"Deku, stop!" I tried to hold him back but even as he fought to get free his sobs wracked his body.
"No! Kacchan, Kacchan. Kacchan," he dissolved into his sobs before he spun around and wrapped his arms around me. "You're so dumb sometimes, Kacchan!" He cried, hitting me a little bit. I know that he isn't actually angry at me. I for one don't care what anyone else thought, we know the truth and that's all that matters.
"Deku, you have to choose. Don't worry about me, just pick what you want," I whispered in his ear and his knees gave out but I was already holding him up so it didn't actually make any difference anyway.
"You don't understand!" He screamed at me, hitting me in the chest again. "You don't understand at all!"
"Yes I do," I answered simply but he shook his head and instead of arguing I leaned in and kissed him. Stopping all signs of his grief in an instant thanks to the surprise. I know full well exactly what I was doing to both of our hearts right now but I'm still not capable enough to pull away. He started kissing back instead of pulling away and his hands were clutching large handfuls of my shirt to hold me close so I opened, inviting him in and he took it. The moment I showed even this small amount of desire it was the end and we both know it.
"No more tears," I whispered, wiping away the few remaining ones once we pulled away just enough to talk before lightly kissing him again and again. "I don't want to remember your tears," I added, gently caressing him now that his body seemed to take a moment to catch up to what was now going on.
"Go make those bastards pay, I'll take care of Aunty and everything else here," I added in a lower voice so that the news reporters wouldn't be able to hear us. They were already going crazy just from what they think they already saw and it was more than enough for their breaking news bullshit so I'm not giving them anything else.
"Okay," he slumped against me and I held him there until he was ready. "Don't go easy on them. I'll be back," he promised, not saying when and I nodded. He pulled himself together, his quirk crackling around us before he let me go, he gave me a soft smile, crouched down and launched himself into the air, leaving me and a small newly formed crater behind.
I ignored all the fucking extras trying to demand answers and turn my attention back to the reason Deku broke down in the first place. I carefully kneeled by the woman on the ground, taking off my gauntlets and clipping them to my belt so that I wouldn't hurt her if I could help it.
"Aunty, I'm going to take you to the hospital now. Don't judge Deku too harshly, he's only human," I whispered, doubting that she could hear my words at all. She was a mess; her clothes were torn in places and wrinkled everywhere else, large blotchy bruises were covering her pale skin just about everywhere that wasn't hidden by her clothes and I suspect that there were far worse under them. There were a few cuts and small gashes that she was still bleeding from but the flow was soft and slow. I want to murder them all for hurting Aunty like this but I had to stop Deku and get him to calm down before he took off to fight. Or he really just might have.
I picked her up gently, cradling her small weak body in my arms, something I have never done for anyone else before in the last five years of working as a pro hero. Gentle, the open mouths of both pro heroes and reporters alike at the fact that I was treating this woman so preciously, could almost make them all forget the fact I kissed Deku only moments ago. Either way though, I don't care.
I only care about getting Aunty to someone with a medical quirk now, she needs at least some first aid before I run her to a hospital. I'm afraid she won't make it otherwise.
"Ka-tsu-ki?" I heard Aunty's broken and weak voice call out my name. I quickly check her over again but I don't stop moving.
"It's okay, are you uncomfortable? I just need you to hold on for a little longer and then I can put you down," I whispered and she chuckled, her voice sweet even now when she is so hurt.
"My sweet boy, take care of my baby for me? He worries me so much you know? Always chasing after you, no matter what," her voice rasped but I could only barely speed my step up because she really will get hurt if I'm too fast.
"You know me, I'll do anything you ask," I forced a smile for her and she chuckled even more.
"Would you give me grandbabies then? Izuku is too stubborn," if nothing else she seems to be in a far better mood than before but I think she is pushing herself to look like she is okay. No chance of that happening though.
