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Spring
Nightfall - A hour later
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Shadow fell over the three of them as they made their way through the back alleys of the city. Septonia was a quiet place at night. The birds were silent, asleep, and so were the people. In the distance, the ocean called - alluring like a siren's song.
The three of them broke the silence with hurried footsteps over cobbled stone. Katsuki wondered briefly if they could be heard from the street outside or if they were written off as the scurrying of wild animals. They stayed low to the ground, avoiding the glow of lights and the sound people - guards. Next to him, Kirishima seemed eager, the eerie red glow of his eyes making him look like a predator in the night. He had grown more desperate to get home now that they were so close, it was a surprise that he didn't break into a sprint to get there faster.
"Not much further," Ezumi turned to them and whispered through a rushed breath, barely audible to Katsuki. He was excited too, Katsuki could tell in the way he pushed forward at a relentless pace. It seemed Katsuki was the only one that wasn't tripping over his feet to get there - though he did have to admit that there was a certain eagerness that had settled in his stomach, an excitement that came from the thrill of sneaking through the dark just beneath the guards noses.
"Stay low and silent, if we get caught, we're all as good as dead," Katsuki warned as they settled within a pool of shadow, watching as a guard meandered on by, his eyelids drooping with exhaustion.
Ezumi raised an eyebrow. "What did I do?"
"You are helping criminals," Kirishima said matter-of-factly, looking at Ezumi like he was an idiot.
"Good point." He nudged Katsuki and grinned, "If we get caught, you can just tell them I'm an estranged lover who you roped into this."
"I'm not doing that," Katsuki dead-panned, ignoring the pout that crossed the idiots face. He shook his head and stepped forward, the urgency of their situation beckoning him to continue on. Ezumi stepped in close beside him and he could practically feel Kirishima's breath on the back of his neck - goosebumps rose up across his skin and he had to force himself not to turn and see just how close the dragon really was. Ezumi beckoned them through a cramped space between buildings, watching the street outside carefully.
The smell of salt water grew stronger as they moved and the sound of calm, night waves was louder now, close enough that Katsuki could imagine touching it.
"We're here," Ezumi said, to which Kirishima agreed.
"I can hear people walking around," Kirishima whispered to Katsuki, eyes alight with excitement. Katsuki would never get used to the enhanced hearing of this dude. Ezumi looked at him curiously but shook his head, ignoring the odd comment.
Katsuki crept forward and placed a hand on Ezumi's shoulder, "What do we do from here?"
"There are plenty of ways to get to the water." When Katsuki simply looked at him, prompting him to explain, their tag-a-long sighed. "I won't lie when I say that I don't know why you all want to get there, but I can tell you that there are eyes everywhere. You can make a run for it if you're feeling lucky, but you won't get far." He chewed on his lips, "You can also just sneak around like a rat in the shadows like we've been doing - it's the safest way to go bu-" He was cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps.
In a moment of panic, they all pressed themselves against the wall, breath stalling in their chests. Katsuki pressed a hand over Kirishima's eyes subconsciously, not willing to be caught due to the halfling's little quirk.
A man, not a guard by the look of his clothing, wandered by, boxes in hand. He paid them no attention, not seeming to have noticed them. When he passed, they all let out a sigh and Kirishima sent Katsuki a grateful smile.
"That was close," Katsuki grumbled, "I don't like that."
"Me either," Ezumi agreed. "There is little you can do. Sneak or go on a suicide mission. Both choices are not very ideal but I doubt you guys have a choice."
"You're right," Kirishima laughed quietly, "but you do. You should go back, you don't have to get into trouble because of us." Ezumi shook his head and Kirishima sighed dejectedly.
Katsuki met Ezumi's gaze and rowned. "He's right you know. If you get caught, there isn't much we can do to help you out there."
"Look, I'm already kind of a thief, so I'm going to end up getting caught either way. Might as well go out having a little fun." Katsuki stared at him for a moment before scoffing amusedly and leaning with his back against the wall.
"I have no clue how I didn't expect you to be a trouble maker too, you live in an abandoned house for god's sake."
Ezumi winked. "Trouble is my middle name, Bakugou. You'll get used to it."
"Let's go," Katsuki pushed, punching Ezumi in the shoulder and dragging Kirishima forward, eyes narrowed in the darkness as he watched for movement other than their little rag-tag group. They pushed forward, keeping to the shadows until eventually, they were close enough to the water to hear it sloshing against the hulls of boats. Everything had been smooth sailing - no pun intended - so far and they had only seen a handful of guards and simple ship crew members.
