I am [REDACTED]

by Titus621

Summary:

What if Izuku Midoriya never went to UA? What if he studied in secret in America, only to return to Japan and hide behind a secret identity?

A story of secrets, mystery and love.

AKA: What if Izuku hid the secret of One For All behind a mild-mannered alter ego?

Notes:

Thanks to my betas for helping me get this off the ground!

Chapter 1: Homecoming

Ochako Uraraka was ecstatic, just like everyone else at the Tokyo International Airport. After all, today was the day that, after three long years, All Might was returning to Japan. She, her friends, and basically every other person in the country that could fit inside the airport were all crammed into every conceivable nook and cranny of the airport as they waited with bated breath for his private jet to land.

 

All Might had taken a temporary teaching position at a prestigious, but very secretive, private hero academy in the United States, apparently returning the favor to a long time friend of his, the renowned inventor, David Shield. But that’s not all that happened while he was out of the country.

 

Over two years ago, All Might had engaged a terrible villain in a battle that left him emaciated and forced his retirement, much to the shock and horror of the rest of the world, especially Japan. The American government had to declare a state of emergency from the devastation of their battle alone. The destruction was terrible, but it would have been so much worse if All Might hadn’t given his all to bring down that mysterious villain.

 

Nobody knew what happened to that villain, but rumors swirled around that he had been extradited to Japan of all places, and was being held under maximum security in Tartarus, but nobody knew for sure. Ochako had barely signed on as a sidekick, she didn’t have any insider information just yet.

 

Cheers went up around the airport as the PA system announced that All Might’s plane had begun its approach. Ochako giggled as her friends Mina and Tooru were literally bouncing with excitement, which she found infectious enough to join them. The plane hit the tarmac smoothly, slowing down and eventually coming to a steady taxi as it approached its destination.

 

The plane came to a stop as a great staircase was wheeled out to the door. After a few breathless seconds, the door opened and the tall, blonde form of All Might stepped out into the Tokyo sunshine, waving widely to all the people gathered around.

 

Ochako had to cover her ears as the cheers crescendoed even further. People were laughing, crying and screaming as perhaps the biggest celebrity in the world descended down the staircase with several men and women in suits, none of which Ochako recognized. The Prime Minister of Japan herself was there to welcome him, shaking his massive, emaciated hand with both of hers as both of them turned around to smile and pose for the swarm of media that had gathered outside.

 

In the commotion, nobody noticed the freckled man in the beanie and sunglasses exit the plane quietly with the flight crew.

 

---

 

Three years later…

 

---

 

Ochako woke up an hour before her alarm that day, but she wasn’t upset. She was so excited that she couldn’t have slept more if she wanted to. Today was the first day that she was a bonafide, independent pro hero. She had spent a good three years with Gunhead, but she had finally gained enough experience and clout that she could set out on her own. She had finally gotten the keys to her agency yesterday, and was so over the moon about it that she was surprised she had gotten any sleep that night.

 

She jumped out of her bed and nearly skipped to the kitchen of her small apartment on her way to make herself breakfast, flipping on the television on her way there to watch the morning news.

 

The top story, of course, was the same as it had been for nearly three years. The exploits of the number one hero, Redacted.

 

Redacted technically wasn’t his hero name, but that’s what everyone called him. He went by Nimbus, but after nearly three years of people calling him Redacted, he seemed to have given up.

 

He was called that because, for some reason, nobody knew anything about him, beyond that he was apparently American, judging by his accent in the rare interviews he gave. He wore a heavy green helmet with two antennae on the front that were more than a little reminiscent of All Might; the helmet was identity-concealing, functional, and so durable that he had taken direct hits from major villains with barely a scratch on it. Support companies all across Japan- hell, the world- wanted to get their hands on it to see what exactly it was, but the hero never gave them the chance.

 

He apparently had some sort of deal with the government that kept his identity secret, and every official document about him listed his name and any other identifiers simply with a large black box that read [REDACTED] in red ink.

 

Thus, the name was born. The number one hero, with talents and abilities that even surpassed All Might but the secret identity of an underground hero.

 

The man had come out of nowhere, streaking to the number one spot nearly without contest in only a matter of months. She still giggled slightly as she remembered how absolutely furious Bakugou had been about the man. Bakugou's own rise through the ranks was nearly unprecedented, as the man had claimed the number two spot in less than a year, but then Redacted had streaked past him into an untouchable first place. He was still pissed, and bringing up Redacted was a sure-fire way to start a fight with the ornery number two hero; being firmly in second place hadn't dulled his drive to be the best, but it had dulled his rage a little.

 

A little.

 

She found herself staring at the news report, watching Redacted smash through a group of five villains in just over a second. She paused and rewound the broadcast, watching it in slow motion. The way the hero used his body and the way his muscles bulged with every motion and the way he had so much power that he could generate typhoon-level winds with just flicks of his fingers…

 

Ochako was just watching for tips and tricks, of course. To be the best hero she could be, she had to learn everything she could, and who better to learn it from than the top hero himself?

 

That’s what she told herself, at least.

 

She shook her head and returned to making her breakfast. Or rather, she did, until she made a depressing realization. “Oh, shoot,” she said aloud, “I forgot to go shoppin’ yesterday.”

 

However, Ochako was a bright and bubbly person, and something as simple as having no food in her apartment wasn’t about to get her down. Instead, she was struck with a brilliant idea. ‘I need to get to know the neighborhood around my agency anyways, I’m sure there’s a place I can pick up some breakfast on the way!’

 

She cheerfully slipped on her shoes and coat and headed out into the brisk autumn morning.

 

---

 

The early morning wind sent a slight chill up Ochako’s spine, despite the bright sunrise behind her. She passed several restaurants, but none of them felt right to her. She still had plenty of time before she needed to be at her agency, so she wasn’t in any rush.

 

After twenty minutes of walking, she came across a quaint, simple shop set just off the main road. ‘Serendipity, huh? This place seems nice…’

 

The store was built into a row of buildings lining the street. With what she assumed was a small apartment above for the owners to either live in or rent out. There was a small patio out front, the two tables covered for the cold season, while the large glass front proudly declared the shop’s name.

 

She entered the door, a small bell announcing her arrival to the quiet bakery. Once inside, she couldn’t contain the happy smile that broke across her face. The small, cozy shop was colored with calming, earthy tones and lined with intimate tables and even some comfortable recliners. Just by stepping inside, she felt like she was a bit at home.

 

“Good morning, miss! Come in, come in, let me warm you up!” A short, portly woman with a motherly smile and green hair appeared behind the counter and ushered her inside. She passed by the counter and took Ochako by the hand, leading her gently to one of the comfy chairs next to the window, giving her a peaceful view of the softly blowing trees outside.

 

“Can I get you a coffee, dear? How do you take it?” The way she smiled at Ochako disarmed the pro entirely. She could feel the caring energy coming from this woman, whom she could only assume to be the proprietor.

 

“Oh, uh, just a bit of milk please, thank you.” Ochako was nearly overwhelmed with how hospitable this woman was acting. The chair was so comfy that she felt like she was nearly melting.

 

The woman hurried off back to the counter and began to brew hurriedly, humming a happy tune to herself. Ochako took a moment to relax as the morning light shone through the glass in front of her. If she wasn’t already so wired, she might have been at risk at falling asleep.

 

“Izuku, we have a customer!” She heard the woman call into the back.

 

‘Izuku?’ Ochako thought, turning around as the woman came hurrying back with her coffee.

 

“Here you are, dear. Can I get you anything else? Have you eaten yet?”

 

Ochako took the cup graciously. “Thank you, uh-”

 

The woman blushed slightly. “Oh, how silly of me. Please, just call me Inko. Everyone does.” Her bright smile filled Ochako with warmth more than the warm coffee in front of her.

 

“Thank you, Inko,” Ochako said with a giggle. “And no, I haven’t eaten. I’ll take whatever you recommend. Nothing too heavy, though.”

 

Inko nodded and headed back to the counter. Ochako sipped her coffee, appreciating the taste. ‘Much better than the stuff I make in the mornin’, maybe I’ll come back here more often…’

 

Over the next few minutes, several other customers entered the store, each of them greeted happily by Inko. She smelled the delicious scent of a pastry cooking as she took another sip of her coffee, her eyes closing as she appreciated the smells, sounds, and atmosphere of the small shop.

 

She opened her eyes as she heard footsteps approaching, her eyes catching on the plate of food moving towards her. She tore her eyes away from the meal to look at the person carrying the plate.

 

A young man, just around her age, with messy green hair and a freckled face carried the food along with a wide smile that made her mouth turn up as well. His big, green eyes looked at her kindly as he set the food down in front of her. He was pretty cute, all things considered. “Here you go, miss. I hope you enjoy.”

 

Ochako beamed back at the man. “You must be Izuku- oh, uh, sorry if that’s too personal!” An embarrassed blush filled her cheeks.

 

The man blushed as well, seemingly growing a little hot as he pulled at his shirt collar. “No, that’s fine. If you’re uncomfortable, you can call me Midoriya, but otherwise, I-Izuku is just fine.”

 

She nodded her thanks as he stepped away to attend other customers. Ochako’s first bite of eggs caused a fond warmth to spread through her body and the pastry that Izuku had brought nearly caused her to squeal. ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll definitely be comin’ back. Wow, who knew this was right under my nose?’

 

Before she could finish her coffee, a great crash shook the whole shop. Her years of training kicked in as she shot up out of her chair and looked out the window. She spotted a cloud of smoke rising several blocks over. Before she could realize what she was doing, she was out the door and stripping her coat away. She clapped her hands together and jumped up over the buildings between her and whatever was causing trouble.

 

The culprit became very clear very quickly, as a huge villain came into view as she soared over the rooftops. She restored her gravity and landed on top of a nearby building, putting her within 50 feet of the muscle-bound goliath.

 

He was standing in the middle of the street, at least 20 feet tall, posturing and roaring as a crowd gathered a distance away. He was bulging with muscle under his pink skin, with a strange hood-like growth of muscle over his head.  She gasped as she saw a group of three people gripped tightly in one of his arms.

 

Hostages .

 

Ochako scanned around but saw no other heroes on site. She rolled up her sleeves.

 

Combat may not be her specialty, but she could kick ass if she needed to.

 

And it looked like she needed to.

 

She removed her gravity again, long years of training allowing her to suppress her nausea with relative ease as she jumped toward the villain at high speed. Ochako clapped her hands together again, her suddenly reappearing weight causing her to land in the middle of the street in front of the villain.

 

The huge thug’s eyes filled with rage. “Who’re you supposed to be? One step closer and I’ll kill this whole family! You don’t want the blood of these damn yuppies on your hands, now do you, hero?

 

“Bastard,” Ochako spat under her breath as she dropped into a ready stance.

 

The villain sneered and picked up a nearby parked car with a single hand, rearing back and hurling it toward the crowd behind her.

 

“No!” Ochako yelled, quickly removing her weight and kicking off toward the flying vehicle as fast as she could manage. She streaked towards the metal mass as it tumbled towards the scattering onlookers, her hand stretched out in front of her.

 

With a grunt of effort, she slapped her hand onto the steel right before it hit the ground, quickly negating the weight and sending it gently floating up into the air.

 

Unfortunately, Ochako couldn’t stop her own momentum quite as easily. She continued in her trajectory at high speed, heading straight for a building on the other side of the street. ‘Oh man, what I wouldn’t give for my boots right now,’ she thought as she braced for impact.

 

Suddenly, a green blur filled her vision as she felt herself being pulled through the air at incredible speeds. Ochako found herself standing on the other side of the villain, blinking in confusion.

 

The villain seemed to be equally confused as he stared down at her. “How did…?”

 

“Never fear, citizens.”

 

Ochako froze. She knew that voice.

 

She turned to her left and gasped as the familiar helmet and green suit of Redacted came into view, just a dozen or so feet from her.

 

The villain didn’t even have time to react before another blur of green knocked him stumbling backward and then, before Ochako knew what was happening, the three civilians were sitting, confused, on the ground at her feet.

 

“ I am here.”

 

The villain blinked a few times as he stared at his suddenly empty arms. He looked up at the masked man and roared in fury. “Redacted!”  

 

“That’s not my name!” Redacted yelled in exasperation as, in another blur, he appeared above and behind the villain, his foot raised above his own head.

 

“St. Louis Smash!”

 

Redacted brought his red and black armored shoe down in an arching roundhouse kick to the back of the villain’s head, flattening him against the pavement before the villain had a chance to react.

 

Just like that, the fight was over.

 

The crowd began to cheer as the dust settled. Ochako herself felt weak in the knees, especially when Redacted hopped over the unconscious villain and jogged over to her.

 

“Uravity!” he yelled with his American accent. “I’m a big fan of yours! You do great work!”

 

Ochako felt like the world had turned on its head as she fumbled for words. “Y-you think-”

 

“Yes! You’re opening your agency today, right? That’s great news, I look forward to working with you more in the future!” He seemed more like a fanboy than the number one hero.

 

“Y-yes, I am, how did you know that?”

 

He chuckled awkwardly. “Like I said, I’m a big fan. Thank you for getting here so quickly and saving those people.” He pointed at the car that was still floating above them. “You’re a real hero, Uravity. Don’t forget that.”

 

Ochako felt a small blush creep into cheeks as she smiled dumbly. “Th-thanks.”

 

The next few minutes passed in a blur as Ochako tried to come to terms with what she had just experienced. Not only was Redacted a super down-to-earth guy, he was kinda awkward, in a cute way, and apparently, he was also a big fan of hers? ‘Maybe I’m still dreamin’?’

 

After the villain was handed off to the authorities, Redacted gave the crowd a big wave before turning back to Ochako. “Until next time; keep up the good work, Uravity.”

 

Before she could respond, the man was gone in a green blur. Ochako stared for a few seconds before shaking her head. ‘Oh crap, my food!’

 

---

 

Ochako panted as she jogged back into Serendipity, Inko was standing behind the counter, cleaning something as Ochako caught her breath.

 

“Oh, there you are. Have you seen Izuku?”

 

Ochako raised an eyebrow. “Izu- where did he go?”

 

Inko smiled fondly. “That boy loves heroes. He never misses a chance to meet one of them or watch them fight. He ran out right after you, but I haven’t seen him come back yet.” She sighed as she shook her head. “He probably got caught up fishing for another autograph or something.”

 

“I don’t think so, Inko,” Ochako responded. “The only pros there were myself and R-Redacted.” She still couldn’t quite believe she had met the man. “He left pretty quick and I made my way back here as fast as I could.”

 

“Oh, I see,” Inko said quietly. “Well, then I’m sure Izuku will be back soon.”

 

As if on cue, the man came stumbling back into the store from the back room, panting from running, Ochako assumed. “Sorry Mom, I’m back.”

 

“There you are, Izuku,” Inko said quickly as she gave her son a quick hug. “Did you have fun?”

 

“Oh man, it was so cool!” he said excitedly. “You should have seen Uravity go! She saved a bunch of people like it was nothing.”

 

Ochako blushed under the praise. “W-well, Redacted was the one who-”

 

“Hey,” Izuku cut her off. “Don’t let anyone else take away from what you’ve done, alright? You did something incredible out there.”

 

Ochako’s eyes went wide at his firm, reassuring words. “T-thank you, Izuku.” She felt her face growing warmer still.

 

She stared into his big, green eyes for a few moments, then a few moments longer. She saw him staring back into her eyes, but she couldn’t bring herself to react.

 

After a few seconds longer than was proper, she broke her stare as she remembered something important. “Oh my gosh, I forgot to pay. I’m so sorry for running out like that, please-”

 

“No need,” Izuku said firmly. “It’s on the house.”

 

Ochako couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Oh, I couldn’t. Please, you’ve already been so kind to me.”

 

Izuku shook his head. “We do just fine. We do this more for the joy of seeing people’s smile than the money. Besides, don’t you have an agency to open up? You wouldn’t want to be late for your first day! You're going to be watching over us, so take it as preemptive thanks.”

 

Ochako blushed harder as Inko merely looked on happily. Izuku was right, she was cutting it close. “T-thank you again, Izuku. Inko. The food, coffee- everything was wonderful!” She bowed politely as she jogged out the door. ‘Wait, how did he know that? Is he a fan, too?’

 

---

 

Izuku smiled fondly as he turned around and walked into the back room to change his shoes. He was fortunate that the counter kept Uravity from seeing his bright red shoes before he had time to trade them for the black pair he wore while he was working in the shop.

 

He put the shoes in the trunk with the rest of his hero gear, continuing to smile as he closed the lid. ‘I really am looking forward to working with her more in the future.’

Chapter 2: The First Day

Summary:

Izuku welcomes his new neighbor.

Izuku finished strapping on his heavy, steel-soled, double-action boots and stood up as his mother held out his helmet with a kind smile. “Going on patrol, honey?”

 

Izuku nodded. “I want to touch base with Uravity, too. What kind of neighbor would I be if I didn't welcome the new hero on my block?”

 

“Oh, I have an idea!” Inko said happily. “Wait just a moment!” She hurried off as Izuku put on and secured his helmet.

 

“Helmet: on.”

 

The visor in front of his face sprang to life, filling with a diagnostics and cursory scans. A digital voice played in his ear. “Good afternoon, Nimbus.”

 

‘At least someone calls me the right name,’ Izuku thought sarcastically as his mother returned.

 

She held up a small bag filled with pastries. “Take these as an agency-warming gift!”

 

Izuku paused for a moment before taking the package. “Thanks, Mom. I'll be back soon.”

 

Inko wrapped her arms around her son. “Be safe, Izuku. You make me so proud.”

 

Izuku returned the hug. “I will, love you.”

 

“Love you, too.”

 

Izuku nodded before turning to the door out of the back of the shop. The monitoring system indicated that there was nobody in the alleyway, giving him the green light. “Blending: on.” The helmet whirred to life, along with small hidden devices along his suit. In seconds, he was covered in a simple, but convincing hologram of a man in a simple jacket. ‘Melissa really outdid herself with this one. It blows me away every time.’

 

He stepped out into the shadows behind Serendipity and began to weave between the buildings. He walked a good half mile from the store before he looked around, checked his scanners, and jumped up to the rooftops as he deactivated the holograms.

 

He gazed out over Tokyo and felt One For All flowing through his body. He jumped, soaring over the buildings as he felt himself being pulled into his memories. He landed on another roof and sighed, feeling the warm sun on his body.

 

‘How did I get here?’

 

---

 

Izuku had no way of knowing that his life would be changed forever when he had latched onto All Might's leg after he was saved from that sludge monster. He had no ulterior motives for running out as Bakugou was being suffocated and attempting to save him. But regardless, that day was the beginning of the rest of his life.

 

All Might's training was both a dream come true and a nightmare at the same time. The amount of pain and torment his body was put through was nearly unbearable, but Izuku pushed through. For the most part.

 

One day, while cleaning up the beach, Izuku felt a little more curious than normal. “All Might, do you have a family?”

 

Toshinori looked down at the boy with a sad expression. “No, I don't. Not really. I've distanced myself from all of my relatives, for their safety. Being the number one paints a target on your back, as well as your family. That's the same reason I've never been in a relationship.”

 

Izuku felt shamed for bringing it up. “Oh, I'm sorry, All Might, I didn't mean-”

 

“Hey, no sweat, kid,” Toshinori said, trying to find a smile, “it's something you'll have to deal with too, once I give you my power.”

 

Izuku looked down as he considered what the man had said. ‘My mom…’

 

And in that moment, Izuku asked a question that would change the path of his entire life.

 

Izuku looked up to the hero. “But what if nobody knew who I was?”

 

All Might raised an eyebrow. “Young Midoriya, how do plan on doing that?” He chuckled lightly.

 

Izuku's mind went to work. “I couldn't be an underground hero, not if I want to be like you, but I could keep my identity a secret!”

 

All Might couldn't help but be intrigued. “If you wanted to be hidden, you would need to be careful. I've had to work hard to keep my name from the public. It might be harder for you.”

 

“I could wear a mask, like those heroes in those old American superhero comics!”

 

Izuku froze.

 

“That's it!”

 

“What's it?” Toshinori didn't know whether to be worried or curious.

 

“I could go to a hero school in America! They have those private academies that keep everyone's names a secret!” Izuku's hero nerd knowledge was finally being useful. “I could go to school in America and then come back here to be a hero! Then I wouldn't have to leave my mom…” Izuku looked down. “We only have each other, All Might. I don't think I could do that to her… I don't think I could do that to myself .”

 

All Might was moved by his passion and his plight. He kneeled down next to the boy. “This wouldn't be easy.”

 

Izuku looked All Might in the eyes. “If you help me, I know I could do it… in fact, I couldn't do it without you.”

 

Toshinori felt his heart clench a little. “Are you sure, young man?”

 

Izuku nodded. “If it keeps my mom safe, anything.”

 

All Might stood up and proudly buffed up into his hero form. “That heroic passion just makes me more confident that I've chosen my successor well! Young Midoriya, I will help you.”

 

“R-really?!” Izuku nearly tripped and fell back onto the sand.

 

All Might nodded and gave a thumbs up. “I have some friends in America that I can call favors in from.”

 

Izuku came to another realization. “My mom wouldn't believe me. She wouldn't let me go…” His hands were shaking from his nerves. “Not unless I tell her the truth.”

 

Toshinori considered his words. He let his hero form fall away as he flopped down to take a seat on a nearby washing machine that had washed ashore. “Sharing the secret of One For All is dangerous, young man. This decision can not be made lightly.”

 

“If I can’t trust my mom, who can I trust?” Izuku argued. “I’ll go to America, become a hero, then come back to Japan. That way, I can provide for my mom and give her an easy life, all while being a hero and saving lives. Nobody will know who I am, so she won’t be in danger!”

 

All Might smiled. “Sounds like you have a solid plan.” He stood up off the sand and pointed at a pile of trash. “But you’re not getting into any hero school if you slack off! Let’s get back to it!”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

---

 

Ochako slumped back into her chair, spinning it around as she looked around her new office. ‘An office. I have an office …’

 

Today had been exhausting, to say the least. That’s not to say it was bad, quite the contrary, in fact. She had stumbled into a new bakery that she had immediately fallen in love with, met Redacted of all people, and opened up her agency. She had finished her first press conference a few minutes ago, which had been stressful as hell.

 

‘How does Redacted do it? I would ask Bakugou, but I don’t think I wanna copy his style of doing interviews…’ She half-shuddered and half-chuckled as she recalled his famously-short patience for the press. ‘Maybe I could ask Yaomomo? Or Mina, she’s always so comfortable being in the spotlight. Or maybe even Aoyama, but maybe I don’t want to be that ‘confident’ in front of the camera…’

 

She sighed and stretched a little. ‘Well, time to go o-’

 

A knock behind her caused her to leap out of her chair. She whipped around and stared at her window, her fists clenched in front of her.

 

Kneeling on the windowsill, waving cheerfully at her was Redacted.

 

Ochako stared for a few seconds. And then a few seconds longer. She kept staring, completely frozen, until Redacted cocked his head to the left in a clear expression of concern.

 

She shook herself out of her bewilderment and hurried over to unlock the window. As she opened it, Redacted hopped inside. He rose up to his full height, standing several inches taller than her.

 

She stared at him again, finding her tongue completely inert.

 

“Hello again, Uravity,” the American said cheerfully. “I watched your press conference. Much better than the first one I ever gave! You’ve got a real knack for this hero stuff, don’t you?”

 

Ochako’s brain short-circuited a bit. “I-I-I-I-”

 

Redacted rubbed the back of his helmet. “Uh, sorry, are you okay?”

 

She shook her head, attempting to reground herself. ‘Alright, Ochako, the number one hero just paid a personal visit to your office, which you have now, and gave you a compliment. Keep your eyes off his chest and arms and own this. Be confident.’

 

She took a deep breath. Halfway through, whatever thought she had died and something else came out of her mouth. “Can I have your autograph?”

 

‘I hate you, me.’

 

Ochako’s cheeks began to turn red as she tried to formulate an apology. However, before she could, Redacted had reached around to a pouch on his hip and produced a small notebook. “Only if I can have your’s, too!”

 

Ochako’s attempts to ground herself were thrown out the window. Her face turned absolutely scarlet as she clutched at her face. “W-what?! W-why would y-you want-”

 

Redacted was, curiously, similarly flustered. “Y-you’re Uravity , h-how could I not want an autograph!”

 

“B-but you’re-”

 

He held out the notebook and a pen. “ Please? ”

 

She took a few steadying breaths, fanning herself slightly. ‘Wow, way to freak out like a schoolgirl, Ochako. You’re really puttin’ on a respectable show for him.’ She forced a smile and took the notebook. “O-okay.”

 

She scribbled her signature down, the practiced ‘Uravity’ only showing a couple signs of her shaking hands. Reaching into her desk, she pulled out a notebook of her own. It was brand new and as such, she had to tear the plastic sealing off it. She handed both notebooks back to the other pro.

 

As he eagerly took them, she noted that his hands were shaking slightly too. He stared straight at her autograph and she could almost hear the smile growing on his face behind his mask. “Oh man, so cool… ”

 

Ochako couldn’t help but be flattered.

 

He tucked his notebook away and opened her book to the first page. He was about to touch pen to paper when he stopped suddenly and turned his visor up to look at her. “Which…?”

 

“Both, please.”

 

He quickly scribbled down his signature, a large ‘NIMBUS’ that dominated the top quarter of the page, followed by a stylized ‘[REDACTED]’ underneath. The man handed her the notebook back as he stashed his pen back into his belt. “I still can’t get over people wanting my autograph…”

 

Ochako raised an eyebrow. “What? You’re the number one hero, why is that surprising?”

 

He whipped his head back around to her. “Did I say that out loud? Oops.” He rubbed the back of his helmet again as he laughed awkwardly.

 

‘Oh no, he’s adorable.’

 

Suddenly the hero stiffened up slightly and snapped his fingers. “I almost forgot!” He hopped back into the window and jumped straight up, almost faster than she could follow. Just as quickly, he was stepping back into the room holding a small paper bag.

 

The freshly-familiar smell of Serendipity filled the room as Ochako felt her mouth begin to water. She was suddenly acutely aware that she had missed lunch. Redacted held out the bag to her. “An office-warming gift for you.”

 

Ochako took the bag, a little greedily, but she was hungry. “You know about this place?”

 

“What, Serendipity? Sure do. I go there every once in a while,” Redacted explained.

 

“I just went there for the first time today,” Ochako said as she pulled a chocolate pastry out. “It’s super yummy!”

 

“Tha- I mean, I’m glad I chose well, then,” he laughed a little. “But I didn’t just come to say hello.”

 

Ochako looked up at him, her mouth full of pastry. Not wanting to be impolite, she cocked her head to the side in confusion.

 

“I was wondering if you wanted to go on patrol with me? I know the area pretty well, and I can show you the big trouble spots. I tell you what, I’m so glad there’s another hero moving into the area, especially one as capable as you.”

 

Her mouth began to fall open, but she quickly covered it with her hand and swallowed her food. “Y-you want to go on patrol with me?”

 

He nodded. “I-if that’s okay with you, of course. I didn’t mean to assume.”

 

“I’d love to!” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

 

He paused for a few moments. For a man in an enclosed helmet, he was surprisingly emotive. She could tell he was a little stunned. “G-great! Here, I’ll let you eat in peace, I’ll wait for you on the roof.”

 

“Oh, okay,” Ochako said, a little sadly. She watched him hop back into the windowsill then up onto the roof with ease.

 

She took out another pastry, this one savory and full of delicious meat. ‘Oh good, some protein. Redacted sure is thoughtful. And humble. And nice. And cu-’

 

Ochako shook her head and took another bite. ‘Professionalism, Ochako. Professionalism.’

