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Screaming.
That was all Toga heard. Screaming.
Pressing her hands to her ears, she grit her teeth and fell to her knees. Her eardrums burst but she could still hear it. Blood trickled down her palms, and for once she didn’t wish to taste it.
The world around her blurred, yet she could feel every little detail as an agonising shock down her spine. Voices called out around her. Tomura? Mama? Jin?
Toga shrieked in an animalistic fit of rage, attempting to battle the piercing sound with her own war cry. It was expectedly futile.
She bit into her own arm, tearing the meat from bone and spitting the grotesque mouthful onto the ground below. Tangy, scarlet iron dripped down her chin, but it didn’t satisfy her gnawing hunger.
What was happening? Where was she?
Writhing on the ground, Toga tore herself apart, limb by limb. Her grave was a bloodbath, just the way she liked it. The physical excruciation drew her mind away from the deafening sirens, a cruel and unusual form of punishment that was breaking her from the inside out. And if she had to choose between being taken out by a fucking noise or on her own terms, you bet she was biting the bullet.
The screaming, oh, gods, the screaming. They were pulling at her, tugging at her, tearing at her—
Toga’s pupils contracted into fierce, feline slits. Someone’s hands were on her, she realised, and all she could feel was blinding hot RAGE—
“Himiko!”
She shot out of bed, panting and sweating up a storm. Growling ferally, she lunged.
She reached for a knife, freezing upon realising she didn’t have one. A lightning strike of fear shot through her, and Himiko was left feeling utterly naked.
Her eyes narrowed, sizing up her prey. Oh well, no matter.
Grabbing at their wrists, she pinned them down and dug her sharp nails into the tender flesh. Absent-mindedly, she hoped for them to pierce skin and grant her a refreshing drink once the intruder was dealt with. She screamed in their face, displaying her fangs and sending spit flying.
She could see their mouth moving, clearly trying to reason with her. Threatening the LoV, her safe place, her family, then attempting to pacify her!?
Himiko was going to rip their throat out with her bare teeth.
She swiped at the perpetrator’s face, raking her claws across skin, purring gleefully at the sight of little red droplets rising from the scratches. Her victim winced, and Himiko giggled, a blush rising to her cheeks.
“Awh, you look so cute like this!” She cooed, smiling wickedly. “Such a shame you won’t be leaving here in one piece!”
She ran her tongue over her razor-sharp canines, and reared her head to attack. In her target’s last moments, Himiko took the liberty of committing their adorable features to memory. Pretty round, pink cheeks… shimmering chestnut eyes widened in fear… soft, glossy lips repeating a single word over and over like a prayer.
“—i!”
Himiko grinned.
“—imi!”
For but a second, she hesitated. What could they possibly be—
“Himi!”
Himiko reeled back as if slapped. Then, she gasped for air as a world of colour overwhelmed her senses.
Ochako.
Oh, gods, Ochako?
She looked terrified.
Ochako was backed against their bedroom wall, clearly frazzled and scared shitless. And yet, she didn’t seem afraid, more… concerned?
Himiko’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes brimmed with heartbreak. Ochako was concerned. For her. Ochako’s poor, aching heart, stuck with someone as despicable as Toga. Someone whose first instinct was to attack her when all she was trying to do was free her from a nightmare. Himiko felt sick to her stomach.
Suddenly, the floodgates opened, and tears drizzled down her cheeks as a downpour. She choked on a sob as she launched herself into her love’s arms.
“‘Chako, I’m sorry, oh—hic—I’m so sorry, I didn’t —hic— mean to, Ochako!” Himiko wailed into Ochako’s soft pyjamas, melting into the warm embrace. Oh, gods, she attacked Ochako, oh, she’s vile, nothing but a disgusting villain who’s rotten to the core—
“Oh, Himi-chan,” Ochako murmured sadly, a hint of her own sorrow tainting her words, shining through in a vulnerable stutter, “don’t say that about yourself, love.”
She rubbed soothing circles into the Himiko’s back, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Tears sprung to her eyes, too, as Ochako longed for nothing more but to shield her beloved from all the hurt in the world. She would continue to fight for Himi until she died, but until then, she supposed having their bodies intertwined and her head resting in her lap for the rest of their days would have to suffice. Ochako delicately combed her trembling fingers through the blonde’s sweat-slicked hair, hoping to ease her distress.
It’s uncertain how long the girls laid there for, but over time Himiko’s breathing grew steady within the comfort of Ochako’s nurturing hug. Eventually, the only evidence of the whole ordeal that remained was the former’s tired, bloodshot eyes and the latter’s raised wound stretched across her face. They sat in comfortable silence for many moments, only broken by a quiet, shaky whisper.
“Can we put on a movie?” Himiko sniffled. Ochako grinned softly in response, then abruptly stood up, slid her arms under the other, and scooped her up bridal style. Himiko’s cheeks reddened, and she began to giggle. Within seconds, the two found themselves both laughing hysterically, unable to stop. They only grew louder as Ochako almost dropped her girlfriend in the chaos.
Himiko nuzzled into the crook of her love’s neck, and bathed in her warmth as she was carried over to their shared lounge room.
Ochako dotingly laid her down upon the cushions, curled up next to her, and draped their favourite sunshine-yellow blanket over their interwoven forms. Reaching for the remote, the brunette clicked on a silly comedy to lighten the mood.
The bright light of the screen danced over the two lovers’ faces, reflecting brightly in their eyes every time a chuckle escapes either one of them.
At a moment of calm within the film, Himiko spoke up.
“I love you, ‘Chako.”
Ochako pressed a fond kiss upon the back of Himiko’s head.
“Love you too, Himi-chan.”