Villainous

Chapter Twenty - Strange

Two chapters in one day! Happy Birthday Zynthrix Hope you have a good one <3

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Ochako gritted her teeth and raised her hand to knock at Toga's door. It had been three days since they last spoke, only exchanging glances while eating or passing each other in the halls. Even though their argument had left a sour taste in the hero's mouth, she couldn't stay angry forever. In fact, the anger had begun fading to sadness mere minutes after they fought.

She missed Toga, to be blunt.

And honestly? She was ready to admit that. Ochako had come to terms with her feelings the past few days, not fully, but enough to understand. It started when she began thinking back to that morning: the way Toga had called the green haired hero's name, and how she called him cute.

Without much thought, Ochako had mentally fabricated a scenario where Toga talked to her like that, and physically recoiled at the realization of what she'd been thinking. Her face was red and her mind was reeling as she tried to process why she'd imagine something like that.

It was just.. strange to her. Foreign and new, and maybe even a little scary.

She had tried to distance herself with these feelings, the ones that plagued her mind and dared to push her closer to the blonde, only to fail in the long run. It might've worked for a little, only small thoughts ever slipped through the cracks and made it to her conscious mind. Now however, she had no distraction or problem to solve besides this one. And what a problem it was.

Ochako couldn't deny that fact that she would've been perfectly okay, excited even, had Toga gone through with the kiss in the mall. It was undeniable evidence that made her think that maybe this wasn't quite friendship. Though, maybe the confusion stemmed not from Toga or feelings of a romantic variety, but from past experiences. Ochako had told herself that she had a crush on Deku. Tsu, Mina, and practically everyone except the boy himself had confirmed this feeling.

What she felt towards him matched up with something more akin to admiration rather than adoration or love, she supposed. Despite this, she'd convinced herself that she loved him, and wanted him to be her boyfriend. Now, knowing what she did now, this wasn't true. He was a good friend, loyal and kind, brave and strong, there wasn't anything wrong with him. He just wasn't the one she liked.

Maybe that experience had skewed her ability to tell love from friendship. After all, when she thought about loving someone romantically, she often compared it to what she felt towards Deku. If that had been friendship, then of course it wasn't what she felt towards Toga.

On the other hand, this meant what she felt for Toga was unexplored territory. It wasn't charted or tracked, not observed nor tested. It was dangerous and scary, but so very thrilling. Like an adventure she couldn't bring herself to turn back on, despite the many warnings posted on either side of the perilous rope bridges and cascading waterfalls. She was compelled to push past the challenges, even though they were difficult, and more often then not, she'd get turned around in this dense forest of feelings.

She wanted to try.

It was a strange sensation, figuring that out. Like a tingling chill that wouldn't leave her be, as if someone had opened a window and the new September breeze was settling in her room. It was a feeling that made her giddy, a feeling that made her bite back a smile every time she thought of Toga. But it also made her nervous. Oh so very nervous as she passed the blonde in the hall, or sat across from her at the table. It felt as though some new quirk had made Ochako hyperaware of everything she did, and how clumsy she could be.

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Toga could tell someone was lingering outside her door. It was a sense that came naturally to her, and after a few moments, she correctly identified the visitor as Ochako. Why the hero was here to see her? She had a few guesses.