 

---

 

After finishing the food and giving her stomach time to settle, she went out to the roof by using the stairs like a normal person. She found Redacted sitting, cross-legged, in the corner of the roof, seemingly concentrating on doing something in that notebook of his. Before she could get a good look of what it was, he noticed her and closed the book.

 

He hopped up as he stuffed the paper and pen back into his belt and jogged over to her, his eagerness plain to see. “There you are! Ready?”

 

Ochako gulped and nodded. “S-sure. Where to first?”

 

Redacted paused for a moment as he glanced out over the city. “I think this way would be best to start with. It’s been a pretty quiet day so far, thankfully. Any day we don’t have to do anything is a good day, you know?”

 

“That’s how I feel.” Ochako nodded again.

 

He nodded, then crouched down slightly. Ochako saw faint traces of green lightning hopping along his body, the signature sign of his quirk, or at least, one part of his quirk. Redacted was truly in a league of his own, for more than one reason. Being this close, she could actually feel the energy coming off of him, which sent a shiver up her spine.

 

“Right, let’s go.” And with that, he jumped to a building across the street. Ochako nodded and followed suit, degravitizing herself to clear the gap with ease.

 

Over the next ten minutes, the two of them hopped from building to building, keeping eyes and ears out for any disturbances. Redacted was obviously holding himself back to let her keep up, which she appreciated, but felt a little guilty about.

 

As if he could read her mind, he looked back and reassured her. “Hey, teamwork is important, right? Just because you’re not as fast as me doesn’t mean you’re holding me back. I’m not patrolling with you out of charity, Uravity.”

 

She felt her face growing a little flush, but she nodded. “Thanks.”

 

After another ten minutes, Ochako spotted something down on the street that caught her eye. She grabbed onto the edge of the building and pushed herself down towards the ground, landing a few feet in front of the person.

 

“Kyouka!” she said happily, throwing her arms around her friend.

 

Kyouka, who was a little surprised with Ochako’s sudden appearance, took a few seconds to realize what was going on, but then returned the hug. “Hey, girl. Congrats on opening your agency. You out patrolling alone? No sidekicks?” The women split apart as both of them smiled.

 

Ochako smiled sheepishly. “W-well, not exactly…”

 

With a stunning sense of dramatic timing, Redacted suddenly appeared next to them in a green blur. “Earphone Jack! Oh man, can I have your autograph?” He held up his hands up in front of him, balled into fists in his excitement.

 

Kyouka blinked a few times, clearly having trouble processing what had just happened. She looked to Ochako, then back to Redacted, then back to Ochako again, seemingly asking for an explanation.

 

“Um,” Ochako began, “Kyouka, meet Redacted. Redacted, Earphone Jack.”

 

“I love your new album!” Redacted almost shouted with excitement. “I listen to it all the time when I’m fighting! It gets me so amped up!”

 

“Uh, wow…” Kyouka was still stunned.

 

“Here, see?” He stood up a little straighter. “Speakers: on.”

 

Suddenly, music started playing, coming from his helmet. Sure enough, Kyouka’s gorgeous voice rang through for a few seconds before Redacted followed with a “Speakers: off.”

 

“So it turns out…” Kyouka looked to Ochako nervously, “that the number one hero is a fanboy?”

 

Redacted laughed nervously. “I love heroes; always have, always will. So about that autograph?” He whipped out his notebook and pen again, holding them out to Kyouka.

 

The Hearing Hero took them with a small amount of hesitation and began to flip through the pages. Ochako saw signatures from dozens of different heroes, some big, some small and some she hadn’t ever heard of. Eventually, she got to the first mostly blank page and penned her autograph right underneath Ochako’s.

 

Redacted took the notebook and pen back with nearly the same level of excitement that he had after Ochako’s autograph. “Two of my favorite heroes in one day… awesome…”

 

“Um, wow, really?” Kyouka raised an eyebrow.

 

He placed a hand on his helmet, leaning into his palm. “I said that out loud again, huh? Dang it.” He sighed, then shrugged. “Anyway, do you-”

 

Redacted suddenly tensed up and looked away slightly, as if he was listening to something. He turned back to the women after a few moments, his energy completely different. No longer was he the awkward, eager fanboy, but undoubtedly the number one hero.

 

“Earphone Jack, Uravity, there’s a bank robbery in progress a few blocks over. Will you join me?” His tone was serious and level. Ochako felt slightly intimidated by the intensity radiating off of him as his shoulders squared and lightning began to spark from him. She was emboldened that he was on her side.

 

“Of course,” Ochako responded.

 

“I’m in,” Kyouka added.

 

“Thank you,” he took a step towards them. “Please forgive me, but we have no time to lose.”

 

He reached one arm around each of their waists, lifting them off the ground with seemingly no effort. Ochako felt the energy radiating off of him begin to grow rapidly and then before she knew it, the three of them were carried off at unreal speeds, suddenly appearing in front of a bank.

 

His arm unraveled instantly from her waist as she was placed back on the ground. She wasted no time observing the situation.

 

It looked like the police hadn’t arrived yet. Hopefully that meant that the crime was just getting started, so they had a better chance at stopping it.

 

Redacted turned to Kyouka. “Earphone Jack,” he said simply.

 

His intent was apparently clear, as she nodded and stuck her jacks into the street. She closed her eyes and listened for about ten seconds before turning back up to the other two heroes. “Five thugs. Two out front, two working on the vault, one holding hostages. 6 hostages in total. The one on the hostages has a gun.”

 

Ochako felt her gut twist. “Hostages… dammit.”

 

Redacted put a hand to his chin and began to speak. What he was saying, she couldn’t tell. He was muttering, so fast and low that she could only catch about every fifth word.

 

“Um, Redacted?” she tried, but he ignored her completely.

 

“Sounds like he’s planning something,” Kyouka said softly. Ochako trusted her hearing.

 

After a good thirty seconds, he suddenly stopped talking. He turned to the women. “I have a plan. Can I ask that both of you put your trust in me? I need your help.”

 

Kyouka and Ochako both nodded firmly.

 

---

 

Izuku jumped high and slammed down in front of the bank, causing a large shockwave that kicked up dust and rattled windows. He stood up slowly, lightning crackling all around him. He glared forward as wind and dust swirled around, creating an intimidating display.

 

One of the two criminals on lookout took a hesitant step backwards. “Oh shit, it’s Redacted!”

 

“Voice Distortion: on.”

 

“C̮̗͂̀ọ̄̄͟m͙̫͌̚e̹̓ ͔͈̇̏q̲̍uie̟͑ẗ͓́lý̡̥͛,” Izuku said coldly, his voice warped and laced with frequencies on either edge of human hearing in an effort to unnerve the thugs.

 

The other thug was braver (stupider) and stood his ground. “Hey, stay back, hero . One step closer and we’ll start killing hostages! You’re fast, but are you faster than a bullet?” He gestured to the villain inside with a pistol pressed to the head of what looked like a bank teller.

 

Izuku stood still. As long as he was keeping their attention, he was doing his job.

 

“Y͔͞o̪̙̽͐u͈͕̅͒’re͎̓ ̡͖̓̌m̜̔̎͢ą̒ki̕͟ng ͈͙̍͞me̝̝̿̋ ̩͒å͚̽͜ṉ̄g̟̿ry̜͓͌̎.” Black flecks of energy danced at his fingertips.

 

Now both were starting to have their doubts.

 

Elsewhere, Ochako had floated herself up to a second story window and was creeping through a hallway. She pressed the communicator in her ear twice, sending a tone to Kyouka and Izuku, informing them that she was in position.

 

Kyouka stabbed her jacks into the concrete wall on the side of the building. She sent a single pulse through the building, making sure her bearings were right.

 

The villains began to look around uneasily at the apparent nothing that was happening. “H-hey, we said no funny business.”

 

Izuku held his hands up, blank energy continuing to swirl and crackle around them. “I͔͆’̡m͔̉ ̳͑ṅ̯͎̈́ö̝t̛̘ ̨̾d̪̐oi̟͠ņ͡g̰͑ ̯̈̋͟ä̩͠ͅn̯͕̿͝yṫ͕̰͌h̭̗̍͠in͍̈g͍̻̔͞.̤͈͐̎ ̩̼̓͘A̞͘r̹͊e͍ ͙̄ỵ̟̿͒ọ̧̕͝u͇̦͆̆ ̟̝̉s̻̃e̘̬̊̂e̬͍͆̍i̖̯̿͗n͉̂g̬̺͋̍ t̢̝̓͂hi̻̓͟͠ṉ̡͛̀gs̺̒?̓”

 

Ochako peeked out of the stairwell behind the villains. She had a straight shot at the thug with a gun and beeped her communicator three times.

 

At that moment, Kyouka shoved everything through.

 

The entire bank shook with enough force to crack windows and send desks tumbling to the floor. In the confusion, Ochako removed her weight and kicked off from the wall behind her as hard as she could.

 

She streaked like a bullet towards the armed villain, lowering her shoulder and hitting him square in the back and sending him spiraling through the air.

 

Izuku held his hands out as black tendrils of energy shot forth, quickly wrapping up the two villains out front. With the gun out of play, he leaped into action. A green blur shot through the front doors of the bank and in less than a second, all five villains were piled in the middle of the floor, constricted by his Black Whip.

 

Ochako retrieved the firearm and ejected both the magazine and the chambered round safely as Kyouka came jogging inside.

 

“Did we win?” the Hearing Hero asked.

 

“We did,” Izuku answered in his fake accent. “I have to say, you two are even cooler in person. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

 

At this moment, a squadron of police cars pulled up in front of the building and the heroes got to work with the necessary proceedings to exchange the criminals and secure the crime scene.

 

Twenty minutes later, the three heroes, finished in their task, were gathered outside the building. Izuku, who had just finished giving autographs to the crowd that had formed on the perimeter, raised his arms wide. “Again, you two were great. I’m looking forward to working with you more in the future.”

 

Kyouka smirked. “You know, this isn’t how I envisioned you’d be. I thought you’d be all cool and stoic, maybe a little bit of a bad boy.”

 

Izuku raised an eyebrow that the women couldn’t see. “Uh… sorry?”

 

“Nah,” she waved her hand dismissively, “don’t be. I think I like this better. You’re a good guy, Redacted.”

 

Izuku laughed, a little embarrassed. “Well, t-thanks. That means a lot.”

 

Ochako giggled a bit as well. “Thanks again for the pastries. I look forward to working with you more, too. I have a lot to learn from you.”

 

Izuku was glad that nobody could see him blush behind his helmet. “Anyways, I best be off. There’s a lot of ground I need to cover today. Good luck to both of you, and stay safe!” He charged up One For All in his legs and with a small push, kicked himself into the air and away.

 

Ochako and Kyouka watched him disappear over the rooftops together before turning to each other. “Wanna patrol together?” Kyouka asked.

 

Ochako nodded cheerfully.

 

As the two heroes walked away, Ochako finally took the time to remember how his arm had felt wrapped around her waist. “So unbelievably strong and powerful, but his touch was nothing but gentle and kind.”

 

She had no idea that, a half mile away, Izuku was reminiscing about how she had felt as well.

Notes:

See you next time!

Leave a comment because it makes me feel all fuzzy inside :)

Chapter 3: Secrets and Pastries

Notes:

Thanks to my betas!

A couple days later, Ochako found herself entering Serendipity once again, this time with someone at her side. Tsuyu was one of her best friends and Ochako absolutely insisted on taking her out for breakfast and what better spot than Ochako's new favorite?

 

It was just after seven in the morning when the two of them entered the front door of the Serendipity, the two women sighing slightly as the chill of the autumn air was immediately dispelled by the warm atmosphere within. The two women exchanged happy smiles as they approached the counter.

 

Standing behind the counter, brewing a coffee for another customer, was not Inko, nor Izuku, but another man. He was taller, probably close to about six feet tall, had messy black hair flecked with gray and a smattering of freckles on his face. He was older, probably in his fifties, a few years older than Inko was.

 

He finished brewing the coffee and passed it to a businessman waiting patiently in front of the women, who thanked the man and left the store with his drink. The older man turned a kind smile on the two of them. “Good morning! What can I do for you?”

 

Before either of them could answer, Inko appeared from the back. Her face broke into a wide, motherly smile as she saw the two young heroes. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you again, Uravity!”

 

Ochako smiled back and blushed a little in embarrassment. “Oh, I never told you my name, did I? Sorry about that. I’m Ochako Uraraka, and this is Tsuyu Asui.” She gestured to her friend who smiled and waved back.

 

“No need to apologize!” Inko quickly assured them as she turned to Tsuyu. “Please, call me Inko, Asui. This is Hisashi, my husband.”

 

Tsuyu nodded and tilted her head slightly as her smile widened. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

 

After the two of them ordered and began to go sit down, Ochako turned back around to the happy couple. “Where’s Izuku?”

 

Hisashi chuckled softly. “He’ll be down soon, I’d imagine. He stayed up too late last night watching Nimbus on the television.”

 

Ochako understood. A cursory glance at the hero news this morning told her that Redacted was doing hero work pretty late last night. Something else caught her attention however. “Huh, you don’t meet a lot of people who call him that. N-not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just usually hear people call him Redacted.”

 

The older man looked straight at her in the way a father only could. “It’s a sign of respect to call people what they want to be called. Nimbus has done more than enough to earn my respect. I think he’s gotten used to the nickname, but I’m sure he’d appreciate it if you called him Nimbus.”

 

Ochako’s eyes widened. “You’re right, sir. I was just so… starstruck when I first met him.” She felt her face glow a little red. “I felt like such a fangirl. I’ll be sure to call him Nimbus the next time I see him- er, if I see him again.”

 

Hisashi chuckled again. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I saw you two working together the other day. You make a good team.”

 

Ochako felt her heart leap a little bit “Y-you think so? Thank you, sir!”

 

“Please, call me Hisashi.”

 

“Yes, si- Hisashi.” She smiled as she caught herself. The man smiled back before turning away to make their coffee. She walked over to the spot Tsuyu had picked out, which just happened to be in front of the television. The station was showing the scarce footage from Red- Nimbus’ heroics last night.

 

They watched in silence for a few minutes together while their coffee brewed. Tsuyu took a tentative sip and gave an approving smile before turning back to the television. Nimbus was chasing a villain with some sort of speed quirk who had been caught breaking into apartments nearby.

 

The footage was shaky at best as the news helicopter desperately tried to keep up with the two superhumanly fast men. She could tell that Nimbus wasn’t using his full speed nor power as he pursued, but she couldn’t figure out why. If he wanted to, he could have been on the villain in an instant and ended the chase, but he was holding back. She saw him dash forward with a burst of speed and reach his hand out and barely touch the hem of the criminal’s clothes before tripping and crashing into the ground as the thug sped off.

 

Ochako couldn’t believe it. Nimbus had never failed to capture a criminal; what was going on?

 

Her bewilderment only grew as Nimbus stood up and dusted himself off. Instead of pursuing, he just stood there. Hopping up and down and rocking back and forth on his feet. At one point, he turned up and waved at the camera. It almost seemed like he was waiting on some-

 

Ochako’s confusion gave way to an impressed smile.

 

Nimbus gave the camera a small salute before suddenly dashing off faster than the camera could see.

 

That was the speed she knew.

 

The news footage cut back to a studio where a smirking, smiling broadcaster explained that they had caught up to “Redacted” a few minutes later. Beneath the helicopter’s spotlight, the hero was standing next to a shipping container, holding the massive door in one hand and the villain in the other. He set the door down and reached over to the thug, the camera zooming in to show the man pulling a small tracking device that he had planted.

 

The news reporter told them that the hero had tricked the villain into leading him back to his stash, bringing an end to the villain’s month-long crime spree and recovering an estimated 30 million yen in stolen goods.

 

Ochako had to resist cheering out loud right there in the store.

 

---

 

Izuku’s eyes opened slowly as the morning sun broke through the window of room above Serendipity. He was so tired last night that he hadn’t even bothered to put away his hero gear; he woke up cuddling with his helmet like it was a teddy bear.

 

He smiled sadly. Being the top hero was rewarding in many senses of the word, but the nature of his secret identity meant that yeah, maybe he was a little lonely. It was something he was willing to endure, of course. His other options were not telling his parents or endangering them, neither of which were particularly appealing.

 

He heard the voice of his father echoing from downstairs. After years of not hearing it, it was still a welcome sound. In the bright sunlight of the morning, Izuku found himself staring out the window and reminiscing again.

 

---

 

“What do you plan on telling her?” Toshinori asked as the two of them approached Izuku’s apartment on a cold December evening. “You could just tell her you have a quirk, instead of explaining One For All.”

 

“I know,” Izuku responded, “but I think that she would be more willing to be understanding if I told her everything. Especially if I want to leave the country. Knowing that you’ll be there to protect me will put her at ease… I hope.”

 

Toshinori sighed heavily. “I don’t think I like this, young man. Are you sure?”

 

“I am.” Izuku spoke with a conviction Toshinori had only heard a few times before.

 

“Well, my boy, then I’ll stand with you.” Toshinori clapped him on the back as Izuku took a deep breath and reached up to open the door.

 

“Mom!” he called inside. “I brought a guest. It’s important!”

 

Inko came scurrying in as fast as she could. “Did you get in trouble, Izuku?” Worry filled her voice as she caught sight of the tall, trench coat-wearing form of Toshinori. “Is this a detective? Oh, sir, what did my baby do?”

 

“Mom, calm down!” Izuku pleaded. “This isn’t a detective, but we need to talk to you about something important. You might want to sit down. I promise, it's good news- great news. The best news I could ask for.”

 

Izuku’s reassurances did little to calm his mother, but she acquiesced and sat down on the couch once Izuku and Toshinori had entered the humble apartment. Toshinori sat down opposite her while Izuku pulled up a chair between them. Inko took in a great breath and sighed before looking at her son. “Alright, Izuku. What’s all this about?”

 

Izuku pulled at his collar a bit. “Well, first of all, introductions. I’m going to ask for you to please not freak out, but I, uh, don’t know if that’s possible. I freaked out when I found out too.”

 

“Honey?”

“Mom, this is All Might.”

 

…

 

…

 

“Izuku, is this some sort of practical joke? It’s not very funny.” Inko’s vision snapped between her son and Toshinori.

 

“Ma’am, I assure you that this is no joke,” Toshinori said firmly. With a grunt, he buffed up into his hero form, suddenly dominating the entire couch by himself.

 

Predictably, Inko didn’t take it well.

 

Izuku had already moved to catch her when she began to faint. He propped her up on the couch and began to fan her as she regained her senses. Toshinori had the good sense to shrink back down before she woke up completely.

 

“Mom? Mom, are you alright?” Izuku said as she held her head.

 

Inko was shaking. “I-Izuku, what is A-All Might doing in our house?”

 

“Well, you see,” Izuku said nervously, “he’s been giving me personal training for the past… eight months. That’s the reason I’ve been eating so much more and why I’ve been so exhausted all the time.”

 

“P-personal training?!” She looked between All Might and Izuku in a panic. “W-why? Oh my, we haven’t paid you for your time, Izuku wh-”

 

“Mom, please!” Izuku begged. “It’s not like that. He offered to train me after the sludge villain thing last April.”

 

Inko gasped. She stared at Izuku for a few moments. “So… that’s why you’ve been so much happier since then… oh, baby…” Tears began to leak from her face, which, honestly, Izuku was surprised they had held back this long.

 

Toshinori spoke calmly and with years of experience. “Make no mistake, ma’am, I am not doing this out of the kindness of my heart. Your son is an amazing young man, and he had promised to do something for me in return. You see, I have chosen him to be my successor as Symbol of Peace.”

 

Inko fainted again.

 

Okay, so maybe Toshinori still wasn’t the best with people. It was hard, alright?

 

He raised his eyebrows in worry. “My boy, I’m sorry, I-”

 

“No, no, this is normal,” Izuku assured him. “There’s really no way around it. It might be best to just get it out of the way instead of tiptoeing around.”

 

“If you say so…” Toshinori muttered, unconvinced.

 

Inko woke up again, a little quicker this time. “W-what are you saying, All Might? Surely you know that Izuku is quirkle- Izuku?! You told him, right?!”

 

“Yes, he knows!” Izuku explained quickly.

 

“Ma’am, if you would allow me,” Toshinori began. “Your son is quirkless, yes, but he has demonstrated a heroic spirit that is truly rare. He has earned my respect and my trust over the past eight months and, should he complete the challenge I have set before him, I intend to remedy his quirklessness.”

 

“W-what? You can do that?”

 

“I must impress upon you, keeping this secret is of the utmost importance. The only reason I am telling you is that your son wishes for me to do so.” Toshinori steeled himself with a deep breath. “I have the ability to pass my quirk onto someone that I choose. I intend to give my quirk to your son.”

 

Inko… remained conscious this time. But she did stare.

 

“I… you… what?” Her voice was almost empty as she sat there, frozen.

 

“That’s the plan, Mom,” Izuku said softly. “If I prove myself worthy, All Might will give me his quirk and I’ll begin my journey to be a hero! It’s my dream come true; I couldn’t ask for anything more!”

 

“I need a minute,” she pleaded.

 

The other two nodded as Inko came to terms with the world-shattering revelations being dropped on her. It took her nearly five minutes for her to compose herself.

 

She slowly turned her head towards her son. “I-Izuku, are you being serious?”

 

He nodded firmly. “I… I have one more thing to tell you.”

 

She held her cheeks. “I don’t know if my heart can take it, but alright, go ahead.”

 

“I want to protect you, Mom.” Izuku spoke with the conviction that he had previously. “Taking this quirk, this burden… it will put you in danger. But I have a plan. I want to go to a private academy in America and train in secret. Then I’ll return here under a secret identity. That way, I can be a hero and keep you out of harm's way.”

 

“And before you ask,” Toshinori added, “you need not worry about the finances. He will be taken care of.”

 

She stared at Izuku for what felt like an hour before she looked down. She sat there in deep thought for a while, her eyes moving back and forth over the carpet. After nearly ten minutes of silence, she spoke.

 

“Is this what you really want, Izuku?” she asked finally.

 

“It is.” Izuku was tearing up too.

 

“Hisashi,” she said simply.

 

“Dad?”

 

“All Might, my husband Hisashi lives in America. He’s a businessman, working abroad to pay for us to live here.” She looked the number one hero straight in the eyes. “He loves Izuku as much as I do, but he makes sacrifices so we can be comfortable. If Izuku is going to America for school, I demand that Hisashi know about this.”

 

Toshinori nodded immediately. “Understood. In fact, if you wish, I can easily afford to relocate you as well. You can live with your husband near to your son until you return to Japan, should you choose to do so.”

 

Inko gasped. “But...you’re already doing so much for Izuku! I couldn’t ask you to do that!”

 

The hero looked very seriously at Inko. “Your son is doing much more for me, I assure you.”

 

---

 

Ochako was a little disappointed she didn’t get to see Izuku, but she understood the need for a good night’s sleep. Tsuyu and her left Serendipity in opposite directions, exchanging a friendly hug before the greenette literally hopped off in the direction of the agency she worked for. Ochako watched her leave with a smile. ‘Once I get settled in, she’s the first person I’m gonna ask to join me at my agency.’

 

Speaking of her agency, she didn’t want to be late, so she headed off.

 

She was nearly two blocks into her journey when she heard someone running up behind her. Judging from the footfalls, the person was a fully grown adult, and not a light one at that. Whoever it was knew how to run, too; they weren’t moving flat-footed or clumsily. Her training triggered in the back of her mind, preparing her around to intercept whoever was moving so quickly toward her.

 

She whipped around, dropping down slightly as she brought her hands up in a ready position. To her surprise, skidding to a sudden, wide-eyed stop a few meters from her was none other than Izuku.

 

“Ah! I didn’t mean to scare you!” he held up his hands defensively. She noted that he stopped very quickly, almost as if he had expected her reaction.

 

“You didn’t scare me, silly,” Ochako said with a giggle. “But what’re you doing here?”

 

Izuku held up a small, brown bag, noticeably not panting after jogging two blocks. “You forgot your pastry!”

 

She raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t order that.”

 

“Oh.” Izuku began to blush slightly. “My mom said that you forgot this…are you sure you don’t want it? We can’t take it back; if you don’t eat it, it’s going in the trash. Please?”

 

‘He’s so earnest…’

 

Ochako opened her mouth to speak when suddenly she heard Izuku’s stomach growl loudly . She blinked a couple times and then smiled at him. “You could eat it, Izuku. It sounds like you’ve skipped breakfast. I wouldn’t mind.”

 

“No, no, I couldn’t!” he argued back. “It’s yours, please.” He held out the bag to her.

 

“Hmm, fine.” She took the bag and then immediately handed it back. “Now it’s my gift to you. Please enjoy.”

 

He looked absolutely stunned, standing there frozen for a few seconds. “I… Miss Uravity, a-are you sure?”

 

“Yep! And please, my name is Ochako Uraraka.” She rubbed her head in embarrassment. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you that when we met.”

 

He stared at the bag for a few moments before looking away with a much more significant blush than he had previously. “Thank you, but… Uraraka, would you like to split it?” he mumbled.

 

Her smile grew wider and wider until she had to squint. “I’d love to! Want to walk with me to my agency while we split it? I wouldn’t want to eat alone.”

 

Ochako screamed inside her mind as she realized what she had just done.

 

“A-are you sure?” He had turned almost pink.

 

She followed suit, looking away as her face lit up. “Y-yeah, i-if you want to, of course.”

 

Izuku gulped and then nodded. In an almost robotic fashion he took out the pastry and carefully split it in half. He quickly judged which one was the larger ‘half’ and handed that one to Ochako, a gesture she pretended not to notice.

 

Ochako felt like she was walking on clouds as she ate the chocolate pastry, savoring the feeling of warmth that spread throughout her body as she and Izuku walked in silence. The two of them ate cheerfully, smiling the entire time, but never making eye contact.

 

Both still had a small tinge of pink on their cheeks, and not just the pink that she normally had.

 

“S-so, Izuku,” Ochako finally broke the silence. “I noticed that Serendipity serves mostly American food, why is that? N-not that there’s anything wrong with that!” She quickly waved her hands. “I was just curious!”

 

Izuku smiled softly. “I guess it’s because I was such a fan of All Might growing up. I always asked my mom to make me American style breakfasts so I could be more like him. I guess it just stuck.”

 

Ochako snapped her fingers. “That reminded me! Your mom talked about how you love heroes, and your dad told me you stayed up late last night watching Nimbus.”

“Nimbus?” Izuku grew a small smile. “Weren’t you calling him Redacted the other day?”

 

“Well, yeah, everyone does, right?” She poked her fingers together. “Your dad gave me some good advice, though. You should call people what they ask to be called.”

 

Izuku’s smile grew wider for some reason.

 

“B-but yeah,” she returned to her previous point. “Did you try to be a hero? Oh, uh, sorry if that’s personal!” She found herself apologizing again, something about him just made her so curious. Maybe it was because she knew so little about him.

 

Or maybe it was those cute freckles.

 

Izuku’s smile shrunk a little. “It’s fine. Yeah. I did. I wanted nothing more than to be one.”

 

“It just didn’t work out?” Ochako’s embarrassment faded a little as it didn’t seem like Izuku was too upset. “Was your quirk not suited for heroics?”

 

‘Why am I asking him all of this?!’

 

Izuku shifted slightly, avoiding her gaze. “Something like that.”

 

They walked together for another ten minutes, their conversation much less personal and much more enjoyable. Ochako grew a smile that lasted the whole way there as the two of them spoke. Something about him just made her feel friendly and comfortable. It was probably his experience at the restaurant. It was his job to make people happy, after all.

