Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Thank you for your help, Uravity!”

“You saved us again, Uravity!” 

“Uravity, I’m your biggest fan!”

Letting out a sigh as she slowly descended and touched down on the solid yet ruined pavement, Gravity Heroine Uravity offered a small smile as she raised her hands to alleviate the swarm of pedestrians that started to surround her, all of them happily giving the pro-heroine their thanks and praises after saving them from the latest villain attack. The zero-gravity woman did her best to fight back against the rising awkwardness that was building within her. Even after all these years, she still hadn’t fully grown used to public crowds and people being this grateful to her.

In the corner of her eyes, she glanced down and noticed a young girl shyly approaching her with a notepad in hand. And Uravity could immediately tell that the child wanted an autograph from her. Something that the brunette was happy to oblige, as she crouched down to her level, despite still being visibly taller than her. Chuckling at the bright expression the girl gave her while signing her book. She looked over to see the local authorities smiling as they approached her. 

“Good work as always, Uravity-chan.” 

“It was nothing; I’m just glad I could help,” She uttered softly with a wave of her hand. 

“Nonsense. If it wasn’t for you, those villains might have gotten away,” Another officer spoke out. 

“As expected of the Number 1 Pro-Heroine,” A third one praised. 

However, unbeknownst to everyone, no sooner had the police officer said that, Uraraka’s smile faded a bit. 

At that moment, a faint beeping filled the air around Uravity, and the woman’s eyes widened. She pulled out her phone and checked the time, looking shocked and a bit horrified. “I’m late…” she muttered, quickly handing the signed book back to the excited child and rubbing her head before standing and looking down at the crowd. “I don’t like leaving like this, but there’s a personal matter I have to attend to. Do you have everything handled over here?” 

The cops smiled and nodded as they loaded the criminals into the van. With a smile, Uravity pushed out from the ground and into the skies with another small wave to the people. She took off in a sonic boom, leaving a gust of wind in her tracks. 

“Man, she’s in a hurry.” 

“I wonder where she’s headed off to?” 

“Must be some important meeting for her to fly off like that.” 

Everyone softly murmured to each other as they began to disperse. Today’s hectic excitement having come to an end as the police and heroes all took their leave with the villains. All of them wondered to themselves just where exactly their beloved hero was headed off to next. Unaware of the real reason why the gravity-quirk heroine had taken off in such a hurry. 

“7:58…” The heroine muttered to herself with a hint of bitterness in her tone, “I should’ve been done a long time ago. Hope he can forgive me for being late.” 

-X-

“And… done! Finally, I thought I’d never get this thing fixed.” 

Midoriya Izuku had a small smile on his face as he gave one last twist of his screwdriver. Putting the finishing touches on his latest repair on the massive armored boots that he’d been working on for the past few days. Where he had been busy fixing the spring coils and shock absorbers that had gotten busted during a villain attack. 

“I just know she’s going to be thrilled to have these back. Working with regular armored boots must’ve been a nightmare of a substitute.” Stretching his arms and stifling a yawn, Izuku grabbed the remote and turned on the television, bringing up a news channel, where he started raising the volume to hear the latest events. 

“And that concludes today’s top international news. Moving on, we bring our attention to the aftermath of the recent villain attack, which took place within the Shizuka Prefecture. Where it took a number of heroes this time around to…” 

Izuku smiled as he rested his chin in his palm, listening to the anchorman go on about the latest villain attack and arrest. But his focus slowly became less on the news itself and more on the various heroes that appeared on screen. Even into his twenties, Midoriya couldn’t help but be in awe at the many types of pro-heroes that existed throughout Japan.

Ever since he was young, Izuku, above all else, had wanted to become a hero. Someone who rescues people while having a smile on his face, just like his idol, All Might. Sadly, that dream was not meant to be for young Izuku, as he had been diagnosed as quirkless at the age of 5. That, combined with the fact that his body was frail and physically weaker than most, meant that even if he had the quirk to become a hero. His body wouldn’t have been able to handle the strain and stress that came with the profession. The news had been devastating for Izuku and had sent the boy into a spiraling depression for some time. 

But just like his hero, he refused to give up. 

Even though Izuku couldn’t be a hero, that didn’t mean he was willing to give up a life being a part of the hero profession overall. And if there was one thing that he was proud of despite his weak body, it was definitely his powerful brain. Something that he had cultivated over the years of studying and watching pro-heroes and their amazing quirks. Those who knew him knew how many hours he would pour into writing endless notes, dissecting quirks on how they worked, their functions, and what could be done to improve them in any way, shape, or form. It was almost scary how intricate he was when it came to that sort of thing. Many, however, believed that he was just wasting his time. That nothing would come from trying to attain an impossible dream. 

