Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Himiko sat on her bed staring at her hands, idly extending and retracting her claws as her mind wandered. It was strange to think there was a whole part of her quirk, part of herself, she hadn’t known about just two weeks ago. 

She was a heteromorph, a cat heteromorph specifically. 

There had been a time, when Himiko was a child, that she suspected it. Her cat-like eyes and fangs were enough to make any kid curious. She had been no different.

One day, before the rest of her quirk manifested, Himiko decided to ask her parents. They denied it immediately, scolding her for even thinking that she was, in her mother’s words, an animal. The memory made something twist in her gut. Her mother sounded so disgusted by the idea that little Himiko nodded along and pushed her questions into the far corner of her mind to be forgotten. 

She didn’t ask again after that. 

Perhaps her mother truly believed that her daughter wasn’t a heteromorph. After all, Himiko had gotten this part of her quirk from her father who had eyes just like her. At least that was her guess. His teeth had always been sensitive, as though he’d had fangs like her but filed them down. Then there were the scars on his fingers and the pain that accompanied them. It wasn’t something she questioned as a kid, but looking back the truth was pretty obvious. 

Her father had himself declawed.

There was no way he hadn’t seen the signs that his daughter was a heteromorph just like him. He knew, but he kept it a secret anyways. 

If it hadn’t been for Keigo, Himiko might have never learned the truth. After leaving the HPSC and joining  the league officially, Tenko had put the man in charge of training everyone. They had to get ready to break Kurogiri out of Tartarus.

In the heat of her first training session, the claws just sort of happened. She didn’t remember much about it. One moment she was in the heat of the chase, the hunt, the next it was over and a set of retractable claws decorated her fingertips. Himiko wanted to be excited. She wanted to love and embrace this new part of herself, but her parents’ shame and disapproval still lurked in the back of her mind.

This sucks, she thought. I almost miss the brain fog. 

As it turned out, many of the foods that are toxic for animals have the same effect on some heteromorphs. It wasn’t something Himiko had known until Spinner brought it up over dinner one night, but it made sense. Then Spinner mentioned that onions made him anemic. 

It didn’t take long for someone to realize that Himiko’s blood lust was a result of anemia due to poor nutrition.  

Ever since they changed her diet, Himiko could think clearly. She could be around people without the sound of their heart beats or smell of their blood becoming completely overwhelming. Before, her thoughts had been more like feelings or instincts; they didn’t have words unless she concentrated or spoke them aloud. Now though, Toga had a whole inner monologue.

It was great. Except all the wordless thoughts and feelings had a voice, and it seemed intent on making up for lost time. 

Most of the time she thought about her parents. 

They were dead now. Himiko was happy about that. She truly was… but she also felt something else, something she couldn’t quite put into words.

It had all started when Dabi brought a mysterious woman going by the name Yuki-onna to the league. He claimed she just needed a place to stay under the radar for a little while. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, so it wasn’t a surprise to find out they were related. It was a surprise when they finally found out that she was none other than Rei Todoroki. 

Himiko didn’t care though. Yuki was kind, and when Himiko told her about her blood cravings Yuki didn’t turn away in disgust. When she told her about her partners, Yuki just wrapped her in a warm hug and apologized that the world had been so cruel to her. She promised that she wouldn’t let Himiko’s parents hurt her ever again. 

It was the next morning that the murder of her parents made the headlines. Her parents had been frozen to death before the house was torched by Dabi with the two of them still inside. The memory of it still made her feel warm and loved. No one had gone out of their way like that for her other than the League of Villains.

Himiko was glad they were gone, but somehow she felt sad about it too.

I wonder if my parents ever felt sorry for what they did to me, even if it was right before they died.

Dabi and Yuki never told her what her parents’ last words had been. At least, she didn’t remember if they did. A lot of Himiko’s memories from before her diet change were a little hazy. 

It didn’t matter though. Even if they did regret it, they were dead now and the dead can’t repent.

It doesn’t matter, Himiko. She tried to tell herself. They’re dead. It doesn’t matter if they were guilty.

But it did. 

Himiko flopped back on her bed with a sigh as different versions of her parents’ final moments passed through her mind.

In some they cursed her name until the bitter end. In others though, they insisted that they’d somehow done everything out of love.

That’s not what real love is like. 

Himiko knew that now, but a part of her still hoped her parents had said something like that before they died. She wasn’t quite sure why.

Thinking like this wasn’t doing her any good.

Slowly, she pulled herself out of bed and brushed herself off. Himiko had to know. Even though it had been months. Even if she’d been told before. Himiko needed someone to tell her again. To tell her what her parents said before they died. To tell her that maybe, at some point, they had cared. 

Dabi slept like shit last night. He’d dragged himself out of bed at Keigo’s insistence to grab some breakfast. His boyfriend might be hanging out downstairs, but Dabi still felt dead to the world, so he was going back to fucking bed and no one could stop him.

He’d almost made it back to their apartment when he felt a hand on his wrist. Ready to tell whoever it was to fuck off, Dabi turned around and saw Toga.

Normally, he had no problem telling the brat to leave him alone, but he could tell something was wrong. She looked serious for once, not a hint of playfulness in her expression. If anything, Toga seemed nervous.

God help me, I did not sleep enough for whatever is about to happen.

After a beat of silence Toga finally spoke. “Did my parents say anything before they died?”

Fuck.

There had been a time when Dabi had expected this question, back in the weeks following the deaths of Toga’s parents. He’d actually put a lot of thought into how he’d respond. Because despite being an unapologetic asshole, he had a soft spot for the blond brat.

It had been months since then, and the answer he’d so carefully crafted was lost to him in his exhaustion. 

God damnit.

Dabi let out a long sigh and leaned against the wall, resigned to at least hear the brat out. “Why do you want to know all of a sudden?” 

And why do you look so scared?

“It doesn’t matter,” Toga pushed, shaking head. “I just need to know. Please.”

Dabi didn’t have the energy to unpack whatever was causing the urgency in her voice. Instead he looked away for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts before leaning down to look  her in the eye.

“Listen, I’m fucking exhausted,” Dabi said. “I can give you the short version if you want, but it’ll probably be shit and upsetting because I’m tired and your parents are assholes. If you wait and until I get some more sleep, I can tell you later and actually do a half decent job of it.”

Toga looked at him for a long time before turning her gaze to the floor. “…Okay, I’ll wait then.” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

That wasn’t the response he’d been expecting. Why bother waiting when she could go downstairs and ask Rei instead. After all, his mom was arguably more involved in the whole killing parent murder thing. Dabi had thought Toga caught him by coincidence on her way to ask Rei, but this implied that Toga had sought him out. That she wanted to hear it from Dabi, not his mom. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. 

Okay well, fuck dealing with that right now. Sleep first, emotions later. 

Dabi pulled himself from his thoughts and began formulating a plan. “Okay, how about we talk tonight then.”

Toga’s face brightened. “You’re the best Dabi, thank you so much!” 

“You’re welcome and all that jazz,” Dabi sighed as a twinge of guilt curled in his gut.

She sure is excited to hear something that will probably break her heart… This is gonna fucking suck.

Dabi shook his head.

Focus. Sleep first, emotions later.

“Alright, how about this” he continued, pulling out his phone. “I’ll text Keigo to let him know you’ve got permission to come into our apartment and wake me up if I’m still asleep by 11pm tonight. That work for you?”

“Yep, sounds great!” Toga agreed with a smile that looked just a bit forced. 

