Chapter 22: Raging Hot
I jolted awake at the sound of someone shouting, my body instantly on high alert. I let out a low, guttural growl "Ugh, what the hell is that noise?" and rolled over, my eyes still heavy with sleep, trying to block out the intrusive noise and return to the peaceful slumber I had been enjoying. But something was nagging at the back of my mind, a sense of unease that wouldn't let me drift back off. "Dammit, I'm so tired, I just wanna sleep," I muttered. As much as I desperately wanted to just rest, my brain refused to shut off. Even in the hazy, half-conscious state between wakefulness and sleep, I found myself trying to pinpoint what was causing this unease.
And then it hit me - the twisted, pained expression on Deku's face, the sickening image of a branch protruding from his body. Like a dam bursting under the immense pressure of raging floodwaters, the memories came rushing back, vivid and horrifying.
The moment I heard Deku's panicked voice cry out, "I'll never let you take him away from me!" I was up and out of my tent in an instant, all traces of drowsiness instantly vanishing, my heart pounding.
Who the fuck is he talking to? I frantically scanned the area, only to find the spot where he should have been completely empty. Suddenly, I heard his thunderous voice, signaling the activation of his quirk. Without hesitation, I took off running towards the sound, adrenaline coursing through my veins, my mind racing with a thousand questions.
As I drew closer, I spotted Deku near a towering tree, his head whipping back and forth as he searched for something - or someone. "What happened?" I demanded, breathless, as I approached him. The moonlight illuminated his trembling form, his face drained of all color, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and rage. Whatever had happened, it had clearly shaken him to his core. I had to know what was going on, and I had to know now.
"She...Shig..." he choked out, doubling over in a coughing fit. It was like he was struggling to breathe, the words barely making it past his lips. I could see the strain etched across his features. But when they did, they sent a chill down my spine. "Shigaraki...Shigaraki is here."
"What? Are you sure?" I asked, frantically scanning the area, my eyes darting left and right, but there was no sign of that pale-faced bastard. Just an empty, silent forest, save for the sound of Deku's ragged breathing. Deku could only nod weakly in response, his energy spent.
"Stay here," I commanded as I used my quirk to both light my path and prepare for an attack, already moving to investigate further. Five times I scoured the area, but there was no trace of Shigaraki to be found.
Returning to Deku's side, my stomach twisted as I took in his condition. He was kneeling, hunched over a small puddle on the ground. The acrid stench already told me all I needed to know - he had vomited, his body betraying his weakened state. He could barely hold himself upright, and I could see the sweat glistening on his brow even from where I stood. His condition is deteriorating rapidly, and he desperately needs medical attention.
I remember how he had refused to rest the entire day, pushing forward despite his obvious suffering. Stubborn as always, determined to complete the assignment no matter the cost. I could hear the ragged, wet sound of his breathing. The congestion deep in his chest crackled with each labored cough, and every time he whimpered, I found him doubled over, his pale face glistening with sweat as if he'd been through hours of grueling training. All the sign were telling me that he was barely hanging on but I just ignored them all.
I assumed he was aware that his best chance for recovery lay in making it out of this hill as quickly as possible. So, I never questioned his refusal. And though I had silently prayed that he would retain enough strength to complete the journey, I knew I couldn't risk carrying him myself. I had a reputation to uphold, after all. But as I watched him struggle, I couldn't help but wonder if I should have pressed the issue, if I should have insisted that he rest.
I let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that I was going to have to put my own needs and reputation in the back pocket and help him. I know he heard me approaching as he tensed slightly but didn't turn around. "Deku" I said, surprising even myself with the uncharacteristic gentleness in my voice. I knelt next to him and put a hand on his scorching shoulder, feeling the heat radiating off of him. Damn - he is burning up like a furnace!
"Are you sure you saw Shigaraki? 'Cause I've looked everywhere, and there's no sign of him."
He turned his face away from me, and for a second I was about to let loose a string of curses for ignoring me like that, but then I saw him swiping at his face with his sleeve. When he finally sat back, I couldn't take my eyes off his red-rimmed, fever-glazed gaze. His face was white as sheet.
"I'm not lying, Kacchan," he croaked, voice barely above a whisper. "I really saw him. He was right there. And then he started melting. There was white larva flowing out of him and then he was gone. Poof. No warp gate, nothing"
Shit, is he hallucinating? What do I do? This is bad. This is fucking real bad. I could feel the panic starting to set in. What the hell am I supposed to do?
Shut up Katsuki, this is not the time to be panicked. True, he has a very high fever but you can fix it. Right? You should have enough fever reducer medicine.
First step, calm yourself down.
Second step, calm him down.
I took a deep breath and focused on him. "It's okay now" I said. "I think you scared him off. Good Job. Now it's my turn to take over, alright? Let's get you back to the tent so you can rest." I tried to calm him but his trembling didn't subside.
"No, I think he is still here, somewhere, watching us."
"You said he melted. Right? That means he's gone. And if he returns, I'll kill that bastard. Now, get up."
The only indication that he heard me was the slump of his shoulders. He made several different attempts to stand up but each time he put pressure on his hands to push himself up, he ends up falling back down clutching his abdomen in agony.
I reached down and grabbed him under his arm, trying to hoist him up. The heat radiating off his body felt like it could melt steel. I finally got him upright, his arm slung over my shoulder as I supported his waist. He whimpered as I touched his injured side, and he tried to weakly push me away, but I just gripped his shirt tighter and forced him to keep moving. Tch. There goes my reputation. Now everyone will talk about how soft I am.
