Horizon: I wrote this story for AO3, but figured I'd cross-post it here. I actually prefer using this writing style. TW: kidnapping, yandere elements, and some other kind of dark themes.

She heard the door open and slam shut. Just the sound was enough to make her curl in on herself as she tried to keep her head down. Hoping, praying, begging that he would just close himself in the bathroom for a while and then go to bed.

The sound of his heavy footsteps approached as the news anchors droned on. "They were in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene, but we regret to say that they succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead when they arrived at the hospital. We want to thank the paramedics for doing their best to try to save them-"

"Change it."

She lifted the remote with a trembling hand and obeyed his command. The news was replaced by a television show and she stayed tense as she waited for what he would do next. Without even looking at him, she knew he was covered in blood. The meaty, metallic scent clung to him in a fresh layer and she heard him noisily lick his lips as he contemplated his next move.

"I brought you something."

A soft bumblebee plushie was held out to her and she could see drops of blood dried on the back of his hand. "Th-thank you."

He settled next to her and let her get to work at removing his various knives. Her hands were shaking a little, but she worked quickly. When they were all removed and set aside on the coffee table, he looked directly at her. He found her holding the plush toy in both hands; examining it and tilting her head.

"What did you do while I was gone?" he questioned. Acting as if she had a choice in the matter. As if she was allowed to go outside without him. As if she was able to do much more than watch television or read a book as she waited for his return.

Her eyes closed and she hugged the toy against her chest, knowing what he wanted. "I…was waiting for you to come back," she replied.

It was exactly what he wanted to hear. Her whole reason for still being alive. When she stumbled into that deadly situation what felt like a lifetime ago, the young sidekick found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and managed to snag the Hero Killer's attention. He stole her just a few days later. Paralyzed her with his quirk while she was out patrolling, slung her over his shoulder, and brought her down into the dark, bloody world he inhabited.

From day one, he made it clear why he took her. He saw something in her that night; the heart, the ambition, and the potential of a true hero. When he looked at her, he saw this pure, innocent symbol of justice that he needed to guard. He took it upon himself to keep the world from dirtying her so he brought her home with him and he gave her a new purpose.

She was his companion. His medic, his personal chef, his housekeeper in this dingy little apartment, and above all else she was his source of comfort. Of course, she tried to escape at first. By this point, she had been there for two months and she tried at least five times to escape. Each time, he caught her and dragged her back. Used his quirk to leave her paralyzed and punished her.

Now she knew what she had to do so she could stay alive. As long as he was happy, she could keep living. Eventually, he might get bored of her and release her or he might let his guard down enough that she could really get away. The issue was that she was getting used to this life.

"Yuko." He said her name in a gentle way, despite being covered in blood. "Come here."

His arms opened to welcome her and she let him pull her against his chest. She shivered a little. She was almost always cold so it was normal and this trait was something he liked. He liked holding her and believing his body heat was something she relied on. So Yuko let him hold her and she closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder.

"D-did you get hurt, Akaguro-san? Or…um…maybe you're hungry?" She hoped he needed something. She hoped she could get away from this moment because when he acted like this, it made her feel confused. He was dangerous, feral-looking, but when he showed her affection, it was such a contrast. Soft, sweet, gentle.

"I'm not injured. Not hungry." A hand lifted and fingers coated in dried blood rubbed at her feline ears; earning a quiet purr from her. "I just need this," he murmured.

She knew what he wanted and slipped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck and continuing to purr. A hand ran along her back and she carefully rubbed her cheek against his skin. "Akaguro-san, I…missed you…" she whispered.

"Good girl." He sat in silence, holding her in his arms and stroking a fingertip along the curve of her ear. What he knew and Yuko was unaware of was the fact that his affection for her was born from pure love. The desire to protect her and keep her clean from the world's filth. The day he met her, he only wanted to preserve her innocent, untainted heart.

After a night of stalking, hunting, and killing. Splattered with blood and having the metallic taste still lingering on his tongue. Tired, but still determined to complete his mission of ridding the world of fake heroes. To come home to this ex-sidekick with the cat quirk and have her shower him with affection was like a refresher for his mind, body, and heart.

