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Naomasa is an analytical person. He always has been and always will be. It's the trait that made sure he got his job as a detective. The law is the law. The second one questions it or thinks they are above it, they are the issue. There is a right and a wrong.
So why is there also now a villain child caged into his spare bedroom like a wild animal?
Sure- he didn't put her in there like a wild animal. He tucked her in and made sure she couldn't reach any sharp objects before he bolted the window and door. So she was just like anyone else sleeping over at his apartment.
Except she wasn't.
He groaned, rubbing his eyes as he stared at the door as if it would break open in a second. It probably would if the girl woke up to be fair. The strength she had always displayed was nothing short of impressive. However for now, it stayed shut.
He glanced down at his phone, watching as the time switched to 1 am on the dot. A time which he should have been asleep, because he slept at 10 and woke up at 5. Same routine every night to ensure he didn't forget anything. Because if things went wrong at home, they'd go to shit at work.
Except they had already all went to shit. The second he had run into the girl in that alleyway, they had went to shit. Because instead of running or attacking him or doing what she should have, she latched onto his arm before he could react and then had promptly passed out, her hands slipping from him before he caught her.
Now the smart thing to do would have been to take her into the police station, get her quirk under control, and then notify medics to figure out what was wrong with her. The issue with that was that-
Well, Naomasa was mostly an analytical person. But he was only human and slipped up on occasion. So taking the girl in would reveal his slip up of why he was awake and out at 12 at night. Which would in turn derail the entirety of his career. And he wasn't a monster who could just leave her there. Especially not after passerbys had seen him with her, so leaving her and then calling it in wasn't a choice.
So he had brought her here. Which really was not smart.
He tapped his phone to turn it back on, opening up his messages. His most recent one sat at the top, "Taro Yamada". He looked down past it to his other options.
"Tamagawa Sansa." No way. He was asleep and with family right now, even if he could keep a secret.
"Shouta Aizawa." He was out on a stakeout that Naomasa couldn't risk ruining.
"Tsuragamae Kenji." He might as well have his papers of resignation ready, as well as his comfiest clothes to enjoy prison in.
The others were all the same story. All coworkers who he didn't trust with helping him out. Which left the first contact. Which was also not happening for reasons he didn't want to think about.
So, he had a child now. He just needed to figure out how to dispose of it in a safe and humane way.
He jammed his phone into his pocket, glancing back at the door before he shook his head and went to the kitchen. Food. She would need food when she woke up, so he could at least do that. Bacon and eggs were simple enough and he could probably reheat it in the morning? Hopefully.
He just needed to keep busy and not think of who was behind that door.
His phone ticked to 8 am and he groaned, rubbing at his face. He had already called out of work for the next few days and the chief had gladly accepted because Naomasa had too many sick days saved up. As much as he wished he could, he didn't know if he could get rid of the kid in one day. Especially because she hadn't woken up.
At least- he hadn't heard anything from the bedroom. He had expected screams and pleas to be let out, but it had just been silence in the apartment and it was driving his sleep addled mind insane. Was she feeling worse than he thought? He had checked everything he could with her and she seemed alright. But what if she wasn't and he had just let her die? Oh god. What if he had just killed her.
He stood from the chair he had put in front of the door, opening it before he could think too much about it. The bed was empty. Oh, good lord. The bed was empty. Had he just imagined it all? Was there ever any girl in an alley or-
He locked onto glowing yellow eyes from the top of one of his bookshelves and his heart dropped. Her pupils were slitted and now that he could see her, he could hear her. Her heavy breaths and the creaking of the bookshelf that was not made to hold that much weight.
He jumped back quickly, slamming the door shut right as he heard her land on plush carpet. He grunted, pulling the door back as she tried to yank at the handle before he managed to lock it from the outside. He stepped back, panting heavily as his heart best against his ribs.
So he was a proper kidnapper now. Great.
"You need to eat." Naomasa mumbled, sliding the plate under the door. It came back out a second later followed by a middle finger. He groaned, burying his face into his knees.
The girl had calmed down halfway through the day and they had been having this fight over the stupid plate of bacon and eggs for at least thirty minutes. He wasn't going to be the person who starved his accidental victim of kidnapping.
He bit his lip, taking a deep breath. He glanced over at his phone, his last message still on the typing bar.
+I have an issue. Come over.☻➤
He couldn't send it. That was like putting a spotlight on his apartment and announcing to the world that "here's where the corrupt cop with secrets lives". And then he'd have enemies on all sides vs just the one.
He hissed, touching his lip gently. His finger came away red with blood and he sighed, his shoulders slumping. Maybe he was better letting both sides find him. Winner of whatever war they waged gets to keep his bones.
There was a quiet sniffiling on the other side of the door and he paused, waiting to hear it again. "Blood?" A young voice asked before a hand shot halfway under the door. "Give! Just a little! You have so much!" She whined, her fingers wiggling.
He quickly wiped his hand on his shirt, standing up. "I'm not giving you my blood." He stated and the hand paused before it disappeared under completely.
"Meanie." The girl grumbled and Naomasa let out a small laugh despite himself. The entire situation was so absurd.
He watched the door for a moment before he sighed and pulled his phone out again. He opened his messages back up before he typed something out, hitting send before he could think too hard about it. The man owed him a favor at least.
He received a thumbs up before Naomasa could even tuck his phone away and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Do you need anything else besides blood?" He asked hesitantly.
There was a rustling before the girl spoke. "I need my knives back! It was rude of you to take them!" She stated and he shook his head. She seemed to understand his silence and there was a loud thump against the door before he saw her hands hit the floor, her back towards him. "You're just a big mean detective and it's not nice! We wouldn't hate you if you were nice!"
Naomasa raised an eyebrow before he shook his head, deciding not to deal with that. He left the hallway, sliding into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. He looked a mess in the mirror. How Eraser managed to function on so little sleep was beyond him. Naomasa could pass as a horseman of the apocalypse if he wanted to.
