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Inhaling deeply, Toga studied the ceiling, allowing a misplaced sense of peace to slip over her. There were things she should have been doing—like preparing to go out—but right now, the texture of the decrepit building was beyond mesmerizing. Distant anxiety ebbed and flowed in her veins, urging her to get up and do something. She ignored the nagging, though, far too comfortable procrastinating as she sprawled on the floor. At least, until a foot poked her starfished-form in the ribs.
“Don’t you have a hot date you should be getting ready for?” Magne leaned in, obstructing Toga’s view of a small spider scuttling across the ceiling.
“Maybe,” Toga pouted, pushing herself up. “But,” she worried her lip with a canine, “What if… I’m not good enough for Ochako-chan? I love her. She’s perfect and beautiful and strong and perfect and smart and beautiful and thoughtful and tasty and perfect, and I’m just… bleh.” Toga flopped back onto the floor, throwing her arms up for dramatic effect. Magne frowned, scrutinizing the angsty teen.
“This isn’t like you,” Magne hummed, kneeling beside Toga. “Where did all of your confidence go? You’re not one of Twice’s clones, are you?” She reached to jab Toga in the side where she knew the girl would be ticklish. Shrieking, Toga rolled away, scampering to her feet, eyes narrowing like a feral cat ready for a fight. Her fingers itched to draw the knives tucked in her buns, but it wasn’t playtime.
“Is this really about Uraraka?” Magne’s expression was kind as she folded her arms, noting Toga’s fighting stance with a raised eyebrow. “Because from the texts you’ve shown me, she seems smitten.”
“Gah,” Toga chittered, her nose wrinkling as she stalked around the room in a tight circle. As usual, Magne had seen through her. Of course, Uraraka liked Toga, the hero hopeful was the one that had invited Toga to the dance in the first place, not the other way around. The real problem was that Toga didn’t know if she would be accepted by Uraraka’s friends, and she didn’t know if she’d be able to keep her cover intact throughout the entire dance.
Uraraka was bound to look stunning, and Toga would be hard-pressed to keep her admiration and infatuation in check when they were united on the dancefloor. What if she couldn’t hold her passion in? What if someone noticed that she wasn’t supposed to be going down to funky town and rubbing elbows with soon to be heroes? WHAT IF SHE GOT URARAKA IN TROUBLE?
It was all too much, and Toga had resigned herself to putting off getting ready. Because if she didn’t get ready, then she didn’t have to go. And if she didn’t go, then she couldn’t make a mess of things. And if she didn’t make a mess of things, she could continue to keep Uraraka all to herself, which was the ultimate goal, as the thought of sharing Uraraka made Toga’s blood curdle.
“Come on,” Magne blocked Toga’s path with an arm before gathering the teen into a crushing bearhug. “I’m not gonna sit here and watch this train wreck happen. You’re getting ready, and I’m gonna help you.”
In maximum stealth mode, Toga and Magne found themselves in a nearby convenience store, lurking in the beauty aisle. They took turns standing watch as the other shoveled products into their pockets. All was going according to plan. At least, until an employee gave them the stink eye from the next aisle over.
“You better not be profiling us,” Magne tutted, putting on airs. “We will be paying. We just forgot to grab a basket,” she lied, flashing the employee a broad smile for good measure.
Thankfully, Magne had donned a ridiculous pair of oversized sunglasses, a distractingly floral scarf, and a wide-brimmed sun hat before leaving. The same went for Toga, who, in a shocking turn of events, had put on proper pants, accompanied by a cat dad sweater that she’d pinched off of Kurogiri. It wasn’t like he’d been wearing it. If anyone suspected them of being criminals, it was as shoplifters at most. Not quite believing the lie, the employee moved away, giving the illusion of space while keeping a wary eye on them.
Pockets filled to bursting, Magne and Toga waddled over to the cashier, dumping out an array of products on the counter. An explosion of bright colors and glitter sat before them, and containing their excitement as their loot was rung up and bagged proved difficult.
“That’ll be 5,000 yen,” the cashier sighed, ready to get the overenthusiastic pair out of the shop.
“5,000?” Magne forced a chuckle, eyes bulging behind her shades. Between the two of them, they barely had enough for the cheap, color contacts that they’d snagged on impulse. Even at budget prices, their heap of goods managed to amass a hefty bill.
“Yeah,” the cashier squinted at Magne.
“Darling,” Magne turned to Toga, lowering her sunglasses to give her partner in crime a knowing look. “Will you grab my purse for me?” With a sickly-sweet smile, Toga nodded, her cheeks already flushed with excitement.
