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It was raining. Pouring is a better word for it, Izuku thinks it fits the mood.
Didn’t Katsuki hate the rain? Izuku didn’t know how anyone could hate the rain, he couldn't, not when it held so much meaning for their story.
He ran a hand through his drenched hair, A sigh escapes him. His breath mists in the air as the encroaching frost numbs his fingers and toes, a chilling reminder of October's impending sorrow. He turns at the sound of familiar footsteps.
“You came,” He whispers, voice breathy. The anxiety’s been looming over since he called.
"I did," the blonde replies, his voice a low murmur.
A weak smile crept onto Izuku’s face, “I’m sorry I called so late,” He apologizes,
“I was going to wake up in an hour anyway, what did you need?” Katsuki asks him. Izuku misses him, he finds himself reaching to embrace the hero but stops himself. Since his return, Katsuki’s been distant. Now, finally, they talked.
“I.. I just wanted to.. talk.” Izuku says softly, green eyes meet red searching for understanding.
Katsuki simply raises an eyebrow, his arms crossed.. “Talk?” He grunts, voice rough but not harsh.
“Yeah, what’s up with you? We haven’t had a conversation since I came back.”
Katsuki avoided Izuku's gaze, and a complex mix of emotions surged within Izuku. Instead of pressing, he chose to stare pointedly at Katsuki.
Finally Katsuki mumbles, “Just patrols, nothing much.” his frown deepening with every raindrop that soaks through his uniform. After a moment of silence Izuku remarks, “You didn’t bring an umbrella.”
“I didn’t.” Katsuki says, meeting his eyes. Izuku isn’t sure how Katsuki would react if he chose to close the distance between them.
So instead he makes a ‘follow me’ gesture and starts walking. He doesn’t need to look back to know the blonde is following him, at a distance however, tonight, everything ends. It’s their last night as Katsuki and Izuku, Dynamight and Deku, Kacchan and Zuku.
They reach an underpass. Katsuki’s gaze focused on the damp pavement, “This isn’t healthy.” He says and his words carry a sense of finality.
There’s a heavy silence before Izuku responds, voice shaky. “I know,”
He hesitates before saying, “I missed you,”. At some point on their walk here Katsuki ended up in front of him, his back faces Izuku.
“Just.. stop.” Katsuki says, his back is rigid and his fists are clenched, Izuku's chest tightens, wrenching his heart..
“I can’t help it,” Izuku whispers. The sound of rain echoes in the underpass. The harsh wind doesn’t help the shaking chill that wracks his frame as he admits, “I like to imagine that in another universe, we’re two different people. People who defy the odds, who make it work,” he admits, tears flowing freely.
“I used to hope every night that maybe we’d be like them. I thought you were my soulmate. Sometimes, I still do.” His voice trembles as he lays his soul bare.
Katsuki doesn’t move but Izuku hears his shaky inhale. “Yeah?” Katsuki asks.
Katsuki turns to face him, “You’ll find someone, someone better than me, who can make it work.” He says, “There’s someone out there for you, you just haven’t found them yet.” He reassures, unwavering. Before coldly saying “You and I both know that someone isn’t me.”
"But, what if there's nobody who loves me like you did?" Izuku ignores how his voice shakes and how the splattering droplets echo.
“There will be.” The older man reassures him, confident as ever.
“I don’t know if I can go, if I can just leave and forget about you as if,” he heaves in a shaking breath, “as if I haven’t known you my whole life, when we dated it was the highlight of my life, it felt as if everything I’ve ever done, we’ve ever done was to build up to those moments and you were everything.” there’s a pause, “you were everything,” He repeats, voice cracking.
“You were an amazing experience, Izuku.” Katsuki says softly, “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I could never love you the way you need. The way you deserve.” Katsuki tells him, not to reassure him but to be honest with him and it hurts. It hurts Izuku to know that he’ll never be able to see him again.
“You did though,” Izuku says, he can’t help the desperation.
“No. I didn’t love you the way you deserved, you deserve so much more, and that’s not something I can give you. If I could love you and treat you the way you needed, I would.” Katsuki starts to lose his cool, “You need to let me go,” He pleads to Izuku, Izuku who would do anything for Katsuki.
But, he doesn’t want to do this, anything but this.
There’s the looming presence of finality in the underpass, Izuku suddenly notices where they are, it’s painfully fitting. Where it began is where it ends. Where his story first began is where his love ends.
“I still love you,” He tries.
Katsuki sighs and turns away, “Maybe in another life we could’ve worked out.” he admits, an acknowledgement, a bitter one but an acknowledgement nonetheless
“Why not in this one?” Izuku pleads but Katsuki’s already walking away.
And with his feet rooted in the underpass, Izuku realizes it's a place he's never going to see again.
His heart shatters.