How Far Would You Go For Love?

by thDorkMagnet

Uraraka has had a crush on her friend Deku for longer than she would like to admit and it seems nothing is quite enough to get her to admit it to even herself. But when put in a perilous, life-or-death situation at the hands of an insane villain she will not only have to face her feelings but maybe even do the unthinkable to protect them from harm. two-shot UrarakaxDeku

2. Chapter 2

Dork here! Finally got the second part done like I said I would! This one is from the perspective of Deku, just to hopefully avoid any confusion for anyone expecting Uraraka's perspective again. Sorry this one took so long it ended up being a much bigger project than I expected haha. I really took extra time to make sure it turned out good so please enjoy!

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the sterile smell in the air. Everything smelt clean, but not a natural clean, this was man-made, like even the air itself had been sanitized for consumption. It was kinda sad that I had woken up in the hospital enough times to recognize the scent.

I sat up, ignoring the small aches and pains in my body as I got a good look at my surroundings. Sure enough, I was right, I was laying in bed in some random hospital room, alone and injured. Immediately panic shot through my body, burning white hot in my veins, as I struggled to recall what led to me waking up here. But no matter what I did, my brain was drawing a blank.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes in soothing circles. I couldn't believe my luck, just when I thought I was getting better at not destroying my body, finally feeling like I was living up to the hero All Might wanted me to be, I had gone and failed again.

I tried to ignore the tightness in my chest as I checked over my injuries. There were multiple IVs in my arms and I traced them absentmindedly with my fingers. I carefully pressed my fingers into different parts of my skull, looking for bruises or bumps and I discovered multiple bandages from tiny cuts but nothing major. I didn't seem to have a concussion so that wad good news. My right eye felt really swollen though so it was quite possible I had a black eye.

Then finally there was my leg, wrapped up in a cast and suspended just slightly off the sheets. I groaned as I flopped back on my hard hospital bed, ignoring the jolts of pain it caused, I'd had worse.

Great, what would All Might say when he saw me like this? What would Mr. Aizawa and Recovery Girl say? I could almost hear the rants and scorn my teachers and idol would give me. Not that I didn't deserve it. I seemed incapable of keeping my body in one piece, for some reason.

But what had happened to me? I could remember being with Uraraka, going to the museum together. But then…

I closed my eyes letting the scene play out in my mind, hoping I could get to the bottom of this mystery.

Uraraka was right next to me. I was trying to act natural and not let my nervousness show but that was difficult to do when Uraraka looked so adorable! She was dressed much fancier than I had been expecting, her hair restyled so that the ends curled, wearing a blue silk shirt with red lining, a black skirt with matching black leggings and flat dress shoes. She looked amazing but it made me feel underdressed in comparison, my choice of wearing my worn-out All Might hoodie and jeans a terrible choice in retrospect. I wished I had at least thought to dress a little bit nicer for the occasion.

After all, it was so cool Uraraka had agreed to go with me on a da- outing together, even if I hadn't had the guts to ask her out completely. It was the whole reason I had bought the tickets and made up a clever excuse why we should go together. I had rehearsed our date for days on end to get ready and yet all the research and practice in the world hadn't prepared me for the gorgeous sight of Uraraka in the fanciest outfit I had seen her in to date.

I foolishly told myself then that today would be perfect and in retrospect, I guess I was just asking for the universe to prove me wrong.

The rest of the events came back to me in a fuzzy blur of memories and it occurred to me I might have a concussion after all. I remembered a distant scream, then the image of Ururaka's head being slammed into concrete and my body surging with fear and protective instincts, followed by biting pain in my wrists and cold air on my skin.

Then just pain. Terrible, unrelenting pain that made me shudder just to relieve in passing thought. Bones snapping and breaking, pushing muscle and tissue and blood out place as the ligaments were forced apart. I remember screaming so loud I felt something in my throat burst, the copper taste of blood filling my mouth.

And then I saw through blurry, pain-filled vision Uraraka throw herself into harm's way to save me. I watched as she valiantly fought off the man (the one who did this to me maybe?) and forced him out over the roof. I could still see the torn expression in her eyes as she- as Uraraka- as- as-

A new wave of sickness washed over me and I had to slap a hand over my mouth to keep from vomiting all over the nice sheets I was under. Uraraka. Was that real? Had she really… because of me?!

I clenched the sheets in a death grip, my head spinning as my breathing staggered, letting out shaky, panted breaths. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I couldn't accept that sweet, innocent, beautiful Uraraka had actually killed someone! My memories had to be playing a trick on me, right? It went against everything being a hero was, all our training and morals, it was just unheard of. The shock to my system was enough to bring the whole memory to the surface but I suddenly wished it hadn't.

But despite my misgivings I didn't- wouldn't- blame Uraraka for what had happened, it wasn't her fault she had been forced to make an immoral decision, it was mine. She had killed that guy to save me, so the fault lay entirely on my shoulders, not hers. If I had been stronger, if I hadn't gotten us caught, then maybe that guy would still be alive and Uraraka's conscience would be clear. If I had been a better hero like All Might wanted me to be, I could have spared Uraraka from all this.

How could I have just laid there pathetically while Uraraka committed a crime right in front of me? I could have done so much more and that guilt had gnawed away at my soul.I had wanted so badly to make it up to her, especially as she turned to me for comfort but I had no idea what to say to help her, to properly convey how sorry I was for not doing more. I was out of my depth and that scared me.

I had felt so weak holding her, listening to her sobs and feeling the tears soak into my hoodie. All I could do was spout out meaningless words of comfort, repeating old phrases my mom used to tell me when I was sad or hurt, all the while grappling with my own feelings of despair and guilt.

I laid back on the soft pillow, suddenly too tired to stay upright. I couldn't imagine what Uraraka was going through right now, I mean just watching the whole thing occur had left me devastated and guilt-ridden, Uraraka must be feeling that times a hundred right now.

I wished she was here with me so I could comfort her but unfortunately that wasn't the case and with a busted leg I couldn't exactly walk to wherever she was staying. Was she even here in the hospital? I mean, it's not like she had suffered any major injuries (at least I hoped) so maybe they had deemed her well enough to go home or to the dorms? Then again, she had probably hurt herself escaping her bonds, how she had done it was beyond me. Not to mention her head getting slammed into the ground.

I shuddered at the mental image of that moment, forcing it from my head. I had been so scared when I saw that, I felt One For All flare up inside me, like some deep, primal energy was fueling my tired body. Is that what Uraraka had felt when she moved to save me? Honestly, if that was the case then I think I understood how she had let him die. When that pure adrenaline and emotion had taken over, I lost all control of my mind and body, who knows what I could have done in her shoes.

I really hoped Uraraka was okay.

These thoughts continued to plague me until finally, finally, the door swung open and answers became a much greater possibility. I sat up quickly, excited to know the fate and condition of my friend. Not to mention desperation for some human contact.

I had expected a doctor or nurse to greet me, so imagine my surprise when my teacher and idol both stepped into my hospital room instead. Mr. Aizawa looked more tired than usual, thick bags hanging under his drooping gaze, but that was the only visible trace of worry I could make out beneath the emotionless, poker face that me and every student in Class 1-A had grown accustomed to. At first, he had been absolutely impossible to read but over time we had learned little ticks our teacher had and extra exhaustion was a sign he had been worrying for one of us. All Might, however, was much more obviously distressed though he hid it behind a forced smile. "Young Midoriya, good! You're finally awake!"

Seeing two of my greatest heroes there with me, stirred something inside me and I would have hopped out of bed if not for my busted leg. So I instead settled for asking every question that had been on my mind at once, not bothering with any form of greeting or pausing to actually get the answers I was craving, once I started talking there was no stopping me. "How's Uraraka?! Is she okay?! Please tell me she wasn't too badly hurt? How long was I out? Will I be able to go see her? When will-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, kid," All Might said and the request from my idol was enough to get my mouth to shut tight. "I see this experience has done nothing to curb your enthusiasm." He rubbed the back of his neck, something clearly on his mind but honestly that could be any number of things considering the circumstances. "You really should be resting, you've been through a lot today."

That I couldn't help but argue with. "But how's Uraraka? Is she okay?"

"We will tell you only once you are laying back down," Mr. Aizawa warned, his scolding gaze flashing red for just a moment.

I reluctantly complied, though I never took my eyes off of my teachers. I couldn't help it. I was worried and that was making me impatient.

Once Mr. Aizawa was sure I was comfortable, he finally spoke. "Miss Uraraka is fine. Clearly shaken up but in much better condition than you, all things considered." That was a huge relief for my anxious mind and I found I could finally breathe easy again. That was until I remembered how and why we had been able to escape and the questions started up again. Did they know? Should I tell them? I wasn't 100% sure how either would react just yet. I didn't think they would blame Uraraka for this mess but that wasn't a guarantee. I didn't want to get Uraraka in trouble or possibly kicked out of UA and, if I was being honest, a big part of me didn't want to admit to my mentor my failure to keep my friend from committing such a violent act. It felt selfish but the fear still lingered there.

"I'd like to be the first to apologize to you, Midoriya, for you getting swept up into this mess," Mr. Aizawa continued, interrupting my inner turmoil. "Our school prides itself on our student's safety but it seems we failed you once again."

"It's not the school's fault! I wasn't even at school when it happened! I don't blame UA at all for that!" I argued, sitting up in bed again. And I meant every word, too. UA was the greatest hero school ever and it had gone above and beyond again and again for me and my classmates. Despite everything there was still no other school I would rather go to. "If anything it's my fault," I said looking down at my clenched hands, staring at the scars that were a constant reminder of my weakness. "I'm the one who walked into that alley and got me and Uraraka caught. I should have been more careful."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw All Might clench his fists. I knew it must have been torture for him to be unable to save us himself but without his quirk there was nothing he could do. That was why I was supposed to be more careful. I had failed All Might in more ways than one today.