 

Eventually they arrived at her agency. “Thanks for walking with me, Izuku. You’re pretty good company!”

 

“T-thank you, Uraraka.” He seemed uncomfortable with the praise.

 

A thought struck her as the man waved and began to walk away.

 

“Hey, actually, Izuku?” The man turned back at her call. “It’s not fair that I call you Izuku. Call me Ochako.”

 

His eyes went wide before he hid his face behind his hands. “W-wha- no way, I can’t do that, Uravity!”

 

‘Ugh, he’s gone back to my hero name. He’s too cute.’

 

“Hey,” she shot back in mock-anger. “Listen to your father, young man! You should call someone what they want to be called!”

 

Izuku’s blush grew stronger even as his hands fell away slowly. “O-okay.”

 

“Come on,” she teased, internally screaming the entire time. “I wanna hear you say it so I know you’re not lying!”

 

“O-O-Ochak-ko.” The poor man was nearly neon.

 

Her smile widened into a wild grin as she felt a strange leaping sensation in her chest. “There you go! See you later, Izuku!” She waved to him as she entered her agency, ready for the day.

 

Today was going to be a good day, she could feel it.

Notes:

See you guys next time!

Leave a comment :)

Chapter 4: New Faces, Old Wounds

Running a hero agency was hard work, so it was several more days before Ochako woke up early enough and found time to visit Serendipity again. Unfortunately for her, the restaurant was much too busy that morning for any of the staff to spend much time with her. Izuku, bless his heart, made a special effort to ask her how she was doing and spend some time with her, but there were just too many people there for the pair to have a decent conversation.

 

She felt a little guilty that she was a little disappointed in that fact, after all, shouldn’t she be happy that the Midoriyas had such a booming business? She knew that Izuku had told her that they ‘do just fine’, but she knew how expensive running a restaurant could be.

 

Ochako decided to just focus on how good the food and atmosphere was and not to worry that Izuku or Inko or Hisashi were too busy to talk to her. That’s what made a restaurant good, right? The food? Oh, and the atmosphere, of course, but that was still great. Even with every chair and recliner filled, the place still felt homey and cozy.

 

She finished her food and was getting ready to leave when a thought struck her. She remembered how good she had felt that morning after she had eaten one of those chocolate pastries on her way to the agency. Ochako turned back around and ordered one, smiling as Hisashi gave her the fresh, still-warm treat.

 

She walked through the streets to her agency, holding the comforting pastry close as she watched the trees changing colors. She took a bite, expecting to feel the sensation of warmth and joy that she had a few days prior, but nothing happened.

 

Not to say anything was wrong with the pastry, of course, it was still delicious and just as good, if not better, than when she had it last time. But something felt like it was missing. Ochako took a few more bites as she passed by the stores and apartments of the city, trying to figure out what was different.

 

As she arrived at her agency, she realized what was missing. Or rather, who was missing.

 

Her eyes went wide and she felt her cheeks heating up slightly. She desperately tried to hide the blush growing on her face as she opened the door and headed up to her office.

 

---

 

About a week later, Izuku was on patrol when he heard reports of a villain attack downtown. That wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, criminals tried things all the time, despite him being in the area. He knew he didn’t have the respect that Toshinori had, but it was still frustrating. Maybe one day his very existence would be a deterrent to crime, but today was apparently not that day.

 

He landed at the scene of the attack: a devastated street lined with smoking cars. According to the report he had received, the woman had tried to kidnap a prominent businessman, but was foiled in the attempt. Izuku had arrived shortly thereafter and took stock of the situation.

 

The villain stood at the far end of the street. She wore a black business suit and had her white hair flowed loosely behind her. Circling around her was what looked like a mass of obsidian slime, likely her quirk. In front of her stood a shirtless man with bright red hair, who was interposed between the villain and what she could only assume was the target of her aggression. The older gentleman was currently being supported by a long, pink tongue, extending from the mouth of a green-haired woman.

 

“Red Riot, Froppy!” he called as he landed. “Good to see you here! Nice job securing the civilian!”

 

“Wh-” Red Riot turned around confused for a moment before his eyes went wide and a sharp, toothy grin spread across his face. “Holy- Nimbus? Oh man!” He turned back to the villain with confidence. “You here to help me beat this guy?”

 

‘Nimbus?’ Izuku smiled underneath his mask. “You bet.”

 

“Alright!” The man pumped his fist. “Listen up, I’ve already tried giving her the beatdown, but see that black goo stuff floating around her? It’s been protecting her from all of my attacks. You wanna take a swing at her?”

 

Izuku nodded. Out of the corner of his eye he heard Froppy get to work moving other civilians out of the way, giving him space. It was good she was so focused. He ground his feet into the earth, charging One For All through his body. “I’ll give you one last chance to come quietly, villain.”

 

The woman laughed back. “I’ve been looking forward to testing myself against you for months , Redacted! I think you’ll find me quite untouchable.”

 

Izuku kicked off, surging towards her at blinding speeds, faster than she could hope to react. He aimed for her unprotected legs, aiming to sweep her off her feet and pin her to the ground. Izuku’s leg flew forward, but suddenly the black sludge rushed forth and blocked his attack, absorbing and returning the blow.

 

He was flung backwards, streaking back and slamming into a parked car.

 

Izuku blinked a few times before groaning and pulling himself up. He flexed his leg as he stood back up, feeling soreness streaking through it. He was fortunate that he had pulled back his power for the attack, or his leg might have been broken by that recoil.

 

The woman cackled. “See? You cannot touch me, you brute.”

 

Izuku glared under his mask. This wasn’t going to be something he could beat down, he needed a plan, and for that, he needed information. “Call Mother,” he spoke into his helmet.

 

A small image of a blonde woman appeared in the bottom right of his helmet’s display. She was typing on a keyboard with a bored expression on her face. As the call connected, she jumped a little and spun around to face the camera. “Nimbus, what’s up?”

 

“Hey Melissa,” Izuku responded. “Got anything on this villain I’m up against?”

 

“Hmm, let me see.” Melissa Shield, the mind behind his technology, turned around and accessed his helmet’s camera feed. “I’m running a search, it might take a minute.”

 

“Right, thanks.” He hopped away from the villain, dashing back to Red Riot.

 

The other hero nodded. “Damn, that looked like it hurt. You alright?”

 

Izuku nodded. “That’s one hell of a quirk.”

 

The woman began to slowly walk towards them, a confident sneer on her face as her white hair blew around her head.

 

Melissa turned back to the camera in Izuku’s helmet. “Alright, got it. Looks like she is ‘Black Cocoon,’ a villain from Japan that made her name here in America. The most recent reports show that the American authorities believe she left the country a few weeks ago, guess they were right.”

 

“Great, but how do I beat her? I’m gonna break my arms if I try to just beat her down.”

 

Melissa rolled her eyes. “You wouldn’t want to do that to your mom again, would you? Alright, so her quirk absorbs and redirects energy. It’s been documented blocking bullets, so I don’t think you’ll be able to out maneuver it. The last time she was captured was after a fight with…” she trailed off, mumbling slightly; a bad habit she had picked up from Izuku.

 

“Melissa?”

 

“Alright, got it. Looks like her quirk has more difficulty redirecting energy the harder the object is. Bulldozer beat her last time, just smashing into her enough with his quirk. Unfortunately, you’re only as tough as your bones.”

 

“Noted. Let’s test that theory; Red Riot is like Bulldozer.” He turned his speaker back on. “Red Riot, can you go take a swing at her? Hard as you can.”

 

“Like you even had to ask!” He slammed his hardened fists together and ran forward and crashed into the villain. His fists flew forward, each one blocked by the black ooze. Unlike Izuku, he wasn’t flung backwards, but he wasn’t making much progress on her.

 

Suddenly, the ooze surged forward and smashed into him, sending him streaking back towards Izuku. He shot his Black Whip out and caught him before he crashed into anything, bringing him back to Izuku’s side.

 

“Well that didn’t work,” Red Riot huffed as he flexed his hands.

 

Izuku rubbed his chin. “Yeah, but she didn’t hit you as hard as she did me.”

 

“So I don’t hit hard enough, but she doesn’t…” A look of inspiration crossed Red Riot’s face. He turned to Izuku with a gleam in his eye. “Hey Nimbus, you’re American, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Izuku lied.

 

“You ever read old American comics?”

 

“Yeah,” Izuku said truthfully.

 

Red Riot hardened himself. “You ever heard of the Fastball Special?”

 

He couldn’t see it, but Izuku’s eyes went wide and his mouth grew into a huge smile. “Red Riot, you are a beautiful man.”

 

---

 

Ochako’s jaw dropped as she watched the hero news in Serendipity the following morning.

 

She had watched Nimbus and Eijirou get tossed around like ragdolls with baited breath, but then...

 

“ Red Riot: Unbreakable! ” Eijirou yelled, hardening his entire body into a rough, spiked bulwark. That was normal, she was used to that. Even after seeing him use it for nearly six years, it was a little unsettling, but it was normal.

 

No, what caused her to nearly drop her food was what happened next. She wouldn’t- couldn’t have seen it coming.

 

Eijirou stood behind Nimbus, who held his right arm out behind him as he crackled with more and more green lightning. Her former classmate ran forward, jumping up and landing his foot on the number one hero’s open palm before Nimbus flung his arm forward, yelling a triumphant “ Cooperstown Smash! ” as he literally pitched Eijirou at the villain.

 

Judging from her expression, Black Cocoon didn’t see it coming either.

 

Eijirou had slammed into her black sludge with a force she had never seen before. It had resisted only for a moment before the unbreakable hero crashed through, sending the sludge exploding into the air as he slammed the woman to the ground, pinning her arms and legs down as they skidded along the ground. Eijirou wasted no time as he flipped her over and restrained her once they had stopped.

 

Despite how stressful the previous day had been, Ochako felt a warmth in her heart watching Nimbus fight. If he was on their side, what did they have to worry about? Eijirou was no slouch either, but Ochako couldn’t help but smile as she thought how excited the man must have been to finally meet Nimbus. He was probably just as star-struck as she was, he just didn’t have any shame about it. ‘Manliness’ meant living with no regrets, and Eijirou embraced that ideology fully.

 

Turns out she was right, as the news showed Eijirou and Tsuyu both staring is disbelief as Nimbus attempted to get them to sign his autograph book. ‘Manly’ tears fell from his face as he signed his name and gave Nimbus a big hug. Tsuyu was ribbiting softly- her version of a chuckle- as she also signed the book while Eijirou refused to let Nimbus go.

 

The broadcast ended and the weight of her world came back to her. She sighed heavily, standing up to head to work after her breakfast was done. Izuku was standing behind the counter and washing some coffee cups when she caught his eye. He smiled kindly back at her, causing her mood to lift slightly.

 

She almost began to head for the door when she stopped. ‘Come on, Ochako, remember what Mina always tells you. Take care of yourself, do what makes you happy.’ She turned back to the counter with a smile. “Hey, Izuku, can I get another one of those pastries?”

 

“Oh, of course, Ur-” He froze as she shot him a frustrated look. “Er, um, I mean Ochako.” She smiled again as he scurried off to grab the treat. He quickly returned to the counter and held it out to her.

 

Ochako took it and looked at it for a second, working up her courage. “H-hey, Izuku? Would you have time to walk with me again? I’ll split this with you.”

 

Izuku froze, staring at her for a few moments as his cheeks began to turn a faint red. “A-are you sure?”

 

Now she was blushing. “I m-mean, if you want to.”

 

“I-I would love to- I mean, that sounds g-great, but I can’t leave the store-”

 

Inko appeared from the back room as if on cue. “Izuku, I’m back. Did everything go alright?”

 

“Yeah, but-” He looked from Inko back to Ochako, who had a slightly pout on her face. “Actually, I was a-about to step out for a moment, is that okay?”

 

She smiled, almost knowingly so. “Of course. Have fun, dear!”

 

Izuku removed his apron and slowly stepped out from behind the counter, walking up to Ochako with a nervous smile. She matched his smile as they walked out of the shop and she split the pastry, this time giving him the slightly larger half.

 

Ochako had hoped that his presence would have helped her feel better, but she couldn’t take her mind off her worries. They walked in peaceful silence for a block or two before Izuku spoke up. “O-Ochako, you seem a little tense, are you alright?”

 

Ochako almost jumped. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had nearly forgotten he was with her. “Oh, uh, well, maybe… maybe a little. You don’t need to worry about it though. Sorry I got distracted, didn’t mean to be silent!” She forced a wide smile, but he still looked concerned.

 

“If you want to talk about it, I’m more than happy to listen.”

 

Something in the honesty and gentleness in his voice made her reluctance fade away. “If you’re sure, then I guess it would help.”

 

The next ten minutes of walking consisted of Izuku silently listening and nodding along as Ochako talked about all the stresses of being a pro hero and running her own agency. By the end of their walk, she was loudly complaining about this upstart hero who had yelled at her about ‘encroaching’ on his territory.

 

“What was I supposed to do, not help the person trapped under the car?! The nerve of some people!” She flung her arms in the air in frustration. Ochako noticed that her mouth was turned up into a slight smile. Talking to Izuku had really helped; he was a really good listener.

 

They stopped in front of her agency as she finished her complaining. “Thanks for listening, Izuku. I feel… a lot better.”

 

He nodded cheerfully. “Happy to help. Oh, and by the way, that thing you were talking about, with the, uh, investigation thing? The protocol… whatever it was?” She nodded as she giggled slightly. “Instead of doing them top down, try going at it with a wider approach. That’s how All Might used to do it.”

 

Ochako stopped for a moment, thinking through his suggestion. “That...makes a lot of sense. Wow, thanks, Izuku! That should be way easier. Why didn’t they teach me that at UA?”

 

He shrugged. “They can’t teach you everything, right?

 

“How did you know about it though?”

 

He flinched slightly. “W-well, like I said, All Might did it that way. I uh, studied him a lot.”

 

She giggled. “More ideas like that and I’m gonna ask you to come work at my agency!” Ochako joked.

 

Izuku began to blush harder. “O-oh, that won’t be necessary.”

 

“You know, if I supervise you, you could get a provisional license under me.” She was actually considering the idea now. “I could help you train your quirk and everything! Wait, what is your quirk anyway?”

 

Izuku froze up. He looked around nervously before reaching suddenly into his pocket. He held up his phone and read something on it. “Oh, there’s been a spill back home. I gotta go! Bye, Uraraka!”

 

Before she could correct him, he was dashing away. She paused for a moment, watching him run down the sidewalk.

 

‘Dang, he’s fast,’ she thought, admiring the way his body moved. ‘Maybe he ran track in high school. I’ll have to ask him about it.’

 

She turned away and opened the door to her agency. For the first time in several days, she didn’t feel the crushing weight of stress on her shoulders.

 

Today was going to be a good day.

 

---

 

Every couple of months or so, Ochako and her classmates made an effort to get a meal as a group to help stay in touch. Fortunately for Ochako, it was her turn to pick the place. Normally, she had difficulty choosing, but after the past few weeks, she knew exactly where to go.

 

It was later that week that Ochako walked into Serendipity with Tsuyu, Mina and Momo. Inko was working the counter that morning and she was delighted, as always, to see new faces. The jolly woman hurried them off to a table as she called Izuku in to help.

 

“Be right there!” Ochako heard him call from the back room. He appeared and began to hurry over to his mother, eager to help. When he caught sight of Ochako, he smiled warmly, causing her to return the gesture, but then he caught sight of her companions. His smile fell from his face as his eyes widened, but he quickly caught himself and shook his head.

 

“Izuku, honey, can you take care of them?” Inko asked kindly.

 

“Of course.” He nodded as she smiled and left.

 

Izuku set to work taking their orders and getting their drinks. Tooru and Kyouka showed up soon after, followed by Tenya and Denki. Ochako had a good time watching Izuku attempt to contain his excitement and surprise behind his professionalism. Each time he was introduced to someone new, she saw his eyes sparkle a little more.

 

She knew that he was a fan, based on the first time she came, but she hadn’t seen him interact with any other heroes until now. After all, when she had brought Tsuyu here, he was sleeping in.

 

She smiled as he shook Denki’s hand eagerly. ‘Maybe I could introduce him to Nimbus. They could bond over their love of heroes.’

 

“I like that guy!” Denki declared as Izuku left to go check on something in the kitchen. The dopey grin he grew when Izuku shook his hand was still there.

 

“He’s very well mannered,” Momo agreed.

 

Mina leaned over to Ochako and whispered in her ear. “He’s a cutie is what he is. He seems to know you quite well, too…”

 

Ochako hated it when she got that look in her eyes. “W-well, I come here a lot.”

 

“Is that so?” Mina grinned wider. “Is it just cause of the food… or does Ochako finally have a crush?”

 

The brunette huffed. “Mina, you tried that all throughout UA. The answer is still no.”

 

Mina leaned back, relenting for now. “I see the way he looks at you, but if you say so, Ocha.”

 

“Hey, guys!” a voice called as the door opened. Ochako turned around and saw Eijirou waving at them. “Sorry I’m late, I was trying to convince Bakubro to come out and join us.”

 

Denki laughed. “Did you actually succeed this time?”

 

“Nobody can resist the Kirishima charm, bro!” Eijirou flashed a thumbs-up.

 

Tooru giggled. “Except for all those other times he did, right?”

 

“Well, yeah,” Eijirou waved his hand as he pulled up a seat next to Tenya. “So what’s for breakfast?”

 

“Izuku stepped out for a moment, he’s our waiter,” Tenya explained. “He’ll be back shortly, I’m sure. He’s been very attentive.”

 

“Yo, Kiri!” Mina called across the table. “I saw you team up with Redacted a few days ago. What was that like?”

 

“You know his name is Nimbus, right?” Ochako interrupted.

 

Mina shrugged. “Sure, but it’s just a nickname.”

 

“I think it bugs him,” Ochako said sternly. “There’s a nickname, and then there’s something that’s replaced your name. I know some people who wouldn’t even know who I was talking about if I said ‘Nimbus’.

 

“I...hmm.” Mina scratched her chin. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

 

Tenya chopped his prosthetic arm down. “We should give our colleague the respect he deserves by calling him by his proper name. Especially a colleague like him.”

 

“Sounds like someone’s impressed,” Kyouka teased.

 

“Are you not? He’s the number one hero for a reason!”

 

“ Anyway ,” Mina interrupted, “what was it like, Kiri?”

 

“Oh man, it was super cool!” Eijirou was fanboying. “I’m still a little stunned he went along with my idea, but it was awesome! Tetsu was so jealous when I told him about it!”

 

Before he could continue, the door opened again and Bakugou came strolling in with his patented permanently-irritated expression. Ochako had never gotten as close to him at UA as she had with most of her other classmates, partially because of his incredibly hostile attitude. Even Todoroki’s icy exterior was preferable to Bakugou’s vitriol most days. She really didn’t understand how Mina, Denki and Eijirou were such good friends with him.

 

“Hey, over here, Bakubro!” Eijirou called across the small restaurant.

 

Bakugou’s eyebrow twitched. “I can see you, dumbass.” He stomped over towards them.

 

It was at that moment that Izuku returned from the back. “Oh, mor-”

 

Izuku froze.

 

Bakugou froze.

 

Ochako looked back and forth between the two men staring at each other. The smile fell from Izuku’s face as his eyes were filled with a strange mixture of emotions: pain, sadness and… regret? Bakugou’s eyes were wide in disbelief as his mouth hung open slightly.

 

“Uh, guys?” Denki asked, voicing the confusion the rest of them were feeling.

 

Bakugou’s expression slowly shifted into one of fury and rage, one Ochako had seen before but never looked forward to dealing with. His shoulders hunched slightly as he grit his teeth.

 

Then Bakugou opened his mouth and snarled a single word that was dripping with more hatred and rage than she had ever heard.

 

“ Deku… ”

Notes:

It was inevitable, right?

See you guys next time :)

Chapter 5: A Long Time Coming

Summary:

The fated battle between rivals?

“Deku?” Ochako asked curiously.

 

“K-Kacchan!” Izuku stuttered.

 

“Kacchan?!” The rest of the table shouted.

 

Bakugou ignored them. “Don’t you ‘Kacchan’ me, you damn nerd! Where the hell have you been?”

 

Izuku glanced around nervously for a second before catching Ochako’s eye. They looked at each other for a moment before he turned back to the glowering blonde. Izuku’s timid aura suddenly vanished. His brow furrowed in stoic determination as he stood up straight. Ochako hadn’t really noticed how meek Izuku’s posture was, but that was gone. He stood tall, his shoulders broad and back, showing just how surprisingly fit he was, even underneath his baggy long-sleeve shirt and pants. He projected a completely different air as he looked slightly down on Bakugou now.

 

He stared back. “Why do you care? I would’ve thought you’d be happy that you hadn’t seen me in nearly seven years.”

 

“Wait, do you two know each other?” Eijirou asked with surprise.

 

Neither man acknowledged him, both locked in a staring contest.

 

Abruptly, Izuku broke eye contact and began quickly scanning around the restaurant. It wasn’t the nervous look he had earlier, but a calculating one, as if he was appraising the situation. He shot his eyes back to Bakugou. “Follow me. Let’s talk on the roof.”

 

“Don’t tell me what to d-” Izuku had already turned away and began walking towards the back room. “Don’t turn your fucking back on me, Deku!” He stomped after Izuku.

 

After both men disappeared into the backroom and up the stairs, the restaurant was quiet. Ochako glanced around nervously, looking at all the other patrons, who were just as stunned as she was. Some of them even looked incensed. She could understand that, she felt protective of Izuku too, and for that reason…

 

“I, uh, guess they know each other,” Kyouka said quietly.

 

“Y-yeah,” Momo agreed.

 

Mina gulped. “I haven’t heard Bakugou that angry since Redacted got the top spot.”

 

“What did you do, E?!” Denki asked his friend.

 

“How was I supposed to know?!” Eijirou defended himself.

 

In their confusion, nobody noticed Ochako quietly stand up and sneak out the front door.

 

She moved quickly, using the stealth training that Aizawa taught her to duck into the alleyway without anybody noticing. A quick application of her quirk allowed her to silently float up to the roof, or rather, just underneath it, landing on the top level of the fire escape without a sound.

 

Just a moment after, the door to the roof flew open and she heard the two men walk outside. “Don’t you fucking ignore me! Who do you think you are?”

 

‘Bakugou,” Izuku said sharply, causing the blonde to audibly falter. “Why do you care? Why are you so angry?”

 

Bakugou was silent.

 

“After years of you yelling at me to get the hell away from you, I finally did. Are you just mad at me for old times’ sake?”

 

Ochako could barely breathe.

 

“Where did you go?” Bakugou finally spat. “You just fucking vanished.”

 

Izuku’s voice was level. “I moved to America for high school.”

 

“Just like that?” Ochako heard Bakugou take a step forward. “You pulled that bullshit when All Might was in town, then all of a sudden you start bulking up. I was sure you were gonna try to get your ass into UA, but then just before, you just fucking disappear. Do you think you’re better than me? You pull some useless ‘hero’ crap and then you suddenly think you’re hot shit?”

 

Ochako could almost hear Izuku’s jaw drop. “You’re mad because I didn’t keep you in the loop? You think this is about you? You think any of this is about you?! You know what? I did try and tell you. I worked up the nerve to tell you; I thought, for some reason, you deserved to know. Do you know what happened? Before I could tell you that I was moving, you told me ‘fuck off, Deku’. So I did.”

 

Bakugou growled, but didn’t say anything else.

 

“It’s all you ever wanted, right?” Izuku laughed dryly. “You wanted Deku to leave you alone and never come back. And that’s what happened. Because over the past six years, I moved on. You were my only friend... all I wanted was me to be your friend too." Izuku paused for a moment. "I wanted to see what you would do! You were my idol!”

 

Izuku took a shaky breath. “But all that’s changed. I moved to America, I reconnected with my dad, I made real friends who like me for who I am. I met real role models and teachers who supported me, challenged me and made me a better person! So in a way, you got your wish, Bakugou! Deku is gone. Deku is dead and gone forever! Congratulations!” He sounded almost sarcastic for a moment.

 

“Don’t you talk to me like that!” Bakugou roared back. “I’ll kick your ass!”

 

“No you won’t,” Izuku responded flatly, but not calmly. “Because you’re a whole lot of things, but you’re not an idiot. You’re not gonna attack me; you would lose your hero license in a second. You know what I think? You’re not mad that you were kept out of the loop. I don’t think you’re really mad at me at all.”

 

“Hah?”

 

“Why would you be mad at me? It doesn’t make any sense. You’re the number two hero, and I’m just a quirkless loser, right?!”

Ochako barely held in her gasp. ‘Q-quirkless?’ She thought about how she had bugged him about his quirk. She felt awful, and not just about that. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

 

Izuku paused for a moment. “I saw how your eyebrow twitched when I said ‘number two’. That means I’m right. You’re frustrated at Nimbus, aren’t you? Your entire life you’ve wanted nothing more than to be the best, but now it’s so far out of reach. You must be furious. So you saw me, someone you spent your entire life beating on and abusing, and you figured you would take your frustrations out on me. Because I’m an easy target, right? Am I some representation of your inadequacies? Am I the man you thought you could break but now I’m standing tall? Do you want to tell me to jump off this roof instead of the one at our old school this time?!”

 

Bakugou was silent.

 

‘Jump off... roof…?’

 

“I bet your classmates- I assume that’s who those people are- I bet they didn’t take your crap, did they?! Well I’m not going to take it either! I’m not the spineless kid you bullied for a decade! I have real friends, a real purpose! I’m doing something with my life and I’m not going to let you take that from me!” Izuku was choking up at this point, his emotions pouring out. “So you can either go back down and act like a normal human being or you can get the hell out of my shop and never come back!”

 

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Bakugou muttered through what sounded like gritted teeth.

 

“Bakugou, you’re the number two hero,” Izuku said, audibly trying to calm down. “In a way, I’m proud of you. I always knew you were going to do great things.”

 

“What are you going on about now?”

 

Izuku sighed, his voice finally controlled again. “I know UA changed you. I know you're different than you were when we last spoke. But most of all, I know you’re better than this.”

 

The rooftop was silent for what felt like an hour.

 

Eventually she heard Bakugou’s signature scoff and him walking away. A grunt of effort and an echoing explosion later, the man had jumped off the roof and landed safely in the alleyway behind Serendipity. From her vantage point, she could see him stomping off, visibly furious.

 

Izuku sighed again and she heard him sit down on something. He sat there for a good few minutes in silence, likely trying to process what sounded like an emotional explosion a good six or more years in the making.

 

“Ochako, you can come out now.”

 

---

 

Inko and Hisashi smiled as they walked into their shop after their peaceful morning walk. After over a decade apart, they savored every moment they got to spend together.

 

They looked around and were immediately able to tell something was off. The store was quiet, much quieter than normal, and it wasn’t normal, early-morning quiet, it was subdued. Inko’s motherly senses were going off: something had happened.

 

She looked around and saw that her son was nowhere to be seen. She had left him in charge of the shop, it wasn’t like him to step away unless there was something that Nimbus needed to do, and when that happened, he always sent her a text or something.

 

Hisashi had the same idea, as he quickly made his way to the back to check if Izuku’s hero gear was still there. He returned with a look that told her everything she needed to know.

 

Inko walked up to the table of young heroes that were all eating very, very quietly. She noticed Ochako was missing too; while that normally would cause her to smile, she didn’t think it was a good thing this time.

 

“Tsuyu,” she asked the one woman she had seen before, “where is Izuku?”

 

“Well, Bakugou showed up an-”

 

“Bakugou?!” Hisashi interrupted.

 

“Katsuki Bakugou?” Inko asked, her worries rising.

