Notes: And this chapter finally marks the return of Bakugou! Kind of. I missed writing him in this fic. He just demands attention. Also, I love writing jealous and possessive Deku, so this was a fun one. This chapter connects with Chapter 13, so we've officially caught up and are back on track with the timeline.

"Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

After taking a deep breath, Deku pulled away from her and asked, "Are you hungry?" Her immediate thought was of Murai's dead boy, so no, she wasn't, but there was a strange glow in Deku's eyes that she couldn't ignore, so she shrugged her shoulders in response. "I'm hungry. I'll get us something to eat - a snack. What do you want? Wait! I'll surprise you."

He was manic, similar to how he would get when he'd get an idea and start mumbling to himself. She missed those moments. When she'd first met him, it had thrown her off, but after a while, she had gotten used to it and the sound of him muttering to himself had comforted her. They could be at their apartment and she would hear him going at it while watching the news on tv while she was in another room. She'd always smile to herself. It was just so him. He couldn't help himself, even after all these years.

This though? His rambling threw her off and she couldn't keep up with him.

Before she could even say anything, Deku kissed her on the cheek and then practically ran out the door. He was buzzing with energy. It was like he'd been holding it all in while trying to be calm and soothing with her before, but he couldn't hide it any longer. He had been energetic before, somewhat high strung and always in motion in his fight to become the number one hero, but this was different.

While he was gone, Uraraka slid off the bed and carefully made her over to the closet so that he wouldn't aggravate her ankle. She opened it and slowly crouched down on one foot until she was sitting down so that she could see her reflection in the broken mirror. Tilting her head to the side, she took a closer look at her exposed neck, which she hadn't been able to see for herself. As soon as she saw the bruises, she hissed.

No wonder Deku had reacted so furiously. The bruises around her neck were ugly and noticeably shaped like fingers. It still ached some, but not nearly as bad as before. Hopefully they would fade soon. She had a feeling they would only serve as reminders and would aggravate Deku further.

Sighing tiredly, she pulled herself up and shut the closet door. Putting most of her weight on her good foot and ankle, she leaned her forehead against the wood and closed her eyes. It had only been about three days, but it felt as if a lifetime had passed. So much had happened. She'd spent half of it unconscious and yet she was still worn to the bone.

No, she had to push further. She had to reach deep inside herself and light the fire that spurned her forward. There was no way that she was going to give up. No until she died would she give in to despair. She wouldn't give in like Mr. Compress had said and she wouldn't simply accept that this was how things were. Life would never be able to go back to the way it was, not with all the things that Deku had done, but she couldn't let him go either. She loved him too much to do that.

The door opened and Deku stepped inside. The smile fled from his face when he saw her standing. "Hey, what are you doing up?" He rushed to set the tray of food down before hurrying over to her. "You could aggravate your ankle doing that."

"I'm fine, Deku, honest," Uraraka replied, although she let him guide her back to the bed. She could put pressure on her ankle well enough. It hurt, but it wasn't impossible to walk on. If she pushed herself through the pain, it wouldn't hurt anymore. That was what she did whenever she got hurt while on the job. It was what Deku had done. What Bakugou did. What Todoroki was doing now. It was what heroes did.

"I know, but I want you to be careful," Deku told her as she sat back down. "Look, I-I got a few things." He turned back to grab the tray and set it on the bed next to her. "I didn't know what you want so I…" His mind caught up with his mouth and he stopped to look at her, biting to his lip and breathing quickly. Hesitantly, he reached out to run his fingers through her hair. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah," Uraraka breathed, "it's okay."

A smile twitched back onto Deku's face. He sat down on the bed, the tray of food in between them, and she pulled legs up so that she could sit cross-legged and face him. They used to do this before, back when they lived with each other. On the days when he had some extra time in the morning, he'd make breakfast and bring it to her in bed. They could spend their morning together without getting out of bed, the comforter still warming her legs and pillows behind her back as the sun lit up the bedroom.

There was very rarely a special occasion for it; he just liked doing it for her. That was the one of the sweetest things about him. He didn't wait for it to be a certain day to do special things for her. There would just be flowers on a Tuesday or he'd make her lunch with a silly note attached on a Thursday or she'd come home to him drawing a bath for her just the way she liked it on a Monday or she'd wake up to him kissing her cheek and she'd turn to face him and open herself up to him and it was so sweet and good and she would miss all the sleep in the world for a moment like that on a Saturday.