The docks were made of smoothed stone that had been chiseled to shape and water-proofed oak. There were fish stalls, trading posts and crates of goods that were sealed close. Towering ships were docked, tied up with ropes and held in place by heavy, metal anchors. The sails had been tied up and the faint breeze blew against Katsuki's face, ruffling his cloak around him. Beside him, Kirishima seemed entranced by the sea - or whatever was across it. His eyes were glued to the rocking waves and Katsuki had to rest a hand on his shoulder to pull him from his trance.
"Almost there," Katsuki tried reassuring.
Kirishima smiled, "Thanks, Dandelion." Katsuki nodded and looked peered up from behind a crate, immediately couching low again as he caught sight of a guard that was unsettlingly close to their hiding spot.
That was not good.
Kirishima raised an eyebrow and Katsuki pressed a finger to his lips, insisting he be silent. The red-head nodded and took a step back, eyes widening as he backed into a box that a lantern rested upon, sending it crashing to the ground.
That also was not good.
"Son of a bitch," Ezumi cursed as footsteps sped towards them, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Kirishima. "What the fuck was that for?"
"Fucking run," Katsuki said, a little louder than necessary - he didn't think now was a necessary time to be fighting, even if Kirishima was stupid as all hell. Panic seized him as he pushed Kirishima in front of him. Now was not the time to be paralyzed in panic, especially not when shouting had already begun to rise up from the darkness. Katsuki would think the moment was comical if he wasn't a wanted man.
The three of them didn't bother wasting time by sitting around - they were already on their feet, sprinting towards the water like the devil himself was coming for their souls.
Depending on your depiction of a devil, maybe he was.
Having abandoned all means of stealth and silence, the sounds of their footsteps pounded loudly around them and Katsuki's own heart was in his throat. He could feel it beating, the blood flowing through his veins and the adrenaline tearing into any fatigue he may have had like a rabid animal. Kirishima practically dragged him along, hand squeezing Katsuki's own so hard that it was nearly bone-crushing. Bruises would form soon.
"Guys," Ezumi shouted back at them, fear and panic wild in his voice, "I hope you have a plan." Katsuki faltered. Did he have a plan? His plan stretched as far as getting to the water and getting Kirishima home but how exactly would they do that? He looked at Kirishima's back, deep in thought.
Not a good idea when you're mid-chase.
A sharp pain spidered up his side - like fire running over bare skin, it spread. He let out a strangled noise as he crumbled, knees hitting the ground as he nearly brought Kirishima down with him. His teeth clamped down on his tongue to keep from screaming and soon he was solely focused on the taste of blood in his mouth. Blood was quick to seep through the fabric of his shirt and he well aware of the way his wound screamed when he pressed a hand against it, trying to slow the blood flow. He nearly screamed too.
Dizzily, he looked up, his vision fading quickly around the edges and his breath shuddering in his throat. It was a familiar pain, though not a welcome one. A dangerous one, if the feel of warm blood slicking his hand and stomach had anything to say about it.
"Oh god," Kirishima said beneath his breath. The words would not have been audible if he weren't in the process of hauling Katsuki over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He'd really have to say something about that later, but for now? He wasn't sure he could stay conscious much longer. He held onto Kirishima like his life depended on it, as if he'd fall off if he let go. He wouldn't be some self-sacrificing idiot and pull the hero move of, 'Leave me behind, I'll fend off the guards that'll kill me on sight'. He didn't want to die.
Before slipping into unconsciousness, he took note of just a few things. The feeling of being weightless for just a moment and then, the sound of a scream.
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Spring
Three days later
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"Katsuki," his mother called, "c'mere for a moment." Like most days, when she wasn't hunting, she was situated at the fire, small sprigs of green pinched between rough and calloused fingers. Katsuki, still young yet long-legged and clumsy, wandered over, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"What is it?" He peered over her shoulder at the plants she was experimenting with; comfrey, he'd seen it before, the purple of the flowers familiar to him.
She hummed, her wild blonde hair - much like his - falling over her face as she looked up at him and smiled. "It's pretty, is it not?" Katsuki's face scrunched up in displeasure. He wasn't sure there was much to praise the herb for, other than its mess of growth. "I didn't think so," she snickered, gesturing for him to sit down. "Just cause it's ugly doesn't mean it doesn't have a purpose though."
Katsuki watched her as she worked, deft fingers following the motions of years of experience. He didn't have much interest in plants, he liked the thrill of a fight. His mother said he always had. He looked down at his own hands, tracing his fingertips over calluses and areas where his own scars should be. The thought brought pause. Surely he wouldn't know of the scars he would earn?
Somewhere, on the other side of their little clearing, the leaves rustled. The sound reminded him of whispers, gentle and beckoning. He realized he'd never been here before.
"Where are we?" His mother looked at him and in her eyes he could see the reflection of flames, red hot and burning. His hands turned clammy and it became hard to swallow through his fear.
