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"Izuku! Why did you cut your hair?" Inko shrieked, horrified when she saw a streak of yellow on his son's hair. She scurried to the four-year-old boy who just came home from school, and examined the cut hair.
"It wasn't me, Mama!" Izuku sobbed, holding a bunch of yellow hairs in his small stubby hand. "It was Gyuu-chan. She said she wanted some of my hair and she cut it without asking me and it turned yellow!" Izuku blubbered, equally horrified. Inko pulled him to her chest and stroking the waist-length hair.
"You mustn't cut your hair, love. Think of it as something magical. Treat it better and it will take care of you for the rest of your life, probably even to save someone from the brink of death! Your hair is beautiful, honey. It's the best one there is." Inko stroked his hair gently, kissing Izuku on the forehead.
"Save someone from death?" Izuku repeats with curious eyes.
"Mhm. Save someone from death."
Now at eighteen years old, Izuku opened his eyes, ending the same dream he always had. He gets up and nursed his head, in dull pain again for the nth time, what with all seventy feet of hair following him around.
He tapped the wall behind him, blindly looking for the light switch because even if it's seven in the morning, sunlight never reached Izuku's room because it's closed all over, with no doors or windows, and the only access outside is a trapdoor on the corner of his room, locked from the outside.
Everyday, Izuku waits for the trapdoor to open. Everyday, the woman he's been told to call "Kayama" goes to give him food three times a day. Everyday, the woman would arrive, not speaking, nor uttering, nor making any sound at all with her mouth (except the time she told her name), and would give him trinkets. Paint, books, pens, notebooks, toys, a device that only plays music, and sometimes, he gets a locked phone with only videos to keep him entertained. Well, at least he has AC.
Everyday, Izuku tries and tries and tries to pry open the trapdoor. But to no avail.
Izuku's room is not small. He has a large bed on the upper corner, a table on the side of the bed, a wardrobe full of boring monotone colored clothes, his paint stuff on another corner, and the walls used to be a dull gray. Until Kayama brought him some paint and he started painting the walls.
Scratching his head, Izuku walked over his trinkets to a corner of his room, the one beside the trapdoor, because there's a really tiny hole somewhere on it and he peeps there just to see stuff outside, as it overlooks the city from above his tower.
Yes, a tower. Back when Izuku first discovered the hole, he had his hopes up, thinking he could ask for someone's help. He was ten, he wasn't on eye level to the hole, so really, he had no idea.
My name is Izuku Midoriya. I was 9 when I got taken away from my mom, but I'm 10 now. Please help me. I don't like it here. The lady makes me do bad stuff. Please help me. He remembers writing. Then came his thirteenth birthday where he was tall enough to discover that he's so high up that no one would pick up an irrelevant piece of scrap on the ground. And now it's been eight years. Eight years since he got taken away, and still, no one is looking for him.
He peeped on the hole and he saw the foggy sky, and some building rooftops. Still the same old and filthy rooftops even after five years of looking. Nothing has changed, no one has looked for him, and everybody must've wrote his tale as some legend.
And legends can be forgotten too.
Izuku squeaked when he felt the trapdoor shake from under his feet. He scurried to his bed and covered himself with his blanket, lightly trembling in fear.
He listened intently to the heavy trapdoor opening and creaking, only to be greeted by heavy, unfamiliar footsteps.
"Oi, Rapunzel. Get the fuck up and eat your breakfast." a gruff, masculine voice growled, making Izuku squeak again. He slowly uncovered himself and took a quick look at the unfamiliar guy. Brunette, spiky hair, scowling, brows furrowed, ruby red sharp eyes, lean body, and a huge scar across his left eye. He looked around Izuku's age.
"Who... are you?" Izuku timidly asked.
"'m Katsuki." the man, Katsuki, said as he put the breakfast down on Izuku's bedside. "Now eat, freckles. And hurry, I don't have all day."
Izuku pulled the tray to himself. A small pile of rice, miso soup, teriyaki, stir-fried veggies, and sliced fruits. Well, at least he gets good food today. Usually it's just bland mashed potatoes, rice and some boiled pork.
Katsuki looked around his room as he ate. For some reason, Izuku felt too self-conscious when he started staring at his paintings. For a few minutes, nothing was heard except for the clinking of chopsticks and the spoon.
His paintings were mostly consisted of some scenes from the books he read. Some animals here and there, a peacock, and usually some more abstract art, but the most prominent out of every painting was a portrait of a woman with green hair tied up in a messy bun on the center of the right side wall, clad on a peach-colored blouse, but her face was distorted. Her smile was literally twisted and different colors of paint was splashed on where her face was supposed to be. It was eerily beautiful and sad at the same time.