 

The one with red hair nodded. “It seemed like they knew each other?”

 

“You could say that…” Inko began. “He and Izuku have known each other since they were very, very little. Basically since they were born.”

 

“Really?” The blonde man asked. “Bakugou never talked about him.”

 

Inko hesitated. “They… weren’t on the best terms the last time they saw each other. Bakugou, he…”

 

Hisashi spoke up. “He bullied our son, that’s what he did.”

 

The table all gasped.

 

“Hisashi!” she hissed. “Izuku asked us not to talk about that to anybody!”

 

“Where are they?” Hisashi asked the young adults. “I don’t trust that man with my son.”

 

“You know as well as I do that he can take care of himself,” Inko scolded. “If Izuku is talking with him then… we should let him be.”

 

Hisashi sighed. “Fine, Inko. You’re right.” He turned back to the table. “Apologies, Izuku is very precious to me. I didn't mean to cause you distress.”

 

“That is quite alright, sir,” the tall, blue-haired man said sharply. “It is admirable for a father to care for his son.”

 

Hisashi smiled. “Please, call me Hisashi.”

 

The other heroes nodded, but Inko noticed them shooting each other worried glances.

 

---

 

Izuku slumped down on a metal pipe on the roof. He hadn’t meant to get that upset or to say those things. They had never had any farewell or proper closure, so he was dealing with almost seven years of pent up emotions. Did Izuku really stand a chance? He felt a little bad for basically running Bakugou over in their conversation; it was so one-sided that Bakugou didn't really get a chance to speak. Who knows what he would have said. How different was he now? Surely his ego wouldn't have- couldn't have- survived UA.

 

At some point in the past, he had held respect for Bakugou. All Might was his idol, sure, but Bakugou had been the one who was actually in his life... until that changed.

 

Once he started training with All Might and moved with his mother to America and he reunited with his dad… once he met his classmates and teachers and experienced how they all not only supported him but genuinely liked him… Well, he saw just how messed up his relationship with Bakugou really was.

 

In the past, Bakugou had been his friend in some way, but now… now he didn’t know what he they were to each other. He hadn’t been expecting to see him today, but he knew that their paths would probably have crossed at some point.

 

In an objective sense, he had respect for the man. He was the number two hero, there was no doubt about that; there was an appreciable gap between him and the number three. He was the only person even close to Nimbus, but he still wasn’t that close. It wasn’t exactly fair, of course; Bakugou didn’t have the benefit of 8 previous generations of holders behind him. Izuku was in a class on his own, just like All Might was. Even more than All Might was. That was something he came to terms with a while ago.

 

So maybe Izuku had respect for Ground Zero , rather than Bakugou. Bakugou was his old bully, Ground Zero was an abrasive, destructive hero that was the Endeavor to his All Might. Sometimes thinking about that caused Izuku to chuckle. It was funny how history repeated itself sometimes.

 

That wasn’t entirely true, however. Deep down, Izuku felt like he still had some respect for Bakugou. He wasn’t a good person in nearly any sense of the word, but he admired his tenacity and his drive. After all, he was the only one even trying to keep up with Nimbus. When he was training in America, he actually used Bakugou as an example of how he needed to act to achieve victory over his opposition. Maybe it wasn’t healthy to hold onto a memory like that, but he had to credit Bakugou with a portion of his success in that small way.

 

He definitely respected him enough as a human being to not want to expose him or demonize him publicly. Airing dirty laundry was never classy, and hindering the number two hero was selfish. Every person he prevented Bakugou from helping and every villain he kept him from stopping would be on his hands. He didn’t like Bakugou as a person, but he was a damn fine hero.

 

Honestly, if he had known that Ochako was listening, he wouldn’t have said half of those things.

 

“Ochako, you can come out now.”

 

He heard her squeak and then a few seconds later she poked her head up over the edge of the roof. “H-how did you…?”

 

“You were crying,” he said flatly, looking at the ground. He hadn’t heard her until after Bakugou had left.

 

She gasped slightly. Apparently she hadn’t noticed.

 

Ochako floated up, landing a good few feet from Izuku. She hesitated, taking a few, cautious steps towards him. When he didn’t react, she stepped quickly, surprising him as she suddenly threw her arms around him.

 

“Izuku, I-I had no idea, we wouldn’t ha-have-”

 

She stopped as Izuku put his hand on her head after he recovered from the shock of her hug. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m just sorry you had to hear it.”

 

Ochako sniffed she she held him. “It’s just… you’re such a nice guy and Bakugou was so... I’ve never seen him like that and I was in his class for three years. I was so worried about you! Not many people would stand up to the number two hero...”

 

Izuku almost laughed. “He wasn’t always like that.” He was emotionally exhausted and it was barely eight in the morning. He patted her on the head and nervously reached to hold her with his other hand. 'Come on, Izuku. Basic calming and comforting. You were taught this.'

 

It was no use. Melissa always told him that he wouldn't be Izuku if he didn't cry, and he was proving her right. The emotions were just too much.

 

The two of them cried together, holding each other gently for at least a few minutes, silent beyond their sniffles.

 

Eventually Ochako pulled away, but she grabbed his hand and held it between them. She looked him in the eyes in a way that told him that there was no doubt that she was Uravity, confident, kick-ass hero. "Izuku, are you okay?" she asked directly.

 

He nodded as he dried his face. "I am, no small part because of you. Thank you."

 

She took a calming, centering breath. "Okay. Okay." She nodded, patting her chest. "I'm sorry I eavesdropped."

 

Izuku looked down. "I wish you hadn't. I didn't want that getting out. Can you keep it a secret?"

 

Ochako looked slightly frustrated. "But why? He bullied you for years, right?"

 

Izuku nodded. "Basically since we turned 4. It was… bad. I came home with bruises, scrapes, and sometimes even burns. You heard that name he called me? Deku? It's a creative reading of my name that means useless. It's all he called me for a decade."

 

Ochako squeezed his hand a little harder. "That's terrible! Was it… was it because you're quirkless?"

 

Izuku flinched. 'Crap, she heard that.' He saw the guilt in her eyes.

 

"I was asking you about it and why you didn't become a hero yourself and-"

 

"Ochako, it's fine. I'm-" He stopped himself, thinking hard. "Can I tell you a secret? You have to never mention it to anyone."

 

Ochako looked stunned and confused, but after looking at how serious his face was, she nodded. "I promise. I'll keep it like I knew Nimbus' name."

 

Izuku fought hard to keep his smile hidden. "I'm not quirkless."

 

She looked up at him in confusion and excitement. "Oh, I feel so much better! N-not to make it about myself, sorry."

 

"No, y-you're fine. I'm glad you feel better." Izuku smiled.

 

"You selfless little- ugh!" She couldn't help but smile a little too. "But wait," her smile faded, "why does Bakugou think you are?"

 

"I was a late bloomer," Izuku half-lied. "I didn't get my quirk until I was almost 15." He saw the look of curiosity on her face. "But I can't tell you what it is, sorry. Please don't dig, either. It's better for both of us if you don't know." He saw the look of curiosity turn into further confusion and a little fear. "It's not bad or dangerous or anything, don't worry," he lied. One For All was nothing but dangerous.

 

He rubbed his scarred arms unconsciously.

 

It would be more believable if he told her a small lie, something to satisfy her and keep her off the trail, but he couldn't risk even giving her a hint about one of his quirks. Hopefully she would trust him and drop it.

 

Hopefully.

 

"Okay, fine," she relented.

 

He sighed in relief.

 

"But I'm gonna earn your trust one day!" she declared triumphantly.

 

He gulped. That was a the nicest threat he had ever received.

 

Her mood dropped suddenly as a look of horror crossed her face. "Wait. I just remembered. Did Bakugou tell you to uh, jump…"

 

He winced. He really, really wished she hadn't been eavesdropping. "Yeah. Back when we were in school together. I never considered it, don't worry, but it hurt. It hurt a lot."

 

"Why do you want me not to tell anyone?" she nearly yelled in her frustration. "He can't get away with that!"

 

"It was a while ago, O-Ochako. I'm over it." He was being entirely truthful. "Besides, he's the number two hero, any personal issues I have with him aren't worth disrupting his hero duties. He may be, uh-"

 

"A dick."

 

"Well, yeah, that, but he's still a hero that saves lives nearly every day. I'm not gonna get in the way of that."

 

She glared at him. "That's really mature, Izuku, but there's selfless and then there's self-sacrificing. Do you ever think about yourself?"

 

He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "H-hey, All Might once said that nothing is nobler than self-sacrifice."

 

She relented as her frustrated expression gave way to one much softer. "You know, I wish you'd take me up on my offer. I think you'd make a great hero, no matter what your quirk is."

 

He felt his heart fill with a strange, tight sensation. "Th-thank you. That means a lot, e-especially from Uravity."

 

"I mean it. Maybe this is bold of me, but I think you've got a hero's heart." She looked kindly at him. "I'll try to be more like you when I'm in uniform."

 

Izuku felt himself tearing up again. "That's the n-nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time, O-Ochako."

 

"Don't let anyone bring you down, Izuku. Especially not Bakugou." Her words were sincere and earnest.

 

"I won't," he responded with a smile, looking into her big brown eyes. "Besides, I'm happy. I'm satisfied with what I'm doing and I'm surrounded with good people a-and hopefully more good people-" he looked at her hopefully- "so in a way, I think I'm living my best life. And that's the best revenge you can have on someone."

 

She giggled. "That's pretty wise. Where'd you hear that?"

 

Izuku chuckled awkwardly. "One of my high school friends told me that once."

 

"Well, its getting late- or er, rather, less early, uh-" She stopped and took a breath. "I've gotta get to my agency."

 

"Right." Izuku nodded.

 

"Yeah." She nodded.

 

Izuku started turning red. "Do you… want to let go of my hand?"

 

…

 

…

 

Ochako turned a bright shade of red and nearly threw him backwards with how hard she let go. "S-sorry!"

 

"It's fine, r-really!" He looked away, trying not to make her blush worse.

 

"I'mgladyou'refeelingbettergottagobye!" she rushed out of her mouth as she scrambled to the edge of the building and degravitized herself, leaping down and away towards her agency.

 

Izuku took a few breaths as his blush faded. He held up his hand, feeling a little guilty as he relished the echoing sensation of her soft skin on his.

 

He stood up and looked over the horizon of the city. He let some of One For All surge into that hand, green lightning dancing over it lightly.

 

Izuku smiled as he watched the energy dance over his skin. If only Ochako knew how much of his 'best life' he was really leading.

 

But that would never happen.

 

Notes:

See you guys next time :)

Chapter 6: The Weight

The table had been silent for a while, nobody really eating and nobody talking. They had noticed that Ochako had left and it wasn’t hard for them to guess where she went. Mina knew that Ochako was a sweetheart who couldn’t help but be concerned for people who were struggling, although basically anybody who knew her could tell you that.

 

“Kyouka,” Mina whispered, breaking the silence. “Can you hear what they’re saying up there?”

 

Kyouka shot her a disapproving glare. “I could, but I won’t. That’s tasteless.”

 

“Oh, like you’ve never eavesdropped. Like that one time at the forest camp wh-” She flinched as one of her friend’s jacks shot forward and stopped an inch from her face.

 

“Shut up!” she hissed, her face tinged by a little embarrassed blush. “The answer is no .”

 

Mina huffed. “Ugh, you’re no fun.”

 

An explosion echoed from behind the shop, causing the heroes to all flinch and look around wildly.

 

“Can you listen to that? ” Mina asked.

 

Kyouka was already on it, her eyes closed as she focused. “Bakugou jumped off the roof and is walking away. Izuku is up on the roof still… and so is Ochako.”

 

“I knew it.” Mina smacked her palm with her fist.

 

“Yeah, well that’s all I’m telling you. Izuku is fine and Bakugou is gone.” Her jacks slumped back down and she went back to her food. “This would’ve been a really nice breakfast without Boom Boy showing up.”

 

“I already said sorry,” Eijirou muttered. “How was I supposed to know that they had so much history together?”

 

“Well…” Tooru began, “that just means we’ll have to come back some other time. Everything was really nice until… until it wasn’t, you know?”

 

Momo nodded. “It’s a bit of a trip for me, but yes, we should return.”

 

The group finished their meal in relative silence after that, all of them very aware at the muted stiffness that filled the restaurant. Bakugou’s arrival had ruined breakfast for more than just them.

 

What surprised Mina the most was when she tried to go pay for her meal. No check was delivered, so she and the others went up the counter. Inko and Hisashi were nowhere to be seen, instead they found a small sign that simply read ‘Free breakfast! Enjoy the rest your day!’ with a small smiley face drawn at the bottom.

 

Huh.

 

The heroes shuffled out, pretending not to notice the large stack of bills that Momo placed on the counter anyways.

 

“Oh hey,” Denki said as they stepped out into the street, “look.” He pointed down the street where they saw Ochako hopping along rooftops, hurrying off into the distance. “She’s got the right idea. We’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry.”

 

“Indeed,” Tenya agreed. “Good luck to all of you today.”

 

The group split apart, each heading in the direction of their agencies. Or at least, most of them did.

 

“Mina,” Eijirou whispered as everyone else walked away, “I’m not okay with this. I want to go talk to Izuku.”

 

Mina nodded. “I’m feeling the same thing. We gotta find him first, though.”

 

She and him ducked back into the restaurant and sat down, waiting in silence for one of the Midoriyas to show back up. After about twenty minutes, Hisashi appeared back at the counter. Mina saw him take the sign down and look with mild surprise at the money Momo had left behind.

 

She smiled, knowing it would probably make his da-

 

Mina blinked as she saw Hisashi take the bills with a soft smile and quietly place them in the charity box on the counter. ‘Why did he just turn down that much money?’

 

Eijirou and her exchanged curious looks and then approached the counter.

 

The older man looked at them kindly. “Oh, I didn’t know you were still here. Can I help you?”

 

“Can we speak to Izuku?” Mina asked.

 

“He went out for a walk,” Hisashi explained. “He won’t be back for a while, sorry.”

 

“Oh.” Eijirou’s mood dropped. “Alright, sorry for bothering you.”

 

“Nonsense,” Hisashi responded. “I’m very happy that you are concerned for Izuku. It does my heart good.”

 

The two of them smiled and waved goodbye as they walked out of the building again. They walked a couple blocks. “Shame,” Mina muttered. “We’re gonna be late for nothing.”

 

“Late? We can’t have that.”

 

Mina and Eijirou whipped around as a familiar sight appeared behind them. A tall, green and helmeted man dropped from the roof above them and landed with ease.

 

“Red-” Mina caught herself. “Nimbus?”

 

He nodded. “Want me to give you a lift? It’s really no trouble, I would hate for two heroes such as yourselves to be late.”

 

Mina blinked. “Uh, s-sure.”

 

Eijirou nodded as well. “As long as you’ve got the time.”

 

“It’ll be no time at all!” Nimbus responded. He flicked his right hand forward as black tendrils shot forth and wrapped the two of them up securely. He pulled them in and wrapped an arm around each of them, holding them steady.

 

“Wait, do you know wh-” Mina’s words were cut off as they suddenly shot into the air at seemingly impossible speeds. Before she could get her bearings, she and Eijirou were standing on the roof of the agency where they worked.

 

“Wh-” She was cut off again as a torrent of sound rushed past her head. Nimbus let the two of them down safely on the rooftop.

 

“Was… was that a sonic boom?” Eijirou asked.

 

Nimbus nodded. “My quirk protects me and people I’m holding onto from whiplash and such. I’m not sure how it works, but if it didn’t, I would kill people I rescued at high speeds, you know? I try not to question it.” He laughed.

 

Mina smiled wide. “That was awesome! Thanks for the ride, dude!”

 

“No problem!” Nimbus saluted and turned around.

 

“Hey, hold on,” Eijirou said suddenly. “Can I ask you something, man?”

 

Nimbus slowly turned to face the two of them again.

 

“What do you think about Ba- Ground Zero?”

 

Mina looked at her friend with concern. “Kiri?”

 

Nimbus didn’t answer for a few moments. “He is a fine hero. Many people owe him their lives and well-being.”

 

“Yeah, but like…” Eijirou rubbed his head. “How well do you know him?”

 

“What are you getting at?” Nimbus responded instead of answering.

 

Eijirou took a deep breath.“Well… he’s our friend, right? And we just sorta found out that he used to bully this guy when he was younger.”

 

Another pregnant pause. “And?” Nimbus said eventually.

 

Eijirou’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. I feel really lost right now. I thought I knew the guy and… and I guess I’m just grasping at straws. Sorry, man. Thanks for the ride.”

 

“Red Riot,” Nimbus began. “Here’s my advice: the past is the past. We can’t change what we did but we can change what we do going forward. That isn’t to say that all should be forgotten, but try to understand that the world isn’t black and white. Shades of gray are… difficult, but it’s what we have to deal with. Do the thousands of people he’s saved make up for bullying when he was younger? I would be inclined to say yes, but I can’t make that decision for you. In the end, it's between him and his… victim.”

 

Mina and Eijirou both stared for a few seconds. “We should still talk to him about it,” Mina suggested. “Both Bakugou and Izuku. I am not okay with bullies.”

 

“Right,” Eijirou agreed. “Thanks, Nimbus.”

 

“No problem. Good luck today.” Nimbus seemed a little more muted than normal as he turned around and left.

 

The two heroes sighed.

 

“I hate drama,” Eijirou muttered as they headed for the door on the roof.

 

Mina smiled a little. “For once, same.”

 

---

 

Izuku grumbled as he hopped from roof to roof. He didn’t like that people were feeling bad for him. His dad already apologized for letting it slip, but he really wished he hadn’t. He wasn’t upset with his father, he was just upset with the whole situation. Izuku knew the advice he gave to Red Riot and Pinky wasn’t the best, but he was hoping they would just drop it. However, it didn’t seem like they were willing to do that.

 

He thought he was over it. Seven years away and a whole lot of growth made him confident that he was over it, but it seemed to all come spilling out when Bakugou showed up.

 

Maybe that was naive. Maybe it was best that he got it all out in the open and actually dealt with it. Maybe talking to them would help him move past the whole thing. He was Nimbus, number one hero, he didn’t have time for childhood arguments and silly grudges.

 

He landed on a rooftop and froze.

 

‘Why… why did I come here?’ He was moving on autopilot; jumping around, lost in his thoughts and he had somehow come… here.

The roof of the Uravity Hero Agency.

 

‘Maybe…’ He shifted back and forth on his feet. ‘Ah, screw it.’

 

---

 

Ochako was sitting at her desk, eyes unfocused on the paperwork in front of her. The revelations about Izuku’s past were weighing on her mind. He seemed alright with things but something about it just felt wrong. She didn’t like not being able to help someone.

 

She blushed a little bit, reminding how she had accidentally held his hand while she was comforting him. Ochako remembered his smile; maybe she had helped him a little.

 

A rap at the window behind her caused her to crash back to reality. She spun around in her chair to see Nimbus waving at her though the glass. Ochako hopped up quickly and opened the window, letting the pro hero in.

 

“Hey,” she said.

 

“Hey,” he responded. The two of them stood silent for a second as he rubbed the back of his helmet. “I uh… I don’t know how to say this, but uh, that day we spent on patrol together was some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time. If it’s not too much trouble, would you like to…”

 

Ochako felt her face warming up slightly. “R-really?” she repeated. “N-Nimbus, you want to…?” She looked down and thought for a moment. “I… yeah, that was a good day. I could do with some Nimbus and Uravity butt-kicking today.”

 

“Great! I’ll wait on the roof again for you.” In a flash, he was gone.

 

Ochako hurried through the rest of her paperwork, a fire lit underneath herself. She dashed to the roof as quick as she could, throwing the door open to find Nimbus stretching on the far side of the roof.

 

He apparently hadn’t heard her arrive; she was about to say something when she stopped herself. Nimbus was leaning, stretching, pulling and flexing all of his dense, bulging musculature. His thighs were like tree trunks, pushing tightly on his suit as he stretched his quads. Her eyes danced over his deltoids and the defined muscles on his back.

 

Ochako felt her mouth dry a little, causing her to lick her lips like she just tasted a particularly nice pastry. A small blush formed on her cheeks as she stared at every part of his body. ‘Forget abs, I could grate cheese on any part of his body.’

 

Truth be told, Ochako felt a little guilty, but she was only human. After a few minutes, she finally shook her head and scolded herself. “Nimbus?” she called, hoping to get his attention, but to no avail.

 

She took a few steps forward and called again. This time he flinched a little and turned around. “Oh, Uravity,” he responded, a little louder than she expected. There was a small pause before he continued. “Sorry, I was listening to music while I stretched; I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

 

“Uh, no!” she lied. “I just got here.”

 

“Ah, good.” He nodded his head a few times. “Anyway, ready?”

 

“Yep!” She just hoped all of her blush was gone. Maybe he would assume it was just her natural pink cheeks.

 

The rest of the morning passed quietly, at least by hero standards. They helped a few people with some minor issues, Nimbus helped a cat out of a tree and she helped a man change a flat tire by lifting his car up. Ochako wasn’t with Nimbus the whole morning; sometimes he left to go take care of something a few blocks away, and other times she went to help somewhere on her own.

 

It felt… nice. Sure she couldn’t pull the weight that he could, but not once did she feel like a burden. If anything, the man drove her to do better, which was something she appreciated and admired.

 

Around noon, the two of them stopped for lunch. Or rather, Ochako grabbed food from a stand while Nimbus tried not to get trampled by a crowd of fans nearby. He was very grateful when she floated overhead and tapped his outstretched arm, pulling him up with her and away from the swarm of autographs.

 

The two of them sat on a rooftop overlooking the ocean. Or rather, she sat there, while Nimbus ducked behind a wall to quickly shove the food into his face. Ochako laughed a little; she hoped to earn his trust some day, just like she wanted to earn Izuku’s, but she understood why he wanted to keep his identity a secret. As time went on, she was getting more and more popular and it was already stressful to be out in public. Nimbus seemed to have the right idea, keeping his work and personal life separate.

 

He sat back down next to her on the edge of the roof as her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and opened the message, her face immediately breaking into a wide smile. “Hey Nimbus, check it out, isn’t she a cutie?” She held up her phone to the helmeted man.

 

“Aw, she sure is. What’s her name?”

 

“Eri,” Ochako explained. “We rescued her in my first year at UA. My old teacher, Aizawa, adopted her and has been raising her ever since. She’s gonna turn 12 in a few months.”

 

“Rescued her?” Nimbus asked with concern.

 

Ochako’s smile faltered slightly. “Yeah. The Yakuza were holding her captive, using her in some sort of horrible experiment to make bullets that could erase quirks.”

 

“Erase quirks?!”

 

She nodded grimly. “Luckily we stopped him. One of the older students- you know him as Lemillion- got hit by the bullet. Luckily Aizawa was able to get to the leader and shut him down with his quirk.”

 

Nimbus nodded. “So the effects of the bullet aren’t permanent?”

 

“They are,” Ochako began. “But Eri is a very special girl. Her quirk lets her essentially rewind a person. Once she got better control of her powers, she rewound Mirio until he had his quirk back. It was kinda weird to see him de-age, but now he’s a hero again!”

 

“Woah…” Nimbus leaned back. “She sounds like a really special girl.”

 

Ochako smiled. “She is. We- my class I mean- we all adopted her, in a way.” She scooted closer to him. “I got a bunch of pictures, wanna see?”

 

They spent the next twenty minutes going through her phone, laughing and chatting about all of the photos of Eri on her phone. She showed him all of her birthday parties, her first day of school, that time she accidentally rewound a dog into a puppy. Nimbus was horrified for a moment, just like they were at the time.

 

“It actually worked out,” she explained. “It had a condition that they caught too late to fix, so she accidentally gave the dog a new lease on life. The family was in tears when they thanked her. Even so, she still thinks it was embarrassing; we always tease her, calling it the start of her hero career.”

 

Eventually she ran out of photos and they figured that their lunch break had gone on long enough. They spent the next several hours much the same as they had spent the morning.

 

That was, until Nimbus got a call.

 

“A villain attack in a business quarter,” he explained as he picked her up again and dashed across the rooftops. She blushed a little, but there was no time to waste.

 

The two of them hit the pavement and took stock of the situation. Immediately, she saw the trouble.

 

A man, musclebound and quite tall, stood in the middle of the street. “Redacted!” he shouted. “Stay back!”

 

“Police caught him mugging someone,” Nimbus explained. “He ran and injected himself with Trigger. He’s been freaking out ever since.”

 

Ochako’s brow furrowed. “Trigger? Crap. We gotta be-”

 

She was cut off by the sound of a roaring engine- a very familiar sound. She turned to her right to greet her arriving friend. “Tenya, I’m glad you’re here!”

 

“Ingenium!” Nimbus called.

 

“Uravity. Nimbus,” her friend responded. He was always so formal when on the job. “What’s the situation?”

 

Nimbus turned back to the villain. “We got a Triggered thug. I could try and rush him, but we don’t know his quirk. Last time I tried that I got smacked back and nearly broke something. We should try and surround him to keep him from running again.”

 

Ochako and Tenya nodded, each of them slowly moving to either side.

 

“I said stay back!” the man yelled again. He was twitching and unstable- side effects of the Trigger. “Why won’t you listen?!”

 

“We’re not going to hurt you,” Ochako tried. “We’re trying to help.”

 

“Who’s going to help you?!” He slammed his foot down and a massive crack opened up in the road, streaking towards Ochako. She dove out of the way, rolling to the side. The crack shot past her, widening the whole time.

 

A deafening rumble echoed through the streets. The five-story building behind her was tilting, beginning to fall.

 

Nimbus leapt into action. “Ingenium, the villain!” he ordered. “Ochako, you have to hold the building up! I’ll get the people out!”

 

She turned around without hesitation and dashed toward the falling structure. Ochako grit her teeth and grabbed on to the concrete side, letting her quirk flow through it.

 

The strain felt like Nimbus had just punched her in the gut. “I- I got it! Go!”

 

Nimbus dashed inside the front door as lightning sparked around him. She vaguely heard Tenya dash behind her, going after the now-fleeing villain.

 

In and out, in and out. Again and again Nimbus flew inside, each time returning with armfuls of civilians.

 

Her world was nothing but pain. Even with her years of training, this was a lot of weight. But she held on. She didn’t have a choice.

 

After what felt like hours, but she was sure was seconds, Nimbus ran out with the last of the victims. He set them down a good ways away with the rest of them and ran back for her. Ochako felt his arms wrap around her and his voice yell “clear!”

 

She slapped her hands together and opened her eyes to watch the building resume its fall, smashing into the miniature canyon the villain opened up. A storm of dust and rock was kicked up into the air as the building shattered.

 

Ochako panted for a few seconds before the all-too-familar sensation of nausea came rolling over her like a tsunami. She only got a few steps away before she doubled-over and hurled up the remains of her lunch all over the dust-covered street.

 

“Uravity!” Nimbus called. “Are you alright?”

 

She waved a hand and gave a thumbs-up, still too ill to speak otherwise. She heard him sigh audibly with relief.

 

It took about an hour for the citizens to all be cleared by EMTs and sent home. Tenya had apprehended the villain with little trouble but had left early to deal with another incident, leaving Ochako and Nimbus alone to supervise the civilians. That was fine, they were more than capable.

 

No sooner had the heroes stepped out of the police cordon than were they set upon by the media. She was comfortable enough, but Nimbus was a league ahead. She chalked it up to experience; this was his life every single day.

 

Everything went fairly smoothly until a reporter from a tabloid got in his face. “Redacted,” she began, “why is it that you’re taking pity on Uravity? Are you hoping to help her popularity by letting her seem like she is helping?”