"Now dear," she said, smiling kindly, hand resting on the side of his face. Her voice wasn't her own. "I think it's time to wake up."
Katsuki's eyes snapped open so quickly that he was nearly blinded by the influx of light. Hands rested lightly on either side of his face and when he adjusted, he noticed that he was staring directly into oddly colored, orange and black eyes. He stared for a moment, admiring the liquid copper of the orange that swirled in the strangers' iris' before he realized his situation - along with the fact that he knew not one human with eyes that alluring.
Before a word could be uttered between them, Katsuki's instincts kicked in and within a second he shot up in bed, forehead slamming into his new acquaintance. They reeled back, curses that Katsuki didn't understand spilling from their mouth.
Pain ricocheted through Katsuki's abdomen and he couldn't hold back a pain groan as he doubled over, a hand pressing against his side.
"What the fuck was that for, you ungrateful little shit," a pitched voice cursed at him, distracting him momentarily from the pain. He looked up at the odd-eyed stranger and frowned. Her eyes were the least odd thing about her it seemed, from the pink-toned skin to the cream colored horns that sprouted out of a mess of choppily cut pink hair. She stood with a hand pressed to her forehead and Katsuki noticed her attire was more or less as odd as the rest of her. A colorful cloth draped around her waist, swirls of red and purple standing out against the leg that stuck out from the slit in the side of the knee-length skirt. Her shirt - if you could call it that - was a wrapping of different colored cloth that covered her chest and wrapped loosely around one of her shoulders. Her face was smeared with what looked like paint, blue markings that followed the rise of her cheek bones.
The stranger glared at him, eyes glowing much akin to Kirishima's. Kirishima. Katsuki looked around, ignoring the stranger for a brief moment as he took in his surroundings. He seemed to be in a house - if you could call it that considering the doorway looked as if it led directly outside. Leaves climbed up walls, disappearing into the ceiling of flat, disc shaped leaves and when Katsuki squinted his eyes and looked closer, he noticed odd, hot pink flowers sprouting from the stem of the ivy. It wasn't a normal plant, it looked… magical. The middle of the flower swayed, moving slowly from left to right on its own accord as pollen floated around its core, lazy drifting specks that swirled around petals.
Before Katsuki could look at the flower in awe for any longer, the sound of heavy, running footsteps came closer. For a moment, Katsuki thought to panic - to get up and run, but the aching pain in his skin and bones told him that he wouldn't get very far even if he tried.
It soon became apparent that he didn't need to run when a familiar red headed lizard boy barreled through the doorless doorway, eyes wild with panic.
"I heard yelling," he said, looking at the pink stranger, "is everything alr-" He looked at Katsuki and sputtered to a stop. "You're awake!"
"Last I checked, yes." He thought back to his dream and shook his head, hoping to dispel the memory. "Where the hell am I?"
Kirishima grinned, sharp teeth on display. "Well, you're currently in the first room Mina thought to throw you in but if you want a more specific answer," he paused for, presumably, dramatic effect, "welcome to my home." Katsuki sat quietly for a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose and heaving a sigh.
"What happened to the stray dog we picked up," he questioned, carefully lifting his legs and swinging them over the side of the bed.
Kirishima frowned. "Stray dog?" He thought for a moment before realization dawned on him. 'Oh! Ezumi! He was freaked out at first but he's probably trying to flirt with someone."
"Flirt?"
"Yeah, he turned out to be a little bit of a… how's it called?"
The girl next to him snickered and chime in, "A playboy? Prince Charming? Maybe a real life Romea?" Kirishima grimaced.
"Well, I would go that far but yes, pretty much." Katsuki laughed and shook his head. He really did have no idea what the hell he was getting into when he allowed the sewer rat to tag-a-long with them. He pushed himself onto wobbly feet, gritting his teeth in expectation of pain but when he was met with only a dull ache and the sting of a simple flesh wound, he furrowed his eyebrows and looked down curiously. He was missing his shirt and cloak - the shirt he didn't mind but he would need to make a point of getting that cloak back - and the near entirety of his stomach was wrapped with bandages.
"What the hell," he questioned to no one in particular, awed by the fact that he was still on his feet.
"Magic. We've got very good healers though they couldn't heal everything," the pink stranger, Mina, commented as she looked him up and down with a nod. "You should be fine in a few days and you can obviously walk," she narrowed her eyes, "and fight apparently, as you've already demonstrated. Do try to keep from headbutting anyone else on your visit though, I can't say everyone else will be as forgiving. "
Kirishima laughed as he gestured for Katsuki to follow him. "Since you can walk and headbutt people, I take it you wouldn't mind a tour or two?"
Katsuki thought for a moment before he grew painstakingly aware of the dull ache in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah," he murmured, "I'm starving."