ILY - [BKDK] | MHA - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The gym lights buzzed overhead, casting their steady glow on the polished court as Katsuki moved through the motions of practice. Normally, this was where he thrived—where he drowned out the noise in his head and focused on dominating the game. But today, his head was a mess.
He dribbled half-heartedly, barely paying attention to the play, while his coach barked orders from the sideline. The ball slipped from his grasp as he stumbled on his footwork, bouncing away and rolling across the court.
"Bakugo!" the coach roared, "Get your act together, or you're running laps until you puke!"
"Yeah, yeah," Katsuki muttered, jogging to retrieve the ball. His movements were stiff, frustrated. Normally he'd have shot a glare sharp enough to cut steel. Now, he couldn't even muster that.
His friends were sprawled out on the bleachers, clearly enjoying their time and watching him suffer. Kirishima leaned forward, eyebrows scrunched in concern. "What's up with him today? He's been all over the place since a few days ago."
"Maybe someone stole his protein powder." Kaminari joked, drawing a snort from Sero.
"Nah, it's something serious. I watched him talk to Izuku last morning. He looked really angry." Mina said, her head resting on her hands. "I mean, Katsuki's always angry, but this is like... different."
Shinso leaned back against the bleachers, arms crossed. "Whatever it is, it's making him look like an idiot out there."
Meanwhile, Katsuki has resumed the drill, but his focus was nonexistent. His mind kept circling back to Izuku. The stupid nerd and his fucking secret, hiding from everyone—from him, hiding from him. And somehow, Ochako knew.
Why her? Why was she the one he trusted? Katsuki bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. It wasn't like he gave a shit about Deku's secrets—except that he did.
Another shot went wide, bouncing off the rim and flying towards the bleachers. Kirishima caught it before it hit Mina in the face. "Yo, Bakubro! You good?" he called, standing to toss back.
"Mind your own fuckin' business, Shitty Hair!" Katsuki snapped, his voice cracking slight in the end. Granted, it sounded like the response they expected, but it was... different.
The group exchanged glances, "He's pissed. He's not okay." Denki said.
"Yeah, no kidding," Mina agreed, leaning towards Kirishima. "You think there's something going on between them? Like, maybe Izuku's pissed about something?" Mina asked.
"I don't know. Midoriya's been acting fine..." Kirishima sighed. "Whatever it is, Bakugo isn't okay with it."
Shinso stayed quiet, taking in all the information. He remembered how Izuku looked so stressed after school yesterday. Maybe it has something to do with this?
Kirishima sighed, glancing back at the blond, who was now shooting aimlessly at the basket, his expression tight with frustration. "I'm just worried, man. They've been close for a while now, I don't know... it feels like there's something
between them and it's really intense."
Denki frowned. "But if there is something, shouldn't they just talk about it? It's not like either of them is the shy type, kind of— They'll tell each other, right?"
"Maybe not," Sero said quietly. "Maybe one of them is hiding something."
Kirishima looked at him confused. "You mean Bakubro?"
"No, I mean Midoriya," Sero said, his voice low. "He's been weird too. Something's bothering him, but he's been keeping it to himself."
Mina scratched her head. "Maybe one of us should try and talk to him? I know he wouldn't like it if we all bombarded him at the same time." She bit her lip. "Ej, why don't you talk to him?" She asked.
"Huh?" The red head raised a brow. "Besides Izuku, you're the closest to Katsuki. You should talk to him and figure out how he's feeling." Kirishima nodded slightly. "I'll try."
Shinso listened carefully to all of this. He leaned against the bleachers, arms crossed, as the conversation between his friends swirled around him. He had his own thoughts, though—things that didn't quite add up. Yesterday after school, he'd seen Izuku after what he assumed was a panic attack. Shinso didn't know what exactly to do, so he stayed with him and his friends, silently there for support.
But now, hearing his other friends toss around these theories about Bakugo's behavior—it didn't sit right. Everyone was quick to assume something between Katsuki and Izuku, but Shinso couldn't shake the feeling that something more was going on. He knew Izuku had been acting strange too, given the privilege of being a part of both friend groups. Maybe it was connected to what happened yesterday, but Shinso didn't have all the pieces yet.
"Man, I just wanna go back to when we all had that cute hang out at the amusement park. Everything was fine then." Mina sighed, to which the group agreed.
—
The whistle blew, signaling the end of practice, but Katsuki barely registered it. He stalked toward the locker room, his teammates giving him a wide berth.
As he slammed his locker open, he felt Kirishima approach hesitantly.
"You good, man?" Ejirou asked softly.
"I'm fine." Katsuki snapped, though his clenched fists said otherwise.
"Look, whatever's going on with Midoriya..." Kirishima started, but Katsuki cut him off with a glare.
"I said I'm fine," he growled.
The red head sighed, backing off. He knew if he pushed around even a little bit more, Jatsuku would snap and that'd ruin their relationship. He already seemed on edge. "Alright, but if you need to talk, you know we're here, right?"
