Chapter Text
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
Ochako Uraraka knew that the path to becoming a hero would force her to sideline a couple milestones in life. Once enrolled into UA’s hero course, she knew that she may not see her parents as often as she’d like, she may miss birthdays, gain new muscles and maybe a couple scars from battle, her social life would suffer and her schedule may never be free again… but it would all be worth it to be surrounded by smiles and cheers under a clear blue sky. For her parents to be able to sit back and relax for once, and her neighbors to make it home safely— she’d puff her chest out and throw a thumbs up from the rooftop, recreating the joy she felt when she was five and recognized her first hero.
It’d be easy. Light work. Worth it.
But no matter how much she sharpens her senses, hardens her body, defies freaking gravity– none of it spares her from being a 16 year old girl with plenty to feel.
All the time spent training her quirk and schooling her outward expressions, just to have her teenage heart at the helm.
Growing pains, frills, fire, love and rage and all.
“Uggghhhhhh , are they back yet?”
Sero’s lazy voice drifts from the couch opposite Ochako, pulling her from her thoughts. He’s slouched next to Kirishima and Bakugo, their bulky bodies tightly packed in similar positions with their heads lolled back and legs overlapping.
The entire class sits in the dorm’s common room at various stages of melting onto the floor in their tracksuits after a particularly grueling day of training. Even Iida and Momo were having a hard time keeping their usual prim posture. The students groan in unison to the question that’s been asked a hundred times since Kaminari, Mina and Toru were sent out to buy sport drinks and snacks after drawing the short straws.
Figures, Ochako’s most-prone-to-distraction and least punctual friends were the ones sent out. At the time, mushy brains and aching muscles forgot those facts, and they had just shoved money into their hands. Hell, even Bakugo was waiting “patiently” for a beverage to cool off.
“Nope!” Ochako sighs, sliding down the couch till her back is flat on the bottom cushion. “Ugh!”
Deku chuckles softly beside her, eyes shut in good humor while he shakes stiffly. Iida and Todoroki had to help him settle on the couch, after dragging him across campus. Ochako had even lent him a shoulder while they chatted with Aizawa-sensei. He’s all banged up like usual.
Her heart squeezes, dusting off an old feeling.
She breathes out a silly noise to shoo the sentiment away, and fully slides down to sit on the floor, chin tucked over her knees, hoping to cover the noise of her irregular heart beats.
Deku keeps smiling at her, leaning back on the couch with a creak, “They’re taking a while, huh?”
Her eyes flicker from his cheery face and towards his scarred hand resting on the cushion. She feels that twinge again.
“Yep,” she pops, looking down quickly and stretching her legs out in front of herself. “Foooorever.”
Iida nods furiously on the other side of her, “I should have gone with them! They may be lost– or… worse!” His eyebrows raise as his mind races through the possible scenarios their classmates may have encountered on their 2-minute trek to the convenience store off-campus.
A villain! An alien invasion! A truck driver who neglected to look both way ! An insufficient amount of change! Or just plain dilly dally.
He shoots up from his seat, rattling the room, and Todoroki’s mismatched eyes follow him with genuine concern. She can see the gears turning in his head, all swept up in Iida’s fussy overthinking, and considering the same outlandish possibilities.
“Idiots–”
“ Pfffsssshhh –”
Bakugo breathes loudly just as Ochako covers her mouth to giggle. They share a short glance and he’s frowning of course, because he always is. She’s 99.9% sure it’s directed at the Mom-Duo and the slowpokes, not at her. Still, her lips pull into a courteous smile anyway, and she sits herself back onto the couch to chat with Deku.
Iida paces a hole into the floor as the class continues to grumble and complain. They begin recounting their day; first was media training with Midnight, emphasizing how they should maintain a separate public persona to protect their personal peace; All Might and Eraserhead were cited prime examples. They mastered the mystery of keeping their public and private life separate, until they couldn’t— which is still certainly better than most. A few extroverts of the class couldn’t fathom separating their hero personas from themselves, and that turned into a lecture about maintaining healthy habits outside of herowork. You are a hero and human, you should get to live on both sides of the coin. Ochako’s head was spinning by the time Aizawa-sensei had them push their quirk limits again during their last period– class running beyond the bell. Though nobody complained about that , any opportunity to go all out was always welcome.
(Little class of masochists, nerds, and overachievers: check .)
Sometimes Ochako suspects that Aizawa-sensei keeps them busy like this on purpose, so no one has time to slow down to think too deeply about the mishaps during their short time at UA. Of how their precious summer was robbed, kidnapped – and how their number one hero, who could never lose, was replaced. He runs them so ragged, there’s no time for nightmares or second-guessing. Just focus on honing the precious senses that will protect themselves and others. They’re the new age of heroes with a wide world to keep safe.
No pressure.
The method must be working because Ochako is too tired to be overwhelmed, too stressed to be angry, too happy with her progress to feel the sting of her skinned knees. Her heavy head hits her pillow at the end of the night, and she wakes up with a shimmering resolve to do it all over again.
All a clear mark that, yes , they were young and only getting stronger, but they are blowing through these teenage years.
She hardly had time to process the budding crush she has, no had on Deku-Izuku-Midoriya— unsure of what to even call him in her head anymore. Deku always smiles so selflessly at her, encourages her, inspires her, and looks after her, but somewhere between training, classes, lunch, dorm life, and the few moments they had truly alone, her noisy heart realizes that he just doesn’t see her…. that way. The way that a 16 year old girl wants to be seen; to be the first thing on his mind, the shape he spends his day tracing, his favorite color, the name on the tip of his tongue…
She knows she occupies a space in his heart, shared with their friends, but his dreams and All Might and his mom and Kacchan line up in front of her, eclipsing any chance of romance.
It didn’t hurt too bad to realize that, especially since she’s never acted on her fancy. She only blushed and laughed too hard at his rambling, watched his back as he reached new heights, and yearned to hold his hands when they’re clenched into broken fists. She knows all of his injuries, the face he makes when he lies, his bedhead, his texting mannerisms, his sincerity, and that he’s in a league far away from her. He’s a shooting star across the sky, with no sign of stopping. She wonders if he’s selfless enough to give her a chance, but taking advantage of his kindness wouldn't be a victory. It’d be a sweet burden, a mutual liability, an obstacle and a ticking time bomb. So, she decided to let this crush fizzle itself out, bide her time by relishing in the warmth of its embers, and walk away.
