Note: I'm so sorry about the length of time between updates. This is becoming more and more of a backburner fic, especially as I've been having some issues trying to get back into college for the spring semester and it's been rather time consuming.
The way Katsuki sees it, he has two choices.
If he turned around right now, there's still a chance he could find a way outside and get away.
But that would mean leaving Ponytail behind.
Maybe at one point, that wouldn't have meant anything to him, but it does now.
He's not sure when that changed.
He can hear the footsteps pounding up the stairs after him. He knows it's really only a matter of time before he's retaken and he's not stupid enough to think that he'll get another chance at an escape once this fails.
This is his only chance. Take it or leave it.
Damnit.
… he can't leave Ponytail behind.
He may as well make use of what little time he has to do what damage he can.
His heart feels like it's fighting its way out of his ribcage, but Katsuki plasters a cocky smile on his face anyways.
Never let the enemy see how scared you are.
Although maybe this is worth it just for the look of shock on the bloodsucker's face.
Surprise, bitch.
He makes a decision.
"Get off of her!" he snarls. He may not be able to use his quirk on her, but the cuffs will still make a handy bludgeon if nothing else.
She rises to meet him when he charges her.
"Bakugo!" Momo yells something else after that but he ignores her. She might not intend to be, but she is distracting and allowing himself to be distracted will cost him dearly.
Katsuki ducks his head so that his shoulder slams into her stomach. They crash to the ground together- Katsuki biting back a cry when the pain in his side returns with a vengeance.
She has the advantage over him. She's uncuffed and uninjured, where Katsuki is both cuffed and wounded and has missed at least two meals.
He's willing to bet he's got her beat in the spite department though. He won't go down easy. He'll use his teeth if he needs to.
Bloodsucker looks absolutely thrilled as they grapple on the floor.
"Feeling feisty today, are we, Blasty?" Her eyes are alive with bloodlust as she grins up at him.
"Shut up!" Once she's in his head, he won't be able to get her out of it. He refuses to give her that kind of control. "Shut up!"
Her arms are still wrapped around his waist, longer fingers groping and probing for a weak point.
He raises his fists, intending to bash the cuffs down over her head, but he's inadvertently given her the opening she's been waiting for. She jerks her hand back and slams him in the side with the heel of her palm.
Katsuki chokes, doubling over.
She shoves him to the ground and he's in too much immediate pain to do anything but let her as she climbs on top of him, straddling his middle. Her fingers press further, digging into the wound in his side.
A strangled scream works its way from his throat and he curls around himself in a bid to defend his wounded side.
She's on him immediately, knocking him to the ground and climbing atop him.
Her knees dig into his sides.
His mouth opens, but the whine sticks in his throat.
"How cute!" she crows, face twisted in delight. "Did you come to rescue your girlfriend? That's straight out of a book!"
"Not my… girlfriend!" Katsuki growls. He bucks underneath her and, even if the pain momentarily whites out his vision, it takes her by surprise. It's enough to shift her weight. It's enough that Katsuki is certain he can dislodge her.
She doesn't fall, catching herself by digging her knees in.
"That wasn't very nice, Blasty," she says. She drops low, leaning over him till she can whisper into his ear. "Want to make it up to me?" Her hot breath tickles his neck and he jerks, attempting to twist away from her, but she shoves her arm up against his throat and keeps him down. "I've got some ideas."
Panic rises in his throat, threatening to strangle him.
She's far too close. He can't take his eyes off of her.
"Get off of him!" Ponytail shouts. She sledgehammers her fists into the bitch's shoulders. It's when the bitch cries out, grabbing at her shoulder, that Katsuki knows what happened.
She stabbed her.
Ponytail had stabbed her.
His eyes widen.
Shit.
Ponytail?
That had come out of nowhere.
Where had she even kept the…?
Ponytail steps back, palms still wrapped around the shard of glass. There's blood seeping from in between her fingers. So she's hurt herself.
She's trembling, but her eyes are ablaze when they meet his.
This might be the first time Katsuki has seen Ponytail truly angry. Maybe under other circumstances, he'd be curious to see where it would take her.
Not now.
The weight is lifted from his stomach as Bloodsucker stumbles back and Katsuki clumsily tries to get his feet back under him.
Blood is smeared across the floor.
He finds himself blinking at it hazily.
Oh.
A scarred hand grabs him by the forearm. Instinctively, he tries to jerk it back, teeth clenched. The attempt ends when he feels the heat emanating from the man's palm.
It's a warning. One he remembers all too well.
It takes her too long- too long watching Toga pin Bakugo to the floor, which in and of itself is terrifying, because if she can do that, then Bakugo is worse off than he would ever let Momo know- to snap out of her daze and actually do something.
And then Toga had leaned over him, stage-whispering in his ear about making it up, and Momo had seen his eyes, blown wide with something she had never seen from Bakugo: fear.
Something inside her snaps.
Seeing Bakugo look like that- like a trapped and wounded animal- ignites something in her.
She can't let this continue, but if she's going to do something, it needs to be soon.
Bakugo's temporary escape won't have gone unnoticed. It won't be long before someone- although it's more likely to be multiple someones- comes and subdues them both.
The glass shards… Momo snatches one off the ground.
She doesn't think past that.
She just acts.