Sleeping in the shed was probably the worst idea ever.

They're cramped, uncomfortable, hot in weird places they had been pressed together and cold everywhere else. Rain woke them on several occasions, and Katsuki had woken at least twice to being suffocated by Izuku's shirt or his jacket. The duffle bag was the worst pillow ever. Most of Izuku's weapons were in there.

Good thing the grenades were in the knapsack.

Once the slightest of light began to shine through the cracks of the shed door, the two crawled out of their hiding spot, sore, aching, and more exhausted than they had been the night before.

But, it was probably better than ending up with that group.

Izuku pushed the shed door open, peering outside. He adjusted the knapsack and gestured to Katsuki before stepping out of the shed. He closed the door behind them, mostly out of habit, pausing as he saw the door. "Katsuki..?"

"Mm?" He turned, hand in his hair. He looked to the door and halted.

'Quake' was spray painted on the door, just like on the sign.

"I think we're in their territory, Katsuki..."

The blond grit his teeth, huffing in agreement. "Let's hurry out of it, then... Don't wanna see those dickwads ever again."

Izuku nodded, following after him.

~

Katsuki groaned softly, rubbing his neck. Everything was so sore amd stiff from sleeping in the shed, shoved between totes, a Christmas tree and the wall, with Izuku crumpled on top of him.

He takes back the whole 'a roof and four walls' answer. He definitely needs a mansion and he won't settle for less. If he ends up included in a pile-up, he might set the house on fire.

Never again.

Although, tangled up with Izuku wasn't the worst thing in the world. It was kind of... Nice, holding him close and it wasn't terribly awkward or anything like that.

Now, if he'd been in that situation with, say Eijirou, he might have kicked the man in the chest. First off, dude's a brick wall. Katsuki would've wound up crushed beneath him. Second, he's not Izuku. That's reason enough.

Katsuki looked to his travel companion, just taking in the sight of him.

Frayed, stained clothing, hunched shoulders, tousled, curly hair, dark bags beneath his tired green eyes, and Katsuki couldn't think of a negative thing to say about him.

Izuku has definitely changed. He doesn't allow anyone to push him around. He's stronger, more confident, headstrong. He's smart, a quick-thicker, and studies their situation in seconds. He's witty and he reads Katsuki like an open book.

Katsuki has to admit... He's proud of who Izuku had become... Who he's made himself into. He didn't let the terrible things that have happened to him bring him down. He's used his past to make himself stronger and better. Katsuki doesn't think he would have had the strength to continue on like this. He definitely wouldn't have tried to help find a cure for the shitty people who had hurt him.

They trudged out of the neighborhood, opting to go through the trees rather than stick to the open roads. They'd rather deal with the infected in the foliage than try to handle maniacs that think they rule the world on the road.

"Katsuki..."

"Yeah?"

Izuku halted and pointed to a road sign.

'Quake' was once again the center of attention. Katsuki frowned deeply and urged Izuku on. He can't figure out why it's affecting him like this. Why is quake such a familiar term? It's really starting to piss him off.

~

They traveled along the road, keeping deep enough in the trees it would be difficult to spot them while keeping close enough they could see and follow the road. The shade was kinda nice, though.

"We need to figure out just where we are in Maryland to know how long it'll take to get through. I need to know which direction we're going," Izuku muttered, pulling out the map.

"Currently, we are west."

"How do you know? Got a secret compass you're hiding from me?" Izuku tilted his head a raised a brow, a smile playing at his lips.

Katsuki smirked right back. "Yeah. It's called the sun."

The greenette pouted, folding his arms. "You're an ass."

"Am I wrong?"

"... No..."

"I might be an ass, but I'm pretty much always right," the taller mused, stretching his arms above his head.

Izuku rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

~

"We have probably two hours of light left," Izuku sighed, lowering his hand.

Katsuki scrunched his nose. "How the fuck can you tell?"

"Line up your fingers between the horizon and the sun. Each finger is roughly a quarter of an hour. I can fit about five or six fingers between the sun and horizon, then add the time for the remaining light once the sun goes down. So, roughly about two hours." He grinned up at Katsuki after explaining, holding his fingers up closer to Katsuki to demonstrate.

"God, you're such a fucking nerd."

Izuku laughed and shrugged. "If I remember correctly, so were you, Mr. Valedictorian," he sang, leaning closer to him with a big grin splitting his face.

Katsuki snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah... Saluditorian."

The greenette giggled softly, hands shoved into his pockets. "Look at us. A pair of nerds braving the apocalypse together," he mused with a slant of his head.

All Katsuki could do was smile and shake his head. His travel partner is such a dork... A weirdo...

But he's glad he's with Izuku.

~

Izuku sighed, pulling his jacket tighter around himself. "We need to find a place..."

Katsuki nodded, shrugging up the duffle bag. "The sun is gone. It's nearly dark out."