So, nah, she’s not really heartbroken over him, but there’s still a free boy-shaped space in her head.
Blame it on growing up on shoujo and happy endings.
For now, she focuses on keeping up with her studies, making her friends laugh, and kicking ass. Romance will come when it does– preached by someone on the other side, sigh.
Easier said than done, since Ochako is consistently homesick, quirk-sick, and too stubborn to tell people that she feels lonely . Their mounting star status doesn’t help that alienating feeling either.
UA’s Class 1-A is a cultural phenomena, from their heavily publicized sport festival, to the USJ attacks, kidnapping and destruction of Kamino Ward, the ups and downs of dorm life, and the students clutching provisional hero licenses– there’s no shortage of excitement and fanfare around the emerging heroes. All of Japan, from the youth to all-hero-loving-ages buzz and claw for any info on the goings-on of UA.
Ochako Uraraka has lived a humble life so far, often forgetting that being a student in a class of main characters, has made her a celebrity . A sensation, a spectacle, an idol, a public figure– all titles that could be synonymous with “hero.” Which, as always, bears its own unique and brutal weight.
WHOOSH!
The double doors of the common room swing open with a loud, startling crack, bringing everyone to their feet, jumping over couches and tables with their fists raised. Ochako floats a chair over her head.
“ Heroes! ”
Pink hands raise in the air, holding bulky reusable bags,
“I come in peace!”
“What’s she said!” a shock of blonde hair calls from over her pink shoulder.
Mina stands in front of Kaminari and Toru, all carrying bags full of goodies. Her smile is too big and too bright for being forced on an errand. Ochako sags her shoulders and drops the chair gently.
“Took you guys long enough!” Sero sighs, as they all shuffle forward like a pack of zombies, hands outstretched.
Iida, Momo and Tsu take the bags and organize the drinks and treats on the kitchen counter, while the horde shifts to follow. Ochako gets jostled by sweaty bodies as they make their way. Ever the busy body, Iida calls out various flavors and snacks, swatting at hands that grab anything besides their “assigned drink.”
She lets out a sleepy chuckle as she rocks with flow, and accidentally bumps her cheek against a hard shoulder.
“Oof!” she exclaims, rubbing her face. It felt like she collided with sun-heated metal, bouncing off comically. Her skin was warmed by that brief contact, and burns as she looks up at the immovable object.
“Tch.”
“S-sorry!” Ochako blurts under a ruby death glare.
Bakugo bares his teeth and wipes off his exposed shoulder roughly, clad in his signature black tank top.
“Fuckin’ watch it, Cheeks.”
She hums apologetically, shrugging her equally bare shoulders. Her jacket was tied around her waist, hanging out in her tank top too. She points at her strap with a bright smile,
“Oh, hey. We match!”
He doesn’t entertain her with any sort of response, coldly turning away from her and giving her a full view of his wide back. Unaffected by his apathy, she falls into step behind him, but goddamn . The thin black tank top leaves little to the imagination, every cord of muscle in his back moves as he snatches his drink and barks at Kaminari for taking “ so damn long. ” Her eyes follow the bulge of his biceps and thick fingers as he unscrews the cap of the bottle. He tips his head back and brings the drink to his scowling lips. His adam's apple bobs at his first gulp, but then he pauses for a fraction of a second, brows furrowing.
Ochako whips her head away– brown hair slapping her face as she drums on the table looking for her strawberry milk tea. Her eyes refocus on Momo as she hands her a milk box.
The brunette can feel a laser pointed glare on her neck, as she whistles innocently and thanks Momo. She walks away while stabbing the straw through the box, keeping her eyes ahead and away from the gaggle of bickering boys.
“No wonder you’re always fuckin’ blowing chunks,” she hears Bakugo huff, and ignores it.
Bakugo is always a force to be reckoned with; stupidly competitive, explosive in all sense of the word, and short tempered– but since moving into the dorms, everyone has gotten used to his cranky and blunt attitude. And boy , even he can’t keep up with the BakuRage 24/7, resigned to just sneer, stomp, and roll his eyes cos it “ ain’t worth wasting [his] breath over.”
Ha, ha .
So naturally, they’ve all developed a thick skin to his probing jabs, and he’s made himself content with skipping small talk and going to bed at grandpa o’clock. Unfortunately, his mild-mannered domesticated personality stays in the dorms, and he’s back to his pretty, petty self outside this building.
Sorry, Aizawa-sensei.
Once everyone is sufficiently hydrated and revived, they start to split off. Ochako rubs her eyes as she bites her straw, ready to hit the showers and flop into bed. She’ll just do her homework in the morning, the devil on her shoulder winning. She goes into autopilot and trudges towards the stairs, until invisible hands push her back into the common area.
“Wait, wait!” Toru calls, a lot closer than Ochako realized. She blinks sleepily.
“You have to see what we found!”
Kaminari, Mina, and Toru rally the class back to an open area with their hands behind their backs, and smiles that absolutely cannot be trusted.
Kami’s eyes sparkle as he starts, “I know we just learned about the Pro-Hero Billboard Rankings, and we’ve got a looooooong way to go before we get there… but that doesn’t mean they don’t know our names yet!!”
With bright eyes, the trio waves a colorful, teen magazine in the air– loud, garish, and surely full of nothing good. The magazine is called, “HeroTeen” and boasts a shot of the whole class in their hero suits on the cover– a photo none of them have seen before, so consent be damned.
The front cover is fitted with eye-catching taglines like: “ Shoto Todoroki: Nepo baby? All the Nepo babies of Class 1-A.” “ What does Invisible Girl really look like? ” “ They’re just like us! (Pictures of them tripping)” “ Poll Results Inside: Who would you date? Best Kisser? Best Role Model?”
“They did a multi-page spread on us!! Pics, polls and everything!” Toru gushes, magazine flapping wildly in the air. She hugs it to her chest, “We’re, like, celebrities, for real!”
“Those are dark texts, full of greed, vanity, and temptation,” Tokoyami mumbles flatly.
