AN: TW for this chapter - there is a panic attack right at the beginning.

Thanks for reading! If you like it feel free to leave a review!

"Izuku!"

Izuku heard the panicked cry and practically fell out of his bed. Something was wrong - Ochako sounded different. The tone of her voice was off.

Ochako sounded like she was scared.

He was so used to her neutral tone, it felt unnatural.

Untangling himself, Izuku quickly stumbled over to the door and slammed it open. There he saw Ochako as she sat upright on her futon, her hair disheveled and her eyes wide as she tried to focus on her hands. Even from this distance, he could see that she was shaking.

"Ochako," Izuku called out, "what's wrong!?"

"I-I do not understand what is going on," Ochako said, panic filling her face as she looked at Izuku. "I woke up feeling strange and then suddenly my heart started speeding up, and my sense of vision started acting up. Now it is hard to breathe properly and I cannot focus and-"

As she was describing the symptoms, the revelation hit Izuku like a freight train. Ochako didn't just sound scared, she was scared.

She was feeling emotions.

He was so stupid! She had her own approximation of emotions, but they were always so different and foreign, he didn't think about how she'd respond to human emotions! Of course they'd overwhelm her!

No time to beat yourself up, Ochako needs you!

Pushing aside his self-deprecation, his mind kicked into high gear as he worked out what he needed to do. He quickly walked toward her, only to see her visibly flinch at the movement. "Ochako, I know how to help. Can I come closer?"

"Yes." Ochako closed her eyes, trying to regain control of her emotions. "Make it stop."

Closing the gap, Izuku knelt down next to her and took her shaking hands in his own. He started speaking slowly and calmly. "Ochako, I need you to open your eyes and look at me." As he spoke, he rubbed circles in the back of her hands with his thumbs.

"Izuku, what is going on?" Ochako asked, fear laced through every word.

"Ochako, I need you to listen to me and follow my instructions. You're panicking right now. Take a deep breath in… out… in… out… in…"

As he continued to speak, Ochako's irregular breathing steadied. It took longer than he would have liked, but eventually her hands stopped trembling as well. When he saw her shoulders begin to relax, he stopped his mantra.

"Izuku. You knew how to handle that. Please tell me what is happening to me," Ochako asked quietly. She looked so lost and uncertain for the first time since Izuku met her, and it looked wrong.

"I think-" Izuku swallowed. "You're feeling emotions."

"I am?" Ochako looked confused, before realization dawned on her. "Those are caused by chemical reactions in the brain! Since my body is complete that means it has started to produce those chemicals! This means-" she gasped, "-they are starting to affect me. I- this should not be happening! I should not be affected in the same way a human is!"

Izuku tightened his grip on Ochako's hands as he felt her tensing up. "Ochako, please, don't be scared. You've accepted every other complication that came with having a human body. This- this isn't any different."

"This is the first time this has happened," Ochako admitted. "Where a vessel has influenced me in this way. I know my experience in such matters is limited, but this is the first time I felt so…" The brows on Ochako's face knitted together as she tried to find the right word, "...different."

"Something about our bodies are just special, huh?" Izuku gave her a shaky smile.

"Or I messed up." Ochako frowned. "When we create vessels we should have some insulation from these… emotions. The fact that I'm feeling them means… I may have to change my plans."

"Huh?"

Ochako pulled her hands out from Izuku's grip and examined them. "It would be for the best if I abandoned this vessel and simply used my natural form." She looked at Izuku apologetically. "I am truly sorry, but that means I will need to rely on you more than ever as my ancho-"

"Wait!" Izuku cut her off, startling her. "Why would you even think of doing that?"

"You saw me just now." Ochako frowned. "I do not know how to control these chemical reactions. These emotions. If the wrong emotion were to trigger in the middle of a fight or investigation- this vessel could be injured. Worse," Her brown eyes locked with Izuku's green, "you or someone else could be hurt by my misstep. It would be irresponsible of me to-"

"But it doesn't matter," Izuku insisted. "You said it yourself! Your body," he waved his hands to indicate the whole of her, "your… vessel. It will regenerate no matter how badly it's damaged. As for me…"

"Izuku, what are you trying to say?" Ochako's voice was an incomprehensible mix of emotions as she tilted her head.

