Until The Next Incarnation
About three days went by since the news about Katsuki having to move out; Izuku couldn't blame him, he understood the reasons for such, but it was a tough decision for himself.
He loved Kacchan, at the same time he loved his friends and family; even though he wanted to stay by the side of the love of his life, the one who's already done so much to invest in their relationship, he also couldn't leave behind the life he had in Mustafu.
He knew the consequences of leaving his soulmate behind and wouldn't be able to bear the burden of knowing that Katsuki would feel the effects of the curse again, as well as the Incubus having to see other people so as not to wither to death; Izuku honestly wasn't sure if he would move on with the knowledge that he could still have the greenette, for he noticed how much Kacchan loves him, so Izuku was also afraid that the Incubus could let himself make it to his limit.
It was pretty obvious which was the most reasonable choice but, now that his life was falling into place with a job he loves, friends that appreciate him and a new addition to his family that actually made him happy, Izuku wasn’t sure he could leave all that behind and start from scratch at a foreign place.
It took him several years to make his first true friends, he didn’t know he would be able to find someone like Uraraka, Iida or Todoroki, not to mention his new stepfather and his mother…
“Midoriya…? Hey, Midoriya.” The call and the hand waving on his face made him snap back to reality.
The greenette looked at the bicolor in front of him on the diner table who stared back worriedly.
“Sorry, Todoroki… come again?” Izuku smiled awkwardly.
“You've been zoning off, lately… is there something bothering you?”
The greenette paused. “Is just that… Kacchan will move out in the next few days.” He answered slowly.
“Oh, of course… the immigration. Yeah, we all need to go through that, from time to time.”
“I don't know what to do, Todoroki! He wants me to tag along and I love Kacchan, but I also love the life I have here…”
“But what's so hard about it?” The bicolor said matter-of-factly, surprising his greenish friend.
Izuku blinked a few times before opening his mouth. “Huh…?”
“I know it must be tougher on you, sometimes great changes may intimidate a little, especially for you humans, but they're part of life.” Shouto shrugged. “Besides, you do know the consequences of leaving Katsuki behind, don't you?”
The greenette fell silent; Todoroki was more than right, there was no arguing with that.
“You will be fine, Midoriya… if you don't meet any new faces at… wherever you guys are going, you'll always have Katsuki but, if you're still uneasy, who knows? Maybe a friend could tag along.”
Izuku snorted. “And who would be able to do that? I don't think…” He fell silent mid-sentence when he noticed his friend's suggestive smile. “No…”
The bicolor shrugged a second time. “It's getting close to my time to leave as well… I could move into your neighborhood, that way you won't feel so alone.”
“Oh, Todoroki…” Izuku sighed awkwardly. “You’re too good for me.”
Shouto smiled at the compliment. “I suppose that's a ‘yes’.”
“I-I think Kacchan won't like the idea…”
“He'll have to get used to it.”
Izuku smiled under shiny eyes. “I don't want to put anyone through uncomfortable situations… but I know how much you look up to Kacchan… Maybe he'll learn to get used to it.” He spoke softly.
The bicolor smirked. “You really are a good watcher. In that case, when's the moving?”
The greenette smiled in understanding; Katsuki definitely would not like the idea, but Todoroki would make the experience a lot easier, not to mention it was about time to get those two a bit closer.
“That's out of the question.” Bakugou said, annoyed, much to his boyfriend's deception.
Izuku announced the “big news” when he got home; the blonde one was obviously thrilled to hear the greenette's decision, until he heard the part about Shouto.
“Come on, Kacchan! We don't know anyone in Otheon anyway, if Todoroki moves with us, we'll have some company.” Izuku whined in return.
Bakugou held his own forehead and sighed impatiently. “Do you want him to go with us that badly?”
“Yes… I know I'll always have Kacchan, but I'm leaving my whole life behind, here in Mustafu. It'd be good to bring at least a bit of that along with me…”
Katsuki's expression softened. “I can't say ‘no’ when you talk like that… Alright.” He gave in.
“Really?!” Izuku smiled brightly.
“What you don't ask me with a frown that I don't do with a smile?” The cupid rolled his eyes, annoyed.
“Thank you, Kacchan!” The greenette exclaimed as he pounced on his boyfriend's neck in a hug.
“Of course, but you still owe me that.” Katsuki quirked a brow suggestively.
The small one giggled. “If it's just that, you know I’m not against it… but I have to tell you that Todoroki really looks up to you, you know?”
The Incubus paused. “I figured.”
