Chapter Text
“You brought me sunshine when I only saw rain. You brought me laughter when I only felt pain.”
-Donna Donathan
Himiko Toga’s eyes stung with tears as the hero she held at knifepoint panted, blood growing sticky across Uravity’s face and costume.
“What's on your mind?” Uravity had asked moments before.
What's on my mind..?! Nothing you dumb-! Toga’s thoughts shouted. Before she could stop, she found herself frozen. An image of a brown-haired, brown eyed child flashed in Toga’s mind. In front of the girl, a monster with a body made of tar and the face of Toga herself. The girl held out her arm, offering her blood to the monster.
“I fall in love too easily.” Toga whimpered, her vision growing blurry with tears.
“With animals, villains, and heroes too… boys, girls, anything alive. Because all of them have such lovely blood flowing through them,” She choked. “Everyone told me I shouldn't smile. It made me so envious.”
“Izuku reminded me of this cute boy I used to like in school. His name was Saito. I couldn't ask him if I could suck his blood. If I did, he’d say I was a monster like the others…! And then he wouldn't think I was cute in a million years! He’d lecture me just like you and Izuku. He’d tell me I wasn't acting the way I was supposed to. That's why I joined the league of villains. It was the only place I could live and love who I wanted to!” Toga sobbed. Uraraka’s eyes softened.
“You were sending me signs this entire time, but it took me so long to realize.” Uraraka’s voice cracked as her hands moved to Toga’s back to embrace her.
“Oh,” Toga stammered. “My time is up. Jean's blood is leaving me. He’s disappearing. Again.”
The two girls hovered, spinning slowly with their arms wrapped around each other.
“You know,” Uraraka began. “I honestly think it's amazing when someone works so hard they end up getting bruised.” She swallowed a lump forming in her throat. “I know I can't take the place of the league of villains, but I thought I needed to tell you how special your smile is.”
“Am I,” Toga gasped. I love Izuku, and Ochako..
“Ochako.” She murmured.
“Am I cute?”
“The cutest girl in the whole world.”
Tears streamed down both of the girls’ cheeks. Toga wrapped her arms around Ochako, her clones dissipating into black dust.
“Ochako, can…” Toga mumbled. “Can I stay with you?” Ochako’s eyes widened.
“Himiko…”
“Please. I promise I’ll be good! I- I’ll never kill again! Please, I can't be alone again!” Toga sobbed.
“Himiko!” Ochako shouted, causing the other girl to stop rambling. “Yes. I will make sure that you're never alone ever again.”
The two, along with everyone else, lowered slowly to the ground. Himiko and Ochako sobbed into each other's arms.
Hours later, Ochako lay passed out in a hospital bed. She'd lost a lot of blood during the fight, but not enough to kill her.
Himiko was tied up in a jail cell with Eraserhead guarding the door. She sat quietly, staring blankly at the wall. Occasionally, her eyes would well up with tears as her mind wandered back to the kind brunette.
Ochako Uraraka.
Himiko glanced towards the bars of her cell as a woman approached. She had long black hair and sultry eyes. She was pretty, and wore an awfully revealing outfit.
"Midnight." Eraserhead nodded. The woman spoke.
"Darling Ochako is requesting for Himiko Toga to visit her.
“Visit her? Why?” Eraserhead questioned.
“No idea. All she said was that she wanted to see Himiko.”
Himiko’s eyes lit up. She wanted to see her?
“Come on then, villain.” Eraserhead grumbled as he opened the gate, using his scarf to wrap it around Himiko’s arms, leading her.
When they reached the hospital door, Ochako was away, reading something in a magazine. She glanced up as Eraserhead and Himiko pushed their way in.
Himiko squealed and jumped up and down, a wide smile spreading from ear to ear.
“Ochako-Chan!” She chimed, now standing by the hospital bed Ochako
"Himiko," Ochako murmured, a wide, genuine smile disturbing her once-pensive expression.
Himiko tried to reach her arms around the other girl, but she was halted by Earaserhead’s scarf, which tightened slightly as the blonde tried to pull her arms free. She pouted, glancing between the stoic Pro-Hero and Ochako.
“Ochako-Chan, can you tell him to let me go?” Himiko pleaded. Ochako looked over at her teacher, who was still accompanied by Midnight.
“Aizawa-sensei—” She began to speak, but was abruptly cut off.
“No,” Shouta grumbled.
“Shouta,” Nemuri leaned over slightly, her voice soft as if she were gentle-parenting a toddler. “You know Ochako has been asking for her since she woke up.”
Shouta paused for a brief minute, his stern expression unfaltering. A moment later, the grey fabric fell from Himiko’s arms. Her smile returned and she practically threw herself at the girl in hospital scrubs. Shouta tensed slightly at the sudden movement.
Ochako returned the hug with the same enthusiasm. She laughed softly as her hands came to rest on Himiko’s back.
The two stayed like that for a while.
Ochako’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as Himiko began to shake. Soft, hiccuping gasps began to arise from the girl in Ochako’s arms.
“Himiko?” Ochako breathed. Himiko pulled away just enough to meet Ochako’s eyes.
The girl’s golden eyes shone with emotion. Her cheeks were flushed and streaked with salty tears.
“Ochako-Chan,” She murmured.
“I’m so glad we’re friends.” Her voice cracked slightly, and tears continued to roll down her face, but her teeth were bared in a genuine smile.
Ochako’s concerned expression shifted into one of quiet understanding.
“Me too, Himiko.” The brunette smiled softly. Himiko pulled Ochako back into her embrace, burying her forehead in the other girl’s neck.
~
Several days later, Ochako was released from the hospital. Himiko was still in jail, but Ochako made it a point to visit her often.
It was a quiet Friday afternoon. Class 1-A had just gotten back to their dorms after classes. Everyone was doing their respective routines; Mina, Tsuyu, Momo, Hagakure, and Jirou were on the common room couch, Bakugo was being tormented by Kaminari and Eijiro, Shoto, Sero, Tokoyami and Izuku were discussing battle techniques, and Shoji and Koda were helping Tenya out in the kitchen.
All the while, Ochako was in her room. She’d decided she was going to get Himiko out of jail. The question was on how she would. She was researching villain rehabilitation programs near UA. The sound of letters being scratched down on a sheet of paper, then scribbled out again, filled her room. Ochako sat on her bed, crumpled up sheets of paper littered about. Her brow furrowed in concentration, which was broken by the sound of a knock on her door.
“Oh- Come in!” She called out.
Tsuyu cracked the door open enough to stick her head through.
“Hey, Ochako. We wanted to check on you. You’ve been in your room more than usual, ribbit.” Tsu croaked. She paused, taking in the state of Ochako’s room.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to write a letter to Aizawa-sensei. I want to put Himiko Toga into villain rehabilitation.”
“That’s a thing?”
Ochako nodded with a soft hum.
“Yeah, it’s not really known about because most villains either get put in prison or pass away in battle. I’m trying to figure out how to word this so that he’ll agree.”
Tsuyu pushed the door open the rest of the way.
“If you want, the rest of us could help you, ribbit.”
Ochako agreed. She and Tsu decided they’d ask the others for help tomorrow morning, since it was Saturday and they’d have the weekend to make sure everything was perfect.