Little did he or anyone know what path his decision would lead him down. Especially on a path where…

“Tadaima~” Came a tired voice at the front door. 

Izuku perked up and glanced away from the TV. “Ah, Okaeri.” He smiled at the newcomer, watching them as they removed their boots. “Long day?” 

…It led to him having a special relationship with the Symbol of Peace. 

#1 Pro-Hero Uravity, otherwise known as Uraraka Ochako, gave a tired smile as she removed her headgear, running a hand through her short brown locks as she used her feet to shut the door behind her and made her way over to the couch. She lazily sent all of her gear to nearby stands or tables, too exhausted to care about putting them in their proper places before flopping down on the seated Midoriya. Izuku was not prepared to have the tall, buff 8’4 woman collapse on top of him, pinning him against the furniture. 

“H-Hey!” He called out with a small laugh, feeling the brunette wrap her arms around his waist, “Get off.” 

“No. Tired,” she spoke, muffled against his chest. Snuggling further, she said, “Be my pillow.” 

“Come on, Uraraka,” He gently rubbed her head, “You know I can’t move when you’re this size.” He smiled when the brunette glanced up at him with an unamused expression. 

“You know it’s rude to call a lady heavy,” She said with a cute pout. 

The verdette just gave a lopsided grin, “You know that’s not what I meant, and you know it.” 

Keeping that adorable pout on her face, Ochako started to shrink down, going from her massive Amazon-like build to her small 5’3 frame. Yet she still made no effort to move from her spot on top of Midoriya, finding his warmth to be just the thing she needed after a long and arduous day. Izuku could tell that Ochako had no plans of removing herself from him anytime soon. Though if he were being honest, he couldn’t really say that he had an issue with it, finding her embrace to be just as comforting as she did. The two remained in their spot on the couch, enjoying the comforting silence while the TV went on in the background. 

While the people who saw them merely assumed that they were nothing more than partners or, at most, close acquaintances. Contrary to popular belief, the truth of the matter was that the two had known each other for a long time, since they were teenagers, back during the months leading up to the UA Entrance Exam. Izuku had managed to stumble upon Ochako by chance one morning while he had been taking a morning stroll. The young man had no real destination in mind at the time, but his legs ended up guiding him to Dagobah Beach, where he saw the brunette hard at work moving junk around and cleaning the beach all by her lonesome. It was only when he saw her pass out from over-exertion and exhaustion, prompting him to rush over and help her, that the two soon got to talking, where they eventually managed to hit it off with one another. 

Since that day, the two were practically inseparable and like two peas in a pod. Every morning or afternoon, Izuku would find himself at the beach, watching and cheering Ochako on, even bringing her some lunch that his mom had made for her (Inko had been over the moon when she found out that he had made a new friend) and despite Ochako insistence on him not needing to do such a thing for her. The wonderful sight and smell of the food, combined with Izuku’s surprising stubbornness, along with her own stomach immediately betraying her, made the gravity girl quickly cave in no time. 

Speaking of traitorous stomachs… 

*Sniff…* *Sniff* *Sniff*

*GROWL*

Izuku slowly grew a big smile as he looked down at a mortified Ochako burying her face in his chest, her ears turning bright pink from embarrassment. “I guess someone’s hungry, aren’t they?” Ochako looked up and opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of her tummy going off and rumbling again cut off anything she wanted to say to him, making Izuku grin as her lips quivered uncontrollably, with her face looking as red as a tomato.

 “Ha, ha, thought so.” He rubbed her head. “Well then, lucky for you, I have a new dish that I’m trying out. How does… an American-Style Meatloaf sound to you?” 

Ochako’s head shot up once again, this time with stars sparkling in her eyes at the named dish as she could already hear her stomach grumbling loudly again for a third time, this time full of excitement and anticipation at getting to feast on her boyfriend’s latest dish. If there was anything Ochako adored above all else, it was Izuku’s amazing culinary skills. Something that he had learned and cultivated over the years when he had been studying abroad or whenever he was at home helping his mom. Ochako had been lucky enough to try out many of his delicious meals and courses over the years. Some of which were, in her humble opinion, better than what she could probably find at a five-star restaurant, despite Izuku’s protests and claiming his cooking wasn’t that good. Something that her friends would definitely call him out on and say otherwise. 

Tangent aside, Ochako snapped out of her musing and looked up at Izuku. “Sounds wonderful,” She said with a smile on her face; already looking forward to the meal. And if the scent she had been smelling that was coming from the kitchen was any indication. It certainly smelled as delicious as it sounded, too.