"There's lots of scary negative emotions, but there's so many positive ones as well," Izuku explained. Subconsciously, he began rubbing the back of his head. "And well, now that we know you can feel emotions it feels kind of… sad. If you were to give that up. After all, our feelings are an important part of what makes us, well, us. Besides-" Izuku smiled at the woman in front of him. "When you're done here, wouldn't that be an interesting experience to leave the world with? And-" Izuku's voice fell, "-if you ever have another mission like this, you'd be better prepared for whatever challenge your vessel presented to you then."

"My mission would be much more convenient if I retained this vessel…" Ochako admitted.

"Yeah! Remember yesterday? You were able to cross half the city before you started to expend effort to stay in this world. And you're able to go further every day! Soon you won't need me at all."

"I doubt that," Ochako said earnestly as she looked at him. "I fear I may need you more than ever while I learn how to control these che… emotions."

Izuku laughed nervously. "Well let's start with breakfast first. I don't think I can call in sick today."

Ochako's face fell. "Oh, alright." As she sat there, she felt two new sensations, both conflicting. On one hand she found her anticipation of breakfast and its flavorful experience reaching new heights. However, she also felt some new feeling at the news, as well. The two have done this routine a dozen times already, but this was the first time she felt… she didn't have the words for it, but she didn't like it.

Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, much like she has seen Izuku done countless times in the past, Ochako stood up and entered the kitchen. Gathering the plates and silverware, she set the table and helped Izuku plate their morning meal before the two of them sat down. As she sat there, she felt yet another new sensation as she looked at the omelet Izuku had prepared for her.

"Feeling excited?" Izuku asked as he looked at her.

"Excited?" Ochako tilted her head.

"It's like…" Izuku hooked his index finger around his chin as he tried to describe it, before his eyes lit up. "Like you want to do something, rather than simply being obligated to do it. Or you are waiting for something to happen and the moment finally arrives."

Ochako pressed her index finger to her cheek, trying her hardest not to look at the appetizing food in front of her despite the smell assaulting her nostrils. "I believe so, I do enjoy the sensations I feel when eating your food, and look forward to your meals."

Izuku smiled at her, a faint blush tinting his freckled cheeks. "That sounds like excitement yeah. And now you have the human emotions to enhance that feeling."

Ochako pondered for a moment, before she lowered her eyes to meet Izuku's. "I believe I am starting to understand what you mean by positive emotions. Now to test this further," With a smile she didn't even know she was making, she took her knife and sliced herself a large bite of omelet before using her fork to guide it to her mouth.

It tasted just as good as it has in the past, but as Ochako savored the bite, she felt new and different chemical reactions happening in her body. Even though she understood that it was much the same as meals Izuku had prepared in the past, something about this meal was different.

She liked the sensation.

"Ochako, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Ochako asked, opening her eyes (when did she close them?) to look at Izuku.

"You were shaking there," Izuku explained.

"Oh, is shaking always a bad thing?"

"N-no!" Izuku shook his head. "I just - want to make sure you aren't having another panic attack."

"No," Ochako assured him as she looked at her food. "This sensation is… different. I like it."

"Really?"

"Mhm!" Ochako bobbed her head. "If this is what you meant by positive human emotion, I see why you do not want me missing out!"

Izuku smiled warmly at the woman sitting across from him. "This is- I'm glad!"

Looking back down at her food, Ochako quickly cut herself another bite, already looking forward to feeling that sensation again.

"Do you mind if I go to the library?" Ochako asked.

After breakfast they both got ready for the day and began their usual routine of walking to Izuku's office together. However Ochako was excited (she thinks, trying to name all of these new sensations is going to take a while) to learn more about these new sensations and didn't want to wait for Izuku.

"With how far you can travel," Izuku said as looked at her, "why would I mind?"

"You are right," Ochako said. "I no longer have to inconvenience you to visit. In that case, I am going to the library! Then I will meet you in the park for lunch?"

"Of course!" Izuku replied. "I'll see you in a little while then!"

They walked together a little while longer until they reached a busy intersection. Waving his goodbye, Izuku crossed the street to head toward his office, while Ochako waited for the light to change. Sure, she could just open a rift and transport herself to her destination, but then she might miss some valuable clue a careless individual had left behind. Remaining vigilant, she proceeded to the library.

"Good morning, Miss Ochako!" The elderly librarian greeted her. "Back again so soon?"