“I have to agree!” Iida chops through the air. “Reading such material will impede our growth as individuals, at the cost of our self confidence! This sort of comparison is poison to our young minds!”
Deku and Koda yelp in worried agreement, anxiously fiddling their fingers. Bakugo rolls his eyes so hard you can feel it. And Ochako feels a hungry curiosity sprinkled with guilt in her stomach.
“... But didn’t we learn today that the public perception of heroes is important?” Mina pops her hip out, nonchalantly flipping through the magazine with her tongue sticking out. Her dark eyes shine with mischief, as she scans the room with a brow arched, “We can totally use this to get a feel of what they think of us! ‘Sides, this is only for our class! We’ll have the upperhand over the other courses.”
The class weighs her logic.
“You… may be right!” Iida adjusts his glasses in quick agreement, a light flush covering his cheeks. “Proceed.”
“Someone’s curious~” Sero elbows Kirishima and Sato with a sly smile.
Mina cackles victoriously before sticking her arms straight out, reading aloud,
“ After a stunning sports festival showing, and continually impressive and flashy feats– It’s time for the world to hear more about the aspiring heroes of UA’s Class 1-A. Exclusive pictures and poll results taken from the youth of the world~! Read on to find who we think is the most dateable, kissable, and most likely to break hearts!”
There’s a shocked pause before the class surges forward to crowd the three holding the magazines. Kaminari gets piled on by most of the guys in the class, Mineta practically climbing over arms and legs to see. Ochako peers over Toru’s shoulder, or more likely– through her head with Ojiro, Koda and Shoji. Mina is flanked by Jirou, Tsu and Momo— all hiding their interest poorly. Momo’s eyes shine with excitement over reading such “lowbrow” material, and Jirou loves gossip almost as much as Mina.
“ OMG , omg, omg, OMG , Oh myyy godddddd !!” Mina expresses for them all.
Their eyes dart over bubbly text, yearbook headshots and snippy captions, looking for their names and numbers. Only one person has the ability to resist.
“That’s fuckin’ stupid.”
Bakugo stands apart from the crowd, frowning with bored eyes. He shoves his hands in his pockets, cocking his head with a sneer.
“Ranks from a bunch of nobodies mean nothin’.”
Ochako bites her lips together and her body goes still– he’s right.
She let herself get swept away, relying on everyone else’s judgment– again. And lately, her confidence wavers when Bakugo speaks, as brash and egoistic as he is. He always makes sense to her. Too much sense.
Poring over popularity polls is stupid. She tucks her chin inward, pursing her lips.
But frivolous is fun.
And that’s, like, the essence of being a teenager.
“ Ah , don’t listen to him. He’s just scared of being disappointed by his fans~,” Kirishima jokes boldly, alleviating some of Ochako’s guilt.
“Only a loser would give a shit about what they think,” The blonde juts out his bottom lip. But everyone knows that the fact that Bakugo isn’t stomping away is because he’s curious too.
“LOOK!” Mina screams, bringing everyone’s attention back to the glossy pages.
Kirishima grabs Bakugo by the collar and drags him closer. The latter digs his heels in the ground, resisting like a cranky toddler. He posts Bakugo next to him, shoulder to shoulder but it’s too crowded with “ damn nerds ” (and waaay too close to Deku), so he sidesteps next to Ochako around Toru’s magazine.
She watches him give a lazy look to the shaking pages, his sharp eyes scanning line by line neatly. The pages crinkle and jump with Toru’s fidgeting, and his brows furrow.
“Hold still, Jesus.” He mutters and Ochako puffs her cheeks to avoid laughing.
His gaze slides to hers and her brows raise, caught.
“ Woah! Woah, nooooo!” Kaminari whines suddenly, the group of boys jostling each other making Ochako and Toru pinball off the bodies around them. Bakugo wordlessly pushes them further away from the ruckus– then freezes, reading the first poll results as Mina shrieks,
“We asked teens around Japan, which UA Class 1-A student would make the best boyfriend?”
╭───────────────────.★..─╮
Best Boyfriend Material:
- Shoto Todoroki (He’s sooo handsome, and he’s rich!)
- Ejiro Kirishima (He’s manly~ ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ)
- Tenya Iida (He’s tall! He’s rich!)
- Izuku Midoriya (You just want to take care of him!ヾ( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞ • *✰)
….
13.) Katsuki Bakugo (He’s scary…. (·•᷄ࡇ•᷅ ) )
14.) Minoru Mineta [REDACTED]
╰─..★.────────────────────╯
“They think I’m high maintenance??” Kaminari whines at his middle-of-the-pack rank, “I’m not. I’m totally not!”
“You do take the longest every morning,” Jirou calls over head, as if it’s totally normal for her to know how long he takes to get ready.
“Hmmm, s’kinda lame that they separate us by boys and girls,” Mina purses her lips, speaking with utmost seriousness. “I agree with the standings though.”
Everyone is lively– Iida stands frozen in shock, his entire body an unbelievable hue of red. Deku blubbers with his hands over his face, bright red ears peeking out from under his dark green hair. And speaking of hair, Kirishima’s face matches his hair dye– eyebrows raised to the heavens.
Kami and Sero throw their arms over each other’s shoulders and moon,
“ Oh , Kirishima-sama, you’re sooooo capable, soooooo handsome, soooooooo manly. Teach us your ways!”
The three boys glow brighter red if all possible, sans Todoroki.
The (class-appointed) pretty boy rubs his chin, and folds his arms over his chest slowly,
“How do they know if I’d be a good partner? I’ve never been anyone’s boyfriend.”
…
Several hungry eyes glow and lock on him with a quickness. Ochako hears Toru gulp beside her. He shivers as he ponders his single-ness, oblivious to the den of wolves he’s walked into.
“Fuckin’ stupid half’n’half nerd bastard.” Bakugo grumbles, stewing with his shoulders hunched upwards.
Kirishima spins out of Kami-Sero’s grasp to look over Bakugo’s shoulder, sharp teeth splitting into a sympathetic smile,
“ Ooooof , harsh, man.”
“ HAH? Who gives a shit what those extras think!!” His hands ball into fists in his pocket, leaning away from Kiri. Ochako can see an embarrassed flush spread across Bakugo’s chest, and he leans away from her too. “The fuck you looking at, Roundface?!!”
