Note: Was supposed to be for Valentine's Day
Note: Note what I usually do, but hey, I don't give a crap. Let me experiment
Note: not beta-read
Warnings: Slightly dark themes? Hierarchy system, made up tribal/fantasy AU thing, and the fact that I wrote this while feeling like absolute garbage
Gifted
SevenRenny
It was a coming of age ceremony, she'd been told. Kids her age were ready to become adults, to join in on adult activities; hunts and fieldwork, food storage and marriage, helping the younger ones and so on. At fifteen, she didn't feel any older, but maybe it was because the ceremony hadn't started yet. From her bedroom window, she could see and hear the commotion of some sort of early entertainment going on in the middle of the village.
Her mother chuckled behind her as she continued trying to help her girl into her new clothes. "Okay, okay, hold still, now. Almost done."
Ochaco didn't need her bland brown clothing anymore. She had her knew, custom made Big Girl clothes – all furs and leather tough enough to handle outdoor activities; signaling her importance to the village. She'd survived for fifteen years, and deserved to have her place known. The Gods had gifted her with a wonderful ability that would come useful to her people.
"There we go. Just one more thing." Her mother looped the removable hoodie over her head and let the droopy material hang around her neck like a scarf. Her mother cupped her cheeks to hold her face up proudly. "Go on, now. Be back when you hear the horn, alright?"
Ochaco ran to the door, stopped, stood still, then immediately ran back to give her mother a hug before running off again. She heard her father yell something about staying away from boys on her way out.
She had to weave past hats, tents, and large human-sized leafs tied to sticks as decoration for the ceremony. She could see people tying up other decorations: deer skulls and antlers, tied up stones and feathers.
She found the other teens who would eventually take part in the ritual. They were huddled in a circle around Kamui Woods, one of the well-known men around here. The man clad in wood kept forming his arms into leafless trees and a few thin branches stuck out from his plant-made clothes.
"Ochaco, you made it." Tsuyu said simply.
Mina, sitting on the ground, scooted over to make room for her and patted the empty spot.
"And you got your new clothes," Momo pointed out calmly.
Ochaco giggled. "So did all of you!"
They all got prepared by their parents or relatives. Aside from Momo, Tenya, and Shoto, who'd had fairly nice clothes and now seemed to get an upgrade, everyone else had started out with simple things that made them almost look like peasants and only now got to look decent. This small number of workers didn't need to waste energy and materials on children that might not survive the next few years.
As Kamui Woods kept going on about the Great Gods of the forest, Ochaco managed to catch a glimpse of something move behind him. The bottom part of the fur pelt being held up behind the man by sticks lifted up. That one weird boy – Izuku – was flat on his stomach and had lifted the bottom part to have a peak at the lesson. He probably didn't want to get closer and potentially get picked on by Katsuki again.
"–choose your partner wisely! Strength is built on communication. Let your heart guide you. As what our grandfathers used to say, 'no matter what Gift you've got, it is the heart that matters most!' You've all got three days to show your place." Woods repeated his rehearsed speech. "Know who you are, where you need to be, what you need to do. Every individual has their use. Every Gift is there for a reason."
Ochaco briefly saw Izuku wince in the background.
"Tonight, boys and girls will split into groups. Tomorrow, you will be men and women. Before you head out for the Hunt, make up your minds. Choose a partner and make a declaration. The Gods will watch over the potential match and decide if it is to be; if not, then it would be best to have a different choice next year. For the Chosen, prepare for your partner's arrival; or if they get back at all."
…
"Izuku!"
"Gah–!" he yelped and fell back against the fur pelt behind him when he tried to get up.
Ochaco giggled. "What are you doing back here, silly?" She bent down and offered her hand.
He sighed when he realized it was just her and not some village bully.
"I just wanted to listen a little," he admitted, reaching for her hand. He then realized something and blushed lightly. "Oh, you look nice, by the way."
"Really?" She really couldn't believe her mother's old clothes looked good on her. Her parents weren't exactly able to get her new, better looking stuff, so most of her things she'd inherited from her mother. "Not bad yourself!" He had his own combat ready clothes now, which suited him fairly well.
