DIVIDE. // Bakudeku

Enter Camie.

IT WAS REMARKABLE how long such a torn up person managed to live. It was almost ironic. It always seems that the most desperate to die lived the longest.

At least, that was what Camie Utsushimi thought.

Born from struggle and hatred, she'd naturally become an advocate for bitterness. And when she'd been rejected repeatedly by the man she loved, she finally gave up.

And what happened to her after Katsuki's graduation, you ask?

(Were you even asking, though? I guess not.)

Well, Camie had served her time. Specifically, seven years of it. Maybe a bit less than the ordinary offense, but with her not being the actual trafficker, along with apparently 'amazing behavior', she was let off the hook a bit. Toga wasn't so lucky.

Her reintroduction to the world made her realize very quickly how incompetent she truly was. Not in terms of book smarts, though. Camie often surprised people with her ability to adapt.

She was incompetent in regards to functioning as a normal, productive member of society.

"Camie! It's been ages. How've you been?"

Camie blinked twice, her lips stretching into a thin, polite smile. "Not bad. Not bad."

Aki Utsushimi grinned brightly, nodding her head in excessive enthusiasm. Almost as if she was overcompensating for the obviously heavy mood that hung in the car they both sat in.

Her light brown hair was just a tad past her shoulders in length, matching the honey-like quality of her eyes.

"Thought so! Well, I bet you're hungry. I know it's been a while since you've had decent food, so I have somewhere good in mind. We'll catch up, eat up, it'll be peaches and cream. Do you still like sweets, or has it been that long?"

Camie sighed. She knew her aunt was just trying to lift the mood, but it was bordering on annoying. To avoid any conflicts though, she complied with the pleasantries. "I think I kind of like more savory stuff now. I don't mind anything sweet though."

Camie briefly observed her aunt's outfit. She remembered Aki oftentimes dressing somewhat young for a woman in her late thirties. That hasn't changed; her outfit was in vogue.

Silence passed. Aki spoke.

"Camie."

"...Yes?"

"Do you love yourself? At all?"

It was as if a massive force knocked the air out of Camie's lungs. She glanced up from her food.

"What–"

"Do you...love yourself?"

Camie stared for a moment. She breathed a laugh. "Ha. Auntie, please. I'm not really able to answer that."

Aki shrugged. "Why not?"

"Because!" Camie quipped, restraining herself just barely, "You know. You know that's the dumbest shit I've ever been asked. I don't... ha... I don't know what you expect me to say. To feel. To think. There was not one fucking part about me that I ever liked for at least a decade now."

She exhaled. "I don't want to be rude to you, Aki. I really don't. You're the last person I have right now. But if you ask me that shit again I'll honestly snap. A-and don't give me that look either. Like it's so awful that I hate myself. Man, people really don't get it. I'm a barely recovering addict. I dropped out of college. I was ruining lives when I was in college. I did my time. Now what? I don't have half a mind to think about loving myself. I need to think about how I'm gonna live and make money from now on. For however long."

Aki lowered her gaze, humming in thought. "I see. I'm sorry."

"...Thank you for giving me somewhere to stay, auntie."

____

Aki's residence was quite appropriate for a single person. An understandable balance of tidiness and messiness. One bedroom. Just spacious enough to accommodate another person, but by no means large in size.

Camie was made aware she'd be sleeping in the living room on an air mattress, for the time being. It was already miles better than the slabs of stone she'd slept on for years.

The moving process was rather quick. Camie didn't have much things, after all. Not anymore.

It'd taken a few days for her to truly settle in. But the nights she spent were torn up in nightmares.

Nothing particularly new; she'd been having recurring nightmares since childhood. But these were different.

She often dreamt of the very first time she tried cocaine. And every time, she found the drug had been replaced with lines of blood, yet she still inhaled it.

Other nights were a tad different. She'd dream of Toga. Objectively understandable; she had no clue what had come of the girl after they were both arrested. It'd almost been a decade; they were both halfway into their twenties. Her subconscious was busy piercing together memories it seemed.

But sometimes, on a much rarer occasion, she'd dream of light blond hair and crimson eyes. She'd dream of breaking glass and breaking glass bones. She'd dream that flickers of a green headed, freckled man would pass right through her. And she'd wake up a second away from puking each time.

Camie didn't want a redemption arc, to be frank. In a way, she preferred to stay at least a tad rotten. It was familiar, simple, and comfortable. So the notion of her guilt finally eating her alive was lost. She simply wished to live an uneventful, unremarkable life from now on.

Besides, atonement took work, let alone an apology. Would Katsuki or his little boyfriend even want one? She was inclined to think they wouldn't. And that was perfect. Were they even still together, anyway?

She reluctantly took a job her aunt had suggested; a clerk at a convenience store nearby. Apparently her good behavior in prison had landed her an easier opportunity to get work. How lucky.

While she adjusted to freedom, thoughts of Katsuki Bakugou and Himiko Toga slowly began to dissipate.

It wasn't until two whole months into her move that Camie realized something. Something that felt meta, and beyond bizarre. Katsuki was on the television. Katsuki had gotten famous.

____

Chapter one let's goooo how're we feeling so far? Don't worry the story won't be focusing on Camie lol she's just a minor element this time.