Chapter 21: First Moments
"Love is always bestowed as a gift-freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love."- Leo Buscaglia
Izuku & Ochako
It's 4:57 am when he last checked his phone (he thinks), gray morning sunlight not yet fully slipped through his blinds, moon still full and visible against a starless night. His room feels warmer than usual, restraining back a yawn as sleepiness to close back his eyes and wakefulness to get up both tug at him at once.
The decision is made for him though as soon as Ochako shifts at his movement from his right side, face contorting just slightly at the loss of heat before relaxing once more when he hesitantly wraps an arm around her.
Last night bubbles up in a rush, of warm breath, tangled limbs, and soft sighs…
'We really kissed, right?!' He suddenly wonders.
He sees then the tale tell marks of her slightly swollen lips, the remnants of a flush staining her cheeks.
A girl actually likes him! Isn't afraid of him or considers him a loser! If he told his middle school self from this is where he would be a year from now he surely wouldn't have believed him.
And he allows himself to pretend for these few minutes there is nothing to worry about in their lives, that they are two ordinary students at U.A. with ordinary quirks and ordinary dreams to graduate…
Though all it takes for that dream to crack is to take one glance at the latest news or social media, see the ripple effect the league of villains have done not just in Musutafu, but in neighboring regions as well.
"You're awake?" Ochako asks sleepily into his chest.
A blush rises to her cheeks as their eyes meet before a second later it twists into panic.
"Wait, awake?! I fell asleep here, didn't I?" She questions, checking the time on her phone.
There's 3 missed calls from Gamps and a voicemail/text from Gamma saying they expect an answer from her come morning after checking in with Inko that she is indeed still at the Midoriya household.
Great!
She hesitates before clicking play on the voicemail, Gamps voice filling the room.
"Ochi, please tell me you didn't sleep in that boy's room! if you were planning to spend the night you could've let us know! Also, Midoriya may be a gentleman but he's still a teenage boy with hormones and you two need to-"
She pauses before his voice gets any louder, more dramatic.
"You can stay for breakfast, I don't think they would want you to return on a empty stomach." Izuku offers, chuckling weakly.
He'd be getting the stink eye from her godparents once more.
A smile returns back to her lips, nodding her agreement.
"Sure...more sleep first though!" Ochako slurs and Izuku laughs, pecking her cheek lightly as she instantly drifts off once more.
'Right, sleep.' They hardly seemed to get enough of that as of late.
"I really need to get some recipes from your Mom, I know Gamma wanted to test out using some of the same spices she uses for making miso soup!" She points out eagerly upon awakening nearly 2 hours later, giddily tugging him out of bed.
His parents are already awake too and setting the table and Izuku pauses taking in his Dad's features, the spidery cracks of red in his eyes, the remnants of bags under his eyes.
'He looks paler than normal?' He frowns.
But before he can ask if he slept well he tosses him a grin, emerald eyes seeming to light up at Ochako's presence beside him.
"Have a good sleep?" He asks, teasing lilt in his voice that makes their faces burn anew.
"Yes! I mean, we studied and fell asleep before we realized how late it had gotten!" Ochako blurts out, cheeks darkening at Hisashi's light laugh.
He gestures for them to sit, waving to the two open seats and plates already strewn with a mix of fruit and pancakes.
"Eat, I'm sure you both have a busy schedule! Final exams on top of these Hero training simulations can be hectic I imagine." Hisashi reasons.
'That and the stress of all these news stories as well.' Hisashi adds in mentally.
"Did you and Mom already eat?" Izuku questions, gesturing to most of meal growing cold on his plate.
But Hisashi nods anyways, green eyes shining with a mirth that betrays a gnawing ache in his chest.
It's fine though, the labs will give him the answers he wants. Can help pinpoint too he and Inko getting more information on how to help Izuku manage his own quirk, which side of the family it started on...
So he scrunches up the bloody tissue that feels like a growing burn in his pocket.
He's getting better at least at hiding this.
-X-
Ochako
"And another thing, we shouldn't have to go to Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya to find out where you are; Gamma and I were considering calling the police! It's not like you Ochi to break promises when you've been so good about letting us know where you are or planning to go until you got into U.A. Now I know you and this Izuku fellow are into-"
Ochako tunes out the rest of Gamps' lecture before she can feel the heat of a blush form, letting her mind drift instead to the upcoming exams, Toga's growing malicious behavior, and that the League has not stepped down from tracking Izuku's movements.
"I think you've talked her ear off enough Gamps! You know Ochi has been through a lot this year, more than the typical Hero-in-training that's for sure. Everything worked out okay so no need to continue with the continued scolding!" Gamma cuts in, giving her a wink and Ochako feels a smile tug at her lips.
