Izuku licked his lips and looked over the notesheet one last time. Filled to the brim with notes, that little sheet was the result of three days of planning. Some parts were neatly organized, bullet points and stiff, jerky characters; other parts were loose and flowing, the characters completely ignoring the lines and dozens of tiny, purposeless doodles spilling across the page. Two clashing styles so completely irreconcilable that it looked less like two people writing down notes together, and more like someone finished half their notes before someone else stole them and tried to turn it into an art gallery. It was a complete mess.

But somehow, the two of them completely understood it.

"Okay, just try to act normal."

"Will do!"

"If we do it all exactly as we planned, Mom shouldn't ask too many questions…"

"I'm ready! But do think you can do it?"

"... I-I think so..?"

"Then let's go!"

"Wait, Toga, n-"

Toga threw open the door to the apartment, her purple book bag slung over one shoulder and a big smile spread across her face. "Hiya, Mrs. Midoriya! We're home!"

"Ah, Toga-Chan!" Mom shouted from the kitchen, a welcoming smile carried on her warm voice. "I'm just about to fry the mackerel, do you want to come help me with the miso soup?"

"On it!" Himiko dropped her backpack on the sofa, and gave Izuku a wink before rolling up her sleeves and skipping to the kitchen. "Can I chop some veggies too? I made the knives nice and sharp last night!"

"Of course! Thank you for doing that." Mom sounded distracted, and from the sound of oil popping and chopsticks clicking, it wasn't hard to guess why. "They hadn't been sharpened in ages, so they're actually cutting really well…"

"It's great, isn't it? A sharp knife feels really good!" Toga disappeared into the kitchen, chittering away like a morning bird as she set to work. And, with that, Izuku was left alone in the living room, his book bag in hand and an anxious scowl on his face.

How on earth does Toga do that?

It's… it's kind of terrifying, really.

How easily she simply smiles and keeps going, as though today was perfectly normal.

As though they hadn't just spent an hour planning different lies they could tell Izuku's mom.

Izuku bit his lip, his stomach twisting into a sailor's knot.

Just-

Just act normal!

"I'm, uh, well-!" Izuku sputtered, trying his hardest to tame his electrified nerves. "I'm going to g-go get cleaned up!"

"Ok, dinner should be ready in a few minutes!"

Like a panicked racehorse let out of its stall, Izuku darted into his room. He tried to close the door carefully, but his clumsy, shaking hands slammed it shut anyways. Dropping his bag to the floor, he collapsed on his bed. After today's training, his muscles burnt like the settled cinders of a day-old bonfire, and the adrenaline coursing through his veins did little to help. All of his organs felt like they had switched places, and an overbearing sense of dread and guilt pulled at his heart.

Izuku wasn't comfortable with this. It was that simple.

He didn't want to lie to his mom. He didn't want to lie to anyone, but especially not to her. She had raised him to always tell the truth, even when it wasn't the most convenient, because broken trust was a hard thing to fix. Almost nothing was worth that risk.

But…

This was. Or, at least, Izuku thought it was. It had to be. After all, this was Toga's life he was gambling on. Not some minor homework assignment, not an extra piece of cake. This was the fact that Toga didn't have a roof over her head, not to mention winter was only a few weeks away.

But it was still lying! And not just spur-of-the-moment, lying because he couldn't think of another solution type. No, this was the solution. This was him and Toga spending hours trying to think up a way to trick his mom into letting her live with him. And no matter how justified it was, it still felt wrong!

A long and high-pitched wheeze escaped Izuku's lips, not unlike a pipe with a pressure leak.

Why did he have to do this? Why did he have to lie? It went against so much he had learned, and…

And he just didn't want to.

Just… just start with the small steps, ok?

He pushed himself off the bed, careful to remake the ruffled sheets. Snagging his towel off of his desk chair, he grabbed a set of spare clothes, and crossed the hallway to the bathroom. The door locked with a click, and the shower hissed to life, the water warming up as he stripped off his sweaty T-shirt and shorts. Thick steam filled the room, fogging up the mirror and filling his lungs. Stepping into the shower, he took a deep breath, and let the water douse him.

And then, he just took a moment to feel.

His muscles loosening.

The sweat being rinsed from his skin

The hot steam blanketing him, guarding him against the cold.

He sighed, the tension leaving his body as he leaned forward against the tiled wall.

Izuku loved showers.

It wasn't an active love, not the sort of thing his mind wandered to during daydreams or as his mind drifted to sleep. Not like… Well… Not like a certain blonde. He was already bright red from the shower, but Izuku had little doubt he was blushing. No, It was just one of those small, simply pleasures that Izuku would always enjoy in the moment, like the smell of a new comic book or the texture of well-worn action figures. It just had something innate about it that couldn't be described, but was undoubtedly comforting.

So even though Mom said to be ready soon, he took his time. And as he cleaned, thoroughly cleaning the mess of hair atop his head, his mind wandered to more… nerve-wracking subjects.

