Warm Embrace

Six in the morning. The sound of feet pacing back and forth can be heard. Ochako Uraraka had been grinding her gears for the last week. Trying to think of a gift for Izuku.

"Argh!" She screamed into her pillow. "This is hopeless!"

It had been a while since Izuku heard Ochako's wish/ confession upon a star. Surprisingly enough, they had settled into their relationship pretty well. In the months that followed they learned more about each other like how Ochako liked to cuddle and can be very jealous. Of course, no relationship can be without any disagreements. They had their spats but they still managed to work through it.

'Maybe some breakfast would help me think,' she thought.

She made her way to the dorm kitchen. Still panicking over what gift should she give her boyfriend. The problem was not only because of the budget but because Izuku practically had everything. She knew that she should not be blaming Inko for this but Izuku being an only child and a sweet one at that, made it impossible to give presents to. Why? Because she had either gotten it for him already, on the way, or he did not want it. Her thought process came to a halt when she arrived her destination.

"Good morning Uraraka-san," Izuku greeted cheerfully.

"Hah," She yawned. "Morning Deku-kun. Finished your morning exercises already?"

"Yeah," Izuku answered. "I'm going out to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Did you want to come?"

She thought for a moment then her mind trailed to his gift. Her body stiffened and her cheeks took on a reddish hue. Unaware of her next actions.

"No!" Ochako screamed as she bolted from the room. Leaving a very confused Izuku behind.

Katsuki Bakugo was annoyed. Not surprising, just about anything can set this guy off but today it was the eyes that were burning holes through the back of his head for the last couple of hours. Since he arrived from his training. He shot up from his seat, walked over to the subject of his ire and slammed an explosive hand at the wall that she had been hiding been hiding behind.

"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" Katsuki growled. "YOU'VE BEEN STANDING THERE STARING AT THE BACK OF MY HEAD FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS!"

Ochako squeaked, contemplating whether asking the explosive teen what her boyfriend would like was a bad idea. She looked around the room to check whether or not Izuku was there. When she was sure he was not, she took a deep breath.

"Bakugo, you've known Deku for a long time right?" Ochako asked rhetorically.

"WHAT DOES THE SHITTY NERD HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS?" Katsuki shouted back. Light explosions setting of in his hands.

"Well, I don't know what to get him and all the ideas that I was given wouldn't work because of one reason or another," Ochako explained. "So I wanted to ask for your advice on what I should get him."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Katsuki roared. "ARE YOU #U &I$G KIDDING ME!? YOU STALKED ME FOR THE ENTIRE MORNING SINCE I GOT BACK BECAUSE YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU FIND A GIFT FOR #U &I$G DEKU!"

"I'm really desperate ok!" Ochako shouted back. "It's kinda hard to get him something when Inko-san already gave him practically everything."

"Oh," Katsuki said as he deflated. He contemplated the thought for a minute. What she said was technically true. The nerd did have pretty much everything. From toys to quirk, but he was not going to tell her the last part. An idea then popped into his head. Giving her a once over. "Well you could always…"

He was interrupted by a fist hitting the top of his head. Ochako knew what he was about to suggest with that look. Mineta had done the same. Hence, the reason why he is right now dangling from his room above a bucket of nonlethal acid courtesy of Mina. Though she assured that it would hurt like hell.

"Hi Uraraka-san, Kacchan," Izuku said as he walked down the stairs. "What are you two up to? Uh... Uraraka-san, why is your fist smoking?"

"Oh hi Deku-kun! Nothing much just talking" Ochako half whispered and half shouted. Slowly inching away. "Is it that time already. Well, gotta go! Bye!"

"Ah, what's-what's happening?" Izuku asked Katsuki, completely confused.

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW!? SHE'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Katsuki shouted before stomping away. "SHITTY NERD!"

Christmas Eve, the day had been hectic. Some last minute shopping, preparations, packing for the holidays and lots of cooking was done. Though tedious and work intensive, the class managed to pull through.

The class had just finished dinner and the guests have left. It was nearly twelve. The class had noticed the awkwardness that was hanging about the two lovebirds. So they decided to give them some alone time. After finishing the last of their cleaning, Izuku had noticed their situation and decided it was time to act.

"Uraraka-san," Izuku called.

Ochako looked up from the coffee table that she was wiping. Noticing the lack of people, she squirmed. Turning around from Izuku, trying to make herself smaller.

"Um, I'll take out the garbage," Ochako said and slowly walked away. She was stopped when Izuku took one of her hands with his own.

"No, no, you don't" Izuku said with a small smile. Guiding her to sit on the couch and sat beside her.

"I don't," Ochako said as she turned around and meekly looked up at her boyfriend.

