Digital Dreamworld

Chapter 7 - Sulking

If things had been awkward between them before, they were definitely awkward now. At least this time people didn't actually know that they kissed, or well, they made out, that was the more appropriate term for it... Izuku didn't know what might've happened if they had spent another day in that fantasy world. Kacchan might've gotten an I tattooed on his arm, Izuku might've gotten a matching one with a K in it. Yeah, it really was a fantasy world, wasn't it..? Nothing more than a fidget of their imagination, something their minds dreamed up together.

And now he was here, awake, alone, in tears. Kacchan was still ignoring him, but Izuku didn't expect otherwise, and Uraraka was bothering him with questions about his fake life that he didn't want to answer. Ah yes, couldn't be better! At least he could listen to Todoroki complaining about his time as a prince, even though his so-called struggles weren't struggles at all. Iida had a good time as a knight, enforcing the rules of the land and protecting the innocent. Kaminari had gone through great lengths to tell his story to everyone in class 2-A at dinner the next day, only stopping when Kacchan knocked him down and Sero taped his mouth.

Kirishima had looked at him, at one point. Izuku knew he knew more than he was letting on. He was the dragon that brought Kacchan to him, after all. He knew they spent their time together there. And Izuku knew he talked to Kacchan about it. That he was able to talk to Kacchan about it and not be straight up killed or ignored. And Izuku thought that, after all this time, they stood on equal footing... But he was wrong, wasn't he? He'll never be Kacchan's equal, not truly, not in this world.

"You can't keep sulking in your room forever," Uraraka told him, making him groan and pull the covers over his head. "It would help if you told me what the hell happened in there, you know? That way I'll know why I need to beat the shit out of Bakugou."

"Don't," Izuku mumbled.

"What? Wanna tell me Bakugou didn't do anything wrong?" Uraraka snorted. "Don't make me laugh, Deku-kun. We wouldn't be in this situation if everything was fine and dandy, now would we?"

"Shut up," he whined, curling in on himself even more.

"No, I don't think I will," she said, pulling the blanket away from him, making Izuku hiss and glare at her. "You're my best friend and won't watch you sulk and waste away! Now tell me what happened or I'll go to Bakugou myself!"

Izuku whined at that, grabbing the nearest pillow and hiding his face away in it. Sometimes he really hated how supportive Uraraka could be. He knew she would go and challenge Kacchan to a fight to get to the bottom of this, which was really sweet and totally unnecessary because this was all his fault to begin with anyway. Dream Kacchan only came running to him because of their connection with One For All. The only reason they were together in those fake worlds, in those different realities with different memories, was just that. A quirk.

...with quirk-induced feelings.

Izuku tried his best not to think about it, but he knew it was true. His feelings for Kacchan were slipping through their bond in the mental world and forced Kacchan to like him, love him, the way Izuku had always loved the ash blonde. It was unfair and cruel to get a taste of what life could be if Kacchan were to feel the same. Something that could only happen in a dream, a virtual world full of fake places and fake people and fake memories... A fake life, really.

"I'm going to start counting, and if you don't start telling me what happened by the time I'm done, I'm going over to Bakugou's room," Uraraka threatened. "Five. Four. Three. Two-"

"We kissed!" Izuku blurted out, tears stinging in his eyes. "We... We kissed, okay?"

Uraraka's stern look softened a bit at those words. She sighed, allowing herself to fall down on the bed next to Izuku.