… What if he just told Mom plainly? Just explained to her from the beginning about Toga's homelessness, instead of waiting a few weeks. Would she let Toga stay with them? He bit his lip, his hands keeping busy with his hair far longer than it took to clean it. If he could, that would mean they wouldn't have to worry about a stressful 'second conversation,' not to mention the weight in his chest would be significantly lightened…

No, no, that wouldn't work. Mom was a nice person, but to just take in another child? That would be expensive, money they might not have. Not to mention, that would bring up a lot of questions it wasn't Izuku's place to answer, such as why she was a runaway in the first place. He wanted to explain everything, but Toga trusted him, and to tell Mom without asking Toga first… that would be betraying that trust. The sight of Toga crying flashed through his mind, her mask cracked just enough to reveal the broken person underneath, and Izuku's heart clenched. If he had a choice, he never wanted to see her like that again. And besides, how would Mom even react to hearing that Himiko had attacked someone? Probably not by offering to let her stay.

… Probably not like Izuku had. When she had told him, he had felt a flurry of emotions; shock, fear, concern. Those had all probably shown on his face, considering how much of a leaky basket he was. But there was one last emotion that hoped no one saw. One he wished he hadn't felt.

Jealousy.

Longing, gnawing jealousy.

Toga had bit someone. Cut them, and bit them, and drank their blood. That's what she had said, and they were words that kept running through his mind. At the moment, he had so many other things happening, so many other feeling jostling for control, that his jealousy couldn't even gain a foothold. But every time he went back to those words, his heart clenched, and his guts twisted. Izuku's fingers traveled along the cut on his neck, feeling her mark as he cast his eyes in shame.

… He wanted to be the one she bit. He wanted to be the one she cut. He wanted to hold her close, and feel her lips and teeth on his skin. Bloody kisses, bloody love. It was gruesome, and horrific, and completely unacceptable, but…

But was it truly wrong?

He didn't even know anymore.

The thought made his stomach want to expel its contents.

What on earth was wrong with him!? He clenched his teeth, and sucked in a sharp breath. He wanted to be a hero! He wanted to save people with a smile, just like-... Well, just like a hero should! But time and time again, he found his mind wandering to things that he promised to never think about again, and late at night, he found himself looking through websites he swore to never look at again.

Twisted things.

Disgusting things.

Pictures and videos that shouldn't exist, not in any just or moral world.

But… he still watched them.

Purple bruises. Silver metal. Black leather. Animalistic sex.

And most importantly, blood. Lots of blood.

What he saw online, he knew it wasn't real. He hoped it wasn't real. But whenever he remembered that time in the alley, Toga's knife just moments away from ending his life… His heart beat faster, and butterfly knives tore at the inside of his stomach.

His mind couldn't help but calculate the possible scenarios, no matter how fantastical or unrealistic.

The water rolled down his shoulders, splattering against tile.

Izuku wheezed, a tense and stressed sound, and shut off the shower. Stepping out, he dried himself, and slipped on a baggy T-shirt along with a set of loose pajama bottoms. The pants were actually still soft and fluffy, since they were only a few weeks old. Almost all of his personal clothes had been hero themed before, so… well, he had replaced them. A simple set of green felt PJs was nice, the sort that kept his legs comfortably warm, even when rolled up to the knees. In some ways, it still felt weird though. Ever since he had met All Might, all those months ago, his life changed.

Izuku had been pushed down. He was forced to realize that not even his hero believed in him. But…

That had given him time to reflect. To think, and realize what really mattered to him. What he really wanted in life.

And, with no small amount of help from Toga, he had come out stronger.

A small smile came to his face, despite all of the chaos in his head.

He opened the door to his room, and carefully hung the towel beside his window, before dropping into his desk chair. Grabbing the book off of his desk, he leafed through the pages, and his eyes wandered.

A lot changed. His room felt totally different. And…

He liked it. Not because it made him feel safer, or like he 'could be a hero, too.' No, he had moved past needing hollow reassurances like that. Toga had pushed him past needing those reassurances. Instead, his room was filled with how he was going to become a hero. Where there once were posters of All Might's smiling face, there were now maps and newspaper articles, keeping track of everything from rising stars in the hero world to the Equalist Party's recent success in national polls. His bookshelves were lined with guides on first aid and martial arts, intro to law and journalism, and most things inbetween. Had he mastered all of those things? Of course not. He wasn't going to pretend he had improved that much. But he had started.

Ah, here he was. He caught the page in his hand, his eyes scanning over the bold words at the top of the page. Chapter six, 'Conquests by Virtue.'

Izuku scowled, and began spinning his knife in one hand, the thin blade slipping between his fingers just like Toga had taught him as his eyes began to travel across the page.

He wasn't going to change the world just by being a hero. It was that simple. In fact, he couldn't change the world just by being the best hero. All Might may be the symbol of peace, but Izuku doubted that he alone could change society how Izuku wanted.

