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Toga Himiko wasn’t like anyone Ochako had ever met. From the moment she saw her, sitting alone in the corner of the classroom, playing with the ends of her skirt like she was trying to unravel the fabric, Ochako felt a pull. There was something magnetic about her, a quiet strangeness that made everyone else keep their distance. But Ochako… she couldn’t help but be curious.
It started small. A few glances across the room, noticing how Toga never really talked to anyone, how she would show up late to class with dark circles under her eyes like she hadn’t slept at all, and scars were all ever her arms.
There were whispers, of course. There always were, when someone like Toga appeared.
“I heard she’s obsessed with blood, someone saw her sucking a birds blood in the school backyard!” one of their classmates had whispered to Ochako once, voice low like it was some kind of secret. “She’s creepy.”
Creepy. That was the word they used. But Ochako didn’t see it. There was something sadder about Toga. Something lonely
Ochako loved seeing people smile, she really wanted to make Toga happy
One day, when the teacher wasn’t looking, Ochako passed her a note.
‘Hi! I’m Ochako. I sit a few rows behind you. Do you want to have lunch together sometime?’
It was a simple invitation. Nothing fancy. But for some reason, her heart was pounding in her chest as she slipped the note onto Toga’s desk and quickly walked away before anyone could see. She didn’t know why she was nervous. She didn’t even know if Toga would respond.
By the time lunch came around, Ochako was surprised to find Toga standing at the door of the classroom, holding the note in her hand. She wasn’t smiling, but her eyes those piercing yellow eyes were locked on Ochako.
“I don’t usually eat lunch,” Toga said when Ochako approached her.
Ochako’s stomach twisted. “Oh, that’s okay! We don’t have to eat. We can just… hang out?”
Toga tilted her head, curious, like no one had ever asked her that before. “Why?”
Ochako blinked. “Why what?”
“Why do you want to hang out with me?”
The question was simple, but it threw Ochako off balance. She hadn’t thought about the ‘why’ she just wanted to. But now, with Toga’s sharp gaze on her, she fumbled for a reason.
“I guess… I just think you’re interesting,” Ochako admitted, cheeks burning slightly under the intensity of Toga’s stare.
Toga’s lips curled into a smile, but it wasn’t a normal smile. It was sharp, almost predatory, but there was something soft in her eyes that made Ochako relax.
“Interesting, huh?” Toga’s voice dropped, playful. “I’ll take that.”
Ochako looked at the blonde in front of her for a moment before she smiled
—
Toga was different, ochako stared at the girl sitting next to her
Both of them sat on the roof knees to their chest waiting for someone to start the conversation
Ochako looked at the blonde and asked “What’s your favorite food Toga-chan”
Himiko smiled and answered enthusiastically “I really like pomegranates or Ice cream , I love a lot of things!”
The brunette smiled “I love mochi! Maybe we can go buy ice cream and mochi together after school”
Himiko’s eyes lit up and smiled “I would love to ochako-chan”
The other girl was taken back by the use of her first name
She liked it
——
Ochako wasn’t sure when their after school trips became routine, but it happened so naturally, as if they had always belonged together. Each day, she would wait for Toga at the gates, and the two would wander through the streets, sharing ice cream and chatting about everything and nothing.
Toga always seemed brighter in these moments, her smile more genuine, her laugh soft and real.
Everything people whispered about her was wrong , Toga was a normal person and liked normal things she liked shopping and doing her nails , she liked video games and movies she gets excited easily and likes to do what makes her happy
She wasn’t a monster but no one ever saw that other than Ochako
There were times too times when Toga wasn’t herself.
It started when she stopped showing up for their usual meet ups. Ochako would wait at the school gates until the sun dipped low, but Toga never came.
The first time, Ochako thought maybe she had forgotten. But when it happened again, Ochako began to worry.
One afternoon, after another no show, Ochako decided to visit Toga’s house. She’d never been there before, but she knew where it was from the vague mentions in their conversations. Toga had never talked much about her home life, but there were moments when her smile would falter, and Ochako always had a feeling something was wrong.
When she knocked on the door, it was Toga’s mother who answered. She looked surprised, her eyes scanning Ochako up and down with a tight, polite smile.
“Himiko is upstairs,” her mother said, stepping aside to let Ochako in. “But she hasn’t been feeling well lately. She’s… going through a phase.”
Ochako thanked her quietly, not liking the way Toga’s mother said “phase,” like it was something dirty, something to be fixed. She hurried up the stairs and found Toga’s room at the end of the hall.
When she opened the door, the smell hit her first stale air, the sharp metallic scent of something Ochako couldn’t quite place. Toga was lying on the bed, her back to the door, the room dim except for the light peeking through the curtains.
“Himiko-chan?” Ochako whispered, stepping inside.
Toga didn’t move at first, but after a moment, she shifted, turning just enough for Ochako to see her face. Her eyes were half-lidded, dull, and the usual spark of excitement was nowhere to be found.
“You came,” Toga said, her voice hoarse, like she hadn’t spoken in days.
“Of course I did. You weren’t at school, and I…I was worried.”
Toga sat up slowly, her hair a mess not in their usual buns, eyes rimmed with dark circles. There were faint scratches along her arms, and Ochako’s heart clenched at the sight of them. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
“I’m fine,” Toga muttered, looking away.
“You’re not,” Ochako said softly. She hesitated for a second before reaching out, gently placing her hand on Toga’s arm. “What’s wrong?”
Toga was silent for a long time, her gaze fixed on the wall. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, “I just… I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like… nothing matters. Like I’m floating, and I can’t… find a reason to come back down.”
Ochako’s heart broke a little more with each word. She didn’t know how to help. She didn’t know what to say. But she knew she couldn’t leave Toga like this.
“Hey,” Ochako whispered, her hand sliding down to Toga’s wrist. “I’m here, okay? You don’t have to do this alone.”
Toga’s eyes flickered, just for a moment, and then she looked at Ochako with a small, sad smile. “You’re too nice, Ochako-chan.”
Ochako’s breath hitched. That name again so soft, so familiar. It felt like a promise.
“I’m not too nice,” Ochako murmured, leaning closer. “I just care about you.”
Toga’s gaze dropped to Ochako’s wrist, her fingers twitching slightly. Ochako followed her eyes, realizing what Toga was looking at. Without a second thought, she raised her hand, brushing her thumb over her own pulse.
“You can drink, if you want,” Ochako offered, her voice quiet but steady. She had never been afraid of Toga’s fascination with blood. If anything, it made her feel closer to her like she was giving Toga something no one else could.
Toga’s eyes widened, but there was hesitation in them. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” Ochako promised.
For a long moment, Toga stared at her, as if trying to figure out if this was real. Then, slowly, she leaned in, her lips brushing against Ochako’s skin. The first bite was gentle, almost hesitant, and Ochako barely felt the pain, only the warmth that followed.
When Toga pulled back, her eyes were glassy, but she looked a little more alive. A little more like herself.
“Thank you,” Toga whispered, her voice shaking.
Ochako smiled, her heart full “how about I fix your hair”
The blonde giggled only “if you let me do your nails!”
“Of course”
Ochako jumped to get the hair brush but tripped and fell and she stopped breathing when she heard Toga laugh
A real genuine laugh
She couldn’t help the smile and laughed with her locking her in a hug
“I love you Ochako-chan” she giggled
“I love you too Himiko-chan”
For a moment they knew everything would be okay
Ochako doesn’t care what happens or what anyone says , she’s holding Himiko in her arms and that’s more than enough.