"Lay down," Mr. Aizawa commanded, his tired gaze turning to stone and I returned to my previous position. My teacher let out a long sigh, one that sounded like he hadn't slept in a year. Guess All Might wasn't the only one I had let down today. "Even if that were the case, you are still a UA student and we are responsible for your safety on and off campus. Maybe we should consider having chaperones for off campus activities…." Mr. Aizawa seemed to have completely zoned out, so I kept quiet knowing all too well how easy it was to get lost in thought. It was a bit strange to see it from the other side though.

All Might cleared his throat and Mr. Aizawa snapped back into focus, finally remembering that he was still in the middle of a conversation. "Regardless," he continued as if nothing happened, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You shouldn't hold what happened out there today against yourself. Things could have ended much worse then they did. If I were you I'd count my blessings and move on."

Despite the words of comfort, all I could think about was Uraraka. They were wrong, things were so much worse than they thought and the guilt for that was on my shoulders as much as it was hers. I didn't respond, no words able to escape through my clenched teeth. With much effort I was able to simply nod my head in agreement.

I knew I wouldn't betray Uraraka, she needed someone she could trust, now more than ever, but I could feel the guilt eating away at me all the same. I was used to keeping secrets but not from All Might. If anything, All Might was the one I went to when I needed some escape from all the lies and half-truths I was forced to tell. Secrets were a small price to pay for becoming the Number 1 Hero.

But this was different. This secret was the kind that could crush a soul, the kind that weighed down on you like an anvil, crushing and with no escape. Already, I felt like I was suffocating after only a few hours since the incident. If I kept this to myself what would I be like in a month? Or a week? Or even by tomorrow?

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Mr. Aizawa and All Might sharing a look. It was only for an instant but it sent my brain whirling with questions. Did they know more than they let on?

"We… also wanted to discuss something with you, Young Midoriya," All Might spoke up, but instead of the normal brimming confidence he showed around others, I could see how vulnerable and uncomfortable he was to be discussing whatever it was. He shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, scratching at his cheek. If he had been in his hero form, this conversation would have probably been enough to snap him back to normal, followed by a volley of coughed up blood. But instead he just gave me a look falling somewhere between formal business and regretful sympathy. "About what happened on that roof-"

And there it was. The moment I had been dreading. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was questioned on this, considering the concerning circumstances that led to me and Uraraka's escape. I felt my body twitch uncomfortably as I tried to think up a convincing enough lie that would keep Uraraka from taking the fall. I really should have been thinking of this while I was waiting for them to arrive. My poor planning just might do in my friend.

My teachers must have noticed how tense I was because Mr. Aizawa quickly cut in, three short sentences shifting the entire conversation in an unexpected direction. "We know what happened up there. All of it. So if that's what's bothering you, you can stop."

My eyes widened, my heartbeat slowly picking up as I dared to hope I might have found some kind of escape from this torture, while at the same time every part of me felt like it was being squeezed through a vice. The odd mixture of reactions made my head spin a little. "So- so you know that Ururaka- that she-"

"Yeah, kid, we know everything," All Might interrupted, he could probably tell I was struggling putting it into words.

If it was possible, I collapsed further into my pillow, practically merging with it, but if it was from fear or relief I couldn't tell. I felt lighter and yet heavier at the same time. It seemed my body was just as confused if this was good news or not. "How did you find out?" I asked, my eyes darting between my two teachers, searching their faces for answers.

"Miss Uraraka told us everything just before we came to check up on you," Mr. Aizawa explained, his expression as blank as ever.

"She was… pretty detailed," All Might added hesitantly.

That sent a new wave of terror crashing over me and before I could stop it a series of rapid-fire questions burst from me. "How is she? Is she okay? What's gonna happen to her? Is she gonna be allowed back in UA or-"

A steady hand on my shoulder brought me back to reality and silenced my mid-outburst. I stared up in surprise to see All Might standing over me with a comforting grin. It occurred to me I had been more distracted than I thought, since I never even saw him move. "Calm down, kid," he said in a soothing tone. It was soft and gentle and patient, traits that I didn't necessarily associate with All Might, the rarity of the situation making his words all the more powerful. "I know you're upset, who wouldn't be, but I promise it's gonna be okay, so let's just take things nice and easy."

I reluctantly nodded, biting my tongue to keep any further questions from escaping, even though I needed those answers and having to wait even a single second felt like torture.

"Now to answer your question," All Might continues. "Your friend is fine, she isn't facing any kind of punishment for what happened."

"So she's allowed to go back to UA?" I asked impatiently, completely expecting to be reprimanded by one of my teachers for the outburst.

Instead, the room went quiet for a second and I thought I saw a flicker of some emotion on All Might's face but I couldn't be sure. He had turned his head away from the light seeping out of the window so his expression was bathed in a layer of shadow. After an awkward few seconds, Mr. Aizawa finally explained to me, "As soon as she is released from the hospital, she'll be free to return to UA."

My heart flooded with relief at the news, the tight squeezing in my chest easing so I could breathe normally again. I had been terrified Uraraka would be kicked out of UA because of me, so I clung on tightly to this small glimmer of hope to help combat the still lingering guilt gnawing at the back of my mind.

And it wasn't the only thing. It was clear from my teachers' reactions that I was missing something, something they weren't telling me. I wanted to pry but I knew it would do no good. If they had knowledge of something they deemed too dangerous or inappropriate for me then no amount of begging would ever change their mind. My best bet was to piece it together on my own.

"So she isn't being blamed then?" I asked, nervous about what answer I would receive. While I knew Uraraka would never willingly harm anyone and that she had been forced to commit such a violent act, I also knew the rest of the world might not see it that way.

"Actually, I'm glad you brought that up," Mr. Aizawa spoke up in a grave tone that immediately captured my full attention. My body tensed as I listened intensely to what my teacher had to say. "That's actually another reason we came to talk to you. So far we've managed to keep the information of what happened to a minimum, only you, Miss Uraraka, and a few facility members know what happened and we want to keep it that way. If the news outlet catches wind anymore students were kidnapped on UA's watch our reputation would be ruined."

That thought had occurred to me. Our hero society always seemed to be one disaster away from totally collapsing. The Stain incident seemed to have left a permanent mark on the world and without All Might to help keep the peace, the uneasiness everyone felt only seemed to grow each day. And the thought that my actions could be the cause of that collapse made my stomach twist into knots.

"Not to mention if anyone were to know that young Uraraka were responsible for a death, even that of your kidnapper she would became the victim of so much hate and backlash," All Might said grimly. "Her career as a hero, maybe even her life, would be ruined."

My hands clenched into tight fists as protective instincts rose up within me. I wouldn't let that happen. I may not have been strong enough to protect her physically but I could and would protect her from this. I had to. It was my duty both as a future hero and as her friend.

"So we're asking you to never breathe a word of what transpired today, not even to your classmates, not your parents, no one," Mr Aizawa continued. Wouldn't be the first time, I thought to myself my eyes glancing over at All Might.

"I'll do it!" I responded immediately, not even needing to think over my answer.

I watched as Mr. Aizawa visibly relaxed, however many hours of lack of sleep or stress seeming to catch up to him all at once, his body looking seconds away from collapsing. But miraculously his tone was completely normal, still the same level of stern but fair it always was. "Good. I had a feeling you'd agree. You're a smart kid."

I froze, completely stunned. Did Mr. Aizawa just compliment me? That was rare for him, usually he was quicker to reprimand or correct my class rather than compliment us. Not that we didn't know he was proud of us, the fact we were allowed to stay at all in his class was proof of that but we had learned that outright admitting it was not going to happen that much. And to single out one of us to compliment was even more rare so hearing him say that left me completely speechless.

I watched as Mr. Aizawa turned to leave, muttering something about paperwork and annoyances, but I called out to him, desperation for more answers snapping me out of my funk. "Wait!" I yelled, the fear radiating from my voice surprising me.

To my credit, Mr. Aizawa did stop and slowly, but surely, turned back around to face me but I was sure he wouldn't be happy with me. I expected a scowl and glare at me for intercepting his escape, or at least an 'I'm so over being this kids teacher' sigh but instead he just said with a very straight face, "Yes?"

I had to take another second to process my teacher's response, licking my dry lips nervously, and asked, "What was his name?" I knew it was a loaded question and that both my teachers would be against me knowing such information but I had to try. I knew they wouldn't understand but somehow not knowing his name only made it all feel worse, the guy had tortured me and then died in front of my eyes and I didn't even know his name. Even if he was horrible and shouldn't be forgiven for what he did, I wanted to know who put us through this hell and why.

As I suspected, All Might's eyes flooded with concern and I saw his body shift ever so slightly out of the corner of my eye, the only form of discomfort he allowed himself to show. His grip on my shoulder tightened as he argued softly, "C'mon, kid, don't do that to yourself. You know it's only going to make you feel worse."

All Might was right. All Might was always right but still… "Yeah, I know, but I still want to know. I deserve to know," I firmly responded, meeting my idol's eye and refusing to blink, trying to show him my resolve. It was a bit awkward since I was still laying down but I tried my best not to show any weakness as I added, "And, trust me, not knowing feels just as horrible. At least this way I won't drive myself crazy with questions."

I could see All Might wasn't budging, not that I was surprised, being the Number 1 Hero meant not backing down when someone needed your protection, and right now All Might believed that's what I needed. So I directed my attention next on Mr. Aizawa. For the most part, my teacher was straightforward with me, with all of my class in fact. I could usually count on him for the truth, even if it wasn't something I wanted to hear, it was one of the things I admired the most in Mr. Aizawa, the ability to tell someone the hard truth.