"Aunty, I have a confession," I hesitated but sucked in a breath anyway, no one else was close enough to hear me anyway. "I am gay and I'm in love with Izuku. I'm sorry," I let out a sigh and focused my eyes on the path ahead of us, not able to look at her now, that is until she started laughing, even now her laughter just sounds so sweet. I'll never understand how she is so full of just goodness.
"You and Izuku would make beautiful babies," she sighed, leaning her head against my shoulder and I almost tripped at how happy she sounded. "I won't force you, but I really want to play with my grandbabies before I can't. So don't make me wait too long," she teased me a little and I kissed her on the forehead, unable to hold myself back right now.
"Maybe I'll get the nerve to ask him out after he comes back?" I joked and she laughed some more until she couldn't hold it in anymore and started coughing. Hard. She was spitting up blood with each exhale and I could only carry her while I tried to comfort her a little.
"You have to promise to play with them, or I won't have them," I swore, fighting the angry tears that were threatening to spill out. "You have to promise."
She chuckled her voice raspy from the incident but that didn't stop her from smiling at me anyway. "I promise Katsuki, nothing in this world could keep me from them," she looked so tired, her eyes closing as she talked but she made herself heard anyway.
Thankfully we made it to the medical tent and everything went silent when I walked in carrying the woman that meant so very much to me. I started barking orders at them and when I carefully laid her down on an empty cot the best healer showed up.
"Dynamight, this tent is for heroes. You can't bring a random citizen in here," the extra with light blue hair, red eyes and the skin of a lizard tried to say in a way that wouldn't piss me off but too late.
"You want to explain to Deku why you refused to heal his mother?" I hissed at him and I got to watch him go extremely pale, this extra was infatuated with Deku or at least he liked to pretend that he was, I know better though.
He coughed, clearing his throat and started talking to Aunty but I didn't leave, staying by her side letting her hold my hand while she was examined by the extra. I was staring him down, trying to decide the best way to dismantle his head from his shoulders but I remained silent.
"Now Ma'am, my quirk will feel a little funny, a little like you're being tickled and it will probably make you go to sleep but don't worry, that is perfectly normal," the fucker smiled and Aunty turned to me and I had to hide my angry expression for now.
"Katsuki?" She asked timidly and I smiled at her.
"It's okay Aunty, I'm right here and I won't let anyone hurt you," I tried to reassure her, helping her lay back comfortably. "No one can touch you, I've already called for Uncle. He'll be here soon."
"Toshinori hasn't been feeling well though," she fussed, making me smile at her even more. Even now with her so hurt she is thinking about All Might, Deku and I more than herself. She really is an angel.
"You're right but he would only feel worse if I didn't call him. You wouldn't want that would you?" I asked her, knowing that she is already fully aware of what I was doing right now but also knowing she can't argue with my logic.
"Katsuki," she frowned, pouting at me but I just held her hand and motioned for the fucker to heal her already. She let out a sigh giving up on arguing and besides I already contacted him so it was too late to do anything anyway.
"Where is my Izuku?" She asked after several minutes of looking around and not seeing him.
"He is taking care of some rat-like villains," I quickly smiled at her, trying to hide what I was thinking.
"They must be really bad for you to smile so much for me today," she relaxed and I couldn't help chuckling a little. Of course she could read me like a book.
"It's All Might! The All Might!" I heard someone screaming outside and I smiled for real this time and I could easily see Aunty relax hearing that her husband was here.
"Inko!" He yelled, all but running in and you would have to be blind not to see all the blood he had spit up already, probably on the way here.
I let out a sigh, "Uncle, clean your face." I motioned to my mouth and he froze for less than a second before quickly doing just that and joined Aunty and I.
"Dear? What happened? You were supposed to be with Izuku and Young Bakugo. How did you get hurt? How did any of this happen?" He was questioning her and I directed the fucker to hurry the fuck up and heal her but first I had to snap him out of his fucking head because he just found out that the woman in front of him was married to The All Might. I rolled my eyes getting even more pissed but for now I have to remain calm. Just for now.
