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STOP! Did you read parts 1 and 2? If not, you might want to! Just a little suggestion!
Bride.
Well-
What was it that Mina had called her?
“Soulmate,” Ochako whispered, looking around the room.
She understood that she was now married to the leader of this group.
That meant she was his bride.
Wife.
But the word soulmate was new to her. It had been thrown out so casually, without any fanfare or vows or anything really.
Ochako understood the meanings of the words soul and mate individually. She’d heard the Kannushi regularly talk about doing acts that fed their souls even though their bellies were empty and the future uncertain. From what she understood, the soul was a part of her that no one could see.
It was the thing that made her unique. Even though everyone had eyes, skin, and other organs, her soul wasn’t like any other person. Well, she’d seen quite a few people here who didn’t exactly look like people, but-
And she wasn’t sure what that had to do with being a person’s mate.
If people could have mates?
Ochako had only heard the word mate when someone spoke about animals, more specifically wolves, but never humans. She had heard of people talking about their betrothed, wife, husband, spouse, bride, groom, and rarely a partner, but words like mate and soulmate were unheard of to Ochako.
Lots of things here were foreign.
“Ochako!!”
Ochako gripped her covers, hiking them to her neck as Mina entered her tent.
“Wakey, wakey!” Mina chirped as she dropped a set of robes on her bedding. “Lord Blasty, your dear betrothed, requests your presence at the firepit for breakfast.”
Last night, she’d walked through the festival and feast a bundle of nerves for what would come after. She was inexperienced, but she wasn’t stupid. Ignoring the fact that she couldn’t figure out why they were considered married after she was taken prisoner to save her best friend’s life, Ochako felt it safe to assume that she’d have to have sex with him. “Can I ask you something?” Ochako started before continuing without confirmation. “Is it normal for soulmates or spouses to sleep in different tents?”
But he hadn’t even kissed her.
Mina paused for half a second. “No,” she answered quickly before pouring some water into a basin to wash up with. “Why?”
Katsuki had barely touched her after painting her body in clay “No reason!” Ochako wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“Do you need help getting dressed?” Mina wondered, quickly changing the subject.
Ochako looked at the clothing. “No?” The clothing didn’t look particularly complicated. Then again- “Well-” Her fingers twisted around the red beads strung around her neck for a moment. “Should I?” Everything she had assumed would happen to her hasn’t, so…
“I don’t think so,” Mina replied with a friendly smile as she patted her feet, still covered with a thick blanket. “Come out when you’re ready! I’ll walk you over.” She threw a friendly wave over her shoulder as she exited the tent.
Huffing, Ochako reached forward and grabbed the clothing Mina had left. “Oh,” she mouthed as her fingers played with the top. “Oh no .”
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“I might as well be naked,” Ochako muttered to herself as she stiffly walked a few steps behind Mina through the camp. Honestly, she should have known that her clothing would be scarce, given what Mina and most of the other women wore last night during the feast.
“You’ll get used to it,” Mina merrily spoke, not turning as she commented.
Ochako flushed, fingers curling tightly into the fabric of her skirt as she walked. The skirt wasn’t terrible. It covered her backside, the area between her legs, and beyond, but the material felt flimsy. Especially when combined with the thing she was wearing as a top. Two triangles pieced together with chains and strings.
“We have furs and stuff for when the weather turns, but,” Mina informed her, “we spend so much time near the fire and working during the day, you want something light and breathable.”
Right now, Ochako wanted real clothes. “My dress would have been fine.”
“Perhaps, but once you join the clan, you can’t bring the stuff from your old life in.” Mina turned around, giving Ochako something that resembled an apologetic look. “If you know how to sew, I’m sure Bakugo would help you get some material to make yourself more comfortable.”
That would be nice.
“Until then, you can borrow my clothes.”
“Thank you,” Ochako forced herself to say as they approached a large group of people around the fire pit. She stood back a few paces as Mina skipped to join Kyoka in animated chatter.
It was a similar scene to last night.
People were dishing out portions of porridge and tea while quiet conversation drifted around the air like smoke.
“Breakfast?”
Ochako blinked, flinching a little at the bowl before her face. She looked up to see a bright, fanged smile glittering at her. “Yes, please,” she stuttered, carefully taking the bowl and wooden spoon. She narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the red-eyed, red-haired man before her.
Kirishima Eijirou.
A few of the people called him Kiri.
The sight of his teeth had intimated her, but his spirit was bright and warm. It reminded her of Izuku.
“You okay?” he questioned, tilting his head. “I got something on my face.”
Ochako’s glare lingered a second longer. “Oh, no, sorry. I’m sorry. You-” She looked out at the group again before turning back to him as she forced herself not to think of the home she’d left. “-You just remind me of someone,” she told him as she offered a forced smile.
There was no point in being nasty to them. Given the circumstances, everyone had been quite polite, even kind, to her. Even Yo had treated her courteously last night.
“I apologize for staring,” she told him, slightly bowing her head.
“Eh, it’s all good,” he grinned, rubbing a sheepish hand behind his neck.
It was funny how someone so big and intimidating-looking could have the energy of a puppy. “Everything is a lot to take in.”
“I respect it. Get some breakfast and chat a bit,” he told her with a toothy smile. “I promise we don’t bite.” Eijirou winked before scurrying off into the hustle of the morning.
Ochako gripped the bowl as she stood awkwardly.
These weren’t the enemies she’d imagined.