So I begged him as best I could with my eyes, trying to break through that stony glare and receive the answers that threatened to crush my soul. Mr. Aizawa blinked first and that was it. I knew I had just won this battle of wits.

"Alright," he agreed in a monotone voice.

All Might turned to him with surprise, rising from the bed in a flash, his eyes full of concern and his tone just as troubled. "What? Are you serious?! He can't know about-"

"He deserves to know," Mr. Aizawa said, his tone aggressive and finite, much like it would be with me or my classmates if we made the mistake of arguing with him. It was the kind of tone that was unassumingly threatening, like he was both daring you to challenge him and warning you against crossing him. It was clear he was not in the mood to be questioned, even by his peer. An awkward tension filled the room, making me shift nervously under the sheets. Usually my teachers were careful about not arguing in front of me but today they must've been too stressed to care. I would have given them some space to work it out in private if I could actually walk, but it seemed like I had no choice but to watch as the conversation spiralled further out of control.

"He was the one caught in the attack and he's the one who had to witness the death," Mr. Aizawa continued.

"Which is exactly why he shouldn't know!" All Might argued, smoke beginning to rise off his skin, his anger triggering the remnants of his Quirk. "He's too close to the situation!"

I cringed, worried how Mr. Aizawa would respond, my green gaze watching him closely. But surprisingly, my teacher kept his calm, saying cordially, "I understand your concern but if he's going to be a hero, he has to learn to face difficult truths."

All Might was left speechless for a second before he fired back, "Yeah but he's only a first year!"

That stung a bit. I knew All Might was just being protective but I really thought after everything we'd been through together, he'd see me as more than just a naive kid. Especially when he was the one always saying I needed to show people I was the new symbol of peace. A part of me wanted to speak up for myself, to remind All Might that I was more than just a first year, but I held it down. It was better if I didn't get caught in the middle of this.

Mr. Aizawa sighed, tucking his hands away into his pockets, saying in an accusatory tone, "You're coddling him, All Might."

All Might flinched and went silent for a moment. Mr. Aizowa was right and we all knew it but admitting it would mean admitting that he cared about me as more than just his student. It felt like so long ago when All Might had told me to try and keep our distance from each other, to not draw suspicion on the nature of our relationship. But that proved impossible, almost everyone could see our connection, even if they didn't know what caused it. And the longer time went on and the closer we became, the more obvious it was that there was a bond that went far beyond a simple student-teacher relationship. I could no longer just see him as my idol or my teacher or even the hero I aspired to be, he was like a dad to me and even if he never admitted it out loud, I think All Might felt the same way.

I could see him struggling to backtrack, his mouth moving up and down as he tried to think of the right words to defend himself with. I was tempted to try and change the subject but before I could get the chance, my idol spoke. "I'm just trying to keep the situation from getting worse," he said simply, his face blank and expressionless.

Mr. Aizawa nodded, before stating, "That may be but he's my student and I decide what's best for him." He looked over at me before adding, "Besides he's strong enough to handle it, I'm sure of it."

Again I was flattered by the compliment but managed to give him a smile as thanks this time. From the corner of my eye I saw All Might rubbing at the back of his neck, still clearly unsure. I expected him to keep putting up a fight but surprisingly All Might complied with us, muttering softly, "Well guess I have no choice, since you're both ganging up on me." His eyes snapped over to me as he added, "But just… tell us if it's too much, okay?"

I nodded, relieved they had both agreed to easing my conscience a little, even if it would be painful to do so. I didn't expect to come out of this feeling any resolve, my complicated mix of emotions were just too tightly knotted to unravel so easily, but maybe knowing why it happened would help me feel like I could move on. That was the hope at least. Hopefully, I wasn't going to live to regret it.

I gritted my teeth, my fists clenched so hard it was miraculous my nails hadn't cut into my palm, as I waited for my teacher to speak. "His name was Yamamoto Haru. His Quirk was registered under the name: Poison. His body naturally produced a toxin that could be spread through physical contact. It was nonlethal, so you don't have to worry about that, the most it did was cause numbness and drowsiness." I rubbed at my arm, remembering the odd sensation as it crawled up my body and flooded my brain, clouding all common sense. I shuddered, not even wanting to imagine what that would have been like had it been lethal.

"However, he did often complain about the physical sensation in his arms that he described as 'quite painful'." My mind flashed back to my encounter with him in the alleyways, how he had been bent over in pain. I had concluded it was just a trick to catch us but…

"Because of this he had to be on a lot of pain medication to try and help him live normally," Mr. Aizawa continued. "On top of that, he was also diagnosed with several mental disabilities and had a history of violent behavior." I had suspected as much, his behavior hadn't been of someone in their right mind. Even the League of Villains and Stain acted normal in comparison. "Apparently he's been out of work for some time and so couldn't afford any of his medications, triggering the attack. More than likely, he was a supporter of Stain who decided to blame all his problems on UA and hero society."

I sat silent for a moment, letting all that sink in. So that was why. It was messed up to be sure but he was just a struggling man, down on his luck and in need of help. With the full picture in mind it wasn't hard to feel bad for the guy. And a little guilty for being partially behind his death.

And yet, my traumatized mind couldn't offer much sincerity towards my attacker, not when I could still see the twisted sneer on his face as he filled my world with unbearable pain. Sane or not, he had taken sick pleasure in what he did to me and if I hadn't been obedient it could have just as easily been Uraraka that he had tortured. I felt sick at even the thought of that vile villain laying so much as a finger on her. She was too good for that. She was too good for any of it.

With my thoughts on Uraraka again, I couldn't help but ask my teachers, "Do you blame her… for what happened?"

"It's not really my place to judge her," Mr. Aizawa responded simply, his hand massaging his shoulder as he spoke. "It was a difficult decision to make and she chose the path she thought was right. What anyone else thinks is irrelevant."

While that was a good point, it didn't really answer my question. And I had a feeling the lack of answer was more telling than Mr. Aizawa would admit. So I didn't press him further, I just looked down sadly at my busted leg, wishing I could have done more to prevent that fate from being thrust upon Uraraka because of me.

Mr. Aizawa must have realized this was his cue to leave because I barely heard him say to me and All Might, "Well, if that's all, I'll be going now. Try and heal up, Midoriya, Class 1A isn't the same without you."

All I could offer in reply was a small, curt nod.

Mr. Aizawa must have been giving him an expect look because I heard All Might say, "I'll stay with him a little while longer." With that I listened closely as the door slowly swung closed, the gentle click filling me with relief as I let the full extent of my trauma show now that I was alone with my hero.

The tears broke free from my eyes, flowing down my cheeks and dripping onto the soft sheets. I didn't sob or cry out the emotions tearing my heart to shreds, I just let each tear silently drip, I didn't have the strength to stop them anymore.

I expected All Might to comment on how I needed to learn not to cry so much but I guess he saw this as a valid time for it, because all he did was put a hand on top of my head, gently brushing my hair around. It reminded me of my mom doing the same thing when I was little and scared of thunderstorms and the familiarity of it, especially coming from someone I looked up to so greatly, did help me feel a little better.

"He blames her," I choked out, my tears only increasing.

"I think it's more complicated than that,," All Might said. "I mean it goes against everything we as heroes are taught to do. It makes sense he would find it difficult to accept one of his students did something so controversial."

I sat up in my bed, looking my idol in the eyes, his features blurry in my tear-stained vision, as I asked, "You think she's guilty too, don't you?" I could feel my tears trail down my chin and neck but didn't lift a finger to wipe them away.

All Might let out a long sigh, massaging his eyes with his palms for a second. He moved so he could sit next to me again, practically falling onto the bed, his hands clasped in front of his mouth in a look of deep concentration. "The opposite, actually," he said in a serious tone. "We're all taught that being a hero is about knowing the right thing to do, that when push comes to shove we should look at any situation and know how to handle it. But sadly, that isn't always the case. Sometimes the solution isn't simple, sometimes doing the right thing isn't always easy to see. Your friend was faced with an impossible choice, saving a life or taking one, I think she made the best choice she could and that's enough. Being a hero isn't just about always doing the right thing, sometimes it's about doing the most good you can."

"I've… never heard you talk that way before, All Might," I whispered. It was strange to hear him so cynical, it made this whole situation somehow even more unreal.

"Ha, it's not something I like to think about," All Might said standing, looking much taller and more confident than he had a moment ago. His hands were on his hips in almost his signature hero pose. For just an instant his body grew to the muscular, heroic form he was known for. "I prefer to look forward rather than back," he added in a deep voice. It had been so long since I heard it, I had almost forgotten what it sounded like.

Then, just as suddenly as it had come, his body shrunk to the puny, sickly form that I had become so acquainted with. It was weird but I had almost started to see this side of him as his heroic form. I could only guess it was because I was around it more. The All Might I had dreamed of meeting all those years had just been so unattainable but his true form helped me to understand my hero in a way no one else did and that was so much more amazing than meeting the idol I looked up to.

All Might coughed once before swiping a hand across his mouth, no doubt wiping some blood away. "But anyways," he continued in his regular voice. "What I really want to know is how you are." I could feel his eyes examining me as he cast a concerned glance in my direction. "This was a lot to go through, especially in such a short time. Are you handling it okay?"

I started to nod on instinct but I stopped myself, deciding to really analyze that question. How was I doing? I mean, obviously I was affected after what just happened, I mean I was still in the hospital recovering for crying out loud. How much should I even tell All Might? Would a real hero tough it out and hold his feelings in? I didn't think I could lie to my idol, not even a little, for better or worse I chose to just speak the truth.