He had just finished shaving the small stubble on his chin when his phone chimed in his pocket. He glanced down at the notification before he cleaned up, turning off the light to the bathroom.
As he passed the bedroom door there was a scuffle. "Is someone here? Is it a hero? Oh, I hope it's 'Zuku!" She called and Naomasa ignored her in favor of going to the front door and sliding out it right as Eraserhead made it up the stairs.
"Did you get it?" He asked, looking down at the bag Eraserhead held.
The man nodded, handing it over. "Why did you want a gallon of pigs blood?" He asked before he shook his head. "Nope. Don't care. But this is to pay you back for doing last week's incident reports."
Naomasa nodded, clutching the bag to his chest. "Right. Thanks." The muttered, bowing slightly before he slid back into the apartment, locking it behind him.
"Is it Zuku?" The girl yelled and Naomasa winced, staring at the front door. There was no way Eraserhead wouldn't recognize that voice with the fact the girl had targeted his students multiple times. His heart thumped in his chest as a few moments passed before he sighed and shook his head.
He grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, pouring it into a cup before he slid a funnel out of the drawer. His nose crinkled at the smell of the blood as he opened the container before he slowly drained it into the bottle until it was half full. He slid the rest into the back of the fridge where it got colder before he tightened the lid on the bottle of nasty red liquid.
Hopefully this worked and he didn't cash in a favor for nothing. He also had no other choice.
He paused outside the door as he watched the handle jiggle before it stopped. "Are you bleeding? I can help! Why does it smell wrong? I can still help! Promise!"
"Toga." He said and the girl quieted. "I'm going to open the door. Can you get on the bed for me so I know you won't kill me immediately?"
She scoffed. "Why should I? You've been nothing but a meanie and now you want me to do something? Nuh uh!"
Naomasa said nothing and Toga sighed, her bare feet scuffling on the hardwood inside. "Fine! But not because you told me to!" A beat and then the unmistakable sound of the box spring mattress creaking under someone's weight.
He opened the door quickly, setting the bottle by the door before he shut it and locked it again. The mattress creaked and he could hear her footsteps before she paused and the bottle crinkled. "Ewww! This isn't people blood!" She whined, stomping her foot.
He shook her head even though she couldn't see it. "No. It's pig blood. I'm not giving you someone's blood. I like to know who it is I'm talking to and we don't know what all your quirk can do yet."
The bottle crinkled again before Toga sighed dramatically. "Fine meanie! But you owe me your blood or the blood of Zuku or Chako when I get out!" He could hear her gulping down the blood before she gagged, spitting. "It's so gross!"
"But you're drinking it?"
She sighed. "Yeah but it's not good! It tastes like- like burnt medicine!"
"Burnt medicine?" He questioned.
"You know what I mean." She grumbled and he heard the bottle crinkle more before something hit the door gently. "There! It's all gone! Happy?"
"Are you?"
She hummed as if actually considering the question before the mattress squeaked. "Yeah, my stomach feels better. But human blood would be better." She tried to coax him.
He chuckled. "Good try. Not happening. Not until I know I can trust you."
"You kidnapped me and locked me up but you're the one who has to trust me?" She laughed, a shrill bubbling sound. "You're funny for a meanie."
He slid open the door, grabbing the bottle. Yellow eyes stared directly at him, blinking slowly before he shut the door again. "Anything else you need? I want to get some sleep." She went to talk before he quickly added, "No knives or any weapons or anything like that."
She huffed loudly. "Fineeee! I guess I won't ask for what I actually need!" She paused before she added. "Pajamas? These clothes stink."
Naomasa stared up at the ceiling, slowly trying to will himself to sleep. It wasn't working especially since it was midday and he didn't do naps. Well- that and the child in the next room wearing his old clothes with the books he had given her because he wasn't giving her a tablet to contact the league on.
The knowledge he actually had about the girl was limited. She was at the training camp where she had tried to attack Ochako Uraraka and Tsuyu Asui. She was with the league at Kamino Ward so clearly she was one of the main members. Her quirk allowed her to at least take on the form of others as seen at the provisional licensing exam. If it did anything else was still unknown.
But the biggest unknown- who exactly was Himiko Toga? It didn't sound like an alias like Dabi or Mr. Compress. But searching it in any database had constantly resulted in a big black "not authorized. Contact your commission representative." screen. And talking to a commission representative never got anyone anywhere.
But why censor information about a random villain girl who couldn't be more than 16? The commission had far more secrets than it should have and he had no way to unlock them. The few heroes he was close too were not on good graces with the commission already. Except Yagi and he wouldn't ever ask for him help in this matter.
The man was too good.
Naomasa's phone buzzed on the nightstand and he groaned, rolling onto his side to grab it. He winced at the brightness before he managed to turn it down, the message appearing. "Taro Yamada"
Naomasa smiled at it slightly before he shook his head. No, he had a bigger issue to worry about right now. His shame could hide in a corner and solve itself later. When he didn't have a child locked in a room.
It took two days for him to unlock the door and let Toga out for anything other than a bathroom break. She hadn't tried anything fishy the times he had let her out and she seemed relatively sane. As sane as she could be he guessed.
Now she was just sitting on the couch like nothing was wrong and like she owned the place. Which was confusing in every way but he still had so little sleep he couldn't be bothered to dwell on it too long.
"Toga." He said slowly and she glanced up from the book her nose was buried in, flashing her fangs with a smile. Pigs blood dripped down them from the new water bottle she had and he couldn't help the goosebumps that crawled up his skin.
She blinked at him before she sighed and closed the book. "Yesssss, big fat meanie?" She asked, dropping the book to rest her arms on the couch edge to fully face him.
He rolled his eyes at the nickname, pausing in the food he was making. "Why haven't you tried to kill me?" He questioned and she giggled.
