The two heroes found out about the League of Villains whereabouts. Nejire would be silent the whole time, but still didn't like the fact that two heroes were inside.
Toya had placed Satoko in her bed. He had an idea about their living conditions as it was a very rundown place. Even the mattress had springs coming out. The bedsheets had holes in them. While the pillows were oddly nice and fluffy.
Possibly stolen.
"You don't spread a word about our whereabouts." She murmured as she winced, hating the fact her back was hurting. "I'll know it's you."
"Scary," he said in a partially sarcastic tone. "We definitely won't be telling anyone. As far as I'm concerned, you helped us out today by rescuing those people. There would have been more deaths if it wasn't for your league."
"This is what we do." She furrowed her eyebrows. "The public's eye labeled us as villains, but we really aren't. We're just trying to fix society by taking out the trash."
She paused a moment before she spoke again. "Those women and children. Are they really safe?"
"They are. Someone will be working on contacting families to let them know that they're alive," he said.
"They better be." She sighed as she still had his shirt on her person. "I'm keeping this, you know. So I can stare at you." She gave a flirty smile.
"Go right ahead." His expression nearly matched hers. "I don't have a problem with your pretty eyes on me."
"I think we should go," Tenko spoke from the doorway. He was feeling awkward to be a third wheel once again. He could definitely go without seeing them flirt with each other.
Toya took a step back away from the bed. "He's right. We do still have things to do. I'll write down my phone number in case you need anything though."
"Oh, what makes you think I'll call?" She teased, ignoring the fluttering in her chest. It was strange. She never had felt this way with anyone.
Ugh. Stop it.
Nah. She doesn't want to.
Not when he had saved her. It's hard for her to even say there was some trust built.
Harder to admit that she was afraid to be doing this with a hero. She couldn't help it. Not when she's so infatuated with him.
Why couldn't he be ugly? Or have a nasty attitude? Ugh. He's her weakness for sure.
He simply laughed. "Bye. Hopefully we'll see each other again sometime."
He went to the doorway where Tenko was at. They whispered something about if they thought she would be ok there, and then they walked out the door.
When they were on their way out, Nejire stayed at the exit. Her expression seemed rough as she let out a steely gaze. "Don't you dare break her heart. I don't trust either of you."
Even though Nejire has her own issues, she had one positive outlook. Her high regard and respect for Satoko. The one person whom she can't go against. Well, as long as she was within the same radius of her.
"She's had a hard life. You heroes like to blab your mouths and ruin everything." She frowned.
"I-" Tenko started. He was interrupted.
"I won't." Toya smiled. "You don't have to worry about that."
"What is she to you two?" She wasn't convinced. "Are you two spies?!"
She felt her own past resurfacing. The last time she trusted a hero was when she was backstabbed.
She looked up to the pro hero, Ryukyu. When she had discovered at a young age what Ryukyu was really like.
She was using Nejire's beauty to cater to her. Make her fake events to make herself look good.
It disgusted Nejire she idolized someone like that. When she met Satoko, her eyes became more open than ever.
"We aren't spies," Tenko stated nervously. "We ran into her one day after she...killed some people. We seem to keep running into her. I guess we're sort of friends now. Like when you play a video game and the reoccurring characters turn into your friends."
"No, I definitely have a crush on her," Toya bluntly stated.
"Toya!" Tenko hissed.
Nejire narrowed her eyes. She had trouble finding any insincerity. In fact, she was just plain speechless.
"Whatever..." She waved her hand dismissively as she didn't want to put on a cute act with them. "Leave. If your feelings are true, I won't approve of them either way. She doesn't need another guy bailing on her."
Tenko nodded. He started to walk past, but then Toya grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, nearly choking him in the process.
Toya ignored Tenko's protests so he could get in the last word. "I'll prove you wrong about me. Just wait."
With that, he finally let go of Tenko and walked away.
Nejire watched the two heroes walk out the door. Making sure they were gone, she strutted over towards Satoko's room.
"I don't like this. I don't like them. Can I kill them?" Nejire pouted.
"Hello to you too. And no." Satoko replied. "I like them."
"Obviously. You're being too soft."