"I'm trying to be strong," I said honestly. "But… I can't stop thinking that I could have done better. That if I had just… tried harder things wouldn't have turned out this way." I looked down at my shaking hands, my palms face-up, phantom pains seeming to radiate off the scars. My eyes traced every tear and rip in my skin, every scab and scar seemed to be mocking my failure. The skin had regrown around the wounds but now they were rough and slightly discolored thanks to the hyper healing from Recovery Girl's Quirk. My scars were far from pretty but they were important, my permanent reminder I had to do better. I had to be better. Every time I looked at them, I remembered how I had failed and how I couldn't allow myself to make the same mistake again.

And yet still I had. After all the work I had put into my training, all the blood, sweat, and tears I had shed, was I any different than the first year student who broke his fingers to win a fight… and lost. Had I grown any since that day or was I still stuck in that stadium, doomed to relive the same failure over and over again. Only now the consequences were much more severe than losing first place to Todoroki.

I hung my head in shame, managing to choke out my confession, laying my soul bare to my idol as the guilt tried to swallow me whole. "If I hadn't run into that alley without thinking or realized it was a trap or fought back harder or not let that guy grab ahold of me or done anything differently then maybe-" I clenched my hands into fists. "Maybe I could have done something. I could have stopped her or taken that burden myself. But instead I had to watch as Uraraka was forced to-to… kill someone because of me."

"Midoriya," All Might started to say as he reached for me.

I didn't give him the chance to reprimand me, to lecture me on how bad a failure I was, instead blurting out my apology in the hopes of avoiding his disapproval. "I-I know I failed you, All Might. A Number 1 Hero is supposed to be able to save everyone, but I couldn't even save myself!" I let out a shaky sigh, pressing my hands against my face to catch my falling tears. "I couldn't even save her," I added softly. I didn't dare dream Uraraka would forgive me for what I caused. But I hoped my failure wouldn't keep her from being the hero I knew she was destined to become.

Before I could fully break down into a puddle of tears and regret, All Might swept me up into a tight bear hug, catching my fragile mind off guard. I blinked in surprise, a few tears trailing down my cheeks in turn, too shocked to return the gesture. All Might wasn't big on hugs, the last and only time I could name was right after he lost his Quirk and that had been the most emotionally unstable I had ever seen my idol, so to experience a second hug from him… I certainly couldn't have predicted it.

People were really surprising me today, for better or for worse.

Not that I didn't enjoy the hug, on the contrary, it was really nice and as pathetic as it sounded, I needed this hug after everything I had been through today. I soon found myself melting into All Might's embrace, my hands clutching the back of his shirt as I bawled openly. The irony was not lost on me that a hero who had always been associated with strength could give the softest, most soothing hugs I'd ever had. Though even in this form, there was a certain amount of strength in his grip as if he was trying to shield me from the world and all its horrors and that brought its own sense of comfort.

"That's enough now," All Might said, his hand lightly brushing the back of my hair. "You didn't fail me or your friend. You are no more at fault than she is. You don't blame her, do you?"

"N-No," I choked out, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic.

"So, see. The only one who is blaming you is yourself."

"I know," I groaned miserably, closing my eyes as the last of my tears slipped down my cheeks. "I just want to be the hero you were. If it had been you, then…"

"Wait, wait, wait," All Might interrupted me, holding me out at arm's length, looking me dead in the eyes. "Since when am I the perfect hero? Did you think what I told you a minute ago didn't apply to me too? I did my best in the time I was Number 1 to live up to my beliefs but I still messed up. Bad things happened, things that I could have prevented had I acted differently. But I chose not to let those mistakes rule over my commitment to helping others."

I blinked a few times, not sure if I was hearing him right or not. Was All Might really talking down on himself? The hero who had saved countless lives and become a Symbol of Peace for our world was trying to tell me he wasn't good enough? I had to put a stop to that, I couldn't let my idol really believe he was anything but the best. "But that's not true," I argued firmly. "You saved so many lives, All Might. You were and still are the greatest hero who ever lived! There's no way you could've done anything as bad as what your saying." I knew I sounded like a fanboy but I didn't really care, All Might had already seen my collection of his memorabilia, it's not like I could get any nerdier than that.

All Might let out a puff of air, his whole body seeming to grow heavier as he did so. I couldn't imagine what kind of weight the Symbol of Peace was carrying around with him. He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment or two, his eyes filled with pain as if reliving whatever 'terrible mistakes' he had made in his past, which I still didn't believe truly existed. "I appreciate the support, kid, but you're wrong in this case. To defeat All for One I made the choice, to give up my powers, to give up the mantle of the Symbol of Peace. I don't regret that decision but for better or worse, I have to live with the consequences."

"But All Might you didn't have a choice! All for One started that fight, he's the reason, not you! You had to stop him."

"But by doing so I won't be there to stop other villains like him," All Might argued. "That wasn't a completely decisive victory, Midoriya. The League of Villains is still out there, the world is shaken without me to protect it anymore. Heck, if I had my powers today maybe I could have saved you and Uraraka, maybe she wouldn't have had to kill. Can you honestly say that things wouldn't be better if I still had my Quirk?"

I didn't answer that. I didn't need to. We both knew the answer. He was right. He was always right. The world did need All Might right now, but he was powerless and there was no going back. It's why I worked so hard, why all of my class was working so hard, because there was a void in the world, an empty space waiting to be filled. In fact, the world might need All Might now more than it ever did before.

I lowered my gaze, balling my hands into fists a few times to try and release the pressure building up in my chest. I got the point he was trying to make now. Being a hero has consequences and the higher you are on the pedestal, the worse the consequences will be. It was something I never thought of before, that me being a hero might negatively impact someone someday. That any slip up or mistake could spell disaster, not just for you but for everyone!

"I know that look," All Might said, giving me a scolding glare. "You're overthinking things again, aren't you?"

I nodded reluctantly, seeing no point in hiding that and he sighed, massaging his eyes with his palms. "Geez, kid, what am I gonna do with you?" he asked. I could tell he was at least half joking but that still sent a sharp pang of guilt in my gut.

"I know you're right," I said softly, unable to get my voice above a whisper. "That you made the choice to give up being Number 1 but I can't help but think how different it might have been if I-"

"Stop," All Might said firmly and I snapped my jaw shut. "Did you not hear a word I said? Yes there are consequences for our actions, that's just how the world works but that doesn't mean we have to dwell on them. Sure maybe there was a way we could have prevented me from losing my powers but we made our choices that day and now we have to learn to live them. That's just part of being a hero."

What my idol was saying was finally starting to make sense, being a hero wasn't just about making the right choices, it was about living with the wrong ones. I wondered if any of the rest of class thought that way… if Uraraka thought that way. Somehow I doubted it, All Might did say that most heroes never taught that lesson if they learned it themselves. "I guess you're right," I finally said, though I was sure my face didn't match my words.

It was hard to muster enthusiasm when you were worried sick about your friend. Now that my pity-party was over, my thoughts jumped back to Uraraka, fearful of her mental state considering how poor my own was. I doubt she had an All Might to help justify her actions, something she desperately needed right now. "I just hope Uraraka is doing alright. I'm really worried about her. Did she seem okay when you guys visited her?"

And there it was again. I had been expecting it this time so it was easier to catch the subtle change in All Might's expression. His lips tightened, his eyes darkening with some unspoken emotion, other than that though he gave me no further indication of there being a problem. But those were enough to send waves of fear through my body, causing me to shiver involuntarily. All Might took just a little too long to answer saying, "She's… she's not handling it well, kid."

That sent my entire being into shock. It wasn't a surprise because of course she would be taking it badly but the confirmation brought all the fear I had been trying to hold back to the surface. I once again regretted my busted leg that prevented me from running to check on my distressed friend. Feeling useless was worse than any pain that guy, Yamamoto, had caused me. "How bad is she?" I asked.

When All Might hesitated again, I knew it was bad. I could see him thinking through his options, almost watching the gears turn inside his head. Finally he sighed, running his hands down his face as he explained, "Ya gotta understand, kid, it's not that I don't want to tell you but she asked us not to. As her teacher it would be wrong of me to break her trust."

So Uraraka told our teachers not to tell me how bad she was? Well now their hesitation and lies made sense. But why would she hide that from me? Did she just not want me to worry? It was the Sport's Festival all over again, she had tried so hard not to show her fear when facing Kacchan but I knew it was there. I could tell she was nervous but I felt like there was nothing I could do to help. But that feeling of helplessness didn't come close to matching the pure despair building up in me. If she was really in such a bad place why was All Might in here talking to me instead of helping her? Why was Mr. Aizawa filling out paperwork when the sweetest, kindest person I had ever known was low and alone. "What's wrong with her? Is she all alone? Because if she's that upset shouldn't someone be with her."

"She asked for some time to think, our hands were tied," All Might said apologetically.

"But how bad is she?!" All Might wouldn't meet my eye and I could tell it was a ploy to avoid responding to my question. "Please All Might I gotta know!" I begged. I didn't care that I sounded desperate. I felt desperate. And I was willing to throw away my dignity, to forget all about looking and acting like a Number 1 Hero in front of the man who expected that from me when my friend was hurting and alone.

I watched closely as my teacher rubbed the back of his neck, seeming to think it over carefully. I heard him mutter something under his breath too low for me to hear and I began to fear I pushed it too hard. I didn't mean to put my idol in a bind but I couldn't back down now, something told me if I didn't, I'd be regretting it for the rest of my life. "Please, All Might," I pleaded, hoping to appeal to his inner hero. "I know you don't want to break your promise but there might be something I can do to help! Isn't that worth the risk?"