“Alright, I’m gonna get some fucking sleep then,” he said, turning to head back to his apartment.

Toga’s slow steps echoed down the hall as Dabi finally reached his and Keigo’s apartment. He paused. It would be so easy to open the door and go straight to bed. It sounded fucking fantastic in fact, but he turned around instead.

“Hey Toga,” he called.

She stopped, turning on her heel to face him again.

”Don’t just… Fucking sit in your room all day stressing about this shit,” he continued. “I get that you don’t want to tell me what brought this on, but it’s clearly bothering you. So, just talk to someone or something. We’ve all been fucked over and hurt by people, and we’ve all got our own ways of dealing with it. Maybe someone will have some words of wisdom for you or something.”

With that Dabi turned open the door to his apartment to go to bed. 

At least, he was going to do that.

He only got two steps into his apartment before Toga almost knocked him over as she tackled him into a hug.

“Oh, Dabi,” she teased. “You do care.”

Normally he would protest and fight off the little gremlin, but it was nice to hear Toga sound more like herself. Not that Dabi would ever admit that. If anyone ever asked, he’d claim he was just too tired to bother.

Toga released him soon after and left the apartment, closing the door behind her. 

With that Dabi was finally free to get some rest. Though as he crawled into bed, a thought crossed his mind. With a groan, he pulled out his phone, typed out a quick message to Keigo, and tossed it aside.

Then, at long last, Dabi surrendered himself to the sweet oblivion of sleep.

From: Touya 

8:37 AM

twll the trst of the vastards that ill ash em if thryr diks to togga tday 

It took Keigo a moment to decipher his boyfriend's message. He couldn’t help but chuckle. For all of Touya’s posturing, he really did care about the girl. 

Keigo finished the last of his breakfast and glanced at Rei across the table.

“Dabi is asking everyone to be nice to Himiko today,” he said.

Rei’s brow furrowed in concern. “Did he say why?” 

Keigo shook his head. “No, but he mentioned that he and Himiko are going to talk about something when he wakes up. He never said what it was though.”

”Hm…” Rei leaned back in her chair, pausing thoughtfully. “Do you think anyone would mind me taking over cooking dinner tonight? I could try and make one of her favorites, though I’m not sure we have all the ingredients.”

Keigo chuckled, “If anything, Tenko would love to hear he’s been relieved of cooking duty.” 

 “You’re absolutely right,” Rei laughed along with him.

“I bet Twice would be happy to grab some stuff from the store if you end up needing anything. If not him then someone else can,” he said before hastily adding, “Not that you can’t go yourself of course.”

“I know Keigo,” she assured him. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.”

After clearing away his dishes, Keigo headed off to give a… less censored version of Touya’s message to the rest of the league. 

Chapter Text

Himiko hadn’t known there was a term for that kind of pain she felt until she joined the League of Villains. 

She still remembered how Kurogiri sat her down and took the time to explain what trauma was. Himiko also remembered how sad he looked when she asked if, after everything with her parents and on the streets, she was traumatized too. 

“I can’t say for certain, but I imagine so Himiko,” he had said. Then he leaned down and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Either way, that does not mean you are broken. It means you were strong enough to survive a terrible thing, and that is admirable.”

Himiko practically launched herself across the bar and wrapped him in a tight hug. No one had praised her like that in a long time. 

She smiled at the memory.

Learning about trauma had felt like the last piece of a puzzle finally falling into place. At long last, Himiko had a word to describe the pain her childhood left her with.

It had been around that time that the league started playing Top that Trauma together. It was a simple game. Someone would share a terrible memory of theirs, then they would challenge someone to top it with a story of their own. Everyone else would vote on the winner, then whoever lost had to take a drink. Even if she was banned from having any alcohol, the light hearted competition made talking about things easier. Even if it was  game, hearing everyone’s stories made her feel more normal. 

Talking to the rest of the league almost always made her feel better. Even if Himiko was still sad, she'd at least feel better than she did before. Dabi was right, talking with the rest of the league would be better than sulking in her room all day. The only thing that made her hesitate was the way he'd implied she should talk about what’s been bothering her. 

The idea scared her. Himiko didn’t like talking about this sort of thing outside of their games. It was so much harder to know what was okay to say without that structure. With Top that Trauma, there were ground rules to make sure no one got uncomfortable or upset. Everyone knew the kind of conversations they were signing up for. It was a totally different thing to spring that on someone.

Well, I guess I already did that to Dabi. 

Himiko frowned. She hadn’t put much thought into her conversation with him. It had been more of an impulse than any sort of plan, and she hadn’t even stopped to think about the fact that Dabi was never awake in the mornings if he could help it. 

No wonder he was so tired… I’ll have to apologise to him later.

If Himiko was going to follow Dabi’s advice and talk to everyone about what had been bothering her, she was going to need a plan. They might not be playing Top that Trauma, but if she set some similar ground rules, maybe she could avoid upsetting anyone. 

Himiko needed to come up with a plan.

After rummaging around in her nightstand, she finally found what she was looking for. It was a pale pink notebook with a cute cat on the cover and a glittery pink pen. She flipped to the first blank page and started brainstorming.

Keigo made his way to the bar, following the sounds of bickering and an up beat video game soundtrack.

Well at least I know where Tenko and Spinner are. 

He chuckled imagining how their leader was going to react to Touya’s message. Hopefully the rest of the league would be with them. It would make his job a whole lot easier. 

Peering through the entry way he found three members settled comfortably in the common area. Mr. Compress was perched on one of the bar stools engrossed in a book, seemingly unbothered by the noise. Spinner and Tenko sat on the floor, crowded around the TV despite the couch a few feet behind them. 

Damn. I guess that I’ll still have to track down Twice and Shouto after this.

Both Spinner and Tenko didn’t notice as Keigo strolled into the room, too caught up in playing some game he didn’t recognise. Compress, however, looked up from his book and offered him a friendly wave.

With a sigh Keigo began, “Hey gu-”

“Fuck!”

Keigo’s eyes darted back over to Tenko who had twisted around to glare as a game over screen flashed on the TV behind him. 

“You just ruined my best run on this level, asshole,” the man growled. “I was finally going to beat Shuichi’s high score.”

“Sucks to suck Tenko,” Spinner said between barely contained giggles. 

“Shut up,” Tenko scoffed, then turned back to Keigo. “This better be worth it.”

“Right,” Keigo replied, barely suppressing his own amusement. “Dabi asked me to pass along a message before he went back to bed.”

He paused for a moment considering how best to translate Touya’s half-asleep text.

“Well don’t keep us in suspense my dear boy.” Compress leaned forward, listening intently. 

Tenko on the other hand raised an irritated eyebrow, clearly growing impatient. There had been a time when Keigo might have become nervous at the sight, but not any more. The league had become the family he never had, and he could see Tenko’s expression for what it was: mild annoyance not a thinly veiled threat of violence. 

“Dabi said he’d burn the shit out of anyone who’s a dick to Himiko today,” Keigo said with a wry smile. 

There was a moment of silence.

Tenko’s eyes narrowed. “Is that it?”

“Yup.”

“Did he say why?” Spinner asked.

“Nope.”

“Unfortunate,” Mr. Compress sighed and returned to his book. “But very well, his request has been noted.”

“That bastard can go fuck himself,” Tenko grumbled.

“What?” Spinner gave him a playful nudge. “Were you planning to be mean to Toga today?”

“Of course not! I’m not a fucking monster,” Tenko gasped in mock offense.

