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Himiko was captivated, she'd never had anyone share the stance or care enough to tell her. It gave her the hope to get back up from her cage, but the grand house she stood in gave the bars strength.
"Maybe, but it's still disgusting. I'm disgusting." Himiko's eyes widen at her own words as they edged her repressed ones and those of who implemented them into her. "B-but I won't do it again! I won't be gross, I swear. Just stay, okay?" She says with panic laced in her voice, a flash of her real self shining through in agreement.
As annoyed as Aia was at the naive words Himiko was spewing about herself, a wave of sympathy took over at her expression. "Hey, I won't leave. You can use your quirk if you need it, it's okay. I don't think it's disgusting if you need it-"
"No! There are no excuses; it's completely gross. I have a bad quirk. It makes you a bad person." Himiko argues, lines of her old insecurities and own beliefs blurring the deeper she gets into the long forgotten and since amplified role.
Aia scoffs, patience worn down by the apathetic reasoning she'd gotten so many times she was starting to expect everyone to give. She'd hoped the blond to be an exception; perhaps that was just wishful thinking. "Fine. If you don't have any, I'll give you some food but I think it's time to go. I'm sorry, I think I misread you."
Every part of calm in Himiko dissolves into a distressed panic. She frantically shakes her head, the instability of acting completely like such a damaged part herself coming into full gear. The memories flash without warning of every time her facade cracked in the past, convinced that's what Aia's decision is a result of. Hysterically, the girl all but shivers in place; tears swiftly staining her cheeks. "N-no! Please don't, was that not normal enough? Was I not good enough? I-I can do better! I'll be good, you don't need to leave."
Aia freezes in place, shocked at how quickly the girl fell apart after acting so much calmer than usual. Unused to such emotion, she awkwardly places a hand on her head to gently pet her surprisingly soft blond hair. This only makes her crumble even further as whimpers are added to the mix at the thought of having to go without the touch.
She'd fully emerged herself into who she used to be. She thought it was necessary to be with the girl. Yet, Aia reacted differently than everyone else to that version; less pleasantly than to the happier version. It had been unexpected and prompted every insecurity that made her come to hate it so much.
She was happier now; free to be her true self. The Himiko of the past lived to please by hiding away every piece of who she was. The moment that validation left, or the temptation became too much to control, she'd explode into a million painful doubts as a result of replacing self-value for that of others.
"Shh, it's okay. You are good enough, you've been since we met." Aia coaxes, bringing the weeping blond closer as her sobs rage on.
"B-but you wanted to leave. I was trying to be good for you, was it still not enough?" She hiccups out, slowly regaining some sense of her own albeit shattered normalcy.
"I think you're good as you were, I don't want you to try to be anything but yourself. I like you, the fun you. If that soulless act is normal then it's boring and I don't want it." Aia brushes her thumb over plush cheeks, wiping away the tears that seem to be slightly calming.
Himiko chokes on her sobs, remembering alongside Aia why she hated that old persona. Finally, her true self breaks from her cage and takes charge as it did for the first time so many years ago. The difference being this time the desire that broke the final bar was more innocent and beautifully unfamiliar; a complete contrast to the slowly growing and bloodlust mixed with self-hatred that tipped her off the edge previously.
She slowly completely comes back to herself in realization at all the repressed wounds she'd just showed off and gotten soothed by the girl. She wrapped her arms around Aia in slight fear she was dreaming the relieving and unfamiliar words; as if they'd both disappear if she dared let go.
Aia gladly reciprocated, more sweet reassurances muffling into the top of the girl's head as she continued holding her. Even after the sobs stopped, Himiko was left slightly shaking from unleashing so much forgotten emotion.
A soft kiss atop her head finally broke her out of the moment that was far too overwhelming to completely process. It felt so kind and gentle, unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Himiko was sure the adoration was pooling from her eyes as she looked up to see the girl that was singlehandedly keeping her from falling apart again, both mentally and physically in her arms.
Even if she didn't even realize that part of her existed, with so much pain she'd never gotten the chance to unpack. Even if she was scared at the bubbling feeling in her stomach that grew to be more bittersweet with every moment they spent together. The care in that small gesture took a hold of her heart and melted away every bad feeling for a moment she'd make eternal by replaying it in her head.
"I like you too, you're much cuter than anyone I've ever met," Himiko says in her harmonic voice that to Aia could make nearly any words she said sound like the sweetest and innocent thing. She'd settle for a lifetime of insanity if she said it like that. She'd probably take her crazy anyways. What she seemed to think was normal had always annoyed Aia, a fake moral high ground with no regard to other's realities. No, she much rather preferred whatever it was the blond had going on in her unique head.
"Good, because Himiko, as long as you stay like you are, I don't plan on letting you go." Aia held her cheeks with a smile, in protectiveness for the girl that doesn't seem to get such a sentiment very often.
"In that case, you can also call me Toga." She smiled leaning into Aia's warm touch and closing her eyes in joy as pink blush surely spread across her cheeks. It was the name everyone else knew her by, everyone she didn't have to hide from.
She still couldn't be completely honest, she was willing to make that sacrifice. But, right now? All Toga could focus on was pure joy at the prospect that maybe even if they were in different worlds, the stars had aligned just enough to carve a path between them.
She just needed to force them together to finish it.
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