“Oh yeah, by the way,” Ochako hummed out a small response and looked up at a grinning Izuku, “I managed to fix your boots while I was making dinner, Ochako.” He said, motioning to the massive boots sitting idly on the coffee table, “It took a bit, but I was finally able to fix up all the damage it sustained. I even managed to find some more durable parts that would allow you to go all out without breaking them as easily.”

By the time Izuku finished explaining, he was smiling as Ochako held up one of her boots in awe. Marveling at the repairs that had been done, “Thanks, Deku.” She said, looking at the young man gratefully, “You’re a total lifesaver.” Izuku blushed and laughed a bit, rubbing his head sheepishly. 

“Aw, I don’t think I did much,” He mumbled to himself bashfully. “I’m just glad I was able to get this done for you. I know how much you’ve been struggling in your other substitute boots.” 

Ochako smiled at him fondly. “Even still, words can’t begin to show how much I appreciate this.” She pulled him into a one-armed hug, “Thanks, Deku-kun.”

Izuku smiled and let himself lean into Ochako’s embrace, happily accepting her warmth. He perked up at the sound of a stomach rumbling once more, this time, however, coming from him, followed by a timer going off. Letting the man know that the meatloaf was finally ready to come out of the oven. 

“Oh, looks like the food’s ready. Lemme get it and- huh?” The young man blinked as he suddenly found himself floating in the air, along with Uraraka’s boots. He blinked when he found himself staring at a grinning brunette. 

“No, you’ve already done enough. I’ll take it from here,” Ochako said, already moving to set the table and the food. “You’ve been working hard all day, so lemme take over for a little bit.” She interrupted before the man could even offer a word in protest.

Izuku pouted a little bit before letting out a small smile as he rolled his eyes, “Alright, fiiine~” He conceded, earning a small kiss on the cheek from the brunette. “At least turn off your quirk and put me down first.” 

“Mm, nope~,” She said, popping the ‘P’, “I like having you dangling and hovering around me. Makes kissing and hugging you a lot easier and more fun~” She kissed him again, as if to prove her point, even lightly tapping him on the nose for added measure.

“Ah, hey!” He laughed a bit under the affectionate assault, “No fair, I can’t do anything whenever you have me floating around like this.” 

“Oh no~ What a tragedy~” Uraraka giggled as she took the meatloaf out of the oven. “Oh, this looks delicious!” She uttered, marveling at the meal and feeling her stomach growling excitedly in anticipation. “Chef Midoriya does it again!” 

The verdette blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “Well, we have to see if it actually tastes good first. So don’t go singing praises just yet.” 

Ochako playfully scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Are you joking right now? You and I both know you’re practically a god in the kitchen. Heck, part of me wonders if you secretly have a cooking quirk, what with how delicious some of your meals can get.” 

Deku laughed, “Now you’re just flattering me. I only learned from the best, which was my mom. I don’t think my cooking is THAT great.”

“Deku-kun, your cooking once had my friends Mina and Tooru literally drop to their knees and beg you to marry them.” She deadpanned, though there was a hint of amusement within her tone. “I dare you to find someone who can make a meal as good as you can.” 

A light blush formed on Izuku’s cheeks as the two recalled how Ochako had to fight off both Mina and Tooru after the two had some of her boyfriend’s cooking. While she knew that Deku-kun’s culinary skills were amazing, she didn’t think that it would warrant THAT strong of a reaction from either of them. Even Jirou-san had been eyeing the bashful Midoriya a certain way since then. And she was usually the most emotionally calm and reserved of the bunch. 

As much as he wanted to make a rebuttal against Ochako’s claims, Izuku knew when and where to pick his fight and how a fight was lost when he knew it. “Well, in any case,” He stood up, “Why don’t I get the table ready for us and we can eat-” 

“I’ll do it,” She said, cutting him off abruptly, taking the young man aback. “You’ve been working hard all day. Let me do this for you!” 

Sensing that particular tone in her voice, the verdette quickly ceased any attempts to stop her, knowing that it would be futile to get Ochako to budge when it came to doting on him. Then again, this was more or less their relationship ever since they were both teens. 

Another known dynamic when it came to Midoriya and Uraraka’s relationship was the fact that, in regards to Ochako, she could be rather… doting, not to mention protective when it came to Izuku. Something that became a bit of a thing with her after learning about his weak constitution, while initially, her doting hadn’t been too bad with him. It truly began to fester in her mind after one incident, back during an encounter with his old (and former, he supposed) childhood friend as well as high school classmate, Bakugou. 