It was a slow, agonizing process, but eventually we made it back to the tent, having to stop every few steps whenever Deku's coughing fits threatened to send him sprawling back to the ground. By the time we finally made it inside, he was a complete mess. I rushed to his bag to find the fever medicine and flashlight. Shit, there were only two pills left - not nearly enough to get him through this.
I could hear him moaning and whimpering in agony as I hurried back, shivering uncontrollably, his legs kicking weakly as tears streamed down his face. He was clutching his abdomen, clearly in excruciating pain, muttering incoherent gibberish between gut-wrenching sobs.
"Hey, hey, hey, shh. It's gonna be okay," I tried to calm him, opening his fist and pressing the medicine into his clammy palm. "Just take this, it'll help." But my words fell on deaf ears as he continued to sob. Leaning in closer, I strained to make sense of his nonsensical mumbling.
"Why...why won't you stop laughing?" he whimpered.
"What? I'm not laughing," I shot back, brow furrowed in confusion, hating the way my voice wavered with concern.
"I just wanted to help that girl…I thought I was strong enough…you think that was something a Hero would do...you're wrong...It hurts so much…"
I froze, my blood running cold. I recognize this memory - it was from back in 7th grade, when I had mercilessly taunted and tormented him, using my Quirk to hurt the one person who had always looked up to me, always believed in me, even when I had been nothing but cruel.
His fever must be screwing with his mind. His condition has taken a serious turn for the worse - it's gone from bad to critical, life-threatening. All these symptoms, the high fever, the delirium, the rambling - it all points to one thing
INFECTION
His body is desperately trying to fight by jacking up his temperature. But it won't stop until that infection is wiped out. I know he needs strong antibiotics but the only thing we've got is Actortium root extract, and there's no way the moron could keep that down in his state. So I've gotta get him to take the fever reducer first, try to get his temperature down before anything else. I'm not about to let him die on me, not after all the crap we've been through.
"I know its hurting. That's why I brought you the fever reducer. You know it will help. Come on now. Up" I slid my hand under his head and grabbed his shoulder to raise him.
"Stop...please, just stop. Aaargh. It hurts...I can't breathe" I laid him back and quickly removed my hand.
"It's okay. Just...take the medicine. It'll help. I will just raise your head. Okay?"
Suddenly he shouted "I am not stupid Suki...I'll beat ya the next race...You just wait"
"Oh God, how high is his fever?" I muttered, my brow creased with worry. A shiver ran down my spine. He is calling me by that old nickname, the one we had used when we were too young to properly pronounce each other's names. The way he called me "Suki" took me right back to that day in the park when he fell and scraped his knee.
I'll never forget the terror I felt seeing the blood, or how I just reacted on instinct to stay by his side and try to comfort him, even though I had no idea what I was doing. At that time, he was my best friend in need. There was no way I could have just left him there alone. So I did the only thing I could think of - blew on his injury and tried to console him like a little kid.
"I promise I'll work harder… I won't give up..." his voice hitched. "Just please, can you call her? I… I just need my mom right now. I really need her. She always knows...how to make it better." I could hear the desperation in his voice as he started sobbing. The raw vulnerability in his words tugged at my heart.
But these are not the words he said at that time. I clearly remember, he just cried the entire time till our parents returned - such a cry baby. And then the realization hit me - this was what he had truly wanted to say that day, not the fearful cries I had remembered.
I tried to reach him, to get through the fever haze, but it was no use. He just kept muttering and tossing, his fingers twisting in his sweat-dampened hair. As he descended into incoherent whispers, I knew I had to act fast. So I did what I am good at. I snapped.
"HEY, you damn NERD! Just keep your mouth shut. I don't wanna hear another word. GOT IT?" I know it's not the most helpful approach, but its the only way I know how to handle things, the only language I am truly fluent in. I mean, what else am I supposed to do? Snapping and shouting, that's my forte.
And, to my surprise, it seemed to work, at least momentarily, as Deku blinked and focused on me with those fever-bright eyes. Now, more than ever, I wished I knew how to properly comfort and care for him. I quickly seized the opportunity, dropping a pill into his mouth and lifting his head to pour in some water.
But the relief was short-lived, as his eyes squeezed shut the moment I laid him back down, and the incoherent babbling resumed. One moment, he is talking to his parents and teachers, the next moment he is talking to me, recounting memories from our time at school and the next he is with the villains, trying to be brave.
Just hearing him talk about all the times I've hurt him like that...it's like a knife to the chest. I try to tune it out, focusing instead on massaging his head to try and ease some of that pain. Putting a wet towel on his forehead is not possible while he is tossing, and turning like that. When that doesn't seem to be doing the trick, I switch to his legs, using that pain relief spray he gave me earlier to gently work out the knots in his feet. I know which point to hit from experience.
That seems to calm him down a bit, his movements growing sluggish as the medicine takes effect. I keep cycling between his head and his legs, desperate to find something - anything - that'll bring down that damn fever. Finally, I decide to give him the second pill, and I just keep up the massage, working over every uninjured part of him that I can reach. I put a wet wipe on his forehead now that he isn't moving that much and constantly check to keep it cool. He isn't sleeping as he shivers and whimpers at every touch.
I know I'm not the most nurturing guy, but seeing Deku like this...it's killing me. He is a total mess, and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm the one who put him in this state. So I'll do whatever it takes to get him back on his feet, even if it means swallowing my pride and playing nursemaid for a while. Because deep down, I care about this idiot - more than I'll ever let on.