After this section, there will be two intermissions. The next full part, Asphyxiation, is 7 parts long and will start in two chapters.

Exsanguination 6: benefits
friends with 'em

Walking out of Yuuei, Katsuki felt giddy with adrenaline. There had been no way he had failed the test. He'd taken out so many fucking robots. He had to be in the top ten with his score; he could feel it in his bones.

When he saw Izuku waiting for him by the gate, a small, dark-haired figure against the stone of the wall, he picked up his pace. Izuku was even smaller than usual, crouched down on the ground so he could balance his notebook open on his knee and write in it. Katsuki recognized the binding on that notebook, even from a distance.

It was their experiment data log.

Katsuki intended to sneak up on Izuku, but when he got close, Izuku looked up with a bright smile. "Kacchan!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet and closing the booklet with his pen inside. He held out his free hand to Katsuki, but, knowing that Izuku wouldn't be writing that intently in the book if he hadn't died, a little hand holding wasn't enough.

Fear knocked around inside of Katsuki's chest, along with euphoria from his excellent test. Izuku had died out there. He had died and Katsuki hadn't been there to protect him from people while he was vulnerable.

Katsuki stepped past Izuku's outstretched hand and wrapped his arms around Izuku in a tight hug. Izuku made a surprised grunt but fully accepted the embrace as he put his arm around Katsuki's shoulders.

"You smell like blood," Katsuki said softly. "What the fuck happened to you?" He ran his hands up and then down Izuku's back, feeling for anything unusual. Worse than the fear that Izuku had limited lives was that he'd come back twisted and broken, unable to use his body and in pain. Katsuki didn't know what he would do if Izuku ended up like that.

"I had to reset twice," Izuku answered. "I used enhancement twice and it broke both my legs and my arm- well my fist the first time and ripped off part of my arm the second time- so I used a little Luck." He tapped his notebook against Katsuki's shoulder and said, "I've written it all down so you can review it."

Katsuki let out a shuddering breath as he pulled out of the hug. "Give me that," he snatched the book out of Izuku's hand and flipped it open to the right page. Quickly, he skimmed the material. Izuku had, essentially, transcribed both events where he had used his Good Luck to reset his body.

When he got to the end of the second incident, Katsuki's stomach sank. He shut the book slowly. "Deku…."

"Yes?"

Katsuki gritted his teeth. The urge to yell was strong, but there were still students walking by them. They weren't alone. Izuku seemed to notice the same, looking up as some people walked by. "They keep staring," Izuku mumbled. He nervously ran his hand over the collar of his uniform. He, like Katsuki, had changed back into their middle school uniform after the test. "Why do they keep staring? I don't have any blood on me anymore."

"Come on," Katsuki said. He took Izuku's hand and roughly pulled him away, "Let's get out of here and go somewhere we can talk."

"The beach?" Izuku asked, following behind. "It's cleared now. I finished it this morning."

"Good enough." Katsuki agreed.

The beach was clear from end to end, just as Izuku had claimed. Katsuki led Izuku across the sand, past where a couple and their kid were playing in the shallows and to a spot where they could talk reasonably alone. Turning to face Izuku, Katsuki was greeted by that dumb-happy smile that Izuku gave him from time to time. Katsuki's heart jumped for another reason besides their topic.

Annoyed, Katsuki shoved Izuku, making him stagger back and look surprised, "Kacchan? What's wrong?"

"A lot of things," he answered, "A whole fucking lot of things."

"Wait, really? But we just finished the exams," Izuku said, "There's no way you didn't pass and I think that I did too. Are you worried about the reset?"

"No," Katsuki said, "Yes." He ran an angry hand through his hair. Izuku frowned a little, which actually did nothing to calm Katsuki down in the least. He had to stop looking at Izuku- Had to clear his head of those green eyes-

Katsuki jerked around to look at the ocean. "I'm not fucking worried about the reset. Not really. You came back and it's fine. You'll always come back."

"Kacchan," Izuku said. Katsuki felt Izuku's fingers tentatively touch his arm, "We talked about this. We've done dozens of experiments and I've come back from every one of them the same. You don't need to worry. As far as the science proves, I won't ever actually die. I won't leave you."

Katsuki knocked Izuku's hand away. "But if you keep being so reckless you might be taken away. Haven't you thought of that?"

"Well, I-"

"Those tests were recorded, Deku. Did you fucking forget that? There were judges watching you. What if they had seen- and they must have had seen something- you blew your fucking arm off!" Katsuki squeezed his eyes shut. He had to level out his breathing, to back away from nausea that swept through him at the idea of the adults taking Izuku somewhere because of his special quirk.

