Caution: trigger warnings ahead! Violence and sexual assault mentions!
It all started with a bad feeling.
She could remember the nerves dancing beneath her skin, heart hammering against the cage of her chest. Her body trembled and she bit at her lower lip. Her mind registered a slight metallic taste yet she had more important things to worry about. This was her first undercover mission as a pro hero. Sure, she had been doing multiple missions since she broke out onto the scene after graduating from UA but this was different.
Momo Yaoyorozu had never been nervous about missions before but this one... It shook her to her core for some reason. Perhaps it was because it was her idea in the first place. She had petitioned to go undercover to catch a villain that was wanted for horrible crimes against women. His track record included various degrees of assault and murder, showing a clear type of dark haired women. Naturally she had believed that if she could just restrain him then her partners could do the rest. After all, she was going to be the bait. Her agency had paired her with two of her good friends, Shouto Todoroki and Kyoka Jirou. Together, they would bring this villain to justice.
At least, that was the plan.
Now she knew that things never go according to plan.
The nerves that shook her body had turned to cold dread as soon as she was alone with him. That hollow look in his eyes alone sent a shudder down her spine yet at the time she had merely just swallowed it back with a shot and a smile. She was going to be fine in a crowded bar with Todoroki and Jirou just outside listening for any indication that things were heading south. She knew they had her back if things took a turn. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, just moments before he had asked her to go someplace quieter. Naturally she had assumed he just meant outside in the back alley but he had different plans.
That was how she found herself gagged and tied to a chair, a wound on her forehead oozing sticky blood down the side of her face. In the back of her mind, she knew the layout of this bar. She had known there was a basement beneath it but to think that was where he carried out his heinous crimes... It had truly never occurred to her. Thinking about it now, it truly was the perfect place to go undetected. Upstairs was a noisy bar filled with brawls and loud voices. No one would hear her scream with such a commotion. Jirou would, but would it be too late? The sudden urge to vomit bit at her throat and she attempted to swallow it down, forcing herself to not think in that manner. They would never let anything happen to her... Right?
A sickening crack erupted from her skin and the surge of searing pain dragged her from her mind with a muffled scream. He had taken various objects to her body, trying to decide which one made her squirm the most. The recent one, a metal bat, had shattered against her ribs. It was hard to breathe through the onslaught of pain and she tried to keep herself from moving too much. Don't give him the satisfaction, Momo.
He certainly didn't like that.
The next weapon he revealed glittered in the low lights on the ceiling. His teeth reflected off the blade, pulled into a sick smile at the mere sight of the sharp edge. A long jagged knife was his next choice and part of her knew it was because he was growing impatient. The pictures of his latest victim had 30 stab wounds littering her battered body. Momo had studied the picture well, after all, in an attempt to figure out exactly what kind of blade he had used. She never thought she would find out first hand.
The scream that escaped her body at the first cut drowned out the noise upstairs. He twisted the blade in her thigh, grinning madly at her sounds. "That's more like it." Even his voice scared her. A low guttural sound, almost feral in nature. She tried to fight off the shudder that wracked her body but it was no use. He had already seen it. Shit. His body drew closer as he yanked the knife from her skin, blood trickling out steadily without the buffer from the outside world. Another cut, another scream, another grunt of excitement from the man before her, more bile rising in her throat. At some point he had stopped cutting at her skin in favor of slashing her costume from her frame. Shreds of sticky red fabric clung to the floor, the rest hanging in tatters at her waist. Only then did she know what was really coming...
"N-No..." she breathed against the piece of cloth tied to her mouth. If she could just create something, anything.. No, she was too disoriented, too sluggish in this state. She definitely had a concussion from the blow he delivered to her head when he first lured her down here. Damn it. She should have tried to convince him to go somewhere else. Damn it.
"Scream for me."
And oh, did he force her to.
