Written for the BakuTodo Week event on Tumblr. Prompt: Autumn.
Two boys meet on the first day of autumn.
It happens in a forest, a solitary place near a small village, the yellowish glow of sunrise filtering through the canopy of trees and the fallen leaves that mark the change in seasons cracking under the boys' feet.
One of them is Katsuki Bakugou, all spiky hair and terrible attitude, turned seventeen just a few months prior. He's no stranger to these woods; they've been his refuge from the moroseness of his village for years.
The other one, though Katsuki is yet to discover his name, is Shouto Todoroki. He's sleeping with his back against a large tree when Katsuki finds him, unusual white and red hair falling over closed eyes as his chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm. He's dressed like someone from Katsuki's village, with dark trousers and a simple white shirt, but Katsuki is pretty sure he's never seen him before.
"Oi," he says, but there's no response. "Oi!" he repeats, jabbing his foot into Shouto's side. The boy jolts awake, blinking the sleep out of his eyes - which are also odd, one blue and one gray, Katsuki notices when Shouto looks at him with a blank expression. "Who the hell are you?"
"Shouto... Todoroki," Shouto answers, but it's hesitant, almost as if he's not sure of his own name. He stands up and Katsuki notices he's barefoot, seemingly undisturbed by the chilly morning air.
"That's not a proper answer, moron. Where are you from? Haven't seen you around before."
If Shouto's bothered by the other's rudeness, he doesn't show it. There's the barest hint of a smile on his face as he turns his eyes away from Katsuki, gazing at the forest that surrounds them with something akin to fondness.
"Here," he says.
It's strange; he is strange, but at the same time there's a familiar aura about him, even though Katsuki is certain this is the first time they've met. His eyes are narrowed as he watches Shouto turn around and start climbing the tree behind him, perching himself on the lowest branch. There's a moment of silence broken only by the sounds of the forest as the two boys stare at each other, one curious, the other looking mildly bored.
"You didn't tell me your name," Shouto suddenly says, and Katsuki scoffs. He considers kicking the boy out of the forest by force, but this is different, a break in the routine he detests, and he supposes he can let him stay for today.
So he tells him.
And their story starts to unravel.
The next day, Shouto is standing next to that same tree, as if he were waiting for Katsuki to arrive.
And once again, Katsuki doesn't kick him out.
He finds out he enjoys having company during the time he spends in the forest. Shouto can be annoying sometimes and they're always bickering, but it's fun, even if Katsuki would never admit it out loud.
They don't always talk. There are days when Shouto climbs the tree, laying on a larger branch and humming while Katsuki does a few exercises - he likes fighting, and since none of the other boys at the village are a match for him, he has to resort to training alone - but sometimes Shouto joins in, and Katsuki finds him to be a good opponent.
Other times, Katsuki tries to ask more about Shouto's life, intent on getting through the mysteriousness he's surrounded himself with. However, he never gets straight answers, or at least nothing that makes sense to him, and he's left with nothing but his own conjectures.
Their favorite days, though they never say it to each other, are when they walk around the forest together, or sit side by side as they talk about anything that comes to mind, and the air rings with the occasional sound of laughter.
With each new encounter there are more smiles, more lingering touches. And just like that, one day turns to two, which turns into a week, which turns into a month, and suddenly they realize they've been seeing each other every day, the beginnings of an ache settling into their hearts whenever they're apart.
If you go deep enough into the forest, there is a lake.
It's Shouto that shows it to Katsuki, holding his hand as he guides him through the woods. Katsuki complains about it, but he's strangely conscious of the way Shouto's fingers are soft and a little cold, fitting nicely against his own. He decides not to examine those feelings too closely, instead wondering why Shouto seems to know the forest so well, moving with a purpose that tells he's not afraid of getting lost. After years, Katsuki knows these woods, but even he can't find his way around its deeper paths with such ease.
He doesn't ask about it, lest Shouto dodge his way out of an answer like he usually does. His doubts aren't the focus of his attention for long, anyway, because they finally arrive at their destination, and Katsuki can't do anything but stop and stare.
The lake isn't too big, but its waters are still as a mirror, of a clear blue that reminds him of the color of Shouto's left eye. The trees get sparser the closer they get to the bank, leaving only a wide patch of grass, decorated with the same fallen leaves that pave the entire forest. The air feels colder there, fresher, and Katsuki can only guess if it's because it's a place so far away from any kind of human interference.
When he turns to look at Shouto, he finds him watching him, a small smile on his face. Katsuki's heartbeat falters for a moment and he quickly averts his eyes, shuffling closer to the edge where the bank meets the waters.
"What do you think?" Shouto asks, his voice soft and uncertain.
"It's nice," Katsuki says after a moment. Shouto's smile grows bigger, and he moves to sit down, pulling Katsuki along with him.
