Sitting beside the pond in the palace courtyard, you were silent as you watched the fish swim about, not at all bothered by the fluttering snow that landed in the water. You knew that you were also covered in the soft flakes, but that was of little consequence to you. The cold did little to bother you at this point, as a depression had settled into your core. Although it had been a week, you couldn't quite get over the way that Bakugou had treated you. He hadn't even come to see you or beckoned for your assistance since then, so either he felt guilty about what he had done, or he was truly mad at you.

Had it really been your fault? Had you completely misread all the signs to take everything he had said and done that day as something more special than it was? You still didn't know how that could have been possible. All of it was so obvious that, even while drunk, you could easily see it. There was an interest that went far beyond what he claimed his feelings for you were, but he was just too stubborn, or even scared, to admit it.

How could you allow yourself to care about him so much in the first place? What if you suddenly woke up back in your own world or found a way to go home? You would be forced to forget him, and that would do nothing but bring on more pain.

But… would you really be able to go home at that point? If you had the choice between staying here and going home, what would you take? It could go either way, you guessed, depending on the state of things here. If the palace was burning, if people were dying, then of course you would go home. But, if he did come to love you like you hoped, if he cared for you as deeply as you wished, then would you be able to leave him?

Probably not. Probably so. In truth, you didn't know why you bothered contemplating over things like that. He may never come to love you, and you may never find a way to get home. For all you knew, you'd be stuck here for the rest of your life, talking to fish. How pathetic such a life would be.

"Miss? Are you okay?"

The comforting and familiar voice for Tsuyu pulled your attention from the pond, forcing a smile onto your lips as she came to sit in the snow beside you. "Ah, Tsuyu… I didn't realize you were back already."

"Yes, I just got back earlier today. I'm grateful to be home." Smiling, Tsuyu leaned over a bit to look down into the pond, watching as the white fish Sushi swam about and peered up at her. "Spending some time with Sushi? Have you told him any stories?"

"Not today," You reached down and let a finger sink into the ice-cold water, softly stroking the top of Sushi's head and allowing him to nibble at your skin. "He's already heard all I have to say…"

"Then perhaps you would like to tell someone who can actually talk back?"

Tsuyu's offer to hear you out tugged at your heart, nearly immediately bringing tears to your eyes. You wanted so badly to talk to someone, to anyone about what you were going through, but it was nearly impossible to do so without spilling the truth. But, at this point, you didn't really care if you did. You just wanted someone to listen to you, and so, Tsuyu it would be.

"If you don't mind listening, I have some stuff I'd… like to get off my chest. If you don't tell Bakugou. Please."

After a moment of silence, Tsuyu nodded, placing a comforting hand on your arm. "Don't worry… At this point of you being here with us, I know there are things that need to be kept quiet. Personal things aren't something I should share anymore…"

Nodding, you took in a deep breath, trying to fight the tears to keep them at bay. "I just… I am so grateful for the people I've met. The kindness that you have all shown me. But I still feel just like I'm a prisoner, even after all this time. I… I want to go home." It was then that you couldn't hold back the tears, letting them stream down your cheeks freely. "But I don't think that's ever going to be possible…"

"Escape would be difficult for you… As would finding your way back from here, since you don't know where we are on the maps, technically."

"It's not even that. If I could escape from here, if I could get out on my own, it still wouldn't be possible. My home is so far away from here… It would be impossible, even if I got back to the shrine where you found me."

"That shrine. It is an odd place, isn't it?" Tsuyu pulled a cloth from her kimono, handing it to you so you could wipe your eyes. "There are a lot of stories, some from many years back talking about the strange things that happened there. People would vanish and others would appear, some speaking in odd languages and others just completely out of their minds. Exactly like you."

Sniffling, you looked down at Tsuyu in shock, surprised to hear that she knew these things and wasn't at all put off by talking about them. "W-what? You knew about these things?"

"I have. I… am quite interested in the odd things of this world. Stories and myths… Horrors and superstitions. It's all fascinating to me. I don't tell many people this because they find it strange for a woman to be interested in such things… But I feel like you should know that I'm aware of it. And… I think that is what happened to you."

"Why do you say that?"

"There's no way that you are from this world, Miss. Your clothing, your speech, your mannerisms, and most importantly, how you know all the things that you do. I feel it isn't possible… Unless you are a witch or a demon." Tsuyu moved some of her dark hair back behind her ear, and you couldn't help but for the moment find some humor in what she was saying. She believed that you could easily be from a different era, and yet you were still suspected of something so… primal. It was odd, but you didn't question it, allowing her to go on.

"You don't have to tell me the truth. But I will say, you are very lucky that I am the one that found you first. If it would have been anyone else, you would have been killed immediately with no questions asked." Tsuyu turned her gaze up towards you, small smile on her lips. "It was like perfect timing… Like it was meant to be."

With a sigh, you wiped the chilled tears from your cheeks using the cloth she had given you, before letting your hands fall into your lap in defeat. "Even if it was… It doesn't matter. I don't feel like I belong here. I just want to go home… If you know about these things, can't you help me?"

Smile fading, Tsuyu gave a shake of her head. "No, Miss. I can't and will not do that. I may consider you a friend at this point, and I trust you, but I won't go against the word of my Lord. If you truly want to return home, or have a chance to… Then you'll need to speak with Bakugou."

