Title: Hold On

Summary: Heavily inspired by the song (Hold On by Chord Overstreet). Katsuki had gone back for his school book. He never thought Izuku would listen to him. He was stronger than that. It was infuriating how unwavering the nerd was in his goal, so why... why was Katsuki holding him, drenched in his childhood friend's blood, begging, praying for him to just...hold on.

Anime: My Hero Academia

Pairing: Izuku/Katsuki

Rating: M for Katsuki (I mean, Language) and other sensitive topics. Warnings will be listed as needed.

TRIGGER WARNING:

-Mentions of Attempted Suicide

-Emotional Abuse

-Self-Loathing

Chapter Three

Inko stared curiously at the Mouse? across from her. It was sort of like a mouse, or maybe a rat...dog-like...creature. She wasn't sure, but she didn't care either. The creature in front of her was the principal of U.A., and she'd come here to make a desperate request. "Thank you for seeing me."

"It's quite alright, Midoriya-San. Although I must admit, your visit comes as a surprise to me. I'm afraid I have no idea who you are or why you're here."

She tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt, twisting it in her fingers before bringing her eyes up to meet the man. She would settle on man. It seemed only right, after all. "I guess this was pretty abrupt. You see, I'm here for my son."

His ears twitched atop his head, "your son is a student of U.A?"

"No." She took a breath and tried to place her thoughts in order.

"Midoriya-San, would you like some tea?" He climbed down from the couch and walked away, "I find that tea has an almost healing quality when one is stressed and needs to pull their thoughts in order better. It just so happens that I have a fresh pot right here." Bringing the tray over and placing it on the table, he smiled when she immediately went to serve two cups. Climbing up onto the couch, he made himself comfortable again.

"Sugar, milk?"

"Two sugars, please."

Inko could feel herself relaxing with the mundane task of serving tea. It was so simple, banal, yet it felt as if the world's weight had slowly begun to relinquish its hold on her. When she held the small plate out to the principal, she smiled. Inko took her drink in hand and inhaled the gentle aroma. "Thank you."

"No, no, thank you!" He placed the plate on his lap with the cup. "Now, shall we begin where every good story does?"

'Good story?' Inko nodded, "it's not the happiest tale, though."

"Perhaps because it's not yet been concluded, but I believe every story has the potentiality to be whatever it strives to be." Holding his hand out for her to begin, he returned to his tea, though kept his ears trained on their conversation.

"...my son, Izuku, was born fourteen years ago, and when he was five, he was diagnosed quirkless. From an early age, before being diagnosed, Izuku had a strong sense of justice and was always dreaming of a future where he could be a hero. He would spend hours watching All Might's debut video and has analyzed every hero he's come across. From their fighting style to their quirks and even ways in which they could improve themselves as heroes. It probably sounds like nothing more than a child's silly hobby, but Izuku has countless journals filled with information on the heroes he admires. So... imagine my surprise when I received a call telling me to hurry to the hospital. That my son... my Izuku... " tears swelled in her eyes. "He never showed signs of being bullied. I keep telling myself that, but the more I think about it, the more I feel blindsided. The doctor confirmed that there were old scars on my child, pre-jump."

A heavy sigh called to Inko's attention. The man... rat? It really was hard to call it. The principal who sat across from her seemed upset.

"I'll be honest with you, Midoriya-San. I harbor strong resentment for those who beat down children too young to fight back. I've been in an ongoing war with the Hero Commission for similar problems. I suppose that is neither here nor now. Midoriya-San, may I ask what your son's current condition is and what exactly it is you came here to do?"

"Izuku is still unconscious. He's responsive but hasn't woken up since he tried to—" she stopped herself from saying it aloud again. "It's been seven days. I'm h-hopeful he'll wake up soon."

"When he does?"

"When he does..." she smiled sadly, "Izuku will need a hero. I can only do so much, but he needs so much more than I can give."

Nezu blinked down at the drink, looking at his reflection for a quiet and considerate moment. "I'd like to give you my number, Midoriya-San. When your son wakes up, please call me."

Inko's face lit up, and she cried out her thanks.

"Don't thank me yet. I want to meet your son before I decide anything."

Even as Nezu said this, that he didn't just send her on her way... meant so much to Inko. "Thank you. I'll call you when he wakes up."

Finishing her tea, the two spoke a little more about Izuku's childhood and the things he liked. To Inko's complete surprise, she'd spent almost another two hours talking with Nezu. When someone knocked on his office door, Inko looked at her phone. She was quick to apologize for taking up so much of his time.

Bowing, Inko made to leave. Opening the office door, she nearly ran face-first into the chest of a man dressed all in black. "Oh! Excuse me!" She slipped around the man and left before she could get in anyone else's way. Her fingers held a card firmly before tucking it away in her jacket pocket.

"Are you okay, Katsuki?"

Lifting his head, Katsuki stared for a moment. Not seeing anything past his unfocused vision. He closed his eyes and took a breath before focusing on Inko's dark green hair. "I'm okay, Auntie. What about you?" He jabbed his pencil at Izuku, who, while he'd been healed up well thanks to the healing quirk of the specialist in charge of his healing and treatment, still hadn't woken up. It was going on eleven days now.