"Easy! Big brother Dabi and Shiggy will do that for me! Well, after they let me have your blood! But taking it now is just too much work because you" she pointed to him to enunciate the point, "have a gun. And I," she pointed to herself, "will get hurt by it. So I'll just wait for the league to find me!"
He stared at her and she grinned, her eyes crinkling at the motion. She had been honest at least. That was a bonus. Still- "How would they find you? Is it Kurogiri's quirk?"
She shook her head, holding a finger to her lips. "Shhh. It's a secret and I don't spoil games!" She slammed the book on the coffee table before she popped up. "Imma take a shower! Get me more clothes!" She stated before she ran off for the bathroom, slamming the door.
He stared after her before he sighed, fully setting down the salad he was making. Since he no longer had knives to cut meat with. Those were all at his neighbors who had agreed to keep them no question. He probably had some better fitting clothes for her.
"This is gross." Toga said, poking at the salad in front of her. "Why can't you make something tasty for once?"
He rolled his eyes, tapping his pen on the table. "Why can you not just eat instead of complaining?" He questioned, scanning between the documents to ensure the information stayed consistent. It was some simple parking ticket stuff just in case the villain tried to gain info. His important documents were still sealed in his bedroom
She groaned, laying her head down on the table. "We should go out for dinner. There's this really good restaurant that will make a fully raw steak for blood quirks and-"
"No." Naomasa said simply before he sighed. "Look. You're a villain. I'm not going to have you gallivanting around the town when you've already shown your willingness to kill people."
She pouted, blowing air at his papers, causing them to rustle. "I'm not the one who kidnaps people and keeps them locked up. That is you." She pointed a finger at him as if he had forgotten that fact.
He shook his head, correcting a date at the bottom before he folded the secondary paper and slid it into an envelope. "You're going to jail, Toga. That's not changing."
She groaned leaning back in her chair until her head hit the wall and she balanced there. "Then take me!" she declared, holding her wrists up. "Cmonnnn detective. You know you want everyone to know where you were that night. Out with-"
Naomasa slammed his hands on the table as he stood up, his chest hammering against his ribs. Shit. It had been days and he still hadn't even asked the girl what she had been doing on that side of town that late at night. Days and he didn't even know if she knew.
His eyes jumped up to hers and she grinned, fangs flashing in the lights of the apartment. "A detective and a villain. You guys were so cute together!" She cooed and his blood ran cold. Of course she knew. He was an idiot to think that he wouldn't have told anyone. That he would have listened to Naomasa and the promise they made to tell no one.
Did that mean- did they all know Toga was here? Were they just waiting for a chance to strike? What did this-
"Hey! Meanie! It's no fun to tease you if you frown like that." Toga whined, tapping his nose.
He reeled back, stumbling over his chair at the psychical contact and Toga laughed, half on the table. "Don't touch me." He warned, his hands stilling as he grabbed the counter of the peninsula behind him.
She grinned, cocking her head to the side. Her messy hair fell in front of her face but he could still see the crinkle of her eyes. "See! It's so much more fun when you're scared and not just angry!" She stared at him for a moment before she shrugged and jumped off the table, bouncing over to plop on the couch. "If you just give me some blood I'll be nicer." She said under her breath, as if it was just a lost thought.
His breathing hitched as he watched her, forcing himself away from the counter. Everything had gone so wrong so fast. He needed- he needed something. "Toga." He said, willing his voice to be more steady then he felt. "If I give you some of my blood, will you tell me everything you know about- that?"
She spun to face him, her eyes lighting up in delight as she nodded. "Yep! Everything! But I have it drink it from you! That's how it tastes the best!"
Naomasa touched his neck and she giggled, tucking her legs up onto the couch. "I can use your wrist! That's how big brother Dabi and the others let me drink! Because Shiggy catches us and tells us to stop because he's a big meanie at times too. My quirk is not gross! It's cute!"
Cute. In what messed up universe would anyone think her quirk was cute and not revolting. Still, he had no choice. Not if he wanted to save his entire livelihood from going to shit.
He unbuttoned his sleeve at the wrist, rolling it up until it rested under his elbow. Her eyes hungrily followed his wrist as he crossed around the coffee table before sitting beside her. His mind screamed at him to run or handcuff the girl or shoot her but really- what good would it do?
He supposed even if the rumors were true and she could use the quirk of the person she drank from, he was the best option. It was hard to use a quirk that wasn't there.
She grabbed his wrist gently, her nails resting on his skin instead of digging into it as she glanced between it and him. "You haven't- poisoned your blood or something have you?"
He raised an eyebrow. "With what? Garlic?"
She giggled, shaking her head before she bent down. He clenched his fist as she licked at his wrist, forcing himself to keep watching her in case she tried something else. Her fangs flashed in the light before she pressed them against his flesh and he bit his cheek to stop from making a sound of pain.
It hurt like hell as she pressed harder, fangs digging into his skin before they sunk into it with a small pop and lighting coursed through his arm. She wrapped her lips around the punctures, sucking up his blood and skin, the noise making his skin crawl. He must have been out of his mind to let her do this in the first place.
But he needed to know. He needed to know and unlike what he had led everyone to believe, he didn't truly have a quirk that told him if she was telling the truth. Which meant he had to trust a villain. Hopefully she was not above a common trade deal.
She pulled off after a few seconds, wrapping her hand around her wrist as she licked at her lips and swallowed the last of it. "Not the worst I've had." She muttered, grinning as she looked over at him. "You're pale- did I take too much? I tried not to because then you wouldn't give me more in the future but if I did-"
"You're fine." He stated, pulling his arm out of her grip and wrapping his own hand around the wet area. "Now it's your turn. Tell me everything you know about that night."
Four days off of work and a weird calm had fallen over the apartment. Toga mostly stayed in her room reading while he worked in the living room until dinner where she'd come out and steal the remote to watch random animes on the TV.
He didn't offer his blood tonight, his wrist still aching from the night previous where he had learned- absolutely nothing.
