The Deku-Shaped Hole - Chapter 7

Katsuki grumbled as he dug his phone out of his pocket to silence the incessant ringing. When would people learn to send him a damn message instead of trying to talk to him? It was so time-consuming and irritating. 

"What the-?" He hit the green button, frowning as he held it to his ear. "I just finished my shift, what do you want?"

"He woke up."

Katsuki dropped the pan he'd been pulling out of the cupboard, sending it clanging to the floor, and immediately both his parents were in the doorway.

"Just now?!"

"This was the first thing I did, Sir. We don't have his mother's phone number, could you possibly give me-"

"Mom!" he demanded, whirling around. "Call Inko, tell her to be in the parking lot in five minutes!"

"He's still not in perfect cond-"

"You think we care?!" Katsuki demanded. "I'm going there now and they better let us in."

He hung up the phone without waiting for a response, grabbing his car keys and wallet while Mitsuki dialled. 

"Is everything okay?" Masaru asked gently.

"He woke up."

"That's fantastic!" Masaru exclaimed, as Mitsuki turned to gape at him. "Give him our love, Katsuki! Tell him we're thinking of him!"

"Hello? Inko? It's Mitsuki."

He didn't stick around to listen to their conversation, already kicking his shoes on and heading out to his car. His father watched from the doorway, eyes watery as he smiled and waved, and Katsuki shot him a quick wave in return as he backed out of the driveway. 

By the time he pulled into the apartment complex parking lot, Inko was running out the door, her clothes wrinkled and her bag tucked hastily under her arm. She practically dove into the car, and Katsuki was already pulling out into the street again by the time she fastened her seatbelt. He waited until he was on clear road before he stole a glance at her.

"He's probably still covered in wounds," Katsuki warned her. "He had some really bad burns, lots of broken bones, everything was bandages and casts when I was in. He has a horrible scar along the corner of his eye, they're not sure yet if it will affect his vision. It could be really, really bad still. It's not a pretty sight."

Inko shuddered a little, and Katsuki reached over, patting her shoulder awkwardly.

"But he's awake. I want you to be prepared for what you're going to see, but he's alive in there."

"I know. I'm relieved."

"Me too."

Katsuki realised far too late that he was still wearing Izuku's hoodie. It wasn't until they were shoving through the front doors of the hospital, and the baggy sleeve fell back over his forearm, that he noticed his mistake. Inko didn't seem to have noticed, or didn't care if she had, but Izuku was an observant little fuck.

Then again, he'd already confessed his love over and over at his bedside, so it was probably too late to worry about subtlety.

"Going up," Katsuki grunted, dragging Inko past the reception desk to the elevator. "No time."

Thankfully, the receptionists all knew him well enough by face, and no one stopped him. They'd heard the news, he figured, and had either assumed or been informed that guests were on their way. Katsuki tapped his foot impatiently in the elevator, wishing he'd taken the stairs instead just so he could move, but when he ran down the hall and found Izuku's door open, it was all worth the wait.

He couldn't find the words to speak, when he saw the familiar green eyes, open and staring at his shaky hands. The head of the bed was tilted, letting him sit up a little, and as Katsuki took a slow step forward, he saw two little toys in the weak grasp. 

"Did he take care of you?" Katsuki asked breathlessly.

Izuku's head snapped up, his grip tightening around the plastic figures, and slowly, slowly, he nodded.

"Bakushouchi," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah," Katsuki grinned. "You remember."

"It's hazy. I only remember a little."

"From while you were out, or in general?"

"I remember who you are, Kacchan," Izuku smiled softly. "Don't worry."

Inko finally caught up, bursting into tears when she saw her son, bound in clean bandages. His face was visible, which was an improvement from the first time Katsuki had seen him, and most of his head and fingers were free too, but the bulk of his body remained encased and immobilised.

"I'll give you some privacy," the kind nurse smiled, patting Izuku's shoulder, and then Katsuki's, before she closed the door behind her.