"You're pretty good." Katsuki grumbled as he looked around the walls and the canvases littered around the room. "Thought you were just a healer or somethin'."
Izuku stopped moving, spoon halfway through his mouth. This is the first time someone acknowledge his paintings, or the fact that he heals.
"O-oh. I was just a healer. I learned how to paint when I... g-got here..." Katsuki nodded, obviously avoiding the fact that Izuku is illegally here.
"So," Katsuki said, looking at the greenie. "I'm actually new here. Just uh, got here actually, like, two days ago. Said I'll be the one to look after you in exchange for food and shelter or whatever. Mind filling me in or something?"
"Um... I can't. I only stay here. I haven't been outside in nine years. I've been in this room ever since." Izuku uttered shamefully and looked away. He nibbled on some sliced apples as he avoided Katsuki's inquiring rubies, so he never saw how they widened in shock.
"Oh. OH!" Katsuki exclaimed, realization visible on his face. "YOU'RE the boy who disappeared nine years ago! The boy who's got a quirk and a long ass hair! That's you! And... wow. Your hair really did... uh... grow." the brunette looked around the room, seeing that the hair covered almost part of the floor that only streaks of dirty white tiles were visible.
Izuku awkwardly chuckled as he nibbled more of the sliced fruits, watching Katsuki avoid stepping on the piles of hair. "Yyyyeeeeaaaahhh... It's kind of a hassle, you know. Not being allowed to cut it. Gets a little bit too messy and hard to take care of, but you get used to it."
Katsuki walked over to Izuku's bed and sat comfortably. "So, what do you usually do here? Like, ever since you got... uh... you know..." Katsuki awkwardly flailed his hands, indicating about the kidnapping.
"Once a week, around a Tuesday, Kayama-san would come up and stroke my hair with a brush while I hum a tune, activating my quirk. See, my power evolved into something that can turn you young. And well, they wanted that. So here I am. Also, I've never actually seen any other people but Kayama-san, but I do know that there are other people." Izuku paused to look at his new companion. "Are there any other people?"
Katsuki stared at the painting in the ceiling before he spoke. "Well, there's... me. As I just said literally three minutes ago, I just got here. That hag Kayama took me in because I was running from the police. See, I'm a small time pickpocket. But then I got too fuckin' unlucky last week and got caught. So I ran away. So here I am. There's also that freak Himiko. She's around fifteen if I'm not mistaken. She said she got her two years ago because she ran away from home because, well, she's a total freak. But I guess she's fine." Katsuki paused to look at his battered old watch. "Oh shit. I'm supposed to take down your plate in a few."
"Oh, okay. Thanks for uh... the food. I don't really get that much of a good food... so, thanks." Izuku smiled softly, crinkling his eyes as he passed the tray to the brunette.
"Sure, freckles. Kayama isn't really good at cooking so I took it upon myself to cook for everyone now." Katsuki shrugged and walked over to the trapdoor and knocked three times. "I'll bring your lunch over later and uh..." Katsuki looked away, ears turning slightly pink. "We could... talk about some... more... stuff..."
Izuku beamed. "Yeah! I'll look forward to it, Katsuki-kun."
Izuku's days were far more better than before he met Katsuki. He would always go up to bring his food and sometimes a few trinkets, just like what Kayama used to do, and then they would talk about what Katsuki would see when he goes outside to buy groceries. Izuku laughed when he saw that Katsuki bleached his hair for disguise. Now it's sandy blonde, and a few streaks of brown here and there, but pleasant once you get used to it.
"And it was so funny! I was scared fuckin' shitless because the guard walked up to me and he looked too fuckin' menacing that I thought he recognized me from a wanted poster or somethin'." Katsuki cackled, relief shone all over his face as he braided Izuku's hair. "Shoulda seen his face, Deku. It was fuckin' scary, I'm tellin' ya."
Izuku laughed so hard he almost toppled off the bed. "I wish I could too, Kacchan. I wish I could go with you to buy groceries and stuff. Or just walk in the park. Or just be outside in general."
Katsuki went quiet. He stared at the fading painting on the ceiling and continued braiding the evergreen hair. "Say, Deku." he called softly.
"Yeah?" Izuku answered.