Well, not nothing but according to the girl she had been downtown looking for a victim and hadn't even known about any plans there. She had seen Naomasa with… him… by happenstance and had spent so long watching them that she had forgotten to est and had latched onto Naomasa to confront him before her lack of blood made her pass out.
So he really had kept his promise to Naomasa and told no one about their rendezvous. Naomasa should probably respond to his messages that had seemed more sad when Naomasa didn't answer the first one. Ghosting the man had never been his intention but it was probably for the best.
He could take Toga into the precinct now with no issue. He would argue delirium due to a quirk issue and whatever she stated she saw would be invalid. The restaurant that he had been at had no security systems so they wouldn't be against him either. It would be his word against the crazed blood villain's.
Yet every time he had moved to stand up and grab his handcuffs he had stopped himself short, a part of him wanting leave her alone. As if he could ever justify letting a villain walk free in the city. He still couldn't bring himself to do it though.
"Hey Meanie Cop." Toga said, pulling the chair next to him out before she dropped into it, tossing her feet onto the table. "I want a deal."
"A deal?" He questioned, pushing aside his confusing thoughts about the entire thing that was most certainly his fault in the first place.
She nodded, grinning so her fangs flashed in the fluorescent lights of his apartment. "Yep! A deal! You let me go and I tell no one about your date with Mr.-"
"Stop." Naomasa said quickly, holding his hand up. "There was no date. I don't know what you think you saw. It was a business meeting and-"
"And you're gay. You can be gay. I don't care. I mean Dabi is very very fruity and well- see I have my issues with him but that's so not because he's gay so That's not my issue with you dating-"
"Toga." Naomasa cut her off, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'm not letting you go. I'm going to take you into the precinct and you're going to jail. There's no deal to be made."
She raised an eyebrow at him, pushing off the table with her feet before she slammed the legs of the chair onto the floor. "You're a bad liar. Aren't you supposed to be smart and have that fancy fancy quirk?"
He sighed, collecting the papers before he stood up. "I'm not letting you go Toga. That's it."
She groaned, laying her head on the table as she watched him go to the kitchen. "Then can you just take me to the precinct already? It's so boring hereeee." She whined, blowing hair out of her face. "I can break out once I'm there anyways."
He glared at her and she laughed, a gleam in her eye. The issue is- she was probably correct. While her quirk wouldn't be much help inside a jail cell, the fact that she would be in the open and he'd have to file an actual police report. Which he knew the league would somehow become aware of and then it was just a matter of time until they showed up.
Would the commission help if he planned a mission to use Toga as bait? Or would they dismiss him as they always had?
"Stop thinking and just do somethingggg." She whined, rolling out of the chair until she was face down on the floor. "I'm so bored hereee."
He groaned, rinsing off his plate. "I'll figure something out. You just-" He sighed, leaning against the sink so he could take a deep breath. Things were supposed to be simple. Black and white. Right and wrong. Truth and Lie. Yet telling the truth would result in his life being ruined. Or- hers.
He couldn't use her as bait. He didn't trust the heroes with her because as much as he hated to admit it, she was just a child. Same as Mustard who was incarcerated because no one stepped forward to claim the boy. That was no place for someone to grow up.
"If I-" he started before he turned to look at her, stumbling back as he grabbed for his holster where nothing sat. "Fuck. Don't- don't do that." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
She grinned from directly beside the sink, tilting her head. "Were you gonna shoot me?"
He shook his head before he could even consider the question. He didn't go to the lethal choice if he could help it. "Just- go watch your animes or something. I'm- I'm going out."
He moved past her, slipping his shoes on before he grabbed his house keys and phone. He had to go. Had to think and piece together why this had become so complicated. And if he happened to leave the door unlocked as he closed it behind him- maybe the issue would solve itself.
"Where are you off too?" Sansa asked, peeking over his cubicle as Naomasa slung his jacket on, resting his hat on his head. "You look awfully cheery."
Naomasa raised an eyebrow as Rika peeked out of the break room. "Nah. He looks as miserable as ever." She stated and Sansa hummed in disagreement.
"Thanks." Naomasa muttered, glancing down at the location on his phone before he shoved it into his pocket. "I'll be in tomorrow early. I have to fill out-
"Yeah. Yeah." Sansa said, waving his hand in the air. "Dodge the question. I get it."
Naomasa rolled his eyes, opening the door as Rika shouted out, "Say hi to your date for me!"
He froze for half a step before he ignored it, pushing himself forward towards the train station. They didn't know. There was no way they knew. And even if they did this was not something he would consider a date. Not after what had happened the last time. It was more- a misunderstanding cleanup. To properly apologize for ghosting the man for a week last time.
The park was small, tucked back in between run down apartment buildings with small broken fences for dogs. It was empty though, the fountain in the middle filled with dirty water and covered in cobwebs. It was the kind of place he would only go to stakeout.
If he hadn't mixed up black and white.
"Tsukauchi." A voice said, filled with more relief than it should be and he turned to find Sako standing behind him, lit by a flickering lamp. "I didn't think you'd actually come."
He adjusted the mask over his nose, his eyes crinkled in a smile. "Yeah. I felt I needed too." He muttered, not walking towards the man but not backing away. "I want to explain what happened."
Sako shook his head, waving a gloved hand in the air. "No need. Himiko explained it to me when she got back." He chuckled, walking towards Naomasa who let him approach. "Thank you for letting her go."
Naomasa's fist tightened in his pocket. "I didn't let her go. That would be s direct violation of my job. I just-"
"Thank you." Sako said again before Naomasa could explain it away. He set a hand on Naomasa's shoulder, meeting his gaze with warm eyes. Eyes that should be cold and distant because the man was a villain. They were on opposite sides of everything and yet he just nodded and let go of Naomasa, walking over to a bench.
Naomasa followed despite himself, leaning his elbows onto his knees. "Why did you tell me?" He muttered and the man hummed in a question. "Why did you tell me who you were that first- hangout?"
