Hey pups! Welcome to my short one shot, Blood Oath! Blood Oath takes place somewhere in chapter ten of Orphan Nanny, the story before this one, and features a very important subplot to the sequel, Lost but Found.

Onto business: thank you all so much to those who participated in the poll! The poll is now closed, with Yes, Julie should date Compress coming in first place with a total of eight votes! Now official, Julie and Compress will be dating in the sequel, but as stated in the poll, it will be a minor plot with no big impact on the main story.

Last thing, I'm still gonna be editing the Orphan Nanny world as we go, so please do not point out any inconsistencies, they will be dealt with soon. Enjoy the one shot!

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She didn't know what she was doing. Not anymore. She had tried so hard to keep it together over the months, but she could feel herself slipping. Losing control.

It was easy, going back to the way she had been before, when she was still wearing her mask, but…not in the sense it's 'easy' as changing a shirt, more…like removing a skin-tight suit after getting wet. Removing the mask was the easy part…but putting it back on was a different story.

Himiko hated being who she was before; a wallflower, the perfect daughter, a model student, a quiet girl and a good friend—normal. She hated it all, but at the time there was nothing she could do about it.

But then she snapped.

Saito-kun was just right there when it happened—it didn't help that he was covered in blood. All she wanted was to loosen the straps, even for a little bit, just for one…tiny…sip. The sip turned into two, and then into a pint, and then…a whole new life.

She was terrified of what she was going to lose, but her Quirk insisted it—demanded it—and she found she wasn't strong enough to resist, no matter how hard she tried.

Hours later, after taking Megumi on his walk (the steady trot of their pace, eyes helplessly fixed on the little Shiba Inu as she thought about sinking in her fangs) and playing games in the afternoon with Tenko and Dabi and Izuku (the blood roaring in her ears as her gaze lingered on their exposed necks, veins pulsing with molten lava) she found herself curled into a tight, little ball, sucking as hard as she could on an empty blood bag she swiped from a nearby hospital. Dozens more were scattered about her, dark crimson staining her fingers and clothes, showing to all the world just how shameful her Quirk was. It was ridiculously easy breaking into the hospital in her defense; not a single guard in sight as she stuffed her satchel full, escaping into the distant horizon and back into the Chiba house before anyone could notice she was gone.

Unintentionally, she chose tonight for her sins; Tenko was over at Izuku-chan's for a change in scenery, Dabi was out with friends, and Julie was out at one of the Quirked Defenders' meetings. They haven't had one in months after all the attention Stain-sama had been bringing to their organization, so Himiko knew it was her and Megumi all alone in the house. Himiko was terrified of hurting the little fluffball, but she knew if worse came to worse he would be able to out-maneuver her.

"Suck…suck…" she mumbled to herself, almost hypnotic as the last few drops reached her lips. She wrung the bag tight, frustration creeping up on her when she threw the bag off to the side and tried to find any bags still full, but they were all empty. Seething, she stood, kicking bags out of the way as she paced, mind racing on what to do.

It's not enough, Himiko thought, almost desperately, as she paced. I need more, where can I get more? I need more.

All those weeks of coconut substitutes weren't working for her anymore; all they did was slow the inevitable as she was consumed by her bloodlust.

Julie had tried her best, she knew, but now it was too late, and she didn't know what else to do.

Oh god- Julie. Himiko's steps fumbled, then stopped. Her body froze in horror. In the her midst of her hunger, her hazy mind and persistent Quirk had made her forget about her family. Julie would be home soon and she would see the state her- no, her monster of a guest was in and kick her out and call the cops, all because Himiko couldn't help being herself.

All those acting lessons as a child, the discipline and calls home and punishments, they would all be nothing compared to losing her new family. She would endure the pain, the crippling loneliness all over again and give up her very being just to keep her family, but it would all be gone again because of one fucking slip.

Her head buzzed and a heavy fog settled around her mind, thoughts going back to her first family.

You're not normal they told her, over and over again, until it finally sunk in. How could we have such a monstrous daughter? You're an abomination.

"Shut up," Himiko whispered, clawing at her head, fingers tangling in her hair. Her hair that was always so dull, so plain to reflect how normal she was. Her hair to convince people there was nothing odd about her and that her fangs were the only strange thing so she could fade into the background with her dull clothes and blank personality, no sign of a person in sight.

Her thoughts turned dark as she kept on her trip down memory lane.

Himiko felt the tears gather in her eyes, hands shaky and fingers numb and breathing shallow-

"Himiko?" Her breath caught. "Himiko, what hap—what happened?"

She turned, slow and tense, to see Julie standing in the doorway.

The glow of the yellow kitchen lights obscured her back, hiding her profile from Himiko's sharp eyes. The freckles sprinkled along her nose and under her eyes pulsed a dull blue and purple, eyes glowing softly in the darkness of the spare room. There was a tremor in her shoulders as her eyes flicked over Himiko's form, and from her white-knuckled grip on the doorframe she knew she was horrified. Of her.

The dam broke, and Himiko crumpled.

Her knees made a dull thud as they hit the lush carpet, but she couldn't even feel the pain through her shock. Numbness threatened to creep over her, but the sight of Julie's expression fought it back, pure panic and terror settling in its place.

Through the tears flowing down her face and dripping off her chin, she could just barely make out Julie hurrying towards her, though a bit unsurely.

Himiko tried to flail and scramble away from the older woman, but it was helpless; her fingers slid along the carpet, fingers slick with blood, unable to get a grip. In a matter of moments Julie was crouched beside her. She spoke, voice shaky yet calm, but Himiko couldn't hear a word.

The words were garbled in her ears as her breath picked up.

"N- no," she rasped, voice strained. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as she gripped her hair, "I'm—I'm sorry."