Pulling a spare blade out of nowhere, Toga pinned the cashier’s sleeve to the counter, narrowly missing stabbing them in the wrist – a pity. Before the cashier could so much as balk, Toga snatched the overflowing plastic bag and bolted for the door, Magne hot on her heels.
It didn’t end up being a difficult escape, as no one working for convenience store pay would expend the effort to give proper chase. And once Magne and Toga slipped into the back alleys, they were good as gold, allowing them to return to the League base ready for part two of Operation: School Dance.
Blinking, Toga starred at the brown eyes peering back at her. It was odd to see her reflection like this. Of course, she was no stranger to dramatic transformations. She’d used her quirk to take on other’s forms on an insurmountable number of occasions; this was different. Looking up, Toga blinked a few more times, letting the brown contacts float into place over her irises.
No shapeshifting tonight. For as useful as Toga’s quirk was, Uraraka had been firm on her stance. Toga wasn’t going to show up to the school dance looking like a stranger, and it would be too suspicious if she showed up as one of Uraraka’s friends, or more suspicious still, a member of the League of Villains. Instead, Toga would have to undergo a much more mundane transformation, one involving cheap contacts, temporary hair dye, and an unreasonable amount of glittery makeup.
“Suck it in, baby doll,” Magne warned as she tugged the back of Toga’s dress together, holding it closed as best she could in one hand while zipping it up with her other. A few texts and a phone call had been enough to bring Giran to their doorstep, dress in hand, though Magne now owed him several favors. Fastening the clasp at the top, Magne grinned into the mirror, pride radiating from her as she watched Toga examine the pale mint taffeta dress that was probably—no definitely—the highest quality garment Toga had ever worn.
Green wasn’t one of Toga’s go-to colors, but Magne, gushing about fashion blogs and trends, had insisted that green was killer on blondes and that it would go well with the pink streaks they’d added to Toga’s hair. Trailing a hand across her collarbone, Toga admired the strapless dress. She didn’t know if Magne actually knew the first thing about fashion, but the older woman had been right: The dress looked good.
“Here,” Magne smiled, brushing Toga’s hand away. “This is the final touch.” Brow wrinkled in concentration, Magne fumbled with the clasp of a delicate gold chain, finally working the metal closure open and fastening the necklace around Toga’s neck. It lay beautifully over her collarbones, and best of all, a small knife charm rested against her skin just above the neckline of her dress. It was elegant and delicate—two things Toga usually wasn’t—but it was still her. Charming and threatening in equal measures.
Beaming, Magne spritzed another cloud of glittery, strawberry-scented hairspray over Toga’s elegantly coiffed curls. Well, perhaps elegant wasn’t the best word given Magne’s inexperience curling hair, but the ringlets she’d managed were cute enough. Little gold pins held back the strands around Toga’s face, leaving a few wisps to frame her bangs and cheeks.
“Oi! You ready or not?” Twice barked, popping his head into the room. “You’re gonna be late! You look amazing!” Giving her dress a good twirl, Toga threw her arms around Magne, humming as she hugged her.
“Thank you, Big Sis,” Toga murmured, pulling back to offer Magne a toothy grin. Without further delay, Toga snatched her clutch containing a fistful of mints, a fake ID, and one of her favorite switchblades off of the counter.
“Wait!” Magne called after Toga. “You’re probably gonna need to reapply this.” She pressed a tube of glittery gloss into Toga’s hands with a wink.
Twice and Mr. Compress insisted on chaperoning Toga, at least as far as the school. It was silly on multiple accounts, but Toga let it happen. Obviously, she could take care of herself, and Kurogiri had even offered to warp her around the corner from the front door. But the boys were insistent that they see her through the door, and frankly, she loved the attention. She felt like a princess being escorted to a ball, and the familiar company kept her levelheaded.
Pulling up to the school, Twice hopped out of their busted van to open Toga’s door. “My lady,” he snickered, bowing with a decadent flourish of his gloved hand. “Get out!”
“Should we give her a curfew?” Mr. Compress mused, eighty percent joking.
“Try, and I’ll stab ya,” Toga purred, baring her fangs through a smirk. No one was getting in the way of her dancing the night away with Uraraka, least of all the League.
Heading up the path to the school’s entrance, Toga shot Uraraka a text, letting her know that she’d arrived. Anxious wasn’t Toga’s MO, but the nerves she’d felt earlier in the day were back in force. Picking up her pace, Toga slipped into the school, sliding her fake ID to a security guard that gave her a quick once over before nodding her through to the dance. So far, so good.
