Notes: aged-up/adult character

Thanks for the assistance: Jigoku Seiko, vixensheart, Rex96, misty, Noble Auditore, Amy

That One Guy

SevenRenny

He'd started off as a fan, just like most Pro Heroes. When he'd studied at UA, he'd still a fan; the biggest one, there, still writing in notebooks obsessively like it was as important as air. He reached Sidekick status, and still, he was a fan. It was public knowledge, especially after how he'd acted during interviews: a rigid, stuttering mess when asked to speak about himself, then turning into a vocal encyclopedia when it came to other Heroes and Quirks.

A Pro Hero, and yet again, still a fan, collecting his friends' merchandise, attending Hero conventions and forgetting he was an invited guest and not an attendee, asking for autographs and pictures from Heroes. He just never thought he'd be the one giving out autographs one day. He should've known. It never, however, sunk in. He never saw himself important enough to be liked or loved enough to gather fans of his own. It was uncanny. The younger kids saw him the same way he'd looked up to All Might. Older kids thought he was the coolest. And, after Charge Bolt pointing it out, some women had developed celebrity crushes on him. They were especially vocal after he'd finished capturing a Villain publicly.

"Deku, I love you!"

"You're so strong."

"Can I touch your arm?"

"He's so cute!"

He swore he heard someone say something about a 'cute butt'. He was thankful for the circle of law enforcement that protected him from the not-so-harmless fangirls.

"Deku, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Did you see when his clothes ripped? His freckles are so cute!"

Some woman whistled at him, which made him pull up his hoodie and hide his face in embarrassment, accidentally making the cheers louder.

Part of him wanted to get away as soon as possible. The other part told him that was rude, and he should, at least, say something nice.

"Thanks for supporting me, everyone! Take care of yourselves and each other. I'll do my best to keep everyone safe," he said innocently, giving them a sweet smile.

They exploded, screaming like a sea of admirers at a concert. Bless the officers keeping them at bay. He loved his fans – appreciated them with all his heart, but after a few unwelcomed touches, chest strokes, and at some point, tugs at his clothes, he learned to keep his distance. He'd already been groped enough during his high school days.

…

Heroes were, well, heroes, as well as celebrities. The latter had changed the way she lived. Everyone knew her. Every mistake she made was broadcasted and reported on by the media. The internet liked to spread stories; some trues, some half-truths, and many false ones. And, according to online rumors, Uravity either had a secret boyfriend, or was dating another Hero. They came up with new stories every time. It turned out, she wasn't the only one dealing with this, though most Heroes seemed to not mind this sort of attention as it boosted them higher up the popularity poll.

She wasn't sure how she felt about it.

In a beige suit (an attempt at being both professional and casual) she sat stiffly in the overstuffed couches, very aware of the eyes and cameras and show host behind the desk. The man had his usual mug on the desk, on the same spot every time; it probably left a ring on the desk that would last centuries. The clapping from the audience onstage took a full minute to slowly wither away. The music band stopped plying after she'd mechanically sat down.

"We're so glad to have you here," the host said, pushing his glasses up.

"Thanks! I'm so happy to be here. I'm really excited." Nervous was a better term.

"I have so many questions for you but I doubt I'll get through them all," the man said, chuckling as he looked down at his list.

She just hoped her mouth would work correctly. Any mistake and the internet would have a field day about it.

The man started: "Your rank jumped from twenty-seven to seventeen the past week after the hospital hostage situation. You're the fifth most popular female Hero in Japan thus far. How do you feel about that?"

She knew the incident mentioned. A few patients had awoken from a fight injury and had turned one side of the hospital into a sticky mess, and the other side a fairy blaze that even sprinklers couldn't extinguish. One threw threats and had used the hospital's equipment as weapons. She had had to knock a man out via a well-aimed chop to the side of the neck and carry out the weightless nurses with the chairs still stuck to them. The real challenge had been moving the actual patient out of the burning building while trying not to pass out herself.