Their bickering continued as Keigo left the room with a smile on his face.

Time to track down the rest of them. 

This was much harder than Himiko expected. She’d already filled five whole pages trying to sort out her thoughts, and if anything they felt messier than they were before. It was like her emotions were a big tangled ball of yarn, and Himiko didn’t know how to begin unraveling it. 

She turned the page and kept trying anyway.

weird knots in my feelings yarn 

1. im glad mom and dad are dead… but theres other stuff too and its confusing - how am i supposed to feel? <- ask how other people feel about stuff like that?

• how does dabi think he’ll feel after endeavor (finally) dies? I dont know if i wanna ask yuki or shouto…

• i could ask keigo about getting revenge on the hpsc too i guess

• what about revenge in general… there are a lot of ways to get revenge

• does that mean prison is just revenge but for heros? 

• do people (heros?) feel better when villains die? - is that why killing us is “okay”  >:C

2. being a heteromorph - i dont want to be ashamed like my dad (even if its hard… i wanna try to love myself like big sis magne taught me)

• its not obvious im a heteromorph - i want to try to somehow make people see that somehow… (is there stuff like that? like how theres lgbt pride pins or something??? is it okay that i wanna have that?)

• i wanna make sure it wont bother shuichi and keigo though - i can hide that im a heteromorph but keigo was forced to and shuichi just cant…  is it rude for me to show it off when they never had a choice?

• do some research first THEN ask spinner and keigo how they feel

3. who am I??? 

• i feel so different without my blood cravings… im still not sure who i am without them

4. do my parents last words really matter? would it really feel better if my parents loved me?  

• my parents once told me that everything they did was out of love too. it hurt me. they knew it, but they promised it was because they loved me 

but love shouldn’t hurt… how could they call that love

…but i used to stab the people I love whenever I felt like it (now I ask first)

getting stabbed hurts a lot 

does that mean i was just like them? 

Himiko didn’t process the question until the words stared back at her, an accusation written in the bold glittery pink of her favorite pen. The irony of the question wasn’t lost on her. Day in and day out, Himiko’s parents would remind her that the way she loved was wrong. It hurt people so it was bad. Yet for some reason theirs was okay, even though it hurt her. Himiko didn’t find that thought as comforting as she’d hoped she would. 

There are few things more awkward than opening the door just before someone was about to knock. At best, it resulted in profuse apologies and at worst it ended with an accidental punch in the face. 

Sometimes though, there was an odd middle ground. That was the outcome Jin hated the most. So, obviously that’s what happens when he swung open the door to find Keigo standing there, fist raised to knock and everything.

Neither of them moved. They didn’t say anything either. They just stared at each other.

The moment lasted just a beat longer than was comfortable.

“Shit sorry,” Keigo stepped back, allowing Jin out of the room. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Dont worry about it,” Jin assured him. “I’ll never forgive you."

“Are you busy?” The other man asked unperturbed. “Dabi wanted me to pass along a message.”

Jin shook his head only to have his stomach protest, yearning for breakfast. 

“I won’t keep you long then,” Keigo said with a chuckle. “He didn’t say why but Dabi just wants everyone to be nice to Himiko today… or he’ll burn them.”

“Huh.”

That was concerning. 

Not the threat, Dabi threatened to burn people all the time. He meant it too. The only person he never followed through with was Himiko. She could pester him all she wanted without so much as a spark being sent her way. Even so, Dabi was practically allergic to overt displays of affection like this. 

It must be serious if it made Dabi drop the tough guy act.

“I’ll make sure to check on her after I get some breakfast,” Jin said, turning toward the kitchen. “Fuck that, she can take care of herself.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” Keigo called as the man hurried off.

Himiko still didn’t feel quite right but she’d finally calmed down enough to get back to writing. Just as she was about to put pen to paper she heard a knock at the door.

“Himiko are you in there?” Jin called from the hallway. “Stop hiding you coward.”

She leapt off her bed and bounded over to the door. This was perfect. Jin gave the best hugs, except for maybe Yuki’s but it didn’t feel right to compare the two. Yuki gave mom hugs and mom hugs belonged in a category of their own.

Himiko didn’t want a mom hug right now anyway.

She opened the door and tackled Jin. He was saying something, but Himiko could barely hear it over the purr rumbling in her throat as Jin returned the embrace.

“Morning Jin!” She chirped when she finally pulled away.

“Good morning Himiko,” he chucked. “Clingy brat.”

She didn’t give him a chance to say more before she dragged him into her room. Sorting out how to talk about all this messy feelings stuff on her own was hard. It was time to enlist outside help. Hopefully Jin didn’t have any other plans for the morning.  

“Hey Jin,” she started after closing the door behind them. “Could I have your help with something?”

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation. “Absolutely not.”

Himiko grinned and launched into the story of everything that happened this morning. Once she started talking it was hard to stop, all her messy yarn feelings were still chomping at the bit to get out of her system. The whole time Jin sat and listened patiently, quietly waiting until she was finished. Eventually the flow of words finally slowed to a trickle as she explained her fear of being like her parents. 

Next thing she knew, Himiko was enveloped in another warm hug. 

“If you ask me you’re nothing like your parents,” Jin began. “You have their genetics though, can’t escape that shit.”

“What makes you so sure?” Himiko asked. “You’ve never met them.”

"I don’t need to, you’ve told us enough,” he replied. “Actually your parents and I go way back.”

Before Himiko could press further, Jin began to explain. “When Kurogiri explained that you should get consent before stabbing someone, you tried your best to start asking first, right? Unless they’re assholes, you should stab those guys no questions asked.”

“…Yeah I did.” Himiko replied unsure of where Jin was going with this.

“What made you listen to him?” Jin asked. “Kurogiri’s full of shit, why bother?”  

The answer didn't come easily. Himiko pulled herself out of the hug and leaned back on her bed as she considered her answer.

“I think it’s because I didn’t like that it would make you guys mad or scared when I stabbed one of you without warning,” she replied. “But when I got permission first it didn’t seem to make anyone feel bad anymore. Sometimes you guys would smile cause you know I only stab people I love a whole lot.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jin said with a grin. “Wow I had no idea.”

“Why does that matter though?” Himiko asked.

“You’re willing to change your behavior for the people you care about,” he explained. “Your parents had the chance to do the same but they chose not to. You couldn’t be more different from them if you tried. Stop being such a depressing brat.”

Oh… I didn’t think of that.

A whirlwind of emotions welled up within her, but strongest amongst them was a warm glow of affection. 

Himiko’s lips stretched into a lopsided grin. “Thanks Jin.”

“Of course that’s what I’m here for,” he replied. “I’m not here for jack shit.”

As she basked in the moment, Himiko was struck by the feeling that she was forgetting something.

“Oh my gosh,” she nearly shouted as she lunged for her notebook. “I never said what I need your help with.”

Jin nearly fell out of his chair, startled at the sudden outburst. “…No I guess not,” he admitted. “Would it kill you to keep your voice down?”

“I know I have stuff I want to talk about with everyone, but it’s all jumbled together. Whenever I try to make sense of it, everything just gets all tangled up again,” Himiko explained. “I was hoping you could help me sort through it.”

“Alright,” Jin said, slinging his arm over her shoulder. “Let’s do this thing. God this is such a pain.”

There was one last person Keigo needed to track down, Shouto Todoroki. The boy was still getting used to staying with the league so he spent most of his time holed up in his room. While he had come here voluntarily, Shouto made it clear that he had no intentions of joining the League of Villains. Their hideout was just a convenient way to get away from the dumpster fire that was Enji Todoroki. 

