🌺Flower Showers🌺
~A Bakudeku Love Story~
13 - Careful
Word Count: 2,828
⚠️Warnings⚠️: Profanity, Fluff, Surgery  references,
Information: Persons with name: 1,019,000 Written: 小林 Meaning: "Small forest", using the kanji small 小 and woods/forest 林 (pronounced 'hayashi' on its own), the name may refer to the region its owner was from.

You may have heard of: 35-year-old Takeru Kobayashi, holder of four Guinness World Records for competitive eating.

🌺Previously on Flower Showers🌺

     "Hey dude, you alright?" Kirishima asked, placing a hand on Katsuki's shoulder.

     "Yeah, I just... I don't know,"

     "Want me to leave the room?"

     "I didn't say—"

     "Call me back in once you've said what you needed to," Kirishima kindly says. His smile was always so encouraging.

     "Dammit, Kirishima! I never said—"

     "You didn't have to... I already know," Kirishima said smiling with a quirked brow, before standing up and walking towards the exit, shutting the door.
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     The door shuts softly and the sound echoed around the room before there was a comforting silence. Katsuki inhaled deeply, letting the smell of Iodoform and carbolic acid fill his senses. He's never really hated the smell, but he's never been a big fan of it either.

"Hey... Deku," Katsuki starts as he stared at Izuku's body. Unresponsive, but still alive. Katsuki tentatively watches Izuku's chest rise and fall in a staggered pattern. Katsuki blinks slowly, trying to calm his nerves down. He was sweating a bit, so he rubbed his hands on his jeans, praying that he wouldn't accidentally burn them.

     The room was quiet and Katsuki glanced over at the door, seeing Kirishima's spiky red hair through the door window. Katsuki looks back at Izuku who happen to be in the same position. Why would he have moved?

     Izuku was still out cold and Katsuki felt like he didn't need anymore words, but he needed to let Izuku hear him. He needed to know he was heard. "I'm not sure if you're listening... but I really miss you..."

     Izuku didn't move. But that didn't mean Izuku couldn't hear him. He was in a medical induced coma, but he was still partly aware of his surroundings.

     "Deku, you may or may not be able to feel love again. And I'm worried because... I do love you and I... I want..."

     What did he want?

     Katsuki didn't know what to say after that. He cared for the greenette, but he still felt so guilty. In the dream world, everything was perfect. No issues (except for the hanahaki attacking). He could be with Izuku and care for him in a way he wouldn't be so comfortable doing in front of others.

     He was back in reality. No dream world he can run off to and forget the world even existed. The chances for Katsuki getting hanahaki were low, considering it was rare, but there was that slight possibility.

     Katsuki scooted his chair closer to Izuku until he was practically glued to the bed. Katsuki took his hand and slipped it into Izuku's scarred right one. He intertwined his fingers through the slits and squeezed slightly.

     Katsuki noticed that Izuku's body felt warmer than the last time. He was going to be okay.

     Kirishima peeked his head in and smiled. Katsuki glared at him and was about to yell but Kirishima put a finger up to his lips, shushing the pomeranian.

     Kirishima sat down across from the two and carefully watched them. He smiled, but he saw a hurt expression on Katsuki's face that made his heart hurt as well.

     "You okay, man?" Kirishima asked and he saw Katsuki's face turn red, and an expression that turned into a grimace. "Baku—"

      Hiccup.

     Katsuki put a hand over his face and Kirishima stopped. Katsuki's shoulders shook as a silent sound emitted from him. He's never seen Katsuki cry before, and he felt hurt for him. Kirishima felt like crying after seeing Izuku so battered, and now he can't help but empathize with Katsuki's feelings.

     He stood up and walked over towards Katsuki cautiously. He crouched down to his level and tried to think of something to say that wouldn't make the blonde go berserk. "He's going to be okay... Everyone is here for you, ya' know? I mean, it's not everyday you have a friend seizing in your arms... Midoriya cares for you. And he will be up soon to show you that he's okay..." Kirishima says with encouragement, but it didn't reach his eyes.

     Truth be told, Kirishima didn't know if Izuku would wake up. Nobody did. But it was bound to happen sooner or later, but he wants his two friends to be okay, and that starts with acknowledgement and comfort. He wrapped his arm around Katsuki's back and Katsuki accepted the hug that was offered. He hugged back, but his hand was still in Izuku's.

     Katsuki felt a tiny pressure in his hand. He looked over his shoulder and at his hand. Izuku squeezes it slightly, wrapping his tiny fingers around Katsuki. Kirishima saw it and the two smiled. "Ka..." the smallest whisper said. No one would have heard it if it wasn't so quiet in the room. "Kac... Kaccha..." Izuku staggeringly rasps out as his oxygen mask filled with hot breath, and his chest deeply rising and falling.

     "I'm getting the doctor," Kirishima says as he stood up and quickly left the room. As he walked out the door he smiled, feeling his heart warm with pride. He knew the two would make it. And he knew his friends would be okay.

     "Kacchan..." Izuku struggled to voice. Katsuki scooted closer if that was even possible.

