𝙸'𝚖 𝚂𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍.

~13~

After a few more punches and kicks, he got dragged to the bathroom. And that's when it happened.

The ceiling looked so blurry as Izuku fought back, trying to use One for All. But the burning in his nose and the lack of oxygen plus the breezeblock that pressed down his chest made the green lightning lifeless.

He thought he was going to die.

'Does it come down to this? Is this how I'm going to die?'

There was so much carbon dioxide in the blood, and so little oxygen, that chemical sensors in the brain triggered an involuntary breath.

And once he took that breath, it went down his lungs and ended up waning transfer of oxygen into the blood. The clock ticked; half-conscious and enfeebled by oxygen depletion, his body was in no position to get up, especially when something is holding him down.

Hot lava. His nose, lungs, stomach. It was on fire. The burning sensation made it much much worse.

And all because he was drowning in his bathtub.

He heard sirens, screams and cries full of pain. But it didn't come from him.
He closed his eyes and accepted his fate of no longer having the life he worked so hard for. The life he so desperately tried to protect.

***

Abruptly, he woke up. Wheezing for air as his chest felt heavy, his breaths uneven and everything mushed. Not only that, but he didn't know where he was.

The marble floors that blinded him weren't there, the chandelier wasn't either. Nor was the freezing temperatures or the white hellness of it all. He whipped his head, getting up as his legs wobbled for balance.

Where was he.
He wasn't in Shoto's house.
Izuku needed to be in Shoto's house. He needed to be blinded by the marble floors, needed to fill the coldness of the room, needed to be surrounded by those four empty walls.

"Shoto! Get me out of here!" He yelled, his throat hurt from how loud he yelled, his heartbeat racing so fast and his sweat damping his clothes.

Katsuki stopped pacing, the yell startling him out of everything. It took him a second as well to recollect his emotions, and when he did he rushed to Izuku, holding his shoulders firmly.

"Hey! Why the hell are you screaming?! I'm right here, your in my house! Nothing is gonna hurt you." Izuku ignored what Katsuki had said, kicking and punching him repeatedly. Katsuki backed up, confused.

It was as if Izuku didn't recognize who Katsuki was.

"Don't touch me! Where 's Shoto? Where is he?! Did you hurt him?! I'll kill you if you do! Don't you dare touch him—-bring me to him! Where the fuck is he?!"

Katsuki couldn't believe it. "Do you not know what just happened? Did you just forget everything that just happened?! And you want him now?!"

Izuku ran out the room, his eyes flicking from wall to wall—-door to door as he looked everywhere for Shoto. "Where the hell is he?! What did you do to him you bastard?!"

Katsuki ran up to Izuku. Then, with all the willpower he had left, he smacked Izuku right across his face.

Izuku stumbled, falling to the floor. "Look at me." Izuku gritted his teeth, his whole face full of anger. "Look at me damn it!"

Izuku looked up, his whole soul on fire. "If you did something to him, I'll kill-" He stopped, his eyes going wide as his frown slowly left.

Katsuki's were softened, the anger and pride he would hold no longer present as the only thing that Izuku could see in him was kindness.

He extended his hand, his face flushed as he fought his ego like war. His buddies were invisible, but they were heavier than any boulder to exist.