All Might glanced over at me and I made sure to capture his eye with my own, holding his gaze as I tried to sway him with just a look alone. I hoped I portrayed resolution and confidence, letting him silently know I could handle whatever horrible news he had for me about Uraraka but I'm sure it was more desperation than anything. I saw his face soften, a look of sympathy replacing his anxiety. "Okay kid, you win," he breathed in defeat, tipping his head back so he could look at the ceiling. "But I'm warning you, you aren't gonna like it."

I nodded ferociously, every nerve and fiber of my being concentrating on my idol's words, while the very back of my mind just looped Uraraka's sobbing face. That image only tightened my resolve. Whatever was wrong with her I would be there to help her fix it. I wouldn't let her hurt like that again. Not while I was still breathing.

"She's dropping out."

I heard All Might speak but it was like my head had been plunged underwater. Suddenly, everything became distant and fuzzy. The room around me faded to grey as I just sat there motionless, frozen, petrified at what my idol had just said. I had been so focused on his words that their meaning took a second to process. Uraraka. Dropping out. Those couldn't go together. She wouldn't. She couldn't.

With much effort I managed to lift my lead tongue enough to speak, the words breathlessly leaving between my dry lips "Of the hero program?"

"...Of UA."

No. No, no, no. If what All Might had said before was a tidal wave, this was a tsunami. Uraraka was leaving UA. She wasn't even through her first year and she was already dropping out. But what about her dreams? Her ambitions? How would I be able to help her if I couldn't see her anymore?

I was drowning on dry land, the knowledge I had just been granted suffocating me. I choked and gasped, finding breathing more and more difficult under the weight of my failing heart. Through my blurry vision I saw All Might move closer to me, worry etched into his features as he tried to say something to me. But those words were lost to the sea of thoughts in my brain, just another drop of water amidst an ocean.

A flash of images played in my head, various moments I spent with Uraraka, the good and the bad, her giving me a warm smile after catching me, her excitedly cheering over something I did, her tight smile and shaky thumbs up as she prepared to go against Kacchan, her guilty and crying eyes as she realized she had just taken a life to save me. But one stood out above the rest. It was the day she told me why she wanted to be a hero. I could still recall the determination in her eyes, the raw, unflinching strength as she told me she wanted to make money to help her parents get by. It was such a noble ambition, something that made me respect her so much more than I already did, and the thought of her giving up on that goal made my heart snap in half.

She would regret it. I knew she would. She was born to be a hero just like me, just like every single person in our class, possibly the school, and to give up on that… well, I'm not sure how I would cope. Uraraka couldn't quit. I couldn't let her. My legs were already swinging off the bed before I knew what was happening. I didn't know if I could convince her or not but as her classmate- as her friend- I had to at least try.

I tried to stand but quickly remembered my busted leg when I began to sway dangerously on my one good foot. Thankfully, All Might was right behind me, grabbing me below my armpits and holding me upright. "Whoa, kid, hold up there. Did you seriously forget you had a broken leg?"

I was thankful for the balance, lifting my injured foot off the ground, before saying, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't," All Might said with a sigh, though I couldn't tell if it was out of relief or annoyance. Maybe both. He gently helped me sit back down on the bed but I didn't plan on staying there any longer.

"But All Might, you gotta help me. I need to talk to Uraraka, I'm the only one who can convince her to stay at UA. I can't just let her give up on her dream like that."

All Might nodded. "Yeah, I agree." He cringed before adding in a whisper, "Even though Eraserhead is gonna kill me for blabbing." His voice returned to his usual cadence as he continued. "But you gotta promise me you won't do anything reckless... like trying to stand on a broken leg."

"I promise," I agreed, trying not to squirm in my seat. Every second that passed was another second that Uraraka was in misery.

All Might seemed satisfied and when he spoke again it was in his typical heroic vigor. "Good, then what do you need me to do?"

"I need a wheelchair," I replied with confidence.

…

The hospital was as busy as ever, nurses and doctors walking briskly to and fro, eager to get to their next patient, although not in such a hurry that they couldn't help but spare a suspicious glance my way. I knew I had to look a sight, my skin felt clammy and uncomfortable, my wrapped leg was aching badly from where I tried to stand, and my heart was racing so quickly that I was sure everyone in the hospital must have been able to hear it. On top of that, I was being wheeled around by All Might himself, a thing like that didn't go unnoticed or unscrutinized. But I didn't really care about any of that, so long as they didn't stop me from reaching my goal, they could stare all they liked, Uraraka was the only thing on my mind.

As we wheeled closer to Uraraka's room I felt my body starting to reject me, my throat closing and my stomach doing flips and flops, my heart racing so wildly I was convinced it was trying to smash its way out of my chest. It had just occurred to me that in my rush to check on my friend, I had no idea what I was going to say to her when we got there. If Uraraka really was serious about leaving then I was the one and only thing that could stop her, to keep her from giving up on her dream of being a hero and that pressure only added to my already spiked fear. Normally I went in with some kind of plan, already playing out a few scenarios in my head, just in case, but this time I had nothing. Planning ahead was a comfort mechanism for me, I knew it was, even if things went south to have some kind of idea of what I was getting into, even in my own head, brought me a sense of relief and confidence. But now I had been stripped of that comfort, I was going in completely blind and thanks to my frazzled nerves I hadn't the slightest clue what Uraraka was going to say when we got there.

All Might suddenly brought us to a stop, causing me to jump involuntarily. A door was in front of us, just one like all the others, but I wasn't fooled by its simple appearance, I knew what happened beyond this point would change mine and Uraraka's future.

All Might reached for the doorknob but hesitated for a second, looking down at me and asking, "You ready?"

I licked my dry lips before stealing my face as much as possible, nodding in response. "Open it," I said with a confidence I very much wish I felt.

The door swung open and I saw Uraraka for the first time since being trapped on that roof. And even if I had taken the time to decide what to say, I still wouldn't have been prepared for the person I saw sitting in front of me. Nothing about her was right. Everything that made Uraraka herself seemed to have been stripped away from her and if I didn't know any better, I'd say I was staring at a stranger instead of my best friend.

She sat on her bed, gazing mindlessly out the window, her legs curled up into herself, her head resting on her knees, and it made her look so small and fragile that my heart ached for her. Her eyes were blank and empty, lacking any charm or laughter or joy, all that was left was just dull nothingness. Thick bags hung under her eyes, making it look as if she hadn't slept in years. Her whole body seemed slumped over as if being pressed down by a massive weight and I had a feeling her guilt had become a tangible force that she was trying to grapple on her own. Despite how stoic and tired she seemed I could tell her mind was a completely different story. Her fingers were twitching and flexing against her legs and her eyebrows were furrowed so deeply that I was afraid they'd leave permanent lines on her forehead. Uraraka had always radiated positive energy everywhere she went, her kindness and confidence spreading to me and the rest of class like a virus. But now all it was like all her energy and life had been sucked out of her, leaving her a shell of herself, a corpse walking in her skin.

On top of the mental abuse she was no doubt subjecting herself to, I finally saw the full extent of what she had physically endured during our kidnapping. Several cuts and bruises littering her skin, her wrists bandaged from the tight restraints she had somehow struggled out of, a large welt on her forehead from where the villain had cruelly slammed her head into concrete, and several gauze wrappings from where her skin had been scrapped off from her tussle with Yamamoto. And somehow her wounds hurt me more than my broken leg. Because I knew how to endure pain, it was a struggle I had become accustomed to, it was both my punishment for failure and my constant motivation to get stronger. But for Uraraka… it was just a constant reminder of what she had suffered through and she didn't need any more reminders of that.

I couldn't help but cringe at the sight of her, my heart shattering into a million pieces as I saw just how badly my friend had fallen. All Might and Mr. Aizawa had been understating when they told me she wasn't taking it well, Uraraka was in a far worse condition than anything my overactive mind could have imagined and I had no idea where I could begin to repair the damage done to her.

She hadn't seemed to have noticed me yet, so I cleared my throat to try and gain her attention but all she did was look over at me with those dead, lifeless eyes and I nearly choked. It was wrong. It was so wrong. The Uraraka I knew would never look at me like that. All I had ever seen on her face since the day we met were smiles and bright, sparkling eyes. Despite myself, I cursed Yamamoto for doing this to her, for taking my friend away from me, for breaking her and leaving me to put the pieces back together. But I didn't let this show, I just licked my dry lips and smiled, saying in a slightly shaky tone, "Hey, Uraraka, how are you doing?"

She looked up at All Might (who at this point I had forgotten was even there) before facing me again, something shifting in her eyes but it seemed to be just more darkness that swallowed up her happiness and joy. "Young Midoriya wanted to come check up on you," All Might explained and I was grateful since I was fairly certain my voice had decided to go on strike. "I hope that's okay," he added with an apologetic grin.

Uraraka shrugged before going back to staring out the window. "Sure," she said blankly.

I looked up at my mentor, who looked down at me, our faces displaying mutual levels of concern. It seemed neither of us knew what to do now that we were here, so at least I wasn't alone, even if the thought of All Might being just as lost as I was should have terrified me. "Uraraka, are you… okay?" I asked, begging for some kind of answer but all I got was a halfhearted shrug.

It seemed I had encountered my first obstacle: getting her to open up. So with my problem presented I did what I did best, I forced my brain to focus as I formulated a plan. I knew Uraraka better than anyone, so how did I get her to talk to me? Uraraka was one for hiding her negative emotions around people, especially those she didn't know that well, so it seemed my best bet was to get her alone. Maybe then I could get her to break down her walls a little and speak to me. So I gave my wheelchair a little push forward, just out of All Might's grip, before looking back to him and giving him a confident grin, letting him silently know I was good on my own.

My mentor didn't seem to like that idea too much but he respected my wishes saying, "Well I'll let you two catch up. I'm sure Aizawa could use some help with the paperwork. Call me if you need me, okay?"