—
She tried to retreat to the deepest corners of her mind during his assault but nothing could mask the pain she felt. The sensations of his disgusting body ravishing hers, his knife still cutting away at her skin in his sick way of foreplay. Her screams drowned out any noises he was making. They rung in her ears, desperate cries for help that seemed futile after a while. At some point she had blacked out from the sheer agony of it all only to wake when it was done, when he had taken everything from her. Her mind was shattered, her body broken and sliced to pieces, dripping with crimson blood from head to toe. His laughter filled the room then and the urge to vomit had returned once more. Her stomach turned at the sound of such a sinister thing. How could he laugh? How could he enjoy this? Tears had begun running down her face, although at what point she could not be sure. All she knew, however, was that this was how she would die: at the hands of this horrible man.
Momo closed her eyes and waited as his footsteps echoed in her ears. He was getting closer. This was it. She was going to die in this basement, cut and beaten to shreds. There was no avoiding it now, there was no rescue coming. Todoroki and Jirou had abandoned her, that must was painstakingly clear now. They must still be under the impression that she was upstairs in the company of a crowded bar. How foolish. What was she thinking. Her stupid plan was going to get her killed right here and now.
Another blade cut across her body, slicing at her waist. Another scream erupted from her exhausted body. It wasn't nearly as loud as he wanted but she had no fight left, everything having already been drained from the wounds that littered her frame. She felt him draw the knife against her neck then, tilting her head back for a better angle. He stood behind her now with his hot breath fanning against her clavicle.
"You can do better than that. I'm not done yet."
A whimper escaped from her mouth as he pressed the blade closer. Her chest heaved while she struggled against the rope at her hands and feet. No this can't be happening. No. No. NO.
It seemed to happen in slow motion then.
At first, all she could smell was blood and then suddenly the overwhelming scent of smoke filled her nostrils. The knife dropped in her lap, a small gash left against her neck from where it had been pressed. The villain's breath left her neck and shouting filled her ears. Momo could barely make out the words but she would recognize that voice anywhere.
Todoroki.
Gentle hands fumbled with the ropes against her skin as a sickening crack filled the room. She caught a glimpse of the red and white haired man land a staggering blow to the villain's jaw before her body slumped forward, nearly falling from the chair. Small arms encircled her body and pulled her closer as she felt darkness creeping up on her mind. The last thing she heard was Jirou's hysterical sobs in her ears and the sound of crackling flames before everything faded into nothingness.
—
"What the hell did you do?!"
Momo's eyelids fluttered at the noise, that familiar voice slowly drawing her sluggish mind out of its slumber. The first thing she saw, however, was blinding light. A variety of faces followed once her black eyes had adjusted properly to the sudden onslaught of brightness. She recognized them all as her closest friends and even their supervisor, who's voice had caused the room to fall into silence. Her gaze drifted between them all, from Jirou at her left all the way to Todoroki at her right. Iida and Midoriya stood at the foot of her bed looking awkward that the scene that seemed to be unfolding in her hospital room.
"We saved her. That bastard is gone and she's safe." The barely calm voice came from her right. Todoroki. A range of emotions simmered in his words, barely contained by the fire and ice user. A scoff filled the room and she felt the temperature suddenly rise.
"She was half dead when you brought her in. How could you let that happen in the first place, Todoroki?" It grew hotter by the second at that statement and she fought back the urge to squirm beneath her covers. No, don't do that. That's what he wants.
"You try hearing through an entire bar full of drunk assholes." Jirou had fired back at her left, her voice ringing in the creation hero's ears. A soft groan escaped her lips, then, and her eyes fluttered shut at the pain that swallowed her head. Silence followed her noise and a cold hand immediately gripped at her right hand. Momo's eyes ripped open at that, a whimper falling from her bruised lips at the contact. Despite the agonizing pain that engulfed her body, she scrambled to yank her hand away.