Usually, it was taboo for a girl to be friends with a boy; especially one that wasn't her partner. Girls were supposed to be around other girls; and boys around boys; the rich around the rich, and the poor around the poor. The ones with strong Gifts around each other, and the ones with weak Gifts grouped together.
Izuku's case, however, was different.
While he was indeed a boy, meaning he was supposed to be in a higher position, he had no Gift from the Gods. He was, in other words, lower ranking then the lowest female. He was at the very bottom of the ladder because the Gods decided to not Gift him like everyone else. He was, some would say, a waste of food, shelter, and space. He was not as useful as, let's say: Katsuki's explosive Gift, or Shoto's fire and ice abilities.
He was just… there, helping his mother tend to sheep.
Because what else could he do?
She did worry about him. He was a sweet boy and wasn't one for violence. He didn't know how to defend himself, wasn't of important bloodline, only had one parent, had little to no impact within the tiny community other than eating from provided food and not giving anything back, and Ochaco feared he might get driven out simply because of his weak statues. It wasn't his fault, she knew that. They only saw an Ungifted boy who kept living off of precious resources. They only saw the boy who would either not survive long enough to turn fifteen years old, or not participate in the Hunt because nobody would want to be his lifelong partner.
They never saw him through her eyes.
They never saw how hard he worked, how kind he was, how loving he could be.
He'd help her father with building projects. He'd learn and study animal behavior and corps growth for future farming plans, he'd told her. He had a mind like no other, fit for a chief's. He wasn't much now, but she knew he was much more than what he seemed in the inside, and hoped he would grow into that smart man she saw every day.
He'd make a great partner for just about anyone. He was easy to get along with, friendly, flexible, and while he wasn't the strongest, he didn't need to be. She just wished everyone else saw that, not just her.
…
"Toshi!" Izuku tripped when he tried to grab the blond dog, only to have the creature squeeze through his arms. The boy fell to the ground and the dog watched, wagging his tail, one of Izuku's wrist guards dangling in his mouth.
"Toshi, come on!" Izuku whined.
Ochaco tried to hold in a giggle while sneaking up on the dog, but obviously failed when the dog had her running in circles instead. She managed to tap him with her hand, effectively floating him.
"Gotcha!"
He yelped in confusion and dropped the wrist cuff he'd stolen. Unfortunately for Ochaco, she couldn't stop running in time and ended up collapsing over Izuku.
She attempted to apologize but giggled and squealed instead. He just couldn't stop laughing beneath her.
He was as silly as she was. No matter how old they got, he'd always be her best friend.
She got along with him so well, which brought up the idea of potential partnership. She just didn't know how well that would go with her parents. Would they bless this partnership? Her parents were one of the few who did not put Izuku down. Her father even called him a handy-man. However, would they be okay with her risking her life on the Hunt for him? Traditionally, it was the boy's job to go on the Hunt, but that was back then. Now, it was more about who was more suitable enough to go out into the wild and get back with the right stuff. And there was the fact he was still Ungifted. There was a high possibility he could die out there.
Her parents might not like the fact that she would have to be the one to go out there, but it would have to do. She'd have to do it if it meant Izuku would stay safe! She just had to be the one to choose him during the ceremony.
…
…Which did not happen according to plan?
"O – Och – Ochaco Uraraka!" Izuku stuttered in front of the bonfire, cheeks going pink. The circle of teens and their parents had gone silent. Ochaco's strong father was behind her with his arms crossed, looking down at the small boy almost menacingly as the boy kept going. "Will you please lend me your hand? I promise to give you my heart if you give yours!" He was wincing, fearing the rejection at any second.
Why did he have to step forward? She was planning to be the Chooser, not the Chosen. She was planning to keep him safe. What was he doing?
She then remembered who this was. Of course he'd put himself on the line instead of her. Of course he'd want to prove himself worthy to her. Of course he'd want to show her just how much she meant to him.
The clever idiot.
She took his hand and smiled brightly, ignoring the stares from the group gathered for the ceremony. "Do your best out there, Izuku!"
He opened his eyes and stared in surprise at how fast shed accepted his offer.
"I'll be waiting for you to come back, okay?" she told him, planting the seed in his mind: he had someone to come back to.
His eyes glinted and he gave her a nod.
