Work Text:
Himiko was the most beautiful girl Ochako had ever seen but it had taken her too long to notice. Her vision was clouded by society's labels of villain and hero. She will live the rest of her life with that knowledge.
That beautiful smile Himiko had as she saved Ochako’s life is one she'll never forget. She found her thoughts wandering back to it often. No one had ever looked at her with as much love as Himiko did. Himiko Toga truly loved Ochako Uraraka and Ochako loved her back the same.
Everyone was wrong. Himiko isn't a heartless monster. She's a teenager, a kid. She's a kid just like Ochako. She was a kid who had been denied love all her life, and she just wanted to share her love like no one ever did for her. It wasn't in the traditionally accepted way but it was love.
Ochako can recognize how obvious her old crush on Izuku was. But when Ochako thinks of what she would consider her first love she immediately thinks of Himiko. She liked Izuku but she loved Himiko. What she had for Himiko was real. She can't compare it to any way she's ever felt for anyone else.
She thinks about what they could've been if things were different. They would meet at UA. Himiko attends UA as well. She's a year above Ochako giving her old notes to study with. Maybe Himiko would've been in the hero course too, or support, or maybe business, or management, or even general education. It doesn't matter what course she could've been in, they would've sat together at lunch and had dates after school. They would hang out at the park. Swinging on the swings until they get tired and move to the picnic tables where they steal snacks from each other but it's not stealing because they brought each other's favorites knowing the other would take from it.
Or what if they have met earlier? They could've met in preschool playing in the sandbox together before they had to worry about quirks. But even when Himiko got hers, Ochako knows it wouldn't scare her. They would grow up and be normal kids picking flowers and playing with stray cats. Maybe try to take one home, always getting a “no” from their parents. They would reach junior high and now be allowed to go out without supervision from parents. They would go to the mall together and use the photo booth. They would get cute photos smiling in every single one, making peace signs and hearts with their hands, and maybe even a picture of Himiko using her quirk to look like Ochako. Ochako would hang the printed photos in her room. Ochako didn't really have friends before UA but she just knew if she met Himiko earlier She would never let her go.
It doesn't matter how hard she dreams of these other lives, in the end, Himiko Toga is dead and nothing will ever bring her back. There is no grave as no one could ever love a villain. Except for Ochako Uraraka who loved her too late. She was cremated. No family came to pick up her ashes as they had disowned her long ago. They had ended up in Ochako’s possession with some help from Hawks. Ochako split the ashes, half she set free into the ocean so they could be as free as Himiko was in life and the rest she wears on a necklace close to her because of her love for her.
By the time graduation came Ochako already knew what impact she wanted to make as a hero. Himiko is hardly the only kid who society failed just based on their quirk. She never wanted anyone to feel the pain she did when she lost Himiko. The quirk counseling system needed to be fixed. No more of those “quirk reform” programs that taught Himiko to suppress her quirk. She was going to make the world better for kids like Himiko. She wasn't alone in this. Upon hearing her plans Tenya, Tsu, and Momo all jumped in to help her. She wasn't going to do this alone. They may not have known Himiko like Ochako did but they knew how important she was to Ochako and that was enough but importantly they knew that there needs to be changes and these kids deserve better.
Ochako’s quirk counseling program was a quick success. More money poured in than what she knew what to do with. Thank god Tenya and Momo were helping Ochako out because she’s never seen so much money in her life. Despite being the reason Ochako sought out hero work she doesn’t think much about money anymore. She fulfilled her promise, her parents were able to live comfortably and then retire. They got to go on things like vacations and do things they never thought they could reach in their lifetimes. Ochako is so happy she was able to give them that.
When she thinks back to all the kids she's helped she gently holds the necklace with Himiko's ashes. She wants to tell her directly “I'm doing this for you” and see her smile again. She would do anything to see her beautiful smile again. But she carries on. Not only is she helping the next generation in Himiko's name but she's living. Himiko didn't want a world without Ochako in it so she carried on.
Himiko Toga can rest at peace because someone loved her. Someone she loved, loved her for who she was. That was all she ever wanted. She has many regrets in her life but falling for Ochako Uraraka is not one of them. She would do it all again if it meant being with her again. Himiko Toga lived and loved as she pleased. That was enough.
Decades later with gray hair when Ochako is finally ready to rest eternally, waiting for her is the cutest girl who ever lived. Ochako didn't wait a single moment to embrace Himiko once more. Himiko smiled so brightly, fangs and all, and Ochako was overjoyed to finally see that beautiful smile once more.