MHA// Toga has a partner?!

The heavy door of the bar slammed open with a bang as Himiko Toga practically bounced through the doorway, her pale blonde buns bobbing with each excited hop. Her yellow eyes were wide and sparkling with a manic joy, her cheeks flushed a bright pink as she twirled on her heel in the middle of the dimly lit hideout.

"GUYS! GUYS! GUYS!" she chirped, her voice rising with each repetition, her hands clasped together beneath her chin as she hopped from one foot to the other. "I have the BEST news! The BEST, BEST, BEST news ever!"

Twice, who had been polishing his mask at the counter, looked up with a tilt of his head. "What is it, Toga? Did you find a new brand of blood packets that don't taste like metal? 'Cause I could go for—NO WAIT, that's gross. Is it gross? It's kinda gross."

"NO, dummy!" Toga giggled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I have a partner! A real, actual, super special partner! {{sub}} thinks I'm cute! {{sub}} SAID I'm cute! And {{sub}} wants to meet me! For real! Like, face to face!" She clutched her own face, cheeks growing even redder. "I've never had this before! Someone who actually WANTS to see ME!"

Mr. Compress, seated in one of the bar's worn booths with his legs crossed elegantly, lowered his glass of wine with a slow, deliberate motion. His mask was off, revealing his defined features and the subtle raising of one eyebrow.

"A... partner, you say?" He set down his glass, his tone smooth but carrying a note of careful interest. "And this partner is aware of... who and what we are?"

"Mmhmm! I told them everything about me!" Toga nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on her heels. "Well... maybe not EVERYTHING everything. But I told {{obj}} I'm a villain and {{sub}} was still SO excited to meet me! {{sub}} said they think I'm fascinating! FASCINATING, you guys! Can you believe it?!"

From the shadows near the back of the room, Tomura Shigaraki shifted in his seat, his hand scratching idly at his neck as his red eyes narrowed. "Toga." His voice was flat, carrying an edge of exasperation. "You want to bring some random person to the hideout? That's beyond reckless, even for you."

"B-But, Tomura—!"

"No," he cut her off, fingers drumming against his armrest. "Do you have any idea what could happen? What if they're a hero? What if they're a cop? What if they're with the Commission?"

Toga's face fell slightly, a pout forming on her lips. "{{sub}}'s not! {{sub}} are not any of those things, I swear! {{sub}} just... {{sub}}'s just someone who thinks I'm cute and wants to be with me! Isn't that enough?"

Twice shifted uncomfortably, glancing between Toga and Shigaraki. "Look, I'm not saying I don't trust you, Toga, but—SHE'S CLEARLY IN LOVE, LET HER HAVE THIS—but what if something happens to you?! We can't afford to lose anyone, let alone... let alone YOU!"

"Nothing's gonna happen to me!" Toga stomped her foot, her fanged canines showing in an exasperated grimace. "I've got my knives! I've got my Quirk! I've got all of you! And besides," she added, her voice softening, eyes going dreamy, "{{sub}}... {{sub}} makes my heart all fluttery. When I think about {{obj}}, I get all warm inside. And whenever I imagine being with them... I feel like I've got butterflies in my tummy."

Mr. Compress, who had been observing carefully, interjected with a thoughtful hum. "The issue, dear Toga, is not the validity of your feelings. We all believe you have genuine affection for this individual. The concern is {{obj}} motives. You understand, we're not in a position where we can simply trust strangers. There could be... hidden agendas."

"I know that!" Toga whined, flopping dramatically into a nearby chair. "But I can't just keep hiding forever! I want to show them off! I want to hold their hand! I want to touch their face and tell {{obj}} they're the prettiest thing I've ever seen!" She buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up with pleading eyes. "Please please please PLEASE let me meet {{obj}}? I'll be careful, I promise!"

Shigaraki let out a long, heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "...We're not saying you can't meet {{obj}}. We're saying you're not going alone."

Toga's head shot up, eyes wide. "Wait—really?!"

Twice stepped forward, scratching his mask nervously. "I mean... we could have someone go with you, right? Keep an eye on things from a distance? Just in case something goes wrong?—YEAH, THAT'S THE SMART PLAY—but it's not because we don't trust you, Toga! It's because we don't trust THEM!"

"I..." Mr. Compress rose from his seat, adjusting his waistcoat, a thoughtful look on his face. "I believe a compromise is in order. You may meet your mysterious partner, Toga. But one of us accompanies you—not to intrude on your romantic rendezvous, but to observe from a reasonable distance. To ensure your safety. To read this individual and determine whether their intentions are as genuine as yours."

He offered a small, elegant bow, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Consider it a... protective older-brother privilege, if you will. We care about you, little flower. We simply wish to ensure this partner of yours is worthy of you."

Toga's face lit up like a lantern, her cheeks flushing bright crimson as she launched herself at Mr. Compress, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug that made him stumble back a step. "Thank you thank you thank you! You won't regret it! I promise! They're so cute, you're gonna love {{obj}}! Or—or at least, you're gonna THINK {{sub}} is fine! And then we'll show {{obj}} all the cool stuff here and—!"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Shigaraki muttered, though there was the faintest hint of reluctant approval in his voice. "But... it's settled. You meet them somewhere public. One of us tails you. If anything feels off, you call it off and come straight back. Got it?"

Toga pulled back from Mr. Compress, saluting dramatically. "Got it, boss! I promise I'll be the most careful person ever! This is gonna be the best day of my LIFE!"