"Oh. I. But I … How could I take the test and not reset? I was bleeding out anyway, at least the second time. And I made sure to turn away from anyone around both times I used Good Luck." Izuku's voice dropped a little, lowering to an almost mumble as he added, "Would even the heroes at Yuuei take me away for testing or something?"

It still felt like Izuku was wrong, somehow. Not about the pro heroes, which, if All Might could do anything he could probably protect Izuku from being taken and experimented on. But about something else that was fundamentally obvious. Katsuki rounded on Izuku, "That's not the fucking point, Deku."

His anger boiled under his skin and when he stared at Izuku, it only got worse. Izuku was clueless to why he was upset. He just couldn't make the jump on his own, which meant- Well, it meant Katsuki was going to have to tell him, wasn't he?

"It's not?" Izuku's frown deepened, "Then what is the point?"

"At this rate, everyone is going to find out about your quirk," Katsuki said, talking fast. He stepped closer, poking Izuku hard in the chest, "Even if they don't figure out the truth they'll know you can heal from your own injuries. You're strong and fast and can heal- your quirk is incredible! You're good in class and all these new students aren't going to ever know you were quirkless and worthless. You're cute and nice and give a fuck about people. You're fucking irresistible, Deku and-" Katsuki's throat closed up with a click. He couldn't get the words out.

Izuku blinked owlishly at him once or twice. Slowly, he began to turn red. "Kacchan, what are you saying? What does this have to do with the test? I don't understand."

Katsuki clenched his hands into fists. He wanted to punch Izuku for making him have to say the words. He wanted to grab Izuku and shake him to make him see. He wanted to throttle Izuku. He wanted to pull him close and show him how-

No.

Katsuki let out his breath harshly. Izuku waited patiently for him like he always did. Katsuki unfolded his hands. They shook slightly as he reached for Izuku.

Izuku didn't move away as Katsuki slid his hands over his cheeks. Izuku's face was soft and still a little round despite the muscle,the rest of his body had put on. "Don't you fucking see it?" Katsuki said quietly. He felt Izuku lean in slightly to catch every word. "You're not fucking worthless anymore, Deku."

Izuku's eyes widened. He opened his mouth but Katsuki glared him into silence.

"Shut up. I'm not… I'm not fucking done. Okay?" Izuku nodded slightly. "I'm trying to fucking tell you that… That once we go to Yuuei, once we meet all those new people, you can't… Look. Once they all know about you, about your quirk, it won't be- It won't be special anymore. Will it."

"Kacchan," Izuku started.

"Don't fucking say anything," Katsuki tightened his grip, shaking Izuku slightly. Izuku reached up to brace himself on Katsuki's arm, but didn't make any move in pulling away, "I'm trying to tell you that I'm- I'm-"

Izuku suddenly smiled. He tugged on Katsuki's sleeve, first, and then reached out to Katsuki's uniform jacket and tugged there instead. "Kacchan."

Katsuki felt his palms heat up. He wanted to blow Izuku's damn head off. Didn't he know how distracting it was being pulled in like that? "Stop just saying my damn name over and over, what the fuck do you want, Deku?"

Izuku's eyes were wide and clear. The smile on his face small and belying nothing about the next words he said. "Don't worry, Kacchan. I'm not going to go away and make new friends and forget you. I love you the most. Our friendship is always going to be the most important one to me."

Katsuki's tongue twisted over the different answers he wanted to give. He shivered at Izuku's steady gaze. Izuku was resolute. Committed. Katsuki just couldn't choke down the word friend without it leaving a bad taste in his mouth and a sickness in his gut.

"That's not good enough," Katsuki said. Izuku still had a hold of his jacket, but he still cupped Izuku's cheeks in his hands. He pulled him closer, making Izuku stagger a little to keep his footing in the sand. "People are going to know a part of our secret or even all of it and I don't want to share it. I don't want to share you. Don't you fucking get it, Deku? Being friends isn't fucking good enough anymore."

He leaned in, so close he could feel the rasp of Izuku's breath on his cheek. "I want more."

Izuku's cheeks reddened under Katsuki's hands. He could feel the heat of them rising as Izuku stood there staring at him. When a minute had gone by without a reaction besides that blushing, Katsuki began to pull away, embarrassed and irritated.

Suddenly, Izuku lurched forward and grabbed him around the middle. He pulled Katsuki into a tight hug. Katsuki lost his breath as he felt Izuku pressing against his chest.