"Yes!" Ochako smiled at the woman. The woman had helped her a lot over the past several weeks, having seemingly infinite patience to help Ochako research a wide range of esoteric topics in her search for clues and patterns that may help her. As she looked at the woman now, she felt a strange sensation.

Was this going to be a common occurrence from now on?

"Umm, are you okay?" The librarian asked as Ochako appeared to zone out.

"Yes, I am fine!" Ochako insisted a little too forcefully. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"I bet." The woman smiled at her. "You're always looking at something different when you're here. So what are you looking into today?"

"Psychology," Ochako said with a smile on her face.

"Psychology? That's a new one."

"I just need a break from history," Ochako explained. "And psychology sounded interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" the woman said as she stood up. "Follow me."

Ochako followed the woman to a section of the library she hadn't really explored before, where she found dozens of different books. WIth the help of her phone, she chose several rudimentary textbooks, hoping they would help her give name to the new feelings she was experiencing. Thanking the lady, she left the library with a smile on her face.

Making her way to the park, Ochako found a free bench and sat down. Fishing the first book out of her bag, she began reading.

When it was time for lunch, Izuku made his way out of the building and down to the park where Ochako usually sat. Despite her being able to travel most of downtown Mustafu without worry if she was forced to fight, she still insisted on spending the mornings reading. She explained that there was something appealing about the familiarity of the routine. So when he approached the bench and didn't see her, he knew something was wrong.

Brows furrowing, Izuku began to look around. Was she nearby? Did she get a lead and take off? Looking for clues he walked up to 'her' bench. Her bag was there, a black messenger bag with a stylized picture of the Milky Way in sparkling gemstones along the top flap. From a quick glance he saw several books were inside the bag, as well as another book that sat next to the bag, a puffy pink bookmark poking out of it.

"She must have found something and ran off…" Izuku mused, mostly to himself. He reached out to grab her bag when he suddenly heard a voice behind her.

"Izuku!" Ochako called out excitedly. Izuku spun around quickly, seeing the girl fast approaching him with a bright smile on her face.

Izuku heard himself gasp as he saw the girl stop in front of him, his attention on her smile. While she had smiled plenty of times before, it always felt almost clinical and distant - like she was trying to convey emotions, but never quite got it right. Despite that, he had gotten used to the smile, and just accepted it as a part of her. As he stared at her now, it felt almost unnatural to see her smiling so brightly - her smile came easy and naturally, in stark contrast to what he was used to.

"I thought you may have run off on one of your adventures," Izuku admitted sheepishly.

"No, fortunately, I did not have to deal with a problem." Ochako shook her head. "I was simply exploring the park! After reading up on emotions, I decided to walk around, and see how I felt when I experienced different sights, sounds, and textures within the park."

"How is that going?" Izuku asked.

"It was…" Ochako paused as she tried to think of the right emotion. "Exciting!" Practically vibrating, she thrust her phone into Izuku's face, where he saw a text document open. It displayed two columns - on the left were a list of things she had encountered in the park, and on the right was the corresponding emotion she felt. "By using objects in the park, I have been able to put a name to several emotions based on the chemical reaction it causes!"

"That's… great!" Izuku said awkwardly.

When I said it would be sad if you didn't feel emotions, this wasn't what I expected to happen!

"It is!" Ochako said as she pulled her phone back. Throwing the free book in her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, she looked at Izuku. "So what are we doing for lunch? I want to add to my list."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head as he looked down at Ochako. He was in for a very long lunch.

Ochako spent the next several days exploring Mustafu and attempting to catalog her experiences in an attempt to better understand emotions. She was constantly running around, poking new things and taking in familiar sights with fresh eyes. And when she was done, she pulled out her phone and furiously typed a note to herself to analyze later.

Much to Izuku's dismay, this routine continued into the evenings when they returned home.

One evening Ochako asked to rewatch an old sci-fi film that she found particularly interesting. She wanted to see how the experience changed with emotions, she explained, and Izuku agreed. Once he set up the movie he sat down on the couch, only for Ochako to sit down next to him and lean into his side.

"Mmmm, this feels good," Ochako said, closing her eyes and savoring the sensation. "I forgot how warm your body is, and the emotions I'm feeling…"

"E-emotions?" Izuku squeaked out, feeling his face heating up as he felt the woman grab his arm and wrap it over her shoulder as she tried to make them both comfortable.