I nodded, letting out a small "thank you" in response. And with that the door closed and I was alone with Uraraka.

A few seconds of silence seemed to stretch on for infinity and any expectations I had that she would open up to me naturally became a pipedream. It was clear Uraraka was committed to ignoring me, keeping her back to me, her attention glued to the more interesting window. Or at least, that's what she wanted me to believe since I caught her glancing at me multiple times from the corner of her eye.

I tried not to let this discourage me, steeling myself as I wheeled myself to her bedside. From there I gathered up all my courage and strength, focusing every atom in my body solely on my friend. "Uraraka, I know you're not okay," I said in the most sympathetic and kindest tone I had in me. It came pretty naturally, it was easy to care when Uraraka was involved. "And I know you're going through so much right now. But please, please don't shut me out. I-i can help you... or at least try to."

I still got no response, though I saw her eyes flood with unshed tears. "Please, Uraraka, you shouldn't have to suffer alone," I added.

Her hands tightened around her legs, clenching so hard her knuckles went white and I was afraid there might be a bruise there tomorrow. For a second, I hesitated worrying I'd gone too far but I quickly shrugged it off. I couldn't leave without at least getting an answer out of her or that lifeless look would haunt me for the rest of my life. "Please," I begged, placing a hand over hers.

Uraraka flinched, though I had no clue if it was from my touch or choked tone.

"Stop," she finally whispered, her voice a cold monotone, so unlike anything my Uraraka would ever say. "Just stop."

Once I was over my shock, I processed what she said. It was a confusing response, one I couldn't help but prompt for an answer, asking, "Stop what?" My brain scrambled to try and find where I went wrong, finally settling on one conclusion. "I know I don't know exactly what you're going through but I-I was there so I at least know why your-"

"No," Uraraka interrupted, her voice uncharacteristically sharp. She finally turned to face me and I saw her eyes were red from crying, tears staining her cheeks. "Stop caring. I don't deserve it. I don't deserve it!" Her fingers flailed through her hair, gripping tightly until she was pulling it from her roots. I cringed at the painful sight but was otherwise too stunned to move. "I don't deserve for you to care about me!" She screamed, her voice cracking as a new wave of tears burst from her eyes. "I don't…" she let out a heavy gasp, before her hands fell flat on the bed. "I don't deserve anything from you."

I swallowed, trying to slow my pounding heartbeat, I could almost feel the blood pumping through my body, carrying adrenaline and terror through my veins. Uraraka didn't scream. Not at me. Not with fire and venom and self-hatred being spat out with each word. I told myself this was only natural, that outbursts were to be expected, but gosh it still felt like I was being ripped in half all the same. I tried to steady my nerves, if not for me, then for her.

"Uraraka please don't say that!" I begged, my voice shaking, failing to gain any sort of control over my frazzled nerves. "I don't feel that way! I want to care about you!"

"I know, that's the whole problem," Uraraka said weakly, staring up at the ceiling, her eyes dead and lifeless. "You're too good for me. You care about everyone, you're so strong and dedicated, and you never let anyone or anything get in the way of what you want. Since the day I met you I've just been following you around, looking up to you, wanting to be more like you but I-I'm not enough. I want to stand by your side but I'm always just staring at your back. I feel like there's an impossible gap between us and I don't know how to cross it."

"Uraraka," I said softly, placing a hand over hers. I had no idea she felt that way, that she had been idolizing me so much. I was a little flattered, honestly, since no one had ever looked up to me before but I couldn't let her think she was less than me.

She pulled her hand out of mine and rolled over, her back now facing me. "And now there's no chance of that at all," she whispered brokenly. Her voice didn't quiver or shake like last time, it was just flat and dull, completely lifeless. "I'm a murderer, Deku. I don't deserve anything from you."

I just sat there for a minute, stunned into silence. Did she really believe all of that? That she was unworthy of me. I knew she was taking the accident hard but I hadn't realized that her feelings for me were getting complicated into the mess. It's a good thing All Might had told me, my suspension had been right, I was the only one who could get through to her.

"I don't care," I said softly and Uraraka seemed just as stunned as me because she actually turned towards me with a confused expression.

I swallowed, steading my voice before continuing, "I don't care if you don't feel like you're worthy of me or not, I'm not gonna stop caring about you, Uraraka."

Uraraka just stared at me tearfully, unblinking, and I felt hope clench my heartstrings, the grip steadying and uplifting. "Even if you don't believe in yourself right now, I'm gonna keep believing in you."

I gently took her hand in mine, giving it a loving squeeze. "You think you've been chasing after me and that you aren't good enough, but you're wrong. I've been depending on you since day one!" I paused, a stabbing pain shooting through my heart and I blinked aggressively to keep the tears from surfacing. "No one was ever nice to me as a kid. Kacchan and the other kids would bully me because I didn't have a Quirk."

Realizing what I had just said, I quickly added, "S-See my Quirk didn't show up until I was older." With my bases covered, my voice lowered until I was speaking in a soft whisper. "So going to UA… I wasn't sure what to expect from my classmates. But uh, all of that changed when I met you."

My cheeks were burning from my confession and I coughed nervously into I

my hand to try and clear my tight throat. "You were different. For the first time in my life I met someone my age who cared about me and was nice to me for no reason. And not just that but you cared about what I had to say, you encouraged me to be the hero I always wanted to be, and when I needed you, you were always right there for me."

I scratched nervously at my cheek before adding, "I'm not sure if I can ever repay you for everything you've done for me but I wanna try. That's why I can't abandon you now! I may not be able to understand what you're going through but I at least want to be here to listen and help if I can."

I waited patiently for Uraraka to say something to me, to react in some way but… nothing. Her eyes remained dull and her face kept its neutral expression. I felt kinda dumb for expecting anything different. Of course a few kind words weren't going to be enough to undo everything she had gone through. It was gonna take more work to fix what Yamamoto had broken.

"Deku, I-I don't…" her words seemed to get lost as soon as she said them, biting her lip as she struggled to tell me something. The will to stay patient was beginning to wither but I forced myself to keep quiet, to let her open up on her own time.

"I-I'm not who you think I am," she finally said and I could tell just speaking was exhausting to her. "The only reason I did all that was because… because-" Just when I thought I was finally gonna get an honest response from her she closed up again, pulling out of my grip, both literally and figuratively. "It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore. I'm not going to see you again anyways, so what does it matter how I feel!" Her fists smacked against the sides of her head as she spoke, like she was trying to force the thoughts out, trying to silence the secret written on her heart. Tears were freely flowing now, breaking with her effort to conceal them from me.

"Of course it matters!" I argued, rising slightly from my chair, using her bed to support my weight. My leg ached from the effort, groaning at me in protest but it was worth it as I leaned in closer to my hurt friend. "You matter, Uraraka! Please don't shut me out! Just talk to me!"

"I can't! I just can't!" She pressed her hands over her eyes in some feeble attempt to stop the tears or maybe it was to hide her face, I'd probably never know. "I can't let you be around me anymore! I'll just drag you down with me!" She was full body shuddering now. It looked painful. "I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Hurt me? Uraraka you saved me!" I praised. I hoped this worked, that this snapped her out of her dark thoughts, helped her regain control of herself. "I would be dead right now if not for you. You could never hurt me."

She shook her head violently, nearly headbutting me in the process, though I doubted she noticed. "Stop it!" she screamed, sounding desperate. I couldn't decide if that was good or bad. "Just stop, Deku! Can't you see I'm trying to do the right thing! I just want to do what's best for you and being around me isn't!"

I had had enough, I wouldn't listen to this a second longer, I forced myself to stand all the way up, sharp pains shooting through my leg, as I grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her tear-filled eyes. "Maybe but that's not your choice to make!" I said, louder than I meant to. Uraraka stopped, just staring at me with those red, puffy eyes. I took in a breath before continuing in a quieter tone. "I know you think you're doing the right thing for me by staying away and closing yourself off but that's not for you to decide. It's my choice. And I want to be her with you, Uraraka. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't. I wouldn't have come if I wasn't willing to face whatever happens next with you."

I paused, realizing I may have come on too strong, that I had taken away her choice to decide, the very thing I was ironically arguing against, and I added, "Look, if you really want to be alone, for me to go so you can face all this by yourself than just say so and I'll go. But I know that isn't what you want and I know you know it too. You want my help, I can see it in your eyes. So, please, just let me help you."

The second the words left my mouth, I saw Uraraka's will break. The effort she was using to hold herself back seemed to vanish in an instant. The tears still pouring from her eyes multiplied and her neutral face scrunched up with pain. Her inner turmoil must have been too much to bear because she let out a deep, guttural sob, pulling me to her in a tight, desperate embrace.

She sobbed into my chest, mirroring our experience on the roof but somehow this felt different. This wasn't the broken weeps of someone pushed to their breaking point, this was a deep, sorrowful mourning, one that made her chest convulse from painful sobs.

My entire body was now on the bed with her, my leg throbbing from the effort it had taken to stand, my body twisted at an awkward angle, my top half trapped in her crushing grip, while my bottom half was turned towards the side, my feet dangling off the edge of the hospital bed.

Despite my body's discomfort I made no move to reposition myself, staying as still as a statue. I would take any kind of pain if it meant making Uraraka feel better, to help ease her conscious in some small way. A stream of apologies flowed from her mouth, almost on repeat, all incomprehensible thanks to her noisy sobbing but I didn't have to hear her to know what she was saying. I carefully pulled my arms out of her painful grip, resting my hands on her shoulders, feeling her shudder and shake with each sob.

