#ucac

“Dunno, but if I were to guess it would be one of those uptight kingdoms out west. Look at how she’s dressed.” Bakugou points towards her silk dress, fit with puffy sleeves, countless buttons, and a corset so tight that he’s surprised she didn’t die of asphyxiation before she even made it to land.

“And stop walkin’ around in circles! You’re gonna wake her up before she needs to, and I’m not gonna be the one she scratches this time!”

Deku pauses, rubbing at his chin in curiosity.

“She has to be some type of royalty though, no? I mean, the regular women Kaminari’s told me about from over there aren’t anything like this.”

Bakugou sighs, looking over her once more. Her soft, dewy skin and healthy figure bear a stark contrast to the emaciated working class women he saw the last time he ventured out west. Their gaunt cheeks and dirtied faces are stained into his mind, solidifying everything he hated about monarchies and their societies. It’s the reason why his mother refused to work anywhere near them, and why he never will either. Looking at her, Bakugou can’t help but think about how…pretty she is—strikingly so—and it irritates him all the more.

He can’t help but wonder if she’s as cruel as those who came before her.

If the jewels lining her throat and wrists were anything to go by, she was definitely of higher blood, and those diamonds didn’t come without sacrifice.

“I guess so. Either way, she’s gonna have a lot of questions to answer when she wakes up. Watch her temperature Deku, I don’t want her to die before we can get any information outta her.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to keep it down though... I don’t know what she went through out there, but it’s definitely taking a toll on her body. And the dress is weighted down with water, so that’s not making it any better.”

Bakugou is about to walk out when Deku’s sentence hits him right in the gut.

“Fuck, of course she has a fever! How the hell didn’t we do that first?!” As gently as he can, with as much urgency as he can, Bakugou starts to strip her down, averting his eyes as much as possible. “Shit…Deku grab the smallest fabrics you can out of my closet. She’s gonna fucking freeze to death if we don’t act fast.”

As more and more garments fall to the floor, Bakugou finds himself getting more and more irritated. How do these people procreate with so many layers?! Do they live such sheltered lives that they never think they’ll have to get undressed in a hurry?

When he finally touches her skin, the chill of it is enough to give him pause—and for a second he truly wonders if she’s dead. But her shallow breathing confirms otherwise, so he continues.

God…could Deku take any longer?

Bakugou carries her towards the fireplace, draping her in furs and cradling her to his chest to try to keep her as warm as possible. It feels so strange to be doing this for a woman he doesn’t know, to be so close to a woman he doesn’t know, but a part of him refuses to let her die.

Deku finally hands him the clothes, pondering, “Do you think we should tell anybody else yet? I mean…she doesn’t really seem like she’s gonna keep quiet.”

They both cringe, thinking back to the high pitched screaming she’d managed to squeal out before Bakugou could cup his hand over her mouth. (To which she had subsequently bit.)

“Fuck no. Pinky’s not gonna be able to keep her trap shut. Neither is Kaminari. Don’t need either of them runnin’ their mouths right now, the old hag has been on my back enough this week.”

Deku grabs her dress, tossing it aside, while Bakugou begins to redress her. “Fair enough… Hopefully she’s in a better mood when she wakes up.”

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You awake with a splitting headache and a completely empty memory. You’re laying on a soft warm…bed(?), covered in…animal fur? And when you look to your right, a fire burns in a nearby fireplace. Which means you aren’t alone…

When you go to stand, your legs are too weak, and just as you’re about to hit the floor, two strong, tanned arms catch you. “Careful, woman!” Following the muscular armed wrapped around you, you meet ruby red eyes connected to the (admittedly handsome) face that’s currently yelling at you. He has sand-blonde lashes that frame them, and tiny little freckles spattered across his nose. And his lips are so pretty…

He’s muttering something about how you “wanna get yourself killed” when your eyes start to trail lower and Oh god where are his clothes?!

Looking down at yourself, dressed in some gigantic blouse and linen(?) pants, you come to the horrific realization of Oh god where are my clothes?!

You scramble back, falling onto the cot and scooting back as far as you can. “You…barbarian!! Did you…? Did we…? Oh God, I’ll never be able to marry now! I’m ruined!”

Tears spring to your eyes, and a life of instability, shame, and social ruin flashes before you. Those tears quickly give way to anger, and before you know it you’re jumping on the stranger, beating at his chest.

“You will speak of this to no one!! Or-Or you will marry me! I refuse to lose everything because of this!”

The man catches your fists midair, while another pair of hands comes to pull you off of him.

“What the hell are you talking about?! Are you simple?!” He shouts at you, and his confused face only serves to anger you more.

You go to swing at him again, but the other pair of hands holds you back. And you turn to see a man with green hair looking at you like you might turn on him next. But he’s a lot stronger than you expect, and you can’t move an inch. “Kacchan…I think she thinks that the two of you…” The man averts his eyes. “Y’know?”

As the realization dawns on him Bakugou groans deeply, dragging his hands down his face in exhaustion.

“I didn’t fuck you.”