"Hangout?" He questioned and Naomasa leveled a glare at him. He laughed, loud and happy, as he brushed curls from his face. "Because I was serious about everything else that night. I didn't want to go into anything else under false pretenses."
"But you gave me your real name." Naomasa argued. "I could have looked you up and used it to-"
"And you could have offered Himiko up to the heroes and not spared her another thought. You didn't though." Sako said softly, resting a gloved hand on Naomasa's arm. "I assure you that that says far more about you then what you could have done."
The sound of the dark park increased, grasshoppers chirping and an odd buzzing in the air. Neither spoke for a few minutes as Naomasa willed his mind to figure out the best way forward from here. After that first perfect day with the man, things had been different. He couldn't just trust the manual on what to do. He was risking it all for what- a chance at a hidden life?
"I can go." Sako said softly, pulling his hand off of Naomasa's. "I understand that our meetings are-"
Naomasa moved before he could second guess himself, grabbing the man's hand back, intertwining their fingers. "Just- Just stay?" He asked, hating how hopeful his voice sounded. It had been years since he had actively wanted someone close to him. And that had been Yagi so he wasn't sure it really counted.
Sako's grip tightened in his and he nodded. "Okay." He whispered, moving closer, his leg brushing against Naomasa's.
He was a grown man and the youngest detective in the precinct, and all the adjoining ones, history. And yet his heart was hammering in his chest just from this. Like he was an embarrassed schoolboy in a bad film that no one could bother to watch. They had been on one real date. Sure it had lasted 8 hours straight but it was one date. And they had only met once before at a coffee shop.
But somehow the thought of this man walking away from him, because of his own internal issues, hurt. "I don't know what to do." He finally confessed, a weight lifting off his shoulders the second he did. "Since I was 14 I knew what I wanted from my life and it didn't eave time for- anything else."
"Like a relationship?" Sako guessed and Naomasa mutely nodded. "Then don't think of it like that. We're just- two men trying to navigate something foreign. It takes time for anyone to perfect a role."
He was perfect at everything. He had to be to have gotten this far. But now he had two big unknowns in his life and he didn't know if he was perfect for either. He didn't know if he could be.
Still- "Okay." He muttered simply, shifting to lean against the man's shoulder. Sako relaxed into him as well, their hands still clasped between them. He didn't know what else to say. Didn't know if he needed too.
Because somehow- this mysterious villain understood it.
"Toga." Naomasa hissed, stepping inside and slamming his apartment door. "What are you doing back here?"
She bent back, gripping the doors of the fridge to lean back enough to see him. "Hiii meanie!" She said before she yelped as the fridge doors popped open at the stress.
She stumbled to get her composure, shutting the fridge to turn to him. "You need more snacks." She stated as if it was the truest fact in the universe, a finger raised towards him.
"Get out! You can't just show up like this!"
She grinned, tipping her head. "Anddd why not? You gonna kidnap me again?" She asked, holding her wrists out.
He dropped his computer bag on the table, taking a second to push away the thought of smacking his head against the wall. "You're miming arresting but no matter that- I did not kidnap you." He clarified.
She hummed, shrugging before she jumped across the room onto his couch. "Took an unconscious girl to your apartment and locked her in a room for a day. That- hmmm that's a kidnapping, cop."
He opened his mouth to argue before he shook his head. "Listen. That's in the past. Why the hell are you back here? I left- you escaped last time."
She raised an eyebrow at him before she shrugged and kicked her feet onto the coffee table. "You have Crunchyroll. The big man refuses to pay for anything and Compressie says TV rots your brain. I don't like all the popups on the sites Big Bro Dabi uses." She paused before she turned her gaze to him over the now illuminated TV. When had she gotten the remote? "Does Compress know you have Crunchyroll?"
Naomasa snorted, deciding to just move to the kitchen and make himself a fresh pot of coffee as he talked. "I don't own anything. My sister pays for it. Some of us have jobs and don't have time for that."
Toga shrugged. "I have a job! But yeahhhh, it comes with a lot of free time."
"You don't have a job." Naomasa quickly argued. "What you have is illegal activities, which is the entire reason you should not be in my apartment."
She flicked through shows as he talked, stopping as she was speaking to swing the remote around. "Then don't leave your window unlocked. It's like you just want someone to break in. I'm just being helpful and being a security guard." She stated before she went back to searching through animes.
"I'm on the fourth floor and it was locked." He mumbled before he groaned and shook his head. What was the point in arguing to this brick wall? She clearly wasn't going anywhere and now if he called the cops, he had to both get her contained and then explain why she had shown up in the first place.
For anime.
"So… you gonna get more snacks then?" She asked, deciding on an anime.
The loud music filled the apartment and he glared over at her before he finished setting the pot. "I'm not buying junk food for a criminal." He muttered.
She laughed louder than the music, not making any move to turn it down. "But you bought a villain flowers last week! And cake!" She argued.
He ignored her arguments, watching the coffee drip into the pot. Yes. It was too late to call the police on her. But what if he just- tossed her out onto the street? Would that work?
"Compressie says hi by the way." She stated, lounging out along the couch instead.
He huffed, his thoughts turning to the other villain who had infiltrated his life. It had been two months since their first meeting and he was seeing Compress twice a week now. It was simply enough to meet up with the man since his face had never been revealed as a villain but every meeting ended with Naomasa feeling bad.
There was an expiration on their odd relationship. Because no matter what, his job would always come before anything else. He had given up too much of his past to ensure his future. He wouldn't let it all go down the drain just for a man. He was smarter than that.
"Lock the window behind you when you leave." Naomasa muttered, pouring himself a mug of the steaming coffee before he grabbed his computer bag and headed to his room to work. He should probably make sure the girl had fresh sheets on the spare bed if she chose to stick around.
"What are you hiding?" Eraserhead's voice cut through the silence of the night and Naomasa jumped slightly.