She tries to keep her puffed cheeks to herself, but all the air whooshes out of her as she reads the next poll result.
❀° ┄──────────────────────╮
Best Girlfriend Material:
- Momo Yaoyorozu (She’s hot! And rich! ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡) $$)
- Mina Ashido (She’s hot!)
- Toru Hagakure (She’s hot!)
- Kyoyka Jiro (She’s hot! ٩(⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)و)
- Tsuyu Asui (She’s hot!)
- Ochako Uraraka (She’s cuuuute! (●˙꒳˙●))
╰──────────────────────┄ °❀
The girls react similarly, all turning various shades of red– though, Ochako for a different reason. First, seeing your name in a magazine is mind boggling, and under “ Best Girlfriend? ” Unreal.
But… worse than being second to last, her name is dead last.
Her lips twist in embarrassment, and she lets her hair fall over her face. Everyone starts chattering again, and she really wished Bakugo had successfully convinced them this was a waste of time. Instead, he stands indignantly silent beside her with a near matching rank– not that she’d want his condescension as comfort.
Mina puts on a handsome face and deep voice, stroking Momo’s cheek with the back of her hand,
“Will you… date me, Momo- chan ?”
“I-I!” the taller girl stutters, stray hair falling between her eyes and the class’s heart skips a beat. She tries to school herself back to her proud persona. “I vowed to a-always place my studies first. This ranking does not have a-any e-effect on me!!”
She places her hands on her cheeks, with a troubled expression that only makes her lovelier. Roses petals fall and flurry around them, everyone suddenly transported to a luscious garden. Dark shadow reaches his hands out to catch the petals, while Tokoyami sighs at the brightness.
“Well! I-I think it would do you well to make that a public statement!” Iida interjects suddenly, his body still an odd blush color. He chops through the air, “The fate of hero society is on our shoulders! That is our first priority!!”
Momo nods, breathing out of her nose in agreement.
“Booooooooooooo!” Kaminari wails, making a droll face. “Being a hero doesn’t mean you can’t date! Doin’ both just makes you cooler!”
Todoroki continues to rub his chin like he’s piecing together a puzzle, “I never thought of it that way.”
All the boys in the class look at him with question marks in their eyes, what the hell has this guy been focusing on all his life? The wolves lock in.
Ochako chuckles along, rubbing the back of her neck– thankful that she hasn’t called attention to herself. Her girl friends here are the closest friends she’s ever made, and she knows firsthand how beautiful and charming they are– their partners would be so lucky to have an ounce of their attention. They exist on the same plane together, so she could never rank them over or under each other like this.
Too bad they’re all just as in tune with Ochako as she is with them. Tsu pushes past Ojiro and Bakugo, hooking her arm through Ochako’s, sensing her discomfort but also pushing it to the forefront of their attention.
She’s pulled into a hug, hands cupping her face.
“ Hmph ! Noooo one is allowed to date our mochi!” Toru pleads, taking a turn to squish her cheeks. “They don’t deserve any slice of this cake!”
“Yeah, Chakochip is the cutest girl in the world!” Mina chimes in, “Right, boys?” She pointedly sends a look to the boys who need no prompting to compliment her.
“ SO cute!”
“Très chic!”
“Cute is manly!-- Errr, in a cute way! And th-that’s manly!-- in a cute way!”
“Uraraka is very charming,” Air chops. “Her partner would be truly blessed to have such a fine companion!!”
“She’s the best!” Ochako picks up Deku’s voice through all the praise, her lips hooking into a giddy smile.
She tries to let the trusted words of friends soothe her, to let the rank bounce off of pride, and laugh into it, but the sharp red gaze beside her cuts through the charade. It makes her simmer in thought: why does everyone get called hot™ and sexy™ ( no one said that ), while she’s just cute?
Her friends can try to cheer her up by calling her untouchable, that the world is undeserving of her charms, but why does that still leave her all alone? Like a cupcake under a glass cloche, lovingly made, yet unapproachable and coveted.
Whatever.
Ochako pulls her shoulders up, wiggling out of the hugs and rubs the back of her hair sheepishly.
“Uhm, thanks, guys.” She puffs out her chest, speaking through her embarrassment. “I’m– I’m putting our training first too!” She fist pumps and a few others do too.
She hears a pitying scoff next to her that echoes in her head.
“... Heeey , where was the love for the bottom two boys?” A muffled voice sniffles below a throng of legs.
The group breaks out into whooping laughter as Bakugo’s hands literally crackle at his sides.
“ SHUT IT, CREEP!”
The boys laugh harder, drowning out Ochako’s worries as the topic shifts away from her. She places a steadying hand on her chest– the next rankings can’t possibly be worse… right?
“Next up… We’ve seen them fight, we’ve seen them fly, but they’re just like us! Who is the Best Kisser in 1-A? (1-A, please confirm! (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ )”
╭─────────────────────.★..─╮
Best Kisser (Boys):
- Katsuki Bakugo (ง❀ ❛ ֊ ❛„)ว
- Shoto Todoroki ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)
- Eijiro Kirishima
…
╰─..★.─────────────────────╯
The room holds their breath as they read, but Jirou flinches and covers her ears– like she could hear the stampede of heart beats all at once.
“Number one, Katsuki Bakugo…” someone mumbles.
Ochako sneaks a peek at the boy by her side, her wide eyes inevitably falling to his lips, stretched in a smug grin. The entire profile of his face is sharp, his eyes are always aimed with lethal accuracy, but the curve of his lips are soft, the shell of his ears are cutely rounded. Full of contrast, he is pretty to look at, she’ll admit. He shifts again, and she looks away to the ceiling, wondering how good a kiss could be– not with him, just, like, in general.
She hasn’t had her first kiss yet.
“I’ve never kissed anyone.” Todoroki states plainly, the same puzzled look on his face. He’s more confused than flattered by these rankings, much to the other boys’ disdain and envy.
The girls and some boys gape. Deku’s face superheats, eyes shaking. Sometimes Todoroki’s bluntness rivals Bakugo’s.
“‘And that's why you’re second , nerd.” Bakugo grins proudly, standing taller next to Ochako. He’s usually hunched, but when straightened his waist is undeniably grabbable. She tucks her hands under her pits.