"Have you ever thought of... escaping?" Katsuki asked cautiously. Izuku didn't answer right away that Katsuki thought it was very sensitive of him. "Fuck. Nevermind, Deku. Don't—"
"'f course I have. Always did, every single day for the past nine and a half years. But I'm high up a tower, Kacchan. There's now way I could get down without being caught or bumping into someone." Izuku muttered sadly. "It's not like I love being here. I mean, look at me. I'm pale, my lips are dry, my eyes are dull, I look like a total zombie because I don't get sunlight at all. And before you came, all I ever ate were stale potatoes, some rice, boiled pork, and cold miso soup. It's disgusting! I haven't seen people in years, Kacchan. All I see is Kayama-san, and she doesn't even talk when she's here."
Katsuki intently listened to the boy rant. Izuku's voice was soothing, even when a little annoyed.
"You're the first person I talked to for the first time in nine years, Kacchan. You make my days less boring." he uttered shyly. "So don't disappear, okay?"
"'Course I won't." Katsuki muttered, tying the ends of Izuku's hair together. "There. Now your hair wouldn't be all over the damn place."
Izuku excitedly ran to the full-body mirror on his wardrobe and did a little twirl. "Waaaah! It's so pretty! Thanks, Kacchan! How did you know how to do this?"
"Please, 'Miko. Let me fuckin' braid your hair!" Katsuki pleaded, voice laced with annoyance and impatience.
"Katsuki-kun, our hair is different. My hair is barely a foot long. You can't practice it on me." Himiko patiently said for the nth time as she sipped her strawberry milk.
"But I'll have an idea on how to do it! Please! Then I'll cook your steak extra rare for two weeks. I promise." Desperate times call for desperate measures.
He got to braid the girl's hair by the end of the day.
Katsuki smiled smugly as he admired his handiwork. "Nah. I just saw some little girls braiding each other's hair when I went to the market the other day and I thought maybe I could do yours."
Every week, Katsuki took it upon himself to braid Izuku's hair as Kayama would always remove the thick hairtie whenever she strokes the hair with a brush.
He never complained once with how long and thick the hair was, and it made Izuku smile, so he thought it was worth it.
Both of them would ignore the air of domesticity hanging between them. Homemade hot lunches, snuggles under Izuku's blankets while they watch some stuff on the phone Izuku gets sometimes, braids, watching Izuku paint, cleaning the room, and recently, they started painting Izuku's dull, gray shirts.
"You know," Katsuki began as he painted a sloppy hill on his shirt. "I've only just noticed. You paint a lot of suns. It's literally in the fuckin' corner over there." he said, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder without looking.
Izuku smiled, splashing green paint on his tree leaves. "I tend to... paint things I haven't seen since... you know." he said as he focused on spreading the paint. "I draw people too... sometimes. But I can't... draw their faces. So it's either they're faceless, or their backs are turned. See, I haven't seen anyone's face ever since. Only yours and Kayama-san's."
For a few minutes, silence reigned over the two as they continued painting their shirts, until Katsuki spoke gruffly. "Paint me, then."
Izuku lost focus on his painting. Instead, his gaze turned to the blonde who just kept painting his own shirt. "I... I don't know, Kacchan..." he murmured.
"'Course you can do it. It's you..." Katsuki grumbled, trying his hardest to focus on the shirt he's painting.
"O-okay... I'll try..." the greenie mumbled, but suddenly determined. Katsuki moved his easel to the side and pulled his stool closer to Izuku's easel. He removed the shirt on the smaller boy's clean canvas and set it aside.
And so for the next four days, that's what they worked on. Katsuki would come, bringing his food, and they talk while Izuku ate, and then Izuku paints Katsuki.
Until they reached the face part and Izuku doesn't know where to start, frustrating him. His frustration must've shown on his face because Katsuki dragged his stool closer to Izuku.
"What's wrong, Deku?" the blonde asked, face etched with concern when he saw the greenie frown at the canvas.
"I still can't paint the face..." Izuku hesitated. "I don't know where to start, Kacchan."
Katsuki breathed, determined. He reluctantly grabbed Izuku's hand and slowly placed it on his cheeks. "C-close your eyes and... and t-try... try feeling my... my face... maybe, it will help..." the blonde stuttered, suddenly embarrassed of what he just did.
Izuku closed his eyes and thumbed Katsuki's cheek gently. He tapped the nose, and the eyelids, and the soft eyebrows. He thumbed under the eyes, feeling the soft, smooth skin on his own. He felt the rough dip of his scar and the jagged edges. He felt where the scar starts and ends. Absentmindedly, he murmured, "You're so pretty, Kacchan..."
Katsuki's eyes widened, but since Izuku's eyes were closed, he felt safe. He didn't move, even though he wanted to. Instead, he just ignored what Izuku said.