And so Izuku had to be more than that. Or, at least, different. He glanced up at one of the articles on his wall, about the Equalist Party and its leader. Populists, who had been making a splash since their formation a half-decade ago. Fourteen seats in the House of Counselors, and another twenty in the House of Representatives. Not a large party, and he didn't agree with everything they stood for, but they were certainly better than the others. All of the other political parties were dominated by quirked people, but the Equalists, they actually seemed to care about those who were oppressed. Not just the quirkless; those with mutation quirks too, alongside the poor and homeless. He still had a few years before he could vote, but-

"Ouch!"

A sharp pain shot up Izuku's hand, and his knife clattered to the wooden floor. He bit his lip, trying to shake the pain out of his hand, and set down his book as he plucked up the knife.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! The number one rule she had taught him was to be careful! His fingers stung so much, like an animal had bit him!

… Despite himself, he let out a lighthearted chuckle. When he said he wanted to be cut, this wasn't quite what his meant. He flicked the knife shut, setting it on his desk before he inspecting his hand.

At the sight, blood drained from his face, a blank smile stuck on his lips.

That...

That was a lot of blood.

His fingers were absolutely coated in it, the knife having slit open three of his fingers. It dribbled down the back of his hand and down his arm, a steady trickle of crimson.

Any semblance of composure disappeared from his face.

W-what was he supposed to do?! His eyes flashed between the open door and his hand, and he rushed to catch the droplets tumbling off his elbow. He whimpered, his voice caught in his throat as his mouth fumbled with pointless words. Clean it! Clean it, and stop the bleeding! In the bathroom? A-and should he tell anyone first? Where was the first aid kit?! Oh god, it was pooling in his hand! And it was-

It was still hot.

He paused, glancing down at the pool in his hand.

Blood. His blood.

His motions, so hurried and panicked just moments before, were suddenly slow and steady. His head turned, green eyes settling on red blood.

Crimson blood, dark and hypnotizing.

… It wouldn't hurt anyone, right?

He licked his lips, his heart thudding in his chest as he swallowed his shame.

It was just his own.

He leaned forward, letting the thick, metallic smell fill his nostrils.

And… And no one else would know.

A quick taste.

J-just to see.

That was okay, right?

He licked up just a little from his knuckles, just enough to get the taste.

It was… odd. Not bad. But odd. Metallic. Bitter. Not what he had expected.

But what had he been expecting?

… A little more wouldn't hurt, though.

He licked his knuckles clean, and the blood off his lips, before focusing the small pool in his other hand.

Why was he doing this? And why was he so eerily calm? It was as though focusing on the flavor had calmed his mind, given him something to grab onto in the raging storm that was his anxiety-ridden mind. He knew it was wrong. But he couldn't stop. His tongue traveled up his arm, catching the small trickle, and he let the flavor fill his mouth. Thick and heavy, it tasted like he was drowning.

It was a sharp taste, rough and unrefined.

It tasted good.

… Maybe that's why Toga had licked him, back in the alley. It… made some sense. While it didn't carry the rush of a drug, or… what Izuku assumed a drug would have, it certainly tasted comfortable. Harsh, and bitter, but comfortable. Almost… well, like life.

It tasted like life.

"Izu-kun, dinnertime!"

Izuku practically screamed, jumping out of his skin as he whipped around. "T-T-T-Toga!"

The girl popped her head through the open door, a stirring spoon in one hand and a teasing grin on her face. "What's wrong, Izu-kuuun? Hiding something from me?" She giggled, casting a glance towards her companion.

It had taken months for Izuku to understand Toga's expressions. He wasn't particularly good with other people in the first place, and Toga made it no easier. Not only were her expressions so completely different from everyone he'd met, they also were defined by minute differences in her smile or the light in her eyes. Add to that they tended to flash across her face in a short series, only to be quickly covered by her normal teasing smile, and it made it near impossible for most people to tell how she was really feeling. This included Izuku for the first few months, who was really only able to tell what she was thinking when she told him. But over time, he had learned, mostly through trial and error. And, in that moment, with him frozen in terror, all of that studying had come to fruition.

First, there was surprise, her bright yellow eyes going wide.

And then confusion, where her eyebrows furrowed and her scowl deepened.

This was followed by excitement, unbridaled and raw energy lighting up her smile.

And finally, her face settled into restrained curiosity, like a cat watching a bird from a few paces away.

The feline wanted to pounce, but she needed to know more.

Learning this all in a few brief seconds did absolutely nothing to calm Izuku's rising terror.

"So, Izu-kun…" Toga's toxic eyes burned into Izuku, and she stepped into the room, quietly closing the door behind her. It clicked shut, and her sharp smile only grew larger. "Whatcha doin'?" She spoke quietly, smoothly, but the air was filled with tense electricity.

"I, uh, well, I'm-" Oh god, what was he doing? What was he supposed to say? Nothing he could say would justify the fact that he's standing in his room, drinking his own blood! "I just accidentally cut myself!" The words came out far too quickly, and his voice cracked halfway through.

He couldn't sound more like he was lying even if he wanted to.

Toga laughed, a lopsided sound that made Izuku think of a predator looming over its prey. Hands behind her back, she lazily weaved towards him, step by casual step. And her eyes, yellow and putrid, didn't leave Izuku for a moment.