His vulgarity stuns you, and you’re going to demand more context when he beats you to it; “You were gonna freeze to death in that fuckin’ prison you were wearing. You should be happy I didn’t let you die.”

Suddenly your cheeks feel extremely hot, and you want to crawl into the nearest hole and never wake up again. But then you remember something damning. “Then where is your shirt?!” You whip around to face the green haired man, narrowing your eyes at him. “As a matter of fact, where are both of your shirts?!”

The green haired man chuckles nervously, rubbing his neck. “We don’t really wear those here…uh, ma’am. Not unless it’s really cold.”

Your jaw drops.

Thankfully, your etiquette classes taught you to never judge another culture’s way of dress, so you instead sit back down, silently.

“I…apologize. That was unladylike of me.”

The blonde man scoffs while the other one laughs, waving his hands in front of him.

“You’re fine!! Don’t mind Kacchan, he’s like that with everyone. Cultural differences, right?”

The blonde (Kacchan?) groans, turning to busy himself with stoking the fire.

You offer the green haired man a smile, grateful that at least someone isn’t acting like an imbecile here. “Well…yes. I’m (Y/N) (L/N), It’s nice to meet you. And you are…?”

“Oh! You can call me Midoriya. So, Miss…(Y/N)… how exactly did you get here? Oh, and where are you from? Are you a royal? What you were wearing definitely doesn’t match any of the surrounding kingdoms around here…”

His rambling is cute, it almost reminds you of the children you would visit during your free time at your home.

“Well that makes sense. My country is very far from here. We were only passing through because I was headed to my fiancé’s country to be married. And yes, I am a Princess, the only one in my country, actually.”

Bakugou’s ears perk up at that, and he doesn’t know why when he hears it his heart sinks.

Midoriya’s eyebrows knit together in concern, “Wow, your fiancé must be worried sick. Don’t worry, Kacchan and I will help you get back to him.”

Bakugou narrows his eyes at Midoriya, and you can’t help but feel the urge to roll yours. “Hey, nerd! Don’t volunteer me for your humanitarian bullshit. I kept her alive to figure out how she ended up on my island, that’s it.”

You sneer at the blonde, turning entirely to face Midoriya. “That’s awfully kind of you, sir. But that won’t be necessary. I didn’t even know my fiance, that would’ve been my first time meeting him. And I’m sure my parents will believe I’m dead when the news of the ship’s sinking gets back to them.” Your grave face tells Midoriya all that he needs to know.

“There were no other survivors?” With a shake of your head, you confirm the worst.

“I’m so sorry.”

You sniffle, sitting up a little straighter. Your governess would be so disappointed if she saw you now! You’re a princess, (Y/N), try to have a little dignity.

“It’s quite alright, sir, though I appreciate your condolences. I believe I should like to head home now, and put this all behind me. Where is my dress?”

The blonde laughs, pointing at your muddled dress, frocks, and corset in the corner. “Not happening Princess. It’s still wet. And unless you’d like to freeze to death, I imagine you ‘should like to’ stay until tomorrow.”

His smile is cruel, as though he takes humor at your inconvenience. But, as much as he is irritating, he is right. As you look outside, the sun has set, and it would be impossible for you to return home now.

You smile tightly, trying to stay poised. “Right, then. I suppose I will sleep here tonight?” The blonde snickers. “You’ll probably be sleeping here for longer than that. Do you even know how to row?”

“Ceren, don’t you think it wise that we find somewhere to dock the ship? Surely we won’t be able to make it in this weather,” you implore your lady-in-waiting, biting at your knuckles in worry. She rolls her eyes, placing her hand on your shoulder. No doubt she thinks you’re trying to delay the inevitable. “Nonsense, your highness. We only have about two day’s left of travel, then we will be there. Besides, the captain is a smart man, he’d have stopped if we needed to.”

The sky blazes with another strike of lighting, illuminating the entire deck for just a second. To steel yourself, you try to imagine you’re anywhere else but where you are now: On a ship to marry a man three times your age, who you’ve never met.

Unfortunately, your brain decides to conjure up one of the worst memories it possibly could in the moment: the argument you had with your parents before you left. Flashes of your father’s exasperated face and your brothers’ apathy stain your memory, and your eyes almost start to well with tears.

You breathe in deeply, facing out towards the sea. “Are you sure, Ceren? The sky is awfully dark, and the waves are getting bigger…” Another crack of lighting and the ship lurches forward, nearly knocking you both off of your feet.

“It’s going to be okay, Princess. Besides, it would be foolish to dock anywhere near here, we’re only a few miles from Barbarian territory.”

Her words make your breath hitch in your throat. You can remember the word “Barbarian” from years of eavesdropping on your father’s diplomatic discussions.

The last you’d heard, they were headed by Mitsuki Bakugou, a fierce and powerful woman who successfully took over all of the islands surrounding her own. She had amassed so much land that many said she would joke about retiring early, having accomplished in a decade what many kingdoms couldn’t accomplish across hundreds of years. She had an army that even your own kingdom didn’t dare to mess with, especially because of the culture of the Barbarians themselves. From whispers across countries, they’re known to be violent, ruthless people with a culture that completely shuns society as a whole. The thought of running into them, especially as unprepared as your ship undoubtedly is, makes a chill go down your spine.