Midoriya couldn’t help but internally wince as he recalled a rather unpleasant memory. 

-x-  

It had been a random encounter, with him and Uraraka running into Bakugou and his cronies one day after they had been leaving Dagobah beach and were looking to get come lunch following Uraraka’s successful progress. And, it was the first time that Ochako had finally been able to put a face on the guy who had tormented Izuku for all his childhood before he left Japan to study abroad. She had learned about Katsuki Bakugou over the course of getting to know Izuku, even learning the true meaning behind the nickname the teen had given him, “Deku”, after discovering his quirkless nature. To put it simply, Ochako hated him, and she did not hide her distaste for him after seeing him for the first time. Something that the explosive boy was more than happy to return back to her after sensing the brunette’s maliciousness. 

Meanwhile, Midoriya was trying his hardest to keep the tense situation from getting worse by the second. All while cursing himself for running his mouth about his childhood and how he had been bullied (Something that Ochako bluntly pointed out after beating his warped sense of idolization for Katsuki, out of his head) he knew Kacchan had a bad temper and did NOT discriminate with his explosives when it came to whoever pissed him off. But Ochako on the other hand, he’d never seen her this pissed before, and the last thing he wanted was her doing something she might regret. 

He couldn’t quite remember what happened after all that, only feeling an agonizing burning sensation occurring somewhere on his body, along with hearing something close to Ochako screaming his name before he blacked out. When he woke up, he found himself lying in a hospital bed. He winced severely as an agonizing, searing pain flared all around his shoulder while a good portion of his upper body and right arm were wrapped in bandages. Next to him on his right side was his mother, sobbing hysterically, while on the other side was Ochako, who was hunched over, gripping his left hand in a death grip while trembling, muttering one thing over and over under her breath. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” 

.

.

.

That incident left a nasty scar for Izuku, and he didn’t mean the one permanently marring his right shoulder. The aftermath of that incident permanently damaged, if not outright destroyed, his family’s relationship with the Bakugous completely. (It took Aunt Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru months before his mother willingly spoke to either of them again. And even then, it was clear that the damage was done thanks to Katsuki’s actions.) The incident managed to make its way back to Izuku’s former school: Aldera Junior High. And the school had been horrified by the whole thing. Not necessarily because he had gotten severely hurt from the whole thing. Aldera, despite their claims, made their stance pretty clear in regard to quirkless individuals. 

No, they were scared of how this little incident would reflect on them and their students. 

Unlike all the other matters that were normally swept under the rug when it came to dealing with quirkless students. The school knew this situation couldn’t be overlooked since Midoriya was no longer a student there and was technically a civilian now; Disciplinary Actions HAD to be taken. Quirk Usage on a regular civilian was illegal after all. Add to that the fact that he had been hospitalized on top of this, too. This was a recipe that could easily destroy Bakugou’s chances of becoming a hero. Not to mention it would also tarnish Aldera’s reputation for years to come; after all, what would people say about the fact that a UA hopeful was going around abusing his quirk and attacking defenseless civilians like this?! And it was definitely a cold fact that his mother had no shame in pointing out, as she had been ready to go scorched earth on both Kacch… Katsuki and the school. 

The only reason Inko didn’t was simply due to the fact that her baby pleaded with her not to. 

From the very beginning, he didn’t want this to escalate any more than it already had. And he knew that if his mother brought legal matters into this, this would just explode into something bigger that could potentially sweep Ochako up in the process. He didn’t want that, not when she was training for UA and becoming a hero to help support her family and help others. So he pleaded with his mother, and, reluctantly, Inko had spared the Bakugous from any legal proceedings. By the end of the whole matter, Katsuki and his cronies were just hit with a week’s worth of suspension. Which was essentially a slap on the wrist for him and the others. But it was clear to the people in this situation just how close Midoriya came to ruining his former friend and school’s reputation if he lacked a single ounce of compassion. The same compassion that, deep down, he knew these people didn’t really deserve. Everyone who learned about this incident would likely see this as him helping his childhood ‘friend’ out one last time. It didn’t matter, they were free to think what they wanted. He didn’t really care anymore. 

He honestly just wanted to forget about Katsuki and just move on with his life. 

-x- 

“...zu…ku… Izuku…!”

“Huh? Wha?” The man blinked, only to find Ochako looking at him with worry, “Sorry, did you say something?” 

“Is everything okay? You spaced out for a little bit,” She asked with a frown marring her lips. 

