AN/ Hi! Thanks for taking the time! I use wiki spellings. I will not be using 'chan' 'kun' whatever, just 'sensei' because I want to. 'M' rating because there will be adult stuff later. It's not smut, it's a story. When they're in costume or being talked about like heroes, they get hero names. Otherwise, it's fairly informal. Feel free to chat me up!

5 Years Ago - Ochaco age: 17

I'm petrified of emptiness, let aside the loneliness
And lovers tend to break me in two
If you were to come back to me, in pieces or in melody
There couldn't be a better way through - My Name is Trouble by Keren Ann

Bright sunshine made the mid-winter day warm, and I felt like I was slowly being baked alive in all my safety gear. Deku was leaping about, using his multiple quirks a lot better than the first time I'd seen him use them. Froppy jumped along on the wall off to the side, her hair starting to shimmer in the way I knew meant that she was trying to use her camouflage.

I heard the rushing wind and crackle of ice, Todoroki obviously trying to catch Sunatchi, as he'd announced his name as. It was appropriate, since he could 'snatch' your quirk, leaving you little more than a basic human. Though in Creati's case, a basic human who trained everyday to be a top athlete. She was standing behind Todoroki's ice shield, a spear she'd made earlier still in her hand.

I deactivated my quirk, landing on my spring-heeled boots with a whumph. I dashed ahead, the others surrounding me as Todoriki wrapped Sunatchi, Creati charging forward, holding the spear at his neck.

"Give my quirk back!" She snarled in a tone I hadn't heard before. Her spear kissed his neck, making the villain sweat, finally.

Sunatchi smiled, trying to angle his neck away, "Sure, sure!" Creati blinked, then a nesting doll popped out of her elbow, and she smiled beautifully before settling her face back to game on. "How about you let me go," his eyes bore into Todoroki's, "and take me in." He looked defeated, and Todoroki's lips turned up in a small smirk.

"Uravity?" I came to stand next to the villain, knowing that I was to null his gravity. It's very disorienting, but it wouldn't damage him. Plus, it would keep him right where we wanted him until we could get quirk restraints.

I touched him just as Todoroki let the ice floe break. My quirk failed to activate, and I couldn't help but stare at my hands in disbelief. Creati stared at me, and Deku screamed out, though I couldn't tell you what he said.

Sunatchi laughed wildly, lunging at me, and then breaking into a run. Todoroki, distracted now, barely managed to push a tendril of ice toward him. Deku ran in, his shadows clawing at the villain as Froppy whipped her tongue out in a bid to tangle his legs. Sunatchi tried to dodge all three threats, jerking almost comically in his attempt to break our line.

That's when the impossible happened. Or, we should have known it would happen someday. It was a tipped weapon, and Creati never did anything halfway.

The blade was razor sharp, and it flashed in the sun as it pieced Sunatchi's chest, causing a red gush to sparkle in turn before splashing to the ground just ahead of the man himself. The blood pool widened lazily as I cried, great busting sobs for the villain who'd, in a way, forced the situation. Though we are trained to not kill. Hurt to the point, but not beyond.

"It's done, stand down." Ever one for understatement, Todoroki barked his next orders, "Call an ambulance." He bent to me, "You okay? Did he hit you?"

"I'm.." I was about to say fine, but something prevented me. Instead I wrapped a hand around my forearm. Nothing. Not even a tingle, or the feeling of my stomach dropping away. Just the warmth of my hand. The tightness of my fingers now digging in. "No. No!" I stood, clutching my arm and turned to press fingertips into Todoroki's chest. Dead. I'm dead. I have to be dead. This isn't, this... I broke down again, "I can't! It won't change!"

Everyone turned terrified eyes on me. Bottom line, in their minds, only dying could be worse than losing your quirk. Deku rushed to my side and enfolded me, his tears now dripping uselessly into my hair.

"Uraraka, are you sure?" His arms tightened as I quaked against him, "We can fix it, maybe it just takes a bit if he doesn't do it himself."

"M-maybe." I held onto that weak thread. If it's all that could keep me from falling off the edge, I would hold onto the thought that my powers would come back.

Froppy came in on the other side, her hands swamping my shoulders as she hugged me. Todoroki pivoted, his hand landing on my bicep in a grip that I could feel to my core. Creati, her own face streaked in tears pushed in too, we stood together. At the end, I was glad I had so many people I cared about right here.

3 Days later

"We've tried everything I can think of, dear." Recovery Girl patted my knee.

The faces of everyone in the room - my parents, Chiyo-sensei, Principal Nezu, even Aizawa-sensei, looked tired. I knew I felt it, but everyone was here for one last try at Recovery Girl's miraculous healing. And nothing. The last three days, the last year and a half were for nothing, and I could feel my attention starting to drift again. I could barely control myself long enough to finish out the meeting.

