Chapter 22: Ripples
Mina remained sat there as she processed what had just happened, having collapsed back down after he had left, her legs too shaky and her heart beating too fast for her to trust herself to make the journey just yet. It was like it had been a dream and she had now just awoken with perfect recollection of it. Earlier in the day she had spent so much time convincing herself something wasn't true, now she was doing the reverse.
"Talk about a crazy day" she muttered to herself, her face still burning from it. She could only wonder how the so seemingly easily embarrassed Izuku was doing about now, or how he had managed it at all. He really was so brave when he wanted to be, she thought to herself, still recalling how nervous she had felt as they were leaving the stadium and that was just her building up to an actual confession.
Though, this wasn't really a confession exactly, was it? Though, it kind of was, except not really. Her mind continued to toss and turn the events and interpretation over and over. You don't ask out someone you don't like but he hadn't actually said that he liked or loved her. He had said that he felt something when he was with her and that he wanted their first kiss to mean something 'more'. Whatever that was. As she scanned these memories again, she felt herself burning up again. Placing her hands on her cheeks as she looked down at the spot, they had been standing she couldn't help but marvel at how bold he had to be to say something like that. It was too much for her to contain. She had to tell someone! Toru! No, wait…
It had to be Ochaco first.
Her burning waned and a chill passed over her. Of course, she had to tell Ochaco about this. That much was only fair. After everything they had been through as friends, the back and forth when love had entered the equation of their lives and how well Ochaco had dealt with it all, all things considered. She owed it to her to be as upfront and honest about it as she could be. It had been not doing that which had caused most of the drama in the first place.
"What if she reacts badly?" Mina thought to herself. The moment she had completed the thought she found herself about to swat it down without any effort. It was Ochaco. She could trust her to be the awesome girl she always had been. It wasn't going to be what Ochaco would want to hear, not that she was rooting for Mina's misery, but Mina knew what she would think were this the other way around. It was an impossible position where their success meant your failure. Even so, she found herself unafraid, a bit nervous perhaps but there was no way she couldn't trust Ochaco after everything.
She stood up and went inside the building, then beginning the climb up the stairs to her floor-mate's room. As she climbed, she tried to think of the best way to tell her. Was there a way that was any better than the others? Were there things she shouldn't mention? Or details she had to mention? No sooner than she even gotten to this thought when she found herself stood in front of the door.
Who was she kidding? There was no planning a conversation like this. She would just have to tell her and let whatever is going to happen, happen.
She knocked.
"Yeah, who is it?" she heard Ochaco call, a rolling sound telling Mina she had been sat at her desk, studying no doubt.
"It's Mina" she replied as Ochaco crossed the room, opening the door. Ochaco appeared from behind the door, her usual sweet smile in place, looking up at her.
"Hey Mina-chan, what's up?" she asked with her usual energy.
"Um, well to tell you the truth it's about Izuku." She admitted, Ochaco's smile faded a little "Can I come in so we can talk about it?" Mina suggested, nervously.
"O-of course, please do" Ochaco stumbled, stepping back and opening the door wider for Mina to enter, then closing the door behind her.
"S-so, what happened?" Ochaco begun, clearly nervous herself. At that moment Mina realised there could be no sugar coating it, she had to just say it.
"Izuku… invited me out" she confessed "Like on a date" she felt her heart sink on behalf of Ochaco, the girl's eyes widening and mouth dropping.
"O-oh, is that so?" she gasped, turning her dropping mouth into words, as though it was anything but her shock.
"I thought I should come up right away and… tell you" Mina's bravery was running thin as she watched Ochaco closely, whilst trying to make it look like she wasn't looking too intently.
"I see… thank you" Ochaco murmured. Her face dropped as her hands reached out for her arms as she folded them in a defensive looking cross below her chest. To Mina, she looked as though she had just confessed herself and been rejected. It broken her heart some to see it.
"I'm sorry" Mina blurted out. Ochaco's falling gaze looked back up at Mina in puzzlement.
"What?" she croaked, then swallowing "Sorry for what, Mina-chan? You didn't do anything wrong" she managed a smile, trying to push whatever expression she had on her face off.