"I... feel scared, I think."

Katsuki could relate. Over the last week and a half, his dreams reminded him of his hand in Izuku's actions. The Swan Dive dream happened so often he no longer needed to close his eyes to see it. The worst part was that... in his dream, it wasn't just suicide. No, his warped cognition had decided it was murder. Going as far as to place his hand against Izuku's back and push the weaker boy over the edge of the school. "He'll wake up, Auntie. He's going to be a hero after all. This is just an extended break because once he wakes up, he's gonna need to get his ass in gear and train until he's blue in the face."

"Language," she scolded lightly, though she placed a warm hand on his head as she leaned in and hugged him. Katsuki leaned into it for a few moments before Inko had to return to work. She'd arrived a bit earlier today to see how Izuku was doing and check on Katsuki, but she still had work. She looked over him, then moved to Izuku's side, fixed his blankets, checked his vitals, and adjusted his IV drip. This was now routine. Placing another kiss on his forehead, she was out the door, ready for another long twelve-hour shift.

When she left, Katsuki pulled his eyes away from the closed door. Scowling at his friend, he brought a foot to the bed with an annoyed kick and jostled the bed a bit. "Making your mom work so hard, you're really milking this for all it's worth, aren't you." He returned to his school work and didn't notice when a finger curled in one...after another. He didn't notice when fingers tightened into a fist, gripping the sheet Inko had just fixed around Izuku. He didn't notice how the usually relaxed expression on Izuku's face had suddenly scrunched up in what could only be described as discomfort.

When Katsuki finished his homework, he put it in his bag, stretched his arms over his shoulder, and looked back at Izuku. His eyes widened when ruby-red eyes clashed with confused emerald green. "...Deku," cringing physically at the name, he stood up and moved to the button next to Izuku's bed. "I'll get someone in here, so don't close your fucking eyes!" Again, he could have slapped himself with how he was talking. Hearing how the heart monitor suddenly picked up, Katsuki knew this wasn't what Izuku wanted to hear after finally waking up.

The nurse's call button was on a cord and easily accessible for the patient, but Izuku wasn't moving. He was just staring at Katsuki like he was seeing things. Probably for a good reason, as Katsuki thought about it. No! No, he was doing good. He'd been taking down all his thoughts and dreams, compiling them, even talking about them with his dad. Like he'd ever tell his mom about them. He was doing good... he needed to keep his head about this. He needed... He needed to apologize to Izuku. He had to! This time, he—

"Kaachan?"

Snapping his attention to Izuku, he looked at the much smaller hand that had, at some point, reached out to take his. "..."

"Y-you're crying. Are you okay?"

'What the fuck?' Katsuki was brought down to his knees before Izuku as the nurses and a doctor came rushing inside. Maneuvering around him as Izuku never looked away from Katsuki, who couldn't control the torrent of emotions that pooled in his eyes.

"IZUKU!"

"Midoriya-San, wait outside for a moment while we run some standard tests. Bakugou-San, you too, if you could—Bakugou-San? Shit, has he gone catatonic?" Bringing a small flashlight out, he moved it quickly from one eye to another, only for the light to be swatted out of his hand. Katsuki stood and moved to step away from the doctor, but Izuku wasn't letting him go.

"Izuku, baby, let Katsuki go. We'll be right outside in the hallway, but the doctors need to make sure you're okay." Saying this through all of Inko's tears, she looked so happy. So relieved.

The hand holding Katsuki's tightened before it finally loosened enough to fall limply beside the bed. Inko guided Katsuki out, and immediately, she was on the phone calling Mitsuki and Masaru. He could hear her trying to fight back her tears, but she failed miserably. Hell, so did he. Bringing his hand up, he touched his fingers to his damp cheeks. "That's three times now, you asshole."

An hour had gone by. Inko had gone inside almost thirty minutes ago to see her son. Mitsuki and Masaru had arrived just before that, but Katsuki couldn't bring himself to go inside. His dad's encouraging hand on his shoulder felt like lead suddenly.

When Mitsuki and Masaru slipped away to go and visit Izuku, he was left with Inko. She held him, comforted him, and told him everything would be okay and they would work through it. Katsuki believed her, but a heavy feeling of self-doubt had settled in the pit of his stomach. Right next to self-loathing and self-reflection. How could he be sure he wouldn't fuck things up again?

"Katsuki?"

His mom was calling his name, and he heard her, but his body didn't respond. It didn't respond to anyone unless it was to distance him and Izuku. So afraid he'd hurt him again, Katsuki was subconsciously distancing himself.

"Katsuki," this time, Mitsuki placed herself in his field of vision. "Izuku is asking for you. He said that there's something important he needs to clarify."

What nerdspeak was that? Something important he needs to clarify? What, like how it was all his fault? Katsuki shook his head. No, even he didn't think it was all because of him. He did, however, feel lastly responsible for everything that happened though. Standing up, he owed it to Izuku to hear him out. Whatever was said, whatever Izuku wanted... if he told him to keep away, to never talk to him again... shit, that would hurt like a fucking bitch, but he'd do it. He'd have deserved it.