 

Ochako rolled her eyes. Sharks like this were common, ready and eager to turn anything they could into drama.

 

“What?” Nimbus’ voice was… cold. He sounded angry. “How dare you? If she hadn’t held up that building-”

 

“With all due respect,” she said as she rudely cut him off, “we’ve seen you lift things much heavier than that. It’s clear that-”

 

Nimbus returned the favor. “Care to explain to me how I would both hold up the building and run inside of it? Even if I did grab onto the side, all I would do would act like a hinge and the building would topple over at that point. If Uravity wasn’t here today, there would be dozens dead that are alive now. I’m not taking pity on her-” He spat the word- “I’m working with her because she is an incredible hero capable of things I couldn’t even pretend to do.”

 

Ochako was stunned silent, just like the rest of the reporters.

 

“I’ve had a long day, this press conference is over. Uravity, let’s go.” He took a step back then jumped high, launching himself to the rooftops once more.

 

She had never heard him that mad, not in all the years she had watched his interviews. Ochako quickly tapped herself and jumped after him, letting her weight return as she landed next to him on the rooftop.

 

“Sorry about that,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to make a scene… I’m just tired.”

 

Ochako panted a little; her quirk was still painful to use after the strain she had put on it. “It’s fine, Nimbus. I… appreciate it.”

 

He turned to her. “Oh- oh, I’m so sorry. Here, let me carry you back to your agency. It’s the least I can do.”

 

Her pride told her no, but the aches in her body told her yes. She nodded. “A-alright.”

 

It didn’t hurt that she would get an opportunity to feel his arms around her again. She didn’t like to think of herself as shallow, but come on. There were women out there who would probably kill for an opportunity like this.

 

He scooped her up and dashed off, a little slower than usual. ‘Is he drawing out how long he holds me?’ she wondered. ‘No, no, he’s just tired, too. Don’t be silly, Ochako.’

 

They landed back on the roof of her hero agency as the sun began to drop in the sky. “Thanks again for all your help today, Uravity,” he muttered as he placed her down. “Don’t let those reporters get to you.”

 

She giggled. “I think they got to you more than they got to me.”

 

“Well, uh, maybe?” He rubbed his head awkwardly as he laughed a little too. They stood there for a little bit, simply enjoying the slight breeze on the rooftop. Ochako was running through the events of the afternoon again in her mind when something caught her attention.

 

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Hey… back there you called me ‘Ochako’.”

 

The man suddenly stiffened up. “Well, uh, I thought it would be the best way to get your attention, yeah? I r-read it in your hero profile. Your last name is Urararaka, right?”

 

“Just Uraraka,” she said with a smirk.

 

“Right.” He took a step back. “Hey, uh, I gotta go. Thanks again!”

 

Before she could say anything, he turned and streaked from the roof, fast enough that she had to take a steadying step backward against the air pressure. Ochako raised an eyebrow as she saw the green speck disappear over a rooftop.

 

With the man gone, she became acutely aware just how sore she felt. She winced and headed toward the door. ‘I think I’ll go home early and take a warm, relaxing bath.’ She sighed at the thought. ‘Yeah, that sounds nice.’

 

Notes:

See you guys next time :)

Chapter 7: The First Step

Summary:

The aftermath of the confrontation continues.

Izuku knew he was blushing like mad underneath his helmet as he streaked across the rooftops. He was mentally berating himself for his slip up, even if it was made in the heat of the moment during a villain attack. There was no excuse for letting something like that happen, not when there was so much at stake.

 

He had maintained his secret identity for three years, but in all that time, he had never let someone get close to him like he had let Ochako. Sure, she was still at arm’s length in many ways, but he definitely felt a… connection. A connection like he had felt in America, with his old friends. His friends he had left behind.

 

He had made new friends, of course… kinda. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of people who liked Izuku and would probably call him a friend, thanks to his work at Serendipity. He was sure that if he was ever in trouble, many of those people would help him. 

 

Just like Pinky and Red Riot had tried. 

 

But no, he couldn’t let them into his life, it was too dangerous for his family for his identity to become public. He would protect that secret as well as he could. 

 

Then why was he letting Ochako get close to him? Was it because she had formed a connection with him faster than he could realize it was happening? Was it because she felt like his first real friend since he had moved back to Japan?

 

Friend, yes, but this connection was… different. He hadn’t felt like this with anyone else; he didn’t know exactly how to describe it. When he was with Ochako, his heart felt light and he had a hard time keeping a smile off his face. When he was on patrol with her, the stress of being Nimbus was hardly there at all, letting him fall in love with being a hero all over again.

 

That’s not to say he ever stopped loving being a hero—quite the contrary, he wouldn’t trade it for anything—but going on patrol with her was on another level altogether. He found himself selfishly wishing he could patrol with her every day and that she would come by Serendipity mo-

 

Izuku froze, nearly falling off a roof as a realization came crashing over him.

 

‘Do I… have a crush?’

 

No, no, that would be ridiculous. He was 22, he didn’t have a crush on Ochako like he was a hopeless teenager. He was much too mature for that.

 

Right?

 

Izuku hopped back and forth on his feet nervously as his brain fired off thought after thought.

 

Finally, he sighed.

 

‘I need to go talk to Toshi.’

 

---

 

Izuku knocked on the door of Toshinori’s townhouse, waiting patiently for the door to open. It slid open slowly after a small while, revealing his tall, gaunt mentor.

 

“Oh,” Toshinori said with a small surprise in his voice. “Please, come in, sir.”

 

Izuku stepped inside and dropped the hologram that was making him appear as a middle-aged businessman before taking off his helmet and giving the former pro a great hug.

 

“Toshi! It’s been too long!”

 

“It’s been less than a week, Young Izuku,” Toshinori responded with a chuckle.

 

“Really?” Izuku said as he released the hug and headed to the couch in the nearby room. “It feels like much longer.”

 

Toshi laughed again as he sat down opposite Izuku. “I feel like we have this conversation every time you visit.”

 

Izuku rubbed the back of his head as he grinned. “Well, after seeing you everyday for years…”

 

“Yes, yes, I know.” Toshinori’s smile was kind. Fatherly. “But what brings you back so soon? That look on your face tells me that this isn’t just a visit for pleasure.”

 

Izuku sighed, his shoulders dropping. “...I need advice.”

 

Toshinori smiled knowingly. “I figured as much.”

 

“Do you remember Katsuki Bakugou?” Izuku began.

 

Toshinori raised an eyebrow. “The one who bullied you for being quirkless and the one I saved from that sludge villain. Ground Zero.”

 

“Right,” Izuku said with a nod. “He showed up at Serendipity today.”

 

Toshinori leaned forward slightly, his brow furrowing in concern.

 

“We had a… confrontation,” Izuku continued, “and a lot came crashing out of me. I guess I wasn’t over it like I thought I was.”

 

Toshinori continued to listen.

 

“There were a lot of heroes there. Uravity had brought her friends from UA: Creati, Ingenium, Froppy, Chargebolt… you get the idea. They were all there and I was serving them breakfast when Bakugou showed up. Long story short, they found out that he bullied me.” Izuku held the bridge of his nose. “Two of them, Pinky and Red Riot, they wanted to talk to me.” Izuku opted out of telling Toshinori about Ochako.

 

Izuku continued his explanation. “I wanted to clear my head, so I had already donned my helmet, but I wound up talking to them a little as Nimbus. They were really upset that Bakugou had done that, but I told them to leave it alone.”

 

Toshinori looked a little confused.

 

“I—” Izuku sighed tersely. “I didn’t want them to get involved. This is between Bakugou and me. I don’t want to burden them with my problems and I don’t want them to get any closer to Izuku or Nimbus. I can’t risk it.”

 

Toshinori leaned back, staring at Izuku for a few moments before he began to speak. “Do you remember what I told you about what makes a hero?” 

 

“You said a lot of things,” Izuku replied sheepishly. He was pretty sure he knew exactly to what Toshinori was referring.

 

“The true essence of being a hero is interfering where you don’t belong.”

 

Izuku sighed. “I know, it's just—”

 

“Just what?” Toshinori interrupted him. “Think about it, what if you had found out one of your friends had been bullied? Wouldn’t you have done exactly what Pinky and Red Riot are doing?”

 

“Well, yes, but…” Izuku rubbed his hand down his face. “They don’t have a burden like I do. They don’t have a secret identity. They don’t have One For All.” 

 

“That is true,” Toshinori muttered. “But I don’t see how that would stop them from helping Izuku out.”

 

“I… I can’t risk it.”

 

“Why not?” Toshinori sat up a little straighter. “Would it be so bad if some people you trusted knew who you were?” 

 

Izuku’s head slumped. Friends sounded… nice. “I… guess not. But I don’t think I’m ready for that. I would have to trust them a lot to tell them…”

 

“Then don’t tell them,” Toshinori suggested. “Keep your secret, but open yourself up to them. They don’t need to know that you’re Nimbus to be your friends.”

 

Izuku sat there for a while, thinking. “Nimbus is… who I am, Toshi,” he said finally. “Who am I if I don’t tell them that?”

 

“You’re Izuku, my boy!” Toshinori laughed. “Or am I no longer myself because I’m not All Might anymore?”

 

“You’ll always be All Might,” Izuku muttered, “but I know what you’re saying. I suppose some… duplicity might be necessary. But… is it worth it? Isn’t focusing on being a hero more important? I should give my all, use this power you’ve given me to help as many people as I can. Do I have time for anything else?”

 

Toshinori nodded slowly, leaning back slowly. “That’s how I lived,” he said simply. “Always focusing on being the best, saving everyone. I don’t regret it, but I wish I had made more time for friends.” 

 

There was a pause, the emptiness and quiet of the house seeming more absolute than it normally had.

 

“I’ve been telling you for years, Young Izuku,” he continued. “You need to learn to do things your own way. My way worked for me, but it might not have been the best way, especially not for you. Make time for your friends, let them earn your trust, should they prove worthy, and then maybe Nimbus won’t have to be the lone pillar holding up society. Maybe the Symbol of Peace can have some help some day.”

 

Izuku grumbled. Toshinori knew he didn’t like being called that. Even though by all accounts, he was more powerful than Toshinori ever was, it still felt wrong in a small way. 

 

“Whether you take my advice is up to you. You’re a friendly young man who needs more support than you think. As someone who bore the weight by himself, let me say that if I had to do it over again, I would have shared some of that burden. There are a lot of fantastic heroes out there who can help you, if you just let them.” Toshinori smiled kindly as he finished. “Don’t be All Might; be Nimbus.”

 

Izuku rubbed his chin, mulling over what All Might had said. “I suppose I could at least… try it, right? If Pinky and Red Riot show up to Serendipity again, I can at least try.”

 

“And what about Uravity?”

 

Izuku sputtered, tugging at his costume’s neck. “Oh, uh, what about her?” He could feel his face turning red.

 

“Why so bashful?” Toshinori asked. “You were telling me all about her the last few times you visited. What’s changed?”

 

“Oh, uh, nothing. Nothing.” Izuku coughed into his hand. “She’s… fine.”

 

“Son, you don’t have to lie to me,” Toshinori said with that fatherly tone. “If you don’t want to talk about it, fine, but don’t lie.”

 

“I… may have already made a friend,” Izuku muttered. 

 

Toshinori grinned. “Oh? That’s wonderful! I’ve seen you both working together on television; you seem to be a good team.”

 

“Yeah!” Izuku said, getting excited for a second before he could stop himself. “Er, I mean, yeah. We are. She comes by Serendipity, too.”

 

“So is she both Nimbus’ and Izuku’s friend?”

 

Izuku hesitated, then nodded. “Y-yeah. She always makes my days better when she’s around.”

 

“Oh?” Toshinori’s smile grew wider. Izuku wasn’t sure he liked it.

 

“I feel relaxed around her. Happy,” he continued. “She’s nice. Really nice. Genuine. Kind. Brave. Strong.”

 

“Is she pretty?”

 

“Oh yea-” Izuku froze, catching his traitorous tongue. “T-TOSHI!” 

 

Toshinori was laughing hard . “Oh ho, my boy, it seems that you’ve developed something of a crush!” 

 

“I—I have not!” Izuku returned defiantly.

 

 “If you say so,” Toshinori responded, clearly not convinced. “But you trust her?”

 

“I do,” Izuku admitted, deflating. “She overheard me yelling at Bakugou and then she… she comforted me. I may have… told her that I wasn’t quirkless.”

 

Toshinori’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Wasn’t the guise of quirklessness part of your plan? It seems you’ve already started down the path of telling Uravity who you are.”

 

“I didn’t mean to,” Izuku mumbled, looking down again. “She was so sad because she thought I was quirkless. She had been bugging me—playfully, of course—about what my quirk was. She felt so bad about it and I… I couldn’t deal with that. I couldn't stand to see her sad.”

 

“You really sound like you care a lot for her,” Toshinori observed. “Would it be so bad to trust her with your secret?”

 

“I haven’t told anyone outside my family!” Izuku retorted. 

 

“What about me?” Toshinori asked.

 

“You’re family, Toshi, you know that.”

 

“Melissa?”

 

“She’s basically my sister.”

 

“Chiyo.”

 

“Okay, so Recovery Girl is the one person who knows who isn’t family.”

 

Toshinori looked at him for a few moments, a smirk that Izuku definitely didn’t like growing on his face. “You know, wives are legally family.”

 

“Toshi, please ,” Izuku whined, sinking into the couch. 

 

“Fine, fine, I’m done,” Toshinori chuckled. “But promise me this: give her the chance to earn your trust. If she proves worthy, it might be wise to tell her. I’ve noticed ever since we returned, you’ve seemed to be quite lonely. Don’t lock yourself away; you can protect your family and still have happiness.”

 

Izuku looked up at the man. “You think so?”

 

“I know so,” Toshinori said kindly. “I’ve never seen you fail to achieve something once you’ve set your heart on it. Not only do I think you can do it, I think you should do it. You deserve friendship and happiness, my boy. The man who protects Japan shouldn’t be lonely and sad.”

 

Izuku didn’t say anything as he hung his head.

 

“Would it be such a bad thing to have a nice young lady your age who you could talk to with your guard down? Someone you could be around where you don’t have to be constantly pretending you’re not who you really are?”

 

“That… does sound nice,” Izuku admitted quietly. “But doesn’t her getting close to me mean she’s in danger?” 

 

“Tell me,” Toshinori began quietly, “do you think Uravity to be weak?”

 

“Of course not,” Izuku responded immediately. 

 

Toshinori raised a finger. “There’s no point living a life where we are too afraid to actually live , young man. Being a hero means she isn’t afraid of danger. Besides, knowing that you’re Nimbus and knowing about One For All are two very different things.”

 

A silence hung in the air for a few minutes as Izuku thought. His secret had been absolute for years. Could he really change that? Could he let someone else into his life? Was it safe? For them? For his family?

 

“I'll… think about it,” Izuku said finally. “It’s a big decision.”

 

“Indeed it is,” Toshinori agreed. “So take your time with it. For now, what do you say staying for dinner? I’ll order something.”

 

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Izuku said with a sigh as Toshinori stood up. “Oh, and Toshi?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Thank you. F-for everything.”

 

He smiled warmly. “Anytime, my boy.”

 

---

 

The next morning, Izuku smiled wide as Ochako entered the front door of Serendipity, her own expression brightening as she spotted him.

 

“Good morning, Ochako.”

 

“Good morning, Izuku,” she returned. “Are you doing better today?”

 

Izuku smiled, feeling his chest tighten. “I am. Thanks for asking.” He was already making her coffee the way she liked, causing his smile to widen as she closed her eyes and inhaled fondly. 

 

“Will you sit with me?” Ochako asked, blushing slightly. 

 

Izuku realized that to her, the last time they saw each other was when she ran away from him on the roof. He nodded quickly. “Sure, I’d love to.”

 

He made himself a quick cup of coffee for himself after he gave Ochako her cup and followed her to a small table in the corner. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, both sipping on their drinks after they had cooled slightly. 

 

“Izuku,” she began quietly, “I wanted to apologize for running off like that.”

 

Izuku smiled softly. “You don’t have to. I don’t want you to be late on my behalf.”

 

Ochako grew a slight pout. “It’s my agency, I think I’m allowed to be late if I want to. There’s no excuse for me running off when you’re recovering from something like that. I—” She looked away, biting her lip slightly. “I should have stayed with you for a while. Really made sure you were okay. That’s what heroes are supposed to do.”

 

Izuku’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open a little. He felt his stomach do a somersault and his heart squeeze. ‘Oh no, do I really have a crush? No, no, I’m just being over-sensitive because Toshi teased me about it yesterday. I can’t possibly—'

 

“Um, sorry…” Ochako muttered, her face reddening.

 

Izuku realized he had been staring silently at her. “O-oh, no, no! I’m just… really flattered that you would even c-consider doing that for me. I’m just a guy, you know?” He gestured weakly around the store. “B-besides, I read the hero reports every morning; I saw how much good you did yesterday. I would hate to take away from anybody you can help.”

 

“You’re not just ‘a guy’!” she fired back. 

 

Her face went neon as soon as the words left her mouth.

 

Izuku blinked. ‘What does she mean by that? Does she maybe— no, don’t be insane. There’s no way a woman as amazing as her could ever like Izuku. Nimbus, maybe, but not Izuku.’

 

“W-what I mean by that is that you’re my f-friend, Izuku!” she clarified. “A hero is supposed to help people in need, and that goes double for their friends! There were other heroes in the area; Nimbus was around! He could have covered everything I did that morning by himself.”

 

Izuku’s mind completely forgot about anything she had said before as his brow furrowed fiercely. “That’s not true. Nimbus did a lot, but so did you. There’s no way he could have covered everything you did. You're an incredible hero capable of things Nimbus couldn’t even pretend to do; don’t let anyone else take away from what you’ve done.”

 

Ochako’s blush faded as she looked at him with her big, brown eyes. There was a pause, slightly longer than Izuku expected, before she spoke again. “T-thank you, Izuku, but I’d like to make it up to you.”

 

Izuku tilted his head slightly in confusion. “T-there’s no need.”

 

“Too late,” she said with a soft smile. “I already took the morning off. There’s a park nearby, would you like to walk with me?” She looked away, her cheeks reddening from her boldness.

 

Izuku’s eyes went wide again as words escaped him. His mind tried to rationalize this new reality, where someone like Uravity would take off work to spend time with him. That someone like her—strong, brave… amazing —would willingly do that for him was something he couldn’t really comprehend. 

 

To her, he wasn’t Nimbus, he was just… Izuku. How could she do that for a lie she barely knew?

 

“Y-you…?” was all he could say.

 

“If you don’t want to…” 

 

His mind smashed through his confusion, desperate to not lose this opportunity. “N-no!” he sputtered, much too quickly. “That s-sounds really, really n-nice!” 

 

Ochako’s blush deepened, but not as much as her smile widened. “Great! But uh, breakfast f-first?”

 

“Breakfast? Mind if we join you?”

 

Izuku and Ochako whipped around, looking up at the grinning faces of Pinky and Red Riot, who had apparently entered while he had been stunned by Ochako. 

 

“Mina! Eijirou!” Ochako squeaked in surprise. “W-what’re you doing here?”

 

The grins on their faces faded as they glanced at each other. Red Riot rubbed his head, looking right at Izuku. “We missed you yesterday, but we wanted to talk to you, buddy.”

 

“Talk to me?”

 

“About Bakugou,” Pinky clarified.

 

Izuku’s shoulders dropped. He had figured that was what they meant, but he had hoped it wasn’t. “Oh.”

 

Red Riot held up his hands defensively. “If you’re okay with that, of course.”

 

He thought back to what Toshinori had said yesterday. “Alright. I’ll go get breakfast.” He stood up and gestured at the open chairs. “Please, make yourselves at home.”

 

Pinky and Red Riot looked at each other again and then took seats next to each other, Pinky sitting next to Ochako. 

 

Izuku entered the kitchen and set to work. His hands were so well-practiced that he didn’t have to commit much brain power at all to making the food, which unfortunately left his mind to wander. 

 

He ran over what the two might possibly say to him, what he was okay telling them and how he would deflect topics he didn’t want them to know about. Toshinori’s words hung heavy in his mind; he would give them the opportunity to be his friends if they wanted to be, but he wasn’t ready to open himself up fully. He wasn’t even there with Ochako.

 

Before he realized it, he was shoveling the last of the food onto the plates. Izuku sighed as he gathered all four plates in his practiced arms and carried them back outside, bracing himself for whatever was coming.

 

He placed the plates around the square table then sat down in the open seat between Red Riot and Ochako. 

 

Pinky inhaled deeply. “Wow, this smells amazing!”

 

“You made this yourself?” Red Riot asked.

 

Izuku laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah. We’ve been open for three years, it would be a shame if I couldn’t cook.”

 

“It’s great as always, Izuku. Thank you,” Ochako said brightly.

 

Pinky leaned over to Ochako with a smirk on her face. “He can cook...” She yelped as Ochako stepped on her foot.

 

Izuku pretended not to notice. 

 

“I hope you enjoy, Red Riot, Pinky.”

 

Red Riot had a bite halfway to his mouth when he stopped and put the fork down. “Hey now, I told you yesterday to call me Ki—you know what? Call me Eijirou.”

 

“Call me Mina! We’re all friends here, right? It would feel weird to call you Izuku and have you not do the same for me.”

 

‘Friends…’ Izuku smiled awkwardly. “Are you sure?”

 

They both nodded. 

 

“Okay. Thank you,” Izuku muttered with a smile. “Oh, and it’s on the house.”

 

“But—” Eijirou began to protest.

 

“I insist,” Izuku said firmly.

 

Eijirou grumbled but began to eat.

 

So as not to spoil the meal, the four of them ate their food without bringing up the… controversial topic. They chatted happily, talking about their jobs as heroes while Izuku listened eagerly and his father and mother tended to the rest of the restaurant and their customers.

 

Soon, far too soon, the meal ended. 

 

“That was amazing ,” Mina muttered contently. 

 

“Always is,” Ochako agreed.

 

Eijirou grinned his sharp grin. “Way better than the food at our agency, huh? Hey, if you’re ever looking for work…” 

 

Izuku laughed politely. “I’m happy here, thank you though.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Mina said kindly. 

 

Eijirou’s expression fell slightly. “Yeah, it’s good to hear that you’re happy. But uh…”

 

Izuku’s shoulders dropped. “Yeah. Bakugou.” He leaned back in his chair, slumping slightly. “What do you want to know?”

 

“He bullied you,” Eijirou began flatly, causing Izuku to wince slightly and look away. “I want to know about that. I’ve known Bakugou for… six years now. The dude is abrasive, but I don’t know if I’d see him as a bully.”

 

Mina put a hand on his shoulder. “Remember how he was when he first got to UA? Before Aizawa and Todoroki and the others put his ego in check?”

 

Eijirou sighed. “Yeah… He was real prickly then.”

 

Izuku laughed sadly. “We’ve known each other since we were really little. I’m talking before I could even remember, before he had his quirk, even.”

 

Mina, Eijirou and Ochako were listening closely.

 

“The other neighborhood kids and I always hung around with him. He’s always had a… powerful personality, one that draws people to him. Part of the issue was that he was never really told no. We all told him how amazing he was and how cool he was.”

 

Izuku leaned back, running his hand through his hair. “Then he got his quirk. We could tell immediately that he was going to be something special. That quirk combined with his tenacity… even the teachers praised him. He grew up with an ego the size of Fatgum.”

 

That got a laugh out of the other three. 

 

“He… didn’t like me,” Izuku explained. “He thought I was annoying, weak, in the way. He called me…” Izuku sighed, bracing himself. “‘Deku’. If you read the kanji in my name in the right— wrong —way, you can get that instead of Izuku.”

 

Mina and Eijirou both thought for a second and nodded.

 

Izuku had to admit that he felt a little better getting it off his chest. “Means ‘useless’, right? Well, that was all he called me and as he was the de-facto leader in not just the neighborhood but pretty soon our school, everyone started calling me that.”

 

“He doesn’t seem like much of a leader,” Mina muttered. “I guess he winds up with people following him around a lot.”

 

“Right,” Izuku agreed, nodding his head. “So I was ‘Deku’ to everyone, but I kept hanging around him. He, uh, made it pretty clear that he didn’t want me around, but I didn’t listen. He would shove me down, make fun of me, talk behind my back, everything you could think of… but I kept hanging around him.”

 

His audience recoiled, exchanging nervous glances with each other.

 

“But…” Ochako began slowly, “why didn’t he like you? I’ve never seen anyone besides him not like you.”

 

Izuku smiled as he felt his heart fill with warmth. “I’ve asked myself that question dozens of times over the years, Ochako. I think it all started back when we were… five or six, I don’t remember exactly. Maybe we were four—anyway, the other neighborhood kids and me were following Bakugou into the nearby woods, playing make-believe. He led us over a log stretched over a stream, but he slipped and fell in.”

 

The three in front of him gasped.

 

“He was fine, but even so, I scrambled down to give him a hand. He pulled himself to his knees, but when I held out my hand to help him up, his expression turned from disbelief to rage. He shoved me down into the water and stomped off, leaving me there. Gave me a nasty bruise.”

 

“What?!” all three of them exclaimed at the same time.

 

Ochako looked incensed. “How could he do that?”

 

Mina didn’t look as surprised. “Again, remember the beginning of UA?”

 

“Yeah, teamwork wasn’t exactly his forte,” Eijirou agreed.

 

“But still!” Ochako protested. “Why would he push you down?”

 

Izuku smiled sadly. “My guess? He saw the weakest, most helpless kid he knew offering him help, which to him meant he was weaker and more helpless. In school, whenever someone offered him assistance, he would accuse them of ‘looking down’ on him. My money is that’s why he shoved me. Ever since then… he really, truly hated me.”

 

Eijirou rubbed his hair, careful not to hit his carefully-constructed horns. “ Damn. ”

 

“The sad thing is that I believe it,” Mina muttered.

 

Ochako looked hurt, but not as much as she had the day before. She gave him a comforting look, as if telling him that she was there for him.

 

It helped.

 

“But…” Eijirou began, looking back up. “Why do you keep saying he thought you were ‘weak’. That doesn’t really seem right, was it because of your quirk or something?”

 

Mina tilted her head. “Yeah, you seemed to be just fine standing up to him yesterday. Why did he think you were weak?”

 

“Yeah, something like that,” Izuku muttered, gesturing to Eijirou. “It was because I’m…” He shot a pointed look at Ochako, who had a determined look on her face. “Quirkless.”

 

There was a pregnant pause. Izuku met Ochako’s eyes, seeing that she understood that he wanted to keep his secret.

 

“ Damn, ” Eijirou repeated after a while. “Come on, Bakugou. You’re better than that.”

 

“I agree,” Izuku said flatly.

 

“Huh?” Mina and Eijirou looked at him in confusion.

 

“He’s a different guy than he was then,” Izuku explained. “He mostly left me alone our last year of middle school and then we went our separate ways. I went to school in America, while he went to UA. I hadn’t expected to see him again and I bet he thought the same. Yesterday was as much of a shock for him as it was for me.” Izuku shrugged, even as he lied slightly. He knew that he would see Bakugou again one day.

 

Izuku sat up straight, removing for a moment the permanent slouch he adopted when he wasn’t Nimbus. “I’m ready to move on. That was a long time ago, for both of us.”

 

“That still doesn’t make it right,” Eijirou countered. 

 

“No,” Izuku admitted, “it doesn’t. But in my eyes, he’s made up for it by helping others. He’s a different person now and so am I; I don’t have any interest in dredging up the past. I made it clear to him yesterday that I’m not going to be his punching bag anymore. If he wants to come back here, he has to act like a normal person, or he’s not welcome.”