"I said I'm sorry, for… for everything I guess" Mina faltered. Ochaco waved her hands slowly in protest.
"No, Mina. There's really no need." Ochaco insisted "From back when I first saw you with him, I knew this could happen." She smiled, putting on her brave face. Mina looked at her with a guilty expression, Ochaco found she had trouble standing that look, explaining further to wipe that look off her friend's face.
"All I ever wanted was for him to be happy, you know? And bonus, of my best friend gets to be happy too!" she grinned, though to Mina, it was obviously forced.
"Ochaco, I want you to be happy too though" Mina said sadly, putting her hands on Ochaco's shoulders. They looked at each other for moment, Mina taking in how her bright big eyes were now unmissably filled instead with sadness. She pulled her in close, hugging her, resting her cheek on Ochaco's head. She felt Ochaco's arms wrap around her in response.
"I am happy" Ochaco whispered "I got a crush. I was able to share it with my friend who understood what made this boy so special. We fought over him and made a stupid competition out of it. Yet the boy chose himself anyway without ever knowing." She explained quietly. It wasn't the love story she had been hoping for but it was the one she got and while it did look like it wasn't exactly going to end with a happily ever after for her, two of her friends at least had a shot at it.
"You're right, he's kinda selfish when you put it like that." Mina commented. Ochaco paused as she processed it, then she giggled. "I mean, doesn't he know what we went through? So inconsiderate…" Mina continued, emboldened by the sound of the giggle. She smiled contentedly to herself hearing Ochaco's laugh.
It was a silly joke, but it did make her smile. Laugh even. Laugh at how silly they had been to get so serious with one another, never once suspected that Izuku had plans of his own. It was their first love though, who ever said they had to be logical about it? Love wasn't really a logical thing, was it? Ochaco thought to herself. All she could do was to act as best she could, which she had. She had let her chance slip and she might always regret that. All she could do now was learn from it and never make that same, stupid, mistake again. If, as a consequence of her mistake, her friends had a shot at happiness instead, well that wasn't too bad a mistake anyway, was it? Even if it stung her badly right now.
She pulled away from Mina who released her from the hug put kept her hands on her shoulders, peering into her face.
"You okay?" she checked, looking concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Ochaco nodded, breathing in deep and doing a shaky exhale. "Just need some processing time" she admitted.
"If you like I can-" Mina began to offer.
"Thanks, but I'd rather be alone when I..." she trailed off "I got to be so cool about it when you told me" she chuckled, the facade starting to crack. Mina nodded, with a small smile.
"You really were so cool about it" she confirmed.
"Anyway" Ochaco sighed, lighting taking Mina's arms and removing them from her shoulders "You have a date to plan, don't you?" She said slightly more brightly and cheerily than before, though the energy was obviously fake, the smile forced.
"Well, no Izuku said-"
"Then you have an outfit to plan. No way would Toru forgive you if you don't consult with her" Ochaco interrupted again, letting go of Mina's hands and sliding onto her waist, turning her around and lightly but firmly ushering her toward the door, which Mina found herself reluctantly obeying.
"I guess but are you sure you don't want me to hang?" she worried, looking over her shoulder at Ochaco uncertainly. Ochaco paused in her movement.
"I'm really grateful that you're offering. But I'd rather have some time to myself and I'd feel worse if I put a damper on your mood. Please enjoy it, for me, Mina... I'll be fine" she insisted, although quietly, Mina could swear she had the same knack for speaking with certainty as Izuku. When she said she was going to be fine, she just knew she could trust her friend and that this wasn't some bluff she would come to regret later.
"Then… I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class?" Mina supposed. Ochaco nodded, her forced smile back in place.
"You betcha!"
Mina finished the last few steps and opened the door, pausing and looking back.
"Thanks, Ochaco… you really are an amazing friend" She didn't know what else to say, but felt she had to say something as she left. Ochaco's smile wavered and then flickered back to life. She didn't speak but simply held up a hand in a frozen wave. Mina returned the gesture and closed the door behind her. She debated waiting outside but then Ochaco would absolutely not want her to do that. She wanted to be alone as she grieved for her own chances at romance. She had also said that she wanted her to go and enjoy the feeling for her. It was so hard to do now knowing what she knew but she had told Ochaco she would, so what choice was there?