He had forgotten the man was even on the roof with him. Whatever the man had injected into his bloodstream as a hero to be so silent was frankly scary. "What do you mean?" Naomasa asked, keeping his eyes locked on the warehouse below. It was a simple drug trafficking ring that they were looking out for and honestly he didn't know what he was doing here.
Kenji had simply thought that having an officer on scene would help the police so Naomasa was the unlucky bastard picked. Picked to sit for an entire night beside a hero just to watch the going ons of criminals. He supposed the hero the commission sent could have been worse.
"You're hiding something." He said simply, no hint of any knowledge in his voice.
Rationally speaking, the man clearly didn't know what exactly he was accusing Naomasa of. His voice was too even and his attention too divided to know the seriousness of what Naomasa was actually guilty of. The man was equally as smart though. He was probably the biggest issue with Naomasa's double life.
He sighed, letting the silence hold before he made his decision. "You're right. I am." He agreed, pulling his eyes from the warehouse to study the man who didn't look back. "it doesn't concern you though."
Eraserhead raised an eyebrow, humming low. "If it affects your career, it does affect me. Good officers are harder to come by then you'd think."
"All my officers are good." Naomasa argued quickly and Eraserhead stayed silent. That was the worst part of being around the man. He never asked too many questions, just waited for the information to be volunteered up. Two could play at that game. "How's the boyfriend?"
Eraserhead's expression didn't shift, still leveled at the door. "Don't have one. Good try, Tsukauchi." He muttered and Naomasa watched his face for any hint of deceit or look that he had just been caught,. Unfortunately, there was none. Just a straight faced expression.
Naomasa went back to the silence, looking back at the entrance, his pen tapping against his opposite hand. What would be the harm in telling this man what he was going through? out of all the heroes, Eraserhead had proven time and time again that he could be trusted with information Naomasa never wanted to get back to the commission. He had shown a genuine care for all the students in his care in his own strange way so why would Himiko be any different. Hell- one of his kids had tried to murder someone once.
"How's Shinso and Eri?" Naomasa asked and this time Eraserhead's jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed though they didn't move off of the door.
It took another second before he responded, his face falling back to It's even expression. "What about them?"
Naomasa shrugged. "You've had Shinso since he was what- 10? Can't be easy for him to get a new sibling. Especially not one who needs as much help as Eri does."
"They're fine." He snapped before he let out a small breath. "Don't talk about my kids on a stakeout. Ever."
Naomasa nodded, moving to let the topic go before he sighed. "Is her quirk- does it hurt her if she doesn't use it?"
Eraserhead's eyes jumped to Naomasa, narrowed in an expression Naomasa had only ever seen him use against uncooperative villains. "I just said not to talk about her."
Before Naomasa could defend himself with some bullshit excuse on why he wanted to know, the door of the warehouse creaked open and two criminals left it, slinging a bag over their shoulders. Eraserhead shifted to stand up and Naomasa grabbed his wrist. "We're just surveillance."
Eraserhead rolled his eyes. "Not according to the information the commission gave me. Come or don't." He was gone before Naomasa could argue and he had no choice left really but to follow after the man. He wouldn't be left behind just because he was an officer of the law and not a hero. Kenji would understand.
It took less than ten minutes to round up all the villains and secure them and only a few minutes more for transport and additional officers to arrive and start carting away the operation. With any luck this was the head of the serpent but Naomasa knew his luck was thin. He had used it all up these past months.
"Tsukauchi." Eraserhead called from the edges of the cleanup and Naomasa quickly instructed the officers on the rest of the instructions before he met the man where he was. "C'mon." He mumbled, waling away from the scene.
Naomasa nodded at Sansa who passed before the two of them headed down the street. Eraserhead waited until they were a bit away before he spoke, his voice quiet. "Why are you so interested in my kids?" He asked and Naomasa resisted the urge to point out that the hero had started the conversation.
"I'm not. I just-" He sighed, shaking his head. "Her quirk is dangerous, correct?" Eraserhead's jaw ticked and Naomasa quickly added, "Just- in general. not that she would ever purposefully use it in that manner."
"All quirks are dangerous." Eraserhead muttered. "Mine can lead people to die just like yours can lead people to revealing life ending secrets they didn't mean to expose." Naomasa stayed silent in his argument. That was not a reveal the man needed to know. "But yes. It can be."
Naomasa nodded, letting out a small breath. He supposed he had never put much thought into if any on the commission's roster could be damage. Aside from the obvious like Toshi's or the flaming asshole's. "And her quirk- why would you train her to use it then? If it's dangerous."
Eraserhead paused, turning to raise an eyebrow at Naomasa. "Because like any quirk, it's more of a danger to not use it responsibly. I guess if you can't turn yours off you wouldn't know. All quirks need to be expressed eventually or else they risk hurting the users or anyone around them. Her's, mine, Shinso's, All Might's- They all work the same way."
That- made a strange amount of sense. The way he said it though- like this was just common knowledge everyone but Naomasa was in on. He hated that feeling of being behind no matter how much work he had put into everything. "Villains would be the same." Naomasa whispered to himself, the words settling in his chest.
Eraserhead hummed, nodding. "Yeah. They would. Which is why I teach kids the proper way to use their quirk without hurting others. My goal is to prevent villains, not just lock them up." He paused and Naomasa turned his head away from the man so he couldn't study whatever expression Naomasa had. "Why the interest, officer?"
"I'm not going to tell you that." Naomasa said, turning on his heel to start back towards the cleanup. "Thank you though. You helped."
Eraserhead scoffed. "Anytime, Tsukauchi. See you when I need you to sign the commission's paperwork."
Naomasa had grown used to coming back to his apartment to find Toga hanging out on his couch, getting the seats dirty and leaving circular cup stains on the coffee table. What he hadn't gotten used to seeing was what was currently waiting for him inside. Or rather- who.