“Oh, I’m fine.” He unconsciously grabbed and rolled his shoulders, unaware of the deepening frown on Ochako’s face as a result of him doing so. “I think I’m just a bit tired.” He said, trying to offer the brunette a small, reassuring smile

Unfortunately for the frail man, Ochako wasn’t fooled by his weak attempt at lying. “You were thinking about that day again, weren’t you?” She accused with narrowed eyes, and when she saw him flinch visibly, her frown deepened. “I knew it. You always rub your shoulders whenever that bastard comes into mind.” 

“Ochako…” He began. 

“Even after all these years, he still knows how to dwell deep in your-” 

“OCHAKO!!!”

“?!” Uraraka snapped her head up, blinking when she felt Izuku cup her cheeks with both hands. 

“Stop… please…” He whispered, leaning in and touching foreheads with her, “That was years ago. You can’t keep doing this every time this memory is brought up.” 

“But-” Izuku silenced her with a finger to her lips. 

“No buts. I was the one who jumped in front of the attack meant for you. ‘I’ was the one who should’ve had us just walk away when we saw him, not you.” He cupped her face again, stroking his thumb along her cheek. “You shouldn’t blame yourself or be upset for what happened-” 

“I SHOULD!!!” She shouted, cutting Izuku off by grabbing ahold of his shoulders as the man looked on, startled at the teary-eyed brunette.

“I… I knew nothing good would come from antagonizing him, that I should’ve just walked away with you and let him spout whatever he wanted to say.” Her head dipped as her own shoulders started quaking. “But I… I was just so angry… hearing about how he treated you, how he, along with those other people who tormented you over a matter that you couldn’t help. When I finally met the face behind the bastard, I… I just wanted to cave his skull in. Make him feel the same pain you felt.” 

She then looked up at him, her tears flowing freely! “But not like this!” She gently clutched his covered scar, trying her best not to break down even more. “Not at the expense of seeing you get hurt!” 

“Ochako…” He pulled the taller, trembling woman close to him, patting her back as she silently cried into him. He couldn’t fault her for having this mindset, but he genuinely wished that she would understand that he didn’t blame her for what happened and never had. Not that she had been the only one to feel that way, that day changed a lot of people and relationships, arguably for the worse, if Izuku had to be honest. 

His mother and Aunt Mitsuki’s relationship had never been the same since that day. Even though they still talked, it was not with the same familiarity that the two sisters in all but blood once had. On some days, his mother had even treated the Bakugou matriarch like a stranger, but even then, that was tame compared to how she treated Katsuki. She never forgave him for what he did to Izuku and made that clear during the seldom times they ran into one another. On a good day, she was, at most, polite and cordial with the exposive male. On one of her bad days, her temperament could rival that of Aunt Mitsuki, and she would have little to no tolerance for Katsuki if he ever tried to talk to her. He even heard about how she once, apparently, slapped him across the face before yelling at him to leave her home, slamming the door shut on the stunned young Bakugou. 

Speaking of the Bakugou family, he heard through the grapevine that their relationship became strained as well. The first night Izuku was hospitalized, the Bakugou household degraded into a screaming match between Katsuki and his mother; even the usually mild-mannered and composed Uncle Masaru found himself raising his voice at his son. A sight that almost never happened, regardless of what Katsuki did. Which only further emphasized how badly his son had fucked up in this scenario. Needless to say, the Bakugou family had changed, and it hadn’t gotten much better as far as Izuku was aware. Aunt Mitsuki became more subdued, even though she did her best to put up a strong, smiling front to him and everyone else. It was obvious that the mother held a deep sense of guilt and remorse for her son’s actions, blaming herself for not raising Katsuki correctly and for allowing this to happen. Uncle Masaru hadn’t turned out any better; after what had happened with Izuku, he started looking into Katsuki’s time in Aldera and learned that his son had been bullying not only Izuku but other children as well, especially if they were quirkless. The whole thing made the man start drinking, feeling like he had failed as a father and a husband.

As for Katsuki, well, Izuku would be lying if he said he cared what happened to his old childhood friend. But he’d also be lying if he said he hadn’t been a little curious to know what happened after they went their separate ways. And as it turned out, it… went about as one would expect. 