When she started to lean back a little, he saw the front of her shirt smudged with old blood and dirt. His brow creased and he gently lifted her off of his lap. "Yuko."

She glanced down and shook her head. "It's…it's okay, Akaguro-san. Um. I'll…run a bath for you and get clean clothes. Just…just relax here." Yuko hurried off, her tail hanging low. It was rarely lifted; her confidence was never high after the abduction and she was still frequently on edge.

Yuko wanted to make dinner while he was in the bath. She wanted him to be able to sleep because when he struggled with it, he had a habit of sitting on the edge of the bed and petting her long, black hair. It unnerved her to wake in the middle of the night and look up to see those narrowed eyes staring back.

The little bathroom was filling with steam. The bath was filled with soapy water and a clean towel was waiting nearby, along with a fresh set of clothes. She was already considering what she would cook for dinner while he was washing the blood from his skin and hair, but when she moved to go, a hand caught her by the arm.

She swallowed hard and looked up, her crimson eyes widening when she saw him nod toward the bath. "Um…Akaguro-san? Do you need-?"

"Get in. I want some company tonight." He stepped closer, nudging her back towards the bath without giving her the choice to argue.

Unsettled was a mild way of describing how she felt. This was the first time he wanted her to join him in the bath and her mind raced with the possibilities of why he decided that this night would be different. "A-are you sure?"

"In. Now." He was in no mood to explain himself to her, but his reasoning was simple; he wanted to be closer to her. He wanted to hold her against him without any barriers and feel her pure heart beating under his fingertips and maybe his mouth. Something to take the edge off for him and help him relax now that the bloody work for the night was finished.

Yuko's hands shook. Her face turned red as she sank into the steaming water, clothes discarded on the floor. She sank deep into the water and closed her eyes as he undressed. When the water shifted, she moved to the far edge of the tub and stayed there until she felt a well-toned arm slip around her waist. Her back was brought against his chest and Yuko kept her eyes closed. "Akaguro-san, the, um, temperature-"

"Yuko," he spoke in a warning tone.

Her fangs sank into her lower lip as she mustered up some courage, her mind ticking through options of what he might want. What could make him feel relaxed, feel content. "I'll…wash you." It worked. His arm loosened around her waist to let her move away from him.

She grabbed a washcloth and soap, her heart hammering as she got the cloth lathered. Yuko knew she had to open her eyes, but she knew he wanted this. Part of her job. Part of keeping him happy and staying alive. She started to gently wipe away the dirt and dried blood, tracing along the toned muscles of his chest, shoulders, and arms.

"Fakes. Smearing the good name of "hero" and using it like a crutch. As if it's an excuse to do whatever they please. Doing minimal effort all so they can gloat and pretend that they're protecting a society that isn't corrupt and blinded by their own arrogance and selfishness."

"Akaguro-san?" Yuko's fingertips lightly brushed along his chest when he began glaring down at the soap bubbles. She met his narrowed stare and saw his expression soften. A hand lifted out of the water and he cupped her cheek.

"But not you. You're not the same as all of them. You're genuine and pure." He knew that she enjoyed him praising her. He saw it in her face as her fangs bit into her lower lip and she looked away. Pinkness spreading across her cheeks. The picture of innocence even as she wiped blood off of his skin. It made him that much more determined to keep her safe from the disgusting, cold outside world.

Fingers traced down her spine, skin directly touching hers. She tried to keep washing him and not focus on the feeling, but when he praised her like this, it made her thoughts get fuzzy. Yuko finished washing his upper half and reached for the shampoo so she could do his hair next. Hands gripped her hips tightly to keep her in place and she felt her heartbeat increasing.

"You took care of me. It's my turn now." He stared down at her until she offered the cloth. The expression on his face was unnerving. His red eyes staring at her with intensity; irises and pupils almost pinpricks in the whites of his eyes. His mouth settled into a frown and his lack of a nose making it that much stranger.

The Hero Killer Stain. Her captor. Her self-declared savior. The man with hero blood on his hands and tongue from kill after kill. Someone fierce and powerful. The same hands that could so expertly murder were handling Yuko so gently.