Hello, everyone! Hope you enjoy!

If you take this story seriously, more power to you? I guess if you're entertained, all's well! If not, I better git gud or something.

"D-Deku?! I, uh, wasn't expecting you!"

"H-Hey, Uraraka, could I come in?"

"S-Sure!" the bright and cheery woman moved to the side, allowing me to enter, "I've got some tea, if you'd like to have some!"

"... That would be great, thank you."

"Make yourself at home!" my friend was almost exactly like she was when we first met, but she had aged a bit. There was also a bit more muscle, and dare I say, grit to her now that she was a pro.

I sat at the table, noting that it was relatively fancy compared to the one that me and Tsuyu had, but we bought ours because we had both thought that it functioned the best and was price effective.

"Here you go!" she was a little excitable as she set the tea down, apparent because the warm fluid inside spilled a little onto the table, "S-Sorry!"

I chuckled slightly at the embarrassed behavior, and I noticed a large jacket on one of the chairs.

"So! What brings you over to my neck of the woods?" taking a seat at my side, she smiled widely.

"Oh." I took a sip of tea, which tasted great, but I felt like I was intruding a little, "Just visiting, really."

"How are things with Tsuyu?" and my tea soured slightly.

"Um … we're taking little break."

"Break? What's- no!" her hands shot to her mouth, and I saw her made up nails, "W-What happened ...?"

Looking a little closer, she was dressed nicely, and was wearing makeup that accentuated her rosy cheeks. I knew she was cute, but the woman was absolutely stunning.

"I … think that we just grew apart."

"That's …! But you two looked so cute together!" she grabbed my hand in hers, "I mean-! I'm so sorry! I-Is there anything I could do ...?"

"I-It's fine, really ..." the warm atmosphere was toxic. I could already feel wetness at the edges of my eyes and I was scared to blink.

"Y-You're my friend, Deku!" tears fell down her rosy cheeks, ruining her eyeliner and blush, "This is terrible! I-I'm so …! I'm so-!"

I hugged her. I pulled her close and I rested my chin on her shoulder.

Her warmth seeped into, and I thought that I would be okay. That everything would be fine.

I was only assailed by memories as I held Tsuyu in my arms. How we would lay in bed after a rough day. How we would forget there was anything else other than ourselves for a brief period of time. How we loosened the immense burdens we carried for a short while and get lost in ourselves.

"D-Deku?"

How she carried me, lifted me, saved me from the despair. How the pain disappeared with her around. How I could move on and live some sort of life.

"... I-It's alright … you're okay ..."

But the pain didn't stop. It grew more intense every time I tried to save someone. How even with her help, it wasn't enough.

"Just let it out, Deku … you're okay now ..."

My arm became useless. I lost my license.

I lost her.

"Uh …" I sniffed loudly, puling away from Uraraka, "S-Sorry about the dress ..."

"Don't worry about it!" she smiled, even with her drenched dress, "I forgot how much you could cry, Deku!"

I checked my watch, and seeing the time, I had an idea of who she was waiting for.

"Thanks, Uraraka, really … but I think I need to go."

"W-Wait! Hold on! W-Won't you stay awhile? I mean, i-it's been so long since we've opened up ike this-!"

"Kacchan hates me, Uraraka."

She stiffened, and I think she had tried her best to hide it.

"W-W-What makes you-?!"

"Your reaction confirms it." I gave her a light smile as I stood up, "Thanks … for everything-"

"I … I really liked you, you know?!"

I swear that my heart skipped several beats.

"W-What-?"

"Back then, when we were kids, no! Even now I …! I really like you! I love you, Izuku …!" with tears dripping off her cheeks, Uraraka held the hem of her skirt, "I-It hurts …!" her hiccups were too similar to tiny croaks, "To see you l-like this! S-So please …! Stay …!"

I stared down at her, not knowing what to do or how I felt. So, instead of thinking, I relied on my gut instinct.

"... I love you too, Uraraka." I leaned down and hugged her again, "Thank you."

"S-So then-!"

"But … I'm sorry." I pulled away, and directed a soft smile her way, "I'm … well, you know ..."

"... Because you love Tsuyu …"

"And I don't want to get killed by Kacchan."

She giggled as I started to leave, "He's … not that bad ..."

"Tell him I said hi, okay?" she slowly got up and walked with him to the door.

"I will-"

"How about you say it yourself, shit muncher?!"

Waiting for us at the entrance, stood the very definition of strength and power. The number one hero, Bakugou Katsuki.

"... Hey, Kacchan-!"

"The first time we meet in years, and that's all you have to say to me?!" it took every bit of willpower I had to not flee immediately.

"Hey, stop it, Kacchan-!"

"Ochako, I told you to get ready by the time I get here, and you end up looking like your face is melting!"

"W-Well, it's been pretty emotional, you know!" she shouted back, surprising me with her courage to stand up to the volatile hero.

"... I bet." he gave me a glare, "... I've got a lot of beef with you, Deku-!"

"T-That's nice and all, but I need to get going!" I quickly slipped by him as pain shot through my legs and rushed out the exit.

"DEKU …!" he had powerful lungs, and bothered his neighbors a lot, but from what I could hear from their house, Uraraka was holding him from giving chase.

"YOU BASTARD …! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOU TO GIVE YOUR ARM FOR US! YOU CAN'T SADDLE ME WITH THAT KIND OF SHIT …!"

"THEN … !" I shouted back, hating how he managed to rile me up with the one thing he hadn't let go of, "HOW ABOUT YOU SAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE FOR THE BOTH OF US …?! WE'LL BE EVEN-!"

"YOU LITTLE SHIT …!" against all odds, his volume grew beyond what a normal human was capable of, "I WAS GOING TO DO THAT ANYWAY …!"

My ears rang, and I felt extremely sorry for his neighbors.

"... SHIT …!" I jumped, not expecting the explosive expletive.

"... YOU WERE STRONG, DEKU …!"

As the ringing disappeared, I ran. I ran as fast as I could to get away.

But I couldn't escape the meaning he had put into those words. That Kacchan, the terrible asshole I've known my entire life, that amazing and powerful hero … said that I was strong.

Seriously, I kept getting stuck here.