"What else would I be talking about?" Ochako opened her eyes and looked up at him curiously. "I already feel relaxed when I am around you, but this… I feel warm sitting here, even warmer than the difference in our body temperatures would suggest! And my muscles are already untensing even though it's only been a few moments. It… I like it," she said softly.

"I-" Izuku stared at the girl, before offering her a soft smile. Using his hand, he guided her head so that it pressed comfortably against his shoulder. "Are you ready to watch the movie?"

"Yes!" Ochako said, excitement filling her voice. "I am looking forward to seeing how it makes me feel."

With a slight bob of his head Izuku turned his attention toward the television and hit the play button on the remote. And tried his hardest not to think about how holding Ochako like this was making him feel.

With how much Ochako seemed to be focusing on her new experiences, Izuku actually began to worry that she lost sight of her goal. His fear proved to be unfounded when, a few days later, they encountered their next problem.

The pair was walking down the street through part of the seaside district, searching for any signs of unusual activity when Ochako suddenly froze.

"What is it?" Izuku asked quietly.

"Warehouses," Ochako said back, before she turned toward him. "I am going to open a rift."

"Okay." Izuku bobbed his head in acknowledgement, before he felt a falling sensation - literally and physically as Ochako opened a rift underneath their feet and dropped them into her pocket dimension between worlds. In front of them stood the warehouse district, with Ochako already walking toward the exit. Knowing better than to slow her down, Izuku quickly scrambled to catch up, stepping out of the rift and back into the reality he was familiar with. "What is it?"

"Look around the corner and tell me what you see," Ochako instructed, pointing to the edge of the building.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Izuku did as instructed and peeked around the corner. There he saw what appeared to be a large man, but that's where the easy part ended. He was large and muscular, but wrapped in some sort of slick substance, reminiscent of the Moonfish's skin. His entire body was pitch black, except for the splash of white on the top half of his face. It made him look like his skull was exposed, even if it was some sort of mast.

The strangest part was that the man- creature- thing! was having an argument in the same strange language with an exact copy of himself.

"I-" Izuku ducked back around the corner. "It looks human, but it also doesn't? And there's two of them!"

"It was a human, at one point," Ochako explained, sadness lacing her words. "Until he agreed to host a…" Ochako paused, trying to find the right word for it, "Gemini parasite."

"A… Gemini parasite?" Izuku asked.

"Yes," Ochako sighed. "They are creatures that have the ability to duplicate themselves through a reflective surface. Like me, your reality should reject them for being unnatural. Unlike me, they should not have the strength to remain her unaided. So they need to attach themselves to a host."

"Like you using me as your anchor?"

"I would never stoop to something so crude and base." Ochako had a look of disgust on her face. "No, they physically and psychically attach themselves to someone or something who is willing to trade their…" Ochako paused, a thoughtful look on her face, "humanity for power."

"I see, so what are we going to do?"

"I want to capture it in a pocket dimension. I doubt the Gemini parasite itself will have any worthwhile information, but the host might."

"You're not going to kill him?" Izuku asked worriedly.

"Of course not," Ochako replied. "I will send host and creature back to the plane of existence the parasite came from."

"What about the human who was the host?"

"Once they have accepted the parasite, the only way to separate the two is death," Ochako explained. "To rid the world of the parasite is to rid them of the host as well."

"I see," Izuku said softly. "That's… sad."

"Your world is filled with many examples of people willing to trade away their humanity for power," Ochako pointed out. "Or did you forget about my notebooks already?"

"I didn't!" Izuku insisted. "I just…" Izuku flailed his arms helplessly.

"You have so much faith in people." Ochako smiled at him. "It is part of what makes you special."

"T-thanks." Izuku felt his face heating up under her gaze. "So what's your plan?"

Ochako suddenly became serious. "I will attempt to drag them into a rift before they notice us. Hopefully I can catch both of them."

"And if you don't?"

"Then we will have to chase them until we have caught them all," Ochako said matter-of-factly.

Izuku let out a resigned sigh. "And how hard will that be?"

"That depends on how many reflective surfaces they find," Ochako admitted.

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek. "Well, let's hope for the best then. Shall we?"