“Have you ever kissed anyone, Bakugo?” Todoroki asks just as plainly, unflinching to Bakugo’s oozing ego. One has to assume Bakugo only tolerates Todoroki as an underling, and that Todoroki accepts that in his own way, haha. He tilts his head, his bangs shifting beautifully.
“How do you know if you’re any good at it?”
Deku sputters, eyes bugging out of his head now. The Bakusquad have tears in their eyes as they watch their almighty leader go uncharacteristically red from his neck to the tips of his ears.
“HAH?! I’M GOOD AT EVERYTHING I DO!” His voice booms, crossing his arms tighter over his chest. He starts to slouch a bit and Ochako giggles.
He shoots her a formidable glare that only makes her throw her head back in a fit.
“... That doesn’t answer my questions.” Todoroki continues with his onslaught, glancing at his hands, then taps a finger on his lips. “What does being good at these gestures have to do with being a hero?”
“You’re an alien, dude.” Sero wheezes, putting a hand on his shoulder and shaking him lightly. Suddenly, he puts on a serious face casting looks at Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima, “But, teach us your ways…”
“Well, the best way to learn would be by kissing the top three…” Tsu adds bluntly, finger to her chin thoughtfully. She pauses as she reflects, turning pink as the words settle in her froggy head.
“I AIN’T KISSING ANY OF YOU DAMN NERDS!! ” Bakugo exclaims too loudly, too quickly, too seriously.
“Guess we’ll never know if you’re really the best then,” Kaminari shrugs exasperatedly, reeling him in. “‘Might as well give the first spot to Todoroki.”
The sound of Bakugo’s sanity snapping was audible. He grits his teeth and whips his head around, ordering,
“KIRISHIMA GET OVER HERE!!!!”
“Woah, woah– kissing rank 3 isn’t gonna prove anything! Gotta pick someone lower.” Sero assesses coolly, hand on his chin.
“Alright, no need to draw straws again, I volunteer.” Kaminari steps up again, pushing past a speechless Kirishima.
Bakugo explodes, yelling, “DON’T THINK YOU CAN TRICK ME, DUNCE-FACE!!” He chases him around the room, eventually catching him in a headlock– causing him to short-circuit.
Chargebolt holds up his signature double-thumbs up, and Jirou can’t help but snap a pic.
Ochako holds both hands over her mouth to hold her giggles inside, mindfully to lift her pinkies so she doesn’t float to the ceiling– that would only add to the chaos.
“But how would that decide who is ‘best?’” Todoroki blinks, “Is this a tournament?”
Kirishima is near fainting– unable to make eye contact with any girls, a pink one in particular. Deku is begging Todoroki to stop as, “ Kacchan is frothing at the mouth. ”
The other boys seem to have telepathically agreed not to address anything or anyone below the top three, for the sake of their pride.
“Ooooookaayyyyyyyy —” Toru whistles, turning their attention to the other half of the poll.
❀° ┄────────────────────╮
Best Kisser (Girls):
- Momo Yaoyorozu ❀˖°
- Mina Ashido ₊˚ෆ
- Toru Hagakure ❀˖°
- Kyoyka Jirou ₊ ˚ෆ
- Tsuyu Asui ❀˖°
- Ochako Uraraka ₊˚ෆ
╰────────────────────┄ °❀
The girls' faces continue to glow shades of red, pink, and youthful embarrassment– their ranks remain in the same order as before, much to Ochako’s disappointment.
She’s on the bottom again.
To her knowledge, none of the girls had had their first kisses, or even relationships yet. This ranking is all… speculation, right? Right ! These results come from people just clicking buttons and drawing conclusions from the tiny snippets they know of them. These have no merit!
Ochako looks around the room at the prospect of boys to kiss, maybe, possibly – and shakes out of it. No way . Lips stay zipped shut, no commentary or criticism here, it would admit too much to the other side.
All the boys shift awkwardly, as if feeling the gaze of girls assessing them. Youth is in the air, and this is the first time the topics of love, relationships, and experience have come up as a whole class. She can see Mina grinning with glee– she’s wrenched Pandora's box open with her bare hands! There’s no stopping now.
“Soooooo , I guess I know what we’re talking about at the next sleepover!”
The boys flinch while the girls throw hands over Mina’s mouth.
“Pssssh, we can talk too. Right, guys?” Kaminari mocks. The boys all move a couple paces from him and he whines. “Sorry! Sorry! We won’t!”
They move on, and Ochako clasps her hands in front of her chest as she frowns.
Being last in this category doesn’t mean she’s the worst kisser, it just means they don’t think she’s the best.
Can’t deny that it stings.
“What the fuck…” Her attention gets directed back to that damn magazine.
“Phew! Long days training in stuffy suits. Looks good, but how do they smell?
✩°｡‘(* · *)⸝ ”
╭──────────────────────────────────.★..─╮
Who smells the best? (Boys):
- Katsuki Bakugo („• ֊ •„)੭
- Shoto Todoroki ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)
- Tenya Iida ◡̈
…
╰─..★.─────────────────────────────────╯
“Okay, Bakugo does smell really good though,” Kami and Kiri nod their heads eagerly. The boys all huddle to sniff Bakugo’s broad back, while the man in question refuses to face them.
“Wow, you’re right. He does smell good.”
“He really does!”
“Bakugo is surprisingly neat!”
“He smells like creme brulee….”
“So manly!”
The whole class of boys nearly press their noses on his post-workout bod, making little comments and assessments about how “good” and “manly” he smells, till a vein bulges out of Bakugo’s forehead and neck.
“OF FUCKIN’ COURSE I DO!” he bursts, elbowing around him to reinforce his personal space. He hunches his shoulders up in an attempt to hide his reddened ears. “Just take a damn shower, you disgusting freaks!”
The girls snicker hungrily, unable to partake in the rare chance to smell Bakugo. It’s something they’ve only gossiped about.
Cos damn , for a quirk that’s related to explosions, and sweating– he does smell good . He smells like smoky sugar, summer rain, and undeniably– boy . A scent that makes Ochako’s head swim as he shifts his weight next to her. He plants his feet firmly, away from the sniffing hounds. She keeps her dark eyes trained on the magazine, ignoring how close he is as he leans in too.
