𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐧 | b.k.

Chapter Twenty-Six

26.
Chapter Twenty-Six : Thank You

Katsuki chews on the inside of his cheek as he watches the caravan of people slowly move through town beneath the brim of his hat. They're on their way to the graveyard to bury the three fallen elders. His eyebrows are furrowed and his jaw is locked.

The poor boy feels awful for what he's done, but the words spoken by that man ring louder than any guilt eating at his consciousness.

"You can kill that boy—the one that lays with your lover." He said, and Katsuki hasn't forgotten. Every syllable uttered is on repeat in his head. He's counting down the minutes, eagerly anticipating the moment he gets what he wants.

Katsuki blinks and suddenly he can see Y/n. She's walking with Izuku and the rest of their friends, her arm intertwined with his left one. She looks like she's walking him. Izuku looks weak, and it makes something deep inside Katsuki pinch and twist in an ugly way. He ignores it to the best of his abilities and focuses on the woman responsible for all of this. Everyone else has fallen into the background. He can only see her.

That guilt and the grief and the anxiety seem to fade away when he catches her eye. She slows down for the smallest of seconds and purses her lips into a weak smile, but she doesn't linger any longer. The people around her don't allow it. They follow the movement of the traffic and continue to push her and Izuku forward.

Katsuki scoffs and turns on his heel, falling back into the bar. It's empty, which is to be expected. Since no one is here—not even a bartender—he helps himself to the alcohol behind the counter and pours himself a glass of whiskey. Without hesitation, he throws his head back—that bittersweet taste of smoky bacon dancing along his tastebuds.

The funeral is a blur. Y/n is there and she is present, but she doesn't remember much. She knows Izuku was a crying mess. His supply of tears never seemed to empty. But she didn't judge. She was there for him, offering her own condolences in the best way she could.

The funeral lasted a few hours. She knows that much. After they buried everyone, the funeral party was invited to hang out at the church. Booze and some snacks were offered since people were loosing a lot of energy crying, which was nice. While Y/n took care of Izuku, she also walked around and interacted with other townsfolk.

She and Izuku were offered to dinner by a few people, but she wasn't too sure he'd be up for that. She wasn't even sure he'd want to eat when they got home...

The walk back was quiet and slow. Izuku had stopped crying a while ago, but simply because he had no more tears to cry. He held onto Y/n and he relied on her to get her home. He wasn't completely conscious, to be frank. Of course he was alive, but he left a few hours ago and he's been living in his memories ever since.

At first, he was reliving all of the memories he made with Toshinori. He was reliving all of those days spent at the jailhouse, learning from Toshinori and bonding. At first, he was fondly looking back on every memory he shared with the elder. But now, he's angry. Someone killed him in his bed—burnt his home down until there was nothing left standing. Someone—a coward—killed Toshinori and Izuku wanted justice. Izuku wasn't sure how he was going to find Toshinori's killer, but he was going to do it and he was going to make them pay.

"Izuku...?"

The man blinks and suddenly he's standing in the foyer of Y/n's home. He sniffles and looks around. It's getting dark. The sun is starting to set. Their puppy is right at their feet, looking up at him with little stars in his eyes.

"Would you like something to eat?" Y/n asks as she walks towards the kitchen.

Izuku follows the sway of her hips, his head tilting to keep his focus even as she wanders outside of his field of vision. "Huh?" He asks after a moment, following her.

"I was asking if you wanted something to eat. You haven't really eaten today." She mutters.

She's looking through the ingredients they have stocked in the kitchen. There aren't any left overs, but she could whip up a quick soup or something.

Izuku shrugs, even though she can't see it, and slowly approaches her. Without a word, he wraps his strong arms around her waits and leans into her body, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm good, but thank you." He whispers. "Thank you so much."

They stand like that for a while, and Y/n doesn't object. It's the first time today she's really felt like she could grieve as well—that she was allowed and nobody would judge her. It's then that everything hits her. She hasn't cried very much since Izuku and everyone else got back, so the weight of her father's death hits her like a train. Her mother's choice to up and leave for the city runs her over with no mercy. And Katsuki's sudden exit from her life isn't left out. It all hits her so hard she practically collapses in Izuku's arms. If it weren't for his arms around her waist, she would've fallen to the floor. Sobs rake through her body as tears gush from her tear ducts.

Izuku fights back his own tears. He pulls Y/n closer to his chest and turns her around so that she's crying into his neck. Together, they cry in the kitchen. Izuku's under the impression that she's mourning Toshinori's passing, and it can stay that way.

Eventually, they pull apart. Their swollen eyes meet and Izuku cracks a small smile. "Wanna grab a drink?" He offers, his voice deep and very croaky.

Y/n's lips are tugged into a small smile and she offers a nod, "Yeah..." She whispers. After clearing her throat, she straightens her shoulders and opens her mouth to speak. "What would—"

"Nuh uh. Go get changed. I'll get our drinks and I'll meet you on the porch." He orders.

"But—"

"Nope! Go get changed before I drink up all your wine!" Izuku laughs.

Y/n rolls her eyes, but she can't help but giggle. Albeit a little reluctant, she does as she's told and she goes to get changed into something more comfortable. She's been wearing a stiff black dress for the last five hours and she's ready to relax.

A loose fit dress and a bottle of wine is calling her name.