Ochako nodded her head and looked around the corner. From under her, cracks of light appeared as she began to slowly tear away at the fabric of reality and opened a rift. She continued tearing away, the cracks elongating as they stretched out toward the two creatures. She felt her pulse quickening as it appeared that her plan would work…

…until one of them spotted her. Her eyes went wide as she saw the creature looking at her before it let out an unnatural shriek. She froze for a moment, before she forced the rift wider.

The moment's hesitation was all the creature needed. While Ochako was able to capture one of the creatures, the other one took off in a run and managed to escape.

"Oh no," Ochako said, feeling stomach acid pooling in her stomach. It was an unpleasant feeling - she didn't like it.

"What happened?" Izuku asked.

"One of them escaped," Ochako said. "We need to capture it!"

She took off running after the creature, hearing Izuku's footsteps behind her as he caught up. "What about the one you captured?"

"As long as one of those creatures still walks it can create more copies of itself, we need to capture all of them," Ochako insisted.

The man stopped in front of a door and started ramming into it, his supernatural strength causing metal to bend and twist until the door collapsed from the assault, and he ducked into the building. Ochako skidded to a halt in front of the building and glared at the door, seemingly offended that it wasn't able to withstand the assault for a few seconds longer.

"Don't tell me you plan on going in there?" Izuku asked as he stopped beside her.

"What choice do I have?" Ochako asked. "Unless I destroy the whole building."

Izuku winced. "Good point. What can I do to help?"

"You can help me look for any Gemini duplicates," Ochako said as she stepped into the doorway. "Keep close, and watch out for reflective surfaces."

As they entered the warehouse, Izuku paled as he looked around - and immediately spotted several utility mirrors along the walls. "Ochako…"

Ochako looked at him and paled slightly when she saw the mirrors. "That is not good, there could be a whole pack of them by now."

"You worry about the duplicates," Izuku said. "I'm going to take care of the mirrors."

"What if they find you?" Ochako asked, "They are dangerous. You saw what one did to the door."

"I'll just yell really loudly," Izuku said sheepishly. "And then wait for you to save me."

"That sounds like a terrible idea."

"Maybe," Izuku rubbed the back of his head, "but if it slows this thing down from making more duplicates then it'll be worth it, right?"

Ochako stared at him, a blank expression on her face as she weighed the options, before she conceded to him. "You are correct. Be sure to yell loudly."

"D-don't worry, I will!" Izuku squeaked out.

Ochako gave him one last skeptical glance before she took off in search of the creature, leaving Izuku alone.

As Izuku watched her retreating form, he suddenly felt a pit settle in his own stomach as he realized what he had just done. This is the first time ever since Ochako appeared that he would be facing some extra-dimensional creature by himself - even if this creature was formerly a human, just like him. Memories of the voidslime came back to him and he shuddered.

"No time for that," Izuku chided himself, shaking his head to clear away the lingering memories. "Ochako's counting on me."

Looking around, Izuku found what he was looking for - a large pile of blankets that were used for shipping and transport. Grabbing a nearby hand cart, he piled as many blankets as he could onto it, carefully balancing them in a large pile. One final blanket in hand, he walked under the nearby mirror that he spotted. It was likely that this creature already created a duplicate from the mirror, but Izuku didn't want to take any chances. There was too much at stake!

It took several tries, but eventually he managed to get the blanket to hook over the mirror and successfully catch on it. Hanging there, it covered the reflective surface and kept the Gemini from making a duplicate.

"Well, that's one down," Izuku sighed as he looked down the hallway, "only a few dozen more to go." With a nervous laugh, he pushed the cart down the hallway.

Ochako rounded the corner to see the man several meters away. As she watched, the creature looked up at the mirror, only for its reflection to gain substance, slumping out of the mirror in a pool of billowing shadows that fell onto ground before reforming as a perfect duplicate. Not wasting any time she sped up her pace and rapidly walked toward it, hoping to capture the creature in its moment of distraction.

Wham!

Ochako saw stars, and not the good kind, as she was slammed into a metal container. Looking up, she realized that two more of the creatures had escaped her notice and had successfully ambushed her. With no time to think, she reacted on instinct and called upon her weapons. Reality screamed as half a dozen portals appeared around her and tendrils lashed out, striking the creatures before they had a chance to continue their assault.