Inko took up her seat, still sobbing too hard to make words, and Izuku gave her an apologetic smile as he reached for her. His arm was clunky to move, but his hand found her all the same, and she clutched at him like he might vanish if she let go for even a second.

"Do you want a minute?" Katsuki asked, jerking his thumb toward the door. "I can step out."

"Don't be silly, Kacchan."

He moved instead to the other side of the bed, stepping carefully between monitors, and gently plucked the two figurines from his remaining hand. Izuku looked at him in surprise, as he set them neatly on top of one of the machines, instead clasping the feeble hand between both of his strong, warm ones. 

"Kacchan," he said softly.

"Not now," he insisted, closing his eyes and resting his head against their joined hands. "Just let me have this, for now."

"For as long as you want, Kacchan."

He turned his head, leaning his cheek against their fingers, and when he cracked his eyes open he found a timid smile aimed back at him. His eyes shone, reflecting every emotion the damn nerd had ever felt, and Katsuki found himself blushing.

"You tell your Mom everything, right?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then I can say what I want."

Inko looked up, sneaking a glance at Katsuki's flushed face, and as she watched, the young man leaned in closer. His face was right over Izuku's, close enough to see every cut, every bruise, every scar that remained – every freckle, he realised. There were more of them than he'd ever known, scattered across his cheeks with no rhyme or reason to their pattern.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to understand," Katsuki began, his eyes locked with Izuku's for the first time in years. "The thought of losing you terrified me. I spent every spare moment here, hoping and praying that you'd answer my questions or squeeze my hand or something. I didn't care how beat up you were or how many people advised against visiting, I never wanted to leave your side."

"I know," Izuku smiled. "I heard your voice, I knew you were here with me."

"I haven't told your mother this, and she's probably gonna freak out when I say it, but we almost lost you one day. The doctors came rushing in to resuscitate you, it was all so loud and overwhelming, and I felt... You can guess, I'm sure. You were doing it, after all."

"Yeah. I remember thinking it was over."

"Did you hear anything I said, that day?"

"Kind of?" Izuku said apologetically, ducking his gaze. "There was a lot going on, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. This can be the first time, then, okay?"

"The first time?"

"There's been something missing from my life for so long, like there's a hole in my chest exactly the right size and shape for you to fill it. I know you probably don't feel the same, and I feel like a complete nerdass for saying any of this, but I was so, so close to losing you, and I don't ever want to feel that way again. I love you, Izuku."

For a moment they were silent, then Izuku began to giggle. Katsuki's eyes widened, staring as his whole body shuddered with the sound.

It made Katsuki's heart pound.

His eyes squinted, the corners of his lips curling up, and he practically doubled over as the noises bubbled out of him. It was so full of joy, a sound Katsuki wasn't sure he'd ever heard before, and he realised, in that moment, that he could happily listen to it all day.

"It sounds so weird when you say it," Izuku choked out between giggles, squeezing a little firmer at Katsuki's hands. "Deku is fine, okay?"

"Okay," Katsuki agreed, conceding a soft smile. "Deku it is."

"I love you too, Kacchan."

"What?"

"Are you an idiot?" he giggled. "I've always loved you, Kacchan! From the day we met, you've been the person I loved the most in the world. Uh, no offense, Mom."

"None taken," Inko smiled. "I've always known."

"Wait," Katsuki started, eyes wide. "Is that why you don't want kids?!"

"What?!"

"She said you don't plan on having biological children! Is it because you've been gay all this time?!"

"Oh! Yeah," Izuku smiled awkwardly. "I'm not gonna ask why you were discussing that."

"I'm so stupid," Katsuki marvelled. "I should have realised!"

"Kacchan."

"It's seriously been this long and I never considered that you might not like girls?!"

"Kacchan!"

"I mean, you got flustered around them all the time at school, but you got flustered around everyone so that's hardly a fair comparison, so-"

"Kacchan!"

"Huh?"

"Say it again, for me."

"Say-? Oh." He leaned in close, smiling as he planted a tiny kiss on Izuku's scarred cheek. "I love you, Deku."

"I love you too, Kacchan."