Gamps brushes a hand through his gray locks, sighing at Gamma's grin and nod to drop the subject for now. "You're too soft on her Gamma, that's why things are turning out this way. We promised Kenji and Mayumi that-"
"I know what we promised them! But those dorms are going to be finished by this time next week and then we'll be seeing far less of Ochi than we currently do." Gamma interrupts.
Ochako holds up a hand before anyone can get more flustered. The little she ate of breakfast sits like a wedge of ice in her throat, refusing to melt from all this mounting tension.
"Gamps, I understand your worry really I do, however going into field of being a professional Hero means that I'm going to be faced with far more stressful situations than a night spent out late."
'Though I wouldn't say it was 'stressful' to spend a night with Izuku.' A niggling thought sneaks up before she can bury it down.
'What are we?' Another thought asks.
They hadn't officially put any label to what they currently were and friends don't kiss each other the way they had...
Still, Gamps had a point. This new relationship between her and Izuku could be a distraction or worse, a weakness the League could exploit if it reached their ears.
She balls up her hands beneath the table, out of sight the pair.
It's been too long since she's done any proper training with Nishimura-sensei, she'd pay him a visit. Anything to get away from the frustration in Gamp's eyes and the concern in Gamma's.
She slips her phone from her pocket, typing out a quick text.
"Are you available?" Quick and to the point.
And then at Gamma's gaze she pushes a mouthful of rice in, counting the minutes waiting for a response.
12 minutes pass before she feels the buzz of her phone respond, thankful both Gamps and Gamma are now distracted by chores they need to carry out for the rest of the day.
"I am, but I have a follow up appointment with my physician at 1:00 pm so you'll need to stop by now if you need to talk." She reads.
Ochako turns towards the kitchen clock, 5 minutes after 11:00.
"I'm going to head out for a bit." She announces, pushing back from the table.
Gamps clicks his tongue, disapproval etching his face. "You just saw Midoriya and now you're running off again to rendezvous-"
"Not him, Sensei! I need to discuss some plans with him." Ochako interrupts, unable to hide the barb out of her tone.
She doesn't wait for his response, twisting for her room to get her purse and shoes.
The heat of the midday sun burns at her back, sweat sticking and sliding uncomfortably down her back at her rush to get to his apartment before noon. It's a cloudless day, sky a warm calming blue that belies this turmoil coursing through her. She adjusts her backpack once more, the training weights and her workout clothes clinking together.
Really she should've brought more, enough to truly push her to her limit.
'Those scars remain.' Ochako notes when Nishimura is already waiting for her at the lobby, pink lines both dark and light that run across his arms like jagged rivers.
"You didn't need to run here! Please say you aren't in any more trouble or-." Nishimura begins, ruffling up her chestnut hair and a laugh escapes her.
"No, I promise I'm not! I just...I want to train using my Zero Gravity more as you suggested for stealth, for attacking my opponents in ways they won't expect. It's been hard to focus though, with you know everything." Ochako breathes out in once.
Nishimura arches a brow before nodding and gesturing for her to follow him to the elevators.
"You're lucky this gym is wide in space. We can set up scenarios similar to all the ones I did back in the 80s and 90s. While I used the weather for creating debris that blocked in my opponents, you will use your Zero Gravity to trap me in a way I can't escape from or better yet, surprise me. You've used it to your advantage before, during your fight with Bakugo at the Sports Festival, you just need to get more refined at it so that you are able to do stronger sneak attacks." He explains.
The gym is thankfully empty except for them as they enter, tension leaving her as cool air blasts at them from all directions.
All of the ground floor is decorated with freshly polished redwood and oak styled tiles that blend well with the black of the surrounding machines. The windows give views of downtown and the forests/mountains in the distance, bathed in a gold and green hue of the afternoon's warmth.
A TV in the corner streams international and local news, however Nishimura's focus is on opposite where the sunlight in particular hits a row of weights labeled 100 pounds and above in the steel.
Excitement flutters at her chest, already testing herself by tapping and floating at stray pen left at the entrance's counter.
Soon enough, it will come as second nature to her to use objects such as pens and books as weapons if need be. She already had to use books as a weapon when Toga had interrupted her and Deku's study session.
"I'm sure Midoriya can only help you with so much knowing how different your quirks are. Word of advice I'm taking from my days of youth, but a boyfriend/girlfriend isn't always a good training partner. You sometimes tend to...forget why you were training in the first place." Nishimura further muses.
"We haven't put...I mean, he hasn't said that yet even after we kissed-" Ochako stops her rambling at Nishimura's amusement, gritting her teeth.
She's said far too much, cheeks burning at the painful realization.
"Well, that's more progress than the last time we talked; about time!" He laughs.
