Smoky Ginger, Sweet Vanilla

Chapter 1

Katsuki awakens how he always does, with a hard jolt and scream tearing its way through his throat. His body is sluggish, his head pounding, his vision fuzzy, his wrists red and raw from rubbing against the cuffs.

Red and raw from rubbing against cuffs? He's in cuffs? He's in cuffs, and he certainly isn't in his bed.

His hazy vision clears minutely at the realization that he is bound, and gagged, strapped to a chair like a psycho freak in a mental institution. He's in the middle of a dingy room, void of everything except a single hanging lightbulb that shines directly over his head. If he were lucid he would scoff at the cliche scene.

But he isn't very lucid and he can feel the panic simmering in the back of his mind. He can feel the anger just below the surface. He can feel his fight or flight rearing it's head, but he can do nothing. He can do nothing but sit and wait. He prays that whatever is in his system making him so hazy and disoriented wears off by the time whoever took him comes to check on him.

He doesn't know where he is. He doesn't know how he got here. He doesn't know who took him. All he knows is that he's Katsuki fucking Bakugo and when the shitty drugs are out of his system he's fucking some villains up.

It takes ten minutes for his head to clear and his body to return to its normal functions. It takes five more minutes for one of the villains to show up. In those five minutes he allows his anger to consume him. He isn't weak. He's not going to succumb to his fear and fold like a pussy. He's not going to beg or barter his way out of here. He's going to fucking fight, and he's going to win.

The sound of a door slowly creaking open somewhere to his left pulls him from his inner anger. He lets that fury fester and simmer in the back burner of his mind, allowing him to focus, analyze and figure how the fuck to get out of this situation.

The light over him is bright enough to bathe himself and a few feet around him in a yellow glow.

The one to step into the light is a scarred faced fuck. And he can finally remember.

The blue flames, the heat, the fight, the smoke entering his lungs. His classmates fighting for him, to keep him safe. Izuku trying to come after him, Izuku running despite his mutilated body, screaming, crying out his name before black consumes his vision.

He remembers and he's furious. How could he be so weak as to get himself caught? How could he let himself be kidnapped, how could he allow his classmates to put themselves in harms way for him of all people? How could he allow stupid, fragile Izuku to damage his limbs trying to protect him?

He narrows his eyes at the tall, burnt fuck, willing all of his hatred to consume the other in a fire he won't be able to escape.

The little shit looks at him with something akin to pity which only serves to fill him with more rage. He doesn't need pity, he doesn't deserve it, not when he's the one who was weak enough to get himself in this situation.

The older teenager moves towards him slowly, carefully, like he's approaching a wild animal.

Good, Katsuki thinks, he should be scared of him.

Scar face crouches down a few inches in front of him. If his legs weren't bound to the legs of the chair then he definitely would have kicked him square in the jaw.

"Hey kid,' there's a short pause before he starts up again, 'you're not in a very hot spot right now. Just know that I certainly didn't sign up for this. Harming kids....it's not what I wanted. But I don't make the decisions around here so just listen to what I have to say and you'll make it out of here, okay?"

For the first time in his life Katsuki doesn't know what to think. This is supposed to be a villain? This boy barely older than him? This boy who wants to get him out of here? He doesn't understand, he doesn't understand and that makes him scared. That makes him scared which makes him angry and whenever he's angry he lashes out.

He wants to kick and scream and tell this villain to fuck off. He wants to blast his face he wants to curse him out. He wants, he wants, he wants, but he can't. He can't and he knows it and, judging by the look on his face, this villain knows it too. Knows that Katsuki has to rely on him, has to rely on his shitty words in order to escape. But he doesn't like owing people things and he especially doesn't want to owe this motherfucker anything.

And yet his hands are tied.

For the first time in his life Katsuki Bakugo swallows his pride, sets aside his anger and accepts the hand reaching for him.

He nods once.

The man smiles.

Katsuki ignores the way said smile makes him feel warm. Makes him feel like he's chosen correctly. Makes him feel like he's done good (because he's never done good, he isn't good and never will be).

"Good, that's good kid. The others will be here soon, I was just sent in to see if you were awake yet, so listen carefully. Shigaraki, he's the leader. He's got more than a few screws loose and he's prone to blowing up over the slightest infractions. He's definitely going to fucking monologue. Just listen and humor him. Pretend to buy what he's selling and I know for a fact you'll be able to get out of here, okay?"

Katsuki nods once more.

"I'll be back kid."

With a final, soft smile he's standing and stepping out of the light. Katsuki hears the door open, the click of it closing echoes throughout the room.

He's going to get out of here. He knows it. He knows it. He's Bakugo fucking Katsuki, of course he's going to escape.