He wanted that again. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his words, feel it in his hands. He wanted their life.

But it didn't fit with the one he had now. He had to know that.

"Oh, watch this!" Deku said excitedly, snatching a few grapes from the plate. He practically jumped off the bed and got in a stance, picking one grape with his fingers out of his hand. "I'm better at it now. Lots of practiced." Tossing a grape up in the air, he leaned forward to catch it with his mouth and then grinned at her triumphantly. "Good, right? I used to miss all the time before."

Uraraka smiled at him and clasped her hands together. "Very good. But you still move too much."

"You think you can do better?" Deku teased playfully.

"I know I can," Uraraka responded. She picked a grape and tossed it in the air, catching it with her mouth without having to move from her spot on the bed. She swallowed it down and then stuck her tongue out at him. He had such good coordination thanks to training and his quirk, but for some reason, he could never master something as simple as catching food with his mouth. He'd always beamed himself in the face or threw it too off. "You need a little more control."

Deku shook his head, but there was a gentle smile on his face that made her heart yearn for more. "Show off." He picked another grape and threw it up in the air, this time spinning around and then leaning back to catch it with his mouth. He turned back to face her and held out his hands. "Tada!"

"You really have been practicing," Uraraka said.

There had been so many playful moments when they would take turns tossing small bits of food back and forth to each other on the couch or over the counter that separated the kitchen and the living room. Half the time, Deku would either miss or get hit in the face, but they would laugh every time, despite his mounting frustration. He never got angry over it though. Sometimes, as a joke, she would toss something to him, but her quirk would be activate. He'd go to catch it, but then it would never come down, so he'd look ridiculous and she would laugh herself silly.

Uraraka moved to do it, but then hesitated and set the food back down. She couldn't do it now since she didn't have access to her quirk.

Luckily, Deku missed her hesitation, so quick that it was almost like it hadn't happened. He was brimming with an excited energy, pleased to have captured this sweet moment of their old life with her. It was giving him a false sense of hope, but one that she didn't dare take away from him. To be honest, she was relieved to see him like this, even if it was such a stark and terrifying contrast to how he'd been hours ago. Despite her fears, she found herself relaxing and reveling in the brightness that surrounded him.

This was the Deku she loved, she told herself. This was the Deku she'd missed.

When he paused to gaze at her, she could feel his desire wash over her. It would've been the perfect moment for it too, just what they would've done before. Those little moments when he was laughing and smiling without a care in the world, as if he didn't have its weight on his shoulders at all times. It was too much. She'd feel herself swelling with the need for more and he'd sweep her in his arms and carry her to the bedroom or lean over her on the couch or even be silly and roll onto the floor.

How many times had he told himself to be patient? Even before he'd appeared back in her life. She'd had to mourn him; he'd been forced to bide his time. It left two different kinds of wanting in them.

A knock on the door cut the tension in the room, drawing both of their attention to it. "Hey, Midoriya?" an anxious voice on the other side called. She vaguely recognized it, knowing she'd heard that voice before, but couldn't connect a face to it. Whoever it was must have been told about Deku's explosion. They didn't sound too excited to be fetching him.

Deku huffed. "What is it now?"

"You're needed."

"I asked to not be disturbed," Deku sighed, like the job of being a villain was an inconvenience sometimes. "Can't you all do things without me for one minute?"

"Yeah, um, we would, but…" The discomfort could not be more obvious. "This is something you need to see. Kyōmu doesn't want you to feel blindsided."

Deku furrowed his brow and his body went slack. The mention of Kyōmu seemed to have some sort of effect on him, perhaps making him more submissive, but it was hard to tell. He might've just been confused and lost in thought about what they could possibly need him to see that was so important.

After casting a glance at Uraraka, Deku started for the door, but stopped when Uraraka said, "You can't keep doing this." He didn't move to face her at first, keeping his eyes locked ahead of him, but she knew that his focus lied on her and her words. He licked his lips and then opened his mouth to counter her, maybe question what she meant, but then he closed it again. He knew better. "Locking me up in here. Leaving me to wait for you to return. You can't. It's not…"

"I know," Deku said quietly to the door.

"I'm not some sort of doll," Uraraka told him.