He finally healed her and I slid my fingers over her face, "Sleep Aunty. Don't open your eyes and close your ears, Uncle and I won't let anything happen to you. Just close your eyes and don't peek." I saw her flinch at my overly calm words but she nodded, already understanding that shit was about to hit the fan. "Uncle, just stay with her. I'll take care of everything else." He quickly nodded, suddenly understanding that we were not as safe as he originally thought.
I stood up and took a few steps before grabbing the fucker by his throat and started dragging him away while he tried to scream out but both Aunty and Uncle didn't respond at all. While the other medical quirk users all followed me outside and watched.
"In accordance with warfare article XVII subsection XXIII of the undercover villains act. I, Pro Hero Dynamight as well as Pro Hero Deku, charge Mistywater with the crime of espionage and sabotage causing the death of three pro heroes and hundreds of citizens. You are being arrested with all these people as witnesses, do you have anything to say?" I glared at the fucker who was putting on a good show of struggling from my choke hold but he failed to notice that I already have the quirk cancelling choker on him, probably thinking I was just trying to strangle him so when I let him go he fell down not expecting me to actually just let him go.
The look on his face when he reached up and found the choker in place already would have been funny if not for what it represented. That thing doesn't come off, ever. He is doomed to always have it on for the rest of his life, someone at the hero agency can hit a button and allow him to use his quirk for a few seconds at a time but the amount of paperwork that requires is god awful and unless they plan to make him an agency dog, which they probably will eventually, he will never use his quirk again.
"What? How can you do this to me? Without a trial?" He was screaming and otherwise spitting mad but none of this was my choice. Not that I could blame him, that choker also acted as a tracking device and if something happened the person in charge (not me) could literally blow his head off. So I walked up to him and lowered my voice so that only he could hear me.
"Be lucky they stepped in when they did. For hurting Aunty, Deku and I were expecting you to disappear and never be found again," I whispered, my hands popping my quirk in irritation. "If only I wasn't already given the order." I stood back up again and his now blanched face was gaping like a fish. I walked away letting another pro hero take him with the excuse that he attacked someone close to me, so that I wouldn't have to deal with the fucker before returning to Aunty and Uncle, both were fast asleep, Aunty in the bed and Uncle sitting on a chair, his head on the cot with her. I pulled up a chair and sat down to wait for Deku.
***
"Kacchan?" I heard his light whisper and I felt every muscle in my body relax, Deku is back.
"Over here," I stood up so he could find me even in the dark. I checked on Aunty and Uncle only to find them both fast asleep so I pulled a blanket over each of them before walking towards him and out of the tent. Thanks to this almost constant war, hospitals were always maxed out and most of the time people had to deal with a cot in a tent instead of a bed in a room.
All-For-One died a couple years ago and the fact that his death actually set off this war for real is fucking stupid. I mean the fucker killed thousands of people, experimented on several thousand more and he never treated any of them humanely, yet the public was still outraged. They didn't calm the fuck down until they found out that he almost killed All Might not once, not twice but fucking three times. That didn't stop all the changes in policy but some of them were actually good so I only complain about the stupid ass ones. Technically we are not at war anymore, but having said that, we still are.
"Thank you Kacchan, I don't know what I would have done it I had to do it," I looked at him confused for a moment until I realized that he was talking about the fucker I put the choker on.
"Deku, you don't have to thank me for Aunty," I tried to give him a meaningful look but now that we were outside I reached for a cigarette that I know for damn sure that I don't have. "Why did I ever start smoking? I should quit," I heard myself grumbling but Deku reached into his inside pocket and handed me an unopened pack.
"They are non nicotine, herbal, they aren't good for you but it helps with the urges," he answered when I looked at him slightly confused. I read the pack and found it acceptable enough to try before thanking him and letting a tiny explosion pop between my fingers to light it. So much better than what I was smoking. "Keep the pack," he shrugged them away when I went to return the pack.