Katsuki, to Izuku’s surprise, had been an emotional wreck since the incident, but not for the reason one might think. As typical of him, he had tried to blame others for what happened that day, rationalizing and even justifying his attack by claiming he had been aiming for the cheeky girl, as if that alone had been enough to excuse using his quirk illegally. And it was because of this mindset that it strained his relationship with his parents to the point where Katsuki went out of his way to avoid talking to either one of them. If Izuku hadn’t known any better, from what he heard, it almost sounded like Katsuki had felt awkward being in the house and desperately couldn’t wait to move out of the house and into the UA dorms. Speaking of UA… 

While Aldera might’ve gotten away with giving Katsuki a slap on the wrist, that certainly didn’t stop the rumor mill from firing off at the cynliders about what Katsuki had done. Apparently, from the moment he entered UA Academy, Katsuki quickly became known for the actions he had taken against Midoriya. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who exactly started that rumor mill, but each time Izuku brought it up in the past, Ochako made no attempt to confirm or deny such claims beyond a simple, innocent smile. Either way, the damage had been done, and Katsuki quickly found himself a pariah within UA, especially within his & Ochako's Class A Group. As it turned out, a lot of their former classmate had a very low tolerance for bullying and discrimination, as a good chunk of the class either experienced it for themselves or had friends and loved ones who suffered from it. Needless to say, any potential friends or cliques that Katsuki could have made while in Class A were destroyed long before he even had the chance. 

Heh heh, ironic, wasn’t it? Katsuki spent his whole life being surrounded and praised by many for his quirk, with no one really being there to humble him, only to be immediately ostracized by his quirk-wielding peers. And then there was his explosive and volatile attitude, which didn’t make his situation any better. Instead, it only further isolated him from the rest of the students, leaving him basically alone for the first time in his life. Izuku really tried his best not to feel vindicated with all of this, he truly wanted to be the better man here. But there was that part of him, that small part, that relished in the poetic justice that came around and slapped the blonde in his face, more so after how he saw Ochako lash out at him during the UA Sports Festival. But uh… that was a story for another time. 

He didn’t know what happened to Katsuki after that, and Ochako didn’t bother keeping tabs on him, something she made very clear to Izuku. He heard rumors that Katsuki, at some point before the first year ended, that his time in UA came to an abrupt end. Whether it was due to expulsion or dropping out, nobody really knew or could say. Though if Izuku were to be honest, he doubted anyone really cared. 

But out of all the people who had been affected by the incident, out of everyone who suffered emotionally, the most from what happened to Midoriya. The biggest change had to have occurred within Ochako from that day on. 

While Ochako claimed that she was fine and everything was normal, which, to her credit, she was still her cheery and lovable self, in fairness. Ochako’s overall sense of overprotectiveness, which had festered for the shorter Midoriya, skyrocketed, treating him with a sense of delicacy and care that one wouldn’t even see with porcelain objects and fragile glass. It didn’t take Izuku being a super genius to know that Ochako’s actions were mainly out of guilt over him getting hurt trying to protect her. Something she tearfully admonished him over when he woke up at the hospital. But he hadn’t realized just how bad his recklessness had messed with her mentally; Ochako already worried over him enough as it was, thanks to his weaker body. Not enough to treat him as an invalid, but to a point where she would have an eye on him just in case anything happened. But after getting hospitalized, her worries and concerns just grew more intense, often to the point where she would put his safety and well-being before her own. Something that he had pleaded with her NOT to do. 

…Yes, the self-sacrificing man telling his girlfriend not to do the same. The irony was not lost on him. 

Since then, this has been the couple’s dynamic with one another. Izuku knew that no matter what he did, he could never truly get Ochako to change her mind or beliefs about what happened that day– maybe in the future, possibly, but not today. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t let her know that everything she did for him was appreciated and that, no matter what she might’ve thought of herself, she was still a good person at the end of the day. 

“Sometimes, I wonder if All Might made a mistake giving me One for All…” 

Just like how she was being, right now. 

“Ochako…” Izuku tried to speak, but the girl cut him off with a shake of her head. 

“I know, I know what you’re going to say,” She spoke. “But there are days when I feel… maybe All Might would’ve been better off letting someone else be his successor. I know that Togata-senpai was the initial candidate to inherit the quirk before I came along. Maybe he should’ve stuck with him, instead of giving it to a stupid, idiotic-” 

*FLICK* 

“Ow!” Ochako whined as she was suddenly flicked in the forehead. She rubbed her bruised surface, giving Izuku a small glare (Read: Adorable Pout). “What was that for?” 

“To stop you from speaking that nonsense again,” Izuku said, closing his eyes with a small ‘Hmph.’ “Ochako, we’ve been over this, and like you said, you know good and well what I’m about to say.” 

Ochako simply remained silent. 

“YOU are a good person. You’ve always been this amazing, kind, considerate individual who was always ready to help other people, even if that person felt like they didn’t need any help. Remember that Toga girl you told me about in the past?” Izuku smiled at her. “And how you found her all alone, at her lowest? Even before you met All Might, you were still being a hero and helping others however you could.” 

