Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

4th Moment: Price of Heroism

"Hmm… Got some more, now. Been getting too many of these, lately. I really need to start finding more long range options in my fighting style..."

Ochako sighed to herself as she stared at her reflection in her apartment bathroom, clad in a black top, dark green shorts, and a multitude of faint scars, old and fresh, on many parts of her body. She had just returned from one of the more dangerous missions a few days ago and it was only until this morning that she was finally able to remove her bandages from said ordeal. The villain she and her group had to face was very strong and possessed a unique Quirk that turned them into a werewolf-like creature on a whim. It took a very long time to subdue them and during the scuffle, Ochako suffered a multitude of deep scratches on multiple parts of her body due to her having to get close in order to use her Quirk. The most worrying wound was the one on her wrists, where the assailant cut so deep that they broke her wrist guards and nearly cut her hands off. Thankfully with some quick thinking and maneuvering on Tsuyu's part, they were able to take the werewolf villain down and get Ochako to Recover Girl fast enough to make a proper recovery.

"I really hope that guy doesn't break out. He was too much trouble to handle. I'm honestly lucky to be alive right now…" Ochako muttered to herself as she looked at her arms, frowning at the white scars that were on her wrists.

Attacks to her hands and arms were always something she had to look out for while at work. Her Quirk was entirely dependent on her touching her target with all five fingers. If she lost just one of her fingers, then she would have no way to turn off her Quirk, and if she lost one in each hand, then she couldn't use her Quirk at all. It was something she looked into while researching on Quirks that required specific body parts during high school and it had stuck to her ever since. She wasn't the only one who had similar issues to her; Katsuki with his palms and Tenya with his legs came to mind, but she was practically the only one among her peers who would be rendered practically Quirkless so easily. It was a fact that truly terrified her at times, but thankfully she had the support of her friends to help ease her worries and come up with ways to protect her arms and fingers.

It also helped that Mei Hatsume, a good yet eccentric friend, and Melissa Shield, a sweetheart that was practically Izuku's older sister with how close they were, developed special prosthetics for her and a few of her friends that would allow them to still use their Quirks should the worst come to pass.

"Hmm. I wonder how I'd look with a metal hand? Or even metal fingers? I just hope maintaining them won't be too costly. Having a prosthetic actually sounds kinda cool..." Ochako mused as she raised her palm up in front of the mirror, imagining it having a metallic design to it, as her eyes wandered to a small, slightly scratched All Might figure that appeared to be Christmas themed; the only thing that survived the attack on her arms and wrists. "I'm so glad Deku's gift is ok. I'm really surprised that it managed to come out of that mess with only a few scratches. I guess it's as durable as the real thing."

*knock knock*

"Ochako? Is everything ok? Your wounds aren't acting up again, are they?"

"I'm fine, Deku. I just took off the bandages and assessed the damage. You can come in, if you want. I'm decent," Ochako called out to the worried voice beyond the door, a reassuring smile on her face as Izuku entered the bathroom with a frazzled expression.

"Are you sure? You came back in a pretty bad state a few days ago. I don't want you to push yourself too hard just to assure me," Izuku said softly as he looked over her body, an act that caused her natural blush to darken a little.

"I'm still pretty sore, but not as bad as I was a few days ago. The medication and your special attention has really sped up the healing process," Ochako said gently as she placed a hand on his cheek. She felt so bad for making him worry after the mission was completed. When Izuku was told of her state, he practically flew over to the hospital she was staying at just to check on her. It was a very sweet gesture, honestly, but the pained expression on his face the first time he saw her in such a bad shape filled her with guilt. Usually it was her coming to see him in the hospital after doing something that nearly broke his bones, so being on the receiving end of such worry really put some things into perspective.

"I'm glad. I was really worried for a while, Ochako. I know you're strong and dealt with stuff like this before, but this is the first time that you got so severely hurt. It's usually me that's put in that state," Izuku confessed with a mirthless laugh.

"And now you know how I feel whenever I see you like this," Ochako joked while gesturing to her scarred body, getting a more genuine chuckle out of the young hero before wrapping her arms around him in a soft embrace. "And now I know how you feel being in intensive care like that. Honestly, I was really scared after we got the werewolf guy. I didn't think my hands were gonna fully recover for a moment there. Thankfully Recovery Girl was there to heal me. She really is a miracle worker at times, huh?"

"She is, isn't she? Makes me wonder how far we'd go if she wasn't around," Izuku mused as she felt him rub her back, her nicked skin feeling his own rough and scarred hand.

"You'd probably be a one armed warrior with how much you busted your hands back in the day," Ochako said with a wry smile as she gently pushed herself away and held her lover's warped appendage. "You've always given it your all in order to do the right thing, and these scars are proof of that. Mine are no different. It's the price we pay for our heroism, Deku, and it's something that both of us have accepted a long time ago. I was scared when it was over, yes, but in the end, this is what I... What we signed up for. And I'll do it all again to make sure that the people I love are safe."

"...You truly are a hero, you know that?" Izuku hiccuped, tears falling so hard from his face that Ochako couldn't help but giggle a little at the sight.