Her vision cleared in time to see the two creatures slam against the far wall. Rather than hearing the dull thud of flesh and cracking of bone, she heard a sound reminiscent of glass shattering as the clones slumped to the ground. Their bodies lost cohesion as they melted into the same shadowy substance she saw dripping from the mirror. Turning her head she saw one of the two running away while the other was charging her. That must make him the original - she needed to capture it!

Raising her hand she mimicked a swatting motion. Responding to her command, two tendrils lashed out at the charging creature and slammed it into a wall with the same sound of glass shattering. Not bothering to check on the results, Ochako chased after the original. With each successive mirror the creature tried to spawn another duplicate, but they weren't even enough to break Ochako's stride as she battered them aside, continuing her relentless pursuit.

The creature began to grow desperate as it continued to run… only to discover there wasn't a mirror where it was expecting one. It looked like there should be one, but it was covered by a cloth. Looking around frantically, it found the source of the problem - a human with a matching blanket in his hands. With an inhuman roar, the creature charged the source of its problem.

"Aaaaah!" Izuku screamed as he spun the cart, putting it between him and the creature.

Ochako felt her blood run cold at hearing Izuku's voice. She felt acid as it pooled in her stomach and her muscles as they began to tense.

I'm not going to let Izuku get hurt because of me!

He trusts me to protect him!

The sound of a cart crashing was the final push she needed. Shoving aside her conflicting thoughts, she forced her body to move. Closing the distance, she turned the corner and watched as it picked up a massive hand cart effortlessly while Izuku was scrambling to get to his feet.

"Stay away from him!" Ochako yelled darkly as two thick tentacles shot out from behind her, wrapping themselves around the creature. The creature lost its grip on the cart and dropped it as it was slowly dragged toward the angry brunette. "I will not let you hurt anyone else!"

Gritting her teeth, she tore open reality right in front of her, opening a path to a pocket dimension as she promptly shoved the creature inside and sealed it. Feeling anxious, she rushed over to where Izuku was rising to his feet.

"Izuku, are you alright?" Ochako asked, unaware of the worry laced in her words.

"Y-yeah," Izuku assured her. "Just a little dazed. You saved me in time."

"You told me that you trusted me," Ochako said as she examined him to ensure he wasn't hiding anything. "I did not intend to let them down."

"Did you get them all?"

"I do not know," Ochako admitted. "However, that was the primary parasite, so the rest will be easier to deal with."

"How do you know that?"

"Given how tightly I was squeezing him, if he was a duplicate he would have shattered."

"I see," Izuku said softly. "So what do we do now?"

Ochako looked at the cart and then back to Izuku. "You guard the door. If any of those clones try to escape, hit them with this cart. That should be enough to stop them."

"And what're you doing?"

Ochako opened up a pair of portals above her shoulders. "I'm going to see if there's any more duplicates lying in hiding."

For the next half hour, Ochako carefully searched every corner of the warehouse. Her suspicions were correct when she found one echo hiding in a lonely dark corner, only to quickly dispatch it when it tried to run away. Once she was satisfied that she had dealt with all of the duplicates, she returned to the entrance.

"Is that it then?" Izuku asked cautiously. He still had both hands on the cart, his knuckles white from how tightly he gripped it.

"I believe so," Ochako said. "You should go home."

"Me?" Izuku asked, letting go of the cart. "What are you going to do?"

"I am going to question the creature," Ochako explained. "And then send it back to where it came from. Once I am done I will join you."

"I-" Izuku swallowed. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes," Ochako replied simply, pushing down the strange unexplained feelings she was getting from Izuku's expression. "It would be better if I did this alone. That way there will be no chance of you getting hurt."

Izuku looked like he wanted to protest, but as he stared at the woman in front of him, he realized he was staring at the unfeeling eldritch being, and that being was on a mission. Letting out a resigned sigh, he nodded his head. "Alright. Please be careful."

"I will be," Ochako assured him, before tearing open a rift and stepping through.

As the rift closed, Izuku looked around the warehouse and rubbed the back of his head. It was a mess, but he didn't really want to get caught and have to explain what happened. His shoulders slumping, he turned around and snuck out through the destroyed entryway.

Without anything left to do, he began walking home. He couldn't help but wonder which Ochako would rejoin him at his apartment.