Katsuki was almost combusting on the spot, until Izuku reached his soft, plump, pinkish lips. Izuku thumbed it very lightly. And the blonde's mind is going absolutely haywire, despite his calm demeanor. He noted the way Izuku delicately touched his facial features. He felt safe at home with Izuku's touch. So despite his mind going haywire and his heartrate spiking up, he felt a pang of disappointment when Izuku finished.
Izuku slowly opened his eyes, meeting the rubies staring at him all this time. They both looked away at the same time, embarrassed and only had one thing in their minds.
"Stop beating so fast."
"O-okay... I... I think I now have an idea how to... work on it..." Katsuki hurriedly dragged his stool back and sat down. Izuku giggled quietly when he saw the red blotches on the boy's cheeks.
Izuku started working on painting Katsuki's face. After feeling it with his own hands, he now have a background how to do it. Working on it felt as easy as breathing, looking at Katsuki from time to time, only to see the blonde looking back at him. Slowly, his thin strokes filled the blank face.
Katsuki sat still all the while, breath slightly hitching whenever Izuku looked his way.
After what felt like hours, the painting was now finished.
Katsuki scurried to the side of the greenie, weirdly excited of how it turned out. Izuku moved slightly to the side, and when Katsuki saw the painting, he was mesmerized.
He was sitting on the stool, legs slightly spread with both of his hands leaning on the stool on the space between his legs. His head is slightly turned to the side, looking away. His tank top was messily scrawled over, with bits of paint on it, indicating the paint stains from when they painted the shirts. His eyes were sharp, and Izuku really brought out the color in them, painting them a carmine red, and some white paint to make it look like it's sparkling. His pink lips were slightly pursed, and were being bitten, making Katsuki blush because Izuku caught his features distorting into an embarrassed expression. His breath hitched when his rubies landed on his scar. It was beautifully painted with light brown, jagged edges prominent, but most of all, it was decorated with tiny colorful flowers all around, but still making the scar visible.
"I can heal scars too... you know..." Izuku whispered when he saw Katsuki staring hard at the way he painted the scar.
"No..." Katsuki murmured, still in awe with the painting as he touched his scar so delicately. "No, I think I'll keep it this way, thanks..."
"Okay." Izuku whispered, staring at Katsuki's side profile, still admiring the painting.
"It's so beautiful. You painted me so beautiful, Izuku..." Katsuki crooned, voice laced with pure adoration. "I knew you could do it..."
"That's just because you're already beautiful, Kacchan. I just had to work around that..." Izuku whispered back. They whispered back and forth, faces merely inches from each other, like sharing a special little secret, something that would never leave their mouths to tell other people. Not that they would.
Not that they could.
Soon enough, seven months had already passed since the two met. Katsuki spent most of his days hanging out with Izuku doing random stuff just to make themselves less bored. Sometimes Katsuki would bring puzzle books and they compete on who would finish first. Sometimes he would take random pictures, print them, and walk Izuku through them. It could be a funny story, a neutral one, an interesting one, or a strange one.
Katsuki would take pictures of stuff he remembers Izuku of, like a bottle of shampoo, saying that "you probably would use all of this and it wouldn't even be enough."
Kayama even let Katsuki bring his camera up one time so they could take pictures of themselves together.
Today, Katsuki brought a basket of picked flowers that looked like they were dried for days, floral tape, scissors, pliers, and a roll of thin wires. "We're gonna make..." Katsuki put down the basket on Izuku's bed and sat. "some flower crowns."
Katsuki took the roll of wire and measured it on Izuku's head, taking the thick pile of hair on top of it into consideration. Izuku did the same when Katsuki cut the wire with the pliers.
"Be careful not to cut the hair." Izuku mentioned, cutting his own sized wire with pliers.
"Maybe we should just cut your hair, so Kayama would grow old and old and old and she wouldn't use you to make herself look younger. Maybe she's die, that fucking freak." Katsuki angrily murmured, making Izuku sigh.
"I don't know, Kacchan. That's never happened before. If we cut my hair, it's gonna be a whole gamble whether that would happen or not, so let's just not do it." Izuku grumbled as he covered his wire with floral tape, and as much as he wanted to do it too, he never did because Kayama might just kill him if it doesn't work.
For the next hour, they taped dried flowers on their set of wires. Some were sloppy, some were perfect, some were mediocre, but most importantly, the pair were having fun.
Katsuki used the remaining dried flowers and stuck them on Izuku's hair, decorating it all the way to the bottom. And then, he held the greenie's hand and led him to stand up.
Izuku giggled when Katsuki firmly placed the flower crown he made on top of his head. He stepped back, raised Izuku's hand, and Izuku twirled prettily, his giant braided hair elegantly flowing around him.