“What the fuck kind of question is that???” He grumbles, shaking his hair out and adding the smell of his shampoo to mix.
He’s totally oblivious to the hearts of teenage girls and admirers everywhere– Lord Explosion Murder could probably get away with bottling his explosive sweat and selling it as cologne (Not Advised).
“Damn perverts.”
❀° ┄────────────────────╮
Who smells the best? (Girls):
- Momo Yaoyorozu ♡
- Mina Ashido₊˚⊹
- Toru Hagakure ⋆˙⟡
- Kyoyka Jirou ₊˚⊹
- Tsuyu Asui ♡
- Ochako Uraraka ⋆˙⟡
╰────────────────────┄ °❀
For the third time, the girls ranks are unchanged.
Everyone starts talking lightly again– the girls start chattering about their fav shampoos and perfumes. Momo only uses a special shampoo-conditioner combo from faaaar abroad, and Mina and Toru have started a 10-step skin care routine.
Tsu and Ochako use matching shampoos from the convenience store. Something cheap and gentle smelling, since they’re washing up so often, and there’s no one to impress. Clean is... clean, that’s all there is to it.
Until now, presumably.
Ochako listens to the conversations, willing herself to laugh– these are the types of topics regular teens talk about. Poking fun and giving advice on how to look and feel your best!
But it hurts… being separated from the entire class, and ending up last. Especially in this category!!
Everyone gets sweaty! And what’s wrong with being cute – she’s not doing anything special! She’s… existing!!
The girls notice her stiff smile again and pay her extra attention.
“You always smell good too, Chako!” Toru glees– searching for a better way to compliment.
Mina looks at the boys to see if there’s anyone she could volunteer to smell Ochako, but has to cross out all the blushing prospects and weirdos. There’s only one person who could be normal and unaffected by this–
“She smells good, right, Bakugo??” Pinky challenges with her hands on her hips, face close to Ochako’s shoulder. “Fresh as a daisy!”
The brunette’s hair is matted to her forehead, her skin covered in a sheen of sweat and grime from a long day. She can smell herself, and she doesn’t smell like sugar– so, not exactly the picture of freshness, but everyone looks like this right now too!
Bakugo looks them over with a deadpan glare, and when his lips pull back to sneer, Ochako hangs her head. Her hands come up to cover her neck, holding her hair to herself and bracing for an insult.
“No one will give a fuck about what you smell like if you save their life.”
He replies impatiently, as if to say ‘ get over yourself .’
“If they do say something, they’re a fucking weirdo. Drop ‘em off a building.”
Ochako looks at him through a curtain of her hair and he’s frowning, but this time it’s for her sake.
It’s kind of comforting, actually.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
They breeze through few more categories, Best Cook goes to Sato which brings Bakugo into another rage, shouting that he’s the only one here that “cooks any real damn food.” Tokoyami and Asido are ranked first in Best Hair, which makes Kirishima’s hair deflate. Kaminari turns into a pompous gloat at being ranked third, claiming to be born with a dark lightning strike highlight, despite it not making any sense.
Ochako’s laughs come easily now, even if she is still ranked low. She didn’t think of herself as particularly plain, maybe ordinary and plucky but… she slaps her hands to her cheeks. They don’t know her, and everyone is having fun despite their rankings so… there’s no room for wallowing.
Kami and Jirou top Best Taste in Music, which is just toooo true since Jirou gave everyone an individually curated playlist for Christmas. No skips.
Then Deku, Todoroki and Tsu all tie for “Most Baby,” whatever that means. Shoji agrees thoughtfully, recalling the (many) times he’s swaddled Deku and Tsu in his arms. They were “agreeable,” “cute,” and “very easy to carry.”
“Icy-Hot. If you say that you’ve ‘ never been a baby .’ I’ll fucking kill you,” Bakugo seethes as he watches Todoroki’s mouth bob open and shut.
Ochako nearly chokes on her drink, swaying in her spot.
“ Oi! ” He steps away from her as she clasps a hand over her mouth, swallowing her drink to laugh more heartily.
These categories were better– harmless nicknames and inside jokes a plenty. They know each other pretty well by now, so there’s no hard feelings between them. They just have a few stand out characters in their class; some stars that shine brighter than others, she muses.
They flip pages and come across a spread of paparazzi pics– mostly taken on their trips to the grocery store, the mall, or entering/exiting the UA Gates. So many pictures of them tripping on sidewalk cracks or dropping produce at the grocery store.
There’s a picture of Ochako floating bargain sandwiches and rice balls around her, deep in thought.
The Bakusquad, at the time consisting of Bakugo, Kiri, Kami and Sero, were snapped helping some old folks across a crosswalk. A broody looking Bakugo had two older ladies gripping his strong arms, while carrying their luggage. He’s slouched and totally hating it– but the public looks at this positively, captioned: “ UA Students helping their elders, what good kids! ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚”
There’s a shot of Kaminari leaning over Jirous’s shoulder at a record store, both looking at a tracklist together. A pic of Ojiro and Toru chatting and holding flowers on a bridge– questioning wails come from Mina while the two in question ignore her. There’s a photo of Koda on a park bench surrounded by an absurd amount of birds and squirrels. Then Shoji and Tokoyami trying on hats at the store, Dark shadow making a face at the camera.
There’s a side-by-side shot of Todoroki, Iida and Deku eating crepes in casual clothes, then a zoomed in shot of Todoroki wiping his lip– sparkles and all. The caption reads, “ It’s like he’s trying a crepe for the first time! So yummy! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)”
“It was my first time.” Todoroki comments, and Bakugo’s eye twitches at the innuendo. “Can we try it again, Midoriya?”
“S-Sure.”
Todoroki hashes out details in front of everyone, letting Deku choose the time and place. Mina’s eyes shine, and Ochako can just imagine her internal squealing.
“Psssst, this is why he’s ranked Best Boyfriend,” Kami whispers to no one in particular.
Momo practically snorts, recovering with a small cough.
While Deku blubbers an equally innocent innuendo back, Ochako shakes her head and softens at the next photo. It’s a landscape photo of the girls walking back to UA, making silly faces in their school uniforms. Ochako has her head thrown back with a big grin on her face, both hands clutching her stomach, making her float. Tsu is hopping beside with her tongue wrapped around her wrist, anchoring her to earth.
