𝔄𝔫 ℑ𝔫𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔄𝔴𝔞𝔶 | Katsuki Bakugo x OC

Chapter 50 - Pain

The angst is getting heavy folks. And it'll get worse before it gets better ;-;

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It's cold when Hina woke up.

Goosebumps lined her skin and her fingers felt like ice from the frigid concrete floors and walls. She was sure it was from the fact all she wore was a hospital gown too.

Bleary eyed, she noticed the grays of the room playing with her perception of color until she focused on her wrists.

Brown leather cuffs were encircled on them, covering her tattoo and connected to chains which snake to the adjacent wall she laid against.

Her senses sharpened, and she sat up jerkily. Her breaths came out sparsely, and she tugged the chain experimentally. It was bolted to the wall. She then felt for her neck. She had a heavy metal collar circled at the base, a prick of a needle directly in her scent gland.

They suppressed her instincts.

She reached out for Katsuki in her empathy link and she felt that familiar numbness she felt when he's asleep. She huffed in relief; he must've exhausted himself last night if he hadn't woken up by now.

She tried to release her quirk but it wouldn't trigger. She stared at her palms in sorrow, in grief.

They suppressed her quirk too.

There was no chance she could break free without help.

She looked up to the door of the room—the only way in and out—and its hinges were bolted to the wall with a small window in the top half that was slid shut.

There was light in her cube-like room; it came through a small square window above the bolts of her chains, near the ceiling and made a spotlight in the center of the room, the shadows of bars diminishing any hope for escape. When she felt a draft pool in the room, she smelled salt and fish. And she watched the shadow of palm leaves eclipsed the light before swaying away.

She then focused on what she could hear: water crashing and rushing, crashing and rushing. She heard seagulls cry and wings flutter away, heard seals bark and flippers slap against sand.

Again, she was by the ocean in chains. Again, she was captive by the coast.

She stood up, walking to the center of the room, to see out the little window she had. All she could see was the dawn sky and the palm tree that swayed nearby.

The metal panel in the door was slid open, the sound of metal grating metal. She turned around, startled yet feigning courage.

On the other side, Aoi's face and shoulders came into view.

She rushed forward within an instant, but the chains were pulled taut just two steps away from the door, her hands being pulled backwards and straining her shoulders.

Aoi's eyes reflect pity and that only made Hina seethe in anger.

"Katsuki trusted you," She pulled the chains again, the metal jingling with the force of her pull. "And you used that trust to break him."

He didn't meet her eyes, his gaze falling to the cuffs on her wrists.

"You're on an island." He informed, his voice detached and forlorn. Hina felt sick inside. "It's a precaution set by Xerox to make sure Bakugo can't find you following your scent."

"The heroes will find me." She seethed.

"By the time they will, I'll be long gone."

She pulled again, screaming in anger at the man on the other side. She thought, maybe if she mimicked Katsuki's rage she could feel just as fearless as him.