We're rising, we're falling
We'll make it through
We're climbing, we're soaring
A thousand views - Fly Away by TheFatRat

I made my way back down to the floor I lived on, Fumikage lugging his blanket behind him. My walk was considerably shorter as I opened the door leading to the fourth floor. "Thanks for listening to me, Tokoyami-kun. I appreciate it."

"What better to do in the dark?" His feathers lifted as I think he realized that he said something that bordered on inappropriate. I shook my head with a soft giggle and he hurried his pace back to the second floor and his room.

I woke in the morning to the buzzing of my phone. I picked up the rectangle, and deactivated the alarm, getting ready to go to the work study. I was learning so much under Ryukyu's guidance that I was saddened by the fact that I wouldn't be paired with her for longer. Of course, that was for the best, since you could only learn from new unique experiences, but just the same. I hurried downstairs to eat, bathe, and leave.

"Ochaco-chan!" Kirishima was nearly ready to head out, he was just tugging on his mask.

I smiled at him, "Good morning, Kirishima-kun!"

The black shape settled on his features, emphasizing the sharpness of his over styled hair and the teeth that gleamed in his smiling face. "There we go. Hey, I talked to Ashido and she implied that you weren't busy after work-study."

"I heard. Are my plans changing?"

He made a decisive X in front of his chest, "Not at all. How do you feel about rock climbing?"

I blinked. I float. I don't have to climb. "I haven't seriously climbed anything in over a year."

"Is that a no?"

"No!" I giggled in embarrassment, "Not at all! That sounds fun! Should I meet you down here?"

"At five." He glanced up at our big clock, "Later! If I don't hurry Suneater freaks out."

I watched him dart out with a smile on my face.

Later…

Tsuyu and I rode up the elevator together after our work-study. Yet one more reason why I loved working there.

"Do you have a date tonight? Ribbit."

I nodded, and the doors slid open on her floor, and she took a step out. She paused to let me by, and gave me a smile. "Have fun, Ochaco-chan."

"Thanks Tsu. Have a good night." I traveled up another floor and tried to decide what to wear for Eijiro.

As I rifled through my things, I realized that I shouldn't wear a skirt today and that it didn't matter what Mina thought about Eijiro as a potential love-match. Last night's debacle and the subsequent heart to heart on the roof had led me to another conclusion. I think I like Shinso. Mina had been poking fun at me, but it was all true. Shinso did not cause conflict, he made everything easier. I dressed as I might to leave any other time, and pulled on my favorite hoodie. I checked myself in the mirror with a smile. I decided that I looked good enough, and left to meet Kirishima.

Eijiro was standing just outside the space that was dominated by a huge sectional couch and a television blasting a four-handed fighting game. It was the girls this time minus Tsu plus Shoto; who was strangely immune to 'button-mashing' as the other boys called their style of play.

I laughed, we were nearly identical in UA branded hoodies and jeans with opposing knees ripped out in the name of fashion. He joined in my laughter and we headed out arm in arm. He steered me toward downtown, and we walked for a while, talking about classes and what we were doing for our respective work studies.

He told me funny stories about Fatgum, who was rapidly becoming one of my favorite heroes, and Suneater. I hoped that the overly shy boy became the very best hero; but for now I was laughing uproariously at Ejiro's stories. Working with Tsu and Ryukyu was often fun, but we never had times like those!

When we stood inside the rock climbing place I was amazed. It was huge, which I had expected. What I had not expected was every vertical and horizontal surface except the floor to be covered in thick, white fake rock. A riot of colored handholds and ropes had me blinking up at them in wonder. Even the ceiling had 'rocky' protuberances.

"This place is amazing! I had no idea you could actually climb a mountain in a city!"

Ejiro nodded, his strong gaze lingering on one of the highest points that hung over our heads like an ancient challenge. "Whenever I need a little time to forget about a couple of worries, I come here. Do you like it?"

"Like it?" I gave him a sudden hug, "Love it is more like! How do I start?"

He blushed hot across his cheeks, "Ah. I just have to pay for our session. Give me a second and I'll be back with a guide so we can get our gear settled."

Eijiro reappeared with the guide after a short wait. She led us to a patch of wall, and started pointing out the hand and toe holds, what the color coding meant and how slowly I should go as a first timer. Eijiro was already geared up by the time the guide finished her lecture, so he waited patiently for the woman to strap me in.

I waddled to the patch of wall that was 'ours' for the next hour. "Which rope should I clip to?" Eijro handed me one and I dutifully anchored myself. "I think I'm ready."

I climbed. This was a lot of fun after I cottoned to the idea that no matter how high I got, I could not fall. Or if I did, I wouldn't hurt myself. I did fall near the bottom, and amid good-natured jeering from Eijiro and a couple of the guys around us, I realized that the anchor was safe. Besides that, if I just touched myself I could float to the nearest rope and then pull myself down.

I climbed after Eijiro, trying to imagine myself as a monkey, grabbing and taking small leaps. Pushing and swinging. Finally I reached the end of the beginner's hand-holds, where Eijiro waited for me. He held out a hand and I looked at him curiously.

"Take away my gravity? I want to feel what that's like."

First Bakugo, now this? "We're off school grounds,'' I reminded him in a chiding tone.

"No one will know. I'm harnessed, I have a bunch of rock left to climb. Please?"

I considered, then nodded with a smile, "If you agree to ask Mina out, I will."

"Ashido?" He wobbled as his concentration waivered. "We grew up together, but she barely knows my name."

"That's not true." I admonished with a smile. "But what will it hurt, huh? For a taste of the float life?"

"Float life!" He laughed, making his lines shake. "Okay. I can man up! Sure." He shook out his hands one at a time, "Yeah! I'm ready to float."

I reached out and activated my quirk, making his feet leave his toe-holds. He scrambled to stick himself to the wall as I watched him, giggling. He jabbed his toes in and activated his quirk through the fingers. With a sudden whoop, he turned and leapt for that outcrop that had been over our heads. He caught it in his hardened fingers, and stabbed one toe deep into a crevice.

"I've wanted to do that for ages!" He laughed, "That was so cool! Oh, wow!"

"Are you secure?" I shouted up at him, and he nodded. I released, and he hung from the rock face like a spider. He was still smiling as he re-oriented himself and started to climb down. I emulated him, and we met on the floor to a bustle of people either yelling at us for using our quirks or congratulating us for making the hardest climb. I wasn't sure. But Eijiro was grinning like a wild man.

"That was literally the most fun I've had in months!"

I agreed, that was a really fun… Not date, since I set him up, but it was definitely fun.

AN/ No way in hell. LOL but Ochaco can float. I hope you liked it. Both of my boys do this and I've gone along often enough to see how it's done. Sorry if I messed anything up! Sato is next for a sweet treat.