     "Hey, shut up nerd," his words were harsh but his tone was nothing but a tame whisper. "I don't want you breaking your voice saying my name..."

     Izuku smiled and closes his eyes for a few seconds before planting then onto the red ones that stared at him with concern and admiration. "K-Katsuki I—"

     "Oh thank god..." a doctor said. The tow look up to see Kirishima back and smiling happily. "We're going to need to run a few minor tests, but you two will need to leave for that,"

     "What?!" Katsuki suddenly asked.

     "You're welcome to wait in the waiting room, but my nurses and I will need to do this without an audience. For confidential and privacy reasons," the doctor explains kindly. Izuku felt his heart beat wildly, and it made his chest hurt. It hurt. It really did.

     He could still feel where they made incisions and lacerated his muscle tissues. His chest felt tight, and it had an aching burning-type pain that was like nothing he's experienced before.

     Izuku looked at Katsuki as if it was the last time he would see him. So much pain and terror written within those green orbs. Before Katsuki leaves he gives Izuku a small smile only meant for him, something nobody else would receive, "I'll be waiting, I promise,"

     There it was. A promise. Katsuki never broke them. Never. It honestly was a talent. Katsuki had yet to break any promises he's made, and he wasn't starting anytime soon.

     Katsuki left the room and Izuku felt his heart hurt, both physically and emotionally.

     Izuku looked up at the nurse and she had just finished notifying the other doctors. She walks over to the monitor and writes something down on her paper. She walks over with her stethoscope and sits down in a chair that had been abandoned by Katsuki. "Izuku Midoriya, I'm glad you're awake. I'm going to be running a few tests, just to help us understand your current situation,"

     Izuku nodded his head in a formal fashion.

     "I'm Doctor Kobayashi, or you can just call me Miss Kobayashi," Doctor Kobayashi explained.

     "T-that's a pretty n-name..." Izuku compliments with a scratchy voice.

     Kobayashi stood up and grabbed a cup and started filling it with water. "Thank you, your name suits you," Izuku smiled.

     She walks over and handed Izuku his cup, he shakily drank it and finished swiftly. His throat burned as the coldness dusted his dry sore throat.

     "So on a scale of one to ten, how much pain are you in?"

     Izuku had to think for a minute. He was lucky he had a high pain tolerance, but he really had to take a step back and look at the big picture. He just had surgery. He had been in the hospital for a few days now. "Six," Izuku says.

     He was in pain. He couldn't ignore it, even if he wanted to. "Okay, I'll have your dosage updated, it's good that you can feel it though. Sometimes people can't feel pain after their first surgery, and sometimes it's agonizing. Just sit back and try not to strain yourself," Dr. Kobayashi kindly says.

     Doctors started to pile in, greeting him nicely. He's been in the hospital many times, but he hasn't seen this many, there had to be like three of then. Four including Kobayashi.

     Dr. Kobayashi seemed to sense the anxiety rolling off of Izuku's back effortlessly as if it were waves to an ocean. "You're okay, I promise. I had some of the best doctors work on your surgery," she says soothingly.

     Her voice! It was so familiar. She was that soothing voice that felt like honey drizzling over dark chocolate. Still such a sweet sensation to the ears.

     "I'm going to check your breathing, so try and sit up, test your strength a bit," she says. Kobayashi places her hand on Izuku's back and helps the boy sit up. As much pain as he was in, it was necessary. But he didn't push himself too much, afraid of popping any stitches or reopening wounds. "Breathe in slowly for me,"

     Spike!

     "Good, again,"

     Ripple...

     "One more time,"

     Pain...

     Izuku clenches his eyes shut as he lets out a shaky breath. His lungs still hurt. Maybe even more than they did before.

     "My l-lung..."

     "They're okay. I'm not going to lie, if you had waited any longer you may have needed a lung transplant after your first surgery of cutting out the vines and flowers. But lucky it hadn't gotten to that point, and the roots started dying,"

     Izuku's face contorted into one of confusion, "My flowers were dying?"

     My flowers.

     His flowers.

     They were his. He lost his flowers. His petals. Each one of them wilting away. Izuku should have been happy, but almost like hitting him with a bus, an onslaught of tears came flowing down his face.

     What were the side effects of the surgery?

     He coughed and sucked in a breath, his vision going spotty and a cold hand was placed on his forehead. A sharp pain erupted inside his chest. He laid back down on the pillow, feeling a hand cradle his head gently from behind as he was fading back into darkness.

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     Katsuki was in the waiting room with Kirishima. It had been maybe an hour and Katsuki had messaged Inko that her son woke up.

     Kirishima was texting a group chat Katsuki didn't reply to much. Katsuki sat there, waiting for a sign. Anything to tell him Izuku was alright. "Bakugo, are you okay?" Kirishima asked for the fifth time since the two have been waiting.

     "I'm fine," Katsuki seethes.

     "You say that every time I ask."

     "And I will continue to do so because you're not going to get another answer!" Katsuki barks.

     "Dude! You're obviously going through something, and I'm only trying to help,"

     "Want to help? Stop bothering me!"