"Wait. Wait for me here." Katsuki went to the music player and played a song. And they danced slowly to the song, with Izuku's right hand clasped with Katsuki's left, his left hand on the blonde's shoulder and Katsuki's right on his waist.
All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
They danced, not a care for the world outside the painting-clad walls. Danced, and forgetting their situation. For a few minutes, all that ever existed was just the two of them. For a few minutes, everything was into its right place. For a few minutes, everything was perfect.
Now I'm here blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here suddenly I see
Standing here it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be
Katsuki never bothered to know what love really is. He spent most of his life in the streets, living off people's wallets with a few dollars in it. All he ever cared about is how to live the next day. Until he almost got caught by some police on patrol that day. Months ago, he treated that day as the unluckiest day of his life. But now, standing in the middle of Izuku's room, with paintings all around them, dancing with no rhythm, he thinks he's learned what love is. And for Katsuki, love is making flower crowns with a green-haired boy inside a dingy dim-lit room, and slow dancing with nothing to care about but each other.
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
Izuku never stepped outside his room for nine years. No one has showed him any affection, nor hatred, nor sympathy. No one has showed him what the outside world now looked like, until he met Katsuki. Katsuki who cooked for him the stuff he loved, Katsuki who brought him stuff to make him feel alive, Katsuki who showed him what it's like to be free, even just through pictures. And, most importantly, Katsuki, who showed him what it's like to love. Katsuki, who showed him that love will bloom in all the strangest places.
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you
Katsuki hated Kayama. He hated that she had to lock Izuku up. He hated that Izuku had to live literally all by himself for the past nine years. He hated that she stole half of Izuku's life from him. But he also thanked Kayama. She was the one who indirectly introduced him to the green-haired boy. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have meet Izuku. So mentally, and through doing his daily chores just to meet Izuku, he thanks her.
All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time never truly seeing
Things, the way they were
And as they danced, as Izuku twirled, as Katsuki held the greenie's hand firmly but gently, as emeralds and rubies clashed, they both realize.
"Now he's here shining in the starlight..." Katsuki mouthed the song's lyrics as he stared down at Izuku's emeralds, his own rubies full of love.
"Now he's here suddenly I know..." Izuku mouthed, staring back at Katsuki's rubies with equal adoration. He smiled softly as they swayed around.
"If he's here, it's crystal clear, I'm where I'm meant to go..." they both sang as Izuku twirled, his back staying on Katsuki's chest, Katsuki's chin on Izuku's shoulder, with both their pairs of treasures for eyes closed.
And at last I see the light
A nd it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
They both never wanted the moment to stop. It felt too magical, too romantic, too perfect that they both dreaded the end of it.
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything is different
Now that I see you
Nothing has ever worked out to both Izuku and Katsuki's lives. Katsuki used to want to be a big time chef. But he was reduced to a petty thief when his parents abandoned him seven eleven years ago, where he had to take care of himself on the streets of the city.
Izuku always wanted to escape his 40-square-metered hell. He wanted to be able to live outside the walls, to be free from Kayama's invisible death grip. He wanted to see his mom, and everyday, he would get too anxious because what if mom died while I was here?
Nothing has ever worked out for the both of them, but right now, "Now that I... see you..."
Right now, everything has worked out for the both of them. Right now, everything is in its place.
"I promise, Izuku." Katsuki whispered as he cradled Izuku to his chest. "I promise I'll get us out of here one day."
Izuku's nineteenth birthday is in three weeks and Katsuki is downright panicking. He doesn't know what to give the greenie, seeing as he's given him everything he could possibly give. But Katsuki isn't giving up. He's not about to give up and he's never giving up.
That's why right now, he's scrubbing the floors so hard his hands are calloused. Himiko watched him as she filed her nails.
She sighed and put down her nail file, lying down on the battered sofa she was sitting on. "I wish I could meet him too..." she grumbled. "Kayama-nee never makes me bring his food up for him. Bet he's handsome."
"Shut the fuck up, 'Miko. Also, Kayama never makes you bring his food up because when she tried to, you ate it all before you even reached the trapdoor that he ended up not eating that night." Katsuki pointed out, catching his breath for a moment.
"'s not my fault I was hungry that time." Himiko pouted, staring at the blank ceiling. "So what's he like, Katsuki-kun?"
"He's... ethereal. His hair is as beautiful as the legend implied it to be. Sucks to be you." the blonde continued scrubbing the floor.
"You said you don't know what to give him on his birthday, right?" Himiko looked at him at the same time Katsuki did the same. "What about you... sneak him out... or get him out of here?"