"It was hard. Mentally, I mean," she admitted, placing a hand over her heart. She didn't have time or the energy to celebrate her rise up the poll after that incident. People only saw her being 'cool'; never assuming their Heroes ever thought of who they saved or failed to save. Heroes weren't people, some people assumed, because it was much better to think their protectors – their shields – were indestructible. They were destructible. She'd seen it, felt it, dreamt of it.

"I'm sure you did your best. I've seen the footage myself. Hard to watch," the man said with little sympathy – or he hid it well in order to keep the show going and the people entertained. "Little girls love you. I think my daughters love you more than they love me." It was his way of fluttering the mood.

The audience laughed.

Ochaco giggled. "I'm sure that's not true."

"Oh, they have Uravity back to school bundles. The younger one has a Uravity bed. How do you have time for advertisements and, well, your regular work? And when I mean regular I mean beating the crap out of Villains."

She was sure they were going to bleep that.

"I have to let the agency know. Someone has to take my place, so usually on off days, or I'll just go after my patrol hours if the time fits."

"That's fair, that's fair. And speaking of commercials, congrats on the collab with Winterwear Heroics."

The audience clapped, the sound all around like crashing waves. She'd seen the pink kiddie winter boots modeled after her Hero boots, with extra stuffing for warmth and without the heel.

"Thanks! They made them very cute," she said.

"Yes, I know what my daughters will be asking for this Christmas." That got more chuckles from the observers. "So, Uravity, I'd start with more on the top of my list here, but I feel like everyone's eyeballing me hard to get to the elephant in the room. And by elephant, I don't mean our trumpet player. I'm sorry, Oshiro. It's not your day today."

The man in a tuxedo, trumpet in hand, and trunks protruding from either side of his lips scoffed, pretending to be bothered. She'd seen the show and knew this was a common gag.

"Anyway," the host continued. "The internet's been blowing up about you and Mr. Secret Guy. Can I ask about that? Or should I back off?"

She was expecting it. It was still a bit funny, to think people suspected she had a secret Hero boyfriend. "There's no Mr. Secret Guy. I'm not in a relationship," she said, chuckling lightly. She didn't see herself in a relationship – or a realistic one, at least. Yes, she'd fantasized about it; about being with that man who inspired her to do her best just as he did his best like his namesake.

"I see. Not interested in that sorta thing? Or just not ready?"

"I, uuhh…" How would she go about it? Having a crush on her friend and being disinterested with other men, she couldn't see herself in that dream of her living both the life of a Hero and a domestic life. "To be honest, there was that one guy from high school." Somehow, it felt like a boulder had been removed from her chest. The bottle she'd had tucked away to the side all these years popped open and spilled, and spilled, and continued, and slipped between her fingers and she couldn't plug it up.

"Oh?"

The audience ooo'd and howled from all sides. The host held up his hands to calm them down.

"You – calm down, sheesh. You were saying," the man said.

"It's silly. Just an embarrassing thing from school."

"UA, right?"

"Yeah." Her mind told her to shut up; her heart told her 'it's too, late keep going'.

"Is it someone I talked to here before?" the man tried his luck.

She giggled, blushing. "I don't know." Yes.

He accepted his defeat. "Darn it. But, hey, that's pretty cute. Didn't work out between you two, or…?"

"We never dated. I, umm… never told him."

The audience cooed sympathetically.

"And you still like him?" he asked surprised, pointing his pen at her; the pen he fondled on every episode of his show.

She was suddenly very aware of how many people would be watching – and who else would surely be watching. "It's just… we're both busy and… there's… just… a lot of risk to it, you know? Hero work and… just…"

He seemed to catch onto her discomfort. "It's a dangerous job. I get it, I get it. But, truthfully, let's say… if – if – you can work it out, would you consider it?"

"Consider it?"

"If it all worked out, would you – how do I say it, consider a relationship, if it were possible?"

A relationship with Izuku? It was an impossible but pleasant idea. It was something she kept in her mind, but knew wouldn't happen. She wanted it. It wasn't possible, because she was – if her usual excuse of 'we have a busy career' was pushed aside – a coward. She loved the friendship they had. Even after graduation, they still found time to hang out, whether during patrol hours and rescue missions, or texting and calling and just meeting up during the week to update each other on their lives. He was still the same Izuku she knew and adored from high school. A man, yet, still pure-hearted and kind and just the sweetest personality.