     "You may not want to be bothered, but you need to be!" Kirishima retorts and Katsuki only scowled.

     Kirishima wasn't exactly wrong, not that Katsuki would admit that out loud anyway. The two waited for another twenty minutes before a  doctor walked out asking for them. Kirishima smiled and Katsuki felt his heart flutter. If he wasn't okay, then Izuku would have to make it better because... what was he without his light?

     The two walked into Izuku's room and saw two doctors shuffle around the room and Izuku was sitting up. Katsuki felt that something was off with Izuku, but wouldn't voice it in front of others.

     Katsuki's suspicion only grew after he looked at Izuku's face. He was obviously happy to see the two, his big bright smile. Smiling like he always does, but the dark rings under his eyes and the red that tinted them expresses a contrasting dismal story.

     "Hey Midoriya! How'ya feeling?" Kirishima asks as he took a seat.

     "Better! But... still in pain. I'm supposed to stay in the hospital for another three and a half days before I can go home," Izuku says in slight irritation.

     Home...

     What about school?

     "When are you coming back to school?" Kirishima asked curiously. Katsuki walked over and took a seat next to Kirishima. Izuku left Kirishima's gaze for a brief moment to acknowledge Katsuki's appearance.

     "Probably next week, but the doctors said I was wasn't permitted to engage in exertion. Anything physical, so I won't be doing anything combat related," Izuku said sadly.

     "That makes sense, but when you do I bet you'll come back stronger!" Kirishima encourages.

     "Definitely!" agreed Izuku.

     Suddenly an awkward silence fell. Katsuki hadn't said anything, still studying Izuku like a math test on a Friday. Had Izuku forgotten his feelings?

     "Bakugo?" Kirishima tries to get his attention.

     "You scared me you shitty nerd..." Katsuki states. It was quiet and Izuku nervously bit his lip, feeling suddenly guilty.

     "I'm sorry..." Izuku says sensitively.

     "Are you okay?" Katsuki asked with concern. There was a way he said it. Like he really wanted to know. Like he really cared. Because he really did.

     "Yeah! I feel much better. Except for the pain I'm in. I mean — I feel fine, but I feel sore all over," Izuku explained.

     Kirishima suddenly jumped in his seat almost scaring the shit out of Katsuki, which was rare. "What the hell, shitty hair!" Katsuki growls.

     Kirishima was suddenly standing up grabbing a white bag and he placed it down next to Izuku. "We went to the store today!"

     Izuku's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and Katsuki had to hold back a laugh. He sure was always excited about gifts. Izuku looks at the pencils and notebooks. His eyes water and we smiled brightly. "You both got these... for me?" Izuku asked, almost in disbelief.

     "Of course! After the hell you went through, we just though, well — Bakugo here thought of it actually!"

     Short circuiting. He had to think once. And then again before turning to Kirishima with a death glare. "Wow... Thank you Kacchan..." Izuku says as tears glossed his eyes.

     "Ou shoot... I'm gonna have to head out guys. I promised everyone I would hangout with them today, and I said I would tell them how you were doing," Kirishima gestured towards Izuku. "Tell then I said hi! And that they can visit anytime!" Izuku says and Kirishima nodded his head, texting everyone that Izuku says hi.

     Katsuki was quiet and the other two were slightly concerned. Katsuki was never this quiet unless something was wrong or on his mind. "I'm going to catch up with Deku for a bit," Katsuki says flatly. Izuku and Kirishima glance at each other and Izuku nodded his head.

     "Alright, I'll see you two later. I'll visit later, alright?" Kirishima somewhat questioned. Izuku nodded his head and Kirishima headed out. The doctors had already left the room.

     It was only Izuku and Katsuki. Izuku looked off to the side, playing with his bed sheet and glancing up at Katsuki.

     Katsuki stood up out of the blue and walked over towards Izuku. He took a seat, right in front of Izuku. Izuku tensed up a bit, and he lifts Izuku's chin. Izuku's eyes widened when a pair of familiar lips land on his slightly dry ones.

     Izuku's eyes shut as the moment was blissful and exactly what the two have been needing for the past forty-eight hours. Katsuki pulled away and saw the tears falling down Izuku's plump cheeks. He wipes them away, "Stop crying shitty Deku..." once again, words laced with nothing but care.

     "Kacchan... I'm—"

     Katsuki placed his palm on Izuku's mouth. "Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong, so don't."

     Izuku nodded his head and Katsuki removes his hand. "I was really scared. I am really scared," Izuku admits.

     "You don't have hanahaki anymore, idiot. So you have nothing to worry about. How do you feel, though?"

     Izuku gazed into Katsuki's eyes and grabbed his hands. "I love you..." Izuku whispers. Katsuki's eyes widened. He received his answer. "I-I still l-love you! Kac-Kacchan, I still—"

     Warm. He was so warm.

     His lips were so warm. And his hands were warm. They comforted his bruised and sensitive skin. After their heartwarming kiss, the two hug. Katsuki hugs Izuku gently, making sure to be  careful with him after surgery.
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