'Ah, I'm going to have to ask Deku about this properly later!' She frowns.
The thought makes her blush crawl down her neck reminded of the warmth of his lips, and from the corner of her eye in one of the gym's mirrors she can see just how dark the pink of her flush is.
His grin quickly leaves his face as he gets his last chuckles out, expression sharpening.
"Now, push him from his thoughts for now and do as I've always told you for the get go. Criminals and villains don't wait for you to get your bearings before the fight begins." Nishimura states.
Ochako nods, it has been on her mind since getting on the train ride here. She gets into position as if they are back in the dojo, reminding herself feelings and love are dangerous in the midst of an in-progress villain attack.
"I'm ready when you are." Nishimura instructs, nodding at seeing clarity shine through in her eyes evaporating everything else.
'Focus.'
-X-
All Might
"So you want to combine both exercises? We've never done that before?" Toshinori repeats just to make sure it's clear.
Finals Exams kick off tomorrow and this is the first time Principal Nezu has mentioned this.
Nezu's smile falters for the briefest second before he tacks it back on properly, taking a sip of his tea to hide a twinge of annoyance. He's very sure Yagi heard him but maybe just doesn't want to agree to his plan. Well, this year has already been too far different for U.A. than years past. Security broken by the League, threats made on students, the death of one on their hands...
Changes had to be made.
'We're lucky the school hasn't been temporarily shut down from the all the media reports.' He sighs at the memory.
"Yes, the Rescue Operation exercises can be conducted with the Final Exams. Teams will do the Rescue Operation at U.S.J. before proceeding to the physical portion of their Final Exams against one of the faculty. A combined score will then be calculated with the written portion to decide if the student has passed or failed." He explains once more.
"Is that really the best option though? It's a lot of tests for the First Years to go through in a day. They could become tired out mentally or physically by the time they are set to face us." Toshinori questions.
Nezu remains unfazed though, onyx eyes moving from his tea back to him. "Precisely! After all in the real world they are no time allocations giving for rescuing and stopping a villain from causing further destruction/mayhem. We need to ensure our students are ready for eventually beginning internships and the best way to do that is to push them past their comfort zones."
Still, it all felt a bit rushed together but he tightens his lips before he can verbalize said thought aloud.
His thoughts drift to what current information they have on the League, Himiko Toga seemed the most active as of late especially in targeting Young Midoriya and Uraraka, all students would be safer once they could move into the Dorms at the end of this week...
"Make sure none of you go easy on the students, they've seen enough action scheduled and non-scheduled at this point to be ready for the curveballs we are giving them." Nezu mentions and he forces himself to put these rushing thoughts to the back of his mind.
"I assume Yagi you'll be wearing those power limiting bracelets, correct?!" Yamada asks cheekily. Otherwise he's going to truly knock out Todoroki and Bakugo before they can properly fight back.
Toshinori nods, of course he wants to do no harm to his students though Bakugo seems to learn best only when the tensions are high.
He practically chased the thrill of danger, the knowing that he can create the perfect explosion carefully timed for just the right moment.
'Is he still trying to look into Endeavor's background? There are certain files not even Tsukauchi has access to regarding his family, his quirk marriage...'
Now they were basically handing Bakugo an opportunity where he would be forced into teamwork with his son. Another chance for him to attempt to dig for answers using him, granted he doubted Todoroki would give him said answers that he wanted.
"When are we dropping the news?" Kayama purrs, sapphire orbs glittering with excitement seeing her match up.
Nezu smiles, clapping his hands getting everyone's attention once more.
"Let's keep it a surprise, they'll know their match-ups right as the tests start tomorrow!"
-X-
Katsuki
'Why the fuck am I paired with him of all people?! Hell, even Deku would have been a less annoying of a choice!' He grits his teeth.
And just to compound that problem the teacher they'll be facing later on today is All Might, one of the only faculty members who has talked to him personally and knows exactly how he operates in terms of strategy and attacking.
Well he had no say in this matter, Todoroki is his teammate whether he likes it or not.
"It's not like I want to work with you either." Shoto had muttered after the announcement before his gaze shifted back to Aizawa-sensei's instructions on how the rescue part of the exam would work.
"You all will have exactly one hour from after I finish this sentence to locate and rescue one of the many capture dummies located in your respective zone. You will lose points if your capture dummy experiences any injuries from one of the 'villain's' attacks or if you are stalled for too long by one of the 'villains' aka us. Remember, the point of rescue missions are to avoid engaging with the enemy as long as possible to save as many people that are in imminent danger of being killed or are seriously wounded." Aizawa-sensei reviews.
His dark eyes seem to pinpoint exactly on him from that last part and he bites back a curse that he isn't the only one who focuses on fighting first, talking/rescuing later.