Her father extended his beefy arm and gave the boy a pat on the head. Izuku looked up at him in confusion.
The man smirked. "Good luck out there, fella."
…
Her father had given him his old sword and shield as they were already blessed. The rules: one sword, one shield, and full use of one's Gift. The First day of the ceremony was Choosing day; the second, preparation; the third, the Hunt.
A signal fire was started to help the Hunters find their way back home. The Choosers all trampled into the woods like a herd of wildebeest as soon as they herd the horn, yelling and whooping with excitement.
Ochaco had to watch small Izuku disappear in that herd. She'd have to wait with the others and their families, hoping their partners would come home. Only the Gods held their fate now.
Ochaco had to ignore the feeling that maybe he got hurt out there and busied herself with other things. He wanted to prove himself, so she had to let him do his thing. She had to trust him. It was supposed to be a hard challenge, and she knew Izuku better than anyone else. He was stronger than he looked.
In the meantime, she and her parents, along with Izuku's mother got to prepare for his hopeful arrival. They got to collecting food, furs and herbs in the case he needed medical care. Healers were ready to assist whoever came back injured.
The sky turned orange, and a few started returning from the Hunt, some with prizes like killed boars and gazelle; some, sadly, came empty handed, only returning because of serious injuries. Everyone who came back got dowsed on the head with blessed water from a tusk shaped flask.
Katsuki impressed everyone with a dead wolf around his shoulders. He smirked and showed it off proudly. That thing would later make claw and tooth necklaces for him and Eijiro. The whole body would be put to use: skin, meat, fur, blood, organs, skulls and all. Why waste such a prize?
The rest of the Hunters started coming back when it got dark. A good number didn't return, though – Izuku, was one of the ones that had yet to show up.
It seemed like most of the Choosers managed to return, even if some of them failed the test. Ochaco wouldn't mind if Izuku came back empty handed as well. He'd have next year, and the year after. By now, she just wanted him home. It seemed like the longer she waited the heaver her chest felt.
What if she had rejected his partnership? He'd be sad, she'd be sad, but at least he'd be alive.
Her father suddenly swore next to her. He was looking at something in the distance. Following his gaze, she saw the blurry vision of a hulking brown beast coming out of the woods.
"No fucking way…."
She wasn't paying attention to the people behind her. She was too busy trying to understand what she was seeing.
A limp mountain lion, bloody and lower body dragging behind it, was draped over a smaller figure. Izuku had huge claw marks over his face, one going over his nose and over an eye. He was sweating and panting, wrapping the paws around his neck and pulling the huge body with him.
"Holy…"
"What the actual fuck!"
Some in the crowd had gone pale at what they were seeing.
"Ha-ha!" Ochaco's father laughed proudly. "That's my boy!"
Toshi kept barking and jumping in circles, encouraging the boy to take the last few steps.
Izuku collapsed as soon as he made it, dropping the incredibly heavy animal to the side, sighing and trying to catch his breathe. The claw marks in his face had dried blood running down his face. He also had marks on his shoulder, and his other arm was bleeding black through.
Without warning, someone splashed his face with water from a flask, waking him up.
"Izuku!" Ochaco talked him into a tight hug. He gasped when she grazed his wounds, then chuckled and attempted to lightly pat her back with his good hand.
"Missed you, too."
While the healer went over to inspect the boy's wounds, Ochaco's father went to inspect the prize himself. The sword was still lodged into the animal's neck and there were two other slits around the throat. The boy had stabbed it a number of times there. Just how had the kid managed to get this close without getting killed was beyond him.
His girl landed a gifted boy after all.
Notes:
-Well, would you look at that? For once, I'm not being a useless potato and I actually managed to get something done, even if it feels like shit. Yes, this is my vision of Valentine's Day; filled with screaming and blood and claws and sweat.
-I don't even care how this came out. I don't think I'm gonna read the reviews. I know I fucked up; I just don't want to know how badly I fucked up. And yeah, I'll look through it for mistakes later. Too lazy to do that now.
-No, this is not based on something or whatever. It's all made up world building.
-No, I did not abandon my other works. I'm trying to get things done but good 'ol depression isn't being very helpful. I want to write out most of my stuff so I can post all of them later on in one go so I don't have to worry about being a lazy fucker about updates.