"Soft?" Satoko chuckled. "They helped us. Isn't that in our advantage?"
"Satoko-"
"I've made my judgement."
"What if it's wrong? Who says they aren't pigs like the rest? Like that Toya-" Nejire remarked.
"Toya had that chance to hurt me, but didn't." Satoko responded defensively.
"Don't tell me you like him-"
"Just go away and go out to get me pain medication and stuff." Satoko dismissed.
Nejire groaned in irritation. She held her tongue not to say anymore. She left the room. She can tell Satoko fancies them. Especially Toya.
When she was finally alone, Satoko sighed. She knew that she had a risk trusting them. It made her cold heart even ache.
(Maybe I am being stupid... But those cerulean eyes of his. I don't find them untrustworthy.)
After Nejire left, the door to Satoko's door creeped open once more. Kazuno stuck her head inside. She looked a little nervous to be talking to her, but she did nonetheless.
"Do you have a shower here? And some clothes I could change into?" She asked.
"Silly of you to think we won't have a bathroom here. How else wouldn't I not stink?" Satoko bluntly commented. "Anyway, it's not hard to find. A room with a toilet and shower. The water's lukewarm so you have to get used to it. As for clothes, just dig around my drawers. I think I have pajamas I don't wear because it isn't my style."
Satoko's outfits are always showy and appealing. Part of her aspect to lure men and also, a way to feel powerful. Not vulnerable. A protection mechanism.
"Thankssss." She entered the room and dug around in the drawers. She pulled out a light purple pajama set. With that folded up in her arms, she turned around to Satoko.
"I think I misjudged you." She nervously squeezed the pajamas against herself. "I mean, you're called the league of villains, so..."
She laughed nervously. "You and the other girl just seem like normal people. Izuku can be scary sometimes, but I don't necessarily think he's completely evil. And the other guy... it's hard to believe he's a villain at all! He's so shy!"
"We're only labeled as villains because we kill people. But heroes do just the same, but worse. Towards innocent people." Satoko scoffed. "We kill those who aren't deserving to live. Why let the people be in jail just for them to be let out to do it again? Better for them to be dead, I always say."
"Yeah..." She said awkwardly. "I guess that's true. They definitely don't stop at anything..."
Satoko studied Kazuno's body language. She could tell something was amiss. "Hey. Something happened, didn't it?"
She wasn't cutting corners with it. Just straight to the point.
"Eh, I just got temporarily kidnapped and assaulted by a group of men. No biggie." She tried to smile to prove that she was ok, but her smile was shaky. It quickly disappeared. "That's why I want to take a shower so badly. Their filthy hands were all over me, so I feel gross..."
"Don't even say it wasn't any biggie," Satoko scolded. "What you experienced wasn't any less what others have."
She found herself with building regret, "Perhaps I shouldn't have taken any of you girls with me. It's a job I can handle. I'm numb to it now."
She was lying to herself, of course. But her huge suppression made her 'strong'. To do this job to lure pigs to their deaths.
"You get yourself washed up. I hate to think you've experienced it." Her tone was calm. Almost empathetic? "Do you need a pregnancy test?"
She wasn't sure how far they went with her. Yes, the questions can be triggering. But it's more triggering to carry a child of one's assaulter. She didn't want a young girl to experience such a heartache.
It makes her angry at the world. Angry at herself for taking them on such a dangerous mission. She thought UA students could handle it, but she underestimated them.
Kazuno stared at Satoko in shock. She couldn't believe it. Satoko was an adult, and yet she wasn't being mean to her about it. She wasn't looking at her like she was disgusting or like it was her fault.
She knew that her own mother would have reacted differently. She might even be ashamed of her if she knew. The way Satoko spoke to her was almost motherly.
"I don't need one. I- uh-"
She started to stutter. There was something else she wanted to ask, but it was hard to. That sense of embarrassment was still there. Not only that, the memory of what happened was so fresh. It was hard to talk about it in more detail.
How could she even say it? She found herself fighting tears again.