"Alright, your hour begins...now." Aizawa drawls out and storm of footsteps flood his ears.
He's been assigned to the Landslide zone, sloped and jagged terrain coming into view.
'There's sure to be a dummy trapped either under some of these rocks or sunken into the mud.' He concludes.
And beneath the rubble and mudslides near his left does he see the outline of a figure trapped beneath two boulders, hand poking out just barely visible.
He blasts himself forward gauging how to aim his explosion that won't result in the dummy being damaged when he notes the remnants of ice laced across the yellowed grass and dirt below.
Shoto has been here.
'He couldn't have missed this dummy, did he think it would've been too much of a hassle to save?' He scowls.
Up above near a crushed and sunken in buildings does he see his trademark red and white hair, frown deepening at seeing the mud-slicked mannequin tucked under his arms.
He meets his stare just as soon as he looks in his direction, turquoise-gray orbs narrowing as he creates a slide of ice towards him. His expression is even more bitter than we he realized they were partners against All Might, lips etched into a tight line.
"Why do I keep hearing rumors that you've been trying to connect with my Father of all people?" He hisses tightly when he is close enough in range.
Katsuki clicks his tongue at the subdued anger underneath his tone, it makes sense his curiosity over Endeavor would eventually reach his ears though that doesn't mean he has to tell him anything in regards to it.
"What's it to you?" He finally asks and Shoto's gaze turns smoldering as if he wants to freeze then burn him right where he stands. He flicks up sparks igniting the palms of his hands, letting the scarlet-orange flames dance towards his fingertips at ready.
Shoto is the first to back down however, gaze moving to the dummy he has left in wait. The reminder the clock is ticking pushes back to the front of his mind, and with it he knows he is the one wasting time picking an unnecessary fight.
"You don't know my Father like I do, stop looking for answers you don't need to know or even trying to get into his world. You know nothing of his true self." Shoto finally states before turning his back on him and heading for the entrance.
Katsuki watches him go, taking a slow breath in and out before properly retrieving the dummy from the rubble before any other eyes come upon it.
It only makes him even more curious, that secrets any Pro-Hero tries to hide from the public eventually come to the light no matter how terrible, how shattering it is for their image. At that point there is no turning back, no reversing the past. He knows this, Shoto knows this, and even Deku fucking knows this.
Their quirks define them, what've they've done and what they can do.
Deku knows this most of all he muses, his image already smeared and darkened by Infliction's use.
He purses his lips, hauling the dummy over his shoulders. Ash stains it's cheeks from his fire, but otherwise it is no worse for wear than we he first came upon it. Endeavor is the only person who could slip what is truly going on with All Might, the rest of the faculty is too tight-lipped. Eventually he will crack, he just needs to be around to witness it.
Shoto's words bite at him again for even thinking about it still, the morose and frustration of having to bring up his Father blended together all at once in his face.
Whatever Endeavor has on him, his history must be far, far, worse than what he initially thought.
-X-
Ochako
"You're out late."
The voice is cool and gravelly, catching her by the shoulder just before she can turn and head down the dairy aisle of the market.
Instantly she slides out her pocket knife letting it dig into her flesh, her opposite hand tapping quickly at an assortment of canned goods creating a blockade separating her from the stranger.
"Oh! You're reflexes are even faster than before!" Toga remarks proudly, holding up her hands surrender. She holds up her bloody hand as if it is a trophy, lapping at the trickle of blood that begins to slide down her palm.
"I personally prefer the blood of my friends over my own, but I'll take what I can get!" She beams.
"We aren't friends!" Ochako interrupts before she can say anything further.
She can feel the stares of a few customers on them watching in alarm and she calms herself quickly while still keeping a guarded look on her.
Himiko steps forward though, having seemingly not heard her, golden orbs simmering as a blush moves across her cheeks. She's been waiting for her all day to finally come to this damn market she favorites (the manager and many of the workers growing increasingly annoyed with her lack of purchasing anything).
She been disguised as she watched her spend her afternoon training with that old washed out superhero from decades ago to observing as she shared an intense whispered conversation with Izuku underneath the sycamore trees of the park in the evening as the sky turned a vibrant pink. She giggles in particular recalling their equally red faces as they finished up their ice creams, the brush of their lips in parting...
"But we are friends Ochako and that's why you and I need to talk; alone!" She smiles.
-x-
With seeing how much has happened in manga and the anime, I don't want to keep trying to follow every arc as I think what slows me down is trying to include various parts of the story so I think to make this story easier and more enjoyable for me to write and finish it properly is to write out my own ideas and tie in canon as needed. I'll keep trying to blend in the major arcs and moments, but I feel like that is making the story drag which I don't want and I don't think you guys want either. Let me know any thoughts you have.
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!