"Shh, Yaomomo, it's just Todoroki. It's okay..." Another whimper came tumbling from her mouth and she could feel the tears already dripping down her cheeks. Jirou had tried to soothe the girl with her voice alone but it was just not enough. Nothing was. The bruises and bandages that covered her body were a testament to that. Nothing could change what had happened to her, not even the touch of the man that held her heart.
"Why don't we let Yaoyorozu rest? We can come back later," Midoriya's soft voice took over the silence that had fallen on the room. She glanced up to see his sheepish smile before noticing Iida nodding beside him. Jirou sighed at her left, clearly still worried about her friend, but she didn't argue. Instead she drifted toward the door with her eyes on the floor. Their boss strolled to her side and as he whispered something to Jirou, his eyes never left Todoroki. The red and white haired man lingered at her side. Unmoving, a statue of torment, his eyes bloodshot from tears she never knew he could shed.
"Todoroki."
He growled at Iida's voice and stalked away from the bed, a child throwing a tantum at being told to go home. Part of her didn't want him to go, didn't want to be left alone again. She couldn't handle the suffocation, however, and his gaze alone set her on fire. Embarrassment and shame mingled beneath her skin and she felt the strange urge to scratch at it until she bled. It crawled and itched and burned and she couldn't stand the dirty feeling. She could still feel the blood caked to her frame, cuts oozing in streams, bruises blossoming like flowers of black and navy. No matter how many showers she would later take, she would never be able to shake that feeling.
The door clicked shut after her friends bid her a quiet farewell and with a heavy sigh, she settled into the stiff bed and sleep welcomed her with gentle arms.
—
Shouto Todoroki had always had a strong control over his emotions. His father had engraved it into his mind that they were weak, feeble things for lesser beings. Never for the son of Endeavor. Yet now, as he stood there getting his ass chewed out by their boss, he was having an extremely hard time not bursting into flames.
"It's over. Leave it." He pushed out through gritted teeth, heterochromatic eyes narrowed into slits. His voice was low, a borderline growl that everyone flinched at. His boss even slowly inched away at his words.
"You have to answer to what you did, Todoroki. You cannot just kill a villain and get away with it. We have a code to follow," sighed the older man. He pinched the bridge of his nose out of stress, eyes never leaving Todoroki's frame. "I... I'll talk to the police and we'll go from there okay?" The icy hot hero merely nodded, too angry to dare open his mouth again.
Midoriya and Iida had already wandered off with Jirou to get drinks, noticing the headphone jack woman was still visibly shaken from what had happened. They left him alone with their boss and while he appreciated the distance they were giving him, he would have appreciated some backup. No matter, the older man was turning to leave him alone anyway.
"Oh, by the way," he paused at the man's softer voice. "I know it's bad, what you did, but I'm proud of you. The son of a bitch deserved everything you handed to him." The ghost of a smile crept at his lips before he bid Todoroki farewell with a slight wave and disappeared down the hall. With a sigh, the man ruffled his dual colored hair. This had been taking its toll on him. Seeing Yaoyorozu in that state, blood dripping from her entire body... Well it was enough to warrant his reaction. Part of him couldn't even remember the exact details of his fight with that villain but he knew he had smothered the life from the heinous man. He had rained fire and ice upon the heathen with no remorse, a blind rage controlling his body. Jirou had taken Yaoyorozu from the room at that point, screaming for an ambulance at whoever crossed her path. He could hear the commotion upstairs as screams mingled with Jirou's desperate cries but he knew in that moment that the headphone jack girl had their friend safe from further harm. He also knew that she was no longer around to stop him from losing control and thus, he had ripped through the man's body with pillars of ice. Fresh blood mingled with the dried crimson stains on the floor and a mangled scream battered against his eardrums. Nothing could prevent what had happened next, not even the whimpers for mercy.
No, Todoroki had burned him alive atop an icy skewer.