 No one doubted Shouto’s hatred for the man. After all, the first thing the boy had done when he arrived at the hide out was shave off all his red hair. However, some of the league’s other members were convinced that it was only a matter of time before Shouto joined them in some capacity. If nothing else, becoming a temporary member so he could assist with the take down of his father.

In fact, Tenko and some of the others had an ongoing bet about how long it would take before Shouto changed his mind. Keigo hadn’t joined in. As much as he was ashamed to admit it, Keigo hadn’t refused the bet out of respect for Shouto’s decisions. He just didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Rei’s ire when found out about the betting pool.

Technically, there was a bit more to it than that. 

Keigo had a hard time getting a read on the boy. At first Keigo thought his time with Touya would give him a leg up on understanding the boy, but he couldn’t be more wrong.

Touya tended to hide his emotions behind a guise of annoyance and apathy, Shouto on the other hand didn’t express much of anything at all. According to Rei, Shouto had never been the most expressive kid, but he still showed emotion in his own way. Things only changed once he started training with Endeavor. 

As if Keigo needed more reasons to hate his former idol. 

Keigo shook the thoughts from his head and gave Shouto’s door a quick knock.

Shouto was quick to answer his door, regarding him with a blank stare.  “Oh, hello Keigo,” the boy greeted, “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Hey there kid,” Keigo said with a smile. “How’s it going?”

“It’s fine.” 

He waited, but the boy didn’t elaborate.

“Well, that's good,” he replied, cutting through the silence before it could turn awkward. Keigo was not about to have a repeat of that weird staring contest with Twice.  “Anyways, I’ve got a message from your brother.”

“Oh,” Shouto said, his brows furrowed ever so slightly. “Does he need something?” 

“I suppose you could say that,” Keigo agreed. “He’s asking everyone to be nice to Himiko today.”

The boy tilted his head, mulling over the request. “I can do that.”

“Just so you know, you don’t have to interact with her. I can do my best to make sure Himiko doesn’t bother you,” Keigo offered. 

Much to his surprise, Shouto shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Himiko and I had a bonding moment.”

When did that happen? Keigo wondered. I guess he's settling in quicker than I thought.

“Alright then,” the man conceded. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

“Is that all?” Shouto asked.

“Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.” Shouto said before shutting his door again.

That went better than I expected.

Keigo let out a sigh as he wandered back down the hallway, his duty finally done.

Much to Himiko’s relief, things went a lot smoother once she had Jin’s help. They’d settled on an outline of who would be best to talk with and about what. Jin even agreed to be on standby with emergency hugs. She was really lucky to have a friend like him. 

After taking care of everything else, Jin had recommended that they come up with some ground rules for her talks with everyone. It was a good idea. The last thing Himiko wanted was to accidentally upset her friends. 

A few scrapped attempts later, Himiko and Jin gazed down at their work.

ground rules so i dont hurt my friends!!!!!!

• they dont have to say anything they dont want to 

• they can stop at any time 

• let me know if I do or say something to upset them

• warn them that this might be a little sad maybe???

“These are just the rules for Top that Trauma,” Himiko observed.

“There isn’t anything about taking shots, so technically it’s not the same,” Jin pointed out. “It’s exactly the same. We should be more creative.”

“I guess you’re right,” Himiko agreed with a laugh. After a pause she turned to him and said, “Thanks for all your help. I’m really glad I have a friend like you.”Once again she found herself wrapped in one of Jin’s hugs. “Any time, Himiko. I’m never doing this again.”

Chapter Text

Himiko was comforted by the familiar sounds that greeted her as she approached the living room. She recognized the fast paced soundtrack from the game Tenko was playing the night before. He’d been dead set on beating Spinner’s high score before going to bed. But if their daring leader was up this early, he must not have succeeded. As she drew closer, she could pick out Spinner’s quiet teasing lingering amongst the other noise. The two of them were together almost constantly these days. 

It wasn’t until she was just outside the living room that another, much quieter, sound caught her attention. The faint russel of the pages of a book. As she peered through the entryway, her suspicions were confirmed. Compress sat in his usual spot by the bar, with his nose buried in a book, and his mask resting on the counter beside him. 

Perfect.

Himiko wasted no time approaching her target and giving him a polite little tap on the shoulder. 

Compress glanced up from his reading. “Why hello there Toga, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

This is it. It’s now or never Himiko.

“I was hoping to ask you about some stuff,” she admitted, clutching her notebook in front of her chest. “Is that okay?” 

“Of course,” he said as he beckoned for her to take a seat. “Ask me anything you like.”

The man’s eyes gleamed with curiosity, but he was kind enough not to pry about her sudden shyness.

She settled on the barstool next to Compress and looked him dead in the eye. “You like being petty right?”

His usual composure faltered at the question. Himiko wasn’t sure what Mr. Compress had been expecting, but that wasn’t it.  

“Why yes, I suppose I do.” He recovered quickly, baffled stare melting into a calm self-satisfied smirk. “I’d even go as far as to say I’ve become an expert in the art of petty revenge.”

Himiko's eyes brightened. ”So pettiness is a type of revenge?”

“Indeed it is,” he agreed. “That said, it requires careful planning and a bit of flair if you want to do it right.”

“What makes you like it so much?” She asked, tilting her head. “There isn’t even any blood.”

“I suppose that I find it more satisfying than the league’s usual methods,” Compress began. “For instance, it’s easy to stab someone, and a knife wound is certainly painful. However it lacks any inherent meaning.”

Himiko wanted to argue otherwise. To her, stabbing always meant something. Whether it was done out of love or fury, Himiko never made someone bleed without reason. She supposed most people weren’t like that though, so she kept quiet. 

“Pettiness on the other hand, is defined by intent,” Compress continued. “All plans should be tailored to who wronged you and why they’ve earned your ire. Every choice must be made to maximize the drama and their suffering.”

Wow… Compress is really passionate about this.

“In my humble opinion,” he went on. “True pettiness requires the same level of skill, finesse, and showmanship as any good performance." 

Himiko nodded thoughtfully.

It sort of made sense.

The man cared more about putting on a show than he did violence. If there was an audience and violence was the only way to get his point across, he would gladly indulge with the rest of them. Everything he did was about making an impression, so it made sense that something as common as violence didn’t hold much appeal for him. 

While she understood it in theory, Himiko found it hard to imagine getting the same sense of satisfaction from pettiness as she did from outright violence. 

Try as she might, she just couldn’t picture it.  

“Would you like an example?” Compress offered, having sensed her confusion. “If nothing else, it’s quite an amusing story.”

“Yeah, that would be nice,” she agreed.

The grin on the man’s face and the gleam in his eye was unmistakable. Compress leapt at any chance to put on a good show, and telling stories was no different. That’s what made it so fun. Himiko loved the dramatic retellings of his former exploits.

“It began late one night, a few months before Yuki joined our ranks,” Compress began as he rose from his chair. “I was lingering at the bar a bit later than usual.”

As he spoke, Compress made his way to the open space between the bar and living area, the perfect stage for his performance.

“All of the sudden, the door slammed open,” Compress continued, snapping his gaze to the door.

He paused, the suspense mounting, Himiko grew tense in her seat, certain the door could be flung open any second.

Nothing happened. 

“Thankfully the base wasn’t being raided,” Compress said with an exaggerated sigh of relief. “It was Dabi returning from a late night meeting with Keigo.”