The day is too cold for them to get in the water, so time passes as they sit there, talking about everything and nothing, their voices ringing loud against the background sounds of the forest. The sun slowly moves across the sky, turning dawn to afternoon to dusk, casting shadows over the two boys that seem lost in their own world.
At some point, Shouto says something to annoy Katsuki - he does it often, if only to see the blush that spreads over the other's cheek when he gets angry - and he ends up being tackled to the ground, laughing as they engage in a not-so-serious fight.
They're too engrossed in exchanging punches and kicks to notice that they've gotten much closer to the lake, and the realization only comes when the shock of falling into cold water hits them.
The part they fall into is still shallow, so they're able to get back to the grass quickly, sputtering and dripping lake water. Katsuki can feel the cold air hitting his damp clothes, making him shiver. He curses out loud, even more so when he notices that, while Shouto isn't in much better condition than him, he seems to be immune to the low temperature.
"I-it's y-your f-fau-," Katsuki tries to say, but his shivers have gotten worse, and it's difficult to get the words out through his chattering teeth.
His eyes meet Shouto's, and to his surprise the other starts laughing, clutching his sides as his body shakes for a reason other than the cold. Katsuki doesn't know if it's because he's never seen Shouto this carefree, with this much happiness clearly etched on his face, or if his brain has frozen, but laughter bubbles up in his throat and soon he's joined Shouto, until his cheeks hurt and they're both out of breath.
The whole situation feels surreal, the setting sun giving the atmosphere a dream-like quality, and maybe that's why it's so easy for Katsuki to lean forward, capturing Shouto's lips in a kiss. It's brief, and he's still shivering, but Shouto's lips are warm when he finally presses back, eyes slowly fluttering close.
The whole forest seems to quiet down, suspended like a moment in time until the two boys separate. There's a question in Shouto's eyes, one that Katsuki doesn't know how to answer, and he scrambles back as the reality of what he's just done dawns on him.
"I should- go," he mutters, ignoring Shouto's disappointed gaze as he bolts into the forest.
He realizes a bit too late that he doesn't know the way back, but he keeps running, tripping over tree branches and squinting against the darkness until he finally sees the familiar lights of his village, his head a jumble of confusing thoughts and feelings he doesn't understand.
Yet.
It takes three days for Katsuki to come to the forest again.
He's almost given up on the idea that Shouto will still be waiting for him, but as soon as the tree where they'd first met comes into view he sees the familiar streak of white and red hair. Shouto's head shoots up at the sound of his footsteps and he blinks rapidly, as if to make sure Katsuki's actually real.
"I thought you wouldn't come back," he says, and the relief in his voice is too apparent for Katsuki to have imagined it.
"Well, I did, didn't I?" Katsuki answers. He sounds too defensive, but he doesn't want Shouto to notice how stupid he feels, and apologies were never his forte.
It doesn't matter, because Shouto seems to get it - he simply smiles, motioning for Katsuki to come closer, and says, "You did."
Sometimes, Katsuki spends the entire day in the forest. He comes barely after sunrise only to find Shouto already waiting, and stays well past the sun has set, nevermind the scolding he always gets from his mother afterwards.
As the days pass, however, he starts to notice Shouto is acting strange. He's lost weight, and while Katsuki had never found him asleep like that first time until now, he starts dozing off more and more frequently, sometimes taking hours to wake up.
"Are you okay?" Katsuki finally asks one day, after Shouto's had to steady himself using Katsuki's arm after getting up, swaying lightly on his feet.
Katsuki can see that the smile Shouto forces onto his lips is as fake as his words when he says, "I'm fine. Got up too fast, that's all."
He presses further, getting angrier day after day as Shouto keeps lying, keeps saying that Katsuki doesn't have to worry.
But Katsuki sees him getting worse, and he does.
The day everything changes is cold, the world outside covered in a thin layer of snow that tells of the winter that is fast approaching.
It starts when Katsuki arrives at the forest, only to see Shouto isn't at their usual meeting place. There's the rush of adrenaline that comes with knowing something is wrong - he can feel it, can sense it in the air, in the silence that surrounds him, as if the forest itself is holding its breath. He screams Shouto's name, but the echo of his own voice is all that answers, and he panics.
Katsuki runs, the sound of the crackling leaves under his feet muffled by the snow, his eyes scanning every corner, waiting for a flash of white and red. Shouto's behavior the past days keeps passing through his mind - his tiredness, his bouts of dizziness, his refusal to acknowledge any of Katsuki's worries. He doesn't realize he's crying, doesn't realize he's shaking, until he arrives at the frosted lake, coming to a jolting stop as he spots Shouto lying on the ground near the bank.
"Shouto," Katsuki calls as he kneels, pulling Shouto up against him and brushing away the dirt that has stuck to the side of his face. He's awfully pale, his body light in Katsuki's arms despite his unconsciousness, but he's breathing, and that's enough to give Katsuki the smallest amount of relief.