Following directions from Uraraka, Toga managed to find the gym where the dance was being held. Thumping music spilled into the hallway, and her blood hummed as she weaved through the crowded room. Uraraka was somewhere in this room, and—
A gentle hand found Toga’s shoulder. Grabbing it, Toga twirled around, tugging its owner into her chest and pressing her blade into their ribs. Time slowed as she processed who she was hugging at knifepoint, and heat flared under her skin.
“This suit’s a rental,” Uraraka murmured with an affectionate smile, not moving away despite the knife threatening to slice her black blazer.
Haloed by colorful strobing lights, Uraraka looked like a vision. A chunk of her bangs was pulled back with an ornate clip. Her makeup was minimal, soft pink and brown hues highlighting her features. The rental, a fitted black suit that made Uraraka look like she was an undercover secret agent at a swanky party, squared off her shoulders, giving her an imposing frame. But for as heart-stopping as Uraraka’s suave look was, it was her unguarded expression of want and affection that undid Toga. Mouth dry, Toga retracted her blade, stuffing it back in her clutch. Uraraka tilted her head, reaching to brush a blonde wisp from Toga’s eyes.
“Thanks for coming. I didn’t know if you’d have trouble getting in.” A sheepish look crept over Uraraka. “It was selfish of me to invite you, knowing that you’d have to work hard to make it happen, but…” She broke off, appraising Toga. “I’m really glad I asked.” By now, both girls were blushing, their cheeks rosy and palms perspiring as they stood inches apart. Around them, students danced and jumped to the pounding music, and as one song faded to the next, Uraraka found Toga’s hand, whispering, “Dance with me.”
Under the dim lights, the glitter on Toga’s cheeks was mesmeric, and at one point, some found its way onto Uraraka’s neck and collar, flashing distractingly as they danced. It drew far too much attention to the soft skin, and Toga’s head swam with the desire to sink her fangs into Uraraka.
Between her unbidden desire to sneak another taste of Uraraka’s sweet blood, the music, and the magnetic pull of Uraraka’s blown-out pupils, Toga’s head was full of fuzzy thoughts. It didn’t help that Uraraka smelled amazing on top of everything else. More than anything else, Toga wanted to pull Uraraka close and kiss her until their lips were bruised bloody and people were gawking. It would be great fun, and she could show everyone that Uraraka was hers and only hers.
Toga bit into the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, clearing her head for a moment. But as quickly as she found her groundings, she was swept up in a new wave of dizzying longing when Uraraka’s hands found her hips, careful fingers pressing into the fabric of her dress.
There was a look in Uraraka’s eyes that made Toga shiver, and she swore she felt Uraraka leaning in as if to kiss her, but an all too familiar synthy saxophone riff ripped through the room without warning. Eyes blowing wide, the girls squealed, splitting grins plastered across their glistening faces.
You're stuck in my head, stuck on my heart, stuck on my body, body
I wanna go, get out of here, I'm sick of the party, party
I'd run away
I'd run away with you
Ooh
Shouting the lyrics, Toga and Uraraka bounced to the music with fresh fervor. Toga couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun without bloodying something or someone up, and she didn’t want it to end. It was rare to find something that brought her as much joy.
Baby, take me to the feeling
I'll be your sinner, in secret
When the lights go out
Nose practically touching, they continued to belt the words out, dramatically throwing their arms up at the end of each verse.
Run away with me
Run away with me
In the back of Toga’s mind, she wondered what it might be like to drag Uraraka out of the school, running and giggling down the sidewalk until they were eventually forced to catch their breath. Then beneath a streetlight, what it would be like to wrap Uraraka in her arms and kiss her breathless.
Baby, every single minute
I'll be your hero and win it
When the lights go out
Toga didn’t get to find out, though. Without warning, Uraraka caught Toga’s wrist, tugging gently.
“Come on,” Uraraka shouted over the music before taking off through the crowd with Toga in tow.
Run away with me
Run away with me
As Uraraka led Toga deeper into the school, a look of determination came over her. Toga didn’t have the foggiest clue where they were headed or why Uraraka seemed to be gearing up for something, but wherever Uraraka went, Toga would follow.
Somewhere along the way, Uraraka’s grip on Toga’s wrist loosened, and her hand found Toga’s, their fingers twining together. Flushed and awestruck, Toga wore her blush as if she didn’t realize it was there, though she certainly felt its warmth as heat crept under her skin.
