Honestly, you'd think something like this would dissipate after two and a half years. The whole deal was frustrating to say the least, and no matter how hard Ochako tried, it just would not go away. Which. Really, really made everything she did seem incredibly and undeniably awkward.

It was easy? At first? To push it down that is, especially with everything that was happening at the time. The League of Villains on the rise, the push to prove themselves, the Seven Precepts of Death… It was all very stressful and… distracting.

But. Now, since the beginning of the new school year, everything was calm. Surprisingly so. Eerily so. Suspiciously so. Even with it being so quiet, no matter how unsettling, there hadn't been anything new coming in about any new evil rising. Ochako and her close class of comrades and friends were left to finish out their final year in peace.

Which.

Gives rise to the problem.

There is nothing to keep down Ochako's emotions anymore.

It had been so easy before! Just focus on the goal of becoming a pro hero. But! Now that was happening! They were all graduating and with everything they'd had to deal with, there was no doubt the hero companies would be dying to get their hands on some of them. Especially Bakugou, Todoroki, Momo, Tenya, and…

"Deku." It came out in a frustrated sigh. Ah yes, the source of her current problem. Stupid feelings still feeling and crap. Why couldn't it have just. Stopped. Or something. So that she didn't have to deal with it and she could just go on being besties with him and Tenya without any. Weirdness getting in the way.

It wasn't fair either. Deku has been so focused on becoming the best hero he can be that he hasn't even taken anything remotely like this to mind. Which. Ochako doesn't blame him. It's actually one of the things she admires about him, his determination to be the greatest hero. But. It's like. She's? There too? Notice her?

It's selfish and terrible, she knows, but she can't help what she yearns for. She also can't help her absolutely brilliant idea to just be out front with the entire situation. Especially since everyone, including herself, will be going their separate ways to become true heroes. Of course, they'll probably meet up every once in awhile, especially if some of them join the same companies. But it's not the same.

She knows Deku is aiming high, even higher than she, and while she doesn't want to distract him from his goals, she doesn't want to let this just. Sit.

Which is what leads her to singling him out during one of their last days at school. It occurs to her too late, when Deku had already noticed her destination, that he would probably be studying for the final exams, but she's too far gone now to stop. Oh well.

"Hey Uraraka. What's up?" The casual conversation starter is enough to settle in her bones what she's about to do and she feels about ten times hotter than she had the minute before.

Too loudly, she responds, "NothingheycanItalktoyouforliketwoseconds?" Eloquent. Smooth. The highest tier of Got This.

The looks from her classmates sear into her as Deku blinks then nods. "Yeah, of course." He sets down his book—damn he was studying—and follows Ochako as she walks out of their shared dorm. She leads him only a few feet away from the entrance and stops.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asks, and there's this tilt to his voice that gives away that he's kind of nervous, which calms Uraraka slightly, since she's also kinda, sorta, really, extremely nervous.

She gulps back the anxious lump in the back of her throat and opens her mouth to speak, "U-uh, um, y'see, uh. I-I. Um. There's this. Like. Uh." Well this is going great.

"Uraraka?"

Okay. Alternate route. Ochako clears her throat. "So. Um. I just need. Some. Ad...vice… yes…

Advice! Yeah!"

Deku relaxed considerably. "Oh okay. What about?"

Crap. "Uh. I mean. Um." She coughed to buy herself some time. "So, uh, say there's this guy that you've kinda known for a while," realization dawned on Deku's face and his cheeks went pink, "you, uh, see him all the time and you. Talk. A lot with him every day, right? And like, you're kinda. Used to thinking about him in a certain way and then suddenly it's like 'boom!' everything's different and he went from a guy that you'd never be into, into a guy that you'd… kinda… be into… I guess. Um. I guess what I'm asking is, uh, is… he worth it?" This… isn't exactly what she had in mind.

Deku rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit preoccupied. "Um, haha, uh? M-Maybe? I guess it depends on if, uh. You're certain? About what you feel? Also, that, um, you know you'd be able to make it work, since, y'know, you're gonna be a great hero and all." Ochako flushed and nodded.

"Y-Yeah, yeah, okay, that makes sense." Oh no oh no, where does she go from here? "Th-Thanks, Deku."

"Anytime… Uraraka."

Aaaaaand now they're just standing there.

God this is awkward, what does she say now? 'Thanks for your help in psyching myself up to tell you how I feel'? This is a nightmare.

"Um." Ochako perked up at Deku's voice. "Wh-Who is this, uh, guy that you like? If you don't mind me asking." Oh god oh no abort abort abort abort, canceling mission, Houston we have a problem.

"Uh, um. He. It. That is. A. Good question, oh boy, um."

Deku winced and waved his hands in front of him. "Ah, never mind, never mind, it's none of my business really, it's fine!"

Ochako mimicked his still waving hands. "No no! It's fine, I was just caught off guard, it's totally fine! It's just! Um! It's kinda? Embarrassing? B-But I am fine! With, uh, telling you!"

"O-Oh, alright, if you're sure." He was looking to the side, his face pinker than before. He wrung his hands.

"Yeah, yeah, it's. Cool."

"Yeah." This was going nowhere.

Ochako took a breath. "The… guy that I'd kinda be into…" Was she really going to do this? Bear her neck out in the open like this and hope for the best? His name was on her lips, the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't find the breath to push it out into the open. Her heart hammered painfully through her entire body and she felt that she may start floating soon. It was a miracle she hadn't yet. It was a miracle she still hadn't died yet.

"The… guy that you'd kinda be into…" Deku prompted, hesitantly, and Ochako was awoken from her thoughts.

A small laugh. "Yeah, that guy that I'd kinda be into… is…" She bit her lip and breathed out, "You."