Things would get… Awkward if she opened up to him about her years-old crush on him. Would things stay the same between them? Would they still talk and text and hang out like normal?

But… that was an 'if' situation. If he didn't return her feelings. If he didn't want anything more than a friend.

"…Yeah. Yeah, that would be nice, actually."

The man turned to look at one of the cameras. "Are you watching, Mystery Man? You got Uravity waiting on ya'. I swear, however this guy is, he's one lucky fella. Let's give Uravity a great applause, here." He started clapping, encouraging the audience to do the same. "Bravo for your bravery there, ma'am!"

…

That one guy from high school…

The tripe of fried pork hung from his chopsticks. He slowly lowered it back to the bowl and clicked the phone screen to pause the video. In his small apartment, decorated with Hero merchandise and posters of his friends-now-turned-Pros, he had his phone propped up thanks to the phone stand he used when wanting to stream and eat at the same time. His notebook, the number twenty-second, was open with a pencil in the middle, everything he needed to list more information. He had it open on Uravity: Part four. He probably needed a notebook just for her with how much he'd scribbled down.

He was always up-to-date on the latest Hero news.

That one guy from high school…

He loved his hobby. It wasn't a phase like some had speculated years ago. He loved every second of it. It was instinct by now, to grab his notebook and feverishly write things down as fast as humanly possible.

That one guy from high school…

This time, his hand didn't reach for his pencil.

Ochaco was his best friend. His closest and dearest. The one who gave him butterflies in his stomach whenever she laughed or smiled or called him Deku. He was blessed in many ways; from All Might's Quirk to the kindness of his classmates from UA to reaching the career of his dreams. He couldn't – shouldn't ask for more. It would be selfish to ask for more, to ask for someone to love him back the way he loved her so. He'd assumed it was his lack of exposer around girls. However, as he got used to the basics of human socialization, he never did get over his interest in his best friend.

She deserved to be with someone who could make her happy.

She deserved someone better than him.

Her cheerful smile was burned in the back of his mind. Yes. She still gave him butterflies. Years later and she still had that hold on him like no one else.

Some guy from high school, she'd said.

Someone from class, perhaps. They were all good friends to this day. If any one of them made her happy, then that was all he could ask for. If they could make her smile and blush like that, than her happiness was all he could hope for.

Sure, he could never be with her. He could never get to be in her life, never get to hold her and say 'I love you', and never get to be anything other than her friend; but he'd keep that smile of hers in his mind.

Because she deserved to be as happy as can be.

Swallowing the food residue which had collected in his cheeks, he went back to his pork with a now-dead appetite, not seeing much need to eat anymore, but he might as well finish what he'd started. A notification bar popped at the top of the screen of his propped-up phone. He didn't have time to read it before another replaced it, then another, then the messenger decided to call anyway.

In a panic, he almost dropped the stick of pork in his hurry to grab his phone. His eyes finally read the name under the phone logo.

"Kacchan?"

He never, ever, called him unless it's either to yell at him for something or to inform him of a team-up mission Katsuki had reluctantly agreed to. Had he missed an SOS call?

…

Ochaco had left feeling like she'd revealed her naked self to the whole world. She might as well had, because there was no way people won't be going through her high school history to find out just who Mr. Mystery Man was. The text from Mina to 'meet up asap' wasn't a surprise. She knew what was coming. Or, at least, had expected a form of interrogation, just like how the paparazzi shoved cameras in her face and threw strings of questions at her from every side as soon as she walked out of the studio.

She just never expected the police-style interrogation her friend had suddenly dragged her into.

She squinted at the bright light Mina aimed at her.

"Talk," Mina commended.

It was hard to take her seriously. Mina had turned her agency's office into an interrogation room; with the curtains shut and ceiling lights turned off. The desk lamp was angled in a way that it hit Ochaco in the eyes.

"Mina, what…?"

"Silence!" Mina slammed her hands down against the desk.

"You said talk!"

"Oh, yeah – talk! Tell me all your secrets!" Mina leaned her elbows on the desk.

"Is… Is this about my interview?" Ochaco leaned back in response, creeped out by her friend.