Katsuki abruptly stopped, contemplating Himiko's absurd suggestion.
"Or! Or not!" the blonde girl exclaimed, terrified. "Kayama-nee's gonna kill you! For real! Trust me. She only looks like she's harmless, but there was someone who tried to get him out! They never even reached his chamber before Kayama-nee caught them sneaking! She killed them and made me hide their body. It was unpleasant! Disgusting, and there were maggots everywhere. Blergh."
Himiko tried to stop him. Really, she tried. But to no avail.
Katsuki prepared everything he thought he needed. A knife and a bobby pin. On the eve of Izuku's birthday, he decided to strike. He vowed to himself that he would take Izuku out on a date on his birthday and he's about to make it happen.
So that night, once Himiko and Kayama were sleeping soundly, Katsuki got up from his own bed and tiptoed to the ladder leading to Izuku's room. He pulled the ladder down quietly, climbed up, and pulled the ladder back up. He climbed the huge pipe that seemed endless. But he was used to it, seeing as he went to the greenie's room everyday ever since he got here.
He reached the locked trapdoor, so he takes his bobby pin out, careful not to drop it. He inserts it in the keyhole and randomly moved it around. His lockpicking skills weren't that good, so it took him almost ten minutes until he hears the resounding click.
As quietly as he can, he raises the trapdoor and darkness greeted him. Successfully, he climbed up into Izuku's room. He tiptoed around the floor to not make it creak under his foot.
He poked Izuku, who was sleeping peacefully with a small smile on his face. Katsuki actually contemplated if he should continue this, and if is it worth it to wake Izuku up, but then again...
It's now or never.
"Deku. Hey, Deku!" he whisper-shouted as he poked the green-haired boy awake. "Wake up!"
After a few seconds, Izuku blearily opened his eyes and squinted. "Ka—Kaccha..." he yawned. "Kacchan, what are you doing here?"
Katsuki hesitated. "I'm... I'm getting you out of here... Get up before she wakes up."
Izuku sat on his bed groggily and blinked until the sleep went away. "But... but it's dangerous, Kacchan... I... she might hurt us."
"She killed them and made me hide their body!"
Himiko's voice echoed in his mind. But he ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach and held Izuku's hand.
"Do you trust me?" he asked with voice full of determination. "Do you trust me, Izuku?"
"Oh, Kacchan, I do. Always." Izuku answered, just as determined, no matter how scared he was with what they're about to do.
Izuku was about to go outside. He was going to see the outside world in an hour or two. He was free, after ten years of captivity.
He flicked his light switch on, and warm light spread all over the room. His emeralds roamed around, looking at the painted walls, little trinkets, his canvasses, the pictures Katsuki gave that he propped on his wall, and lastly, Katsuki's portrait. He stood up and went closer to the portrait, touching it gently with his hand, touching it like how he would touch Katsuki.
He felt trembling large hands snake around his waist. "We're about to be free, Izuku..." Katsuki whispered, and Izuku nodded firmly.
Katsuki held Izuku's hand and led him to the trapdoor he left ajar. He went down first and called, "Izuku! You can come down now..."
And down the pipe the pair went. Izuku was exhausted because of his heavy braided hair. But not once did he pause. Not once did he stop.
After what felt like forever, Katsuki signalled the greenie to stop. he peeked under the pipe before lowering the ladder. He went down and landed softly on the stone floor. He signalled to Izuku again, and so he followed.
Relief was about to wash over them—
—when the lightswitch clicked, followed by the lights going on.
"I—I tried to s-stop he-her! Run! Run!" Himiko screamed, hands tied behind her, and the rope being held by an angry-looking Kayama.
"I gave you a bed to sleep on, and food to eat, I let you be friends with I-zu-ku, and this is how you decide to repay me?" Kayama softly asked, pulling Himiko closer towards her, making the blonde girl shriek in fear.
Katsuki pulled Izuku behind him with his trembling hands. "Fuck you, you fucking freak." he pulled his knife from his pocket and pointed it towards the woman. "Get out of the fucking way."
Katsuki pulled Izuku and together they bravely walked to Kayama and Himiko who were blocking the door.
"So this is what you choose." Kayama whipped her crossbow so fast Katsuki barely saw the arrow hit his stomach. And Katsuki's life flashed before his eyes.
"Katsuki, wait here, brat. I'm going to the comfort room." said Katsuki's mom, leaving the boy to sit on the bench, not knowing it'll be the last time he'll see his mom.
——
Katsuki went inside a convenience store, hoodie clad and cautious of his surroundings. After a few minutes, he went out, hoodie pockets full of candy and packets of instant ramen.