“You don’t think we’d actually ever end up having to land there, do you?”

Ceren barks out something between a gasp and a laugh, clasping her hands together. “Of course not, your highness! Besides, I’m sure they’d eat us alive the second we reach their shores!”

As much as the sentiment frightens you, you can’t help but laugh at your lady’s words. “Ceren, that’s insane. They’d simply send us back where we came from.” Ceren laughs.

“Oh no, my lady. They’re quite an uncivilized type of people. How else do you think they’ve gotten half of the world terrified of them?” She leans in, as if sharing a secret. “You know, I hear that Chief Mitsuki has a son she’s raised to take her place. If we did end up docking there, he’d be quite the eligible bachelor for you wouldn’t he?”

You gasp, covering your mouth with your hands. “Ceren! Imagine if my mother heard you say that!” Her giggles are admittedly infectious, although you try to muffle yours with your hand.

You sigh, “Although, anything would be better than the old troll I’m being forced to wed in three days. Do you know, Ceren, that he supposedly wants eight sons?!”

“No!”

“Yes! And he already has so many bastard children, from what I’ve heard. God, why couldn’t he pick one of them? I can’t imagine being forced to have his hideous babies.”

Ceren looks at you in pity, pulling you into a hug. “It will not all be bad. You will have me, alright? And I will be sure to draw plenty of baths.” Her joke gets a chuckle out of you, but your bitterness remains.

A drop of rain lands on your nose as if the sky is expressing your own misery.

“Well then, let’s go back to our rooms, shall we? I don’t want to be caught out here when it rains,” you acquiesce, pointing to your hair that had taken hours to style. Ceren smiles, happy to see you slightly more at ease. “Of course, perhaps you could take a nap? I can put rollers in your hair so it keeps its shape, princess.” As you walk down the stairs and into your chambers, you nod. “That would be perfect, thank you.”

“Of course, after all you must look your absolute best when we land! That means lots of sleep for you, young lady!”

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You awake to the sound of screaming and the feeling of water invading your nostrils. Forcing yourself upright, you’re horrified to see the room filled with water. People are shouting at you, rushing past you, and yet the only thing you can think is where is Ceren?!

There is chaos all around you as you rush through the madness, screaming your friend’s name. When you finally make it to her quarters, dread seeps through you as you see water pouring from under the door of the room. Ignoring the orders of your guards, you push at the door until it finally bursts open, sending a torrent of water rushing towards you. When it finally clears, there she is. Lying still, quiet, almost like she’s sleeping, there she is. You rush to her side, screaming her name. You shake her, try to breathe life into her, but it is no use. Her lifeless eyes stare back at you, and she is gone.

You have no time to process it, as you are pulled out of the room and pushed further up towards the part of the ship that isn’t sinking. Your cries fall on deaf ears as grief overtakes you, and you find yourself only clinging to the ship out of pure instinct. However, to your horror, the ship itself breaks in two, and everything goes black after that.

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“I’m just saying Kacchan, if we fished near the east more, there’d be more diversity in our diet. And Momo did say that’s important.” Bakugou rolls his eyes, snatching his fishing spear out of the water. The animals writhe on the blade, and Bakugou grimaces as he chucks them into his basket. “Yeah, yeah Deku. I’ll talk to the hunters about it tomorrow.” Taking hold of his basket, Bakugou prepares to head back inland. However, just out of the corner of his eye, he catches the sight of something pink floating in the water.

“The hell….?”

Deku hums in question, but Bakugou is already wading in the water, mumbling all the way. When he finally makes it to the object, he flips it over to find that the pink is silk, and the silk clings onto the unconscious body of a woman. “Fuck! Deku, go strike a fire at my fireplace!” Although confused, Midoriya hurries inland, while Bakugou races towards the shore with the woman in his arms.

Once on land he lays her down and does his best to breathe oxygen into her lungs, pumping her chest several times. When she doesn’t wake up, Bakugou swears. “Fuck…Don’t want you to die on me, woman, but I don’t wanna break your ribs either.”

With several more chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing techniques, the woman finally startles awake…vomiting directly into his lap.

Bakugou can only pat her back and hold her curls away from her face as she continues. When she finally finishes coughing, she finally pulls away from him, wiping her mouth delicately. They seem to stare at each other for a few moments in complete silence… before she’s suddenly sprinting off into the forest.

“What the—?! Stop woman, you still need a doctor!”

Bakugou takes off after her and it isn’t long before he’s tackled her and the both of them go rolling in the sand. She’s screeching at him now, “Stay away! I have no money to give you! My father will send for me!” Bakugou nearly covers his ears at the sound, but instead he simply hauls her over his shoulder, ignoring her beating on his shoulder. She’s obviously not all there in the head…maybe she just needs to sleep.