"Oui," a familiar voice said from the shadows. "Fear not, for it is a special form of rescue."

"…Aoyama?" She tried to see his glittery form in the darkness.

A cough on her right. "I apologize for this unwelcoming intrusion."

"Iida? You, too?" This was getting more and more complicated.

"I was invited, kero," Tsuyu said.

"I'm not sure why I'm here," Shoto said in a monotone manner.

"You're all here for moral support!" Mina reminded them.

Ochaco couldn't believe this. "...Guys, it's not that serious…"

"I'm afraid I must disagree with you," Tenya said. "While I don't approve of Ashido's methods, as your friend, I'm worried you won't find true solace without a push in the right direction. Forgive me, for I have failed you as a friend."

Yeah. It was about the interview. "Look, guys, I reeaally appreciate the concern but… I – I think I can handle it?" she lied. 'Please, don't make me face my problems.'

Mina took a deep breath to calm herself. "Ochaco. From high school. Gurl, how did you keep your sanity for this long? You're killing me."

"Its fine, guys, really…"

"Is it?" Tsuyu asked.

"It is! I promise, there's nothing to worry about. Really!" She kept waving her hands in front of her to stop the incoming accusations.

"And what, dare I ask, is your plan?" Tenya asked carefully.

"My plan? My plan. My… plan." –to keep it bottle up until I die. "Continue being his friend?"

Mina didn't look happy. She heard someone facepalm.

Mina threw her head back and groaned. "Why?"

Ochaco looked down at her fingers, trying to focus on anything else. "I… he… you know – we're both busy and… and he's really great and smart and sweet and I'm… this… and I don't wanna risk our friendship just because I'm dumb."

"Okay, stop," Mina ordered. "Stop. Right there. You know why?"

"… Because–"

"Because, first of all, you are amazing. None of that 'I'm dumb' stuff. And second, that stuff about him? You'll repeat that to his face."

Her mind went blank for one, two, three, four seconds. "Huh?" Four more seconds. Her heart sunk to her stomach. "HUH?" Her brain short-circuited.

Someone – Tenya, she assumed – placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I understand this might sound scary. Apologies for not informing you sooner. Midoriya is on his way–"

"Deku?" she yelled, cupping her own cheeks, her face heated up under her palms. "You… you knew?"

"Ochaco, everyone knew," Tsuyu said. "You weren't subtle, kero."

"I must admit, I was oblivious until I've spoken with Aoyama. He made me see what I had been blind to. I sincerely apologize for not seeing it sooner. Two of my loyal friends were in love and I never sought to help."

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait – wait!" Her head was spinning. The earth can go ahead and swallow her whole. "I – wait, give me a minute! Hold on. Does – does he – does Deku know? Oh my gosh, this can't be real…" Hiding behind her hands, she wanted to disappear. Maybe she could lock herself in her apartment for a few years. No one would notice, right?

"Unfortunately, I don't think Midoriya knows," Tenya said with slight disappointment.

"Think he's the only one who didn't see it. Heck, he had his own crush on her. For a smart guy, he sure is dense," Mina said.

"He what?" Ochaco blanched. "Deku?" Had she heard that correctly?

Voices came from outside the office. Voices she knew. The door was slammed open. Katsuki dragged Izuku by the back of his jacket.

"Kacchan, stop, I can walk," Izuku complained pitifully, bending forward awkwardly with his jacket was being yanked.

"I got the nerd!" Katsuki announced, shoving Izuku into the room. "Solve your shit."

Izuku yelped and somehow managed not to fall forward. He froze in place, seeing the dark room and the few people visible thanks to the lamp and the open door behind him. "Uhhh… what's… going…on?" Hands went to his shoulder. Shoto and Tenya beckoned him to approach.

"Midoriya." Mina got up and gestured to the chair she'd been in. "Have a seat."

His eyes searched the people in the room with suspicion. He then noticed a guilty-looking Ochaco as he gingerly sat down to face her. She wouldn't blame him if he assumed his friends had joined a mafia gang.

"I think you two need to have a talk," Tenya said before the rest of the group exited.