She begun down the stairs and headed for Toru's room. She knew it was selfish, but she did want to enjoy it for herself. She didn't want to feel guilty and she knew that Ochaco was trying to free her from the feeling of guilt by making her leave before her inevitable breakdown. While she felt terrible for doing it, she was at least going to try to make the most of it. After all it wasn't just about her, Ochaco had her own reasons for not wanting to break down in front of someone else, probably. Or maybe it was just to not break down in front of specifically her.
She shook her head.
There was no sense thinking about it now. Toru knew the score and she would check up on her afterward. If Ochaco wanted to talk at least she had no shortage of friends who would be there in a heartbeat for her. That was some consolation.
Mina reminded herself what she was doing outside Toru's door. Izuku had invited her out, specifically as a date, not as friends. He had all but told her that he liked her. Somewhat restrained by her meeting with Ochaco, that fuzzy warm feeling rose up within her, a grin sprouting on her lips which she hastily tried to conceal for her reveal.
She tapped on the door.
"Come in!" Toru called from behind the door. Mina opened the door and wave at her friend who was currently laying on her bed, book in hand held out above her.
"Hey Mina!" she bubbled "What's up? Wanna hang?" she asked merrily as she slipped a bookmark in the page and carefully chucked it onto her pink table, then rolling over and propping her hand up by resting her palms on her chin.
"Yeah, but I have news!" Mina blurted out her excitement welling up again, coming inside and closing the door behind her.
"Oh, what news!?" Toru exclaimed her energy quickly rising to match Mina's.
"Izuku asked me out on a date!" Mina burst in delight, a massive grin reappearing on her lips.
"What!?" Toru squealed, seemingly fly off her bed and latching onto Mina "He did!? Tell me you said yes!" she gushed, her voice high and squeaky with excitement.
"Of course I said yes!" Mina cackled. Toru pulled her into a tight hug.
"Oh my god, I'm so happy for you!" she cried out, twisting left and right in her embrace.
"Thanks, it was just so… unexpected!" Mina beamed. Toru broke the hug to look at her friend.
"Unexpected?" She repeated "Mina, you are too cute. More like it's about time!" she laughed. Mina blinked.
"What do you mean?" she wondered, tilting her head in confusion. She felt Toru pat her on the shoulder.
"Perks of being invisible. He's been glancing over at you for like weeks, Mina. At first, I didn't think much of it, then once Ochaco told me about the situation it all made sense. He's been crushing on you for a few weeks as far as I can tell" she declared matter-of-factly, clearly taking great pleasure in doing so.
"Wh-what?" Mina spluttered, bringing her hands to her cheeks as she became a darker shade of pink.
"I take it you already told Ochaco?" Toru checked; her energy dialled back down to human levels. Mina looked at where Toru's eyes were and nodded.
"Yeah, she took it well but… would you check on her for me later? She asked to be alone, but maybe that's just because it was me?"
"Of course I will, I was just making sure." She assured her "Told anyone else yet?" she then pressed, curious but also eager to get out of depressing territory. This was Mina's moment, not to mention the first romance of the class which she fully planned to vicariously enjoy! While she was concerned about Ochaco she wasn't going to let it ruin this moment for Mina.
"N-no!" Mina gasped, looking embarrassed "It's been like 30 minutes, max since he asked me!"
"Right? I'm surprised the whole class doesn't know!" Toru giggled "Shall I send out a mass text?" She dared, whipping out her phone and waving it around dangerously as she laughed at Mina's uncharacteristically shy response.
"No!" she whined, finding then holding Toru's hands, as if that would keep the secret in.
"One person!" Toru pleaded "Let me tell one person before it gets out! Then we need to discuss outfits!"
Mina's lip twisted in doubt and then she sighed in defeat. That was as good a deal as she was going to get and she knew she would be begging for the same thing roles reversed.
"Okay…" Mina conceded
"Yes!" Toru cheered
"But no one who is obviously a massive gossip!" she insisted.
"That's easy, as that's probably just me and you anyway" Toru giggled. Mina snickered, knowing that while they weren't really gossips, they were perhaps the worst for it out of their classmates.