All the faux tension drained from his body as his posture shifted into a slouch. Compress shoved his hands into his pockets as his expression twisted into a scowl.

Oh my god. Please tell me he’s about to do a Dabi impression. 

Himiko was not disappointed.

“What the fuck are you doing here Compress?” He growled, his voice low and scratchy. 

It sounded nothing like Dabi, and somehow that made it even better. Himiko nearly fell off her chair in a fit of laughter. 

Once she’d caught her breath, Compress continued, returning to his usual stance. “I politely explained that I was just having a late night drink. To my shock, the man claimed I was lying. Can you believe that?”

Absolutely, Himiko thought. You wanted to know if you’d won the league’s betting pool for when Keigo and Dabi would get together. 

“I was ready to be the bigger person,” he said, ignorant of Himiko’s judgement. “After all, he was clearly in a foul mood, so I pushed the accusation aside. He may have been terribly rude, but couldn’t ignore a dear comrade's distress. Naturally, I inquired about what had upset him so greatly.”  

This was definitely about the bet.

Himiko shot him a knowing look.

“Et tu Toga?” Compress gasped. “How could you? I was merely showing concern for a valued colleague.” 

A snort came from across the room.

“Sure,” Tenko mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “And Eraserhead just agreed to join the League of- oh fuck.” 

She and Compress turned just in time to see the game over screen flash across the TV. Himiko was so wrapped up in the story, she’d completely forgotten about Spinner and Tenko and.

“Damn it. I was so close,” Tenko groaned, face buried in his hands.  “How could I let this happen again?”

“Well you can’t blame someone else for it this time,” Spinner chided. “You distracted yourself.” 

“I can and will,” He shot back and pointed to Compress. “I blame you for this.”

Compress looked absolutely scandalized at the allegation. “You wound me Tenko.”

As the conversation devolved into bickering, Himiko noticed something strange.

Why is the TV quiet all of the sudden? She wondered. It was pretty loud when I got here. 

It doesn’t make sense for them to lower the volume. If anything, they should have turned it up to drown out our conversation. Unless…

A sly grin stretched across her face as she locked eyes with Tenko. “I wonder what Yuki would think if she found out the two of you were eavesdropping."

His eyes went wide and face turned pale. Even the most wanted villain in Japan couldn’t bear to be the subject of Yuki’s motherly disapproval. 

“Fucking fine,” he grumbled, making a show of turning up the volume. Reluctantly he added, “I’m sorry for eavesdropping.” 

Tenko shot a glare at Spinner, who’d remained suspiciously silent through the whole exchange.  

The man let out a tired sigh and bowed his head. “Uh, yeah, sorry about that.”

“Oh, it’s fine!” Himiko giggled.

She jogged over and slung an arm over each of their shoulders. “I was just teasing you guys. No need to take things so seriously, Tenten.”

Tenko frowned but didn’t pull away. He didn’t even complain about the cutesy nickname.

That’s weird, she thought. He usually hates that. 

“As I was saying,” Compress pulled her attention back to his story. “Dabi failed appreciate my attempt at being supportive teammate, but I was undeterred.”

“Yeah, and how did that go?”  Tenko teased from beside her.

With a mournful sigh, Compress collapsed onto one of the chairs like the very thought made him feel faint.  “…He burned my favorite coat.”

“That sounds about right.”

“It was cruel and unwarranted.” Compress shot back as he got to his feet. “He left without so much as an apology.”

Even if the teasing was justified, Himiko couldn’t help feeling a little bad for him. After years on the streets with next to nothing, everything she owned was precious to her. If someone destroyed her favorite cardigan, Himiko would be heartbroken. Compress wasn't attached to his things like she was, but he was meticulous about his appearance. The loss of his coat probably bothered him more than he let on. 

“So, what happened next?” Himiko asked as she scurried back to her seat at the bar. 

“Well my dear, once he left I knew exactly what I had to do,” Compress said with a sly smile.

“Be a petty bitch?” Tenko cut in.

Compress glared, brow twitching with irritation. “I don’t believe I asked for input from the peanut gallery.”

“Too bad.”

Himiko spared a quick glance at the pair behind Compress. They’d switched to playing that cute farming game again. 

She couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

After months of pining, that game was how they finally got together. Himiko had to pester Spinner for the better part of a day to convince him to tell her the story.

Instead of asking him out directly, Spinner gave Tenko’s character some flowers in the game. It confused her at first, but then Spinner explained that exchanging flowers was the farming game equivalent of a love confession. Himiko had squealed so hard Spinner swore she’d ruptured his eardrums. 

“I apologize for their rudeness,” Compress said with a bow. “Now where was I?”

“You were about to be super petty?” Himiko offered, praying she didn’t miss anything while she was distracted.

“Exactly,” Compress replied with a nod of approval. “After many years of experience, it didn’t take long for me to form a plan.”

“What did you do?” She asked, leaning forward in her seat.

“I am so very glad you asked.” Mr. Compress’s expression turned positively devious. “Do you remember when I marbled all but one of Dabi’s socks?”

Himiko nodded. 

How could she forget about the infamous sock incident? There were still scorch marks in the laundry room from their final showdown. 

“Well,” Compress continued, “I found something interesting while I was digging through his dresser. Dabi never struck me as the sentimental type, but buried underneath his socks was the coat he wore when he first joined the league.”

“Oh I remember that,” Himiko chirped. “It’s black, like the one he has now, but it has long sleeves and is super ratty.”

“Indeed it is,” he agreed. “More importantly, that coat doesn't have his temperature regulators. Taking Dabi’s support items would have crossed the line, but an old jacket he kept because he felt sentimental? That was fair game.”

This was what Himiko loved about the league. For all their bickering, no one wanted to seriously hurt each other. Compress was trying to avenge his coat, but he wasn’t going to deprive Dabi of his support items in the process. They still cared about each other, they’d deny it til the end but they were both big fat liars. 

Mr. Compress removed his jacket with a flourish and continued with the story. “Once I retrieved Dabi’s coat I brought it to the kitchen to enact my plan.”  

Using his own coat as a prop, Compress reenacted the events of that night. “First, I got it soaking wet in the sink. Next, I made sure to fold it nice and neat. After all, I’m nothing if not a gentleman.” 

Wait a second, Himiko realized with a start. I know where this is going.

Himiko hummed to herself as she skipped down the hallway. Everyone in the league was off doing their own thing, which meant there was no one to get in the way of her mission - obtain ice cream.

With Kurogiri gone, everyone else seemed intent on playing the role of “responsible guardians” until they got him back. That’s what they told her at least. Himiko would argue that it was pretty irresponsible of them to let her join an organization of Japan’s most wanted villains. 

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to convince them to let her have ice cream in the middle of the afternoon. They didn’t want her to spoil her dinner or something stupid like that. 

You’d think a bunch of criminals wouldn’t care about stuff like that.

But so long as the coast was clear, no one could sto-

Why do I hear someone using a hairdryer in the kitchen?

Ice cream forgotten, Himiko crept over to the door. She doubted it would be the weirdest thing she’d seen in the league’s kitchen, but it was certainly enough to catch her interest. Ever so slowly, Himiko pushed the door open and peered into the room.

There Dabi stood in front of the freezer, seething as he pointed her hairdryer at the delicious treats held within. 

No… Not the ice cream.

Without a second to waste, Himiko burst into the room. The hairdryer clattered to the floor, Dabi startled by her sudden entrance.

