The Spell of Death!

"Katsuki, please," I begged, sucking in air between my clenched teeth. "Please, stop. It's m-Ahhh!"

An explosion of flames crashed over my left side as I ducked out of the way. I screamed in agony, and my left leg gave out. I crashed to the concrete floor, staring up at him. His face was murderous, a face I'd seen a thousand times. This time, however, it terrified me.

"Stop using her fucking face," he roared, clutching his head. His fist shot out, catching me in the jaw. It knocked me onto my back and I lay there. I was so, goddamn tired. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. I felt nothing but searing agony. "You aren't her! Where the fuck is she? Where are you hiding Riko?"

My eyes burned and Katsuki's face blurred as he loomed over me. The promise of death was in his eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to bear the sight.

"K-Katsuki-"

His foot crashed down on me and I screamed again, grabbing his ankle and wrapping my broken body around it. He jerked back, ripping out of my grip, then kicked me in the stomach. Blood and bile retched from my throat, and I trembled.

"Stop it!" he screamed, kicking me again. "Stop using her face- Stop it!" An explosion destroyed the concrete beside my head, and I stilled, huddling in the fetal position, protecting my shattered ribs the best I could.

I looked up at him as he clawed at his eyes. We met eyes and his face drained of color and emotion. He stooped, grabbing my hair, and lifted my head to face him.

"I'll ask you one more time," he said in a voice so low and full of venom that it chilled my blood. "Where the fuck is Riko?"

Tears dripped down my cheeks as I reached out to touch his face. "I-I forgive you," I said, knowing nothing I said would help him when he realized what he'd done. When that bitches illusion quirk finally wore off. "Katsuki, it's not your f-fault."

"Don't fucking laugh at me. Give her back!" Flames sparked across his arms, charging for a final blow. "I gave you a chance. Now, you fucking die!"

My body trembled in pain, in fear. I sobbed, pressing my eyes shut, praying that this shot finally ended the agony.

"Do it," I whimpered. "Please, Katsuki. Please, just kill me."

He screamed in fury and pain, unable to release the blast. "Just fucking tell me where she is!" Tears spilled down his cheeks, and he trembled just as hard as me. "Where the fuck is she?"

The wall behind him exploded, and All Might surged into the building, followed quickly by Eraserhead and Midnight.

"Young Bakugo!" All Might surged toward us, just as Katsuki released the explosion over me. "NO!"

A sob escaped my lips, and I flinched, hugging my destroyed body. But the fire never came.

Katsuki roared and screamed like a furious animal, and I looked up to see him cocooned in Aizawa's scarf.

A surge of relief washed over me, as did a cooling, numbing darkness.

"I'm sorry, Riko. I'm so fucking sorry…"

Something heavy lay on my chest, shuddering. I blinked, the world around me fuzzy and gray. I was dead. No, not dead… I blinked again, the room sharpening into focus, and I realized I was in a hospital room.

I lifted my arm and rested my hand on my chest, feeling something soft and silky. The thing jerked up, and Katsuki's horrified face stared down at me from the bedside.

"Katsuki?" I groaned, reaching for him. His hand was in mine in a second and he jumped to his feet, red-rimmed eyes scanning me as if he couldn't believe what he saw. "Where-What happened?"

Guilt and shame filled his features, and he turned away, squeezing my hand in his.

"You don't remember?" I shook my head. A tear rolled down his cheek and he swiped it away. His lip trembled. "I don't want to tell you," he said, his shoulders trembling as he held back a sob. "I don't want you to remember what I did to you. I'm such a fucking coward." His breath hitched and he drooped back into his chair, leaning forward and laying his face on my chest again. He shuddered violently. "I don't want you to hate me."

I lay my hand on his head, stroking his silky hair. "Whatever it is, I could never hate you."

A sudden flash of Katsuki staring down at me, his face full of hatred surged through my mind, and I gasped, pain flooding my skull. Katsuki was on his feet instantly, clutching my hand.

"What is it? Are you in pain?"

I shook my head gingerly, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Just a migraine-ugh." I closed my eyes, more bloody, agonizing images filling my brain.

"We-we were on a mission," I said, clutching my head. "F-f-fuck, it hurts."

Katsuki climbed into the bed and pulled me onto his lap, cradling me against him, stroking my hair as he whispered in my ear.

"It'll be okay. Shh, it'll pass. Just breathe, breathe with me."

I clutched him, fighting a wave of nausea. "We walked into a den of villains, intel said there was a whole group. We were prepared for an ambush, but…" A woman's face flashed in my head, grinning with viscous delight. "There was only one."

"Yeah. She was an illusionist." Katsuki's arms tightened around me as he shuddered.

Revulsion hit me in the stomach as I remembered the agony of Katsuki's quirk on my skin. I pulled away from him, staring up at his face, taking in the guilt-the shame-the hatred for himself.

"I couldn't get through to you…" tears welled in my eyes. Katsuki lowered his head into his arms, his body shuddering with the force of his sobs as he too re-lived that moment. "I tried, but you couldn't see me. You just saw her…"

A gasp of agony escaped him and he tightened his hold on his knees. I reached for him, touching his arm, and he quieted, but did not look up at me.

"Katsuki, please. Look at me. It's not your fault."

"Y-You forgave me," he said shakily. "You knew you were going to die-Knew I'd kill you. And-You begged me to do it. Why the fuck didn't I realize what was happening? I almost killed the one person in this world I'd die for. I almost ended my entire fucking world."

I sat up, gasping in pain as I felt the result of the damage done to my ribs. He looked up, then, leaning forward with a stricken look on his face. He eased me back into bed, pulling the sheet around me.

"No. It's too soon. Your wounds haven't fully healed."

I stared at him as he coddled me, a smile playing over my lips. "Katsuki," I said, reaching out my arm. "Lay with me. I don't want to be alone."

He tensed. "You want me to stay by your side. Even though I-"

"Please?"

He sighed and climbed into the bed again, stretching out beside me. I leaned into his chest and his arms wrapped around me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. "I'm so, so, sorry."

I snuggled into him, tracing circles into his shoulder the way I always did when he held me. "I love you."

His grip tightened. "I love you."

"Then, shut up. It's not your fault, and I don't want you to blame yourself."

"I won't mention it again." His voice was somber and serious. He wouldn't mention it, but he'd never stop blaming himself.