Chained
Bakugou Katsuki would never do that.
Himiko told herself over a piping hot cup of genmaicha that late March night. Bakugou Katsuki may be a real asshole but he would never do that. Whilst pondering over a rather mentally scarring rescue she had led this morning, Himiko stares at the starry night sky. "It's peaceful. But only for me. Not for her." Her heart beats calmly but sorrowfully, for the woman who was liberated from years of domestic abuse. And again, Bakugou Katsuki would never do that.
Himiko sips absent-mindedly her drink as she recons all the information from the ordeal. And she, for the nth time, compares it to her husband of sixteen years. Katsuki would never hurt her. Katsuki would never manipulate her. Katsuki would never tie her up for months in their room. Katsuki would never gaslight her. Katsuki would never threaten her with a knife close to her throat when she wept in despair and agony. Katsuki would never let her get very sick and unable to breathe just to get shouted at and to nurse a fever all on her own. Katsuki would never ignore her qualms. Katsuki would never objectify her. Katsuki would never tell her she wouldn't amount to anything. Katsuki won't wake her up in the middle of the night just so he could grope her and make her a fucking sex doll. Katsuki would never make her stay trapped in their room all day while he was out. Katsuki would never lock the doors from the outside. Katsuki would never hit her head when she gains a small amount of confidence to snarl at him. Katsuki would never allow her to get thinner due to fatigue and stress. Katsuki would never accidentally get her pregnant and blame her own body for tempting him. Katsuki would never abort their baby. Katsuki would never shatter her to pieces. Katsuki would never kill her soul and leave her a hollow shell.
No. Bakugou Katsuki would never do that.
For that late March night, it suddenly hurts how fortunate and loved Himiko was. And how crimes like these still manage to exist, creeping and poking their ugly heads from the cracks of the walls of houses. From seemingly normal backgrounds of our fast-paced lives. It restrains. It contains. And Himiko was hurting for their victims. She wasn't supposed to. After all, Bakugou Katsuki would never do that.
And it's with that realization that she tears up, as quietly as she can without disturbing her husband who was currently fast asleep on their bed. She was just having nightmares, that's all. It was her mission. Katsuki wasn't there so she had to carry this Sisyphus boulder starting this day until the very end. It gnawed at her conscience. The conscience of an ex-villain who had killed hundreds.
Her tears flowed betrayingly. She was going to cry for sure. For no apparent reason, her heart ached for the woman she had set free. She was still chained from neck to her feet. Those kinds of experiences don't go away that quickly, after all.
It seemed surreal, how the woman had a weary smile plastered on her face when she was given a decent meal at the police station. The marks of punches and slashes and sore muscles covered some of her exposed skin. But nonetheless, she still smiled at her rescuer. She even called her a saint. A miracle worker. And that was when Himiko lost her composure and became a crying mess in front of the law enforcers.
She argues to herself how she could just ignore the minority who have been fighting through heart-wrenching situations like that. She, with an air of pretention, she thought. For she could never compare to them. She was lucky. Oh, so lucky. She may have been through the toughest of times when she was a villain. She may have wrecked her own being upon adjusting to her strange quirk. But she had turned everything around. She was liberated from her sufferings. The chain did not extend until now. It was already cut off. She had her own family now.
And most importantly, he was there. He who should be trusted. He who should defend. He who sacrificed. He who understood. He who sheltered her. He who provided comfort. He who withstood it all. He who protected her. He who motivated her. He who gave her a new purpose. He who learned to let go of his selfish and egotistic ways. He who, despite every issue, was still by her side.
It was all so perfect, her own life. Because Bakugou Katsuki would never do that.
Bakugou Katsuki would never abuse the love of his life.
A/N: It saddens me that you have endured this story until the very end of it. Joke, I'm kidding. Well, first of all, thank you again, dear reader, for the read. I'm here to tell you that this piece wasn't actually planned. It was an outlet and a reflection of some repressed emotions that, I tell you, should be openly expressed whenever possible. Did I just give you advice? Yes. Because domestic violence is an alarming issue world wide. It still exists in the background of our society today and it saddens me that victims cannot freely speak, and even think, because of the psychological effects it has on them. Stand up to the oppression. Don't stay silent. Be heard. You will be supported.
Oh and, if you happen to think (too damn deeply) that Himiko was being abused by Katsuki in this one-shot (thereby claiming that it was a hidden meaning or something I purposely left out for you to play detective on), well… no. I just want to clarify on this if ever I sparked your hatred for Katsuki in this fiction. Lemme repeat, he did not abuse Himiko at all. Just like the text said, Bakugou Katsuki would never do that. Straight and direct.
Again, thank you very much for the read, my lovelies.