"That's like talking to a brick wall…" You handed Tsuyu back her cloth, finding that the tears had stopped for the time being. "He's impossible."

"He is. But I heard that he took you into town recently. How was that?"

At the thought of how much fun you had that day, you couldn't stop the small smile that crept across your lips, feeling your cheeks flush hot against the cold winter air. "It was… wonderful. Up until the very end. I misread some… signals, I guess, and I upset him."

With a small sigh, Tsuyu stood, cleaning her clothing of snow with sweeping and patting hands. "Miss, I doubt you misread him. What you probably did was just embarrass him. He's not very good with emotion, as I'm sure you've noticed. When he doesn't know how to act or what to say, he just does what he knows, and that's to be angry. I have seen a change in him, though… You bring out his soft side."

Swallowing the lump that had grown in your throat, you stood as well, though you ignored the snow that stuck to your clothes. "Well, I'm tired of sitting around here moping. I'm going to go try and talk to him."

"About that night?"

"No… About going home. If I do bring out his soft side… then maybe he will let me try."

…

"You want to leave? Do you really think barging in here without even making your presence known and then demanding your release is the right way to go about things, Demon?" Bakugou glowered up at you as he sat on the floor around his map table, with Kirishima across from him and Kaminari to his left. The two other men stared at you in shock, probably put off by your rudeness and harsh tone. Did you really care? No, not at all. You knew that coming to Bakugou all timid and sad wasn't going to work. So, you figured that coming in aggressive might just give you a better chance, considering that's how he tended to handle everything.

"Yes, I do think it's the right way. Can we talk in private–"

"No." Bakugou interrupted you with a sharp snap, his glare changing from annoyed to truly irritated. "You're interrupting. You need to wait. I will come get you when I have time."

Kirishima sighed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "Sir, it's alright if she needs to talk to you, we can come back."

"I said no."

"Katsuki, this can't wait! I need to talk to you–" A gasp interrupted you as Bakugou stood, snatching you by the arm and pulling you out of the room. "–H-hey, wait!" You were quick to catch your footing, but you didn't bother fighting back, as this was exactly what you had wanted. He had fallen for your pestering, so now all you had to do was get him to listen. "Katsuki–"

"I told you not to call me that around the others!" Bakugou finally came to a stop, hissing at you in a harsh attempt at a whisper. "Can't you follow even the simplest damn directions?! You're such a stupid woman, trying to undermine me in front of my men! I could have your stupid ass killed for that!"

"Then why don't you do it? Huh? Why don't you just get rid of me already! If you won't let me go home, at least do something with me so I'm not sitting around here rotting!"

"You're a fool! You have free reign of the palace, you have everything you want, you can do anything you want here, it isn't my fault that you decide to just sit on your ass all day talking to damn fish! You might as well accept that and be content with what you have, because as long as my Lord wants you here, you aren't leaving!"

"Does he really want me here, or is it you?"

Your question caught Bakugou off guard, his grip on your arm loosening. "I already told you. I told you, when we were in town, that I didn't want you to leave. I want you to stay, but not just because of what you can do for us. I–" Whatever he had wanted to say caught in his throat, and just like that night, anger instantly took over the truth. "It doesn't matter why. You can't leave. My Lord requires your skills, as do I."

"And what if I just won't offer my help anymore, hm? What then?"

"Then you'll know what being treated like a prisoner is truly like."

His threat was cold and harsh, instantly making your entire chest feel like it was frozen in ice. Pulling your arm away from him, you took a few steps back. "You always say that you don't know what to think of me… But I know what to think of you. You're nothing but a cruel man… and all this…" You reached up and pulled the brilliant crimson jeweled hairpin from your hair, before shoving it into his hands. "All this you did for me… it means nothing." Before allowing him to say a word, you began your way back down the hall, arms wrapped tightly around your chest.

You ignored Kirishima and Kaminari as you walked past them, not caring in that moment that they had been eavesdropping just inside Bakugou's room. Kirishima seemed particularly worried about you, however, and so he began to follow. "Wait, [L/N], where are you going?"

"I want to go out for a horse ride… I need to be away from here and away from him." You spoke barely loud enough for Kirishima to hear you, though he did stop and glance back at Bakugou. You assumed at Bakugou must have given a silent command for him to follow you, as the redhead jogged a bit to catch up, keeping just a few paces behind you.

"I'll accompany you."

"Why? So, you can keep an eye on me?"

"Not fully… I just don't think that you should be alone right now. People can make bad choices when they are left to fend off their own demons."

Keeping your head down, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for worrying him. From what you had said, you were positive it must as come off as suicidal in some ways, especially with how you demanded Bakugou to just kill you. It was true, that wasn't a thought that had necessarily been vacant in your mind. It had come to you a few times in the night, when you felt so alone and lost in this world.

With a sigh, you looked up Kirishima before chancing a quick glance behind you, feeling your stomach clench as you saw Bakugou still silently standing there, glaring down at the hairpin in his hands.

"I just… I wish that he would just tell me the truth…"

"[L/N]… What you felt that day when he took you out to town, what you experienced with him, that was the truth. If you're expecting words out of him, you'll find yourself feeling like this over and over. Actions are what matter. And giving him back that pin… He won't forgive that easily."

"He talks to you about me, doesn't he?"

"Occasionally. But none of it is my place to say… I know what when the time is right, though, he'll offer that pin back to you. And I hope that you'll take it."