I realized I should probably be doing more than just laying there and listening to her cry so I did my best to console her, shushing her softly. Again I could only hear my mother's words echo in my head, comforting me whenever I was hurt or scared, and I repeated those loving phrases to my troubled friend. "It's okay. I'm here now. I'm here. I've got you. I've got you." I didn't know if it did anything, if it helped at all, but it made me feel better to do something, so I kept it up until her tears finally ran dry.

It felt like hours passed, if I had been paying attention I probably could have watched the sunlight slowly move across the room, signaling the passing of time, but my thoughts and attention had remained on Uraraka and her needs.

Eventually, she seemed to tire herself out, her sobs turning into quiet whimpers and then just silence. A few tears still rolled down her cheeks but other than that she seemed to be done crying. Her grip slowly loosened, her fingers uncurling from the folds in my hoodie before falling flat onto the bed with a muted thud.

Now that I was free I propped myself up on my elbows and pulled myself fully onto the hospital bed, staring down at her with concern. Her face was blank again but the trouble seemed to have left her eyes. She at least seemed calmer and I took that as a good sign. "How do you feel?" I asked hesitantly.

"Better," she replied, the tiniest hint of a smile on her lips. "... Sorry."

"No, it's fine," I said, shifting my weight so that we were now laying side by side, I pulled my hands into my chest awkwardly, worried touching her might be too much. I tried not to think about how I was sharing a bed with a girl, especially a cute girl who I admired so greatly and had oftentimes seen as a possible girlfr-

I stopped myself right there, knowing that train of thought could only lead to trouble. My face was probably beet red and the last thing I needed was for Uraraka to question it. Really, thinking about it, it seemed petty and selfish to even consider something like that right now. It felt wrong to focus on something so ordinary like sharing a bed with a girl when Uraraka was probably having the worst time of her life, I didn't want her to think I wasn't taking her problems seriously, especially after all the work it had taken to get her to open up to me this much.

"I told the teachers I wanted to leave UA," she confessed, her eyes dropping with shame.

I hadn't been expecting her to say anything, much less something she seemed to want to stay a secret, so it took me a second to answer her. "I know," I admitted my eyes never leaving her pretty face.

She couldn't quite meet my eye, staring off at something behind my head or maybe she just was just staring off into space, who knows. "Are you disappointed in me?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Oh Uraraka," I breathed, giving her a sympathetic smile, even though I wasn't sure if she saw it or not. "I could never be disappointed in you. I'm just concerned is all."

"Concerned?" she repeated, looking confused.

"Yeah, I just… I know how much being a hero means to you. It's your dream, same as me. And I know why you think it's best to quit but I don't think it's what you really want. And maybe it's wrong of me to try and convince you to come back but I don't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life. And… I know if it was me I'd want someone to try and convince me, too, so I thought I'd at least try."

Uraraka became quiet, somehow even quieter than before and I could see her carefully considering her response. Her eyebrows were scrunched low in thought, while her fingers were busy picking at the corner of her pillow, pulling out loose threads before carelessly discarding them. Finally, she must have noticed my impatient gaze because she bit her lip, her eyes filling with guilt and uncertainty, sucking in a deep breath, before admitting, "I-I wanna go back, I just don't know how I'm gonna face everyone after… everything." She wrapped her arms around herself, her expression troubled. "I'm not sure I can pretend like nothing happened."

"We could tell them," I offered before my brain even had a chance to argue.

Uraraka's eyes widened. "You mean like the truth! But Mr. Aizawa said-"

"He doesn't have to know. It could just be a secret between us and our classmates." I felt my gut twist in worry. It never sat right with me to lie but since meeting All Might I also understood its importance and had learned to deal with it. Besides what was one more secret if it made Uraraka at ease. I trusted the class to keep our secret.

Despite my comfort at the idea, I could tell Uraraka was still uncertain and quickly added, "It doesn't have to be everyone! Just whoever you want to tell. I'm sure they'd understand."

"That's…" Uraraka stopped herself, before changing her answer. "I'll think about it."

I nodded not wanting to pressure her. This had to be something she decided. "Right," was my only response before I quickly changed the subject. "So, uh, if you do decide to go back, I just want you to know that I'll be with you every step of the way! I won't leave your side, um, unless you want me too, and I promise I'll help you with whatever you need!" I felt my face heat up with a blush as I added nervously, "I, uh, probably shouldn't say this but, I-I was really scared when All Might told me you weren't coming back, it's selfish but I didn't really wanna go back on my own. I can't really imagine becoming a hero without you. B-But I understand if you- mmph!"

I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence because the next thing I knew Uraraka's lips were on mine, kissing me so tenderly and sweetly that it sent my head spinning. Was this really happening? Was I… kissing someone?! Or I guess they were kissing me. Wait, she was kissing me?! Uraraka was kissing me?! That meant… t-this was my first kiss!

I immediately pulled my hands into my chest, nervous and afraid of where they should go. I was at a loss, what was I even supposed to do? I had never prepared for this, I didn't think any girl would ever want to kiss me. Especially not… her! Especially not now! What was the right thing to do in this situation?! Should I push her away? Did I kiss her back? What if I did it wrong?

All these thoughts continued to scatter about my brain until Uraraka's lips moved against mine and all thoughts ceased in an instant. I stopped thinking altogether, giving up any control as I let Uraraka lead me into her blissful touch. I didn't fight it, I just let it happen, giving all my inner desires to her and her alone. My hands slowly reached out to her, gently touching her face as I let her lead me in deeper. Every sensation was like fireworks in my mind, exploding and fracturing into thousands of beautiful sparks, each one setting off another explosion and so on and so on. Uraraka seemed to relish the control, deepening the kiss, her tongue lightly brushing against my lips. I was too stunned to give her access but she didn't seem to mind, focusing instead on just feeling my lips with hers.

I didn't think kissing could feel this good and maybe if I had known I would have attempted it before, then again Uraraka was the only girl I wanted to kiss so I doubted it would have been the same with anyone else. I hadn't really had crushes before. Not like her. Not like this.

After an eternity, our lips parted, my inexperience leaving me panting and breathless. My head was still foggy as I just stared forward unblinkingly, watching as Uraraka stared back, equally spellbound.

All at once, she seemed to realize what she had done, her eyes growing wide and a hand swiftly covering her mouth as if seeing her lips would somehow offend me. Her entire face turned a dark shade of red, even her ears going crimson, which I thought was a cute detail. "I-Im so sorry! I shouldn't have- I-I didn't mean to!" Uraraka covered her face with her hands, groaning in embarrassment. I didn't know it was possible for someone to turn that shade. "I've been imagining doing that for soooo loooong and then I had to do it at the worst possible moment! Ugghhhh!"

"No, no, it's okay," I reassured her, my voice cracking against my will. "I-I really didn't mind!"

Uraraka still wouldn't look at me, hiding behind her hands, probably to keep me from seeing just how embarrassed she was. I knew the feeling, my face probably didn't look much better and my fingers were itching to hide that, but I resisted the urge, afraid it might make Uraraka feel worse. Instead I cleared my throat, licking my lips for good measure, before attempting to speak again. "S-So I'm guessing that's a yes to coming back with me?"

Uraraka tucked her hands into her chest, finally letting me get a good look at her face. Her blush was now only in her cheeks, making them glow rosy, a cute color I had to admit. She still looked uncomfortable but much less so than she had been a few minutes ago. Maybe I really was helping. "I still don't feel like I deserve it," she told me, her voice soft and her eyes radiating guilt. But then she blinked and it was gone, like a ghost of an emotion, there but not always seen. "But if I run away now then I'll never stop feeling that way. I'll go the rest of my life believing that that is all I am. I'm scared but I have to go back! If only to see if I really am a hero or even still deserve to be one."

I smiled, relieved to see the remnants of my old friend were still there. That sounded like the old Uraraka and just knowing she wasn't lost filled me with so much joy I almost burst into tears right there. Instead I just said, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

Uraraka looked away shyly and I could tell this time it wasn't from guilt. "So, are we in this together then?"

It felt more like a plea than a question and I responded with an immediate, "Always."

She let out a small chuckle, half breathing, half laughing, before nervously extending a pinkie to me. I stared at it in confusion for a second before realizing what she wanted and slowly held out my own. Our fingers wrapped around each other at the same time, her grip surprising strong and possessive, not that I blamed her. Every part of her must be afraid to lose me after what happened on that roof. I made my own promise to myself, swearing I would never give her reason to worry like that again.

I didn't want to let go and apparently neither did she, the two of us just laying there, staring at our wrapped pinkies. It was crazy how much I enjoyed her touch, even as little as this contact made my heart do all kinds of flips and flops in my chest. Slowly my eyes rose to her face, taken aback to see her already staring at me. Her eyes were peaceful, this was probably the happiest I had seen her since this morning. Though I thought I could detect a longing in there, too.

Without warning I remembered our kiss, the feeling of her lips capturing and leading mine into a graceful dance was thrilling and not unwanted. I wondered if her lips would taste the same a second time. Should I even try it? She was still so hurt, would it be right for me to try and force something like that on her? Was a relationship even plausible right now?

Her eyes seemed to be beckoning me closer but I was afraid to move, afraid of damaging what we had, of somehow breaking her more. It was stupid but the fear was real. "Can I…" I began breathlessly, moving just an inch closer, no more. "Would it be alright if I…"

Her gaze softened and she smiled at me, nodding ever so slightly. Hesitantly, I leaned over, pressing my lips to hers. Unlike last time, I was in control and I fumbled a bit trying to figure out what to do. My kiss was gentle, barely grazing her lips but as the kiss went on I grew more confident. Uraraka pushed back, seeming to encourage me to go farther and I kissed back harder. It wasn't perfect but I soon found my footing, kissing her confidently but delicately.