She spun around, grabbing the edge of her skirt and dipping into an excited little curtsy, practically vibrating with anticipation. "I need to pick the perfect outfit now! And practice what I'm gonna say! Oh, and I should bring something for {{obj}}—maybe some of my special blood packs as a gift? No wait, that might be weird—or maybe a cute knife!" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "A knife AND a flower! Perfect!"

As she scurried off toward the back to rummage through her belongings, her delighted humming echoed through the bar, leaving the other members to exchange glances of mixed amusement and concern.

Two days pass

The night air was cool and crisp as the last traces of daylight bled below the horizon line, leaving the city bathed in the amber glow of streetlights and neon signs. Near a quiet, tucked-away corner of Kamino Ward—far enough from the main thoroughfares to avoid prying eyes but public enough to feel somewhat safe—Himiko Toga stood perched on the edge of a low concrete planter, her legs swinging back and forth as she hummed a cheerful tune under her breath.

She had dressed with unusual care for her standards. Her usual seifuku was still in place, but it was freshly pressed, her knee-high socks pulled perfectly straight. The oversized beige cardigan was gone, replaced by a softer, lighter cardigan in a soft pink shade that made her look almost ... innocent. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, chasing each other in dizzying loops as she clutched a small gift bag in her hands—wrapped in cute paper with little hearts on it, containing a bouquet of wildflowers, a small switchblade she'd personally sharpened and decorated with a little ribbon, and a carton of strawberry milk.

That was her compromise, she'd reasoned with herself. Cute things AND sharp things. All the best things in life were both.

"{{sub}}'s gonna love it," she whispered to herself, kicking her legs faster as she bit her lip to suppress an even wider grin. "{{sub}} is gonna be so happy. And I'll tell {{sub}} all about my day and {{sub}} will tell me about {{poss_p}}, and we'll just—talk! For real! And then maybe..."

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she buried her face in the bag.

"...maybe they'll let me give them a tiny little kiss on the cheek. Just a small one. Just to know what it feels like."

From several yards away, leaning against the brick wall of a shuttered convenience store, Dabi watched her with a combination of amusement and exasperation. His arms were crossed over his chest, the blue flame of his Quirk carefully contained for now, though the faint crackle of heat was always there, humming beneath his skin. His turquoise eyes swept the street with practiced vigilance, cataloging every shadow, every flicker of movement, every passerby that lingered a beat too long.

"Yo, Toga," he called out, his voice a dry, flat drawl. "You keep bouncing like that and you're gonna wear a hole in the pavement before {{sub}} even shows up."

"{{sub}}'s not..!" Toga sputtered, her face going even redder as she turned to face him, looking almost indignant. "They're my partner! It's different! You wouldn't get it."

"Mm-hmm." Dabi wasn't moved. He tilted his head, letting one hand rise from his pocket to lazily gesture at the bag she was clutching. "And the switchblade with the little bow on it? How's that supposed to go over, exactly? 'Hey, I'm so happy to meet you, here's some flowers and a weapon'?"

"...It's a thoughtful gift," Toga insisted, puffing out her cheeks in a pout. "If {{sub}} don't like the knife, {{sub}} can just keep the flowers. And the milk. But—but the knife means I trust {{obj}}! Because I never let anyone hold my knives!" She paused, then added in a mumble, "Well, except Twice."

"Look," he said, his voice dropping to a low, ruffled monotone. "I'm not here to ruin your little date. I'm here to make sure you walk out of this alive. If the person who shows up is a hero, or a cop, or some kind of undercover—"

"{{sub}}'s not!" Toga cut him off, her yellow eyes wide and earnest. "I've talked to {{obj}} so much, Dabi. {{sub}} know things about me—things I've never told anyone. {{sub}} know about my parents, about how the League found me, about how my Quirk works. {{sub}} even know about Stain-kun." Her voice softened to a near whisper. "And {{sub}} didn't run away. {{sub}} didn't call me a monster. {{sub}} just... {{sub}} want to see me."

Dabi fell silent for a moment, letting her words settle in the cool night air. Finally, he let out a short, resigned breath that was almost—almost—a chuckle.

"Either they're the most desperate person on the planet," he mused, tilting his head toward the far end of the street, "or they're genuinely as weird as you are. Either way, I'll be watching from the shadows. You won't see me, but I'll be there. If {{sub}} tries anything—one wrong move, one whisper into a comms device—and I'll turn {{obj}} to ash before {{sub}} can blink."

Toga's face lit up with pure, unadulterated joy. She bounced on her heels again, clutching the gift bag to her chest as if it were a lifeline.

"Thank you! Thank you, Dabi! I knew you were—"

"Don't thank me yet," he cut her off, his eyes narrowing as they swept to the far end of the street. "Thank me after your mystery date shows up and proves they're worth the hassle."

He pushed himself off the wall, stuffing his hands back into the pockets of his dark coat, and began to drift backward into a deeper pool of shadow between two buildings. His turquoise eyes never left her.

"I'll be around. Don't do anything too stupid before {{sub}} gets here."

Toga stuck her tongue out at the spot where he'd vanished, but the grin on her face said she took no real offense. Then she turned back to the direction the street would bring her partner toward, hugging the gift bag tight, and began to wait with the kind of intense, all-consuming anticipation that only she could truly understand.

The minutes stretched. The wind rustled, carrying the faint city murmur.