Her captor had made her his bride and hadn’t so much as kissed her after stripping her naked. People here had dressed her, fed her, and spoke with her as if she belonged.
“Would you like some tea?” Mashirao offered.
Ochako’s eyes went to the massive tail behind him before politely declining a cup.
They were odd.
Last night, she’d seen a man with a head like a bird, a set of floating clothes that were on an invisible woman, a very tall man with a head shaped like a tree stump who talked to animals, a pretty blonde man with eyes like a cat who conjured lightning, and so many other people who seemed to be out of a story.
Ochako picked up her spoon, shifting from hip to hip as she carefully sampled the porridge. “Mmm,” she hummed, lifting her head as she looked down into the bowl.
It was delicious, rich and warm.
Better than anything she’d eaten at home.
She let out another happy hum as she inhaled another spoonful. Last night, she had meekly watched as everyone around her enjoyed food and drink and chose to only drink water and small sips of mead. Ochako hadn’t realized she was starving until that first taste of porridge. She stuffed another mouthful into her mouth feeling some dribble down her chin as she walked around.
Her mother would be ashamed of her table manners, but she wasn’t here, and Ochako wasn’t at a table.
After shoveling another mouthful, she found Katsuki.
“My husband,” she muttered, licking the back of the spoon.
The word ‘soulmate’ was still too foreign and confusing to deal with.
She mentally debated approaching him as her feet had seemingly already decided to approach him. “Good morning,” she greeted politely before eating another big bite.
Katsuki raised an eyebrow at her.
Was she supposed to bring him a bowl? “Did you get breakfast already?” she questioned hesitantly. Ochako wasn’t sure what exactly she was supposed to be doing in this situation.
At home, the roles were clear. Wives took care of the home and family.
They cooked and cleaned while husbands worked and provided what they could in their struggling village.
“Tch,” Katsuki scowled, eyes shifting in annoyance as his shoulders hunched, “it’s about damn time you got your butt up.”
Ochako narrowed her eyes before a little voice in the back of her head reminded her that she was not at home. She’d gotten mouthy with some of the boys as a child, even tripping one who pulled her hair and tried to kiss her, but she was a prisoner here.
No matter how well she was treated, she was here at the will of her enemies.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was supposed to be up at the ass crack of dawn to feed you, Lord Blasty,” she snapped.
Old habits tended to die hard, as they would say.
Ochako dipped her head defiantly as she ate more of her breakfast.
Katsuki’s eyes flickered down and his lips twitched while mirth sparkled in his eyes. “I can fucking feed myself, Maru,” he retorted, turning sharply away from her. “Let’s go!”
She flinched before hastily following him. There was that name again.
“You don’t know how to fight, do you?”
“No,” she answered as they weaved between people.
What the hell-
“Why would I-”
“Of fucking course not.”
That sounded insulting.
“You’re with us now, so that means you’re the fucking enemy now.”
What? “I’m not!” Ochako couldn’t deny that she hoped and prayed that a battle or raid happened here and she stumbled across a familiar face. “I’m a prisoner.”
Katsuki didn’t spare her a glance. “You chose to save your little boyfriend-”
“He’s my friend! Friend! ” she shouted. “Was I supposed to let him get killed?”
Katsuki stopped as they reached a clearing. He turned to face her as he disguared his cloak. “He killed one of our warriors.”
“And how many of us have you killed?”
“As many as your King has taken from us,” he explained, stepping in front of her eyes blazing. “No more, no less.”
“Because that makes it right?!” she challenged, taking a step toward him.
He scoffed. “Right?”
“You know the difference between right and wrong, don’t you?” Ochako knew she should shut her mouth, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“I’m not having this fucking conversation with you-”
“Well, you might want to since I’m your wife!” she snapped, stopping her foot as she threw the bowl past him. “Your soulmate or whatever!”
Katsuki’s eyes went to the bowl before slowly making their way back to her. He quirked an eyebrow at her as if to tell her continue. “Really?”
“Yes!” she screamed, chest rising and falling rapidly with rage and nerves. “I might be stuck here, but if you dismiss me-”
“Are you threatening me?” he questioned, slowly sauntering in front of her. He looked down at her lips, curling into a predatory smirk.
Ochako’s insides twisted as she willed herself not to shrink away. She narrowed her eyes at him as she decided to let her words speak for her. Not answering was her best chance at remaining firm.
Saying yes meant that there was a very good chance that she would have to prove that she could take him in a fight, and they both knew damn well that she couldn’t. Not even on his worst and her best with every odd in her favor. Ochako wasn’t going to say what they both knew because that would also mean she was admitting that she was at his mercy.
She was. She’d thrown herself at his feet yesterday rather than taking him in a fight.
“Your village,” he started, words rumbling low in his chest, “your friends, your family, your goddamn father-” Katsuki spat the word from between his lips like it was poison.
He had no right. “You know nothing about my family!” What the hell did he know?
His face contorted into a snarl. “ Your father ,” he hissed, breath blowing inches from her face. “Those fucking people you thought you knew won’t care when they see you with my markings. They won’t care because you’ll just be another body to help tally the fucking score.” His fingers flicked at the string of beads around her neck.
Ochako glared up at him as she shot him a sneer. Her chest skimmed against his with every labored breath.
“You need to know how to defend yourself,” he spoke finally, still staring down at her.
She felt herself burning under his gaze. “Okay?”
“So we don’t leave until you leave a mark on me.”
Ochako felt her face go hot as he stepped back.
Challenge accepted.
To be Continued…