"I think I might be bleeding, though. I don't know. If I am, it must not be enough to bleed through. Either that or no one wants to point it out." She couldn't look at Satoko in the eyes. "Should I take a pad with me too? Or should it be fine if I just take a shower and get changed? I've...never...gone through anything like this before."
"Bleeding? Did they go further? Or are you still a virgin?" Satoko hated asking her so many questions, but she needed to get the bottom of this to make sure she didn't need to get a pill for her. "Or were they just really rough?"
"Err...well..." She was struggling a lot to say what she needed to say. Her heart rate was getting faster as she started to feel anxious. "They were just really rough, I guess."
She said 'I guess' as if she didn't know the answer. She was telling the truth, but she sounded uncertain because her brain wasn't really allowing her to think clearly in that moment.
"Anything else?" She asked for more answers. She didn't know about Minoru or anything just yet. It was that point where things were heading to that path.
"One of them is still out there," she stated. "Izuku tried to kill them all, but...he got away. He might have been the boss? Maybe? He was the one who...wanted me to be taken to him. The rest were only supposed to take me there, but you know...they couldn't stand the idea of not-"
She shook her head. She realized that she was getting herself too worked up. "Sorry. That's all that I think would be useful for you to know."
Satoko cursed at the thought of him escaping. "I'll talk to Midoriya later on. Let's take this time to adjust and recuperate. As for your bleeding, we had pads in the bathroom. Make sure you clean yourself well to not risk a yeast infection. Just take it easy."
"I guess I'll need to borrow underwear too in case I am bleeding..." She said in a low voice. "Permission to look for some, mom?"
Kazuno's face turned red in embarrassment. She burst out laughing suddenly, causing the tears in her eyes to finally fall. At least she was still able to laugh after the experience. Even if it was at her own mistake.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to call you that." She lifted the pajamas to cover her face. "I called my teacher 'dad' once on accident, so I guess it's a bad habit of mine to call random nice adults 'mom' or 'dad'."
Actually, she had only done it twice. It would seem even weirder, though, if she randomly called Satoko her mom. She hardly even knew her. Yet a single kind action from an adult was enough to make her heart feel strangely warm.
"Go ahead. My butt's big though so they're probably gonna be loose." She then put on a grin. "Welcome to the family here. Being called 'mom' is a first for me so I'll take it. I'm usually a big sister role around here."
Just being called that made her feel happy. To a family she would never had, but now building one.
Satoko never thought about being a mother. Although, that would be nice.
Toya came into her mind a brief moment as she held the shirt against her frame. Ugh. Why these mushy thoughts? That isn't like her at all.
"Ok then. Mom it is." Kazuno smiled before she went through the drawers again. When she got what she needed, she waved to signal that she was leaving. She walked out and pulled the door shut so that Satoko could have privacy and rest.
Once she was out of view, she wiped the tears away from her eyes. (This is probably the last thing I imagined for my future...)
Izuku's eyes before he lost consciousness came to mind. Kazuno had been worried about him, but according to Tamaki, he didn't stop breathing while they walked.
(I'll check on him after I take a shower,) she decided.
Meanwhile, in another room, Tamaki went to sit on the couch. It was just him and Mikoto in that room. Izuku had been taken back to his own room and placed on his bed.
"Are you...ok?" He asked Mikoto. Of course she wasn't, but he wanted to try initiating a conversation with her.
She jumped in surprise as she didn't expect him to go to her. "No- I mean. Y-yeah. I am."
She didn't want to say too much at all. She's so used to absorbing how she really feels. Just like when she would talk to her parents, she'd always laugh it off. Just so she wouldn't be yelled at.
Yet no one's yelling at her here. It made her so uncomfortable that she had a whiplash of so many experiences. She didn't know what she was feeling at all. Tamaki would confuse her. He's a villain but shown no signs of hurting her.
What if Izuku would threaten to kill her again? What if everyone turns around and mistreated her as well?
They helped all those hostages. That was great. But she couldn't save everyone as she was still beating herself up over it. She's beating herself up over a lot of things.
"I know you don't think so, but you were amazing." He looked down to avoid making eye contact with her. "You're strong to be able to talk to them like you did. It's not easy to explain, but when I saw you helping them, you looked like a hero. Not one of the fake ones, but a true hero."