Katsuki slammed the door shut with a loud bang and the world darkened around them. The only light was the desk lamp Izuku fixed to point down at the desk instead of at her face.

"Hey," he said nervously.

"Hey."

"So… uhh… what are you in for?"

She snorted. "Can you guess?"

He looked up, thinking. "Your interview?"

Embarrassed, she rubbed at her arm. "Yeah… I really messed up, didn't I?"

"No, no. I get it. They're just worried."

"I know… it's just embarrassing to talk about."

He lowered his voice in a way to give her some sort of privacy. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. Just… I'm here if you do want to talk, okay?"

It didn't sound like he was told Mystery Man was him. Their friends had gathered both of them here. It was him and her, all alone in an office. She didn't know if she'd get a chance like this again. Was it really safe to unravel in front of him? It was Deku, after all. He was sweet, and kind, and humble. Even if he'd turn her down, he'd surely do it the nicest way possible. Was it worth the risk? She wasn't sure if keeping silent for more years would do her heart any good. There was also that disheartening possibility he'd find love in someone else in the future, and she'd live with the blame of not even trying.

"Actually, I…" Now or never. Rip it off like a band-aid. It'd hurt, but the weight was too heavy to keep carrying on her back. "How much do you know? About him, I mean."

He bit his lip. "Ah… just that he was from UA, and you're still friends."

"I see…"

An awkward silence.

"He's from our class," she said, he hopes he'd start guessing. Maybe he'd cross everyone out and realize he was the only one left?

"Oh," he sounded surprised she willingly let him know that little detail. "It's someone I know, then?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"You can say that. He's a real hard worker."

He pinched his lower lip, thinking. "Could it be… she's liked Iida all this time?"

That made her chuckle. "No, silly. Iida's cool, but no. Try again. He's a really sweet guy."

He lingered on the word 'sweet'. "Could it be Sato? She loved his cakes…"

The fact he was still thinking out loud was comical. She couldn't keep a straight face anymore and sunk her face to the desk in case she needed to hide her giggles in her arms. "Nope! Okay, okay. He's got pretty eyes."

He lingered; then– "Todoroki? Heard the girls say he was nice looking…"

She couldn't help the snort that escaped her. "Try again. He's – give me a minute… He's really smart. Used to be the top of our class."

"...Well Kacchan was at the top of our class..." It almost seemed like his puffy hair had lost life and drooped with his disappointment.

"Oh my god, no!" she laughed, finally hiding herself in her crossed arms. "Deku!"

"…Okay. I'm ready."

"He's an All Might fanboy." He had to get a clue by now. This one couldn't slip by him.

"…That could be anyone…"

Holy mother of– "Deku!" she giggled and brushed a tear away from the corner of her eye. She should've been frustrated, but he was thinking so hard about it, it was hard to not feel bad for him, too.

He blushed and laughed awkwardly, accepting his wrong answer. "I guess that's not him, either."

"Nope."

"Can I ask what color are his eyes?"

"Yeah. They're green." One of the many things she loved about him. His expressive green eyes. It was easy to read his emotions through them.

Right now, his inner conflict was shining through them "Green. Green eyes… Wait, who has green eyes?"

She tried her very best to not laugh at the cute and confused face he pulled. Looking directly at him might give him a better hint. "He's one of my best friends. He's really smart, really sweet. He makes me feel like I can do my best and he still inspires me."

It took him a second. His eyes widened, and she knew, she hit bull's eye. Suddenly feeling exposed, she hid her mouth behind her crossed arms on the desk, looking up at him.

He hesitated, then pointed at himself.

She gave him a tiny node.

"M – Me?" he asked stupidly.

She nodded again. "Yes. You, you goofball."

His mouth hung open. "I – are you sure?'

"Sure I'm sure."

"Sure sure?"

"Sure sure sure."

She saw it in his eyes. He was collecting information. Eyes. All Might fanboy. Best friend. It was his turn to feel exposed. He wrapped his arms over his face in an attempt to hide. It was of no use. He was clearly blushing madly. "Wait, wait – it can't be me! I'm – I'm this and you're – you're strong and you work so hard and you're so nice and smart and you're always the one encouraging me and everyone and it's why I admired you a lot back in school and I still – had a crush on you but I didn't ever think you'd ever like me I and – and… and… I'm… talking out… loud?" He realized his mess-up too late.