Katsuki didn't respond, he just stood there, seething silently as the locker room emptied out.
The truth was, he didn't want to talk. He wanted answers.
Before Katsuki could leave with his friends, the coach made him spare a few minutes.
Katsuki's head was spinning, his muscles were burning, but his mind was even worse.
"Bakugo." his coach's voice cut through his fog, rough, but not unkind. "Get a damn grip."
The blond stood up and wiped the sweat from his brow, but the coach wasn't done.
"You're an excellent player, but the way you're carrying yourself right now? You're not focused. You're distracted, and it's messing your game. What's going on with you?" The coach's eyes narrowed, clearly concerned. "You don't normally act like this, if you've got something going on outside of practice, I don't care what it is— but if it's affecting your game, then it's a problem."
Katsuki bit his tongue, clenching his fists as his coach waited for him to speak. But the words were stuck, tangled up in his thoughts, and all he could manage was a grunt.
"Don't let whatever's going on get the best of you, kid. The team needs you." His coach's voice softened. "If you need to talk, I'm here. But get your head in the game."
Katsuki stayed silent, nodding stiffly. His coach walked away, leaving him alone with his racing thoughts. The pressure was building, the cracks were showing, and Katsuki could feel the weight of it all pressing in.
He needed to figure out just what Izuku was hiding.
—
The shrill sound of the fire alarm echoed through the halls of U.A. High School a few days later, a high pitched wail that seemed to vibrate through every corner of the building. Students groaned in unison, their hands instinctively flying to their ears as they hurried to evacuate. The blaring noise was deafening, causing most to wince.
Katsuki was in the middle of snapping at Kirishima and Kaminari when the alarm went off.
"What the hell is that for?" Katsuki growled, glaring at the blinking emergency lights.
"It's the fire alarm!" Ejirou shouted over the noise. Mina already it grabbed her boyfriend's arm. Kirishima grabbed Katsuki's.
"No shit, genius!" Katsuki snapped. "It's probably just a drill." he jerked his arm free.
"Doesn't matter, man! We have to go!" Denki hollered, grabbing Katsuki's arm, and pulling him out of there.
Before Katsuki could protest further, the crowd surged around him, pushing him into the hallway. Fuck. Where's Izuku?
"Let go of me, dumbass!" Katsuki groaned, his scowl deepening as they neared the exit.
But his protest fell on deaf ears. The flood of students carried him along, all of them covering their ears. The cacophony of footsteps and shouted complaints only added to his irritation.
As they turned a corner, the force of the crowd shoved Katsuki into someone.
"Oi, Moron!" Katsuki yelled, looking up to notice Monoma. "Watch where you're fuckin' going!" he barked.
"You watch where you're going!" Monoma huffed. "Bakugo," he spat. "Always charging around like a mindless brute. Typical." He smirked.
"WHAT DID YOU SA—"
"Move!" Kirishima cut him off, stepping between them before the situation could escalate.
"That fucking moron. Always pisses me off." Katsuki scoffed. "I know, Monoma pisses everyone off." The red head sighed.
The flow of students around them was relentless, forcing Katsuki and Neito apart before either of them could throw a punch. Katsuki stumbled forward, muttering curses under his breath.
Come to think of it, why was Monoma moving back into the building when everyone was moving out? And where's Deku anyway?
As he straightened up, something caught his eye. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground where Monoma had been standing just a few moments ago.
Katsuki watched his friends run away, out of the building, he then bent down and grabbed it, frowning at Izuku's name that was written on the front.
He unfolded the paper, only to read:
Broken. That's what you are, broken.
Katsuki's eyes narrowed. His grip on the paper tightened as a surge of anger bubbled in his chest.
Who the fuck wrote this?
He looked back, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd. Monoma was already gone.
"Bakugo, come on!" Kirishima called from ahead, waving him forward.
Katsuki stuffed the note into his pocket, his mind racing. He didn't know whatever the hell was going on, but he'd be damned if he let this slide.
When the alarm rang, Izuku had no idea until Ochako dragged him out of the classroom, since he was so focused on his notes. Most students could barely focus on anything except for the overwhelming sound.
Izuku, however, didn't even flinch.
Shinso noticed this.
While other students around him covered their ears and cringed, Izuku simply walked forward, his eyes scanning the crowd. The lights were flashing in a strobe-like pattern, signaling the drill, but there was no reason for him to react in the same way as the others. He couldn't hear it. The noise—the shrieking, the blaring— was nothing to him. His world was silent. The visual cues—flashing lights and the jostling movements of the students rushing out of the building—were all he needed to understand the emergency.
Shinso noticed all of this.
The purple haired male had already covered his ears instinctively when the alarm had gone off. Most students had been quick to react, to the overwhelming sound, but Izuku? Izuku didn't seem phased at all. In fact, the way he kept walking, seemingly unfazed by the loudest noise in the school, struck Shinso as odd.
