cheek before replying, "I will never forget you, Katsuki Bakugou."

It is a bittersweet end, watching him walk away for the last time. He does not turn back, and he does not say goodbye. But I watch as his car speeds off until I cannot see it ever again.

However, that was a long time ago; and Tenya Iida and I is something that I pretend it only happened in a dream.

~*~

The End