He was back in the alley. A stone statue with a panicked heart, alone and frozen as the girl came ever closer. Unable to move. Unable to flee. Unable to react.

And she was edging ever closer.

"Doesn't it taste good?"

"H-huh?"

She smiled, her canines fully exposed. "Your blood. Doesn't it taste good?"

… He didn't want to answer that. Not out loud. Not where others could hear it. Not where he could hear it.

Izuku stumbled back a step, but Toga stepped forward, erasing the space between them. She stared up at him, her fingers woven together behind her back as she hunched forward. Her eyes, cold and curious, traveled over him, settling on…

On his hand.

On his blood.

Oh god, she looked even more excited!

His chest hurt. His breaths were too shallow, and his heartbeat was too fast. It felt like his heart was trying to burst out of his chest, but his muscles were tightening as much as they could to prevent it. And, despite it all, his mind was far, far away, trying to fend of the hormones and emotions that were tearing apart the logical side of his mind.

The logical part of him had an answer. No, it didn't taste good! It tasted like human blood! And it was an unspoken rule that you weren't supposed to drink it! There were reasons for it, too! For heroes' sake, did he want to get HIV?

But…

But the emotional part of him...

He licked his lips, swallowing his anxiety as he tried to speak. "... Y-yeah. Like… Like metal. And life." Toga's eyes flashed at that, her smile growing so wide it like like her cheeks were about to start tearing. Izuku bit his lip, casting his eyes towards the ground as he cradled his bloody arm. "But, isn't it, you know… weird?"

Toga took another step closer and giggled, rolling her head to one side. "Maybe for others. But does that matter?"

Does that matter? Does that matter?!

"Of course it does!" Izuku snapped back, a bit harsher than he meant to. He was afraid, and it was showing. He was panicked, and confused, and for Toga to not even understand that, it was-

"Why?"

At the sound of Toga's voice, Izuku's barreling train of thought ground to a halt. She spoke so calmly, so normally. Her voice sounded so innocent, like a young child asking why weren't allowed to just take food from stores. But in her prying eyes, in her thin smile, it was more than that. She understood. She knew the answer.

But she wanted to know his answer.

"Well, uh…" Izuku fumbled with his words, focusing on the book he was reading just so that he wouldn't have to meet Toga's eyes. How do you explain why it's wrong? It just is! Where was he supposed to start? There's just so much, and it's just common sense! But despite that, his mouth seemed unable to piece together anything intelligible. "... It's probably not healthy, and… it's not normal at all, and..." His voice petered off, nervous and weak.

That's what he said?! Wasn't there anything more definitive, more intelligent? He spent hours shouting at himself about this in his own mind, listing reason after reason, but the moment he had to say it out loud, the words just wouldn't come!

Watching him closely, Toga slowly reached out, her fingers grazing his injured hand. Izuku gasped and flinched away, more out of uncertainty than pain, but he let her grab his hand. Her touch was soft and careful, gently drawing his hand out to where she could see it. Her feline eyes looked over the cuts, and the curiosity in her eyes was infused with a light of childish satisfaction. And finally, she gazed up at him, her voice full of coy excitement.

"Does it hurt people?"

"Huh?"

"Others, the people that you're worried about. Are you hurting them? And…" Watching his reaction like a scientist observing an experiment, she leaned forward, licking the blood off of his knuckles. "Am I hurting you?"

His heart.

She kissed his cuts, her teeth brushing against his flesh.

Oh god.

Heart.

Heart please!

Please slow down!

You're going to pop!

"N-no, but-!" His eyes darted back and forth, filled with panic. He wasn't prepared for this! Not at all! What was he supposed to do? He wanted to… Oh god, don't think that! He couldn't do that! But he didn't want her to stop, and-

"Your quirk!" He blurted the words out, not entire sure of what he was saying.

Toga froze where she was, her tongue still on his skin as she watched him in mild confusion. "Mai kwuirk?"

… He hadn't thought this far.

He hadn't thought at all, actually.

He bumbled through his words, stuttering and stumbling. "Y-your quirk, yeah! You, uh, you never told me what it was, so… what is it..?" He ducked his head, sheepishly trying to smile.

It was so fake it could've been made in China.

He was an idiot. Such an idiot. There was a brief moment of silence as the two simple stared at each other. He could see it in Toga's eyes, the complete befuddlement as she tried to understand what was going on in his head. But she wasn't going to figure it out. Not even Izuku knew what was going on inside his head.

And then, Himiko let out a giggle, light and feather-like. She let go of his hand and covered her mouth, breaking down in laughter.

"U-uh, Toga, are you ok..?" Why was she laughing? What was so funny?

Toga caught herself, stumbling back just a step before looking him dead in the eye, as though she completely understood him. "Okay, then! I'll tell you!"

"Really?" Izuku shouted, almost forgetting the pain in his hand. "L-like, actually tell me?"

"Mm-hm! But first-!" She shot forward, her hand closing around his neck and her tongue traveling all the way across his cheek. But before he could react, she pushed off of him, casually careening towards the door. She tapped her cheek, licking her lips. "You had a little bit on you."