Her head spun to look at him. She wasn't expecting to get complimented like that. Then she started to nervously laugh with a sad smile. "I wouldn't say I'm strong...."
But something else threw her off.
"What do you mean by fake heroes?"
He tried looking at her, but he only looked away again when he saw the sad glint in her eyes. "Pro heroes who are in it for selfish reasons. Those types of people do exist. I can tell you're not like that though. You're so kind."
"You mean..." She paused a moment to try to understand. "There are actually heroes who do such a thing? Why would they even be-"
Then she thought about how Kazuno would be acting around her. Yes, she apologized to her. But...
It doesn't erase what happened.
Maybe she wanted her sister to stand up to their dad for hitting her and bruising her arm. Which still was awfully bruised, might one add.
It was good she was remorseful. But what if other heroes aren't? What if they're just awful too?
She wanted to know more. "How are they selfish?"
"Some people just want money and fame. What better way to get that and still be well liked than to become a hero?" He pointed out.
"But... helping people is more rewarding..." She felt ashamed to start learning about this. "It makes me think though. All those girls and kids... Do heroes know about that? I thought I'd be more excited being in a presence of heroes, but I wasn't. I dunno. I guess I'm really confused right now."
"I don't know for sure," he admitted. "Takahashi thinks so."
"Ah.. erm." Mikoto started the stammer with a random thought. "I'm sorry."
She didn't say anything else. It just came out randomly. There was a random guilty feeling she had when she kept giving him the cold shoulder earlier.
He gave a confused look. (Why is she sorry?)
He couldn't bring himself to ask. There was a bit of silence between them, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as one might think. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad.
"You said I was kind, but am I really?" She looked away as she was feeling awkward without him answering. "I-I've been mean to you. But yeah. Um. That's why. I'm still nervous, but if you were to hurt me, would you have already?"
"I don't blame you for that." His eyes saddened. "You were scared. I AM a villain, so I can understand why. I was never mad at you for that."
"But you don't seem like a villain, Amajiki." She blurted out. "Aside from Midoriya and..."
She stopped when she thought about Nejire. She seemed to be kind of...rude with her?
(No. I'm probably judging her too hard too.)
But what if she wasn't? Who else lets someone sleep on the floor without pillows and a blanket?
"You...Takahashi and...Hado." She forced herself to say Nejire's name. "Don't seem.. like.. um. Villains for wanting to help people."
"They're not bad people. I can tell you that much." He smiled, but his eyes seemed distant. It was like even though he was talking to her, his mind was on something more upsetting. "You don't know everything about me though. I don't really consider myself to be like them."
"What do you mean? Er. You don't have to tell me. I don't mean to be nosy." There goes her forced nervous laughter again.
And so he told her. He told her about his past and why he joined the league. His issues with himself and the things that made him change into who he is now.
When he was done, he was back to nervously working his hands. "I understand if it makes you not want to be around me. It's probably scary to hear about...maybe I shouldn't have told you after all..."
Mikoto was trying to wrap it all around her head.
Here was the run down.
Another personality of his. One that made him braver.
Cruel.
It was hard for her to fathom that. But then again, Izuku faked it really well too.
But the difference was, Tamaki seemed ashamed of this other self.
And the fact his quirk would...
Eat people in order to use their own quirks.
He didn't choose to be born with such a quirk.
The silence from Mikoto made him face into a wall. She could even see that he was guilty.
"You..." She got his attention, but noticed he still didn't look at her. "Ah..."
She found it hard to struggle to speak. He trusted her with telling his backstory. Who he really is.
It was enough, wasn't it?
"Thank you. For telling me." She said surprisingly.
His eyes widened. Not that she could see it, but there was an obvious change in his demeanor. "I should be thanking you for listening."
(He wouldn't try to devour me, would he?) She tried not to panic a little bit. She appreciated the fact she was told. Trusted.
But man. In a room with a cannibal. Kind of.
"Do I smell good to you?" She asked without thinking.
(Oh my gosh. Why did I ask thaaaaaaat?!)
"Wha- where did that come from?" He asked as his face turned red. "I guess you smell good..."