Shaking his head, he gripped the wall before him. His breath came out in shallow waves and heat flared from his left side as anger once again overtook him. Damn it. Get a grip. It's over. He continued to remind himself yet he just couldn't get the image of Yaoyorozu's limp body out of his mind. It was burned into his eyelids every time they shut, a constant reminder of his stupidity. He should have been in there with her. He shouldn't have left her alone to face that man. No... She had wanted to prove herself, prove that she could handle her own. Stupid stupid stupid. He should have known better than to stay outside, than to not keep a watchful eye on the dark haired girl as she carried out her plan.
"Um, sir..?"
His head whipped around at the sound of a new voice, eyes wide. Oh. It was just a nurse. He let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding before stepping back from the wall, sheepishly catching a glimpse of a charred spot from where his left hand had been.
"Yes? Sorry..." His right hand drifted to the nape of his neck and rubbed awkwardly at the skin. The nurse merely offered an understanding smile and gestured toward the room he had previously been in.
"She's awake again if you wanted to check up on her!" The girl's soothing voice calmed him a little and he nodded eagerly. It had been over an hour since the group had left Yaoyorozu and he couldn't bring himself to leave after seeing her awake and moving. Plus... he didn't want her to be alone. Despite killing the villain with his own hands, uneasiness still bubbled in his veins at the thought of the ponytailed girl being by herself. Shouto Todoroki bid the nurse farewell with a soft thanks before gently opening the door and slipping back into the hospital room.
Momo Yaoyorozu looked every inch as tired as he felt. Her eyes were still closed and he could hear her sharp breaths, hands gripping the blanket atop her with such strength he was sure she would rupture a few blood vessels. Swallowing, he stepped closer to the bed.
"Yaoyorozu..?" His voice was uncertain, weak, everything he was trained not to be. Her body tensed at the sudden voice and a soft whimper passed her lips as those dark eyes blinked open. Todoroki could see the fear gripping her body with cold fingers. It was apparent in the way her body trembled, hands shoved beneath the blanket to keep him from seeing. Even in this state, she was still embarrassed at her emotions.
"I... Uh... Hi," she mumbled, a soft blush flourishing against pale cheeks. "I thought you left." The statement caused his own cheeks to be dusted pink as he took the chair beside her bed.
"Uh, no... I thought I'd check back on you before I went home." He saw the faintest of smiles on her lips before it vanished into her teeth yanking at her bottom lip.
"Oh... I see." Yaoyorozu lowered her eyes to where her hands rested beneath the blanket.
Silence overtook them then, the creation hero avoiding the worried gaze of Todoroki as the minutes passed. Personally he wouldn't normally mind the silence but now? There was too much to say, too much to ask.
"Yaoyorozu?" Her head snapped up at her name, a blank expression on her bandaged face. "I'm glad you're safe now." His voice was gentle, almost soothing to the girl who visibly relaxed a bit at the words. The faint smile from earlier had returned to her lips and it stayed for a few moments as she tried to bow. He watched her face scrunch with agony and a sharp hiss of air escape her lips. Her body straightened and the grimance of pain left her features to give way to a sheepish look.
"T-Thank you," she breathed around the pain and he nodded, letting the silence settle again after her words faded from the air.
It felt like an hour had passed between them when she finally found the courage to speak again. Hollow eyes found his and as he raised an eyebrow, they quickly left his to find solace in the floor.
"Is he... d-did you guys get him..?" Yaoyorozu squirmed in her bed, the feeling of crawling beneath her skin rising again. The idea of the villain caused the temperature to climb as anger simmered in the icy-hot hero. His eyes stayed trained on the woman before him as he hissed out a sentence she had certainly not been expecting.
"No. I killed him."
Notes • Readers beware: trigger warnings! Mentions of sexual assault and violence, you may skip parts if it is too much! Also, henlo everyone! This is my first todomomo fanfic and I'm super excited to share it with you guys~ It's been a while since I've written anything so please bare with me if the writing is a bit bad or if there are a ton of errors! I hope you guys like this story and I'll see you all next chapter 3