“Huh? Then why you don't like him…? You can't return the feeling?”
“That's not exactly it; maybe it was at first, but I never hated him. I know I might give out the wrong idea, it's just that I get kind of competitive sometimes...”
Izuku smiled in understanding and let go of the cupid's neck slowly. “You don't have to compete with Todoroki, Kacchan, none of you have anything to gain with that, even Todoroki noticed it… I just wanted you two to get along.”
“That’s what you think?” Katsuki said melancholically, confusing the small one with his words. “He knows you for longer, not to mention that he was the one who took you in and supported you when you needed the most, and what did I do back then?”
Izuku eyed him with sorrow and a hint of impatience. “You still worry about that?”
“I'll never get over what I did, I told you. We both know I was more than wrong to treat you that way.” Katsuki caressed his green locks behind his ear as he said that.
Izuku smiled softly. “Kacchan… I made my choice and am very happy with it, besides, I forgave you, isn't that enough? Sometimes I wish you'd be kinder to yourself.”
“And I wish I could see in myself the same as you do.” Bakugou lowered his eyes.
“I don't know how you can think so little of yourself, you're amazing! And, even though you can't see it, I'll remind you that everyday… until my last breath.”
The Incubus stared back at him, startled. “Don’t say that… I don't wanna remember it.”
“Right… I'm sorry.” The greenette closed his eyes with a soft smile and let Kacchan lean in for a long kiss.
Nothing else mattered, only here and now, living one day at a time until the very end…
- - -
In a hospital in the countryside of Japan, a thin rain fell outside, watering the green area around the field. About 70 years have passed and the couple decided to move back into a small town, a quieter place where Izuku, now in an old age, could rest better and unwind a little.
Today wasn't the best day of all per se, for Izuku was hospitalized, holding onto his last moments so that he could say goodbye and spend the little time he had left with his loved ones.
Katsuki leaned over his wrinkled body, caressing his locks that now have lost all color and turned white, crying over the impotency and the imminent loss. The doctors have done all they could, but it was no longer possible to help Izuku's case, he was at his edge.
Some others were gathered around the room: Mitsuki, Shouto, Touya and two of his children, Kirishima, Mina, Sero and Himiko; Mori, Hana and the rest of Katsuki's friends wished to be there, unfortunately though, they still had to fulfill their tasks as cupids.
“There are so many of you here… you almost don't fit in the room.” The old man chuckled, his voice deep and hoarse from age.
“Izuku…” Katsuki shook his head.
“Is alright, Kacchan… I'm really sorry that you'll have to suffer with the curse without me around, but we'll still meet again, right…? In another life.”
The Incubus sniffled and backed away slowly, resting his hand on Izuku's chest and feeling his weak heartbeats.
“Isn't there anything else that could be done?” He hissed.
“You heard the doctors, they did all they could.” Mitsuki said.
“There has to be something!” Katsuki shouted.
“Sweetie, I know it's hard, but you have to let him go.” His mother reasoned.
“You’ve got to be kidding, I'll go get the doctors!” The blonde stood towards the door.
His friends tried to call after him, but Katsuki only stopped upon hearing the voice of his soulmate. “Kacchan… Forget it… there's nothing else to be done.”
“Izuku-”
“Please, stay here…” The elder cut the cupid off before he could retort. “I'm at my limit… so stay by my side, okay? Until my last breath.”
The Incubus approached slowly and sat back down by his side on the mattress, taking the weak hand Izuku offered to him.
“My dear Kacchan… I need you to promise me something.”
Bakugou nodded firmly. “Anything!” He said in a nosy voice.
“Try to be kinder to yourself…” Izuku's words caught him off-guard. “You never forgave yourself, did you…? But I don't regret a thing. I left behind everything we went through at the beginning… after all, my life beside you was the best I could've asked for… that's why I want you to leave that guilt behind.”
The Incubus nodded slowly. “Alright… for you.”
Izuku smiled tiredly. “We'll still meet again… In another life, you'll have the chance to do the right thing from the start, so don't worry. Remember that, despite everything, I'll always love you… until… the end of…”
The cupid panicked and his chest tightened; the screaming voices started to hum in his ears when he felt Izuku's body collapse under his touch, and the beeping sound of the heart monitor beside gave out that his heart stopped beating.
Everyone in the room were frozen in shock, it was a long moment until someone reacted.
When Katsuki could no longer bear the pain in his chest, he let the tears flow and cried. He cried from the pain of the hearts he broke and from the loss of the one he loved the most.