Izuku's face blossomed pink, and not even he could understand the gibberish leaving his mouth.

A single amused chuckle escaped Toga's lips, and she jerked her head towards the door. "Do ya wanna go get sewn up? You're blood is cute, but it's getting on the floor!"

"Wha-?" Izuku glanced down, only to find a few droplets or red on the brown wooden panels. He gasped, looking between the floor and his bloody arm, before he darted out of the room. "I'll, uh, um, I'll be right back!"

"Oookay! Thanks for the meal!" Toga waved to him as he left, but Izuku didn't look back.

"Mom!" He ran out, slamming the door behind him as he rushed to the dining room. He skid to a stop just in time to not hit the table, and spun to catch sight of his mom putting the finishing touches on dinner in the kitchen. The smells of fried fish and miso soup lingered in the air, a scent that would normally leave Izuku's mouth watering, but this time it barely even registered. "Mom, w-where the first aid?"

"Huh?" She glanced up from the mackerel, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you need the first aid fo- Oh my god, Izuku, what happened?!" The plump woman practically dropped the plate of fried fish on the counter, her expression dissolving into panic as she rushed to her son.

Izuku bit his lip, their panic playing off one another over and over in some tense, vicious cycle. He held his hand out to her, letting her see the long cuts across the back of his back three fingers as his mind rushed to put together sentences. "I, uh, I was playing with my knife, and-"

"You were what?" Mom shouted, her green eyes wide.

He shouldn't have said that! Definitely shouldn't have said that! He should just shut up, but his mouth ignored his brain, a speeding train without breaks. "Well, uh, Toga had given me a knife, and I was just fiddling it while I was reading, and-"

"Sit down! Sit down first!" Mom grabbed him by the shoulders, pushing him down into a chair before scrambling to the kitchen. She threw open the cabinets under the sink, and began tearing through its contents and tossing them to the side. "First aid, first aid, where is it...? Here!" She snatched up a blue plastic box with a red cross, and and quickly sat in the chair next to her son.

She wiped a warm, wet cloth across his hand, wiping off the blood before grabbing a tube of cream out the box. A heavy silence overtook the two as she worked, only occasionally interrupted by muttering nervously to herself or an occasional thumping sound from Izuku's room. He would be concerned more by that second one, but honestly…

Watching his mom work, so worried as she tenderly treated him, his heart felt heavy.

He should've been more careful. Even Toga had told him to be. One of the first things she had ever taught him was to never be reckless with a blade. Really, he was lucky; the cut wasn't that deep, but had it been only a few millimeters in either direction, he could've cut a joint. And that could've had permanent consequences.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, looking away in shame.

"... I'm sorry."

"Why did Toga-chan give you a knife?" She ignored his apology, jumping straight to her main question. Mom's voice wasn't cold, but it most certainly wasn't warm, and it was plenty stern.

Izuku frowned, trying to avoid Mom's gaze as he slipped out a sigh. He had messed up. And he hadn't even told his mom he was learning to use knives. It was stupid. He was stupid. He wanted to deny it. Say that it hadn't been Toga. That it had been his fault. In many ways, it was his fault. But he wasn't going to lie. "... Because she's helping me train to be a hero."

Setting down the tube of cream, Mom gave him a stern look. "Izuku, you need to be careful." She sighed, a long and weary sound, and picked a bandaid up off the table, one of several. "While I don't appreciate you having a knife without telling me… I know you don't have many options. Just… please be careful, ok? I'm going to have to talk with Toga-chan after this." Her voice softened, but it still carried with it the authority of a worried mother.

"O-ok…"Izuku could only respond weakly, a cub having been scorned by Mama Bear.

Mom continued to work, but Izuku just sat there, watching her. And, it seemed, despite what was happening, only one thought could go through his head.

This wasn't according to plan.

Part of him wanted to laugh, in that nervous, reluctant way. Another part thought it was ridiculous that, after everything, that was what he thought about. It wasn't like it was a well made plan anyway. 'Oh, Toga's parents are just out ot town for the weekend, and she didn't really feel comfortable sleeping alone in her house.' That might be better than the 'her parents were going abroad' plan, but only slightly, and not enough to make it any more realistic. Even if Mom did believe that, how would she react a few days later when they would have to tell her the truth? How were they supposed to convince his mom to let Toga stay without something to back up their lie? It didn't make any sense, the more that he thought about it. But…

But they had to try.

He swallowed his fear, trying to gather all of his courage into his uncertain heart.

"A-about Toga…"

"Hm?" Mom glanced up, distracted as she tried to fit the bandaids over his knuckles.

He scratched at his chin, his free hand searching for something, anything, to do. "Can she… Can she stay with us?"

His mom froze. There were a few moments where nothing moved, except for the thudding of his heart and the sound of a fan spinning.

Izuku had already messed up. He knew it. No matter how hard he tried, he always found the worst possible way to mess up, the worst times to ask, and this time was no diff-

Mom pressed the last bandaid down on his finger, smoothing it out before looking up at her son. "Why?"

Izuku opened his mouth to speak, but his mind was suddenly blank.