——
Katsuki smiled at the businessman he helped pick his stuff up, and mysteriously loses his wallet when Katsuki walked away.
——
"You! You there! Hey! Stop! Hey!" Katsuki ran, ran, ran to where his feet would take him. He had no place to stay but in the corner of the streets, in dark alleyways where he would end up to when the night falls, or in the parks, where benches were comfortable enough to sleep on.
And then he stops when he bumped into a girl younger than him but not that much. But he was desperate, so he clutched the girl's shoulders and pleaded, "Fuckin' hide me, whoever you are. Please, they're co—"
Katsuki pulled the girl into some dark alleyway and hid when he heard the police whistles coming closer.
"I'm not a murderer, I promise." Katsuki panted, looking around if the police have gone.
"Come with me then. I'm Himiko!" the girl, Himiko, cheerfully exclaimed, which Katsuki shushes in panic. But she disregarded him and pulled him deeper into the alleyway, reaching the hundred-foot high tower, away from everyone's care and attention.
——
"You are to bring his food up, three times a day, together with a few things you want to give him, in exchange for a place to stay." a woman named Kayama stated, pointing a finger up the pipe. "Careful, that's seventy feet high up. You'll fall to your death if you lose your grip on the ladder."
Katsuki shivered at the eerie smirk plastered on the lady's face.
——
"—So pretty—"
"—I'm Izuku!"
"Deku."
"Izuku!"
"Deku."
"Hmmf. Okay then, Kacchan."
"What?!"
——
"I've got youuuu... strawberries!"
"Yay! But why strawberries?"
"Because you look like a fuckin' strawberry."
"Kacchan!"
——
"I found this and thought of you so I sto—bought. I bought it."
——
"Paint me."
——
"You're already beautiful, Kacchan. I just had to work around that."
——
"Don't disappear, okay?"
...
"'Course I won't."
"AH!" he wailed in pain and toppled over. Izuku trembled in fear and anxiety as he watched his lover slowly fall down on the dirty floor, blood rapidly spreading over his white shirt.
"Katsuki!" Izuku screamed sitting down beside Katsuki who was writhing in pain. He hands shook as he tried to hold Katsuki's wound, failing to hum because of his wavering sobs. But Kayama harshly pulled him back through the back of his neck, and even when he tried to fight, Kayama was stronger than him.
"Ah, ah, ah. I don't think I'll allow you to do that, I-zu-ku." she mocked, tying Izuku's hands behind him as she did.
"Please! Please let me heal him! Please... I'll— I'll go back and—and never leave! Please... please let me heal him." Izuku pleaded desperately to Kayama as Katsuki moaned behind them. "I'll be here forever! With you. Please just... just let me heal him."
Kayama stared at him with a small smirk, as if showing the greenie that she finds joy in seeing him desperately, pathetically beg.
"Please. Kayama-san... please." his voice cracked as he bowed, begging and pleading. He never asked for anything more in his life as he asked Kayama right now. "Please, let me heal him."
She slowly untied Izuku's hands. Very, very slowly, as she bathed with Katsuki's calls of pain and Himiko's equally pleading sobs.
"Don't you ever leave your room again. Or there won't be another chance." she eerily whispered directly to his ears, pushing him heavily to the blonde's direction.
"Kacchan!" he whimpered, trembling hands not knowing where to land. But Katsuki kept shaking his head, with his eyes shut tight from the pain. Izuku heaved Katsuki up on his lap.
"No. Please no." Katsuki begged. "Don't... don't heal... I'll be fine, Izu—ku..." his lips trembled weakly as his right hand clutched his wound, wincing in pain.
"Kacchan, you'll die." Izuku warbled, cupping Katsuki's cheek. Katsuki weakly raised his hand to hold Izuku's and smiled.
"Have I... Have I ever told... told you that... your hair... your hair 's so pretty..." Katsuki slurred weakly, voice gruff and laced with love, even in dying moments.
Izuku tried to ignore Katsuki's words as he closed his eyes and tried his hardest to hum steadily.
"Your... freckles... so cute... smile... so beautiful..." Izuku felt the power of his hair course through him, glowing evergreen, with green lightning surrounding him. "I'm so... sorry... Izuku... 'm sorry... sorry... you're... the gamble... I'll always be willing... to take..." Katsuki apologized over and over again—
—and using the last of his strength to cut through Izuku's thick hair, making it barely two feet long, instantly turning into yellow.
Izuky gasped and opened his eyes when he felt his power leave and the weight of his hair disappear. "No... no... no! No! No! No!"