Back at the apartment Izuku sat on the couch, one of Ochako's notebooks open in front of him when he heard the now-familiar sound of glass shattering. Looking up he watched as reality unraveled to form a rift and Ochako stepped through. Seeing her appearance, Izuku couldn't help but gasp. The healthy pink of her skin had become muted, picking up a grayish tone, and the vibrant browns of her hair had faded.

"Are you okay?" Izuku asked, starting to rise from the couch.

Without a word Ochako looked at him and crossed the apartment, closing the distance between them. Understanding her silent order, Izuku sat back down on the couch. Turning around, she sat down next to him and snuggled into his side. He found the back of his neck heating up as he raised his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder.

"This feels good," Ochako said before closing her eyes letting out a content sigh.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Izuku asked carefully.

"Do you want to hear about it?" Ochako opened her eyes and glanced upward at Izuku.

Izuku sat there in silence, studying the woman's face before nodding. "Yeah, I do."

"No matter what I did to him, the… man who was the host never gave me a single answer. His mind had fractured as a result of accepting the Gemini parasite," She felt pain as she dug her painted nails into the palms of her hand, but she ignored it as she continued. "He always answered my questions with two responses, and they were always the opposite of each other. It-"

"That sounds frustrating," Izuku said.

"What is frustrating?"

"I mean the emotion," Izuku said. "That must be what you were feeling."

"Describe it?"

Izuku hummed as he tried to think up a good answer. Finally his face lit up. "It's like… you feel anger and irritation toward something. You lose your patience, and keep trying different things but nothing seems to work."

"Yeah," Ochako said softly as she looked at her hands. She slowly uncurled her fists, looking at the red marks she left behind in her palms. "In that case, I was feeling frustration. I did not like it."

"Are you going to go back to question him again or…"

"No." Ochako shook her head. "When I realized I was not getting a straight answer I sent the creature away. It was no use keeping it trapped any longer."

"I'm sorry," Izuku said.

"Why?" Ochako asked curiously.

"That it didn't turn up anything. That- that you're feeling frustrated. That I couldn't help more."

"Izuku," Ochako pulled away to look at him, "you are an invaluable companion to me. It may not seem like much, but you have done so much to help me. More than any companion I have had in the past."

Izuku felt his face heating up at the sheer sincerity in her eyes as she stared at him. "I- thanks, Ochako."

"You are welcome, and I will continue to repeat it every time you doubt me," Ochako said as a smile teased her lips. "Although if you keep it up I may grow frustrated with you."

"I'll… try and get better about it," Izuku laughed as he stood up. "Are you hungry?"

Ochako's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "Yes! I need food and rest to recharge my body."

Izuku smiled at his companion as she sat up. Separating from her he made his way to the kitchen, pulling out ingredients to make dinner. While he worked, he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a couple packs of mochi. He had begun to hide a small supply of the treat after Ochako decided that it was her favorite dessert item, keeping some on hand for special occasions. Glancing over at Ochako, he decided that today certainly qualified. Setting the dessert on the counter, he resumed preparing dinner.

Hours later, Izuku sat on the couch with Ochako gently resting against him. The science fiction movie - a genre that Ochako had grown particularly attached to, seeing humanity's rather creative takes on the stars and alien beings - long forgotten.

About halfway through the movie Ochako had closed her eyes and began softly snoring. It took Izuku a while to notice that it had happened, but once he did he couldn't take his eyes off the woman pressed against him as his mind and heart warred with each other.

What are you doing Izuku? She's dangerous and powerful - you've seen what she's capable of!

But look at her! She'd never do anything to hurt me.

Maybe if she were human, but you don't know what she's really like!

Don't I?

Izuku recalled the image of Ochako from those first days, her monochrome tones and strange expressions strangely alluring. The starlight she gave off and her strange movements only served to enhance her unearthly beauty-

This isn't helping!

Does it matter though? The second she is done she's going to abandon this body and leave Earth, and you'll be long dead by the time she ever finds a reason to come back.

I know that! But seeing her like this…

Izuku looked down at the soft form of the brunette girl pressed against him, her skin and hair serving as a reminder of her true nature. No matter how much he tried to remind himself that this wasn't her true form, this was but a shell of an eldritch being who called herself Ochako…

…he was caught in her gravity.

And he wasn't sure what scared him more - the fact that he was falling for the woman named Ochako Uraraka…

…or that he didn't want to escape her orbit.