Silence stretched.

"Yeah..."

"Oh."

More uncomfortable silence.

"Did you mean it?" she asked carefully.

He seemed to flinch, afraid of the consequences. "I – All of it? Yeah…"

She hadn't expected her day to be like this.

"Do you–"

"It's…"

They talked at the same time; stopped to give the other a chance to go first, and ended up talking at the same time again.

"Sorry, you go, first."

"It's okay, you can go ahead."

She snorted. That got a soft chuckle out of him. What a beautiful mess.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This is all new to me. I don't know what I'm doing."

Somehow, knowing he was on the same boat as her was reassuring.

"It's new to me, too." She thought hard about it. "Do you… want to…?" She chose her words carefully. "I know, you must be really busy; so I'm fine if–"

"I do want to," he said too quickly, then explained himself; "I mean, I want to if you want to?" He was holding his breath and wringing his fingers nervously, hoping he wasn't screwing up in this delicate situation where he had to respond with his emotions rather than his brain.

The blushes on the both of them were bright and noticeable.

"Wanna go out with me?" She shy offered her open palm on the desk between them.

He reached to hold her hand, stopped inches away, looked at her for confirmation. She gave him a wide smile that made the butterflies in his chest flutter, the same way they fluttered back in high school. He finally held her hand, and she curled her fingers around his, keeping her pinky lifted.

"Yeah. That'd be really nice," he whispered.

An aggressive knock on the door jolted them from the calm atmosphere.

"Are you done yet?" Katsuki demanded to know on the other side. "I have a night shift in an hour! You're wasting my time."

"You stayed," Shoto pointed out.

Mina laughed. "No one told you to stay. It's my office."

"I'm making sure the nerd doesn't make a break for it," Katsuki defended himself.

Izuku and Ochaco shared a look. They started giggling uncontrollably. They'd need to thank their group of friends, later.

…

They spotted him reaching for the purchased snacks being handed to him over the counter. The smell of caramelized popcorn and hot nachos wafted through the line of people ready to see their selected films. They recognized him outside of his costume. Most people did but left him be. It was the packs of overconfident fans that tended to cross the unspoken boundary.

Someone called his Hero name, just to be sure it was him. Holding the purchased goods, he instinctively turned to the waiting line behind him, seeing a group of women who seemed to know each other, judging by the way they whispered to one another. Friends, he assumed.

"Oh my god, it really is him," one said to the other.

Izuku gave them a smile and a simple wave as a greeting. It was enough to send them into a frenzy, forgetting their spot in the waiting line and instantly surrounding him even as he tried to walk away with a bag of treats in one hand, and a weighed drink carrier in the other. With clingy fans on both sides, he had trouble turning to where he needed to go.

"Which movie are you seeing, Deku?"

"Is it the new Hero movie? We're going to see that."

"Are you with a friend? You have two cups."

"Umm…" He wasn't sure which question to answer. He slightly panicked when it seemed like they were suspiciously moving their hands too close, trying to 'accidentally' touch his arms. "I'm sorry, I need to go somewhere."

Fortunately, a Hero came to his aid. "Deku!" Ochaco waved happily at him.

At first, a few of the fans uttered her Hero name in excitement; that slowly drained as the group put two-and-two together.

"I'm late. Sorry… I didn't realize how long the line was," Izuku said.

Ochaco took the bag so she could hold his hand. "It's fine, it's fine! It's just commercials right now. We can catch the start if we hurry." She pulled him along, ignoring how two of the group started fumbling whit their phones to catch this new development.

It would surely go online and reach the news. Everyone would know she was his and he was hers. They'd get asked about it later. For now, they'd enjoy the romantic Hero/space film and, perhaps, visit the arcade if they had the time.

Notes:

-And the second fic inspired by the 'Jealous' Izuku idea. I needed help with the dialogue exchanges (my brain was scrambled and I had trouble working. Even had to watch actual interviews for reference) so thanks for those who helped me with that.