The plan.

What was the plan?

Oh no.

And suddenly, his mouth was moving, without any input or permission from his brain.

"W-well, her parents are going to be abroad for a bit, and the were wondering if she could stay with us, and-!"

He caught sight of the disappointed look in his mom's eyes, and the words died in his mouth. "... And…"

All of the tension left his body, leaving only hollow shame.

It was her eyes. He couldn't bear to look at them. She looked… sad. Like he had let her down. And he had. He had lied. He had chosen to lie. It didn't matter what the reason was, he felt awful. He knew why he had done it, but…

But it was still wrong.

"... Izuku, dear, I know you care about her." She held his hand, speaking softly. "But please don't lie. It doesn't make anything better."

"... I-... I know. And I'm sorry." Izuku stared at the wooden floor, unable to look up at her. Tears burned the edges of his eyes. Not only had he failed. He had failed everyone. He had failed his mom's trust, lying straight to her face. He had failed Toga, unable to find her a home.

An image of Toga popped into his mind, shivering and freezing in her cardigan in some dark, cold back alley as cutting wind carried down bone-chilling snow. Alone, trapped in solitude.

Because he had failed.

Izuku hissed, sucking in a tight breath and shaking as the first tears stung his cheeks.

"I know she's homeless."

Izuku's head shot up. "H-huh?"

She sighed, shuffling in her seat. She looked the same as she always had, the fluffy sort of woman that looked natural with a smile on her face. But there was no smile on her face, and that changed everything. She looked… exhausted. Pushed to the edge, with too much to do and too little time to rest. Like she had been trying her hardest for years, but it was never enough. Like the years had finally caught up with her.

"Izuku, it's obvious." She started packing up the first aid kit, her movements sluggish and absent minded. "She practically lives with us already. In seven months, she's come home with you and ate dinner with us every night. Sometimes, I let her take showers, because I can tell she can't anywhere else. And no matter how much she ties up her hair in those balls, I can tell she hasn't gotten a haircut this entire time. She rarely talks about her family, and when she does, it's always in the past tense. Honey, she barely even hides it."

Mom was right.

For All Might's sake, Izuku had known the moment he walked into that alley for the first time.

For seven months, she had been living in a garage, surviving off of the dinner and snack he gave her.

And he hadn't done anything about it.

Izuku grit his teeth, self-loathing and anger mixing into the already messy stew of emotions in his mind.

He had never done anything. He was afraid. Afraid to speak up. Afraid to pretend something was wrong. Afraid to disrupt the little sense of normality the two had built.

And he hated it.

"... Can she stay?" He spoke through ragged breaths.

Maybe Mom would would say no. Maybe it wouldn't work. But even if she did, he'd find a way. He didn't know how. But he would.

Toga had supported him for so long, it was time for him to do the same.

"Izuku, she's a runaway, not a dog." Mom put her hand over his, as though that would comfort him. "It's not like all she needs is to be fed and taken on walks. She's a person."

"Mom, winter is coming. If she doesn't have a place to live, t-then-" He choked the words out, forcing them past a dry throat. "Then she could die. She needs a home. And, just as much… she needs a family."

Toga was so many things. Hyper. Enthusiastic. Supportive and encouraging. But she was also human, and especially after a few days ago, Izuku could see the wires pulling at her feline smile. She was lonely. Just as much as she needed a roof over her head, she needed a family to share it with. And Izuku would do everything in his power to make sure she did.

His mother watched him for a moment, hesitantly opening her mouth to speak, before closing it to reconsider. And then, she smiled in that sad, wistful way. As though she were proud of him, but still had to tell him no. "... You're a kind person, Izuku. But sometimes, the best thing we can do is let the authorities take care of her. That way, they can take her back to her actual family."

That wasn't what he had meant at all! Izuku bit his lip, desperately holding back the flood of words trying to leave his mouth. She didn't have a family, genetic or genuine! She was alone, and this was their chance to help her! But how could he explain that to her? How could he explain it without telling Mom everything Himiko had entrusted to him? He shrunk down, fiddling with his own fingers. "But, what if she doesn't want to go back..? What if… going back might be worse for her?"

After hearing Toga explain why she left, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. She had hurt another girl at the foster home, and so she had to run. And that meant, if she went back, she was going to be punished. She was going to be put into a mental ward.

'I didn't want to ever be in a place like that again. I'd rather die.'

When she said that… it had been so cold. So absolute. As though it was more than just hyperbole.

Izuku shivered against the chill in his heart.

Mom shifted her head to one side, a concerned scowl tugging at the edges of her lips. "Why?"

Izuku squeezed his hands together, trying to release the bundles of nervous energy in his chest. "I… I shouldn't be the one to tell you. But… she can't go back. It wouldn't end well."

Izuku was being too vague, and he knew it. But he couldn't say anything more, not without betraying Toga. He lowered his gaze, and let out a long breath.

Where else could she stay? A hotel? A homeless shelter? Were there any homeless shelter nearby?

He didn't know, and he didn't have much time to find out.