Mikoto didn't know he took that literally.
"Wait? U-uh?! So I'm appetizing?!" She was only making things worse by asking that. He didn't even pick up the small fear in her voice.
Now she was scared he was going to turn her into a full course meal.
In Mikoto's term, she was asking if she would be good enough to eat.
But appetizing can have another meaning. One appealing in appearance.
Her lips.
All what she was asking sounded like a roundabout way of flirting. But she clearly wasn't.
Tamaki jumped a little as though what she said was frightening to him as well. His voice rose a little bit due to his nerves. "Appetizing?! Well, you are...cute, I guess, but..."
(Did I seriously just call her cute? I need to think more before I speak...)
Mikoto stalled.
(Wait. Wait. Wait.)
"Who the heck calls food cute?!" She yelled out and then stopped.
No.
Heat was starting to rise from her face.
(That's not what he means, idiot!)
Her face started turning really red as she let out a squeak, "I-I didn't mean that way!" Her hands covered her face.
(Cute? He thinks I'm cute?!)
"Oh..." On top of hiding his face in the corner, he closed his eyes from the intense embarrassment that he felt. "I didn't know. I already said I wouldn't hurt you. That means I won't eat you either. What vegetable did you say- oh no. That sounds like I would eat you too!"
"O-ok. Let's um... yeah. We got that out of the way that I'm not a snack or anything!" She felt her face reddening more. "Oh my gosh. I'm going to shut up."
(Everything I say sounds like it can be taken the other way!)
It was weird that her heart was thumping now. Not that she was scared.
He said she smells nice.
Then that she's cute too? Or so he guesses?
Yeah. He guesses.
(Meaning it's just a guess. Nothing more.)
She kept her mouth shut as she obliged to.
"I'm going to shut up too," he said. "I'll live in this corner for a little bit."
It felt like a sauna inside the hideout. Tamaki was practically steaming.
"Uh..."
She somehow spoke up.
Only because the silence was making it worse.
"Sorry. Again." She didn't want to make things awkward. All she could think to do was apologize. (Stop blushing!)
He shook his head. "You don't need to say sorry, you know. It's ok."
"But you misunderstood me and I made things weird. By thinking you'd eat me too so I didn't want to seem tasty or anything. In fact, I was hoping I smelled bad! Er. In a food way!" She felt her heart thump again when the words 'you smell good' echoed in her head.
Then she started to stammer, "Anyway, yeah! But now we solved that. I'm sorry it was rude to even think you'd do that to me! I mean, yeah. Hahah."
"I told you, it's fine." He finally took a step back away from the corner. "I think I'll go to my room now."
It wasn't late, but he was tired. They all were. The mission was pretty tiring mixed with the fact that none of them slept well. Well, Satoko and Nejire slept.
"Oh, ok." She looked down. (I bothered him, didn't I? He told me his story and I said weird things like that.)
Wait.
(Oh no. There goes me caring too much right now.)
To stop herself from overthinking, she slumped into the worn couch. Definitely more comfortable than the dang floor.
He seemed to be able to read her feelings well. "You didn't bother me."
"Are you a mind reader?!" She gasped. "Eep! Don't tell me you've been reading my mind this whole time?!"
He smiled sadly. "No. I just have experience."
"Oh. Ok." She relaxed a little bit. She didn't realize everything was catching up on her.
The crying.
The anxiety.
The lack of sleep.
Nearly dying.
She wanted to talk to Kazuno to see what happened, but her body felt too heavy. The couch was too comfortable.
Too tired.
She fell asleep quickly. Just like that.
That surprised him. His expression went from shock to a soft smile. (She fell asleep so quickly. She was tired too.)
Before he went to sleep, he got a blanket from his room and put it over her. After he was sure that she was all taken care of, he went to his own room to rest.
..
Kazuno knew that what happened to her was painful. Of course, there was no getting around that. But she had wounds that she wasn't even aware of until she felt the water of the shower on them.
She was shocked when she felt a stinging sensation on her legs. They had scratched her. She was too panicked while it was happening to really pay attention to that.