Deku closed his eyes. "I know, but you have to be patient. We both have to be patient. It's the only way." And then he left her alone again, his body tense and sullen.

Maybe she shouldn't have reminded him that they couldn't keep this up. As much as it shamed her, it had been nice to live the illusion, if only for a little. She was so tired of having to put up a front with him. He had done so many horrific things, but then he'd do something as silly as try to do tricks while catching grapes with his mouth and she wanted it so desperately to be real. It cut away at her heart. It was all too easy to fall back into the thought that they were back in their home together, just the two of them enjoying a rare day off together.

Every time he left her though, the dream was shattered and she was left in a hollow state.

Not knowing how long she would be left alone this time, Uraraka was caught off guard when Deku throw the door open, so hard that the door knob banged against the wall and put a dent in it. She drew back on the bed. "That was quick-"

When Deku's eyes landed on her, Uraraka pulled herself further away unintentionally. There was anger in those bright green eyes and pain as well. He looked manic again, but in a different way. She had nowhere to go, but she still flinched away from him as he stormed over to her and grabbed her by the wrist. "Come with me." His tone was mostly flat with just a hint of something underneath it, something that made her resist briefly.

"What's going on?" Uraraka demanded, finding herself being pulled off the bed. She landed hard and stumbled when he pulled her across the room to the door, wincing before she could stop herself. Deku hesitated, his eyes flickering to her bandaged ankle, and he took a deep breath. He clearly had been prepared to drag her through the hallways, but if he did that, she'd hurt herself and he would be going back on his word again.

The walk to the room where they'd first appeared upon stepping through the warp gate was a slow and painful one, not just because of her sprained ankle. She halted and involuntarily pulled back a little when she saw that there were other villains in the room, but Deku pulled her forward and she had no choice but to move. Half their eyes were on her while the others were focused on a television.

Uraraka was busy glaring back at them when her eyes snagged a familiar voice saying, "...unsure of his motives at this point," and her attention snapped to the screen.

There, standing in front of the UA gates, were Aizawa and Bakugou, the latter of whom was wearing most of his hero costume sans his grenade gauntlets. Aizawa was as unreadable as ever, not even these hounds of reporters able to breach the wall he put up. As much as he hated the media, preferring to stay hidden, Aizawa was the perfect defense against them. Sure, he could get worked up about his students and colleagues, but it was hard to rile him up.

Bakugou, on the other hand, could not hide his fury, no matter how much impassive he tried to appear. He was doing his best to maintain a blank face, but there was so much heat in his red eyes that the cameras seemed to flinch away from him and tried to focus on Aizawa alone. He had his arms folded across his chest, a tightly coiled spring of barely contained anger, ready to explode at any moment. He did poorly with reporters as well, snapping at them and brushing off questions that he thought meaningless. In his mind, being liked had little to do with being a hero, despite what Kirishima and Uraraka had tried to impress on him.

The fact that he was out there willingly facing the reporters, who were no doubt acting ruthlessly, meant a lot. When his eyes caught the camera for the news station the television was tuned into, a breath hitched in Uraraka's throat and she had to bite back a gasp. It was as if he was looking directly into her eyes, like he knew she was watching and he could see her. She felt known and terrified at the same time.

I'm coming for you. That was what those eyes said in her mind. She wondered if Deku saw the same.

As a reporter began to hammer them on their plans to protect civilians. video to the side popped up. Uraraka's eyes widened. It was a video clearly shot with a phone camera of their battle with the League and Deku to save Kaminari. Someone had captured it and the leaked the video to the public. It left Uraraka floundering. Now the public knew what Deku had turned into. The public must have been left floundering. He'd been in the top five at his death. Hero society was being rocked.

When questions turned to the topic of Uraraka's and Todoroki's kidnappings, Deku's grip on her wrist tightened to the point of being painful. She bit her lip, not wanting to make a sound, and jerked a little. When it didn't get his attention right away, she jerked harder and he let go of her wrist without looking back at her or apologizing. His entire focus was locked on the screen. No, it was on Bakugou.

The one reporter's question about whether or not Uraraka's decision to go with Deku willingly meant that she was a villain caught her off guard. Truth be told, she hadn't thought about what it might look like to outsiders when she had held out her hand and told Deku to take her with him. It had never crossed her mind that people would think she was a villain too. The only things on her mind had been stopping Deku and saving Bakugou. She couldn't afford to worry about anything else. There hadn't been the time. She hadn't known what else to do and if that would even work.

