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asking ochako what she and toga are would be like asking if tomatoes are fruits or vegetables. there’s the logical answer, the one that’s objectively correct: tomatoes are fruits, and she and toga are enemies. an undeniable fact. but there's another answer, the one that isn’t technically true but that feels right, like it would be true if circumstances were different: that a tomato is a vegetable. that ochako and toga are lovers.
ochako doesn’t think either answer is entirely right. she thinks they’re too gentle to be enemies. she thinks they’re too violent to be lovers.
toga pins her to the ground, blade in hand, sharp smile on her face. her love is an obsessive kind, one that acts like it wants to consume ochako whole.
“ochako- chan ,” she says, eyes glistening with bloodlust. “won’t you give me a taste?”
ochako squirms beneath her, some mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her. “you’ll have to work for it.”
toga tosses her head back with a laugh and ochako thinks it may just be the prettiest sound in the world, a high-pitched giggle that makes her sound just like the schoolgirl she is. “you can never make it easy for me, can you?”
ochako grins, and in an instant she’s wriggled her way out and begins to run.
she’s not trying, really. she could easily run much faster, and she thinks toga knows that. it’s like this every time; ochako doesn’t run fast, or she doesn’t go very far, allowing toga to catch her every single time. she lives for the thrill of it.
she feels toga’s arms wrap around her waist before she’s on the ground again in quite a similar position as before, only this time she’s face-down in the grass. she turns her head to look up at the villain, a smug look on her face even though she’s lost this little game of theirs. in a way, she’s still winning.
toga leans in, her breath brushing against ochako’s ear. “caught you~!” she giggles, pressing most of her weight against ochako’s back. she taps her fingers against the hero’s arm. “you’re not going easy on me, are you, ochako- chan ?”
ochako smiles up at her. “of course not,” she lies smoothly. “you caught me fair and square.”
toga sighs, her head drooping a bit. “you do look cute when you’re all bloodied,” she says, twirling her knife between her fingers. “but i don’t know…i’m thinking of switching things up!” she picks her head back up, grinning. “are you ticklish , ochako?”
“h-huh?” ochako squeaks out, eyes widening.
toga continues, an almost disappointed expression on her face. “i see how you always laugh around izuku,” she complains. “i’m getting jealous of him, you know? why don’t you ever laugh like that with me ?”
ochako stares in shock for a second before she snorts. “is that it ?”
toga hisses, cheeks pinkening. there’s a clattering sound as she tosses her blade aside, manicured nails crawling up ochako’s sides before she can react.
“ himiko !” she squeaks, her hands grabbing at toga’s. she tries activating her quirk, but toga is faster than her in this state. she grabs ochako’s wrists and pins them over her head with one hand, her other continuing her merciless assault.
“you’re so cute , ochako!” toga practically squeals, giggling along. “just laugh and i’ll stop, ‘kay? after a while, anyway.”
ochako tries to hold out, but among her list of weaknesses, both tickling and himiko toga are at the top. she falls into laughter, kicking her feet behind her, the only part of her body that she can freely move. she never wears her hero costume when she goes to meet toga, never seeing a reason to, but right now she wishes she had it to protect her.
or, well, a part of her does. the other part of her is undeniably happy , even despite her situation. because toga is smiling with her, and being playful and acting like a regular girl instead of a wanted criminal. ochako’s heart nearly bursts with want , to take her back to u.a. and kiss her and give her every last drop of her blood.
but all she can do is shove the thought away and enjoy the moment while it lasts.
toga lets go of her arms suddenly, grabbing her body and flipping her over to face her. she cups ochako’s cheek with her hand. it’s warm.
“stop frowning like that, ochako,” she says. her voice is always so gentle when she talks to her. “i’m trying to make you laugh. you’re ruining it, you know.”
“i love you,” says ochako before she can stop herself.
“i know,” replies himiko.
ochako looks down at himiko’s hand, still resting against her side. her nails are sharp, pointed. she once thought those nails would rip her apart. she wouldn’t care much if they did.
but they don’t, because himiko has killed and hurt and tortured but ochako is like a goddess to her. so, yes, they claw at her stomach and make her shriek, but no blood is shed and all ochako feels is love .
“h- hihimikoho !” she squeaks, one hand flying up to her mouth to muffle herself, but himiko pulls it away just as quickly.
“don’t hide from me, ochako- chan ,” she coos, lacing their fingers together. “let me see your pretty face!”
ochako falls practically limp, letting himiko toy with her as she wishes. “st-stohohop, stop, tihihickles ,” she manages to piece together through endless giggles. the only thing racing through her mind is that it tickles .
it makes himiko laugh. “ ha ! because i’m tickling you, silly. it’s supposed to.” the tone of her voice makes ochako squirm, butterflies fluttering in her stomach and her face heating up.
there are tears in her eyes when himiko finally relents, brushing messy strands of hair out of ochako’s face. “you’re so cute,” she hums, leaning to place a kiss on ochako’s forehead. it’s one of the gentlest acts that she’ll ever perform.
and when ochako inevitably has to leave, to keep whatever this is a secret, she will give her a kiss in return as a farewell. and himiko will smile and blush in the way ochako loves, and she will place a hand to her lips as if to preserve the feeling forever.
and later, they will meet, and do the same thing again, and ochako does not hurt people and himiko does not save people, but somehow they still fit together perfectly.