He still calls Shouto's name until he's hoarse, cradles him until his knees are numb from the frost seeping through his clothes. Finally, Shouto stirs, his eyes blinking open slowly, his expression turning to confusion when he notices the position he's in.
"Katsu... ki?" he asks, barely above a whisper.
"Idiot", Katsuki hisses, but it comes out as more of a sob. He grits his teeth, turning his head away in an attempt to hide his face from Shouto's view. "What the hell were you thinking? There's something wrong with you - don't you dare tell me there isn't," he adds when Shouto tries to cut him off. "You're going to tell me. Now."
I'm scared of what's happening to you are the words that hang unspoken, weighing the air around them with what they entail. Shouto sits up, but Katsuki refuses to let him move away, keeping an arm safely around his waist. He feels tense, like he's ready to flee, but Katsuki tightens his grip; a silent demand for an answer.
"I-" Shouto stops, worrying his bottom lip before continuing. "My name."
Katsuki simply stares, used to Shouto's cryptic answers but still unable to make sense of what he's saying.
"My... real name... isn't Shouto."
Shouto takes a deep breath, grabbing a few leaves from the ground, some of the last remaining green ones that have probably fallen due to the wind. He trains his eyes on them instead of meeting Katsuki's questioning ones. "It's Autumn."
He says it as if it explains everything, but Katsuki still doesn't get it. "What does that have to do with you passing out?"
Shouto sighs, forcing Katsuki's arms away enough for him to turn towards him, holding one of the leaves on his open palm. He passes his thumb over it, watching as it changes from green to yellow to a deep red, losing its softness until it can easily crack.
"I am Autumn," he says, letting the leaf fall to the ground and running the tip of his finger over a patch of snow that remains from the night's frost. "And my time this year is almost up."
"The closer it gets to winter, the weaker I get," he continues, rushing through the words, and Katsuki notices - the way the breeze gets stronger the more agitated Shouto is, as if it's a direct reflection of his feelings. "That's why I've been so tired. That's why I passed out. It'll get worse, and by the time winter's fully here I'll disappear."
It sounds unbelievable, but as Katsuki stares at Shouto, he understands. The familiar aura, the strange appearance, the enigmatic answers; it all comes together in Shouto's explanation, and Katsuki accepts it. But with acceptance comes the meaning of what he's saying, and Katsuki's chest hurts, his mind running over all the days that have passed since autumn started, and the ones that are left.
Shouto's slowly shrinking under Katsuki's gaze, waiting for him to run away, to call him a liar, to hate him.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but you- you treated me like I was human and I thought if you knew-"
"What about the next?" Katsuki's voice startles him, and it's so low that Shouto has to ask him to say it again. "You said 'this year'. What about the next?"
Shouto's eyes are wide as he stares at Katsuki, his mouth hanging open even though he doesn't say anything. Katsuki grabs his arms, gives him a little shake, calls his name to try and get some sort of reaction. There's a turmoil inside him, his eyes tearing up again but in anger and frustration this time - because Shouto didn't tell him before, because he thought Katsuki would care if he wasn't human, because he was so oblivious-
"I'll be here," Shouto finally says. "When autumn comes again - I'll be here."
"You're an idiot," Katsuki whispers and pulls him close, burying his face in Shouto's hair. Hesitating hands close around his shirt and then Shouto is the one clinging to him, the tension in his body fading as he lets himself be hugged. "You're an idiot," Katsuki repeats, but he doesn't sound angry anymore, a teary laugh escaping his throat. "I'll wait. Next autumn, when you come back, I promise - I'll be here too."
It's their first promise, and it's made through tears of pain and relief. They spend the rest of the day with each other, talking, kissing, laughing. But Shouto notices - the way Katsuki keeps seeking contact, always touching him one way or another to make sure he's still there. He doesn't comment on it, and Katsuki doesn't either, so he's content to simply spend time trying to make him smile, committing to memory his voice, his smell, his touches.
They can't help the sadness that hovers at the back of their minds, the hollow sensation of being about to lose something precious. But it's the last remaining days of Autumn, and they won't let those feelings taint the time they have left.
They'll see each other again in a year; it's only the beginning of their story.
Two boys say goodbye on the last day of autumn.
One of them is Katsuki Bakugou, who sits with his back against a tree - the same one where he'd once met a sleeping boy. The other is Shouto Todoroki, and though that's not his real name, it doesn't matter. He's sitting between Katsuki's legs, transparent fingers clinging weakly to the arms that hold him in place, his breath labored against the curve of Katsuki's neck. The forest is dark and cold, the winds of winter whistling through the trees and announcing the new season.
"I'll be here," Katsuki says, squeezing Shouto's hand even though he can barely feel it anymore. He kisses Shouto softly, smiling even through the tears that escape from underneath his closed eyelids as Shouto's touch fades to nothing. "Don't be late, idiot."
And Autumn ends.