"I'll use them to quit then. I should have never started, but life felt like it was suffocating me and I just didn't know what to do," I sighed out, taking another drag. I think what I really like about smoking is the way I have to take deep breaths the whole time. Is there anything else I could do that wouldn't look fucking weird that could give the same effect?
"They really help. I used them to quit," he nodded and I choked in the middle of inhaling.
"I didn't even know that you smoked," I coughed for a while and he giggled a little.
"You're not the only one that life was suffocating," he smiled at me playfully but instead of asking him what he meant I took a step closer and leaned my head on his shoulder. He flinched at first, freezing at the intimate contact but instantly leaned against me too and I could feel him relaxing. The cigarette that I started was already done, burning much faster than a normal tobacco one and I couldn't help thinking that that had to help with the urges too. I'll only smoke them when I have to.
"So Aunty wants grandbabies," I shook my head at the memory and Deku barked a laugh not expecting this subject to come up at all.
"Oh, don't I know it," he continued to laugh, shaking his head before looking back up at the night sky again. "I don't even have a lover and she is hounding me about it."
I started chuckling and he looked at me again, "She gave up on you and asked if I could give her grandbabies instead."
"SHE DIDN'T!" He jumped, his voice far louder than it needed to be but to be fair that was shocking to hear.
"Yeah she did. While I was carrying her here. I told her I wouldn't give her any if she wasn't able to play with them when they grew up," I chuckled as I told him and I heard him calling her a traitor but we were both laughing now.
"I didn't even know you had a lover," Deku mused out sadly and instead of my dumbass getting defensive I leaned against him again, getting his attention.
"Not yet I don't," I finally answered and I braced myself and slid my hand on top of his. "I have hopes though." He stayed silent, just looking at our hands and several minutes ticked by before he placed his other hand on top of mine and gently gripped it.
"I have hopes too. Do you want to go somewhere to talk about it? I have time now?" He suggested after several minutes of silence and I nodded, agreeing and after checking inside again we walked away from the medical tent before finding a nearby roof that we would frequently use during patrols a few blocks away.
"What kind of hopes do you have?" I asked once we were both comfortable. Instead of answering he leaned his forehead against mine and I saw him staring at my lips, making me lick them in response before we were both just looking into each other's eyes.
Those green eyes, swirling greens pooling together to make those malachite lakes within them and right now while he is so exhausted they still just look so alive. Peaceful, they make me realize that not everything in this fucked up world is all that terrible. Not really.
"I love your eyes, Kacchan," Deku whispered, the black centers of his eyes large now thanks to how dark it is. "I love how bright and passionate they always are, I love how even when you are at your lowest you never give up, how fiercely they fight even in the dark. I can't get enough of the fire that is always waiting for me when I look at them."
Holy fuck I was not expecting all of that and I told him as much. "Should I tell you what yours looks like to me? Cause now it kind of feels like we are competing," I teased and he chuckled a little nodding, hopefully, so I told him. "There is nothing more beautiful than seeing how calm your eyes are on my worst day," I added for good measure and he was giggling nervously.
"Does all of this mean that we can-" Deku started asking but he didn't know how to finish it.
"Can I kiss you? A real kiss, not like earlier," I asked and his eyes brightened before he nodded, waiting for me. I held the side of his face with one hand, caressing him gently as I did. Guiding him closer until our lips were pressed against each other's, the softness of his sweet skin had me lingering and he didn't hesitate to respond. Our lips opening for each other, my tongue slid across his lower lip but retreating again only for him to match me. We teased and tasted each other for several minutes before pulling away, panting.
"I want the world with you," I whispered, only for him to dive into another kiss stopping me from doing anything else.
"Then I'll give it to you," he whispered and suddenly my belt was unhooked and we both froze at the sound.
"Maybe somewhere else?" He suggested nervously, backing away a little.
"Let's go," I stood up holding out my hand for him and I saw him smile before he took it and led me to his apartment. This is the beginning of something new and exciting and I can't wait to see it all.