Ch. 15 Twist the Knife

"The thing you need to know about that jerk," Toga began after another swig of her whiskey, "is that he wasn't always so done up. When I first met him, he was just this grungy little shit that was ready to fight anyone who was taller than him."

"Which was just about everyone," Brava added. Toga was three drinks in now, and she was still pouring another. Uraraka was still sipping away at her first and waited for the blonde woman to start telling her story.

"Haha! Right! He was like a chihuahua that barked anytime someone so much as looked at him. Anyway, I first met that lovable prick about ten years ago. Maybe a little bit more. You remember the viral video from the hero killer, Stain?"

"Vaguely. There was some chatter amongst my teachers that Stain must have had a sidekick recording it," Uraraka gave. She remembered accidentally eavesdropping on Eraserhead and Present Mic speaking about Stain in hushed tones about a year into her time at U.A.

"Yeah, take a guess who that sidekick was? That's right: Izuku. When Stain got super popular, every edgelord and wannabe gangster came out lookin' to join his mission. A guy named Giran pooled a few of them together with the promise of meeting the big guy."

"Wait.. I think I know that name. Wasn't he a big underground powerbroker?" Ochaco asked. Toga nodded and poured out another shot for Aiba.

"That he was, princess. He took us to this warehouse and had us stay low for a while. All of us had, uh, already done some stuff on our own. The pigs were on the hunt and that was the safest way for Stain to meet them, he said. The next day, Giran brings in a new kid to stay with us. This scrawny kid holding up a sword. I don't remember them all that much, except for him. He was banged up. Blood stained, bruised, burned, scarred, a few broken bones - you name it, he had it. He. Was. Hot! "

Toga took a second to stare off into the distance with a slightly crazed smile. Uraraka darted her attention to Aiba who only shrugged.

"Soooo yeah... I took a deep shine to your boy toy instantly. He was standoffish and a little bit of a prude, but I was ready to—"

"I feel like we're getting off track. How does Stain lead up to this place?" The less she heard about... whatever intimate stuff... happened between Toga and Izuku, the better. A brief image of his arms wrapped around her own waist as they silently cried popped into her mind. Uraraka held back a cringe.

"I'm getting there, princess. Patience. Where was I? Oh, right. So, Izuku is brought in and we hang out but it's another, what, two months before Stain would show up?" Aiba nodded encouragingly at her partner.

"Skip to the part where I care, Toga," Ochaco warned. Himiko rolled her eyes and refreshed everyone's drinks despite no one having imbibed for a minute.

"Spoilsport. A couple of months fly by. Izuku was acting very weird in the days leading up. He kept dodging everyone and wouldn't talk to them. He… he pulled me aside and warned me not to go meet Stain. Swore up and down that it was a trap. I almost didn't believe him, but he gave me an offer. He'd give me what I had been after for two months, but I had to leave with him, then and there." Uraraka cut her off before Toga could go into any further details.

"Turns out, Izuku was right. Apparently, Giran had led everyone to the big meeting. As they were waiting for Stain, a big group of cops and pros raided the complex. From what I heard, some big names like Ingenium and Endeavor were there. No one escaped. Izuku and I were on a train to Hosu by the time it happened."

Uraraka squirmed in her seat. Something about the whole thing was very strange. She remembered speaking to her classmates when she first got to U.A. Iida was proudly announcing that his brother was amongst the raiding party. Though he was heavily injured, Ingenium had fought valiantly at the side of All Might.

"How'd Deku know what was happening?" Himiko gave Ochaco a sad smile, hugging herself a bit as she drank slowly from her glass.

"He set it all up. Izuku, well… he wasn't suited for the streets, so he lied about Stain needing more resources to continue his crusade."

"So, Deku set them up so that he could sit behind a desk?" Uraraka almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Questions rumbled around in her mind as she tried to make sense of it. Was his Quirk weak, or was he just looking for something more cushy? Was it the money?

"Basically, yeah," Toga answered, "Afterwards, he set up an actual meeting with Stain, and I spent the next three years there. Izuku spent that time learning the trade. He got really good at it too. He would help us find our next targets. We sorta did his dirty work, eliminating any competition or heroes who stuck their nose where it didn't belong."

"After all that is when we stepped in," Brava piped up. Ochaco hiked an eyebrow at the small redhead.

"I was with the one and only Gentle Criminal. He was… he was everything I ever wanted. He saved me from me. Pulled me out of the dark. I would have followed him into hell, but instead, we had to pay a visit to Deku. See, Gentle was in a bit of money trouble. Couple of bad bets had everyone and their mother after his hide. I tried keeping him safe, but it was getting harder by the day - especially since he wouldn't stop vlogging our location. So, we turned to this kid who could handle anything. People kept saying he could work miracles if you had the cash to pay. We didn't have any money, but we were desperate for a miracle."

"And he asked for a favor?" Aiba nodded, her eyes not meeting Uraraka. The pro downed her drink in one gulp and held out the empty glass to Toga. She blinked before refreshing Ochaco's drink.