“I-I… I only talked to her…” She mumbled, turning her head away in a sheepish manner. “I… I didn’t do anything.” 

“I’d beg to differ, and if Toga-san were here, she’d definitely say the same.” Izuku gently had her looking at him again. “Take it from someone who’s been discriminated against his whole life. Sometimes, talking to someone who feels like they have no one in their corner helps them more than you think. Your one action saved her from going down a path that she probably would’ve never recovered from. And showed here that there are still kind people in the world. And now, years later, she went on to become a nurse with her quirk helping work wonders in saving lives! You should be proud of that, Ochako-chan!” 

The brunette blushed deeper at that, finding it difficult to say anything in rebuttal to Izuku’s words. Even still, there was that stubborn part of her that couldn’t bring herself to agree. “S-Still!” 

Izuku cut her off. “Plus, even All Might believed that you had what it took to become his successor.” Izuku smiled. “If the Symbol of Peace himself, someone who embodied everything of what it means to be a true hero, believed that you were not only a true hero in the making, but also someone to carry his torch, as well. I don’t think there can be any doubt that you’re hero material.” 

“A real hero wouldn’t pick fights and get their best friend hurt,” Ochako muttered with a hiss. “A real hero wouldn’t put someone they cared about in the hospital because they couldn’t control their stupid temper!” 

“But you didn’t put me in the hospital!” Izuku refuted, cupping her face with both hands. “And if that had been the case, I still wouldn’t blame you.” He covered her mouth. “I chose to get in between you and Katsuki in hopes that you two would stop fighting. I chose to recklessly throw myself in front of Katsuki’s blast that had been meant for you. You didn’t do any of that. If anything, you should be the one angry at me for doing what I did years ago!” 

Ochako looked utterly baffled at the idea. “How could I possibly get upset over you trying to calm a fight down?!”

“The same way I can’t get upset over you protecting me from Katsuki and his cronies,” Izuku stated matter-of-factly. “If you hadn’t been there, he probably would’ve knocked me around a few times for laughs before walking off. That’s how he’s always been, ever since we were kids. Or rather… ever since he got that quirk of his…” He finished with a soft mutter under his breath.

There was still silence between the couple, with nothing but the TV going on in the background. Eventually, Ochako finally spoke up, asking the one question that had been on her mind since she had met Izuku. 

“Why did you stay friends with him for so long?” She asked softly, her brows furrowed. “Even with all of the things he had been doing to you before we met. Why did you let it all happen?” 

Izuku remained quiet as he fiddled with his hands, twiddling his fingers. And for a moment, it felt like Ochako pushed her luck a bit, thinking he wasn’t going to answer, until Izuku spoke up. “It’s because… I didn’t want to be alone.” He admitted under his breath. “The day I had been diagnosed as quirkless, it had been the worst day of my life, as though my entire world came to an end.”

Ochako frowned as Izuku continued. 

“At first, it hadn’t been so bad for me, the first days were pretty normal. But as soon as it became known that I didn’t have a quirk, that’s when things changed.” He gripped his balled-up fist tightly. “All my friends began moving away; they all started to pick on me, mocking me for being a ‘quirkless freak.’ The only one I had left, or rather the only one I thought I could rely on, was Katsuki. He had been my first friend, y’know? Sure, he was a rough kid, but he had a good heart deep down. At least, that’s what I thought.”

Izuku pulled his legs up to his knees with a heavy sigh. “I was so scared of losing him as a friend. I desperately clung to him like a lifeline because I couldn’t handle the idea of being alone. And I wanted to believe deep down that maybe, just maybe, underneath that aggressive exterior, my best friend was still there, somewhere.” 

“You hoped that things would get better with time, huh?” Ochako finally spoke. 

Izuku let out a bitter laugh. “I knew I was just lying to myself, that my friendship with him died the moment we both learned I was quirkless. But I wanted to deny it for so long, to reason that this was just how Katsuki was and always had been. That I let myself be his punching bag for far too long.”

Izuku ran a hand through his hair, inhaling and letting out a haggard sigh that he didn’t realize he had within him. A large arm wrapped around his entire body as the young man looked up to see Ochako hugging him, having returned to her regular 8’4 size. 

“It’s okay, I gotcha…” She whispered, hugging him to the point where it felt like she was scared he’d disappear in front of her. “You’re alright.” 