"More like what?" Izuku asked. "Whatever you want, Kacchan, I'll give it to you. I want you to stay with me. I love you."

Katsuki kissed him. He didn't have the brain to formulate words in response. He just closed his eyes and closed that distance, pressing his lips against Izuku's for the first time. There was a moment of stillness from Izuku before he pressed back, firm and warm, just like the rest of his body.

Katsuki pulled back slowly, grateful for Izuku's embrace. He felt dizzy. Weak in the knees. It made him a little infuriated that Izuku could do that to him- tiny, kind, cute Izuku. Izuku blinked open his eyes slowly, smiling.

"You want more like that?" Izuku whispered, always looking for answers, always eager to ask more questions. "Kisses and… and other things?"

Katsuki nodded, struggling to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Okay."

"But you're not-" Katsuki frowned, "You told me you weren't gay. How are you okay with this?"

"I'm not gay," Izuku said simply. "I don't want to kiss any guys but you, Kacchan. Mom told me that gay men want other men. But I don't want anyone but you."

Katsuki stared at him for a moment before his own stupidity hit him like a ton of bricks. Without even thinking about it, he took out his anger at himself out on Izuku. He dug his fingers into Izuku's cheek and jaw and yanked him in for another kiss. "Stupid." He kissed. "Fucking." Katsuki bit Izuku's lower lip. "Deku!"

It wasn't kind or soft or sweet, like that first, like how Izuku was. Katsuki pushed against Izuku, demanding and controlling and unpracticed. He turned Izuku's head however he wanted it to be and, when he got bored with going after Izuku's lips, he pushed his tongue into Izuku's mouth.

Katsuki shivered when Izuku moaned into his mouth. Izuku's grip around his middle tightened.

Drawing back from the kiss, Katsuki licked his lips and smirked. Izuku smiled up at him, his bottom lip swollen already. "Kacchan?" Deku said. Katsuki dragged his eyes up to meet Deku's.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for being reckless. I didn't mean to upset you," Izuku whispered, "Forgive me?"

"Duh," Katsuki said. "Now shut up and let me kiss you." Obediently, Izuku stopped talking and lifted his chin to make it easier for Katsuki.

Katsuki slid one hand off of Izuku's face and into his tangle of hair. He held Izuku's head in place while he practiced and practiced his kissing. Izuku was the one that held them upright, holding onto Katsuki and shifting his feet whenever they began to settle uneasily in the sand.

They only stopped because Izuku's phone went off in his pocket. Katsuki drew back regrettably as Izuku fished it out. He answered it without untangling himself from Katsuki's arms. "Hi, Mom."

Katsuki was close enough he could hear Inko on the other line but he didn't pay any attention to her. He focused on slowly working his fingers through Izuku's tangle of curls. There was a bit of matting on the back, where the side of his head must have caught some of the blood. Katsuki wrinkled his nose. Izuku needed a real bath soon.

Izuku hung up and put his phone away. "Kacchan?" he asked, getting Katsuki's attention. "Mom wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight. She's making something special because of the exam."

With a smirk, Katsuki asked, "Can I stay the night?"

"I don't think she'll mind," Izuku said with a smile. "I know I won't."

Wanting to feel that smile against his own lips, Katsuki kissed him again.

Later that night, Inko paused outside of Izuku's door. Usually, she could hear them snoring by this time of night but as she leaned close, she heard them whispering instead. She smiled fondly at the sound. It reminded her of when they were younger, not wanting to go to sleep quite yet because they were just so excited about every little thing.

It made sense that they'd still be worked up from the exam. From their stories at dinner, they both were sure that they had passed. She'd been nervous about Izuku managing to get in, but was proud of how far he'd come.

Inko stepped away, smiling and headed down the hall to her own room. She had had her reservations when Izuku had first brought Katsuki home when they were twelve, but in the months that followed, she had to admit the truth. She hadn't seen anyone care about Izuku the way Katsuki did. He still had a temper and a vulgar mouth, and he might get a little rough, but Izuku never came home with injuries anymore. Katsuki had learned his limits and Izuku, as a result, had a dear friend to spend time with.

It was a win-win situation for everyone. Even for Inko herself. Being a Pro Hero was dangerous, but with Katsuki there to protect Izuku, she wasn't worried about him as much as she used to be. Izuku would have his dream and Inko would still have her son safe.

Inko went to bed comforted by that thought.

[Part 6 of 6]