Something like her name filtered through her hands clamped against her ears, but she just shook her head. The noise came again, and this time she began to shake.

"Himiko—please," said a familiar, desperate voice. "Talk to me!" Himiko only shook her again, eyes squeezed shut.

She could smell the faint scent of salt mixing with copper when hands grabbed her shoulders tight.

"Look at me!" a voice shouted, furious, and Himiko couldn't help but comply even as cold, cold fear crawled up her back and the blood turned to ice in her veins.

Slowly, her eyes cracked open, and all she could see was Julie.

She was just before her face, expression so worried it nearly pained Himiko, and she could practically hear her heart beating in her chest, even though her Quirk didn't amplify her hearing, only her taste and smell. Her freckles pulsed and flickered, but there was no trace of red or black anywhere. The fear constricting her heart loosened, if only a little.

"What happened?" Julie repeated, voice steady as tears leaked from her eyes, and Himiko latched onto the sound like a lifeline, even as her eyes welled with tears again too.

"I—I," she hiccuped, but it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to breathe, like there was a weight on her chest. Her mouth shut with a click, throat constricting at her moth- host's pained look. Suddenly the blood she drank tasted bitter on her lips.

Julie didn't even hesitate as she pulled Himiko in close.

Himiko gasped and tried to squirm, mind flashing back to her biological family again, but the older woman's touch grounded her. Even as Himiko thrashed and screamed, even as blood smeared against Julie's favorite yellow jacket, she didn't let go.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Himiko began to calm.

It wasn't often that Himiko was hugged, but she craved it, more than anything, because her new family was warm and comforting and made Himiko feel at home more than that cold house ever could. It wasn't a home to her, never has been, but Julie had offered her one, and she had been so so happy to be there, and it's why she tried to savor every last memory.

She had felt her tipping point coming near, and over the days, had allowed herself as much physical contact as she could because she didn't know when she would break. It was much sooner than she liked.

Every sparring lesson between herself, Hitoshi, and Izuku she savored the sensation of her knuckles brushing against their faces, felt herself relaxing involuntarily the rare chance she was pinned down by one of them. The warm feeling she got when her brothers were cuddled close to her on cold days and being curled into Julie's side when they watched old movies and the nuzzles she got from Megumi. She would miss it all.

With the memories spilling over and grief welling up, Himiko let herself cry into Julie's arms.

But then-

"Shh," Julie murmured into her shoulder, "it's okay, little beast. I'm not angry, you could never make me angry." Himiko almost flinched at the nickname and the finality of it, but Julie wasn't finished. She began to rock her. "I don't blame you for any of this. If anything…I blame myself. I—I should've seen the signs, should've done something. But I thought…I thought by addressing it…it would become harder for you to control, or you would be scared off. I'm sorry." Julie pulled away, just enough for Himiko to see the sorrow in her eyes. "I didn't want to lose my daughter."

Himiko's lips managed to pull back into a wobbly smile even as her breath caught in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head rapidly. "I didn't want to lose you," Himiko confessed, voice rough like broken glass, but she didn't care. "I was so—so s- scared of losing the only family I ever loved, an- and I tried to hide it from you all, but I wasn't-" her voice hitched, "-I wasn't strong enough," she whispered.

"Oh little beast," Julie murmured, pulling Himiko back into a tight hug, "you could never lose me. We're—we're in it for the long haul, 'kay? Family doesn't—doesn't abandon each other, n- no matter what." There was a fire in her eyes that Himiko had never seen before as she angled her head to peek at her. The sight sent warmth blooming in her chest, banishing away the last of the lingering numbness.

Sinking into her hold, Himiko held onto her…her mother just as tight, curling up in her lap. For now, the drying blood could wait.

The thought nearly startled her out of Julie's hold.

"I-" Himiko started, hesitated, before starting over. "What—what are we going to do about my…b- bluh- blood p- problem?" she asked, hating how weak her voice was.

Julie paused in her rocking, grip tightening just a little before relaxing.

"I…" she started, then trailed off. She just sat there, continuing to rock Himiko in silence as she thought about it. Years seemed to pass before she seemed to come up with a solution.

"What if…" She paused for only a moment before continuing, "you become a Vigilante?" The word sounded odd on her tongue, like it was forgein to her.

Himiko started, biting her lip in thought. "A…Vigilante?" she asked, testing how the word sounded coming from herself.

Julie appeared to gain some confidence as Himiko considered it. "Yeah—yeah. Think about it- you can't be a Hero after all your…less-than-legal extracurricular activities, and I don't want a criminal living in my house," it didn't take a genius to know she meant the stolen blood, "but Vigilantes' identities are never known unless their caught, and I doubt someone would think the infamous," Julie hesitated before saying her former surname, "Toga Himiko was fighting crime, right? I know how fast you are, and you're really good at hiding when you don't wanna be seen—don't lie, I always notice when you disappear." Himiko pouted and shut her mouth. "You'll be able to drink as much blood as you want while taking down the bad dudes—without killing anyone, of course—and no one would be none the wiser." An odd gleam entered Julie's glowing eyes. "Himiko, what do you say?"

Hold loosening only the slightest on Julie's shoulders, Himiko pondered the thought. A Vigilante, huh? She had never thought about the possibilities before, that much was true, but…

It could work.

She had never killed anybody before—most Vigilantes never did—but, with some more training, and emergency plans and a proper costume…she just might get away with it. It was a little known fact Stain had once been a Vigilante himself before going full-on Villain, operating under the guise of Stendhal, and if he could do it, why couldn't she?

Himiko entertained the idea a few moments more before she smiled, feeling more like herself than she had in months. "Yeah, let's do it!"