Mom's eyes were traveling over him, their dark green irises filled with worry. But finally, she spoke up. "... I can talk to her about it. Maybe we can find a way to let her stay."

… Really?

His mouth suddenly realized that he hadn't spoke, and let out his words with a burst of excited energy.

"R-really?" There was a chance! There was a chance that she could stay! Relief flooded his body, like clean water washing away all the junk from a toxic, polluted riverbed, and a wide smile spread across his face. He needed to tell Toga!

He moved to push himself up, but Mom caught him by the wrist, pulling him back down. "It's not a promise! But, if her home situation really is the problem, than I don't want to be the one that put her back in it. And besides…" She gave him a stern scowl, but it quickly softened. And, in something that could only be compared to a loving sunset rising over a cracked and dusty field, her sad features were replaced by a warm smile. "Seeing you two together, it makes me happy. Ever since she's popped into our lives, you've begun to smile more. And, in the evenings, our house has begun to truly feel like a happy home. And, for your sake, and for hers, I don't want to give that up."

Tears were forming in Izuku's eyes again.

But this time, they weren't bad tears.

No, they were happy tears. Tears of joy.

He gripped his mom's hand, her pudgy little fingers somehow both soft and squeezable, and calloused.

They were a family. Him, and Mom, and Toga. Or rather…

Him, and Mom, and Himiko.

But then, something caught his eye. And Izuku's blood froze.

There, peeking out from behind the corner, was a person. A person with a wide, feline grin.

A very familiar person, with mossy-green hair, and a sprinkling of freckles.

It was Izuku.

There was a second Izuku.

"M-Mom," Izuku's tongue bumbled, his entire body stone-still with terror. "There's two of me."

What was going on? Why was there a second him? And why was it standing there, so perfectly still and silent? Oh god, it's smile! It's eyes! It was watching him so closely, like a predator peeking through the bushes. He was the prey, and this twisted reflection of him, hiding just a few paces away, was some nightmarish predator. His entire body was shaking, and he could feel his his heart pounding in his ears.

Mom chuckled, unable to see the monster behind her. "Honey, even if she lives here, she could never replace you. You're my son."

That's what she was thinking about?! His eyes would've glanced towards her, but they were locked on the… thing in the corner, as though looking away for one second would mean a quick, bloody death by slashing claws.

"N-no, I mean there's a second me!" The words came out as a shout, and his hand shot towards the doppelganger, pointing at it.

His mom looked at him in confusion and concern, before turning around and catching sight of the thing. "What do you mea- What on earth?!"

And then, the thing gave a far-too-wide, unnervingly familiar grin. "Hiya, everyone!" It waved at them, slipping from one foot to the other in some sort of game it was playing with itself.

… What?

The two Midoriyas stared at the thing, one confused by why there was something that looked identical to her son, head to toe, and the other having a moment of eurika.

"T-Toga?" The words stumbled out of his mouth, Izuku somehow understanding the situation even before his mind connected all the dots.

"Mm-hm!" She smiled, leaping forwards and giving Izuku a playful hug. "How do I look?"

"L-like Izuku!" Mom joined in, her entire body shaking as her eyes jerked up and down the girl's body. And Izuku was intrigued, too, enough so that it completely overrid his typical feelings of shock and anxiety.

He reached up, holding the faux Izuku's face. The skin felt identical to his. And… and the freckles, they were there, each and every one. The eyes, too! Her voice was the same as his, too, as though he were the one actually speaking. He reached up, rubbing a lock of the green hair between his fingers. The texture, the color, it was all identical! It was…

It was amazing.

"... You can shapeshift." He said it so softly, as though is was simply one of his thoughts slipping past his lips.

"Uh-huh!" Himiko grinned, completely unconcerned by his poking and prodding. "I just need a little bit of blood, and then, ta-da!"

The real Izuku leaned forwards, forgetting what personal space was as the analytical part of his brain took over. This was perfect mimicry. It was impossible to distinguish the two. The gears in his mind roared into overdrive, compiling both potential uses and questions. She needed blood to shapeshift; did it work with anything other than blood? If so, it was likely related to the genetic material, meaning that she could transform into someone with as little as a hair or nail trimming. And was it impacted by the amount consumed? How long was she able to use it? Was there a limit, both to how long she could use it contiguously, and to how long she could use a specific person's genetic code? And what about quirks? Things like mutation quirks, she obviously had to replicate, but what about transformation or emitter quirks? If she could replicate them, that would make her not only a perfect doppelganger, but also a jack of all trades in both combat or emergency situations, able to both copy a villain's quirk, and double the power of any ally's quirk!

Himiko's signature giggle sounded so strange in Izuku's voice, strange enough to actually pulling him out of his mumbling rabbit hole. He glanced up, a question carried in his gaze. "W-what is it?"

She smiled, and despite it being his own face, Izuku could clearly see it was Himiko. "I love your muttering, Izu-kun. Did you know you're the first one to like my quirk in a really long time?"

"What?" Izuku cocked his head, genuinely confused. "How? It's fascinating!"

She snickered, thoroughly entertained by him. "And that's why you're perfect!"