 

Eijirou nodded with a proud smile. “Manly. I don’t know what he didn’t see in you, but I’d like to call you my friend, if that’s alright with you.” He held out his hand.

 

Izuku hesitated for a moment before he took it. “You’re very forward.”

 

“No point in not being,” he responded with a grin. “I aim to live my life with no regrets. So I mean what I say and I say what I mean.”

 

“Just like Crimson Riot,” Izuku remarked.

 

Eijirou’s grin widened. “Exactly.”

 

“Unfortunately, we have to get going if we’re going to make it to our agency in time,” Mina interjected. “But if you want to, I’d love to do something as the four of us sometime. You seem like a really cool dude, Izuku.”

 

Izuku felt his face warming under the long-missed show of kindness. “That sounds n-nice.”

 

“For sure!” Ochako agreed.

 

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Eijirou began as he stood up from the table and turned to Mina with a furrowed brow. “But I’m not going in yet.”

 

“Why not?” Mina asked as she stood up as well.

 

Eijirou pulled out his phone and began to type a message. “I’m telling boss man that I’m using some of my vacation time. I gotta go talk to Bakugou.”

 

Mina nodded, looking at her friend with concern, but understanding. “Thanks for the meal, Izuku.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Izuku returned graciously.

 

Mina and Eijirou both said their goodbyes and left, leaving Izuku and Ochako alone.

 

After a few minutes of silence, Ochako put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

 

He nodded. “It actually felt nice to talk about it. You have good friends, Ochako.”

 

“Don’t you mean we have good friends?” she corrected him with a smirk.

 

“I guess so, huh?” Izuku smiled widely. 

 

Another silence hung in the air, but unlike the previous ones, this one was comfortable and peaceful. Finally, Izuku spoke up again. “Do you still want to take that walk?”

 

Her permanent blush widened slightly as her eyes sparkled. “I’d love to.”

Notes:

See you guys next time :)

Chapter 8: A Day Out

Summary:

Ochako and Izuku enjoy the day together.

“I hope the park is nice,” Ochako said quietly. “I didn’t do too much research into it.”

 

Izuku laughed. “That’s fine, I know the place you’re talking about. In fact, I go there all the time. Shall we?” he asked, gesturing to the door.

 

“Lead the way,” she chirped, standing up as Izuku took off his apron and put it near the back of the front counter. 

 

Izuku and Ochako set off walking down the street in the mid-autumn sun. It was brisk and the wind carried a chill, but the sun warmed their faces. Ochako wore a light scarf and a comfortable-looking jacket, while Izuku felt warm enough in the long, baggy clothes he always wore. His unflattering clothing and his slightly slouched posture were both ways for him to distance himself from Nimbus; after all, there was no reason for a simple waiter to be as muscular as Izuku.

 

They walked in a comfortable silence for several blocks until they arrived at the park. Izuku looked between the different paths around the generous-sized natural sanctuary and chose the one he thought was the most beautiful, hoping to make a good impression.

 

Ochako seemed to agree with his choice as she smiled contentedly, apparently satisfied with simply enjoying Izuku's company. They chatted about nothing in particular as they walked, but eventually, she asked a question that set off warning bells in Izuku’s mind.

 

“So, what was America like?”

 

The question was seemingly innocuous, but any sort of delve into his past like that could potentially undermine his secret. He had to be extremely careful not to give her any information that could link him to All Might or his old school or him being a hero at all. It was okay, he had practiced this before, but something about Ochako made it so easy to put his guard down. He just had to focus and-

 

“Uh, Izuku?”

 

Izuku blinked. “Oh, uh…”

 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Ochako muttered quietly, sounding slightly hurt. “I was just curious.”

 

“No, no!” Izuku shot back, horrified by the idea of upsetting her. “I just got distracted reminiscing, I didn’t mean to not answer.” Izuku cleared his throat. “America was great. I miss it sometimes, but I know my place is here.”

 

Ochako immediately cheered back up, satisfied by his excuse. “You went to school there, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Izuku responded, still wishing that Ochako hadn’t overheard his conversation on the roof with Bakugou. “My dad lived over there, working to support us back here. After a… less than stellar childhood, I was ready to have a fresh start. My mother and I moved there to be with him and for me to go to school.”

 

“It must have been nice not to be around Bakugou anymore,” Ochako remarked.

 

Izuku nodded. “It was.”

 

There was a small silence.

 

“Why did you come back?” Ochako asked quietly.

 

Izuku smiled. She couldn’t know the real answer. “Like I said, I belong here. I love America, but I’m Japanese, not American. I had always intended on coming back home, so I never integrated.”

 

“Well, I’m glad you came back,” Ochako said cheerfully. “That way I got to meet you!” 

 

“Yeah…” Izuku agreed. “I’m glad I got to meet you, too.” 

 

Both of their cheeks reddened slightly and suddenly the trees over to the side of the walking path were much more interesting than they were a few seconds ago. Izuku didn’t feel as awkward as he thought he would; the benefits of growing up, he imagined. 

 

They walked in silence for a few more minutes, enjoying the sun, the trees, and each other’s company. A breeze blew along the path, chilling them both. It wasn’t until after the breeze had finally died down that both of them realized they had instinctively moved closer together to shield themselves from the cold.

 

They both blushed again as they took a step away from each other; a new silence fell over them, but it was much more awkward. Ochako broke first, speaking up to try and move past their nerves. “You must have had a lot of friends over there, yeah?”

 

“I did… for a change,” Izuku said sadly. He realized his slip up and tried to play it off by laughing awkwardly.

 

It didn’t work. “For a change? Izuku, how many friends did you have back here?”

 

Izuku gulped. “A few.”

 

“Hey…” she began, looking up at him. “Didn’t you tell Bakugou that he was your “only friend” back on the roof?”

 

‘Crap,’ Izuku thought. He had forgotten he let that part out. “W-well…. Look, you don’t have to worry about me, alright?”

 

“No, not alright!” Ochako shot back. “I took this day off because I’m worried about you.”

 

“And I appreciate that,” Izuku continued. “I really do. But middle school was over 6 years ago, I’ve moved on. Sure, it sucked, but it’s in the past. I’m doing fine now. Better than fine. I’m great! Honest!” Izuku smiled wide.

 

Ochako smiled back, but it was muted. “Izuku, how many friends do you have now?”

 

“Uh…” 

 

“Your parents don’t count.”

 

“Well, then…” He paused to count. He spent so much time as Nimbus that he had basically lost contact with everyone except for those that knew his secret. So that meant he could only really include Toshinori and Melissa. “...Five.” 

 

“Does that include Mina and Eijirou?” Ochako asked.

 

“...It does...” Izuku admitted.

 

Ochako stopped walking. Izuku turned to her and saw her standing still with her arms wide but a determined expression on her face. “Um, Ochako?” he asked nervously.

 

“Hug.” Her words were almost an order, their intensity matched by the fire burning in her eyes.

 

“Hug?” he repeated.

 

“Hug. Come here and give me a hug.”

 

“I don’t-”

 

“That doesn’t look like hugging!” Her determined frown was turning up ever-so-slightly into a small smile.

 

Izuku couldn’t help but smile and laugh a little as he moved closer to Ochako and leaned down, giving her a hug while she reached up and hugged him back.

 

It felt… nice. Really nice. The contact made warmth spread across his body and comforted him against the autumn chill. They broke apart after only a short while, each smiling with slightly flushed cheeks at the other.

 

Ochako took a deep breath, looking at her hands for a moment and then at him with a slightly puzzled look before smiling again. “Izuku, I’m here for you, okay? I can’t stand the idea of you being lonely and I’m sure Mina and Eijirou feel the same way.” She smiled up at him as they started walking again. “They’re great people; in fact, almost all of my old classmates are. You didn’t really get to meet most of them properly, but I’m sure once you do, they’ll be your friends too.”

 

More friends? Izuku didn’t know if that was wise. The more people that got to know him, the bigger the chance of his secret getting exposed. The secret was the most important thing in his life—other than his family, of course—but that was just it: his secret was for his family. If people knew that his parents were the parents of Nimbus, there would be no way they could live like they had been. It wasn’t even wise for him to be talking to Ochako like this, let alone a bunch of other people.

 

“Keep your secret, but open yourself up to them. They don’t need to know that you’re Nimbus to be your friends.”

 

Toshinori’s words rung in his mind. Maybe he was right. And if he was being honest, having more friends sounded nice. It would be like old times.

 

Izuku smiled and looked up into the clear sky. “That sounds great; thank you, Ochako. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

“Great!” Ochako chirped. “Momo is already talking about all of them coming back to Serendipity soon. Uh, minus Bakugou, of course. But we should hang out with them when you’re not working. They should get to know the real you, like I do, or at least, like I’m starting to.”

 

Izuku felt a little guilty. She didn’t know the real him; not by a long shot. He had already given her some small hints that he wasn’t what he appeared, but there was no way she would ever connect Izuku to Nimbus. They were just too different.

 

“Yeah, someday,” Izuku agreed as the two continued their trek through the park, their silence even more comfortable than before. 

 

Once again, Ochako broke it. “So, this is a really nice place, huh? You said you come here a lot?”

 

“Yep. It’s nearby, right? And I jog here most mornings,” Izuku explained. “It’s got a nice track that’s a good length to get me warmed up and ready for the day.”

 

“You jog?” she asked simply.

 

Oh no. Was telling her that a mistake? Would she find out that he was more fit than he let on? Would she figure out that-

 

No. Izuku stopped himself. He was being paranoid. Ochako just wanted to be his friend. He should listen to Toshinori and let people in.

 

“It’s a yes or no question,” Ochako said with a laugh. “Is everything alright?”

 

Izuku smiled awkwardly. “Y-yeah, sorry. I’m just not used to people being this interested in me. Yeah, I jog daily, why?”

 

“No need to be shy!” she giggled, patting his shoulder affectionately to try to get him to relax. “Ever since Tsu moved to her new agency, I haven’t had a good jogging partner. Would you like to run together in the mornings? We can keep each other accountable and stuff!” 

 

Three years of secrecy told him that this was a terrible idea, but that part of his brain wasn’t in control right now. Spending more time with Ochako sounded heavenly and maybe this was what Toshinori was talking about when he told him to give her a chance to earn his trust.

 

“That sounds like a great idea,” Izuku agreed. “I just hope I can keep up with a pro hero.”

 

That made Ochako laugh again. “We’re just warming up, I’m not going to run you into the ground. Plus, I think you’re being too hard on yourself. I’m sure you’ll keep up.”

 

“That’s very kind of you to say,” Izuku responded warmly. “I’ll do my best.” 

 

“Aw, no need to be so serious!” Ochako scoffed jokingly. “We’re just two friends spending time together. No stress!”

 

Izuku smiled wider as they crossed a small wooden bridge over the creek that ran through the park. “I guess you’re right.”

 

---

 

After the two finished their walk, they headed back to Serendipity to let Izuku change clothes. Ochako waited down below, not wanting to intrude upon the family’s private life. His absence allowed Ochako some time to reflect on her rather eventful morning.

 

Their time together was… really nice. There was something relaxing about being with Izuku, which was a relief. They had been so nervous and awkward around each other up until now; it had made Ochako feel like she was an awkward schoolgirl again, which wasn't a good thing. She had done her time as a hormonal teen and she wasn't interested in going through it again.

 

But that wasn't the case. She had been worried that it would be and had acted accordingly when she had shown up this morning at Serendipity, but… it hadn't been that way. Their walk in the park was peaceful. Friendly. Comfortable. Even a little exciting.

 

Exciting because of the hug she had given him. The hug was purely friendly and supportive, but she had discovered that Izuku was much more muscular than he looked. Ochako had only really touched his back, but even that was well-defined and strong. She reasoned that with only a few friends and nothing seemingly going on in his life besides Serendipity, he might spend his free time working out. If that was the case, maybe she could invite him to work out with her in the future too, in addition to jogging together. Maybe they could help each other out with their lifting.

 

She was a little impressed with how calm she was being about the whole thing, but maybe their shared… experience the previous morning on the roof had helped them both get more comfortable with each other. Izuku had hardly stuttered at all and she couldn't remember the last time she had smiled and laughed so much. Even though they had only known each other for a few weeks, she didn’t think twice about taking the day off.

 

Which made her feel a little uneasy. She was just taking the day off to make sure Izuku was okay, right? It was purely a platonic decision that certainly didn’t have anything to do with…

 

Ochako sighed as she took another drink of the coffee Inko had made her while she waited. 

 

Who was she kidding? Mina was always on her about being honest with herself regarding her feelings and she had just thought about how much she hated the idea of being a shy and awkward teenager. Sure, she was concerned for Izuku, but she couldn’t pretend like she didn’t feel something between them. A connection of sorts. She had never made a friend as quickly as she had with Izuku and now she was feeling like for the first time, she might actually feel something deeper.

 

Sure, she was nervous, but at least she wasn’t running and hiding from her feelings or turning into an incoherent, blushing mess like she was sure she would have done if Izuku had known her in high school. Ochako was old enough to be mostly over childish crushes and hormonal infatuations, so her interest in Izuku was more… refined was the word she was going to use. She would keep spending time with him and if things worked out, then perhaps they could be something more.

 

But that was a thought for a different day. Izuku had just returned downstairs, wearing a simple black hoodie and jeans. He smiled at her kindly. “Thanks for waiting. Ready?”

 

Ochako nodded and thanked Inko again for the coffee as she hopped up from her seat and walked with Izuku out of the shop. 

 

The two of them walked downtown for lunch, where they spotted a ramen stand that looked nice and decided to give it a try. It was a little more pricey than Ochako had hoped for, but she also wasn’t as poor as she used to be. Despite her having enough money to help her parents out and still live comfortably, she was raised frugally. Those habits were hard to break. 

 

However, she wound up not having to worry about it at all, as Izuku had insisted upon paying. She had protested, as it felt wrong for a pro hero to have her meal paid for by a waiter, but he refused to budge. Ochako felt a little guilty, but was more grateful for his kindness and generosity than anything else. 

 

The two left the stand warmed and satisfied by the delicious ramen; it had certainly been worth the extra money. She felt fortified against the chill in the air as she walked down the busy streets with Izuku, looking at all the neon signs and talking about anything and everything.

 

Izuku was brilliant; it didn’t take long for Ochako to figure that out. He had a knack for analysis and reasoning that she simply didn’t. However, instead of making her feel dumb like Momo sometimes did by accident, she only felt pride in Izuku. Whenever she didn’t understand something, he would explain it in a way that not only made sense, but respected her intelligence. He never talked down to her and just being around him made her feel smarter.

 

She felt like she did around Nimbus, truth be told. The American hero was also brilliant and had the same knack for explaining things that Izuku did. She appreciated that about the two of them and it really spoke to a deep-seated kindness in their hearts that couldn’t really be taught. 

 

The two of them also had the same almost-overbearing passion for heroes. Ochako had to cover her face in embarrassment a few times over the course of the afternoon when Izuku saw a pro hero walking down the street. She had to admit, some of them were so small-time that she didn’t recognize them, but Izuku never failed to not only know who they were, but even spout of some of their recent achievements. He was nearly vibrating every time he added a new autograph to the notebook he always seemed to be carrying around. 

 

Just like Nimbus did, actually. Ochako smiled softly to herself; Izuku was such a fanboy, she wouldn’t be surprised if he had started carrying a notebook around because Nimbus did. Maybe she could get the two of them to meet up someday; it made her smile wider just thinking about how Izuku would act in front of Nimbus.

 

However, before she could continue her thought, the ground shook violently. Ochako and Izuku both whipped around as a massive cloud of dust rose up from the small urban park they had walked past a few moments ago. As the dust was cleared by a rush of air, a massive villain came into view. He had to be at least thirty feet tall and covered in brown fur. The claws on his hand gave her the impression that he had some sort of mole quirk, which perhaps explained why he had burst from the ground suddenly.

 

She took a step forward to go after the villain, but realized that Izuku had stepped forward as well. Her protective instincts flared like she had never felt before as she whipped around and put her hand on Izuku’s chest, stopping him from moving. “Izuku, you need to get to safety,” she ordered, immediately going into ‘hero mode’. She had a fair bit of experience handling civilians during villain attacks and right now, Izuku was a civilian who she was tasked with protecting. “Go into that alleyway and wait for me.”

 

Izuku blinked down at her a few times and looked like he was thinking things over. She nearly sighed with relief when he seemed to finish his mental argument and nodded. “Be safe,” he responded quietly.

 

“I will.”

 

Izuku nodded again and turned around, hurrying toward the alleyway and ducking into it but not before giving her one last glance. 

 

She smiled back with a confident look, intending to reassure him. As soon as he turned the corner, she whipped back around and began to run toward the park. She didn’t have her uniform, but she never went anywhere without her emergency hero gear. She pulled out the smaller cuffs and placed them around her wrists and pulled out her pair of pink protective glasses. The cuffs weren’t as good at curtailing her nausea as her normal hero uniform, but they were functional and when combined with her years of practice, it would be more than enough to handle a villain like this. Her only real limitation was her lack of boots, which meant she had to be careful about any sort of altitude, as her landing wouldn't be safe. 

 

Ochako made herself weightless and jumped forward, keeping low enough that she wouldn’t be at risk but getting enough air that she reached the park quickly. She quickly took account of the scene, seeing several other heroes, including some that Izuku and her had met earlier. Unfortunately, they were all side-kicks or newbies, but they had already done a fine job getting all the civilians out of the way, which meant that all they had to do now was to deal with the villain.

 

She quickly took charge of the situation, as nobody else had done so. Ochako called out to the other heroes; she was grateful for Izuku’s fanboying now, as he was the only reason she knew some of their names. 

 

“You three, keep him contained to the park if he tries to escape,” she called out. “You two, you’re wi-”

 

A massive rush of wind cut her off as a thunderous crash shook the ground again. 

 

“Another villain?” she asked aloud. Maybe he had a sibling with a similar quirk. It wouldn't be the first time. She opened her eyes as the rush of wind died down, only to see the villain shrunk down to a normal human size and lying unconscious in a crater that hadn’t been there a few moments prior. 

 

A second rush of wind caused her to whip around as she saw a familiar green streak vanish over the roof of the nearby buildings.

 

“Redacted?” one of the other heroes asked dumbfoundedly.

 

A small smile grew on her face, but then her brow furrowed. She was grateful for Nimbus helping them out, but a smash-and-dash like that wasn’t his normal modus operandi. 

 

Ochako chuckled to herself slightly at her little joke.

 

Maybe he had somewhere to be, like on his way to another villain attack, or maybe he was simply passing by. Even so, it wasn’t like him to not stop and check to make sure everyone was alright or to congratulate the other heroes on a job well done. Part of the reason he was so popular was because he was such a genuine, nice guy on top of being the most powerful hero the world had ever seen. 

 

Ochako realized that she hadn’t seen any news regarding Nimbus all day. Maybe today was his day off, too? He was only human after all, he surely had days where he just wanted to relax. Being in his position must be incredibly stressful, many times more so than Ochako’s own position and she had taken the day off, right? 

 

She was extra grateful for Nimbus’ intervention as it meant she could get back to her friend. He was clearly worried about her and the rest of the heroes here could handle the cleanup here. She wasn’t even officially on duty, so not getting involved meant a bunch less paperwork for her. If she had fought, she would have been caught up for at least an hour with this or that. 

 

She took off her protective glasses and wrist braces and jogged back to the alleyway she left Izuku in, spotting him poking his head out curiously from around the corner. They both smiled wide as they spotted each other, Izuku stepping out of the alleyway and jogging toward her. “Are you alright?” he asked, although there was no worry in his voice. He was sweating the smallest amount, so maybe he was just good at hiding his worry. Either way, it was flattering that he was both concerned for her and confident in her abilities. 

 

“I’m fine,” she answered. “Nimbus swooped in and took out the villain in an instant. He really is something else; I didn’t even see him coming!”

 

“I’m sure you could’ve handled it,” Izuku said confidently.

 

“Well, sure, probably, but it’s still so cool to see him work!” Ochako cheered. “Well, I didn’t see much of anything, but you know what I mean, right? Too bad he didn’t stick around, I’m sure you would love his autograph.” 

 

Izuku smiled and rubbed his head. “Sure, but I’m pretty satisfied by the three I have.”

 

Ochako gasped. “You have three autographs from Nimbus?!” She stopped and laughed. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a hero nerd like you has caught him a few times.”

 

“Hey…” he muttered, pretending to be hurt by her jab, but his smile gave him away.

 

“Well, I’m still glad I didn’t have to get involved. The less paperwork I have to do, the better, yeah?” She smiled up at him again as she pointed down the street. “Come on, I know this great mochi place around here.”

 

“You like mochi?” he asked.

 

“It’s only my favorite food!” she bubbled. 

 

Izuku raised his eyebrow in interest. “I’ll have to see if my mom can put some on the menu. She’s always looking for new things to make for people.”

 

“Oooh!” Ochako squealed happily. “I’m sure her mochi would be amazing . But let’s stop standing around, I’m starving!”

 

“Fine, fine,” Izuku chuckled. “Lead the way, Miss Uravity.”

 

“Oh, and I’m paying this time,” she demanded.

 

Izuku held up his hands defensively. “If you insist.”

 

The two grinned at each other again as they began to walk down the street again. There was something about Izuku that made him so easy to talk to, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe it was just his natural exuberance that matched up so well with hers, or maybe it was because they had spent so much time together as of late.

 

Ochako looked up into the setting sun with a soft smile. In the end, no matter what it really was and no matter what happened, Ochako was confident that she had made a friend for life.

Notes:

See you guys next time!

:)

Chapter 9: Two Heroes

Summary:

No, not the movie.

It was a few weeks after their outing and Ochako was finishing up her jog with Izuku; they had met up almost every day since then to warm up together. Ever since she had moved to open her agency and couldn’t jog with Tsuyu anymore, she had missed this. What made things even better was that it was with Izuku, who, much as she expected, was quite fit.

 

He had more endurance and better form than many pros she knew, not to mention he looked better doing it than any pros she knew, even in his baggy clothes. Well, any pro other than Nimbus.

 

So Ochako thought Izuku and Nimbus were hot. Sue her. She was allowed to think it.

 

She had asked Izuku if he wanted to weight train with her, but he had said that his weight training schedule was harder to plan for, as he lifted when he had the time. He hadn’t said no, but that they would have to find a time later.

 

Ochako was satisfied with that. For now. She didn’t want to rush things with her new friend, but she did feel like it was time for a second date. Not that their first outing was official or anything, but when Mina had found out she had spent that afternoon with Izuku, she had nearly exploded with excitement. 

 

Mina had tried to get Ochako interested in boy after boy at UA, not to mention a few girls, but she just… wasn’t into them. She was much too busy training and studying for a relationship and all of them just seemed to be missing something. She didn’t really know what that something was, but she knew it was missing.

 

But… she had met a couple people who seemed to have it. Nimbus and Izuku seemed to have that something . Maybe it was just a fire in their spirit that matched with hers, maybe it was a kindness in their hearts, maybe it was an unbreakable will, or maybe it was all of the above.

 

Or maybe it was something else; she really didn’t know. What she did know, was that she felt closer to the two men than she did with most.

 

Nimbus had made a habit over the weeks of visiting to patrol with her at least once or twice a week, which she looked forward to much more than she would ever admit. At first she felt a little like a burden, but she impressed even herself with how fast she was picking things up and improving. Just being around Nimbus made her want to do better. Besides, who was better to emulate than Nimbus, the greatest hero the world had ever seen? He didn’t yet have the fame and respect All Might had at his peak, but he was getting there.

 

Ochako was confident that Nimbus would surpass even All Might sooner than later. 

 

Unfortunately, the tabloids paid attention to their outings more than she liked. The gossip rags speculated on their burgeoning romantic relationship, as if it existed, and dramatized every time they were apart with stories of supposed messy breakups. The more cynical publishers called her a leech and a parasite, claiming she was latching onto Nimbus and using him for his fame and fortune, or that he was taking pity on her.

 

Nimbus seemed to hate all the rumors, but none made him more frustrated than the ones that put her down. People could slander him all day and he didn’t care, but the moment anyone took a dig at her, he was suddenly bristling and defensive. He made sure to never take pity on her, but he made his displeasure known. It was flattering, knowing that Nimbus thought so highly of her.

 

“Are you alright, Ochako?” Izuku asked as they wiped their sweat off. “You’ve been quiet.”

 

Ochako blinked. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking.”

 

Izuku smiled. “I understand, I do that a lot, too.”

 

“Yeah?” Ochako giggled. “What do you think about?”

 

He paused for a second, smiling softly as something crossed his mind. “Mostly about hero stuff. I like to analyze and theorize; I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

 

“That makes sense,” Ochako remarked. “You know stuff about heroes that I haven’t even heard of.”

 

That got a chuckle out of him. “It’s a passion. I’ve always loved heroes. People who take their quirks and dedicate themselves to helping and protecting people; what could be cooler?!”

 

“You think pretty highly of me, don’t you?” Ochako teased.

 

“Of course!” Izuku responded without missing a beat. “You’re the coolest person I know.”

 

If she were six years younger, Ochako was certain that she would have accidentally made herself float away while turning beet red, but instead, his compliment just made her heart soar. “That’s really nice of you to say,” she muttered quietly. 

 

“And I mean it too,” he added. “You’re a true hero, Ochako. I’m proud to know you.”

 

Ochako blinked up at him. “...Thank you.” Now he was just trying to make her blush.

 

He was succeeding.

 

The two of them kept walking for a little while quietly, a peaceful, comfortable silence hanging between them. It was flattering knowing that Izuku thought so highly of her, too. He wasn’t the number one hero, but he was a great guy and one of her best friends, even after their relatively short time knowing each other. He wasn’t rich, famous, super powerful or anything like that, but he had a heart and a spirit that rivaled any top hero, including Nimbus. 

 

They were a lot alike, now that she thought about it. 

 

Suddenly, she was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of tires squealing and people shouting. 

 

Ochako began to turn around as time seemed to slow down. Somehow, Izuku had vanished from her side and was already halfway into the street. There was a small boy walking across the crosswalk, his eyes wide as a car closed in on him. 

Even with the brakes slammed down, there was no way it was going to stop in time. 

 

Luckily for everyone, Izuku was there. 

 

He dove forward, grabbing the child and twisting around in mid air, slamming onto his back just past the car with the child held tightly to his chest. 

 

Ochako and the rest of the street breathed a collective sigh of relief as the car finally came to a stop a full length beyond the crosswalk. Izuku stood up slowly, holding the child carefully, babbling to him softly to keep him calm. 

 

The child’s mother was sobbing as she ran out into the street, taking the child gently from Izuku as she hugged him desperately with the other arm. He smiled down at her calmly, giving off the confident air of a hero. 

 

Ochako smiled. It was just confirmation of what she already knew: Izuku could make a great hero.

 

If only he would let her help him.

 

A thought came to her; how did Izuku move so fast? He was most of the way to the child before Ochako could really figure out what was happening. He must have insane reflexes, which would also make him a great hero. She mentally added it to the list.

 

Ochako smiled as Izuku jogged back over to her, once the woman finally let him go. “Are you alright?” she asked. 

 

He dusted himself off a little. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

 

“Man, that reaction!” she gushed, now that she knew he was alright. “Those instincts! Izuku, I’m gonna get you to come to my agency yet! Just you watch.”

 

Izuku blushed a little. “W-we’ll see. I’m pretty happy with where I am, though.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Ochako giggled a little as they resumed their walk. She couldn’t help but smile widely; her heart was bursting with pride for her friend. If it wasn’t for him, that child might have died, but he had acted like a real hero. If only he would tell her about his quirk, she was sure that she could help him.