"Well I learned from the best," She answered softly before giving him a loving kiss on the cheek. "Now...let's get out of the bathroom and get lunch ready. We got a special guest coming to stay with us for a little bit and we need to prepare."

"Yeah. You're right. Sorry. Still can't help but feel a bit emotional when it comes to stuff like this," Izuku confessed as the two left the bathroom and made their way to the kitchen.

"I understand. And I don't mind at all. Really. Seeing you worry about me like this just shows how much you care about me. It's...honestly reassuring to know that you'll be there for me whenever things get rough," Ochako said shyly as she passed the counter and patted Mikan, who was napping on it.

"Huh? What do you mean? I'll always be there for you for anything. Just like you're always there for me. It's been like that literally since we first met," Izuku said, tone full of confusion as he went to a cabinet and pulled out a few plates.

"I know… I'm just being silly," She said while shaking her head and grabbed an apron, shoulders drooping when she saw him frown at her. "It's just…I sometimes have moments where I wonder if I'm strong enough to do what I want to do. To stand by you and the others as equals. To make sure that no one else is dying in my arms… I have moments where I wonder if I'm even good enough to be a hero? That I'm just hurting myself and others for no reason at all. But whenever I have those thoughts, you fly by and just banish them away. I see you being your amazing self and I can't help but emulate that. You inspire and support me in ways that the others can't. You make me see that these scars on me actually mean something. You are a hero to me and so many people…and whenever you call me a hero, it just makes me feel like everything that I've done has been worth it."

"That's because it has been worth it, Ochako," Izuku said as he came up to her and placed his scarred hand on his face, wiping away a tear she didn't know she had. "You're just as much an inspiration to me as I am to you. Maybe even more so. I wouldn't even be here right now if you didn't help me back at UA's entrance exam. Your bright personality and never-give-up attitude are what helped me push myself to become a hero that can stand beside you. Every day I ask myself how I got so lucky to meet, befriend, and go out with someone as amazing as you. So yeah, give yourself a bit of credit and wear those scars proudly. You didn't get them by being stupid and reckless like how I got mine."

"Haha! That's debatable, Deku! I got some of my scars in pretty stupid ways, too!" Ochako laughed, her mood much better after hearing her boyfriend's heartfelt words and seeing that boyish smile she'd long since loved. "Wow, we were really sappy today, huh? Guess both of us were feeling pretty emotional. Makes sense, considering what happened."

"Yeah, but I think we needed this. It's not healthy to keep everything bottled up for too long. We both learned that the hard way," Izuku nodded before giving Ochako a quick hug and a peck on the forehead before making his way to the refrigerator.

"You can say that, again," Ochako nodded before grabbing another apron and tossed it to him. "Now, let's get lunch started. We're making katsudon, right?"

"Yup, and some apple rabbits for snacks. Think you can handle them? You make them look nicer than I do," He asked while grabbing the necessary ingredients.

"Only if you make a couple yourself. She loves the ones you make a lot more, even if they do look a little lumpy," She answered, hair now tied back and grabbing a knife and cutting board from a nearby drawer.

"Deal," He nodded while placing a basket of apples beside her, causing Ochako to beam at him and peck his cheek once more before beginning her task, pausing when she saw the white scar on her wrist.

...This is the price I pay to be a hero. The price I pay to keep Deku and the others safe. It's a painful price, but as long as everyone is alive and well at the end of the day, then I'll proudly accept more of them. Deku's been doing it since the beginning, after all, and I am not gonna fall behind. We promised to stand by each other and help everyone in need, scars and all. Besides, all these scars build up our intimidation factor. Hopefully people will think twice about jumping me after work once they actually see physical proof of what I do for a living. Maybe I should try getting one on my eye? That'll really freak people out…as long as Deku doesn't faint if I do get one.

Ochako couldn't help but let out another giggle at that thought, waving Izuku off when he turned to her curiously, before beginning her task. She honestly felt like a broken record for basically repeating what she told her lover in the bathroom earlier, but it helped to reassure herself that everything that she'd done had been worth it. Her hero work truly was hard on her at times, physically, mentally and emotionally, but she managed to push through it all in the end, and would continue to push through until the end. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in that regard. So long as she had the support of her loved ones and believed in herself, she was sure to overcome any obstacle that came her way. And if she was ever stuck on something, she knew she always had someone beside her to help her out...just as she would always help him when he was in trouble.

With those words in mind, the woman began her work with a bright smile on her face, humming and giggling as Izuku came by to do his part, when they heard their doorbell ring just as they finished. Excited, the pair took off their aprons, set their meals on the table, and made their way to the door, where they welcomed in the guest that would be staying with them for the next few days with open arms.

"Hi, Mr. Deku! Hi, Ms. Ocha!"

"Eri!"

Author's Note:

Hello, Heroes. Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter of the Domestic Heroes prequel. A bit more serious than the last one, but hey, it brought Eri into the fold. Been waiting to bring her in and I hope you all like her as much as you did before, because she'll be here for the next couple chapters. She's one of my favorite characters in the series and I am happy to finally get to use her in Domestic Heroes again. Look forward to the classic cute interactions, everyone! It'll be a treat. With that said, thank you all so much for reading my works. I hope you all have a wonderful day and I will see you tomorrow for the next update!

Until then, farewell. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!