"Huh..?" What she even trying to answer his questions? He glanced at his mom, the faux Izuku clinging to him, before suddenly realizing something. "... Toga, is that my school uniform?"

Her smile grew, becoming far too wide to be innocent. "I can't shapeshift clothes, can I?"

"Where did you get my clothes!?"

"Your dresser, of course!"

"T-t-take them off!"

"Here?"

"No! Not here! In, uh, in my room, or something!"

"Aw, but they're so comfy!"

Their bickering was interrupted by his mom's laugh. Both of them froze, turning to see the short woman laughing herself to tears. A truly joyful laugh, one full of motherly love.

Himiko cocked her head, quirking an eyebrow. "What is it, Mrs. Midoriya?"

The woman stopped her laughing, wheezing as she tried to recover her lost breath. And after a moment, she looked at the faux Izuku, a wholehearted smile on her face. "Toga-chan, do you need a home?"

Time seemed to stop. The entire house became quiet, the two teens coming to grasp exactly what the woman had said. And Himiko stared at her, almost as though she were trapped in a dream.

"... W-with you?" The girl stuttered, so unlike her, yet so fitting for the nervous boy she was impersonating.

Mom spread her arms wide, a hug waiting to be filled. "That's what I'm offering."

Himiko seemed unable to move, frozen where she was. "Really?"

The older woman nodded."Yes."

At first, it was small. And then it grew larger. And layers of gray melted away, revealing Himiko's true face. A huge smile, so filled with happiness and joy, spread across the girl's face, one that Izuku had never seen before. And, with fat tears rolling down her cheeks, she leapt into the arms of her new mom.

"Yes! Yes, I'd love it!"

They had done it.

Not according to plan.

But now, Himiko had a family.

A/N: G'evenin, everyone! Does this chapter have the recommended dose of tears? Full disclosure, the part with Himiko turning into Izuku has been in my head since day one, and to finally see it on paper feels amazing. This chapter is a tad bit shorter than usual, and I apologize for that! However, it's an important scene, for rather obvious reasons. Alongside that, chapters 11-13 were originally supposed to be one chapter but… well, I got pretty into writing the fine details, so here we are. Just as clarification, the book Izuku was reading was "The Prince," by Niccolo Machiavelli. Chapter 6 is a short chapter, but widely considered an important one, because it begins to break down and analyze where a prince acquires their power from, and how that defines the steps they must take to create a stable power base.

With only the worst of intentions,

Imp the Nefarious

FFN:

AnAsianToster: I'll definitely keep in mind your recommendations about the Augur; while I have no intentions of going back and retconning chapters, I still have more character introducitons down the line, and need to learn from my mistakes. More than anything, though, I'm glad that you appreciate the pacing. I love myself some slowburn, but I know a lot of people don't. My highest priority, more than anything else, is to make this emotionally believable. I want every step Izuku or Himiko takes to be one that not only makes sense, but the reader can truly understand, even on an emotional level. Hopefully that'll work. We'll see in a few chapters.

ArchAngelSintic: First of all, thank you for pointing out the dischord issue so quickly! That could've ended very poorly. And it's amazing to hear that you've binged this so quickly! Just make sure to get enough sleep, I don't want my reader's sleep schedules to become as thoroughly fucked up as my own. If I don't update on time, it should be up in a day or two; If I know beforehand, I'll make sure to announce it in the Discord.

ILiekFishes: You fool, you've fallen into my trap! You see, my actual goal is to convince everyone that murder and paraphilia are 100% okay, so long as you're a cute teenage girl with a sad backstory. I'm going to use perspective, metaphors, and human empathy to make you realize that she might be a murderer, but that's not as important as her personal demons!

… Wait, that's exactly what I'm doing.

OH NO

ListenToTheRain: I'll try! Damn, ya gotta love character development, like, seeing a character change and improve, it's just-! *insert happy reader sounds here* Now, this ain't exactly related to my work on CATLT, but one of my favorite character arc of all time is Zuko from ATLA. I'd personally consider it a masterclass in how to write internally-driven character development. While Zuko didn't choose the situation he was in, every choice he made was just that: his choice. The successes, the failures, achieving exactly what he wanted just to find it left him hollow and sad - character development like that just feel so satisfying, but also because it feels natural and, most importantly, earned. That's what I'm hoping to achieve here with Izuku, Toga, and a as-yet-unnamed third character: Zuko-levels of character development. Aim for the moon, so at least I'll learn how to fly, right?

Ulttoanova: I have been trying to build up a few layers on Toga, and to hear that you like it is good! I'm always worried that I'm breaking Toga as a character, and, at least how I see it, is that she's very much a one-note character in what's know about her prior to the recent manga, maybe two or three notes max. And right now, I'm trying to use her to compose a symphony. So I either make a symphony with three notes, or make Toga play notes she's not used to playing. It's a bit of a catch 22, but I'm doin' what I can. And yes, there are going to be multiple arcs; this is number one, and I already have most of the others fleshed out. Mostly, it's just a matter of banging them out and editing. Ya know, the part that matters.