Principal Nezu wriggled his whiskers, but in the end took a sure-footed stance and glanced at everyone in the room before catching my eye, "I hate to say this, but I have to remove you from the hero course if you don't have a quirk. If you get it back again, I will happily graduate you from the Hero Course, but, as it stands..." He left the words to stand for a moment in the room that was quiet as the grave. My mother started weeping quietly, I heard her, and what was surely the sound of my father comforting her. "You may finish school here at UA in the General Studies. No matter where you are, an education here is top-notch. You can be assured of getting into whatever college you wish."

I nodded. There was no way in hell I could stay here. All my friends going on to become Heroes. Living their lives, eating Bakugo's famous Saturday breakfasts. Laughing at Kaminari, groaning at Mineta, joking with Midoriya. Without me. My heart shuddered; Midoriya. Izuku. How I wish he were here now.

"I need to think about it." Any starch I had, all the confidence in myself and my abilities were as gone as the ability itself. I stood, and everyone took a step back. I felt like it was because of my lack, though it was only because they'd been pressed close while I was sitting.

"Mom?" She came around, hugging me one handed, "Let's go. I'll let you know in a few days, okay, Sensei?"

My parents and I left them in Recovery Girl's office. I was trying as hard as I could to keep my emotions from taking over, but my mother was openly weeping, and my father looked like he wanted to join her. I know I did, but we had things to do yet today. I hardened the fist around my sadness and led them to Alliance Heights.

When we arrived, all my classmates, even some of the girls I'd become friends with in class B, were waiting in the entry. Quietly, I told mom and dad to go up to my room, and I'd join them in a minute. I scanned all their faces. I knew I'd never forget them. My eyes lingered on Midoriya. I took courage from his closeness.

I shook my head, a negative. The response was immediate and loud. Everyone promising they'd never forget, that they'd ace their finals in my name, protestations of forever friendship. My heart warmed, I knew with their help and support, I could get my powers back, to join them again. there were so many fierce hugs, tears, and slaps on the back, I felt like the only girl in the world.

I looked up to see Midoriya's eyes on me. He was standing slightly apart from the crowd, his sweet green eyes swollen with as yet un-shed tears, his freckles stark in a face that projected so much abject sadness. He indicted that I should leave the crowd, and turned to walk toward the elevator bank in the back hallway. Todoroki, tears sparkling on his cheeks as well, watched him leave, then watched me follow behind. I knew he must be hurting. As team captain during that training session turned villain hunt turned disaster, he must feel this deeply. I made a mental note to talk to him privately as well.

I found him just where I was expecting to, and he stood, his hands buried in his pockets, his eyes staring holes on the floor. He looked up as I cam e closer, and I saw that he had let his tears fall. Not that I doubted it, he'd been on the edge of tears in the foyer. It made me smile, if somewhat half-heartedly.

"I'm so sorry for what happened." Izuku started, his tone and timbre one I couldn't place, "You must blame me for this."

I wanted to shake him, "It's not your fault. I don't blame anyone except the criminal who thought it'd be funny to steal my power."

He shook his head, "Well." He started again, "Since you're leaving, I have to say this..." He trailed off, his cheeks and ears pinking delicately, "I like you, Uraraka."

What horrible timing. I would have gladly jumped into his arms and demanded to go on a date any other day, but now wasn't the time. My tears returned as he continued.

"You know what we face as potential heroes. Villains, disasters, even just prejudice." I nodded uncertainly, knowing instinctively I wasn't going to like where this was going. "With a girlfriend who was like me, a hero, I could have handled that. But it's not fair to expect you to live with that. I could die or be badly injured, or you could be targeted! Or our family harmed just because of who I am. I couldn't live with that. You shouldn't live with that!"

"You have a mother!" I blurted, ignoring the way his eyes were begging me to understand, "I had parents to worry about, they didn't stop us! We..." I broke completely, and I hoped ardently that no one could hear my pitiful sobbing, "We could make it work! I love you, Izuku, I have since the first time I ever met you!"

"I'm sorry," he reached out, but wouldn't even touch me, "Uraraka."

That was the final nail in this coffin. I fled to the fire stair at the end of the hall and ran up them as fast as I could back to my room. My parents were there, and although I don't think they knew my real reason for being this broken, it was enough that they hugged me and told me that they'd do everything they could to help. That's the best I could expect. The one thing I had hoped to get from the boy I'd loved with every particle of my being; the thing he wouldn't give me. Comfort.

AN/ Sorry Midoriya fans! I really am, I just like crack fiction! Please REVIEW! Favorite! Make me laugh! Ah, side note, if you like reading, and want to read ahead and get into my brain, I could use a beta on this. It may be slow coming because I have like a million irons in the fire, but this story wanted to come out!