Rounding a turn into a new hallway, Uraraka pulled to a stop in front of an open classroom, casting a glance over her shoulder.
“I have a surprise for you,” Uraraka grinned, excitement and nerves swirling in her magnetic, brown eyes.
“No way, Ochako-chan!” Toga couldn’t prevent the squeal that ripped out of her, and before Uraraka could protest—not that she would have—Toga was in her arms.
“Hey!” Uraraka laughed, doing her best to wrangle Toga without losing hold of her. “You’re getting glitter on my suit.”
“Sorry,” Toga pouted, weakly trying to pull away, her lower lip jutting out as she hung her head.
“Stop that,” Uraraka murmured, refusing to let go of Toga, “I know you’re not sorry in the least.” Snickering, Toga discarded her act, flashing Uraraka a toothy grin, eyes sparkling with mischievous glee.
After checking that the coast was clear, the girls slipped into the classroom. While Toga hadn’t known what to expect, she certainly hadn’t expected to find an all too familiar girl waiting inside.
“What is she doing here?” Toga bristled, eyes narrowing as she turned to scan Uraraka’s face for answers.
“I asked Camie if she could do me a favor, and she agreed,” Uraraka shrugged. Turning to Camie, she added, “Gimme a sec, and then I’ll let you know when.” Camie nodded, a cheeky grin blossoming across her face.
From a pocket, Uraraka pulled a dingy MP3 player out, scrolling through it for a moment before setting it on a desk. Soft notes filled the air, and Uraraka pulled Toga into the center of the room. The desks had been pushed to the walls leaving plenty of space in the middle.
“Would you,” Uraraka’s confidence faltered, a blush of her own highlighting her round cheeks, “Dance with me?” A slight tremor wiggled into her voice as she offered a hand to Toga.
“I’d dance with you until our feet were bloody stumps,” Toga gushed, grabbing Uraraka’s hand eagerly. A snort from the back of the class reminded Toga of Camie’s presence, but she couldn’t be bothered to care.
“Close your eyes,” Uraraka whispered, pulling Toga into a loose hug. Doing as she was told, Toga squeezed her eyes shut, gasping when she felt her feet leave the ground. “Okay, open them.”
Eyes fluttering open, Toga’s jaw fell slack, her grip on Uraraka loosening in her shock. She’d lost count of the number of times Uraraka had stolen her breath that evening, but this topped them all.
“I can hold us for at least one song,” Uraraka hummed, her brow wrinkled in concentration as Toga looked around, mouth agape. So that was what Camie’s quirk had been. Toga hadn’t gotten to play with it when she’d had the chance.
Wrapped in cosmic strands of beautiful light, the girls danced slowly amidst a swirling sea of stars, suspended in mid-air by Uraraka’s quirk. Purples, blues, and pinks, more vibrant than even the most crimson blood, shimmered around them as twinkling orbs floated out further than the eye could see. But most beautiful of all was the person holding Toga at the epicenter of the galaxy.
“What do you think?” Uraraka worried her lip as she held Toga flush to herself, worries of glitter getting on her suit long forgotten.
“Occhan,” Toga hummed, wide eyes reflecting stars, “You’re out of this world.” It was a cheesy sentiment, but the fresh blush that painted Uraraka’s pink cheeks was unforgettable.
Dipping her forehead to rest on Toga’s, Uraraka sighed in relief, her worries melting off her shoulders. With a content purr, Toga nuzzled her cheek into the crook of Uraraka’s neck. Firm arms cinched tighter around Toga’s waist, and hers found their way up to rest on Uraraka’s shoulders.
Like that, they held each other, floating in a world entirely their own as a feeling too big to name so soon blossomed in their hearts. And when the song neared its conclusion, Uraraka spun Toga out in a gentle twirl before pulling her back in, Uraraka’s arm dropping to rest on the small of Toga’s back. Capitalizing on a moment of spontaneity, Uraraka tilted her head, closing the gap between their lips.
Even as she closed her eyes, Toga could still see the galaxy painted across the backs of her eyelids. Candied bliss washed over Toga. Uraraka tasted like strawberry mochi on a summer day: sweet, warm, and right. The places where Uraraka’s fingers pressed into Toga burned in the best way, and Toga would happily suffocate if it meant that they’d never break apart.
And they didn’t break apart. At least, not until the music had faded and a bemused Camie snorted, “Get a room,” under her breath.