RENEGADE [Izuku Midoriya x OC]

Chapter 35 - Catalyst

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I need to talk to you.

The text came through in the middle of the night on Nori's brand new phone, from a number she recognized all too well. Toga.

Just about to climb in the shower and decked out in ratty pajamas, Noriko sighed and paced her apartment instead, running on the last dregs of her energy. The last thing she wanted was a hookup with Toga, or even a drawn-out phone call where Toga yammered on about nothing for an hour. Gathering her strength, Nori grit her teeth and pressed reply. 

She texted back: When?

A knock came from her door.

Oh, Noriko thought as she crossed her apartment, apparently now.

Before Noriko's half-asleep mind could figure out how Toga learned about the secret location of her apartment, Toga forced her way in through the cracked door and slammed into Noriko, squeezing her in the tightest, most desperate hug she'd ever received. She was already crying.

"Uh, Togie? You doing okay?" Noriko muttered as she kicked the door closed and reluctantly hugged Toga back. Warning bells rang in the back of her mind, but she couldn't figure out why through the haze of exhaustion. "What's wrong? Who do you need me to murder? Was it Dabi again? He stole your favorite eyeliner?"

Sobbing and distraught, Toga mumbled an answer into Nori's pajama top, gripping the back of her shirt in shaking hands.

"Come again?" Noriko prodded, gently wrapping her arms around her friend.

"I TOLD HIM!" Toga wailed, nuzzling into Noriko's neck. "I-I-I told him e-everything! I'm so sorry, Red, I was j-just so mad and s-s-s-so bloodthirsty and so jealous—"

Panic blossomed in Noriko's chest like a physical ache, spreading from her heart and through her limbs to every single cell of her body. She grabbed Toga by the shoulders and said, "Rewind, Himiko. Who did you tell? What did you tell them? Something about me?"

Hot tears streamed down Toga's cheeks, and she hiccupped between sobs. "I-I t-t-t-told Dabi," she sniffled, barely holding herself together while Noriko's golden eyes turned dark and disconnected, "I told hi-hi-him that you and I had a more-than-friends thing going on... a-and I kinda saw you carry D-Deku back t-t-to your apartment... y'know, after the f-f-fight."

The world went cold.

Noriko's vision tunneled as Toga's words slapped her across the face, the meaning instantly registering in her brain. He knew. Dabi knew her second biggest secret—and the first, being undercover, wouldn't be far behind—which meant it was only a matter of time until Shigaraki knew, too.

She was so dead. Beyond dead. Nori was living on borrowed time.

"I need you to go," Noriko said robotically, her grip slackening on Toga's body. Her mind was reeling with impossibilities, trying to outthink the problem and outrun Dabi's big mouth. What were the chances that Dabi already told Shigaraki? Was Noriko already a goner?

"R-Red?" Toga stammered, her voice thick with tears and terror.

Writhing, Nori broke free from Toga's hug, her teeth bared and her gaze fiery. "I. Need. You. To. Go," she barked at Toga, shoving her toward the door. "Now!"

Toga flinched at Nori's words, backing away. "Y-You're scary when you're mad, Red," she mumbled, her eyes filling with tears. With a reaching hand, Toga found the knob, threw the door open, and disappeared through the crack, slipping down the hallway and out of the building before Noriko even had time to notice she herself was crying. Her entire body trembled, all of the panic and adrenaline rocketing through her veins all at once. A single thought resounded in her mind as she slipped to the floor, her energy sapped and her mind blank...