"No," Izuku said. "Would you mind listening to what I have to say? I wanted to tell you something."

Ochako could barely look him in the eye. She still could not find a present worthy of him. Knowing that she no longer has a choice, she nodded in response.

"Ochako, we've been through a lot since we met each other," Izuku said.

'Wait! Something's wrong here,' Ochako thought ominously.

"We've faced obstacles and had our fair share of disagreements," Izuku continued. "But…"

He did not finish. Something wet and warm had landed on his hand. Looking at Ochako, he tensed. She was crying.

"Uraraka-san?" Izuku called.

"You're breaking up with me!? On Christmas Eve!?" Ochako stated more than asked. "I know I'm not the best girlfriend but please Deku-kun! I can do better. I may not have the best package like Yaomomo or Hatsume but they'll get there, just give it time! I know that we haven't really cross any bases. It's because I didn't want it interfering with us becoming heroes and because... Whatever it is that made you want to do this, Deku-kun. Please! We can work through it!"

"Huh?" Izuku said in his confusion. Staring at the hysterical girl before him. "What are you talking about?"

"Aren't you breaking up with me?" Ochako asked. Embarrassed but not convinced.

"Why would I do that?" Izuku asked. Still looking at her like she grew a second head. "I love you."

"Then what was all that talk about earlier?" Ochako asked in an accusing voice. "And why'd you have to do it when we're alone?"

Izuku looked at her for a few more moments then burst out laughing. The brunette just glared at him and pouted. She looked like an injured puppy like this. He gave her a warm smile.

"You misunderstood what I was trying to say and didn't let me finish," Izuku explained. "I'm not really good at talking you know."

"Then what were you trying to say then?" Ochako shot back while puffing her cheeks.

"I was saying that we might have had to face many things and despite popular belief, we don't agree on everything but I would not change any of it for anything," Izuku answered. He took out a box from his pocket and opened it.

"Ha!" Ochako gasped. There laid a necklace with an emerald heart fastened within a rose gold star. Izuku took it and put it on her.

"Ochako, you're my first friend, my best friend. You're a big part of my life. You have since we met," Izuku declared confidently. Not noticing the guilty and pained expression that had taken over the girls face. "I hope that you always will be."

Ochako bit her lips. Avoiding his eyes. She was embarrassed enough from her misunderstanding earlier. Now he drops this on her. Add to the fact that she did not manage to find him a gift.

'Damn it Deku-kun!' She thought before sighing. 'Why do you have to be so sweet!?'

"Uh… Ok," Izuku said worriedly. "Well, if you don't like it."

"Deku-kun, I," Ochako interrupted. "It's beautiful! It's perfect!"

"But?" Izuku asked.

"It's just that," Ochako struggled. "It's just that I… I didn't get you a gift. I didn't know what to get or…"

"But you did," Izuku said."Ochako, you got me the greatest gift in the world. You."

"..."

"You being here with me," Izuku continued. Wrapping his arms around her. "Is the only gift I need."

Ochako was speechless. How can she say anything after that? Is there even anything someone can say after that? Without ruining the moment? With tears still falling from her eyes, she did what she thought was the only possible response to that. Resting her head on his shoulder and returned the hug. In his warm embrace, she felt his love. In it, she found solace and support. Someone who would stand by her, even when the world goes to hell. A reason to stand and keep going, even when all seems lost. His smile, a beacon of light to guide her through the darkest night. His warmth, a comforting fire on those cold nights. He was home. With him she found her dreams, her strengths, her future. She could not help but imagine it. Him being the new Symbol of Peace. Her standing beside him. Their children running up to them as they told them about their day.

'I don't need anything else,' Ochako thought as she snuggled to him. 'I just need him.'

The next day, most of the class had woken up early to open their presents. When they arrived, they found a sleeping Izuku laying on the couch with Ochako snuggled up against him. Nuzzling at his neck. A serene smile on their faces.

The students looked at one another and nodded. Walking out of the living room but not before snapping a few pics for later. They noticed Shoto seemed as though he was looking for something and got curious.

"Todoroki-san, what are you looking for?" Momo asked.

"Did you by chance misplace something?" Iida asked.

"No, nothing like that," Shoto answered.

"Then what are you looking for?" Iida asked.

"The partridge," Shoto answered. "But I guess we need a pear tree for that."

"Huh?" The students sounded. Giving him dumb, incredulous or just confused looks.

"Well," Shoto said. He pointed back to the sleeping couple on the couch. "We have two turtle doves."

The class burst out laughing. Waking up the duo on the couch.

Author's Note:

Welp that's that. Happy birthday to Ochako! Hope you guys enjoyed IzuOcha week. This marks the end of this line of stories. I hope you liked it. Next stop to update the rest of the stories that I've written.