Behind them, Kayama shrieked, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" in horror when she saw her face turn pale and wrinkly, and her blue hair turn wiry white. She choked on nothing, and her breath hitched, and she fell on the floor, whining and whimpering before breathing her last.
"NO!" Izuku screamed, horrified. "No. No, Katsuki!" he sobbed. Somewhere in front of them, Himiko pulled her hand out of the ropes and opened the door.
"HELP! HELP US!" Izuku heard her scream from a distance. "SOMEONE'S HURT INSIDE OUR HOUSE! HELP!"
Inside the house, Izuku desperately hummed, begging the heavens for the last of his power, but to no avail.
"Kacchan, Kacchan, Kacchan." he chanted as he kept the blonde awake. "Don't close your eyes, help is coming. It's coming, Kacchan. Please, don't leave me."
"Now he's... here..." Katsuki sang weakly, making Izuku sob harder and shaking his head trying to stop him from wasting more energy. "...shining... in the star...light..."
"Now... he's...here—" Katsuki coughed up some blood, and Izuku wiped it away, still shaking his head, chanting "no" under his breath. "...sudden...ly I... know..."
"Kacchan, Kacchan, please." Izuku cried. But Katsuki thumbed the tears away.
"If... he's here..." Katsuki's voice cracked, tears now adorning his scarred face. "it's... crystal... clear... I'm where... I'm meant... to be..."
"Kacchan, I love you. I love you so much, Kacchan. I'm sorry it took me so long to say it." Izuku sobbed when Katsuki smiled weakly, even when blood kept dripping out of his mouth.
"I... love you... too... Izuku... so, so much..." he slurred as he cupped Izuku's cheek. "Let's go on a date... when... when this all... end, yeah?"
Izuku nodded profusely, tears endlessly flowing from his eyes.
"'m sorry... sorry... happy... birthday... Izuku..." Katsuki closed his eyes slowly and Izuku feared it might be—
"No. No! Please! PLEASE, KATSUKI, NO! Don't leave me. Don't leave me." Izuku sobbed over and over again. His whole body wracked with his sobs as he cradled the blonde in his arms.
He felt the last of Katsuki's breath on his cheek.
"Kacchan... Kacchan..." he called, but no Katsuki answered him like always. No Katsuki that said "'m here." No Katsuki went to him. And Izuku felt like truly alone.
Even more so before he met the initially brunette boy with rubies for eyes, and a pretty scar over his right eye.
"You mustn't cut your hair, love. Think of it as something magical. Treat it better and it will take care of you for the rest of your life, probably even to save someone from the brink of death! Your hair is beautiful, honey. It's the best one there is." Inko stroked his hair gently, kissing Izuku on the forehead.
"Save someone from death?" Izuku repeats with curious eyes.
"Mhm. Save someone from death."
At last, after excruciating ten years of captivity, with no contact at all on the outside world, Izuku was free. Hair now yellowish green and dry, no one worshipped him like everyone did before he disappeared. Izuku was more than okay with that.
They never held a funeral for Katsuki. After all, he never had a loved one until he met the greenie. But still, Himiko used their remaining money from Kayama to at least give him a proper burial.
Izuku found his mom, eventually, and Inko sobbed so hard when his long lost son turned up on her doorstep, even when his hair was cut short.
After several months of therapy, he visited Katsuki's grave, clutching a ukelele and a flower crown.
His grave was clean, at least. Himiko always went and cleaned it.
He sat down on the grass that were as green as how his hair used to be.
"I'm sorry, I never visited for so long, Kacchan." Izuku greeted as he put the flower crown on the side of the gravestone.
And for the next few hours, Izuku rambled about his therapy sessions. How at first, they were hard to handle, and his feelings just came naturally and he just talked and talked and talked, how he and his therapist would talk about Katsuki.
"I'm sorry, Kacchan..." Izuku whispered, tears threatening to spill from his emeralds. "I'm sorry for not saving you in time that night..."
He strums his ukelele randomly, but his fingers automatically plays the song they danced to almost a year ago.
Their memories flashed before Izuku's eyes. Their little moments like snuggling on Izuku's bed, the puzzles they answered, the movies they watched, the songs they listened to, and—
And the dance, and the painting. The painting is now in Izuku's room in his mom's house, propped on the wall. It now consisted of windows and a balcony, as windowless rooms suffocated Izuku.
The painting was the only way Izuku could see Katsuki. The pictures were left inside the tower, just as his paintings on the walls. Fading, peeling off, disappearing.
"...Now... I can't... see... you..." Izuku sang, changing the last line of the song as his tears freely flowed down his cheeks.