She knew that Bakugou was going to snap just from the way his eyes flashed and he ripped the microphone out of the offending reporter's hands. The camera zoomed in on him, the video of the fight falling to the wayside.

"Listen up because I'm only going to say this once," Bakugou snarled, righteous indignation on his face. "Uravity is a damn hero. She saved our lives that night, as she has done countless of times before. She saved my life." She could only stare at the screen as his words pierced her heart and bounced around in her head. He wasn't talking to the reporters. He was talking to them - to the villains, to her, to Deku. "I'm not going to tolerate any of you assholes speculating about her integrity. You don't know a damn thing about what she's gone through. She is stronger than any of you know and she has and will do everything in her power to save everyone."

There was a clear shift in the room, many of the villains casting looks her way. There was Ikeda in the corner by the door, seemingly hiding under a large shawl, glancing in her direction with dark shadows under her eyes that rivaled Aizawa's on the television. Mr. Compress was standing to her left at the wall, hands casually tucked into his pants pockets with a leg bent and foot propped up on the wall. Even with his mask on, he looked curious. Uraraka recognized the villain that had sniffed and teased her about smelling like nitroglycerin, a smug grin tugging at her lips as she breathed deeply and sighed. A few others were there, ones that she recognized and many that she didn't.

The one noticeable absence was Dabi, who must have still been in the cells with Todoroki. It made her anxious, knowing the two were probably alone, but she couldn't do anything about it. Kurogiri stood near the television, his vibrant yellow eyes focused on Deku instead of her. It was hard to gage what he was feeling, but he seemed almost...concerned. Even Kyōmu was in the room, his eyes sweeping from Deku to Uraraka.

She wanted to glare at him, but Bakugou's words had taken the breath right out of her chest. He was so livid about the reporter's accusation, so passionate in his defense of her, that it was almost blinding. He was squeezing the microphone so tightly that she was worried he might explode it.

Bakugou wasn't done though. Her mind was sent reeling when she said that the villains were scared because of how quiet they'd been since the drag out fight a few days ago. What was he talking about? Scared? Was he trying to piss them off? Deku was practically vibrating with rage beside her, back to where he'd fallen hours ago. No, no, she couldn't let him do that. She couldn't let him fall victim to that anger again, but she was terrified of touching him. The moment Bakugou had started talking about her, Deku had gone cold.

"It's clear that the League is relying on Deku's strength, so what does that tell us? Besides him, they're weak. They're nothing but a bunch of cowards who barely have the ability to keep Deku completely on their side. Take him out and they'll crumble."

When Bakugou pointed directly into the camera, Uraraka's heart skipped a beat. Oh. He was trying to piss them off. He was talking directly to them. The media was just a means to an end. Bakugou wanted to draw Deku back out into the light. Maybe they'd developed a plan in the last few days. Maybe he was just furious enough to do something absolutely crazy and stupid. She wanted to beg Bakugou to stop - to somehow reach out to him through the screen and shake some sense into him - but this was him making a stand. So far, Deku and the villains had set the court every single time. This was the heroes attempt to make the villains come to them.

"And I'm going to take him out. Mark my words. Your time is coming to an end and I will get Uraraka and Todoroki back." The sneer on Bakugou's face was reminiscent of their early days at UA, ugly and thick with smugness, the kind of look that would throw Deku back to when Bakugou had lorded over him with his strength. "Unless they're too afraid to come out of hiding."

Uraraka closed her eyes for a few seconds and tried to steady her breathing. What had Bakugou done? They had no idea what Deku was capable of. None of them did.

On screen, the camera panned to show Bakugou storming away while Aizawa continued to answer questions, but it was clear that Deku had checked out the second Bakugou had shoved the microphone back into the reporter's hands. A few of the villains eyed him edgily, Kyōmu with more than a hint of interest, but no one said anything. It wasn't until Kyōmu snapped his fingers that the villains began to move and file out of the room through various exits. Kyōmu was last, tapping his chin thoughtfully, but then he too left, so that Uraraka and Deku were alone.

Instead of feeling safer with the other villains gone though, Uraraka felt boxed in and trapped. They'd left her with Deku for a reason.