“If anyone’s the weak one here, it’s me,” Izuku spoke, gripping Ochako’s muscular arm tightly. “I was so terrified of being alone, so scared of having nobody to talk to, that I desperately clung to my future bully because I wanted to be acknowledged so badly. If it hadn’t been for me getting that scholarship at I-Island and me moving away as a result, who knows how I would’ve turned out?” 

“Fortunately, you did, and you got out when you could,” Ochako said softly, rubbing Izuku on the head. 

“I know.” He smiled, nuzzling deeper into the brunette. “But you know the thing that really helped? The thing that truly saved me from all of it.” He looked at the woman with a smile. “It was you.” 

Ochako blinked. “M-Me?” She pointed to herself. “What did I do?” 

“Meeting you had been the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me,” He told her. “Not only did you help me get over Katsuki. But you’ve been that pillar of strength that I never knew I needed in my life.” 

He took the stunned girl’s hands into his own. “Whenever I felt like I was at my lowest. You had been there to pick me up and set me back on the right path. You helped me realize that even if I was quirkless and weak, I could still be a hero and help others in my own way. But most of all, you saw me for who I was and not because of my shortcomings.” 

“Eh?” 

“If it wasn’t me facing discrimination of being quirkless, then it was often the fact of me having a weak constitution that had other people looking down on me.” Izuku’s gaze shifted to the side with a weak smile. “I really did have the worst luck when it came to my genetics. Not only was I quirkless, but even if I did have one, the doctor said my body would be to handle anything strenuous and draining. No matter how you looked at it, I was never gonna have that chance to become a hero like I had dreamed of being. But in spite of that knowledge, that wasn’t what frustrated me.” 

Ochako tilted her head. 

“What frustrated me was how everyone looked at me like I was helpless.” He told her. “You have no idea how… vexing it is, having people look at you like you’re an invalid, looking at you like if one wrong move I took would result in me crumbling to dust in no time flat. In some ways, it was even worse than being discriminated against.” 

Hearing this made Ochako feel worse, as she started to realize that she had been doing the same thing to Izuku ever since he had gotten hurt, for all these years. 

“But you had been different.” 

Huh? 

“E-Excuse me?”

Izuku smiled at her. “When we first met and you learned about my condition, you didn’t treat me any differently. You didn’t look at me or act as if I were fragile glass. You treated me normally, like how you would with everyone else. Even when I told you about my quirkless status, you didn’t make a face or anything.” 

“Why would I?” Ochako asked, as if the very notion confused her. “You were a nice guy, kind to me, and a little funny, too. Why would I have treated you any differently, just because you were a bit weaker or because you were quirkless?” 

The smile on Izuku’s face grew wider. “And yet you believe you don’t have the heart of a hero? Right after talking and saying things like that?” 

Ochako blushed, realizing what she had just finished saying, and poked her fingers sheepishly. She blinked as Izuku pulled her into an embrace. Something she happily returned as she basked in his warm and comforting presence. The two remained like that for another minute, with nothing but the sound of the TV still going on in the background providing white noise for the couple. 

“I guess we’re both strong and weak in our own ways, huh?” Ochako uttered, as she allowed a soft smile to grace her lips. “Somehow, I don’t seem to mind that.” 

“We made it as far as we did by relying on each other,” Izuku pointed own as he rubbed Ochako’s muscular arm. “It may not have been a perfect journey, but it was definitely a memorable one that I would never trade for anything.” 

“Same here.” 

The couple looked at one another, their eyes half-lidded with affection as they slowly leaned in. Their lips mere inches away from connecting. 

*GROWL*

. . . Only for a certain stomach to interrupt them, again. 

“...” Ochako covered her face as Izuku laughed. “Shut up, it’s not funny!” 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Izuku wiped the tear from his eye. “It was just so adorable just now.” He smiled at her soft glare she gave. “But I think that’s a sign that we should have some dinner. Don’t you agree?” 

The frown melted away into a soft smile as Ochako nodded, planting a small kiss on Izuku’s cheek as the two made their way over to the dinner table to have their nice and relatively warm meal. Looking to bring an end to a loving and highly-emotional night. 

-x-

Izuku Midoriya & Ochako Uraraka. 

Two people who came from different spectrums of the world and had managed to meet each other by chance. They’d been through so much with one another, dealing with things both together and on their own that would’ve had other people crack under the pressure. They were not perfect, nor did they try to be. They knew they would stumble, have doubts, and slip and fall from their own emotions and questioning of their self-worth. But it was fine, because they had something there to lean on and pull them back up from the brink of the abyss. 

And if one were to ask what that thing was? They’d simply smile and would give the answer they’d always give. 

“The very person who had been there for them since the very beginning when they first met.” 

Their pillar. 

Their strength.