 

Suddenly, Izuku’s watch started buzzing and his vision snapped to it, concern growing on his face. 

 

Coincidentally, her own watch buzzed only a second later. She looked down at her wrist and saw a hero alert scroll up. 

 

There was a villain on the loose nearby after he broke out of a prison transport. All nearby heroes were called to assist as soon as possible. 

 

Ochako turned her head quickly to Izuku, who was reading his own watch with similar intensity. It was kind of adorable, in a way. He had a very noble sense of responsibility that would serve him excellently as a hero, if Ochako could ever convince him to trust her. She was very serious about taking him on as a sidekick.

 

“Izuku, there’s a villain on the loose,” she said directly. “I have to go.” 

 

Izuku nodded. “There’s been a thing back home, I need to go, too. Stay safe, alright?” 

 

Ochako nodded back. “I promise.” 

 

She grabbed her bag, reached inside and pulled out her compact hero gear, slapping her backup bracers and glasses on. With a touch of her wrist, she lost her gravity and began to streak toward the coordinates in the message.

 

She just hoped she wouldn’t be too late.

 

---

 

Ochako’s heart dropped as she arrived on the scene. It had only been a few minutes since the alert went out, but the devastation was horrific. Smoke filled the air as fires raged across several city blocks, even as water heroes contained them. She saw broken cars, broken buildings… broken people.

 

Destruction. Death. It never got any easier.

 

She didn’t see the villain, but she did see a woman struggling to move a destroyed car. Ochako jumped down to her and noticed a child trapped beneath the metal wreckage, bawling hysterically. The girl couldn’t have been older than two.

 

“I’m here to help!” Ochako called out as she touched the car and lifted it slowly, allowing the woman to pull the child free. 

 

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” the woman exclaimed hysterically. 

 

Ochako saw blood pouring from a cut on the girl’s head; she needed to staunch the flow. “Here, hold still,” she instructed as she reached into her pack and pulled out her first aid kit. She quickly cleaned the wound and applied a small wrapping to the child’s head. “It’ll be okay now. Let’s get you two to safety.”

 

“Safety?” a snide, arrogant voice came from behind. “What makes you think any of you are safe?”

 

Ochako instinctively grabbed the woman and child, taking both of their weights as she stole a look back. 

 

The man stood well over a foot taller than her, sneering down at her cruelly. He had short, spiky blonde hair, a little like Bakugou, but he was missing an eye, which was probably taken by whatever gave him that nasty scar down the left side of his face. His quirk was apparent, as strong muscle fibers coiled out of his skin and wrapped around his arms and legs, giving him a truly terrifying appearance. 

 

Ochako kicked off with the two civilians, shooting away from the villain as fast as she could. 

 

The man was fast. Faster than her. 

 

Ochako caught herself and prepared to make another jump, but he had already caught up to her. He reared a massive fist back as his face twisted into sadistic pleasure.

 

Ochako didn’t have time to move away. She pulled the woman and child down and twisted, putting her own body between the civilians and the villain. The only thing that mattered was keeping them safe.

 

The villain laughed cruelly.

 

She braced herself for the punch.

 

A rush of wind and a deafening impact as his fist found contact.

 

But there was no pain.

 

“Don’t worry, you are safe now.”

 

Ochako opened one of her eyes and saw the villain’s fist less than a foot from her face, being held back by a single hand. 

 

“Because I am here .” 

 

Nimbus stood between her and the villain, his left hand blocking the attack with seemingly little effort. Lightning danced off his body as he stared down the much larger man.

 

He sounded mad.

 

“Redacted?” the villain asked in surprise.

 

Nimbus flicked his wrist, sending the man flying backward into a car.

 

The man pulled himself up, regrowing his sinister smile as he glared down at Nimbus, who was walking slowly toward him. “Oh, ho, ho. I was hoping to run into you. You think you’re some sort of All Might character, don’t you?” He laughed maliciously. “I’ll tell you what; I fought All Might. He’s the one who put me away originally. You’re no All Might. ”

 

Nimbus stopped a good twenty meters away from the man. “Alias: Muscular. Known as ‘The Carnal Murderer’.” Nimbus didn’t just sound mad; his every word dripped with cold, righteous fury.

 

“Aw, you know me,” Muscular responded snidely. “I’m flattered.” 

 

“I will give you this one opportunity to stand down and come quietly,” Nimbus offered generously. “Surrender now or suffer the consequences.”

 

Muscular began to laugh. “But I was having so much fun! I haven’t been able to crush a skull in years ! I can’t just give that up!” Muscles began to grow over his entire body as he bulked up into truly obscene proportions. Even All Might at his peak would look small compared to him.

 

Ochako looked over at Nimbus as she still sat there, stunned. He wasn’t  the same man that All Might had been physically; he stood “only” at six feet tall, compared to All Might’s impressive 7-foot-two and his musculature was always more dense and lithe than his predecessor. 

But right now, his every muscle seemed to be bulging as he stared down Muscular. His already tight uniform strained slightly as it dug into his deepening definition along his arms, back and legs. The concrete under his feet cracked even though he wasn’t moving and the lightning that was crackling along his body began to fade slightly, until it was dancing only lightly along his edges. 

 

Recovering from her near-death experience, Ochako jumped away, getting the civilians clear now that Nimbus had Muscular’s full attention. She handed the pair to an EMT and then jumped onto a roof to get a better view of the two powerhouses as she searched for more survivors. If Muscular was able to cause this much destruction in such little time, he was truly dangerous. 

 

Muscular took a step forward.

 

In hindsight, a mistake.

 

Faster than she could track, Nimbus seemed to appear in front of Muscular. The villain couldn’t even react before Nimbus’ fist flew upward, catching him in the chest and sending him streaking into the sky.

 

Three sonic booms rushed over Ochako. One from Nimbus’ leap forward, one from his fist and one from Muscular. 

 

Was this Nimbus when he wasn’t holding back? 

 

Ochako hopped down from the roof she was standing on as she saw a man limping in the street.

 

A fourth sonic boom shook the street as Nimbus jumped into the sky after Muscular. Ochako tapped her glasses, telling the camera built into the pink glass to zoom in on the action. The villain was still recovering from the attack as he soared into the sky. Nimbus reached his left arm out and his black energy shot out, wrapping Muscular up and then he pulled back, dragging the villain down. He began to throw his foot forward, but stopped when he realized that the villain was already unconscious. 

 

Nimbus had knocked him out with a single punch. 

 

The two men tumbled back to Earth as Muscular hung limply in Nimbus’ energy tendrils. With several carefully controlled kicks, Nimbus guided and slowed their descent until they landed back on the ground.   

 

Ochako deposited the civilian back with the medics and then rushed toward Nimbus. The number one hero retracted his black energy as he exhaled, letting Muscular fall limply to the earth. 

 

No, he wasn’t All Might. 

 

He was better.

 

“Nimbus!” she called. “Are you alright?”

 

The American looked over at her and visibly relaxed. “I’m fine. I should be asking the same about you. Did you get out okay? Did those civilians get out okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Ochako confirmed. “They’re safe. I’m safe. Thanks to you. I was almost…”

 

“Don’t.” His voice was firm. “Don’t think about it. I’m just so happy you were on the scene. If you hadn’t gotten them out, Muscular would have gotten to them before I could have arrived. They owe you their lives as much as they owe me. Thank you for being here when I wasn’t. I feel… content knowing that you’re out protecting people when I can’t.”

 

Ochako’s jaw nearly fell off her face as her heart did flips. “That’s high praise. I don’t know if I’m worthy, but thank you.”

 

“You’re more than worthy,” he responded confidently.

 

There was a small, awkward pause. “Let’s get back in there,” Ochako offered.

 

Nimbus nodded. “You take right, I’ll take left.”

 

Ochako gave him the thumbs up as she removed her weight and jumped away. There was a lot of work still to do, but Nimbus had saved her, that family, and who knows how many more by taking out that villain. In the dreary smoke of the disaster site, Nimbus was a beacon of hope. 

 

It took them several hours to finish the cleanup and rescue. Everything was so terrible, but it could have been so much worse. Ochako said goodbye to Nimbus and headed off to her agency around noon, looking forward to taking a shower and finally changing into her proper hero costume for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Nimbus gave her a salute and dashed off, soaring over the roofs and disappearing from sight much too fast for her tastes.

 

A morbid thought crossed her mind: if it wasn’t for Nimbus, she would have broken her promise to Izuku. He had asked her to stay safe and she had almost gone and messed that up; she would have to remember to thank Nimbus for allowing her to keep her promise.

 

Shaking her head to dispel the macabre thought, Ochako hopped along the rooftops herself and reached her agency just after noon. As she trudged up the steps to her office, her stomach rumbled; all that hero work had made her hungry. 

 

Strangely, as she neared her office door, the mouth-watering smell of Serendipity wafted under her nose.

 

“Oh no, I’m going crazy,” she mumbled under her breath. 

 

Ochako unlocked the door to her office and the smell redoubled in strength, causing her stomach to roar in anticipation. She gasped as, sitting on her desk, was a simple brown bag. A bag she had definitely not left there the previous day.

 

She tossed her bag into a chair and almost ran over to her desk, nearly squealing with joy as she saw a selection of fresh-baked pastries and a takeaway container which, judging by the smell, held a cheeseburger and fries—something she had taken a liking to since she became a regular patron at Serendipity.

 

“But how?” she whispered to herself. 

 

That’s when she noticed the note pinned to the side of the bag. She lifted it up to get a good look.

 

Uravity, 

Thanks for being a true hero. 

- Nimbus

 

P.S. Enjoy the mochi.

 

Ochako gasped and looked inside the bag again. She placed the neatly-packaged pastries aside and pulled out the takeaway box to see a small, cute package at the bottom of the bag. Slowly, like she was opening a treasure chest, Ochako lifted the lid and was greeted by some of the most delicious looking mochi she had ever seen.

 

“How did he know?” she whispered breathlessly, sitting down in her chair. 

 

“Wait, how did he get in?” Ochako spun around in her chair, spotting her window sitting cracked open just the smallest amount. 

 

With a small smile, she turned back to her desk and opened up the box, letting the smell of the savory American classic overwhelm her senses.

 

“Thank you, Nimbus.” 

Notes:

See you all next time!

:)

Chapter 10: Best Laid Plans

Summary:

Things don't go how Izuku expects.

Izuku slumped back on Toshinori’s couch as he rubbed his forehead. He was sweaty, dirty, tired, and most importantly, upset. 

 

“Your parents will be here soon,” Toshinori called from the kitchen. The Midoriyas came over several times a month to eat dinner with Toshinori, but Izuku had come over early for more advice.

 

“I saw the footage, Izuku,” Toshinori said lightly as he returned and placed a cup of hot tea in front of Izuku, then took a seat opposite of him with his own tea. “Muscular was no pushover. Seeing you take him out in a single punch…” He smiled fondly. “There’s no doubt you’ve surpassed me.”

 

Izuku leaned forward, taking his helmet from the seat next to him and staring at it, his eyes lingering over the soaring V that he wore in homage to his friend and mentor. 

 

He felt like he didn’t deserve it.

 

“Toshi, I…” Izuku placed the helmet on the table between them, turning it so it was facing away from him. “I almost wasn’t there in time.”

 

Toshinori took a sip of tea. “But you were there soon enough.”

 

“I know,” Izuku admitted with a sigh. “But it was too close. If Uravity hadn’t been there, I wouldn't have been.” 

 

Toshinori eyed him for a few seconds. “It isn’t like you to get hung up on ‘what ifs’. What’s really going on?”

 

“It’s the reason I was late,” Izuku explained. “I was late because I was out with Och-Uravity and had to run back to Serendipity without anyone seeing me so I could change. She was able to just run straight there, like a real hero, but I had to go get my costume first.” 

 

“I see,” Toshinori mused quietly.

 

Izuku ran his hand through his hair roughly. “Who knows who I could have saved if I just went straight there…”

 

“This hadn’t come up in the past three years?” Toshinori asked.

 

Izuku shook his head. “I was always either on the job or at home so I could change almost instantly. I guess I just got lucky, but today was unacceptable.”

 

Toshinori rubbed his chin. “Your friend has field gear, yeah? Why not invest in something like that? A simple mask that could hide your identity. And remember the first iteration of your gauntlets? They were about as compact as a bracelet; I’m sure Melissa could do something like that again if you asked.”

 

“I… no.” Izuku sighed. “It would be too easy for me to get exposed. I would be wearing the same clothes as Izuku and Uravity knows me well enough to be able to tell its me if I’m not wearing my full suit. Besides, it’s too risky, even beyond her.” 

 

Toshinori took another sip of tea. “Well, then I only see two options. You either cut off your relationship with Uravity…” He paused as Izuku flinched. “Or you tell her.”

 

Izuku sputtered, trying to find the words to argue back, but he couldn’t. He sighed in defeat and hung his head. 

 

“Your tea’s getting cold,” Toshinori reminded him calmly. 

 

Izuku nodded and took the mug, sipping slowly. 

 

Hmm. Green tea. 

 

“I hope you make the right decision,” he continued, looking over at Izuku. “You’ve been happier these past few months than I’ve seen you since you got back. This isn’t me teasing you, well, it’s not me just teasing you when I say that woman is good for you. You’ve carried yourself with an entirely different energy, especially in the recent weeks.”

 

Izuku took another drink of tea and stared down at the simmering brew. “I still don’t know.”

 

Toshinori placed his empty mug down and chuckled. “Do you trust her?”

 

“I do,” Izuku answered. 

 

“Do you think she’s a competent hero?” 

 

“More than competent,” he mumbled. “She’s great.”

 

“Do you think she would do anything to hurt you or your family?”

 

Izuku shook his head. “Never.” He could feel his walls of excuses being battered down.

 

“Do you think she wants to be around you and be your friend?”

 

Izuku nodded, downing the rest of his tea like a shot and looking down, sighing loudly. 

 

Toshinori paused as Izuku thought, then added a final question. “Do you think she’s dumb?”

 

Izuku recoiled in offense. “Of course not!”

 

“She’ll probably figure it out on her own then,” Toshinori added. “You’re far too genuine to keep up the charade perfectly. You’ve always been a terrible liar.”

 

“I guess that’s a good thing,” Izuku muttered.

 

Toshinori laughed. “You’ve kept your identity because you’ve kept your distance, but it’s taken its toll on you. Both your parents and I see it. Over the past two years and especially the last one, you’ve gotten quieter and more reclusive. Izuku, my boy, you need friends, people to share the burden. You’re not giving up your identity, you’re not risking yourself or your family. What’s stopping you?”

 

Everything Toshinori was saying was making sense. Too much sense. He needed time to process it all. Going through with this would change everything. Could he afford to do it?

 

He looked over at his helmet on the table.

 

Could he afford not to?

 

“I’ll… think about it,” Izuku mumbled.

 

“That’s what you said last time,” Toshinori retorted. 

 

Izuku hummed in acknowledgement as he kept staring at his helmet. 

 

The doorbell rang and Toshinori stood up slowly. “That must be your parents. I hope Inko made apple pie again…”

 

---

 

A week after the Muscular incident, Ochako and Izuku were walking down the path in the park in the late afternoon. It was one of Ochako’s day off and they had spent it together, jogging in the morning, but spending most of the rest of the day walking around Tokyo and talking. 

 

Unlike most days they spent together, Ochako had been the one dominating the conversation, with Izuku being mostly passive. He seemed deep in thought and there were long stretches of time where neither of them talked at all, but the silence was far from uncomfortable. It was nice, she thought, to be able to just spend time near Izuku and be content.

 

Izuku had been quieter since the Muscular incident, but today was the quietest he had been. She guessed it had to do with the ‘something’ that happened back at Serendipity on that morning, but he hadn’t seemed to want to talk about it. Izuku was a private person in many ways, which she respected. It didn’t stop her from being his friend.

 

As winter approached, the days got shorter and the air grew colder, meaning both of them were wearing simple hoodies as they walked through the crisp autumn leaves that were strewn about the path. It was peaceful. Serene.

 

That serenity was promptly interrupted by a rushing noise quickly approaching them. 

 

The reason Tokyo had such a high density of pro heroes was because it had such a high density of villains.

 

She just wished they would stop interrupting her time with Izuku.

 

Ochako saw a red blur approaching them and her body began to move on instinct. She turned and shoved Izuku, who was still trapped in his thoughts, away, but the blur reacted too quickly. It diverted into Izuku’s path and before Ochako knew anything, the man was gone. 

 

A fire erupted in Ochako’s heart and mind. Nobody was getting away with her friend.

 

She touched her arm and removed her gravity, before jumping toward a nearby tree. She planted her feet on the trunk and kicked off, streaking toward the villain dragging Izuku. One of the many advantages of her quirk making her weightless was the ability for her to move around at high speeds with ease. Without her boots, this made it dangerous, but she had trained extensively.

 

She just had to make her shot count.

 

Another blur blew past her as she heard the familiar sound of Tenya’s engines. No wonder this guy was in such a rush, what with Ingenium on his tail. 

 

A villain taking a hostage was no time for her to sit back and let Tenya handle things, even if she had the utmost confidence in him. When civilians were in danger, it was the duty of all heroes to act. 

 

She took her aim and jumped, aiming for a tree nearby and then another as she hopped and swung along branches to close the gap. With Izuku in tow, the villain was fortunately, noticeably slower. 

 

Ochako made eye contact with Izuku, who the villain was holding in some sort of strange energy field. He gave her a calm look, which told her everything she needed to know.

 

He trusted her. 

 

Ochako nodded. She wasn’t going to let him down. 

 

She jumped to a tree just behind the villain as he ran along the path and took a final, daring leap, streaking toward the two men like a rocket. 

 

Her feet landed in the square of the unsuspecting villain’s back as she clapped her hands together, sending him sprawling forward as she bent her knees and cushioned her own impact. The energy surrounding Izuku snapped away, sending him flailing through the air for a moment before Ochako reached up and grabbed him by the wrist with all five fingers, removing his weight.

 

With a practiced, acrobatic twist, she sprung off the villain’s back and grabbed onto Izuku, landing on her feet with her friend held weightlessly in a bridal carry.

 

The villain hit the ground and began to skid, his forward momentum doing him no favors as he dug up a massive swath of dirt. With the civilian clear, Tenya could stop holding back. He burst forward and grabbed the villain’s arms, pulling them behind his back as he clamped handcuffs on his wrists and then his ankles, securing him fully. Tenya turned around and gave Ochako a professional salute, before picking the villain up and dashing away. He was always so focused when he was on the job.

 

“Woah,” Izuku almost whispered as he blinked. 

 

Ochako beamed down at him proudly. “Are you alright?”

 

He looked up at her with a calm smile. “I am. Thank you, Uravity.” He smiled a little wider.

 

“You are welcome, citizen,” she returned with a giggle.

 

There was a small pause.

 

His cheeks reddened slightly. “Do you uh, want to put me down?”

 

“Not really,” Ochako answered, laughing and holding him proudly for a second before she helped him stand up. 

 

Izuku smiled back, although his expression became distant again as he seemed to fall back into his thoughts for a moment. “Thank you for saving me,” he said sincerely as she returned his weight to him. “I’m lucky to have you around.” 

 

She waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t doubt Tenya would have saved you, but I wasn’t about to let that villain get away with you.” She punched him in the shoulder softly. “You’re under my protection, Izuku.” 

 

He smiled again, but there was a faint hint of sadness behind it and a slight tinge of guilt in his eyes. They vanished as soon as they appeared as he shook himself out. “Well, may I treat my protector to some afternoon coffee? I know this nice place nearby called Serendipity.” 

 

Ochako giggled again. “That does sound like a nice place. Lead the way!”

 

---

 

A few days later, Ochako was sitting on the roof of her agency, waiting for a certain someone. It was an unseasonably cold day, even for late autumn, so she was wearing her insulated suit and her winter-style helmet. Unfortunately, the nature of her quirk meant she had to have her fingertips exposed, but Hatsume had made her some special gloves that could retract and expose her fingertips when she needed.

 

Ochako still didn’t understand how Hatsume had made gloves explode the first time she tested them out, but after years of knowing her, Ochako knew it was better to not ask.

 

A familiar rushing noise filled the air as Ochako’s friend arrived. Nimbus landed next to her on the rooftop. “Good morning, Uravity!” 

 

“Good morning,” she returned. “Aren’t you cold in that?”

 

She looked over Nimbus, his red, twisting gauntlets and boots laying over his normal green and black jumpsuit. Besides some gadgets and extra armor in some places, the jumpsuit was the only thing between his body and the cold. Ochako reached out and touched his upper arm, confirming that there wasn’t any extra padding or insulation like her suit had right now.

 

Nimbus laughed. “I am cold, yes. I’ll be okay once we get moving though. Thankfully, my helmet is climate controlled, so I’m not fogging up my visor, at least.” 

 

Ochako giggled, her own breath forming a faint cloud in front of her face. Her winter helmet was tighter to her face, almost more like a skull cap and glasses rather than her normal protective helmet. At least it wasn’t the huge, unwieldy thing she wore back at UA. Thankfully, Hatsume had also made it so her visor was resistant to her breath fogging it up, so she was good to go. 

 

Nimbus paused, looking down at her for a few seconds. Thanks to their time together over the past few months, she had gotten surprisingly good at reading his body language; she could tell he was considering something, but why he was looking at her, she didn’t know. “Ready?” he asked.

 

Ochako pulled up the white facemask that covered her mouth and nose and nodded. “Ready!” she returned, a little muffled.

 

The two hopped off the rooftop and began their patrol like they had so many times before. Just like every time, they worked both together and apart, but almost always nearby each other. They felt like a real team and the gap between what he was doing and what she was doing, while still being large, was smaller than it ever had been. She really appreciated how much being around him inspired her to do her best and after so many patrols together, she was doing better when he wasn’t around, too.

 

Nimbus had also told her before that he really appreciated having someone around whom he could trust and rely on. She could tell he was visibly more relaxed when they worked together and, while maybe it was just her seeing things, she felt like when she watched footage of him on days when they weren’t together, he wasn’t quite as on his game. 

 

It was a nice thought, at least, that she could have an effect on him like that. It was almost certainly just wishful thinking, but it made her feel better nevertheless. 

 

It may be a little selfish, but Ochako was happy that both Nimbus and her were ‘rooftop’ heroes. The roofs provided greater mobility and visibility for them compared to being on the street, but there were also relatively few heroes with the quirks needed to travel across them. That meant they had to deal less with rabid fans and were able to travel easier, but it also meant that their time together felt more personal… more intimate. Sometimes, domestic even.

 

Near the end of their patrol, Nimbus and her were standing on a roof together, overlooking a busy intersection. She had felt warm enough most of the day thanks to her winter costume, but the downside of being ‘rooftop’ heroes meant that they were exposed to winds with very little protection. 

 

One such gust blew past them, chilling Ochako and Nimbus both to the bone. Without thinking, both of them stepped closer to one another, her shoulder pressing into his chest and his thigh on her hip as the tried to find shelter from the cold.

 

After the wind passed, they stood there for a moment. Ochako would be lying if she didn’t enjoy the feeling of his muscles on her shoulder and hip, as well as the sensation of him being so close to her. A wanton, needy part of herself wanted him to just take his arm and fully pull her into him, but she knew that would be highly unprofessional. They were just friends and colleagues, nothing more.

 

Right?

 

She couldn’t deny that their relationship felt deeper than that. She had just used the word ‘domestic’ and ‘intimate’ to describe it, right? Maybe if Nimbus felt the same way, they could patrol more often or maybe he could even tell her what his name was or show her what he looked like… But no, there was no way Nimbus felt anything like that toward her. She was just being wishful again because he was strong and noble and determined and dedicated and everything else she sought to be.

 

“If only the tabloids could see us now,” Nimbus said with a laugh. “Nimbus and Uravity: dashing hero and beautiful heroine seen huddling on rooftop. Are they together?” He waved his hand as he read the mock headline. 

 

Ochako froze. Did he just…

 

“Beautiful?” she repeated breathlessly. “Did… did you just hit on me?”

 

Nimbus tensed up and hopped back. “Uh…” He looked down at her… but he wasn’t denying it.

 

Her mind was racing. Nimbus just hit on her. On her ! The number one hero, the greatest hero there had ever been, just hit on her. He wasn’t just that, he was a good friend of hers and he was, of course, smoking hot. Could she? Did she dare? 

 

No. No, it wasn’t right. That base part of her wanted to hit on him back, to go and seal the deal right there, but she couldn’t. No matter how much she wanted to give him a hug, it just wasn’t right.

 

“S-sorry, Nimbus,” she returned nervously. “I have a boyfriend.”

 

Nimbus almost fell over. “Wh-what?! You do?!” He coughed. “I mean, of course you do! I didn’t mean anything by it, I apologize.” He bowed slightly.

 

Ochako was a little hurt that he was so surprised, but it wasn’t his fault she hadn’t ever mentioned him, not really. She wasn’t offended at his compliment; quite the opposite in fact. She held nothing but respect and admiration for Nimbus, so his words were flattering, even if she couldn’t return them.

 

“It’s fine, Nimbus,” she said truthfully. “Thank you for the compliment, anyway.” She pulled down her mask and smiled at him, trying to show her sincerity. “I think you’re handsome, too.”

 

Nimbus flinched in surprise, then sighed in relief and deflated slightly. “Thank you, as well. I’m still not as familiar with Japanese customs as I like, please don’t judge me too harshly.”

 

Oh, of course. Even with his accent, it was easy to forget that Nimbus was American. “I told you, it’s fine. You’ve done a great job integrating into our culture, but I’m not going to hold an honest mistake against you!” 

 

Nimbus rubbed his helmet nervously. “You’re too kind.” There was a small pause. “Either way, it’s getting late. Are you available to patrol tomorrow?” 

 

Ochako looked away. “Actually, no. I have a date. The next day works though.”

 

“I… see.” He took a few steps back and prepared to take off. “I will see you then, Uravity. Stay warm.”

 

“You, too,” she called as he jumped away. She sighed, using her quirk on herself as she began to make her way back to her agency. 

 

After all that, there was only one thing to do. 

 

But first, a hot shower.

 

---

 

Izuku had been sweeping the same spot for about ten minutes, but he didn’t care. He was too lost in his own thoughts.

 

He had been lost in his own thoughts for over a week now, but after today, it was worse than ever. How could he have been so foolish? Of course a beautiful, brave, strong, amazing woman like Ochako had a boyfriend. How could she not ?! It was just weird that she hadn’t ever mentioned him before. 

 

After a week of deliberation, Izuku had decided to try and let Ochako know that Nimbus was interested in the two of them growing a little closer. He was planning on having them up their patrols together to build his confidence and help her get to know the real him a little better. 

 

But then that stupid wind had blown and she had pressed herself into him and… and she was just so beautiful and soft and amazing that he went and said something he hadn’t meant to say. How dare he imply something like that to her? Who did he think he was?

 

He hadn’t planned on asking her out or anything—he had thought about it, but it wasn’t in the realm of possibilities—but for some reason, finding out she had a boyfriend had felt like a knife through his heart.

 

He didn’t really have any experience with women, not like that at least, so this was an entirely new experience for him. Was this… was he heartbroken? 

 

Izuku wrinkled his nose, disgusted with himself. How dare he? Ochako was just a friend who wanted to be just a friend; where did he get off going and getting feelings? At least she only thought Nimbus was a creep and not Izuku.

 

The door opened, knocking him back to reality. 

 

“Sorry, we’re clo-”

 

Izuku froze, because standing in the door was the last person he wanted to see.

 

Beautiful brown hair, beautiful brown eyes, beautiful rosy cheeks, a beautiful smile. 

 

Why was he feeling this way about her? Since when did he have a bleeding heart?