And that reason was that he was about to erupt.

"Is it true?" Deku asked, his eyes on the screen as the news station showed old footage of pro heroes Ground Zero and Deku together back in the day. There was Bakugou's muted aggravation but respect while Deku smiled and waved at the camera after a well-done villain takedown. Uraraka bit her lip. What could she say? She couldn't just lie to him. He would know the truth. "Is it true?"

"Deku, I-"

"Don't lie to me!" Deku snapped, his voice strained and hurt. Uraraka pressed her lips together. He turned his head to gaze at her, his face filled with anguish. It was a look that spoke of betrayal. "Did you come here for him? Did you just ask me to take you so you could save him? Was it about Kacchan this whole time?"

Never. Yes. No. Maybe. No.

Uraraka closed her eyes and swallowed. "Please-"

"Is that who you want?" Deku pointed the screen which showed Bakugou snarling and practically threatening the reporters again. He looked dangerous on there, but Deku felt dangerous here. "Is that what you want?" She shook her head, lips trembling as she tried to come up with an answer. "Why? Why did you come here? Why did you ask me to take you if it was only for-?"

"It was the only way," Uraraka cut in.

"The only way for what?" Deku demanded, turning his body completely to face her. "Did you come here for me or for him?" He stepped closer to her and it took everything in her will not to step back. The power radiating from him was overwhelming and he hadn't even activated his quirk. "Answer me, Ochako! For him or for me?"

"I came here for you!" Uraraka shouted, clenching her fists at her side. "I came here to save you!"

Deku stared at her, light flickering in his eyes, like one second it was him and the next it wasn't. There was a hard edge to his expression, one that made her think that if she said the wrong word, it would be all over. He'd take her to Kyōmu. He'd have her twisted under Kyōmu's quirk. He would get what he wanted, but at a price and she was scared because then Deku really would be gone for good.

"Prove it," he said, the words sounding as if they had been scraped out of him.

Uraraka held up her hands and dropped them in defeat. "What do you want me to do, Deku? What can I possibly do to prove it to you? To show that I'm here for you?" Tears stung her eyes, angry and scared and devastated. She shook her head and took a shaky breath. "What? What do you expect of me?"

"I want to know that you didn't just come here for Kacchan!" Deku yelled back, catching her off guard with his anger and possessiveness. "That you belong with me and you're mine and you love me, not him!"

"I do love you!" Uraraka exclaimed, forcing herself toward him. She held his face in her hands, wishing against everything that she could activate her quirk, and pressed her lips against his in a searing kiss. She put everything she had into it: all her desperation, fear, rage, love, grief, hope, desires. She gave it all to him right then and there, not holding herself back.

Gods, she'd fucking missed him. She wanted him to come back to her so badly.

Deku reacted instantly, taking hold of her arms and kissing her back just as fiercely. He pushed hard against her, forcing her backwards until her back slammed into the wall. One of his hands slid up her neck and into her hair, tugging on it almost painfully. He kissed her until she was gasping for air, like he was claiming her, as if he could mark her as his, and no one else would be able to touch her, least of all Bakugou.

He only stopped when he had to breathe and he pulled away only an inch, pressing his forehead against hers, his whole body vibrating with just barely contained wanting. He moved his hand from her hair to touch her cheek, rubbing his thumb over a pink circle, and pressed his other hand against the wall by her head.

"He wasn't lying though, was he?" Deku murmured. "You did save him. You did it to save him."

"I did it to save you both," Uraraka replied, her voice cracking as her throat constricted. Her fingers dug into his hair, clinging onto him tightly and pulling him closer. "I couldn't… I couldn't let you hurt him like that." Deku took a shuddering breath, but he didn't pull away like she feared he would. "You never told me exactly what happened between you two when you were kids. You had every opportunity and I would have… I would have probably hated him for what he did to you."

Deku said nothing, only breathed, and she had to believe that was a good thing. Every word she said made her feel like she was digging her grave deeper, but they had to be said. It was bound to come out sooner or later, so it might as well be now. Of course, it didn't make her any less afraid. If she said the wrong word, there was a chance that Deku would snap, no matter what he'd told her earlier.