"Sako." He muttered, sliding in and shutting the door quickly, locking it behind him. "What are you doing here? And god- please tell me you didn't come in through the door." As much as he hated the idea of the 30 year old climbing up railings, it would be preferred to his neighbors gossiping about a man coming in through his door while he was out. They gossiped about him enough as it was.
Sako's gaze turned to him, solemn and strangely still. Something sunk in Naomasa's chest at the expression. Had Sako finally decided that this relationship wasn't worth it? Did he come here to break up with Naomasa. Or worse- did he show up to kidnap Naomasa? Surely not. The heroes wouldn't care if a police officer went missing and the league had never cared about the police before.
Then Sako smiled and Naomasa groaned, dropping his bag on the table. "What are you doing Toga? I thought I told you not to turn into anyone in my apartment."
She shook her head- well, Sako's head- giggling slightly in his voice. "Nope! You told me not to become you or Shiggy or Dabi or-"
"Any of the league." Naomasa finished the thought and she shrugged. "Sako is in the league."
"Nope!" She popped the P in the word, leaning forward to grab a stick of beef jerky from the bag he had just bought the day prior. "Compressie is in the League. No one knows or cares about Big Bro Sako!"
Naomasa rubbed at his eyes, shaking his head. "That's not true for one and for two- it still counts. I'd rather you just come as you. Please."
Toga grinned, dropping the rest of the jerky onto the table before she bounded over, laughing until she was directly in front of him. He was glad that him and Sako were the same height at least. He didn't want to have to look up at Toga as he talked to her.
"So…," She dragged the word out, holding her hands behind her back. "You care about Big Bro Sako?"
Naomasa didn't respond, sighing. "Toga, shift out of him. If you need clothes you already have the collection you've been stashing in the guest room. It's frankly weird to see you as him."
"I agree." Another voice said and Naomasa whirled around to face the hallway leading to the bathroom. "I thought I had already warned you to not use my body against the lovely detective." The real Sako grinned, his eyes crinkling. "We already know he's weak to me."
Naomasa groaned, shaking his head as he glanced between the two Sako's. All his shitty luck and he ended up with both of his problem villains standing in his apartment at eleven at night. He supposed it was better than thinking they were out there causing crimes as they had been. He only still let them hang around because despite what the rest of the league was up to- these two hadn't been traced back to the worst offenses.
Other than the one restricted files for a house fire that reminded Naomasa too much of the restricted files on the girl.
"Is that how you greet your partner?" Sako asked, crossing the room to bump Toga out of the way and grab on of Naomasa's hands. He lowered his head to kiss it in a deep bow and Toga gagged dramatically. "Oh stop it. You knew what you were going to get in coming with me tonight."
Naomasa shook his head with a sigh, shifting his hand to intertwine their fingers instead as Sako grinned. "I'm gonna go get changed. No more kissing!" Himiko declared, rushing out of the room to the spare room that was basically just for her now.
"Hey, Sako." Naomasa muttered, taking a step forward to lean on his shoulder. Sako quickly adjusted to it, wrapping an arm around him to rub at his back. "Did Toga show you her way in?"
He chuckled, nodding as the vibrations of the laugh eased some of the tightness in Naomasa's shoulders. "Yes, she did. How that girl has not broken many of her bones is still a mystery to me. I hope you don't mind I came in through the front."
Well- Naomasa should mind. Especially since he had just scolded Toga for it but he shook his head honestly. "It's fine. It's good to see you regardless. I wanted to talk to you about-"
"Wait." Sako said quickly and Naomasa stood up straight to see the man's worried expression. It wasn't something the usually easy going man looked like. He had always just enjoyed going along with whatever Naomasa or the world had in store for him. So that expression was dangerous.
"Me and Himiko should talk to you first. Before listening to you."
Right. They had never come together and Sako had never even been to his apartment. Surely this was important and as much as Naomasa wanted to ask him about Toga's quirk, he didn't say anything, just nodding slowly. Think rationally. Why would both be here?
Had All for One ordered them to do something? It wasn't a big stretch to think about. As much as the league hadn't seemed to care for the police, from the bits Naomasa had gotten out of Sako and Toga more on accident, All for One seemed to have his own agenda. Did he know about Naomasa's relationship to Yagi?
Had he endangered his closest friend by getting close to the two villains?
"Stop overthinking everything." Sako said, keeping Naomasa close to him when he went to pull away. "I know that hard for you but please just let us say out monologue and then you can get back to doubting everyone and everything."
Despite himself, Naomasa laughed, nodding as he leaned into Sako's touch. "Okay." He whispered, following Sako to the couch. His lip curled up at the pink nail polish stain on it before Sako quickly sat on top of it, pulling Naomasa down beside him. Again, he was back to being a cringy schoolboy in a bad movie. Butterflies in his stomach and goosebumps across his skin as the man's touch. This is what he got for never having a relationship until his late 30's.
Before Naomasa could quiz Sako, Toga bounded back into the living room in one of the frilly dresses she had taken to stashing in drawers. She plopped herself down on the coffee table beside the jerky strips, ignoring the tired stare Naomasa gave her. He had plenty of perfectly good chairs she could choose to sit on instead of his table.
"You tell him yet?" Toga asked, rocking back on the table to throw her legs up onto the couch between Naomasa and Sako. Naomasa glanced over at Sako and Toga hummed. "Whoops! Am I supposed to tell him?"
"No." Sako said quickly and Toga shrugged.
"Tell me what?" Naomasa asked, the pit in his stomach deepening. Was he about to lose both of them at once? It was obvious now his feelings towards Sako and as much as he hated to admit it, he had grown sort of used to Toga being around. She was- important to him. No matter the uncertainty around her. She would hurt to lose.
Sako kissed Naomasa's hand and he jumped slightly. "Don't overthink. Please. Not until we finish explaining. Then you can think as much as you wish. I hope you do."
Naomasa nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "We- Me and Himiko were talking and we both realized that," Sako sighed, shaking his head. Hesitation was never a good sign. "We can't stay in the league."