The other Succubi in the room only kept silent and watched in remorse; some of them knew that scene all too well, they went through the very same with their own soulmates after all.
Midoriya would still be reborn and give continuity to the cycle but, at the moment, it hurt, and it hurt badly.
It was several years until Bakugou got used to the idea, he still visited Izuku's grave at least twice a year: once on his birthdate and once on his death anniversary.
His friends were finally able to worry less for Katsuki was, little by little, returning to his old self and moving on, excitedly waiting to meet the next incarnation of his soulmate.
On that gloomy day, the group visited Izuku’s grave on his birthdate; nearly two decades went by and the soul that inhabited his body had certainly reincarnated already, but they always made sure to mourn over him and wish for a brief reencounter.
Katsuki felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Eijirou’s face.
“We're heading off.” The redhead announced. “You're staying for a bit longer, right?”
His friend nodded. “You know it.”
“Alright, just don't take too long, ‘looks like it's gonna rain.” Kirishima waved goodbye at him.
The group walked away, talking about the friend that stayed behind.
“Katsuki doesn't look like he dealt with Midoriya's death very well, don't you think?” Mina pointed out.
“Everyone deals with their burdens their own way, we can't judge.” Kirishima scolded. “Katsubro has always thought too little of humans before he found his soulmate, but what can I say? Midoriya really was special…”
“And we can't deny it that he did wonders.” Kyouka cut in. “Katsuki has even stopped ‘toying’ with the hearts of humans, the couples he unites now are starting to work out, even the effects of the curse seem to be lighter for him.”
“Yeah, and I'm glad he's also learned to deal with Midoriya's death.” Sero mentioned. “I can barely wait to see what he looks like now, it's about time to reincarnate.”
“Yeah, I hope they meet again soon.” Eijirou said distractedly.
Katsuki waited for the group to be out of sight so that he could give start to this old habit. It wasn’t like he didn't know his friends had noticed, he was just embarrassed to talk to a grave in front of them and they understood that.
“It's been around twenty years now, huh? I can't handle waiting any longer… I really want to see you again, it's been hard without you, Izuku… You were the best thing that ever happened to me… I think you'd be glad to see the man I am today so, please, come back soon.” The cupid wiped a single tear that dripped from his eye with a smile.
“You know, I hate to lie with any human that isn't you, but I don't have a choice and I know you wouldn't want me to give in that easily only because you're not here… I feel a bit stupid to be talking to an empty grave, you must have reincarnated already… and I can't wait to meet you in this life.”
Going down the stairs towards the front gates of the cemetery, Katsuki spotted a tall, young man with wavy, black hair heading the opposite way; they both smiled at each other in a greeting, until Katsuki felt something awfully familiar in him when they approached and froze in place.
The young man stared at the blonde one's petrified expression confusedly; when he was close enough, Katsuki grabbed his arm, startling him. It was a moment until the Incubus realized what he was doing.
“O-oh! Sorry, I thought you were… someone else.” Katsuki mumbled as he let go of the shorter one's arm.
The black-haired, young man eyed him curiously for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. “Is it recent?” He asked in a soft tone.
“Oh- not much, is just that… it's hard getting used to it, you know?”
The black-haired one lowered his head. “I get it…”
Seeing his chance, Katsuki went on with his speech. “And what about you? I've never seen you around here before.”
“It is a bit recent…”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Likewise. You really seemed to like him.”
“Well, I'm getting over it…” The cupid smiled faintly.
The young man eyed him curiously. “So you usually visit the cemetery often?”
“Well… yes, at least twice a year… Today would be his birthday.” He explained with a soft smile.
“Really? What a coincidence.”
“Huh?” Bakugou mumbled confusedly.
“Welll… today- uh…” The youngster hesitated and gulped. “Today is also my birthday.”
“And you came to visit the cemetery on this day of all days?” The Incubus asked worriedly, but the boy simply fell silent and faced the ground with a pained look on his face; Bakugou sighed inaudibly. “In this case… happy birthday! If you want, we could do something together after this, what do you say? On me.”
The shorter one thought about the offer; he wasn't sure if he should celebrate his birthday with a stranger he just met, but maybe it'd be better than spending that very day lamenting himself alone. After a short moment of contemplation, he spoke. “I guess that'd be fine… Thank you.”
The Incubus smiled. “What's your name, by the way?”
“Mikumo… Akatani.”
“My pleasure! Name's Katsuki.”
The End.
Author's Note
So we made it to the end! I'd like to have written a few other details for this chapter, but couldn't squeeze it all in ToT
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