The kiss could have gone longer if not for the door loudly slamming open and a familiar voice screamed, "Uraraka, are you in here?!"

I screamed and quickly separated from Uraraka and she did the same. Ashido smiled at us from the doorway, holding a large bouquet of flowers. "Oh good you are! And Deku's here too!" she said in her typical upbeat tone. Ashido leaned back, shouting to someone outside our range of vision. "Hey guys, they're in here and they're sharing a bed!"

"A-Ashido!" Uraraka screamed in panic, her cheeks turning a deep red. Mine probably did too but I was more focused on who all had come with her to get too embarrassed.

I could hear a loud stampede of footsteps spring for the door before my entire class squeezed into Uraraka's tiny hospital room. They were all carrying some kind of gift for me or Uraraka, mostly flowers or chocolates, all except for Kacchan, his arms crossed bitterly as Kirishima dragged him in by his shirt. As expected, no classmates gift was the same: Todoroki had a very simple card written in what looked like a haiku. Mezo had used a dupli-arm to hold four bundles of balloons, and there were probably close to 30 altogether. Aoyama, being the flashy guy he was, had picked out the brightest flowers available and I had to look away after they started to hurt my eyes. Sato had made a double-layered chocolate cake that read "get well soon," and my mouth started to water the second my eyes landed on it, reminding me I hadn't eaten all day.

"Omg, they actually are sharing a bed!" Toru gasped.

Momo covered her mouth, her cheeks flushing. "Scandalous!"

"Ashido please refrain from shouting such personal information in public!" Iida cut in, his arm chopping the air up and down robotically. Good old Iida! Always coming to our defense. "Obviously Midoriya and Uraraka would prefer to keep their romantic relationship private and not to have it blasted through a hospital of all things!"

Never mind.

"Guys it's not like that!" Uraraka defended, looking awkward and embarrassed. "Deku was just resting his leg!"

"Uh huuuuhh," Ashido said hintingly, wagging her eyebrows at us. "And what were you two doing exactly?"

Uraraka's face went pale.

"Talking," I said for her. It wasn't entirely a lie.

But Ashido was onto us, countering effortlessly, "Isn't it kinda hard to talk with your lips smushed together?" She had us there. I had underestimated how much she had seen. She smiled victoriously as the entire class gasped in disbelief.

I sighed in defeat, me and Ururaka sharing a look. The jig was up. We had to come clean. I saw the look of understanding on her face and knew she agreed. She opened her mouth at the exact moment I blurted, "Uraraka and I are dating!"

"WHAAAATT?!" the entire class shouted at once.

"We are?" Uraraka whispered to me and I gave her a smile and a nod. Her face lit up with joy, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Say what?!" Kaminari shouted, looking shocked and a little jealous.

"No fair, Midoriya!" Mineta added, fuming with unrelenting rage. "Why do you get a girlfriend and not me!"

"Or me?" Kaminari added sadly.

"Stop making it about you two," Jero scolded, shooting them both disapproving looks. "Maybe if you were more respectful like Midoriya you wouldn't be sad and alone."

Both boys looked close to tears at that, hanging their heads in shame. "Ouch, Jero. Why you gotta be so mean?" Kaminari whined pathetically.

"How long has this been going on?" Tokoyami asked, ignoring the whole fiasco going on from our other classmates.

"Actually it just kinda happened," I explained, scratching at my cheek nervously.

"That does make sense," Sue spoke up thoughtfully. "I've heard life or death experiences can bring people closer together."

"C'mon guys, that's not the reason," Uraraka said, frowning. She now had my hand in a death grip. I couldn't blame her. I didn't exactly like the idea that being nearly murdered by a psychopath had anything to do with our relationship and I knew I had to say something before I lost Uraraka to bad memories.

"I think it was more like it made us realize we couldn't keep ignoring how we felt," I helpfully supplied. This did seem to calm her a bit, her gaze softening and her grip returning to normal, much to the relief of my hand. I had broken it enough times that the bones could sometimes ache when agitated.

"Speaking of which, what happened to you two?!" Ashido screamed, bringing the subject back on point and off of me and Uraraka (which was appreciated). "All the teachers said was there was some kind of accident and you two were in the hospital!"

"You better not have gotten your ass kicked, you damn nerd!" Kacchan yelled, looking like he was ready to kill something, namely me.

"Dude, why do you even care?" Kaminari asked suspiciously, holding him by the back of the shirt, probably to keep him from pummeling me.

"Please everyone be quiet, this is a hospital, people are trying to rest!" Iida commanded, though it didn't really mean much when he was louder than all of us combined.

I cringed, casting a nervous glance at Uraraka. I expected her to have my hand in a death grip again but instead she looked zoned out, her face blank and her thoughts a million miles away. "Um, well, that's- difficult to explain," I said, not sure what else to say. I didn't mind telling the others about what happened but I still didn't know how Uraraka felt about it. I wasn't gonna force anything on her, especially not after what happened, but I also hadn't come up with a good excuse yet. If only I had known they were coming I could have planned something.

"Oh man, you can't just leave us in suspense like that!" Kaminari shouted, only to be loudly shushed by Iida.

"Yeah, you two look like you were in a pretty bad fight, it's pretty hard to just let that go," Sero added.

"Wait, everyone, we can't force them to talk about it, that wouldn't be right," Momo spoke up, the voice of reason as always.

"Midoriya," Todoroki said, gaining my attention. He had been silent since he got here and to be singled out by him caught me off guard. "You once helped me through a difficult time in my life and if it's all the same to you, I'd like to return the favor. But the choice is yours. I will respect your decision either way."

The entire room went silent, everyone just staring at Todoroki in surprise. None of us had been expecting that it seemed, though Todoroki didn't seem to notice the attention was on him now, just staring ahead blankly.

"Uhhh, thanks, Todoroki." I could feel the tension in the room becoming awkward but I still wasn't sure what to say. Clearly everyone was waiting for me, Uraraka included. I was never that great at stuff like this and I felt completely helpless as everyone's stares burned into me. "W-Well, um… I don't want to do it unless Uraraka's okay with it," I finally said, shifting uncomfortably, hoping Uraraka wouldn't blame me for putting it all on her.

But surprisingly, her answer was immediate. "It's fine, Deku. You can tell them."

"Are you sure?" I asked, searching her face for an answer. I didn't want to make her feel pressured, I was willing to wait and make up some lie or excuse (as soon as I thought of one) if it kept her from hurting. But when her eyes met mine, I knew it was what she wanted. She still looked fearful, uncomfortable, but I could see the determination there, the resolve to move forward and heal. "I have to face this, Deku. Might as well get it over with, right?"

I smiled, proud that I could hear my old friend shining through. Uraraka was still in there and I was gonna bring her back.

The rest of the class had gone still, all jokes and craziness ceasing as a dark tension filled the room. Based on our reactions they must have realized the graveness of our situation. They all looked impatient, like they were ready to hurry us along but no one spoke up about it. I was glad, I didn't know how Uraraka would react to that.

"Okay but if I tell you guys, you can't tell anyone! Even the teachers. It has to stay between all of us, no one else, alright?"

I judged their reactions carefully before continuing. Most of them looked curious, their interest peaked at a secret from the teachers. Others looked conflicted, mostly Sue, Iida, and Momo. Still, none of them bolted for the door or made up some excuse to get out of it. They were all still here. Maybe it was the hero in them or maybe it was just concern for us but I welcomed it.

I knew right then, that no matter how they reacted, they wouldn't reject Uraraka. I knew I could trust them with this. They weren't just my classmates anymore, they were my friends. And we had all been through worse together, we could get through this too.

So, squeezing Uraraka's hand as a reminder of my promise, I sucked in a deep breath and began my story.

And that's it! Hope you enjoyed! So yeah, Uraraka is on the road to recovery but it will take time to get there and now she will have a good support system to get her there. This felt like the most satisfying moment to end the story even if we didn't get to see Class 1-A's reaction. I think you guys could infer their reactions better than I could write them anyways haha, although it was fun to get to write them there at the end! I also couldn't help myself but put in some Dad Might and Dadzowa. They are like my two favorite things!

So believe it or not this isn't entirely how I expected the story to continue, for a brief time I wanted to make this into a full series but I just don't have the time or energy for another series right now. I'm plenty busy with my current projects haha. However, if this chapter does well I might talk a bit more about the original plan for this story since I don't want to throw in a long description after this long fic. I might also do comment responses for this chapter depending on how many I get or whatever since I love talking with my readers and be able to thank them for their kind words!

Speaking of, thanks so, so much for reading both of these chapters and for favoriting, following, and reviewing haha. It really helped push me through the last little slump to finishing this!

Also I am probably done with MHA for awhile, I have other projects I want to focus on now but I enjoyed this little peak into the fandom, thanks everyone for having me!

OLDONOM- Thanks, hope you liked part 2!

KahunaLagoona- Oh there is! Okay bittersweet but still! I can't just end it with everything is perfect now but it's getting better and that is more realistic! Also I totally understood what you meant! I did end things off like that so I was expecting people to want a better ending that's why I made this. She did need that closure and I had to provide it for her!

Christopherprime22- OMG HOW ARE YOU?! It's been so long! Of course I remember you! You're support really helped me get on my feet with my main fic! Ah, yes the fateful falling out of Star vs. It happened to quite a few people, totally understand and respect that. I managed to keep in touch with the show and still enjoy it but I get it wasn't that way for everyone. Yeah haha, I love them! They are so cute and I need it to be canon aaaaa haha. I was honestly a little worried posting this since it seemed to not be that popular of a ship and I might experience some hate but no everyone was really cool and sweet! Happy to hear from you again and I really hope you liked this one! It's much less depressing for sure haha!