Dead Boys (BakuDeku)

Chapter 9

⚠️Trigger warning for self harm⚠️

After dinner, the teens became distracted by Katsuki's parents and then video games. At least Ashido, Sero, Kaminari, and Kirishima were. Katsuki's mind was constantly on Deku and what he was hiding, but knowing that he only got to spend a few more days with his friends, he pushed it to the side.

Once they all passed out on the couch though, Katsuki snuck back up to his room and out the window. If he got caught again, he wasn't sure if he'd ever been un-grounded.

Making his way across the lawn, he flipped his hood up and jammed his hands into the pocket of the sweatshirt. It might be hot when the sun was out, but once it went down, so did the temperature.

Katsuki knew where he wanted to go, but he still didn't exactly know how to get there. Last time he had tried to get to the treehouse, he got himself and his friends lost. But this time- He wasn't sure, it just felt like he knew where he needed to go.

As he walked through the dark forest with nothing but his phone flashlight, he let his mind wonder, probably not the best idea. He was thinking back to every piece of evidence he had stored up that could possibly lead to what Deku was hiding from him.

A huge clue was hidden in his bedroom. Probably. If he tore it apart and found nothing, he'd expand his search to the rest of his house.

Another clue was that his parents didn't seem to like the green haired boy. His mother completely shut down at the mere mention of him and his father actually picked a side. Whatever Deku was hiding, was bad enough for his parents to not want Katsuki to even remember him.

Then there was the last clue. Todoroki and Shinsou were less of a clue and more of another mystery themselves. They knew Deku, maybe they're even friends, but that didn't really matter. What mattered, is the fact that they seemed worried the green haired boy would be upset with them for talking to Katsuki and his friends.

Why would that be the case?

Katsuki didn't know Deku exceptionally well, but he knew he wasn't the type to be possessive over friends like the two teen's behavior would suggest. So what other reason would Deku get angry for?

Katsuki was having a hard time coming up with an answer, when he looked up and realized he was standing right below the tree house.

He didn't even feel shocked. He knew rationally, that the correct way to react to the new development was surprise. But- something just told him that this would have happened no matter what. He would have ended up here, even if he had tried to avoid it. It was unavoidable.

He shut his phone off and climbed up the ladder. When he reached the top, he was even less surprised to find Deku, sitting alone in the darkness, seeming to be expecting the blond.

"So you met Todo and Shin, huh?" The smaller teen asked, not lifting his gaze from where it rested on the cut out window.

"Why the hell were they at my house?" Katsuki asked in a level tone that didn't match the heated question. He took a seat next to Deku, just like how they were last time they were in the treehouse.

"I've apparently been 'off' or something," Deku explained with his nose scrunched. "Todoroki wanted to find out why, and where Todoroki goes, Shinsou follows. They're basically attached at the hip."

"I thought you said you didn't have any friends. Besides me." Katsuki asked, his tone being able to be classified as jealous, but it went overlooked by the boy Katsuki was sure would tease him for it.

"Thrown together by circumstance, I guess you could say." Deku answered vaguely, gently resting his head against Katsuki's shoulder. "I'm tired, Kacchan." He mumbled.

"Stay awake, just for a little longer. I need some more answers, Deku." Katsuki ordered him, but his voice was soft, as if he didn't really want to be forceful with the smaller boy.

Deku hummed in response and Katsuki took that as the go ahead.

"What're the circumstances that lead to you being buddy-buddy with the candy cane and insomniac?" Katsuki asked, letting his own head rest on top of Deku's. He hadn't realized before just how fatigued he felt.

"I can't say." Deku muttered.

"Bullshit."

"Kacchan, I really can't-"

"Does it have anything to do with what you were looking for when I first came back?" Katsuki asked, knowing he wouldn't get a straight answer to his first question.

"Yes..."

"Does it have anything to do with why you won't go out with me?"

"...yes..."

Katsuki let out a soft sigh at the answers. Everything was connected back to one singular secret and Katsuki wasn't granted permission to know what it was.

Maybe he'd try his parents again in the morning.

With a yawn, Katsuki went to get up, but Deku held onto his arm tightly.

"Deku, it's late. I have to get home-"

"Please, just stay." The smaller boy asked, his voice soft and pleading.

It physically hurt Katsuki to hear, so begrudgingly, he leaned back, getting comfortable with Deku curled into his side. Cautiously, the blond grabbed hold of one of Deku's hands, gripping it gently and smiling to himself when the other didn't pull away.

That was, until Deku's sleeve rolled up slightly and Katsuki felt the bandages on his arm.

The red eyed teen sat up in a snap, whipping out his phone for light.

"Kacchan, what on earth-"

Katsuki didn't wait for him to finish his question, grabbing Deku's arm and pulling up his sleeve.

His phone light shone brightly in the nighttime darkness, and it was enough for Katsuki to see the blood soaked bandages adorned on Deku's wrist.

"Is this what you were trying so hard to hide?" Katsuki asked with wide eyes as he looked up to meet Deku's terrified ones.

"K-Kacchan, I-"

"You said you were past it. You lied to my face, Deku." Katsuki said slowly, dragging his eyes back to the wounds on Deku's arm. "Is it the other arm too?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as he pulled the other sleeve up to reveal a nearly identical scene.

"You should have told me..." The blond said.

Deku shook his head, his eyes now watery as he looked for the right words to explain everything. "I-I couldn't, you weren't there!" He said.

Katsuki's brows knitted together in confusion. "But I'm here now. I can help you, Deku." He told him in a gentle tone, as if he was worried he'd scare off the other teen... or push him over the edge.

The green haired boy ripped his wrists from Katsuki's grasp, rolling his sleeves down a bit violently and then using them to wipe away his ever flowing tears. "Y-you d-don't get it! You don't get it at all! You can't help, Kacchan! You can't." He nearly shouted.

He started to beat on Katsuki's chest and tried to push him away as the blond tried to restrain him so he wouldn't hurt himself again. Once Katsuki had a good grip on his arms, he pulled him into a secure hug, wrapping one arm around the smaller boy's frame and letting his other hand twist through his messy locks.

"Deku, calm down. It's okay. Sh, I'm here. Just let me help you." Katsuki cooed, trying to get the shorter to stop thrashing around.

It only took a few minutes for Deku to go limp in his hold, succumbing to his sobs as he just let the blond sooth him. "I-I'm sorry, Kacchan. I'm so sorry."

Katsuki shook his head, finding the apology pointless. "Don't be, you didn't do anything wrong." He said.

He wasn't going to guilt Deku over what he did. To Katsuki, that was just too fucked up. He didn't think you should push people down for this sort of thing, you should just try and help them through it. Guilt tripping might work temporarily, but it was far from a permanent solution.

Deku shook his head, as best he could, seeing as it was buried in Katsuki's chest. "Yes I did, and I'm so so sorry."