Of course, her other wounds hurt too. The water didn't do much to help the burns, and the soap caused her head to sting where some of her hair had been ripped out. Her suspicions were also correct. She was bleeding.
After her shower, she put on the clothes she borrowed from Satoko along with a pad. She felt weak when she tried to stand, so she decided to sit down on the bathroom floor for a little while.
She hid her face in her arms as she tried to calm her breathing. She was supposed to check on Izuku, but...
There she was feeling torn again. She wanted someone to comfort her. It had felt nice in a strange way when Izuku held her and talked to her after he had killed most of the men. Then again, this was the same person who tied her up. The same person who threatened to kill her sister. What was she supposed to feel?
She decided to stop thinking about it too much. She got up and went to Izuku's room. When she opened the door, he was still asleep. It made her oddly sad to see his face scrunched up like he was in pain even though he wasn't awake.
She walked over to the bed. She didn't want to disturb him, so she didn't sit on the bed. Instead, she sat on the floor with her head rested on the bed. It definitely wasn't as comfortable, but at least Izuku could sleep. He needed it.
(Why am I caring about him so much?) She asked herself. (Why do I not want him to be in pain when he is keeping me here against my will? He wouldn't let me leave if I tried to, so...why do I care what he wants?)
In his unconscious state, he felt someone's presence in the room.
(Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.)
He fought it. The fatigue was so strong.
(Weakling.)
He criticized himself. He can hear the laughing already. The mocking voices of what he was before.
A quirkless, pitiful boy.
Then that face of Katsuki came to his mind. Izuku swears it was so ugly with malicious intent.
(Why? Why?)
His body being a vessel for holding so many quirks. Why must he be still fragile?
(Stronger. I need to stronger. I won't let him or anyone win!)
That's right. Because he's Izuku Midoriya.
The new god to put this disgusting world in order.
(Izuku. Kazuno probably left you. You're too insane. She tried escaping before! You tied her up and she lost sleep! Ohh... and those men tainted her. She doesn't want to be near you either.)
Gone. Yes.
(She's gone.) His mind was just talking with itself. Battling it.
(I'll get her back. She loves me? I know she does. But I love her! Yes! I'm so obsessed with that smile of hers!!)
Love. Was it really?
Then the image came to his mind, seeing Kazuno in that terrible predicament with Minoru earlier.
A strange emotion he couldn't pinpoint.
Then those delicate arms wrapped around him.
How she wouldn't run away after he was so pitifully weak.
(That's why I chose you, Kazuno. You look at me like no one else has before.)
If she's gone then... he'll just go retrieve her again.
When his eyes finally opened, he found himself breathing rapidly.
He became aware of Kazuno's presence when she reached over and placed a hand on his arm. Her eyes when she looked at him were different. They lacked the joy that they used to hold. Instead, they seemed dull. Distant, even.
"It's ok." She smiled, but it was forced. Izuku wouldn't be able to tell that it if wasn't for her eyes. She really was good at faking it. "If you were having a nightmare, it's over now."
"Kazuno! How long as I out?" He was annoyed he lost consciousness at all. He wasn't even aware of anything else at first as his mind was all jumbled and out of whack.
"I wasn't paying attention to the time," she answered honestly. "Maybe a half hour? A little longer? I'm not sure."
Then he sat up suddenly as he lifted her off the floor. "What are you doing on the ground? You're in no condition to!"
His tone was a little harsher. Not in a mean way, but... Was he actually concerned?
He felt anxiety as if she could hurt further being on the floor like that.
"I wanted you to rest." She looked away. She felt a little relieved that he was moving her so that she didn't have to move around a lot. On the other hand, she was on edge.
(He wouldn't...do that, would he?)
She wouldn't have even thought of Izuku touching her in that way before, but she was still on edge after what happened earlier. He was the one who saved her, but she still didn't like the idea of being so vulnerable around a man. She had only held onto him before because she so desperately wanted to be comforted. She still did, but her feelings were confusing to her.
"I didn't think you would want me to lay down beside you after...what I did last time..." She added.
"Look at me, Kazuno." This time his tone was serious. Something was making his heart feel like it was torn.
Especially now that he's noticed the lifeless look in her eyes.