The room went silent as Naomasa stared between them, his eyebrows furrowing before he let out a small. "Oh." He didn't know what else to say. That- hadn't been what he was expecting.
"Shiggy and the others all want society to fall and I think Stainy was right but then Big Bro told me that that meant the meanie cops as well which means you and mmm. No. I don't want to kill you." Toga said pointedly and Naomasa just nodded.
Was the league planning something big? Should he warn Yagi or Kenji or-
"It's more than that." Sako continued and Naomasa pushed away his thoughts for the moment. More than finding out that these two were going to give up the league for him? Someone they hadn't even known all that long?
"The only way to leave the league is to leave Japan. All for One's reach is too far and-"
"We want you too come too." Toga finished and Sako just nodded, squeezing Naomasa's hand.
Him? What about Japan? What about the heroes and the other officers stationed here? He was just one quirkless man. He couldn't do much for anybody but he couldn't just run. Not with what everyone else was risking. Eraserhead wouldn't run. Yagi wouldn't. Sansa, Rika, and Kenji wouldn't. He shouldn't be considering it at all. Especially if the league's plans were starting and-
"We can give you and the heroes whatever information you need." Sako said and Naomasa's eyes shot up to his. "We just can't be here until he's dead. Not captured. Dead."
Toga nodded as if this was the simplest fact in the world. "Yeps. I would kill him but he's all old and nasty and his blood is probably bleh. I don't even want to try it."
Sako chuckled and Naomasa joined in solely on autopilot. This wasn't what he had been expecting. He liked to plan ahead for any outcome but this wasn't one he had seen coming. "Just- think about it?" Sako asked softly. "Please? You don't even have to say yes. We'll give you the information and-"
"Yes." Naomasa said before he could even finish considering it. He knew he needed to take more time to think it over but he also already knew what his answer would always end up being. "Yes. I'll come with you both."
Sako's eyes widened and Toga moved her legs off the couch, leaning forward. "Woah…. is he okay? I didn't think the meanie would actually say yeah."
Naomasa sighed at the name, shaking his head. "If- If we can get the information to the heroes. I don't want to leave and not try to help my friends here. I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to them."
Sako laughed softly, nodding. "Of course. Despite who I decided to join with, I never thought it would get to the level that it did with the league. Any information you want, it's yours."
Toga grinned, jumping to her feet before she plopped down onto the couch beside the two of them. "Hell yeah! Now Sako can bore you with Shakespeare and not me!" She cheered, before she dropped down, lounging across the two of them. "I want red and black walls in my room when we get a place!"
Sako grinned, looking down at her as he nodded. "Sure. If you paint it yourself." He said simply and she groaned, slapping their joined hands. "Nope! My other pseudo dad will do it! Won't you, meanie cop?"
Naomasa went to deny it before he paused. Oh. Right. This would in fact mean they were all going together wouldn't it? He could still back out, right? Call Kenji or Eraserhead or- "Yeah." he mumbled. "You wouldn't do it right anyways."
He finished the texts to the few other numbers he knew, spreading the information to the people who needed it. Once he was finished he handed the phone over to Atsuhiro who compressed it into a marble, rolling it between his finger before he flicked it out the open window of the car and into the water below the bridge.
"Thank you. For coming with." Atsuhiro said, resting his hand on Naomasa's leg. "We can still come back in the future. Once we get some better identities."
Naomasa nodded, before he batted the man's hand away. "Two hands on the wheel. I didn't agree to this to die because of your bad driving."
He gasped dramatically. "I am an excellent driver, thank you very much. Himiko, pass a water up?"
She didn't respond and Naomasa sighed, turning around in his seat. "Himiko!" He hissed and she finally glanced up from the tablet she was on. "Put your seatbelt on! What are you even doing?"
She rolled her eyes, shifting up to buckle herself into the backseat before she laid back down on the seats, stretching out the seatbelt. "Fanfiction about All Might and Sir Nighteye." She stated.
Naomasa ignored the answer, grabbing a water from the small ice chest they had grabbed from his closet before he opened it and handed it to Atsuhiro. "She's going to ruin her brain with that tablet you got her."
Atsuhiro shrugged, taking a sip of the water as he grinned. "She deserves it. I told her she'd get it if she didn't stab anyone for a month."
"So worth it." She said from the backseat before there was a scuffle and he turned to watch her grab out one of the blood juice packs they had packed her. "Ew. Why is it only mean dad's blood left?"
Naomasa didn't bother correcting her on the dad part because she hadn't stopped referring to him by that since he had agreed to this whole disastrous plan. Apparently Atsuhiro had also been promoted from brother to dad in whatever weird fantasy family she had concocted. "Because I am not a wanted fugitive for kidnapping a police officer." He stated before he glared at Atsuhiro. "I told you going through the front door was a bad idea."
He grinned, shrugging. "It was about time my face was revealed to my adoring public." He held the water out and Naomasa took it, taking a sip before he put the lid back on.
"It is a nice face." Naomasa agreed and Himiko gagged dramatically. "Anyways- why in the world did you only tell me your parents were pros because of all this?"
She shrugged. "I thought you knew. Not my fault the commission are all a bunch of meanies who acted like I didn't exist. Now, let me read." She grumbled before she found the earbuds they had gotten her, jamming them into her ears.
Naomasa sighed and Atsuhiro's hand found his. His bare skin was warm on Naomasa's hand. "Hey. We'll get through this and get you back to your life. I know you worked hard for it."
"I did." Naomasa agreed before he sighed. "It's fine. Actually- it's better than fine. I'm finally not stressed about everything needing to be perfect."
Atsuhiro chuckled, squeezing his hand. "Good." He said simply and Naomasa nodded, glancing out the window of the old beat up car they had gotten. They had landed in Canada an hour ago and where they were headed, Naomasa didn't exactly know. He didn't mind that though.
Strangely, despite all he had worked for. This was the happiest he had been in awhile.