“Shit Toga, you sca-”

Himiko didn't give Dabi the chance to finish, leaping over the counter and tackling him to the ground. 

“I don’t know what I did, but I’m so sorry,” she pleaded. “I promise I won’t ever do it again. Just please don’t melt my ice cream.”   

Dabi blinked up at her, dumb founded. “What?”

“You weren’t trying to melt my ice cream?” She asked, growing equally confused. 

“Why the hell would I do that?” Dabi shot back. “Toga, I have a fire quirk. Do you really think I’d waste my fucking time melting ice cream with a hairdryer?” 

“...No,” Himiko admitted, trying to hide her embarrassment.  

Sheepishly, she released Dabi from her grasp. With a sigh, stood up and sat on the counter beside them. 

“If that's not it, what are you trying to do?” She asked. 

Dabi didn’t answer. Instead he rummaged through his pockets until he found a crumpled piece of paper and shoved it her way. 

“Take a look at this.”

Dabi,

Greetings my treasured colleague, I believe you will be needing this. 

Warm regards,

Compress

P.S. There is something in the freezer that may be of interest to you. 

“I found that note and your hair dryer on top of me when I woke up this morning,” he explained. 

Yeah, that sounds like something Compress would do, she thought. It’s rude of him to use my hairdryer without asking though.

Himiko set the note on the counter and learned forward so she could get a better look inside the freezer. Her eyes widened when they fell on a familiar sight.

“Is that your old coat?” She gasped.

“I thought you'd recognize it,” Dabi chuckled. “After all, you steal it from my dresser pretty often don’t you?”

Himiko froze.

“How did- Wait it's not- I thought you wouldnt- I promis- “ she sputtered.

He’s not supposed to know about that. Why does he know about that?

“It’s okay,” Dabi said, cutting through her panic. “I’m not mad. It’s not like you’re pulling this kind of shit.”

He gestured to his coat. The surface had begun to thaw, but the thick layer of ice on bottom kept it stuck to the bottom of the freezer.

“Besides, you bring it back when you’re done,” he continued. “And I don’t use the damn thing anymore anyway. I just don’t get what you’d want with it.”

Himiko looked away and fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. 

“I like to wear it after I wake up from a nightmare. It… makes me feel safe,” she explained. “Especially the ones about living on the streets.”

When she finally built up the nerve to look Dabi in the eye, she saw his gaze soften. Neither of them talked about it much, but they met before joining the league.

He helped protect her from some creeps, but he didn’t ask for anything in return. They ran into each other a few more times like that, until one night she returned the favor. That night she realized that no matter how pretty he looked covered in blood, she didn’t want to see Dabi get hurt like that again. 

After that Himiko refused to leave his side, no matter how much he complained about it. Since running away from home, Dabi was the first man Himiko felt like she could trust. 

Ever since then the smell of smoke and undertone of burning flesh made her feel safe and protected. 

“In that case,” Dabi said, pulling Himiko from her thoughts. “Feel free to borrow it any time.”

Himiko broke into a wide grin.

They sat in silence for a while, Himiko quietly watching Dabi work her ice cream quest forgotten. Eventually, they began talking again. This time it was about silly things, like if Tenko would decay the water if he tried to swim. 

“Late in the afternoon the next day, Dabi came barging into my room holding up his sopping wet coat,” Compress said with a chuckle. “The look on his face was worth every second of the chaos that followed.”

Himiko gave him a round of applause as he took a low bow, signaling the end of his performance. 

“Thank you my dear,” Compress said as he slid back into his seat. “Was the example helpful?”

Himiko considered the question. Reflecting on the story, she could understand why Compress found pettiness so satisfying. It was about causing emotional pain. Freezing Dabi’s coat was not only a perfect mirror to how Compress’s was burned, it also took forever to thaw out. 

It seemed like it took a lot of thought and effort. Compress was right. Stabbing someone was easier, but she could see the appeal of making sure someone knew exactly what they had done.

“Yeah,” she said. “I think it makes sense now.”

Compress smiled at her. “I’m very glad to hear that my dear.”

Himiko turned away and stared at the bottles lining the shelves behind the bar. 

She wasn’t sure that getting petty revenge would make her feel better about everything with her parents. Then again, burning someone’s coat was very different from what they’d done to her. If she wanted to know for sure, she’d have to ask the rest of her questions. 

Himiko could feel Compress’s curious stare next to her. If she didn’t act now, he’d start asking questions anyway. 

With a shaky breath, she flipped her notebook open to the rules she'd written with Jin and passed it over to Mr. Compress.

“I have more questions,” she stated. “But you have to agree to these before I ask them.” 

Himiko watched Compress look it over, reading them to herself one more time just to be safe.

ground rules so i dont hurt my friends!!!!!!

• they dont have to say anything they dont want to 

• they can stop at any time 

• let me know if I do or say something to upset them

• warn them that this might be a little sad maybe???

“I believe I can abide by these terms,” Compress said as closed the book and passed it back to her. “Ask away my dear.”

I can do this. He agreed to the rules. Everything will be fine. Just ask him.

“What we did to Overhaul,” Himiko began, “was that also petty?” 

The instant Overhaul’s name left her mouth, Compress went tense. The casual confidence he carried with such ease drained away.

It was too much. Himiko should have known better. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid.

In the midst of her panic, she noticed the TV behind her steadily growing louder. She’d forgotten that Tenko and Spinner were here. 

I keep messing things up. Dabi was wrong. This was a terrible idea.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, surprised at the tremor in her voice. 

Just as Himiko gathered her things, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright my dear,” Compress assured her. “I was surprised by your question, that’s all.”

Himiko nodded. The man already agreed to the rules, which meant that if he really wanted to stop, he would say so. 

“Would it be okay if we continued this in my room instead?” She asked hesitantly.

If she was going to go through with this, Himiko wanted to be surrounded by all her plushies and soft blankets. They made everything easier. 

“Of course, lead the way my dear.”

Chapter Text

[ Oh no! A monster snuck up on your party. ]

[ Prepare for battle! ]

Shuichi groaned. Random encounters might be a staple of old school RPGs, but triggering one every three steps was ridiculous. 

He spared a glance over at Tenko who was on the other end of the couch engrossed in his own game. It was nice, spending time together like this. There wasn’t any pressure to talk, but they weren't ignoring each other either. Just existing in the same space was enough. 

With a smile, Shuichi turned back to his game. Two turns in, he got the enemies down to half health. His party was too, but that’s what healing spells were for.

[Morgana used Regeneration.]

[Your party is fully healed!]

A muffled shriek followed by a heavy thunk broke through the comfortable silence. 

Suichi shook his head and tried his best to ignore it. The league was always like this, causing chaos and bickering over the stupidest things like it was a matter of life or death. 

He used to hate it, but now it was just a part of living with their ragtag group of villains. It was almost comforting at times.

Almost.

[Yoite used Deathbound.]

[Two enemies have fallen! Only one remains.] 

The voices grew louder accompanied by two pairs of footsteps marching down the stairs. 

“Let me go already!” Toga shouted.

“Not a chance Gremlin.”

Dread curled in his gut as they drew closer. Shuichi’s instincts were screaming at him to make a break for it while he had a chance. They were never wrong, but he didn’t want to leave. Tenko asked to hang out together and his stupid lovesick heart couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning him.

[Yuta used Cursed Blade.]

[Your enemy is low on health, just a little more!]