(I swear on my life, I'll kill Mineta. And the rest of them.)
But what she said was referring to when she was trying to escape. From him.
He didn't let her do it.
He noticed her body language was different. This time, he could pick up that she was scared.
(Tie her up. Keep her. She's yours- Shut up. Just shut up!)
He didn't let her leave.
(Tie- Shut up-!)
Like those men.
Was he no better?
When she had hurt him, it was well deserved.
Why did he have such a possessive behavior? Was it his way of coping from not gaining love in his life?
The truth was, he didn't know how to love. He didn't know how else to feel unless he was so fixated on someone.
But he pushed down those awful thoughts. Thoughts he knew would harm her.
"Do you think I'd do something awful like that?" He questioned out of the blue, while wiping her hair out of her face. That gentle touch.
The soothing voice. It was like he had a bunch of multiple personalities. Or that he would always hear voices.
This much, he spoke was true, "I'd never stoop that low, alright? You don't need to worry."
"I trust you," she lied as she tried to get comfortable sitting beside him. It wasn't easy to do since almost everything caused pain.
As she rested her head on her knees, her eyelids started to droop already. "I just didn't know if you trust me. So...do whatever makes you more comfortable to get some rest. Tie me up again, make it so that I can't use my quirk...whatever. I'm willing to do anything..."
(If it'll save Bakugo.)
"If it'll make you happy."
Despite what she was saying, she was starting to sway a little bit due to her tired state. (I should have killed you while I had the chance. I would have been able to, but I was too weak minded...)
She could suddenly hear his breathing better. The steady sound that indicated he was still alive. She found herself thinking that she didn't want him to stop breathing. That she didn't want to see him in pain ever again.
Even her internal thoughts contradicted each other.
(Am I leaning against him?) She wondered. She was half awake, so she was having trouble even telling what she was doing. When she focused more, she realized that she was definitely leaning against him.
(Stop it! You're going to give him the wrong idea! He'll take it as permission to do other things that I DON'T want to do! But...)
Katsuki's tired, sad expression came to mind. He seemed so depressed. She didn't want him to have to suffer anymore.
Did that mean that she loved Katsuki? Because she was willing to do just about anything just to make him smile?
(I thought I was in love with Izuku though...no. Definitely not in love with Izuku. There's no way. I'm not naive enough to fall in love with someone like him.)
Then another thought came to mind. (I wonder if...Bakugo is thinking about me at all. Maybe he's worried? Maybe he wants to see me and I'm keeping that from happening. Or maybe he is glad that I'm not there because I only made him more upset?)
'Kill me!'
Those words that she spoke echoed in her head. If she had committed suicide through Izuku, would Katsuki be upset when her death was announced?
It didn't seem like anyone was really looking for them. If they were, they weren't doing a good enough job at it.
The faces of the men came back to her suddenly too. It was too much to think about and try to process all at once. It felt like her brain was being overwhelmed with the amount of thoughts. She couldn't organize and make sense of them all.
When she thought about those men - and what they did to her - she suddenly flinched. It was like she could feel it all over again from the intrusive thoughts alone.
(Intrusive thoughts. Am I going crazy?)
"I'm not doing that. You're hurt." His words were very confusing. "Why on earth would that make me happy? Tying you up would worsen your beautiful skin more."
Like she was a random piece of collection. A doll.
"Dear Kazuno," his touch was chilling and soft when his arm gently went around her. "Thank you for thinking about me, but how about you focus on getting better? Alright? Don't worry. I'll find them so that they'll never bother you again."
Then his eyes widened chaotically, "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Except, they won't have my eyes or teeth! I'll have theirs!! They will all deteriorate. I'll give them the same pain they put you through, but worse!"
And then his rambling stopped as his eyes softened again, "I'm doing it for you. Because I love you."
Words with a strong meaning, but it lacked that. It was hard to say that he cared. But his touch was contradictory to his actions. The way those hands cruelly slaughtered people.
Hurt innocent ones even at UA for stealing their quirks and killing them.
No. He didn't love her. Maybe it was pity. That much was legitimate.