"Kaminari is a total gossip" she countered.
"Wasn't gonna tell bolt-for-brains anyway" Toru chirped and brought her dormant phone to life.
It took about an hour and forty-five minutes before Asui slipped the news to Jiro, who then told Yaoyorozu, who was studying with Todoroki at the time, who asked Iida about it as they passed in the halls, whose loud repetition confirming what he was being told alerted Mineta. Mineta instantly verified the accuracy of this with Kaminari who didn't know, who then proceeded to check with everyone individually if they had known. Even Mina got a text asking her to which she could only sigh and laugh at the situation and how silly he could be once he had gotten excited.
The only person not to be asked, nor even hear anything of it until the next morning was Midoriya himself, who was greeted by a literal wall of his male classmates hungry for answers as entered the classroom the next morning. Having inadvertently avoided them that long due to a planned catchup of his progression with One for All with All Might before class, resulting in a particularly early start that morning and relatively late entrance into the classroom.
"What the hell man, you are taking one of the girls for yourself!?" Mineta cried out in outrage
"Mina too! Man, as someone who knew her as the girl of our entire middle school, you're like a hero all over to me" Kirishima grinned.
"While I am proud of you, you won't slack off in anyway now will you, Midoriya!?" Iida challenged
"I can't believe you beat me to getting a girlfriend, it's not like I haven't been trying!" Kaminari whined.
Midoriya near fainted from the shock and pressure of the sudden rabble demanding so much of him over something he was certain only he and Mina had known from the moment he had slid open the door. He turned his head toward her, as she peered at him with a nervous smile from around the mass of bodies that were blocking him off from his desk. She put her hands and fingers together in silent apology as she grinned awkwardly. He sighed and smiled back at her.
As a hero, he supposed he would have to get used to being ambushed with questions at some point. He just would never have imagined in his wildest dreams that it would have been this soon or for this reason.
"What is all this nonsense?" Aizawa growled from behind Midoriya. The boys quickly scattered to their desks. The girls, who had been split between Mina and Ochaco's desk, also quickly took their own seats. Throughout the entire morning Midoriya could feel eyes on him.
The instant they were dismissed for lunch it began anew but worse.
"What the fuck Deku!? You were ballsing up MY battle because you had a goddamn crush?!" Bakugo roared, standing "This better not happen again you fucking nerd!" he added storming off.
"Guess that's his way of saying he thinks you weren't very manly about your hesitation" Kirishima joked, taking a seat on Sero's desk.
"Ignore him, you can colour me impressed!" Sero complimented "Never knew ya had it in ya!"
"Right?" Kirishima added, then both he and Sero laughed. Midoriya blushed.
"No, don't compliment him!" Mineta whinged "Us guys outnumber the girls you forget!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Ojiro asked, all the boys who were gathered looking at Mineta with the usual mistrust given his history when it came to the subject of women.
"Can't you count! If everyone starts going out with someone then eight of us guys don't have anyone we can go out with!" Mineta pressed. There was a collective groan.
"You are the only one who cares about things like that though" Sero corrected.
"The rest of us are here to become heroes" Kirishima agreed.
"Then why are you so interested?" Mineta countered. There was a shared look among them where no one knew quite what to say. Then, surprising everyone it was Todoroki who spoke out.
"Because he's my classmate and friend. Personally, I am happy for him" he stated simply, then looking at Midoriya "I just wanted to say, I hoped we helped the other night. I assume that was about this?"
Shocked, it took a moment for Midoriya to realise he was waiting for a response. It wasn't just that it was the usually reserved Todoroki speaking over everyone else but the way it occurred to Midoriya like Todoroki had been making his own efforts to help back then, even though at the training camp he had cautioned him against being too nosey. He could only guess he had been changing all this time. He nodded.
"Yeah. Actually, it was thanks to you guys that it happened at all" he grinned "So thanks"
Todoroki, Kirishima and Iida smiled knowingly in response as the others looked about at those who knew what they were talking about.
"So, where are you taking her for your first date?" Sero questioned, beginning the first of a number of questions Midoriya had to spend his lunchtime avoiding.