Shinso's gaze sharpened, curiosity stirring in his chest. He watched as Izuku walked, unbothered, even as the rest of the students hastened to leave. There was a stillness to him, that calmness that didn't fit with the chaos around him.
He thought back to everything he knew.
According to Bakugo's friends, Izuku might be holding back a secret. And from what happened a few days ago, it did seem like Ochako knew what was happening, given that she excused herself from the group the moment she saw Izuku run.
On top of that, Izuku always would act like he was ignoring people. When someone would call it out, he would apologize and say he spaced out. But who spaces out that much? He also would only respond if someone touches him, or is within his view. Izuku would also mispronounce words from time to time...
Was his hunch right?
Shinso's mind raced, he was alawayd observant, reading people with ease. Was this any different? Was he right?
Without a moment's hesitation, Shinso moved closer to him. The two had now walked out of the building successfully, where things were a little less loud. He didn't know why this situation mattered so much to him, but he was compelled to make sure.
"Hey, Midoriya!" He called out. According to Shinso, he shouldn't respond.
And he didn't.
Izuku didn't respond, his eyes locked to the path ahead, his steps steady, his attention focused entirely on the flow of the crowd. He hadn't even turned his head.
Shinso frowned. Was I right? He walked a little closer, calling his name again. No response.
Let's try this another way, then.
Shinso poked Izuku on the shoulder, making Izuku turn around and flash a slight smile. "Oh, Shinso. Hello."
Shinso looked at him, shocked. I was right.
Shinso took a breath, and with an almost instinctive motion, began signing. His hands moved swiftly, the fluid gestures forming the words he wanted to say.
Are you deaf?
Izuku stopped in his tracks. Shinso signed once more.
Can you hear the alarm?
For a moment, he was unsure if he had seen correctly. Shinso—Shinso was signing? His heart skipped a beat, his mind was racing. Was he imagining this? Had he really just seen Shinso's hands move in sign language? For a brief, disorienting second, the panic surged in his chest. Does he know? Has he known this whole time? His breath hitched, and he instinctively took a step back, feeling exposed in a way he hadn't expected.
The chaos of the fire drill seemed to fade away as he processed what had just happened. He could barely focus on anything. His heart pounded in his chest. What does this mean? His thoughts spiraled. Thankfully no one else was around. Everyone else was too far away.
Shinso, noticing the way Izuku froze, didn't press further. He simply waited. His eyes were calm, his expression open and unjudging. He hadn't meant to make Izuku uncomfortable; he just wanted to check on him.
Izuku's mind whirled. What do I do now? His mouth was dry. He had spent so much time hiding this part of himself, keeping it as close to his chest as possible. He had no one else, not truly. Ochako knew, but no one else. But now, Shinso had seen, and he had approached him so... easily.
Izuku took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His heart thudded painfully against his chest. His fingers twitched at his sides, but he had to respond. He couldn't back away. Not now. The silence in his head felt like it was suffocating him, he couldn't hide from Shinso's gaze.
Slowly, Izuku raised his hands. His movements were careful, unsure. His fingers fumbled for a moment, and he tried to remember the signs. He hadn't practiced much—he mostly used it with his mom, who had always been supportive of him. But it had been a while since he had seen her.
I can't hear it.
The words were out before he could stop them, and as they hung in the air, his face flushed with embarrassment. He felt his heart sink to his stomach. He was so afraid of how Shinso might react. Is he disgusted? Disappointed? Izuku was scared.
But what he saw next was unexpected. Shinso's face softened. There was no judgement in his expression—only understanding. He gave a small nod, his features relaxing.
I figured. Shinso signed, his hands moving fluidly. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Izuku blinked in shock, the weight of his worries starting to lift. For a moment, he stood there, unable to respond, caught off guard by Shinso's calmness. It was almost... too nice.
Even with Shinso's understanding, the flood of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. A new wave of panic crept upon Izuku as Shinso walked away, his chest tightened painfully. He couldn't stop it. He had tried to hide it, but it was impossible. His hands trembled, his breathing quickened. The walls of the hallways seemed way to close in around him, and for a moment, it felt like he couldn't breathe at all.
Ever since he got the first note, he'd been getting a new one with a new threat every. single. day.
I know what you're hiding.
When are you gonna tell them?
Stop pretending to be normal.
Each word felt like a dagger twisting in his chest, the sharp edges cutting deeper with every reread. His fingers trembled as he traced the jagged letters, the cruel taunts echoing in his mind louder and louder.
He squeezed his eyes shut, but the words burned behind his eyelids, refusing to be ignored. He could feel his pulse in his ears, the silence around him suffocating, a prison he couldn't escape. His heart pounded as paranoia clawed his thoughts.
Shinso watched Izuku run off, making confusion flicker Shinso's eyes. He didn't understand what was happening, but he could see the panic in his face. He moved to reach him, but paused, Izuku looked like he was in a hurry.
What if Shinso has been the one sending him the notes?
He was the only other one who knew about his deafness.