Yet, there was something inside him as every time he craved for her warmth, it caused his heart to waver. With a strange negative emotion.
It wasn't there until those men viciously touched her.
The possessiveness was real.
He didn't want anyone to blemish her innocence. He didn't want her to experience that. It made him furious to think about it.
In contrast, he felt a severe need to give her soft treatment. Don't you see? Izuku's everywhere.
He's all of this discord of emotions. Yet the one conquering it was his sincere compassion.
Or maybe he didn't want to be like them. Filthy animals.
Not like them. Not like them. Definitely not like them.
Yet, he felt so disgusting too. The fact he wanted to claim her just there to erase all her bad thoughts. He wanted to make her feel 'loved' and shower her with kisses. Even though she'd obliged because she's that low.
But he didn't move. Nor budge until he swiftly jolted out of bed, holding onto his head.
(You're sick, Izuku. Crazy! You're crazy! One moment, you say you won't do the same thing! You liar! Liar!)
Kazuno's eyes widened in concern. She didn't get up, but her voice sounded worried. "Are you ok? What's wrong?"
(No, this is it. Don't you see? You're not like them. You just want to love her, right? Erase her pain- SHUT UP. You don't know what you're talking about! Hypocrite.)
He started laughing as he was wrapped up in his delusions. His head hung low.
"Will you calm down? Please?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Usually, she would try to help in some way. But she was too afraid to.
(This can't be good...) She pushed herself back so that she was against the wall. She didn't know what she hoped to accomplish with that, but she did it away. Then she grabbed a blanket and held it over herself. It was like she was trying to hide from him.
(Ah, look at her! That's a signal she wants you, Izuku. That's what she needs the most right now. Go on. She's helpless. Erase it. Erase her pain.)
His laughing sounded somewhat pained and annoyed.
(No. Stop it.)
(No! Embrace her!)
Then, he started walking over to her. He saw her flinch.
(No. I won't let her suffer.)
His emerald eyes looked worn as he gazed at her. She can feel his breath against her face when he spoke, "You have the bed and sleep. I'm stepping out." He put on a caring, true smile to drown out the voices.
Without letting her answer, the door closed behind him.
She was too shocked to say anything. She kept holding the blanket close as a way of comforting herself. She rested her head back on the wall.
She was being held captive by a man because he 'loved' her. She had been naive enough to think before that maybe he really did love her in his own, twisted way. That maybe even though she didn't admit to herself that she wanted to be with him, he wouldn't hurt her. Because he wouldn't hurt someone he was in love with, right?
Lust. That's what it really was, wasn't it? So why had he walked out instead of actually doing anything? She was basically helpless, so why didn't he take the opportunity to have his way with her?
She didn't know which was worse: being alone in that room or having Izuku for company. She was at a place when she didn't exactly trust herself to be alone, but she didn't exactly trust Izuku either.
(I guess...if I have a goal, I can't die yet.) She thought that to try to convince herself that she was safe alone. That she wouldn't hurt herself. (I have someone I want to protect, so dying would be counterproductive. Yeah. That's good to think about. As long as Bakugo is still alive, I have reason to keep going too.)
She tried to muster up any hope that she could. She needed something to keep her going. Otherwise, she surely wouldn't be safe alone.
Izuku's words of comfort. The way he held her. He seemed genuine sometimes, so it was all the more confusing. (He just wants to use me too, doesn't he? He's so selfish. How could I have ever believed that he wouldn't hurt me? It's probably what he wanted from the start.)
Izuku kept his back facing the closed door. He slid down against it as he sat onto the ground.
His hands gripped tightly against his head.
(I'll protect her. I will. I will. Look what you've done. Now, she'll get the wrong idea- No. I did it. I walked out of the room to protect her! Don't you see? I will protect her from everyone! Including myself!!)
He didn't budge from his spot. Time had went by and he wasn't sure if she even went to sleep. He fought temptations going in there himself to check.
"I will... protect you..." he whispered so low. "I care. Yes. I do."
That was the truth. Maybe.
Which was his real thoughts? True intentions?
Too chaotic and contradictory. He does this a lot.
The voices wouldn't shut up. They were so loud.
Make it stop.