The overlaid caption reads, “ We want to laugh with you, Uravity! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡”
Warmth spreads over her already pink cheeks as she puts her hands to her face. She smiles at the welcoming reception, a single caption saving her from the despair of her previous rankings. She doesn’t even remember what they were laughing about in the moment, just elated that such a happy photo of her and her friends was taken well.
The articles and captions were mostly positive– of course there were some off-comments here and there that criticized anything from their smiles to quirk usage, costumes to blame games.
People are obsessed with heroes, but their trust is fickle.
The last spread is a blown-up picture of their class photo. They’re all standing in their school uniforms with their best smiles, Aizawa-sensei off to the side and aloof. It was taken during their first week of classes, but they’ve already changed so much, their minds and quirks more formidable. Some of them have physically grown taller, bulkier, and shed their baby-faces.
Ochako subconsciously pokes at her cheek.
Bubbly text runs across the page, reading, “ Keep it up, Heroes! (૭ ｡•̀ ᵕ •́｡ )૭ ” And on the bottom of the page are three final polls, ranking them as a class.
“Here are some special categories for these heroic teens! Thank you for your hard work. We’ll always root for you~!”
╭ ••• ╮
Whose smile comforts you the most? We love ‘em all!
- Uraraka Ochako (Uravity is so cute!!) ♡
- Izuku Midoriya (So baby!) ₊˚⊹
- Shoto Todoroki (He’s so handsome!) ₊˚⊹
- Momo Yaoyorozu (She’s so cool!) ₊˚⊹
- Eijiro Kirishima (He’s cool!) ˙⟡
- Tenya Iida (So reliable!) ⋆˙⟡
- Katsuki Bakugo (He kicks ass!) ♡
…
╰ ••• ╯
“A reliable smile is an essential part of being a hero!” Iida cheers, breaking it down analytically. “In times of crisis, a handsome smile may calm the heart more than words!” He places the most robotic smile on his face, and Sero doubles over with his own all-teeth-bared grin.
“Yep! Y-you got it down, man!”
Kirishima flashes his sharp teeth. And everyone shows off their best, “ I Am Here! ” smiles– even shy Koda and Tokoyami. The latter blinks rapidly and pretends he never did, but Shoji gives him a thumbs up. Deku wipes a tear from his eye, all those years practicing All Might’s iconic smile in the mirror has really paid off.
Amidst it all, Todoroki looks lost as he mumbles,
“I’ve been told my smile is very dangerous. It causes people to faint.”
“Fuckin’ dumb ass.”
The low grumble beside Ochako makes her lips twitch into a smile- wondering how many hours Bakugo and Todoroki have spent training together for their licenses. It’s an odd match-up for sure but they… “got along” well enough. Well… if you consider Bakugo’s biting commentary to be chummy.
It’s just cute that Bakugo bothers to reply at all.
“K-Kacchan! They like it w-when you smile!” Deku peeps with his watery voice, giving him a slight thumbs up. Ochako watches the blonde’s reaction curiously.
Those two’s relationship has changed too.
In recent weeks, she’s seen Bakugo hang back to give a snippy critique to Deku after class, while the latter scrawls it in his notebook. The invite-only tea-times with All-Might, and hesitant (but encouraging?) slaps to Deku’s back. Bakugo hasn’t softened by any means, but he’s being more honest, if that were all possible.
To the point that Ochako has noticed, at least.
“OF COURSE THEY DO!” Bakugo barks, smiling menacingly with his neck strained. “It means they’re safe!!”
“Dude, nightmare fuel,” Kaminair holds his hands up to hide the visual. He tries to copy Bakugo’s trademark grimace-grin with a flared nose.
“ SHUT UP ! You extras all copy me when you get in the thick of it!!” He seethes– making them recall all the times they drew from his unshakeable confidence to push through their last reserves.
Their class has developed a habit of grinning with gritted teeth.
“Plus ultra, my ass!!”
His outburst gets sidelined by Ochako’s squeak.
“Awwwwwwwh, ‘Chako!!” Mina throws her arms over the girl’s shoulder, rubbing her face against her cheek. “Your smile can save the woooooorld!!”
“You really think so?” Ochako laughs timidly. Smiling comes easy to her, and projecting happiness is a hobby at this point– just don’t put her under a microscope.
“Yep! Ribbit.” Tsu puts a finger to her mouth thoughtfully, “You have a very reassuring smile!”
Ochako beams, clapping her hands together. Now, this is a category she can be proud of–
“A smile doesn’t mean anything if you can’t back it up, Bobblehead.” Bakugo scoffs next to her. “‘Can’t ‘smile’ a villian away.”
“Huh?” She peeps. She faces him defiantly, and frowns.
He scowls deeper, doing his best to intimidate her. What’s his problem? She looks at the flat arch of his brows, challenge in BakuSpeak. He must be sore about losing to "the cute and pitiful" her, haha. Realizing that, she relaxes into a smug smile. A determined face that only appears when she’s level with him, the same reckless determination from the sports festival.
“Neither can you, Grumpy~!” She teases, cocking her head.
“Tch!” He grunts, turning away from her. "Villains would be pissing their pants if they saw me smilin'."
"Uh-huh."
"They'd just think you're fuckin' constipated."
"Mhmm."
The blonde stares her down with an uneven scowl, not wanting to double up on retorts when she's just nodding her head.
"Well, Ba-Ku-Go. As someone who is aspiring to be a Rescue Hero, a smile is just as valuable as my strength. So maybe, I won't defeat villiains with it, but It'll make someone feel safe."
Ochako crosses her arms with extra sass, and he does the same thing.
"That's what I just fuckin' said, Idiot."
She doesn't give him a reply and just smiles sweetly. She's giving him the last word, but she's won. And he knows she did, he’s just an asshole.
She breaks into a sly giggle, as they lean towards the magazine again. She's finally got her hat in the ring, and Bakugo won't stand for an underdog reversal.
╭ ••• ╮
Who do you look up to the most?
