I feel good, so very good. I let out a gasp, trying to pull more air in but it is difficult. I feel so good though, do I have to get up? Do I really?
"Deku!" I could very faintly hear Kacchan calling for me. Oh Kacchan, his warm ember eyes that flashed scarlet in the setting sun, the same bright rubies that would catch my breath for me so I never had far too go.
"Kacchan," I moaned out but my voice was silent even to my ears. "Don't leave me!" I tried again but no answer. I could hear heavy panting nearby and I could swear that I heard Kacchan saying my name with actual affection. Like he was so careful with it but that doesn't make any sense does it?
"Deku!" Kacchan's voice sounds desperate and I have to fight just to hear him. He sounds so tired I reached out just to feel him against my skin. "Izu, it's time to wake up," he whispered and I opened my eyes to find Kacchan and I wrapped up in a large winding black rope like shadow.
"Kacchan?" I asked weakly and he looked relieved.
"Deku, I need you to pull back all your energy now," his voice sounds hoarse but I know it's at least better than what I could do anyway. I nodded and tried to pull in all of my thoughts and energy and as tired as I am I don't feel nearly so bad now. I open my eyes again to find Kacchan on the ground next to me.
"What-," my voice broke and I felt Kacchan's hand on the side of my face and I let him turn me to face him.
"It's okay, it's just a side effect from using Blackwhip too long. Just sleep for now, everything's okay. You're okay, I'm okay. Do you understand?" Kacchan was speaking really slowly as if a part of him was afraid of frightening me. I leaned into his hand, I know I shouldn't be trusting him like this. I know it. How many times have I been literally burned by his hands? Well nearly burned but still. How many times have my belongings been completely destroyed for no other reason than he was bored?
But then why do I feel completely safe by his side? Why do I feel like even if I close my eyes right now, I know without a doubt that he will be nearby when I open them again? Why do I trust him so much?
"I don't understand," I said slowly, not sure how angry he will be for me saying what I'm thinking but needing to say it still. "Why are you being so nice to me now?"
Kacchan gave me a small sad smile while he simply caressed my cheek. "Because Izuku, I love you." My eyes widened in shock, waking me up a little bit even as I fought to sit up. He just laid there until I couldn't move anymore and pulled me into his arms. "It's okay not to feel the same way. I understand. I know what all I did to you. It's okay to hate me," he whispered and I couldn't help crying.
In the end I just ended up shaking my head no a lot and clutching his clothes so he wouldn't leave me behind again but instead of him getting disgusted he held me and rubbed soothing circles on my back.
"Sleep now, Blackwhip and Dick took a lot out of you. Sleep and we'll figure out everything when we wake up," I heard him yawn but he didn't stop whispering in my ear and it wasn't until I heard nothing at all that I realized that I was waking up again.
I looked around to see what looked like a nurse's office and Kacchan lying next to me, in fact I was curled up in his arms. Kacchan looks older now but how many years? The fact he doesn't look that much bigger than me tells me that I am just as big, or as old anyway.
Kacchan started moving but when I froze he settled back down again, sleeping peacefully. What must have happened for Kacchan to change his reaction to me so much? It can't be just because I have a quirk now. No, that doesn't make sense. The way he was looking at me had nothing to do with how that thing, Blackwhip, was reacting. If anything he seemed more concerned about what was happening to me than anything else. Why would Kacchan care about me?
"I told you," Kacchan groaned, stretching from his place next to me. Once he settled again he smiled sleepily back up at me. "I love you. Your quirk is kind of cool but more often than not it ends up hurting you or putting us in odd situations. Quirkless was honestly so much easier," he chuckled at that and I kind of want to hit him just for saying it, instead though I let out a sigh.
"Letting that go for now. What are we? You said you love me. What does that mean?" I changed the subject to what I was actually interested in just to hear him laughing at me, I don't think I said anything funny.
"It means I love you. Before you forgot everything we were in a relationship together, even planning our family together. Do you want to feel?" He asked with a smirk and now I'm really confused. He thought that was really funny and took my hand gently before placing it on his stomach.
"We are working on putting a baby right here," he answered as if it were perfectly normal.
"But you don't look old enough to have kids! Or are you like Aunty and you look younger than you are?" I asked and now I really want to look in a mirror. How old are we?
"Something like that but at the same time no. We are sixteen, physically. There were things that happened, quirks involved, mentally we are in our thirties. Does that scare you?" He asked and I looked at him stunned.
"We are mentally thirty?" I gaped at him and he laughed again.
"Well we were, now though it looks like you're a teenager again and that makes making a baby difficult," he sighed as if that really hurt him. My head hurts, how many confusing things is he going to say?
"But we are physically sixteen?" I asked to verify and he nodded while starting to play with my hair. His fingers felt nice, soothing, like it was an old habit that he could never kick.
"Then shouldn't we wait?" I asked him when I finally remembered my question again. He paused and looked conflicted.
"Usually yes but…" he paused for a long time but I didn't look away from him so he finally gave in. "There is a quirk involved and there is kind of a time limit," he finally answered and when he didn't add anything more I tried to question him.
"Kacchan what would happen if we didn't succeed in the time limit?" I spoke slowly and I saw so much hurt in his eyes that I really wanted to take my words back and set them on fire. I never wanted to hurt him!
"It's okay Deku. You didn't do anything wrong, I swear," he said instead and when I curled into his chest he just let me.
"Can I do anything to help?" I asked hesitatingly, should I even offer? He always gets mad when I offer to help.
"No Deku, it's all going to be alright. If you can even let me hold you like this, it's far more than I deserve," he kissed my forehead but I liked the feeling and didn't want him to stop. Can I ask for another? It's it okay? Will he get mad?
"Kacchan?" I asked and I heard my voice shake. I really am going to make him mad at this rate. He hummed letting me know he was listening. "Can you do that again? Please?" Should I run? Should I apologize? How mad is he?
"Always," he answered before doing it not once or twice but again and again, rubbing my back to try and help me calm down. It's not working. Not working at all.
"We should go to our own bed. Do you think you can walk? If not we can stay, Recovery Girl didn't look like she cared about us taking up one of her cots," wait, Recovery Girl as in THE Recovery Girl? Isn't she a legend among heroes for saving heroes during crises?
"Nerd, we have to see her in the morning regardless. Do you want to sleep in a comfortable bed or not?" Kacchan groaned and I quickly nodded and for once he sighed as if relieved. I ended up having to help him up, for some reason his back kept twinging and he couldn't stand up straight but when I asked about it he would just chuckle and wave me off.
I don't understand anything at all!