"Apparently, there was some trouble with a supply interruption. He asked if Gentle could help him negotiate something between the gangs, with the promise that Gentle's debts would be forgiven if they succeeded. While that was happening, I'd be doing some busy cyberwork for Deku. During that time, I met Toga here."

"You were so cute back then, Aiba," Himiko chirped, smiling genuinely for the first time, "Well, Izuku wasn't as happy to see me. Must've thought he had more time away from me. So me and Aiba got to talking while we waited for those two to come back, and one thing led to another-"

"Let's just say that we got real close," Brava interrupted. There was a blush on her face as she looked at Himiko who only drank quietly with a smug expression. Toga took a moment to refresh Aiba's glass and started speaking again.

"Right, so Izuku took over Giran's job and did a better job than the old guy ever dreamt of. The cops and pros had their wheels greased, and the rest of us could do what we needed to."

"That was until one of his outings with Gentle," Aiba had her eyes fixed on the drink in her hands and grew quiet again.

"By this point, Izuku had taken quite the shine to Gentle. Even started dressing like him. So, Izuku and Gentle go out to calm down a turf dispute; only, it doesn't go according to plan. They were actually fighting over the very ground we're standing on. Gentle came back carrying a bloody, hardly-breathing Izuku. Apparently, they hadn't been aware of what exactly the dispute was over. When Izuku found out, he went full berserk and just about massacred everyone in the room. Left them all in a big bloody mess. That put a big target on his back."

"Deku had a plan, though." Aiba had finished her drink and picked up telling the story. "Well, he had a room of bookshelves filled with notebooks. I guess he was paranoid and wrote up a million contingency plans. None of them were fully realized, though. Toga and I tried to piece together something that could save us all.

"Gentle would take the blame for the botched talks, Stain would kill anyone who came near him, and that would be it. Only that didn't happen."

Aiba took the decanter from Toga's hands and poured out the remaining contents into her glass. "Stain didn't like that he was being taken away from his mission. His crusade was more important. I argued with him, begged him to help defend Izuku, but Stain didn't like having deadweight."

"So he attacked and Gentle intervened?" Uraraka felt so close to solving a part of Deku's mystery.

"No, Deku killed Stain." Ochaco spat out her whiskey, the top of her mouth burning from the strong alcohol. Toga had said it just so casually. How many people had they murdered that she could be so casual about taking a person's life? "When Stain had me and Aiba cornered, Izuku… I-Izuku stopped him. He looked so sad but so so angry. Deku killed one of his father figures for us. I… I'm still not sure why he did it. " Toga fell silent. Her arms dropped to her sides as she stared off again. The glassy look in her eyes forced Uraraka to turn away.

"That solved all of Deku's problems, though. Kill a big enough shark, and all the fish in the sea will fear you; even scared the people above the water. After helping out Lemillion in some secret fight, Deku had enough favors to secure this place. They were gonna tear it down, build a shopping mall or something, but he made sure that the building was done up again, bigger and better. Deku put us in charge of the place. Told us we were gonna save lives."

"Ok, so that's it? Deku kills the Hero Killer, scares the hell out of the world, and then what? Opens this brothel up? What for?" Uraraka started feeling the effect of her drink. There was a vein on her forehead pounding, and she felt small waves of nausea hit her stomach. It was getting harder to concentrate.

"Deku and Gentle had a shared vision to give these people a safe haven to earn money without being afraid of what would happen if they didn't make enough that night. Thus, Mad Love was born."

Aiba gave her a mirthless smile. In their silence, the dim light played with the shadows cast around the room. Uraraka's head was pounding. Something had to be in the drinks.

"What happened to Gentle? Is he still around?" Toga and Brava shared a sad look, not speaking for a few seconds.

"Gentle… He…" Aiba couldn't finish her sentence as she broke out into hushed sobs. Toga rushed over and held the short woman.

"It was one of their raids after we opened Mad Love. There was a gang near the docks that was suddenly getting bigger. Izuku wanted to know how, and sure enough, it was human trafficking. We fought back, but they weren't the only ones there that day. There were a few cops, a couple of heroes, and the gang all waiting talking about an incoming shipment. Izuku made a move but… We didn't even get to bury Gentle. There wasn't much left to bury."

Uraraka raised a hand to her open mouth, covering up the shock on her face. Aiba began to wail as Toga rocked her gently. Someone had died for Deku. They believed in him enough to die for him. It seemed like it was all a bad dream, the impossibility of it all crashing around her. There was something about the whole thing that was bugging her.

"Did… Did Deku ever say who was there when Gentle saved him?" Toga shook her head, bangs flowing in the air. Uraraka figured as much. Things could never be easy, not when Izuku was involved.

She stayed with them for a while longer, not really sure if she could comfort the ladies. Brava's mascara was smeared, and her eyes looked dark and sunken. The redhead excused herself and left to clean up. Toga ran a hand through her hair, straightening up as she stood. Uraraka watched her carefully and bit her lip.

"Toga, what happened between you and Deku? No details, but… just what happened?"