- Uraraka Ochako ♡
- Momo Yaoyorozu₊˚⊹
- Tenya Iida ⋆˙⟡
- Eijiro Kirishima ₊˚⊹
- Mezo Shoji ˙⟡
…
- Shoto Todoroki ₊˚⊹
- Izuku Midoriya ˙⟡
- Katsuki Bakugo ♡
…
╰ ••• ╯
“I will do my best to upload their expectations!” Tears stream down Iida’s face as he adjusts his glasses. “I am not a perfect man, but I will always run on the right track!!”
“R-right!” Kirishima has similar tears in his eyes, rubbing at them with his knuckles. He throws his other fist in the air, “We’re unbreakable!”
Shoji is shocked by the honor, and is unable to say much, while Koda and Sato shake his arms wildly. They’re able to rock his usually stable body, and catch him when he stumbles.
Momo’s eyes shine with tears as she bites her lips together. She’s usually ranked first in anything academic through her own studies, but to see the fruits of her labor as a hero, a role model , is a new high to chase.
This is the first time Todoroki and Deku are ranked below the ten mark. They’re admirable heroes, with amazing abilities, and there’s no doubt that the world will come to know their names. But maybe the public has seen how volatile they can be– and that a similar thread runs through Bakugo too. Ochako can’t think of anyone who can out-power them, they’re in a league of their own with plenty of room to grow.
But, number one …
Ochako stands there stunned, her eyes glittering with tears as she blinks. Woah. Woah . She can feel her hair raising on the back of her neck in awe– people look up to her?
In her short months at UA, has she already touched the sky?
She lets out a squeal through her fingers, holding her head so it doesn’t float off like a balloon. The hands of her friends hold her down too, patting her back and pinching her cheeks.
They’re proud of their Uravity.
“Don’t forget they think you smell, Cheeks.” Bakugo mutters to her side, a low rumble that brings her feet back to the ground.
Ochako looks at him with a small pout, expecting another “acknowledging” frown, but the lines of his face are all neutral. He’s staring down at the magazine with his hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders relaxed without an ounce of tension. You could almost say that his silhouette was the picture of serenity.
Except for Bakugo, that means defeat.
╭ ••• ╮
Who would you want to be saved by?
- Uraraka Ochako (Uravity would never let you fall!) ♡
- Tenya Iida (He is fast and reliable!) ⋆˙⟡
- Shoto Todoroki (He has ice and fire!) ₊˚⊹
- Izuku Midoriya (He tries his best!) ₊˚⊹
…
- Katsuki Bakugo (I’m alive but I’m scared…) ( ;´ - `;)
╰ ••• ╯
“‘CHAAAKOOOOOOOO!” Mina trills, throwing her magazine in the air and tackling her in a hug. “You freakin’ go, girl!!! CLEAN SWEEP! Woah –” Ochako’s hand comes in contact with Mina’s back, floating her.
They hold onto each other, but Mina calls the other girls to come too and soon, she has all her friends in her arms while they cheer her hero name,
“Uravity! Uravity! Uravittyyyy!”
Her face is flushed while the whole class congratulates her. Kirishima takes Mina’s phone and snaps a pic of what looks like, all the girls sitting on Ochako’s biceps– easily carrying five people on her shoulders.
Sero and Kaminari crowd around, making charismatic faces,
“So, Ms. Uraraka, please tell us the secret to your clean sweep?” They pretend to hold a mic to her face.
Eyes look upon her, holding the weight of friends effortlessly– but she’s ruddy-cheeked and sweaty. It wasn’t a clean sweep, really. They think she’s a hero, but not a… pretty girl.
What?
She blinks, caught off guard by her own intrusive thoughts. She shakes them away, rattling her friends who yelp in zero gravity. She tries to joke,
“Uhm. Listen to your parents and eat your veggies?”
“You heard it here first, folks! Listen to your ma! Uravity says eat your broccoli! Your green peppers! Leave nothing on that plate!” Kaminari riffs, shaking his hands in the air as if he were talking to the children of Japan.
Sero nods, pretending to take notes. He pockets them and smiles in his usual energetic way. He sticks out a fist.
“Good job, Uraraka.”
She feels a tingling flush from the bottom of her toes to the tips of her ears, as she bumps his fist lightly.
“Thank you!”
“Wooooah, uhm, ‘Chaks?” A voice calls from far above her.
The class looks up and sees that the girls have floated to the high ceiling of the commons, only Tsu is able to stick to the wall. Jirou, Toru and Momo hover with their arms outstretched and held together like they’re sky-diving. Mina swims through the air, doing flips and laughing,
“This is pretty cool!”
They all laugh, abandoning the magazines and resuming their regular chatter. Sero and Tsu grab onto the girls as Ochako releases them as controlled as she can. Her face remains blazing hot as everyone falls back into their evening routines– like they didn’t just spend half an hour poring over a teen magazine that picked them apart.
She hears a soft grunt behind her.
“This is bullshit.”
Ochako turns and watches Bakugo walk away from the class, footsteps so quiet she can barely hear it. She can’t see his face, but can feel the inky disappointment that drips off his back. It’s unsettling.
“Bakugo…” Her lips form. But If he heard her, he ignored it.
His stride doesn’t break, doesn’t quicken or slow. And now, she’s not the only one who’s noticed his retreating form, as two boys appear by her side. She already knows it’s Deku and Todoroki before they speak, the thread that connects them pulled taut.
“He’s upset.” Todoroki comments, putting a hand to his hip. His tone missing nothing but nuance.
“It’s Kacchan’s dream to be The Indisputable Number One Hero.” Deku mumbles, holding his chin in thought. “He can control his grades at school, but not how people see him– Errr!” He fumbles when no one replies, as if he didn’t mean to say it outloud.
“A-ah ! But you deserve this, Uraraka! You’re amazing!! Great job!”
Ochako nods slowly, tucking her chin as she looks down the empty hallway.
It’s just funny.
She's shattered with worry about how people perceive her despite “winning” what they’re all training for, and Bakugo gets all the clout and praise but only cares about how they see him as a hero.
Her priorities are fucked, and the irony makes her choke up a little bit.
They think she’s not girlfriend material, bad at kissing, and stinks– totally nothing special to look at…. But Uravity makes them feel safe.
And… to fully acknowledge that she’s the Number One fledgling hero they voted for, then she has to believe that she’s smelly and unkissable.
Oh, the terrors of the teenage brain.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