The greenette shifted the knapsack onto one shoulder, grabbing his water bottle. He paused again and Katsuki heard it before Izuku even said anything.

He grit his teeth, eyes raking the horizon for the vehicle. Approaching lights vanished into the neighborhood they were headed for.

"Around or in..?"

"We may have to go around," Izuku murmured, taking a swig from his waterbottle. He tucked it away, adjusting his knapsack. "They might be searching through the houses for us or just scavenging. Either way, we can't let them find us."

Katsuki nodded and steered them into the trees. This meant they may have to travel through the dark for a while before they can get a place to rest.

They pushed their bags under a bardbed wire fence and crawled underneath, glancing to the neighborhood every few steps to ensure no one would spot them. Izuku lead them close by the fences, listening for any voices as they made their way through a small clearing.

So far, they're pretty good.

Walking back into the trees, Katsuki had a strange, sinking feeling they were being watched. He scowled deeply, red eyes scanning the dark shadows. The hairs on his arms and nape rose and he reached for his machete.

The barrel of a gun stopped him in his tracks as it pressed to the back of his head, Izuku gasping and freezing as the same was done to him.

"We've been looking for you two trespassers all damn day," one if the men mused, Katsuki raising his hands to show he had no weapon. "Come on, out to the field."

Katsuki sneered and shoved as he was grabbed, Izuku shouting as he was pushed forward. They were lead back to the clearing, guns still pointed at them.

One of the men whistled loudly, Katsuki flinching. "Too damn close, asshole!"

More people shouted from inside the neighborhood, vehicles starting up much closer than the first vehicle had been spotted.

Katsuki grit his teeth, eyes narrowed. They were waiting for them. They trapped them.

He hissed as he was forced onto his knees, reaching back to hit the guy when Izuku was shoved to the ground. Their bags were stolen as the rest of the group poured into the clearing, three vehicles pulling up in front of them.

"Well, well," a man mused as he approached, his own gun in hand. "I was beginning to worry the trespassers had gotten away from us."

Izuku stiffened beside Katsuki as the man spoke, but the blond was too focused on glaring and struggling against the man tying his hands behind his back.

"How'd you manage to escape my soldiers last night?"

"None of your Goddamn business, bastard," Katsuki spat.

The brunette hummed, flexing his fingers around his gun. "Mind your tone, boy. Don't want to attract the sickly, do you?"

"Oh, because your diesel engines won't do the job on their own, hah?"

"You should be quiet... Like your partner here."

"And you should let us on our way, fucking prick!"

The older man hummed, gaze hardening. "You're too loud. You're really getting on my nerves."

Katsuki struggled in his binds and against the hands grasping his shoulders. "And you're a sack of shit! You don't own the world just because it's over!"

"I may not own the world, but I certainly can own a portion of territory for my people-"

"Kai!"

Katsuki kept his glare on the brunette standing in front of him as he turned to see the man that called him from one of the vehicles.

A ravenette jumped out and jogged over, catching Katsuki's eye.

He recognized him instantly. The man's hair was shaggier, skin a bit darker, but it most certainly him. Katsuki wanted to kick himself. He should have known it was him leaving that damn word everywhere.

"Kai, I know him! I went to school with him!" The ravenette laughed, hands on his hips as he came to a halt. "Katsuki-motherfucking-Bakugou!"

His jaw clenched so hard, his teeth ground together painfully, rage filling his chest as he flexed his fists.

"Hot damn. I had hoped you fuckin' died, but I should've known better. You're a stubborn son of a bitch." He stalked closer and crouched in front of him. If there wasn't a gun pointed at Izuku's head, he would've headbutted the ass right in his snide face. "I bet you don't even recognize me, do you..?"

"Shindo Yo... Runnerback. A suck-up to hide the fact you're using someone and will eventually stab them in the fucking back. Hella jealous of me and everything I have."

That made Shindo sigh and his grin to fall as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I should be honored that the Katsuki Bakugou remembered me. I didn't think you bothered to remember anyone you considered less-than."

"You are less-than, you fucking piece of shit," Katsuki sneered, maintaining his glare as Shindo stood.

Shindo just laughed, crossing his arms. "Just as bright and lovely as ever, Katsuki. Oh, you got a travel buddy. Who is willing to tolerate your shit attitude for more than five minutes?"

Katsuki shouted and thrashed as Izuku flinched, hunching in on himself as Shindo approached. "Don't touch him! Don't you fucking touch him! I'll fucking kill you, you rat bastard!"

His demands went unheard as Shindo reached forward and curled his fingers in Izuku's curls. He yanked his head back, smug face falling immediately as recognition crossed his eyes.

Izuku tried his hardest to keep a strong face - lips pressed, jaw clenched and gaze unwavering - but tears tracked down his dirty cheeks, brows pinched slightly in distress.

"Izuku..? But... You died..?"

-----

1906 words

He died?

No, Shindo, he obviously didn't.