Maybe, just maybe, it would be fine. Toga and Dabi would walk right past the living room and continue their argument elsewhere. 

It was unlikely, but Shuichi allowed himself to hope. 

[Nagito used Lucky Shot.]

[All enemies have been defeated!]

As usual, Shuichi’s prayers went unanswered.

He watched as Dabi stomped into the living room, dragging Toga along by the back of her shirt until he came to a stop in front of Tenko.

With a glare Dabi released Toga from his grip. “Alright brat, how about you tell the boss what I caught you doing.”

“I was on my way to complete a failed mission,” she growled.

Dabi rolled his eyes. “And what mission was that?”

“Capturing Eri.”

That was enough  to make Tenko look up from his game. “What the fuck are you talking about?” 

Dabi heaved a tired sigh. “She got some info from Giran that the kid ended up at UA with Eraserhead,” he explained. “And this little shit, was planning to infiltrate the school and kidnap the kid without any backup.”

“I’m going and none of you can stop me!” she shouted. 

Tenko stood up and looked her dead in the eye. “No.” 

Shuichi glanced at the girl, hoping for a hint at what was going on in her head. Toga was impulsive, but normally her survival instincts were enough to keep her from pulling a stunt like this. She looked frazzled, her buns messier than normal and bags under her eyes she hadn’t bothered to hide. The last time he’d seen her like this was just after Magne’s death.

“Why shouldn’t I go?” Toga demanded, pulling Shuichi from his thoughts. “I already have Ochaco’s blood. I could sneak in no problem.”

“We already lost two party members recently,” Tenko countered. “I’m not about to let you go on this stupid suicide mission.”

“It’s not a suicide mission,” Toga growled. “And saving Eri isn’t stupid.” 

“Have you even considered how we’d take care of a seven year old?” Dabi asked, rubbing his temples. “We’re villains Toga.”

“And she’d still be safer here,” she insisted. “Eri’s just a little girl. The heroes could do whatever they want to her and she’d be powerless to stop them.”

Suddenly Toga’s desperation made perfect sense. 

It wasn’t something she spoke about often and usually only during Top That Trauma. She’d lived alone on the streets for years before joining the league, and some sick bastards out there saw that as an opportunity. There was a hero among their ranks. If Toga hadn’t already killed him, the man would have suffered a slow, painful death at the hands of the league.

Knowing that, Shuichi couldn’t blame her for distrusting Eraserhead. The man could nullify Eri’s quirk, the only way a kid like her had any hope of defending herself.

Tenko’s eyes softened in understanding. “Listen, we can get some information on her from our mole at UA, and if she’s being mistreated we can figure something out. But I’m not letting you storm the place on your own.”

“That’s not good enough,” Toga shouted. “It’ll be too late if we keep waiting!”

“I don’t care. You’re my party member I won't let you–”

Toga let out a shriek, sounding more like an enraged animal than a teenage girl, as she lunged at Tenko with a knife. The blow didn’t land, but Toga was unfettered, attacking with a rage usually reserved for their enemies.

“Spinner,” Dabi shouted as he leapt in to try and get a hold on Toga. “Go get Compress. She needs to go in Marble Jail.”

Shuichi didn’t waste a second rushing out of the room and down the hall to Compress’s room.

Come on, please be in there.

This time, his prayers were answered.

 “Why hello Spinner, what bri–”

“No time. Get to the living room now.” A large crash came from down the hall as if to emphasize his point.

Compress, to his credit, didn’t try and pry further before hurrying toward the commotion. 

Hesitantly and in much less of a rush, Shuichi followed. By the time he made it back, the living room had gone quiet. 

The couch by the TV was tipped over and one of the chairs at their table had been dusted. Several shattered bottles lay scattered on the floor behind the bar, the scent of their alcohol hanging heavy in the air. At the center of it all was Compress, with a single blue marble pinched between his fingers.

“Would someone please explain why I needed to marble Toga on this fine afternoon.”

Tenko made good on his word about getting info on Eri. The girl was happy, healthy, and well taken care of. They even managed to snag some UA security footage so Toga could see for herself. Shuichi had no idea how Tenko managed to get his hands on that, but it must have cost a fortune. 

After seeing it for herself, Toga apologized and refused to leave Tenko’s side for three whole days.

Then things went back to normal and Toga never mentioned Overhaul again. More than that, she avoided talking about him as much as possible. If he came up, she’d try to change the subject. Failing that, she’d find some reason to leave the room and play it off as being bored or distracted.

The memory kept replaying in Shuichi’s head as Toga and Compress left the living room. He couldn’t imagine what could have motivated the girl to bring it up after avoiding the subject for so long.

Dread crept over Himiko as she led Compress to her room. Asking about pettiness was the easy part, that’s why she started there, but it wasn’t the main reason Himiko approached Compress. 

It was Overhaul.

Their revenge against the man had been a grand affair. From the infiltration of the Shie Hassaikai compound, to storming the car transporting Overhaul in the middle of the freeway it was one of the most complex operations the League of Villains ever pulled off. Afterwards, the heaviness that had been hanging over them ever since Big Sis Magne’s death began to lift. Mr. Compress had the most noticeable change, acting more like himself than he ever had since losing his arm. 

That was why she needed to talk to him. Himiko had to understand how he’d felt about it and why it helped him so much. If she could do that, maybe everything she felt about her parents would make more sense. 

The trip to her room was shorter than Himiko would have liked, but there wasn’t much point in stalling with Compress right behind her. Reluctantly, she pulled the door open and wandered over to her dresser and dug out the softest blanket she had. It was a deep burgundy and big enough to wrap around herself twice over. 

Himiko heard Compress close the door behind them as she carried the blanket over to her bed. She draped it over her shoulders and nestled herself among the stuffed animals atop her bed. By the time she was done settling in, Compress had already pulled up a chair across from her. 

She looked at him for a moment, almost hoping to find her answer in his expression but the gentle patience in his eyes only confused her more. It was like he wasn't upset with her for bringing up Overhaul out of the blue. But that didn’t make any sense, Himiko knew she’d startled him. 

Hesitantly, she asked him again. “Is what we did to Overhaul petty revenge?”

Instead of an answer, Compress responded with a question of his own. “Before I give you my thoughts, tell me my dear, why would you call it petty?”

Something about the way he phrased the question reminded Himiko of Kurogiri. The man had made it his personal mission to help her catch up on the schooling she missed living on the streets. He used to ask that sort of question all the time during their lessons. They always made Himiko feel nervous, but  Kurogiri assured her that  there were no wrong answers. Himiko just needed to explain her thinking, and that would be enough.

I just need to treat this the same way, and it’ll be fine. 

With that thought in mind, answering Compress’s question felt a lot less scary.

“We took from Overhaul what he took from us in the most painful way possible, and you said petty revenge had to be like that.” she explained. “But there’s another reason…” 

It was the most important one.

Himiko spent the first few days after Big Sis Magne’s Death in a haze of grief. She didn’t remember much outside of locking herself in her room and crying at Magne’s shrine. 

When she pulled herself together and sought out the rest of the league, she found they weren’t doing much better. It broke her heart. Himiko did the best she could to try and cheer them up, glueing herself to one league member or another but it didn’t seem to help much. 

Kurogiri had been the one to suggest she pay a visit to Compress. He was still healing, but could use some company.

Compress didn’t say anything as Himiko entered his room, just giving a small nod to acknowledge her presence. There was a heavy silence, the kind she absolutely hated. 