"But you didn't talk about it. You didn't want us to think he wasn't a hero. You knew he was, despite everything, and by believing in him, you gave him the ability to grow into who he is now." Uraraka pulled away from him, but forced him into look her in the eyes. She didn't care if she looked like a mess right now. She didn't care if he saw the pain and fear in her eyes as long as he saw how much she cared too. "I couldn't let you dash that away, one of your greatest abilities as a hero."

Deku scoffed halfheartedly. "And what's that?"

"To see the good in people and bring it to the light," Uraraka told him. "To forgive but never forget." She gave him a watery smile. "I wouldn't be the hero I am today without you. Neither would Bakugou or Todoroki, Tsu or Iida." Her lips trembled and her hands shook. "I had to save you both. It was the only way. I had to save Bakugou in order to take the first step in saving you."

"What happened?" Deku asked sadly, looking deflated. "What made you care about Kacchan so much?" His shoulders slumped. "If it wasn't just for me…"

"You were gone, Deku," Uraraka told him. "For you, it was just biding time - you knew that you'd see me again - but you died for me and I was alone for an almost entire year."

It hurt to speak of it, not because this time had been her weakest and lowest point, but because he couldn't possibly understand how she felt. He'd missed her? At least he had known that he would hold her once again - a least he saw her from a distance or in pictures. She'd had nothing but memories and the ghost of his presence in their home.

"I didn't want to leave you alone for so long," Deku said.

"But you did," Uraraka cut in. "And I was alone. Tsu tried so hard to help me. Iida did what he could. They all attempted to be there for me. Even Todoroki…"

He'd had trouble opening up about his pain as much as her. It had been easiest with him sometimes, if only because she'd known that he wouldn't push her to talk. He didn't expect anything from her. He didn't worry about her falling apart. He was simply there for her. She could cry in front of him and he wouldn't try soothe her with platitudes or comforting words. Tsu, Iida, and Kirishima had been amazing sources of comfort, but sometimes they were too much. And sometimes none of them were enough and she still felt empty.

Uraraka took a breath. "But then there was Bakugou. You might not believe it, but your death devastated him and he couldn't admit it. He felt like he'd failed you. So he did what he believed you would want. I was so alone in that darkness - it was all I could do at times to do my job - and he threw everything he had into bringing me back into the light." Her eyes flickered to the television screen. This time they were showing old footage of pro heroes Ground Zero and Uravity. "He was a hero for me in the way that you were for him."

Silence overtook them. Uraraka couldn't be for certain if she had messed up or not. Deku had gone quiet, his eyes having fallen to the ground and his touch weak. His body was limp, as if all the fight had been sucked right out of him. She wanted to think that was a good thing, but she was too wary to feel any sort of hope.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Deku?"

Instead of responding to her, Deku squeezed his eyes shut. "He's not even here and I can feel him taking you away from me. I saw the way you responded when you saw him on the screen. You…" He opened his eyes to look at her, but this time, she didn't recognize the look in his eyes. "Are you even mine anymore?"

"I knew that I'd always love you." A fire sparked in Uraraka. "But you left me alone for eleven months with no hope of you returning. It wasn't like I was waiting for you to come back. I thought you were dead. Did you want me to be alone forever?"

"No, I-" His brow furrowed. "Do you miss him?" Of course she did, but she couldn't say that. "Are you thinking about him whenever I'm near you?" He ran a hand down her arm. "When I touch you?"

"It's not like that!" Uraraka insisted angrily.

"Then what is it?" Deku demanded. He pointed at the screen. "I should've killed him. Then you could've forgotten about him like you did me."

Uraraka reacted without thinking. She took her hands, placed them on his chest, and shoved him as hard as she could. Taken aback by her unexpected move, Deku stumbled back away from her. "I never forgot you! I spent countless nights crying just because our bed felt empty without you! I wished so many times that I'd fallen into the ocean with you! Don't you dare say that I forgot you when it would have been easier if I had!"

His eyes widened in shock and hers did the same once she realized what she'd done. She had put her hands on him; she'd pushed him away and yelled at him. That kind of act could send him into a tailspin. When he took a quick step towards her again, she flinched instinctively and he froze. Horror flooded his eyes and he took a few more steps away from her, his fingers twitching at his sides.

And Uraraka knew: something irreparable had been broken. The illusion that Deku had tried to build was cracking and she couldn't piece it back together once it shattered.

What came after when he pulled himself together was someone with a sharp and angry edge that made her wary.