Izuku looked up as Katsuki walked in. There was no air of confidence that the blonde normally exuded. No flippant, cruel, or criminally devilish smirk outlined his lips. Rather, a small frown replaced what had come to be recognized as Katsuki's trademark grin.

Moving his eyes up to his eyes, they were rimmed red and puffy from tears Izuku was sure Katsuki forgot he had. What was more strange than his physical abnormalities... was Katsuki's apparel. He was still dressed in his school uniform. Izuku knew that almost an hour had gone by since waking up, but it was almost nine-thirty now. Had Katsuki really come straight from school and stayed here until nearly eight-thirty? It was so implausible!

"Hey nerd, I can fucking hear you."

Even his words lacked their normal explosive energy.

"Listen, if it's okay...I wanted to say something before you started on me."

Izuku nodded slowly for him to go ahead.

Taking a slow and steady breath, Katsuki moved to the seat nearest to the bed. He kept looking away from him, and Izuku wondered if he looked that bad. 'Well, I did fall from a pretty decent height.'

"For ten years, I've been a shit friend to you. That means I threw away four years of what could have been the epic birth of the most amazing hero duo origin story ever." Clutching his fist into the fabric of his pants, he tried to hold back the anger in his voice. "You and I made a promise when we were four... and I lost sight of it."

"Kaachan—"

"No!" Katsuki snapped, his eyes finally meeting Izuku's. "Let me finish." Taking another breath, he continued. "I wanted to be a hero and thought I was above everyone, including you. Worst, I don't even know when or how I became that way. I can't blame anyone but myself, I know this, and it fucking pisses me off even more! I became so blinded that I told my childhood friend to jump off the roof of our school! How fucked up is that!? Fucking Christ, Deku! Why did you listen to me!?" Crying almost as bad as he had when he found Izuku, Katsuki tried desperately to wipe away the tears, but he was outmatched.

"Kaachan."

"What would have happened if I hadn't gone back to school for my book!? What if I hadn't been the one that found you, you fucking idiot! You—"

Izuku moved before he could comprehend anything. The clatter that followed his actions, the pain in his arms, crying as he held Katsuki close to him. He wasn't even sure when he'd gotten out of bed or fallen to his knees. His legs could not hold him up after almost twelve days of inactivity.

~Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~

The heart monitor sounded around the room, "Shit! Izuku, you're bleeding!"

"I'm sorry!" He cried into Katsuki's chest.

The blonde trying to push him back and get him back in bed stopped moving at those two words. Even as the door burst open behind them and an entourage of adults piled in only to stop upon entry... he didn't move.

"I never would have done it if I thought you would be the one to find me! I never wanted to hurt you like that! I'm so sorry, Kaachan!"

Nothing made sense.

"Izuku...I thought you jumped because of what I told you."

"N-no, I-I mean, it certainly played a p-part in it. A lot happened that day, and... I wasn't a-as strong as I thought I was."

"Tell me."

Izuku pulled away from Katsuki with a look of dread on his face. "No way! That's crazy talk; I could never—!"

"Izuku, I know I have no right to ask you, and by saying anything, I know this will also hurt you, but I need to know what happened that day. We need to know."

Izuku glanced at his mother, crying, and Katsuki's parents, who stared down at the two in worry. Both held Auntie up as she looked close to falling from all the excitement. "I... can't..."

"Just answer me this then. Does it have anything to do with All Might? His autograph was the last thing added to your notebook. Considering that you never put the damn thing down and write in it literally every day, I can only determine that something happened that day between you and All Might."

Had the room always been this quiet? Izuku tightened his hold on Katsuki, and without thinking about it, Katsuki returned that hold. He was careful of the bleeding arm from which the IV drip had been painfully ripped.

"A-All Might...h-he didn't mean for it to lead to this! It's probably my fault. I shouldn't have asked him in the first place. Of course, a quirkless kid like me could never be a hero. Why did I ask? Why did I ask him something I always knew the answer to?" More tears. How was there any left to cry at this point? Izuku probably didn't realize it. As he began muttering aloud, he unintentionally told them everything that had taken place that day that led to his leap of faith. He talked, cried, heaved, talked more, tightened his hold on Katsuki, who refused to let Izuku go, and finally... Izuku passed out.

He'd finally woken up but had passed out only two hours later from emotional fatigue. Tomorrow was a Sunday, so Katsuki made plans to come early and talk more with Izuku. Tonight, however, after Izuku was strangled from his arms and tickled safely into the bed, cleaned up and injury wrapped... Katsuki was walked out by his parents and Inko, who'd been given the night off to go home and rest.

Masaru had told Auntie to stay the night with them, so she sat in the back of the car holding Katsuki as he tried very hard not to blast everything in his sight. 'All Might...'

Me: Here is chapter three, and I'll start chapter four next! Bear with me, guys! I haven't yet decided how All Might will be depicted in this story, but I'll figure that out probably around chapter six or seven.