The man she found lying in Mr. Compress’s bed looked nothing like the one the proud showman she knew. Himiko had seen him injured a number of times before, it was unavoidable as a villain. But even when Compress had a concussion, three broken ribs, and internal bleeding, he never lost that spark in his eye. 

But that day, it was gone. 

So Himiko did the only thing she could think of, put a smile on her face and act like everything was normal. If Compress didn’t feel like talking that was just fine, she would talk enough for the both of them.

For hours she talked about anything she could think of, from the flavor of different blood types to cute nail art she found online. It was hard to tell if it helped, but Himiko flashed a smile and promised to come back the next day regardless. 

The smile fell from her face as soon as she shut the door behind her. She kept her steps steady until she was sure she was out of earshot, then ran into her room and curled up in her bed and sobbed. 

It wasn't fair. She’d finally found a family that loved her and that man and his creepy mask were taking them away from her.

Compress remained silent as she recounted what happened in the wake of Big Sis Magne’s death. It felt strange, almost scary, to talk about her feelings this way. It was like she was exposing an open wound for the other to poke and prod as they wished. 

Himiko looked up at Compress. “After we got our revenge, your eyes didn’t look dead anymore.” She gave him a tearful grin.  “I was really happy to see that.”

Compress put a soothing hand on her shoulder and gave a small smile of his own. 

“You said pettiness is the most satisfying type of revenge,” she recalled, her voice still a little shaky. “So I figured what we did Overhaul must have been petty since you were so much happier afterward.”  

“You’re a very sweet girl Toga.” There was an unfamiliar softness in Compress’s eyes as he spoke.

“I just wanted everyone to be happy again,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I hope you know we wish the same for you my dear.” Compress gave her shoulder a final squeeze before leaning back in his chair. “That goes for the past as well as the present.”

Himiko nodded. 

“That said, I believe I owe you an apology.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, tilting her head.

With a reluctant sign the man carried on, “I believe that my description of pettiness might have been somewhat… misleading.”

Himiko furrowed her brow in confusion.

“What I gave you was my personal definition of pettiness, which isn’t the most accurate,” he admitted. “It’s more of a personal philosophy than something you’d find in the dictionary. Had I realized why you were asking, I would have given you the traditional meaning of the word.”

“And what’s that?”

Compress hesitated for a moment before he replied. “To be frank, most use the word petty to describe an overreaction to something insignificant or trivial.”

Oh.

The weight of what she’d implied hit Himiko all at once. Overhaul’s attack at the warehouse was anything but trivial. He insulted the league, took Compress’s arm, and killed Big Sis Magne. 

Big Sis Magne was dead and she called her sacrifice insignificant. 

How could she ever say something like that?

Her chest grew tight. The room blurred and went out of focus. Breaths came in short uneven huffs. Compress was talking. She couldn’t hear him. The ringing in her ears was too loud.

Himiko wasn’t in her room anymore. 

She was in the warehouse unable to tear her eyes away as Overhaul tore Big Sis Magne to pieces like it was nothing. It happened in an instant. One moment she was there, the next she was splattered across the ground in a mass of muscle, bone, and viscera. A pair of legs was all that was left of her, the woman who always reminded Himiko that she was beautiful. For the first time in Himiko’s life, the scent of blood was nauseating. 

Then there was a pair of hands on her shoulders. Faintly she heard a low voice speaking to her, slow and steady. It was comforting even if she couldn't make out the words. Bit by bit she was pulled out of the memory. 

“There you are my dear,” Compress said as her eyes came back into focus. 

Himiko opened her mouth to say something, but her words were cut off by a mangled sob. It was only then that she noticed the hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

When did I start crying?  

The weight of Compress’s hands lifted. Before she could mourn the loss, they were replaced by a pair of arms pulling her close and wrapping around her in a warm hug. She melted into the embrace and let herself cry over Magne for the first time since she left for the Shie Hassaikai compound.

“Shhh, it’s alright,” Compress soothed, rubbing slow circles on her back. 

Himiko shook her head. It wasn’t alright at all. 

“I c-called B-Big Sis Magne’s death petty,” she whimpered. “H-how c-could I say s-something li-like that?”

“Oh Darling, I know that wasn’t what you meant,” he assured her. “You were asking about our revenge on Overhaul, not Magne’s death.”

“But I-”

“No one would doubt for a second how much losing her meant to you,” he interjected. “Even if you put on a brave face, we all knew you were grieving.”

Himiko’s thoughts came to a screeching halt. 

“Y-you guys weren’t sup-pposed t-to know that,” she whispered. “I w-was supposed to b-be good, an-nd strong, and h-happy, and nor-rmal s-so everyone e-else would feel bet-tter.”

“It’s okay to be sad Toga.” Compress spoke slowly, like he was carefully selecting each word. “You’re allowed to cry, to mourn, to scream about how unfair it all was. Don’t think for a second that your emotions make you weak. If anything, I believe they make you one of the strongest among us.”

Is that true? 

She wasn’t sure what to make of his words. Her love, her hatred, and her grief – they burned with an intensity that rivaled Dabi’s flames. They didn’t exactly make her feel strong or brave. It was more like her feelings were so all consuming that they overpowered everything else. Even the tangled mess of emotions she had surrounding her parents’ deaths was enough to make her willing to talk about Overhaul again. 

“Do you r-really think so?” She asked. “I don’t feel v-very strong.”

Compress replied without hesitation. “Toga you are one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”

“P-promise?”

“On my honor as a showman,” he vowed.

Himiko held him tighter as a fresh wave of tears spilled forth. Only this time she wasn’t crying out of grief. A familiar warmth had bloomed in her chest taking root beside the sadness and guilt, the feeling of being loved. It was something she treasured. For Himiko, love came as naturally as breathing, but it was rare to have her affections returned.  Having her affection returned was rare and special. It was something she found with the league, and Himiko treasured every reminder they gave her. 

[GAME OVER]

Shuichi tossed his controller aside in frustration. He couldn’t focus. Normally he could funnel his anxiety into video games, the nervous energy turning into intense focus and precision. But the whole situation with Toga was too stressful for it to work. There were so many unknowns and his anxiety was having a field day with filling in the gaps.

With a sigh he turned to Tenko, who was still absorbed in his own game. “What do you think is going on with Toga?”

The man paused his game and looked up, his expression thoughtful.

“I think… Today is one of Toga’s end game bonding events,” Tenko said. “You know, the ones where your choices actually matter.”

If it was anyone else, Tenko's analogy would have been lost on them, but it made perfect sense to Shuichi.

Bonding events were a mainstay of most party based RPGs. They went by a lot of names; some games called them social links, others affinity quests, but the premise remained the same. They were a series of events centered around the player and a specific party member, usually focused on their backstory or some kind of character development. 

End game bonding events were the culmination of a party member’s growth throughout the game. Most of the choices leading up to them didn’t matter much outside of getting a couple unique lines of dialogue. Those last events weren’t like that. They could make or break your relationship with the character. If things went poorly, they might leave your party, but if they went well they’d get a huge power up. 

Whatever was going on with Toga felt similar, like she was at some sort of turning point. He had no idea what it was, but his anxiety over the situation loosened its grip all the same. Maybe it was because it was reframed as something familiar. He wasn't sure. 

Shuichi just hoped they ended up making the right choices. He'd hate to see Toga leave the League of Villains. She was like the occasionally terrifying little sister he'd never had and he wouldn't trade her for the world. That was probably just his anxiety talking. The league was a family and they were stuck with each other whether they liked it or not.