"You happened, princess," Toga whispered. Ochaco frowned. Until the last six months or so, Izuku wasn't a part of her life. How could she have disrupted their situation? "Ok, that's not really fair to say. His heart was never really in it, ya know? He… he always loved heroes. The real ones. Me, Stain, and Izuku always could sniff out the phonies from the true blue pros. After he dealt with Stain, I think I really fell for him. How couldn't I? Sure he didn't just save me, but I just couldn't help myself.

"I gave him everything because he gave me everything. I never had to worry about where I was going to sleep or when my next meal would be. He treated me with respect. We… were even each other's… but he couldn't. Izuku always wanted something more, and I couldn't keep up. I never knew what he was looking for until he met you. I can't explain it. Since you came into his life, there was just something different."

Ochaco furrowed her brow, but Toga never elaborated. It wasn't possible. Deku was just putting on an act. He would only survive by playing the lead in a neverending show.. Uraraka refused to accept it. Fool me once…

"Hey princess. Can I give ya some advice, girl to girl?" Toga wasn't looking at Uraraka, focused on the candle flame dancing in front of her. Ochaco didn't like how she sounded. There was a simmering quality to her voice that warned the pro. She tried to not make any sudden movements as she responded.

"Not sure you'll listen if I say no, so go ahead."

"Do yourself a favor: don't chain your feelings to a sinking ship. You'll only break your own heart. I know he…" Toga's sleeve barely muffled a sniffle as it darted across her eyes. " I know you're what he wants and needs, but you're too far outta reach. Don't hurt yourself tryin' to pull him out of this shit. You can't save people who don't want to be saved."

They stayed quiet after that. Uraraka bit her lip as she mulled over Toga's warning. A heaviness engulfed Ochaco as her mind went to war. Try as she might, she kept coming back to a single phrase. I love him. It frightened her with how much of a thrill she got from the very thought. A pair of footsteps approached them, pulling her out of her reverie. Her ears perked up as they got closer.

"Himi, I ran over the numbers, and I think we can start that expansion you've been talking about." Izuku walked into the room, standing behind Ochaco. He made a confused noise. "Himi, I didn't realize you had company. Sorry, I'll be-"

"Deku," Uraraka commanded, "You and I need to talk."

She turned in her chair to look at him. His face was bruised and scraped up; his usual pristine clothing was rumpled and disheveled. Deku stared at her with a gaping mouth. He tried to compose himself, but she didn't get the chance to stop him before Toga stormed up to him, pulling him in for a whisper. Ochaco didn't catch what was said. Whatever it was, Deku managed to smooth out his face as he looked at her.

"Try not to have too much fun without me, princess." Himiko sauntered off into the dark hallway and disappeared. Izuku took a moment to swallow and motioned for Uraraka to sit. She did so as he pulled up a chair.

"Been a while, Sunflower."

"It has."

Izuku looked confused, conflicted. He was wringing his hands and darting his eyesight on anything but her. Despite everything she had just learned, despite knowing he was a killer, Ochaco felt comfortable around the criminal sitting before her.

"S-so, you wanted to talk?"

"I did. Midoriya, why did you choose me? Why drag me into this mess, get yourself involved, rather than doing literally anything else?"

"I-I couldn't stop myself. I never wanted this… never wanted to drag you to society's underbelly . I'm sorry."

Ochaco hummed. Izuku twiddled his thumbs as he tried to keep a straight face and failed. In a way, it was adorable and so honest of him to be open for once. The same thought struck her again. It was time to clear the air between them.

"Izuku," she started in a quiet tone, "I'm going to ask you something and I need you to tell me the truth." Ochaco breathed in deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. Izuku squeaked out as he waited for whatever was coming.

"Do you love me?"

He didn't answer right away. Izuku sighed and hung his head, burying his hands into the forest of green hair on his head. "I really don't think you want that answer, Sunflower."

"Yes I do. Now, answer me."

Izuku's head snapped up, a pout on his face that almost made her laugh out loud. Uraraka was surprised that she didn't burst right then and there. Instead, she bit her lower lip and waited for him to answer. He stood up and began to pace around, hands wringing over each other. The longer he took to respond, the worse her dread began to feel.

"Sunflower, the fields we manage are a bit too different."

"That's not what I asked, Izuku," she retorted curtly. He seemed taken aback by the bite in her words. He stepped up to her and knelt down to look her in the eye. Izuku was searching for something in her eyes, though she couldn't say what.

" While you keep the streets clean, I'm just a humble garbage disp-"

"That's not what I asked, Izuku! It's a simple yes or no question. Do, or do you not, love me?"

He took her hand, squeezing it gently. The world was drowned out by the blood rushing through her ears. She noticed that Izuku had tears of his own as he tried to speak.

"Sunflo- Ochaco, I-"

"Yes, Izuku?"

"I can't- We just can't…"

The room grew quiet once more. Uraraka searched his face, looking for any cracks or flinches. He gave none. She nodded, got up, and made to leave. Izuku reached out to her, but the cold look in her eyes stopped him. Ochaco walked out and made her way back home, leaving Izuku behind in that candle lit room.