 

“Ochako?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Sorry,” she offered weakly as she walked up to him. “I know it’s late, but I wanted to show you something.” She held out a small pamphlet.

 

He took it gently, turning it around and reading the front. “A nature trail?”

 

Ochako nodded, her smile wide. “Do you know the hero Anima?” 

“Oh yeah,” Izuku responded quickly. “His quirk lets him speak to animals and-”

 

“Yep!” Ochako interrupted him before he went too deep. “He’s one of my old classmates and a forest ranger. The park he works at is opening this new trail next week, but he told all of us about it first, so we could see it without all the people there. It goes along this river bank and to this cliff where you can see for miles . He says it's one of the most beautiful and serene places he’s ever seen.” 

 

Izuku opened the pamphlet and looked at the pictures inside. She wasn’t lying, it did look amazing. “They’re opening a new trail this late in the year?” he asked.

 

She shrugged. “Ask Kouda.”

 

“This looks amazing, Ochako,” Izuku admitted. 

 

“Doesn’t it?” She giggled excitedly. “Do you want to go with me tomorrow?”

 

Izuku recoiled slightly. “You want me to go?”

 

She laughed. “Of course, silly! I didn’t show this to you just to show off! We can see it together, it’ll be great!”

 

Izuku felt a pit forming in his stomach as his heart sank. “I… that sounds great, but… but shouldn’t your boyfriend go with you?” 

 

She flinched slightly, her permanent blush immediately growing as she looked away and rubbed her head nervously. “I, uh, well, um…” She took a deep breath and looked up at him, straight into his eyes. “I was hoping that he would?”

 

Izuku furrowed his brow. “Hoping that he would go-”

 

His eyes widened.

 

“You… what?” He was glad he was leaning onto his broom slightly or he might have fallen over. 

 

Ochako closed her eyes and nodded. “I was gonna ask you tomorrow, but since you brought it up…” She took another deep, centering breath and looked him in the eyes again. “Izuku, I feel like there’s something… special between us. I’m at my happiest when I’m with you and well, I’d like to get to know you better. We’ve already been on several dates, basically, and I want to make it official. I’d like you to be my boyfriend, if you’d have me.”

 

Izuku was half-convinced he was dreaming. “I… me? You’re asking me out?”

 

“There’s no one else here,” she answered with a small, shy smile.

 

“I…” The reality began to sink in. “That would make me the happiest man in Japan.” 

 

Ochako let out the massive breath she had been holding in, her great sigh quickly turning into relieved laughter. “That’s so corny!” 

 

“S-sorry,” Izuku mumbled awkwardly. “It’s true though…” His head felt light, but maybe that’s just because his heart felt like it was about to shoot into the sky out of pure joy.

 

“I never said I didn’t like it!” she said with another laugh. “It makes me really happy, too. So, we’re on for tomorrow?”

 

Izuku nodded. “Y-yeah, yeah, of course. Where should we meet?”

 

Ochako tapped her chin. “I’ll meet you here at… does seven sound good?” 

 

“Sounds great,” Izuku almost whispered. “Does… does this make you my girlfriend?”

 

Ochako stared dumbly at him for a moment then laughed again. “Of course!” 

 

“S-sorry,” he muttered again. “I’m not very experienced with this sort of thing; I never would have expected this.” 

 

“I don’t have any experience either,” Ochako admitted. “We’ll figure it out together, alright?”

 

Izuku nodded, his shock finally beginning to fade. “Absolutely.”

 

“Great!” she chirped. “Now, come here.” She held her arms wide for a hug.

 

Izuku almost threw the broom down as he stepped toward her and bent down, wrapping one arm under hers and another over her shoulder, bringing her in tightly as she hugged him just as firmly. They held each other for several seconds before they broke apart and looked at each other with slightly red faces.

 

“Our first official hug,” Izuku noted softly.

 

Ochako nodded. “Much better than our other hugs, wouldn’t you say?”

 

Izuku laughed softly and smiled. “Yeah.” 

 

Ochako sighed again, looking up at him. There was a small silence between them as they gazed into each others eyes. Izuku felt like he was seeing her for the first time all over again; had her eyes always been that gorgeous?

 

“Well, I need to get going,” she said finally.

 

“R-right.” Izuku gulped. “See you tomorrow?”

 

She smiled and nodded softly before turning to leave. However, she froze, then turned back to face him again. Ochako bit her lip nervously as her eyes darted back and forth, as if she was debating something.

 

He could almost hear her think ‘screw it’.

 

She put a hand on the back of his head and pulled him down slightly before planting a quick kiss on his cheek and then turning away again before he realized what was happening. 

 

“See you tomorrow, Izuku,” she called as she opened the door again and stepped out into the evening glow.

 

Izuku stood there, stunned and completely still for what felt like several minutes before his mind finally started running again.

 

Ochako had… she had kissed him. They were dating. 

 

A smile wider than any he’d ever had broke across his face as he ran to the door, locked it, and sprinted up the stairs to his room. He opened his case and pulled out his helmet, scrambling to turn it on and slam it onto his head. Izuku pressed the button on the side that muted his speakers and then screamed .

 

After emptying his lungs, he pulled off the helmet and rubbed his slightly sore throat. After the emotional roller coaster he had been on, he needed to let off some steam. 

 

He realized that Ochako had made a choice. She had her pick between Izuku and Nimbus and she had chosen Izuku. She chose him over the number one hero. That 'boyfriend' she had told Nimbus about was him .

 

It felt like he was on top of the world.

 

Izuku turned over his helmet and looked it in the face as a sobering realization washed over him and brought him back to earth.

 

He already felt bad enough about building a friendship around his deception, but he absolutely refused to build a relationship around it.

 

Izuku felt that determined fire roar to life in his chest, that same fire that burned when he had first accepted One For All from All Might and when he faced down villains. 

 

He didn’t care if Ochako broke up with him because of it. He didn’t care if she hated him or never wanted to speak with him again because of it. 

 

Izuku made the decision right then and there.

 

He had to tell her.

Notes:

See you guys next time!

:)

Chapter 11: A Journey of a Thousand Miles

Summary:

...begins with a single step.

Izuku didn’t sleep too well that night, as he was too excited but also far too nervous. He hadn’t ever told anyone about his secret identity; everyone who knew had known since day one, or—in the case of Recovery Girl—Toshinori had told them. 

 

He was terrified. After his euphoria had faded, he had spent half the night staring up at his ceiling going through different hypothetical scenarios. He had thought of a hundred different ways he might tell her, but his imagination had also come up with a hundred different ways that Ochako might react. 

 

‘How could you lie to me like that?’ she would say. ‘Our entire friendship is a lie!’ she would yell. 

 

His stomach churned. It’s not like she would be wrong. 

 

At the same time… he felt bad for thinking that of her. She had been nothing but kind, accepting, and encouraging since they met, for both Izuku and Nimbus. 

 

But at the same time, she had trusted him that entire time. He had been lying to her since day one and she had trusted him.

 

That kind of betrayal…

 

But no, she would understand, right? Ochako liked both sides of him, so she would like him together, right?

 

No, he couldn’t assume that. Maybe she wouldn’t like a man who could lie to her like that…

 

Izuku shook his head. He had been arguing himself in circles for most of the night and it wasn’t getting him anywhere. He rolled over and looked at his clock.

 

5:00 AM. Still too early to get ready. 

 

Izuku sat up and picked up his helmet from where he left it the previous night and put it on again. After the short boot-up sequence, he spoke. “Call Mother.”

 

A small spinning animation played for a few seconds before a video of Melissa popped on. He could see the midday American sun illuminating her lab as she flashed him a slightly concerned smile. 

 

“Good morning, sleepy head. You’re up early,” she noted. “What’s the occasion?”

 

“It’s nothing major,” Izuku began quietly. “I can’t sleep.”

 

Melissa grew a look of greater concern. “Well, that’s not normal. What’s on your mind?”

 

“You know the girl I’ve been telling you about?” Izuku began.

 

Melissa laughed. “Uravity? She’s basically all you’ve talked about for months.”

 

Izuku smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, fair enough. Well, um, yesterday she uh…”

 

“Spit it out,” Melissa prodded.

 

“Yesterday,” he continued with a nervous sigh, “she asked me out.” 

 

Melissa gasped. “Congratulations! Oh, that’s great-” She stopped. “Wait, you didn’t turn her down, did you? Izuku Midoriya, I will fly to Japan today and kick-”

 

“I said yes!” Izuku explained hurriedly. “I said yes, it’s just…” 

 

Melissa’s eyes widened. “You’re gonna tell her who you are, aren’t you?”

 

“Yeah,” Izuku admitted. He smiled slightly, happy that Melissa knew him so well. “But I’m worried about it. She’s only ever known me as a liar, Melissa. Our entire friendship was built on a lie.”

 

She smiled kindly at him through the screen. “If she’s half as amazing as you make her out to be, then she’ll understand. You gotta tell her ASAP, though.”

 

“I know,” Izuku sighed. “But I’m scared. I’ve never been in a situation like this before.”

 

Melissa leaned back in her chair. “Well, you either tell her now at the beginning or you wait until later and tell her. Or worse, she finds out for herself. The longer you wait, the worse it’s gonna be. You gotta rip this bandage off, Izuku.”

 

He nodded a few times. “You’re right, of course.” 

 

“I’m always right,” she quipped, smirking. 

 

Izuku smiled a little. “What about that time back in second year when-”

 

“We don’t talk about that,” Melissa shot back, her grin still wide on her face. 

 

The two of them talked for almost an hour and Izuku was feeling better by the end of it, but as soon as they said their goodbyes and hung up, the pressure came back. It wouldn’t be easy, but Melissa convinced him of what he already knew: he had to tell her today.

 

Izuku grabbed his backpack to get ready for the hike, packing a few things he might need, but as he got ready to leave the room, he paused. Slowly, Izuku turned around and opened his hero case and pulled out one of the heavy, red gauntlets. 

 

He admired it for a few moments, thinking about all the memories. Melissa’s original design was groundbreaking: they were the size of a wristband but could expand to the full gauntlet size almost instantly. Despite her incredible skill, even as she learned and discovered more, she couldn’t make a modular design that could keep up with his quirk. In the end, she had to make full-sized gauntlets without the size-changing design to make them durable enough for him to use without risk of shattering them.

 

He gulped and placed the gauntlet in the bottom of his bag. 

 

He might need it.

 

Izuku headed downstairs and placed the backpack down behind the counter, before starting to get Serendipity ready for the day. It wasn’t difficult, but it helped the time pass, although it was so routine that it did nothing to distract his mind. Inko helped him to make food for the day, which he was sure Ochako would appreciate the gesture, at the very least.

 

A painfully slow hour later, the person he wanted to see the most and the least finally entered the shop. Izuku smiled at her as best he could as he grabbed his backpack, hugged his parents goodbye, and walked out of the shop with Ochako as he put on his coat and hat. 

 

Ochako looked stunning, even in her pink jacket and hat. Her outfit couldn’t be called anything but comfortable, practical and cute, but for some reason, he found it incredibly attractive.

 

“Good morning,” she said softly, the faintest blush on her cheeks.

 

“Good morning,” he returned. 

 

There was a small pause before Ochako let out a big sigh. “I was planning on today being super awkward when I was walking over last night! I was freaking out about how I was gonna ask you out today and what if you said no, or what if you said yes, and blah blah blah. Then you went and made it happen last night instead!” She giggled. “It was so cute how you assumed I had a boyfriend. Flattering, too.”

 

Izuku smiled awkwardly. Toshinori was right; he was absolutely terrible about keeping a secret. “W-well, I thought someone as amazing as you would have to have one, right?”

 

“You’re so sweet,” she cooed, still giggling. “And now I do have a boyfriend!” 

 

Izuku felt his heart swell, both with joy and regret. She was too wonderful. Could he do this? Did he deserve her?

 

“Are you alright?” she asked.

 

Izuku realized he had been quiet for a while. “Er, yeah, just… nervous.”

 

Ochako smiled kindly. “I get it. I’m still a little nervous, too. Here, this might help.” She held her hand out toward him.

 

Izuku looked at her empty hand dumbly for a moment. 

 

She chuckled and moved her hand down, grabbing his and wrapping her fingers around his own. Izuku felt his chest tighten a little more as his smile grew. 

 

“Oh,” he said simply.

 

Ochako giggled again. She seemed really giddy today. “There, isn’t that better?”

 

Izuku paused for a moment. He actually did feel a lot better. Something as simple as holding Ochako’s hand as they walked down the street had made his anxiety feel so much… less important. 

 

“It is,” he admitted. “Thank you.”

 

Ochako’s cheeks were a little pinker than normal. “Come on, the station is just a little further.”

 

---

 

They made it to the station after a short walk, their hands only parting once they had to buy tickets. Ochako insisted that she pay, which Izuku only agreed to if he could buy the tickets back home. She accepted cheerily and the two boarded the train, taking seats next to each other. 

 

Izuku felt his worry returning. He hesitated, but reached out and touched Ochako’s hand, which quickly grabbed his, calming his nerves again as she smiled warmly. 

 

Maybe Toshinori was right; he had been… exceedingly lonely over the past few years. The idea that something as simple as holding Ochako’s hand could bring him such comfort made him feel almost a little pathetic.

 

The train ride lasted for around an hour, during which they conversed softly about various things, from politics, to heroes, to their high school memories, which Izuku lied about, of course. It was nice to know that even when he was nervous, it was almost as easy to talk to her as it was to breathe.

 

A not-so-small part of him noted that it would be nice to be able to not have to lie to her anymore.

 

As they approached their destination, his chest felt tighter and tighter, his clothes felt less comfortable and his mouth dried out slowly. Even Ochako’s soft hand in his did little to assuage his nerves.

 

It was hard enough thinking about what he was going to do; as the actual event loomed closer, it became even more terrifying.

 

Izuku wanted to beat his head against the wall of the train. He could face down the world’s scariest and most powerful villains without hesitation, but he was balking in the face of telling Ochako the truth.

 

Why? Why was this causing him so much stress when could stand so calmly in front of people who literally wanted to kill him?

 

He sighed softly. 

 

He knew why. 

 

Ochako was more important than them. The thought of losing her or the worse— much worse—thought of hurting her? It was too much.

 

They stood up as the train came to a stop and as Izuku picked up his backpack, the gauntlet hidden inside felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. He slung it over his back and walked with Ochako off the train and onto the platform, turning to look over the small mountainside town.

 

“Oh, it’s so cute,” Ochako cooed. “I want to have a house in a place like this someday. A place I can go and relax for a while, you know?”

 

Izuku nodded softly. “Yeah, that sounds really nice. A place where you can forget all your worries.”

 

“Exactly!” Ochako agreed. “Now come on, I wanna get to the view by noon!” She took him by the hand and began to lead him down one of the streets, in the direction of the mountain that loomed over the town. They walked past a few quaint shops and a small park, letting the quiet, peaceful atmosphere fill them with a sense of calm. 

 

It… helped. Izuku still felt the weight on his shoulders, but it was hard to smell the fresh mountain air, still tinged with the brisk chill of the morning, and not smile.

 

All too soon, they got to the edge of the town and saw the road snaking into the woods. 

 

“How much farther is it?” Izuku asked curiously. 

 

Ochako looked up at him with a small smirk. “Oh, a few miles.”

 

Izuku furrowed his brow. “Well, let’s get going, I guess.” It was a little strange that she didn’t want to get a cab or something, but maybe she just wanted to spend more time outside.

 

“Oh, you’re no fun!” she pouted. “You were supposed to groan or something!”

 

Izuku recoiled slightly. “Uh, sorry?”

 

She pouted a little harder, but he could tell by the sparkle in her eye that she was faking it. “Do it right!”

 

“Right, sorry.” Izuku cleared his throat. “Ugh, do we have to?”

 

“Oh, fine,” she huffed theatrically. With a wink, she pulled off her gloves and touched Izuku and then his backpack, making them both weightless. With a quick motion, she effortlessly pulled him onto her back, wrapping his arms around her neck. “I guess I can speed it up. Now, hold on tight!”

 

Izuku grabbed onto his own arms to secure himself to Ochako, who touched herself and began to jump, soaring through the air between the trees and rocks. He had seen her put people on her back like this countless times as Nimbus, so he knew she was well practiced.

 

It was thrilling, being weightless and flying, but there was more focused on something else. 

 

The smell of her hair filled his senses, but that wasn’t what he was focusing on either.

 

With his arms wrapped around her, in more than one way, he felt weightless.

 

---

 

It took about twenty minutes for them to arrive at the entrance to the trail, or at least, what Izuku assumed was the entrance. There were no markings at the trailhead, but it all looked quite new. Ochako let him down and returned his weight to him, sweating slightly from the journey. 

 

“Thank you,” he said politely. “Much better than walking.”

 

She giggled once. “Isn’t it, though?” She turned around and looked at the trail leading into the woods. “Alright, this is the place. Let’s go!”

 

They began down the trail, passing through the pristine trees and listening quietly to the sounds of nature that surrounded them. Neither of them spoke for the first ten minutes or so as they both soaked in the sublime beauty of nature, content in knowing that they were the only ones around for miles.

 

Then Izuku was struck with a thought. “We’re not gonna get in trouble if we run into a ranger out here, will we? Isn’t this place closed?”

 

Ochako stopped and looked up high in the trees. “Nah, Kouda gave us passes if we run into any trouble. Besides, we’re not gonna run into any ranger, per se, we might run into… there she is!” Ochako’s vision locked onto something above them and she began to wave. 

 

Izuku looked up, searching through the high branches for a moment before he saw what Ochako was waving at. Staring down at them with piercing eyes was a huge mountain hawk-eagle.

 

“Akiko!” Ochako called excitedly. 

 

The raptor dove down, circling around through the trees majestically and landing on a branch a few feet above the ground. She clicked her beak once as she tilted her head slightly.

 

“Hey girl,” Ochako cooed softly. “Good to see you again. This is Izuku, he’s my boyfriend.”

 

The hawk-eagle looked at him once and then back at Ochako, clicking her beak again impatiently.

 

“It’s okay, Kouda said we could be out here,” Ochako explained. Izuku wasn’t sure if the bird could understand her or not, but he couldn’t deny the glint of intelligence in her beady eyes. 

 

Ochako pulled out a small card that was covered in a bright pattern. She held it up to the raptor, who looked at it for a second then clicked her beak again, this time sounding… less annoyed? 

 

This was weird. But really cool at the same time.

 

Ochako laughed. “I know, I know. Don’t worry.” She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small plastic container, opening it up and holding it out to Akiko. 

 

The raptor’s eyes glinted as she dove her head inside and pulled out a large, dead rat. Ochako reached up and petted her head once before the raptor spread its wings and soared back into the sky with its meal. 

 

“Say hi to Kouda for me!” she called after it as the bird disappeared into the treetops of the forest.

 

Izuku was quiet as Ochako sighed. “That was Akiko, if it wasn’t obvious. She keeps an eye on the woods for Kouda. We should be good now! No more interruptions. Just you, me, and this mountainside!”

 

He cracked a smile, but it was forced. There were less and less excuses for him every second that passed; he just had to find the right time to tell her. Would he know it when it came? Would he miss it? Would he choke and get cold feet? Would he make everything worse?

 

There were too many questions. Too many questions and not nearly enough answers, but in the end, he knew how to get those answers.

 

He just had to do it.

 

He just had to tear off that bandage.

 

But… every time he opened his mouth to try, his tongue failed. He couldn’t bring himself to say the first word; it felt like he was trying to force himself to vomit.

 

He sighed.

 

Coward.

 

They continued their hike, the trail winding higher up the mountain as it went, but neither of them struggled. They were professional heroes after all, doing their best to be at the peak of physical fitness. Izuku tried to lose himself in the moment, but when he tried to forget about telling her, he felt guilty that he wasn’t focusing on figuring out what was most important. However, when he tried to focus on figuring out how to tell her, he felt guilty that he wasn’t focusing on experiencing the beautiful mountainside that Ochako had invited him to enjoy.

 

No matter what he did, he fell further into his guilt.

 

About halfway to the vista, they crossed over a clear mountain stream. A bridge had been built recently over it; the wood was still fresh and undamaged by the weather. The two stopped at the bridge and silently listened to the cold, pristine water rushing over the rocks down the mountainside. 

 

Then suddenly, Ochako spoke.

 

“Izuku… do you think I’m dumb?”

 

Izuku physically recoiled. “N-no! Never! You-”

 

Ochako held her hands up. “Sorry, sorry, bad choice of words. What I meant to say is that I’ve noticed that you’ve been off all day.”

 

“Oh, r-really?” Damn, he was a bad liar. 

 

“Did you notice that you’ve been completely silent for the last twenty mintues?” she asked softly. 

 

Izuku cringed. “I… no, I hadn’t.”

 

“You just sort of… stopped responding to me when I was talking to you,” Ochako continued. “You did the same thing on the train ride, too.”

 

Now he felt even worse. “I’m sorry I just… have a lot on my mind.”

 

“I can tell,” she said sweetly. “I didn’t bring it up because I’m upset, I brought it up because I want to know if I can help. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

 

Izuku hesitated. 

 

‘Do it,’ he thought. ‘Tell her.’

 

‘ Tell her .’

 

‘ TELL HER! ’

 

“...It’s complicated.”

 

Ochako furrowed her brow. “Well, okay, but I still want to hear it. If I can handle the obnoxious paperwork it takes to be a hero, I can handle your problems.”

 

Izuku smiled weakly. “I do want to tell you, honest, but I don’t know how.”

 

She pursed her lips for a few moments as she studied his face. “Hmm, fine. But I don’t want this to overshadow this hike—and I don’t think you do, either—so how about you tell me when we get to the vista and have lunch, okay?”

 

Immediately he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It was only kicking the can down the road, but it was a reprieve nonetheless. “Deal. I’ll tell you then.”

 

“Great!” She wrapped her arm around his and pulled him forward, resuming their walk. “Then there’s no time to lose!”

 

What had he done to deserve her?

 

---

 

It was just before noon when they came over a hill and their jaws dropped.

 

In front of them, spread out to the horizon, was one of the most beautiful sights that Izuku had ever seen. 

 

A mountain valley stretched out, filled with trees in the vibrant colors of fall, creating a breathtaking mosaic of reds, oranges and yellows. A pristine mountain lake was visible at the bottom of the valley with a small stream feeding into it, glistening as the sun shone brightly across the rolling hills below.

 

Ochako and Izuku walked forward to the viewing area that was constructed at the edge of the cliff. Several wooden benches were built behind the waist-high stone wall to give people a comfortable place to sit while they admired nature.

 

Which is just what Izuku and Ochako did.

 

They silently shrugged off their backpacks and sat down next to each other, staring out over the valley as a cool mountain breeze rustled the trees around them. 

 

Sitting there with the majesty of nature before him, it almost felt… spiritual.

 

As he took in the view, slowly moving his head around, the great mountains surrounding the vale instilled a sense of just how small he was in the great scheme of things. This valley had been here long before he was born and it would be here long after he passed; even with the great power of One For All at his disposal, he was still only human. 

 

Sure, he could kick up some storm clouds if he wanted to, nothing he could do could rival the massive typhoons that crash against Japan. He could never build up these mountains and shape the land like they did, nor could he make them so beautiful if he tried. In the end, he was just a speck on the planet in a vast universe that was so large and complex it was impossible to fathom.

 

Izuku blinked. He had gotten a little more philosophical than he had intended.

 

Still, against all the majesty before him, he couldn't help it. Beauty like this made him—and his problems—feel small in the best ways.

 

It seemed Ochako felt the same way because she finally broke the silence. “Are you ready to talk about it?” she asked quietly.

 

Izuku nodded slowly, both of them still looking over the valley. “I am.” 

 

All the terror, hesitation, and doubt flooded back into him as the moment of truth finally arrived.

 

All in all, he felt nauseous.

 

“I…” He gulped, trying to organize his thoughts one last time. 

 

Or was he trying to stall just a little longer?

 

“I’ve been lying to you,” he finally began.

 

He didn’t dare look at Ochako’s face, but he could almost hear her brow furrowing. “Lying?” she asked softly.

 

Izuku nodded, his stomach twisting itself into knots. “I tried to find a diplomatic way to phrase it, but I just want to be honest with you. That’s what I need. Honesty.” He sighed heavily. “Finally.”

 

He looked down, then back out at the valley. “I’ve been lying to you,” he repeated. “Since day one, in fact. I tried to excuse myself that I just wasn’t telling you the whole truth, or that I was just keeping things secret, but no. I was lying.”

 

“About what?” she asked, an undeniable hint of worry in her voice. 

 

It made his chest tighten. He hated himself.

 

“A lot of things,” he responded weakly. “And… I’ll understand if you don’t want to date me anymore after this. I’ll understand if you don’t want to… be my friend anymore or have anything to do with me at all.” Izuku stood up from the bench, grabbing his backpack with a white-knuckled grip as he walked a few feet away from her. 

 

Ochako was quiet for a while as he put his backpack down and began to unpack things. “Izuku, I can’t see myself doing that.”

 

“I hope not,” he muttered with a sad chuckle, “but this isn’t a small thing. I’ve thought about telling you for a little bit now, but after last night. After this… I refuse to build a relationship on a lie. I would rather my honesty destroy it.” He spoke with a sudden rush of conviction, as he meant every word he said with all his heart.

 

“It’s about my quirk,” he continued.

 

Ochako laughed once, clearly nervous. Honestly, he knew he was being a little dramatic, but it was partially because part of his mind was still trying to drag him back as hard as it could. “Your quirk? Izuku, I knew you were hiding it from me, that’s not a lie. That’s just a secret, I knew-”

 

“No, it was a lie,” he said quietly, interrupting her.

 

Finally, Izuku unearthed his gauntlet, his back still facing Ochako. He pushed his hand inside like he had countless times before, but this time it felt different, like it didn’t fit right. It squeezed around his hand and fingers as he flexed them, feeling the weight in more way than one.

 

Slowly, he stood up tall, his shoulders back as he turned around, holding his right hand in front of him. For the first time since he began to speak, he dared to look at Ochako.

 

Izuku didn’t think that simply showing her the gauntlet would be enough; maybe she would think it was a replica or that Nimbus had loaned it to him or something. However, when he was about to open his mouth and explain, something gave him pause.

 

Ochako’s eyes were wide, but he could almost see the gears turning in her mind. Her vision darted back and forth from his gauntlet to his face to his body and all over as the air in the vista seemed to stand completely still.

 

Then, finally, she spoke.

 

“You’re Nimbus.” So quiet that he could barely hear her.

 

“You’re Nimbus,” she repeated, a little louder.

 

Izuku gulped and tried to speak again, but Ochako wasn’t done.

 

"But wait, Nimbus is American; he had the accent and everyth-" Ochako gasped. "You were faking it! You went to school in America and picked up the accent to throw people off."

 

Izuku blinked slowly. Her training and experience had really honed her detective skills.

 

She stood up slowly. “That explains… everything. That explains why you’re so in shape; why you can run with me and not break a sweat. Why you’re so buff beneath those baggy clothes, why you’re so hot.”

 

Izuku's mouth opened then closed promptly. ‘Hot?’

 

She was slowly moving closer to him, one hand rubbing through her hair as her eyes darted around wildly. “That’s how Nimbus knew how much I loved Serendipity. That’s why he called me Ochako that one time. That’s why you knew how best to do that stupid paperwork!” She gasped. “That’s why Nimbus smashed that villain that interrupted our first date!”

 

Date? Is that what she considered their outings?

 

Ochako was only a few steps away from him. Izuku didn’t dare move. “That’s how you saved that girl in the street. That’s why Nimbus always seemed to show up when I was feeling down. I would go to Serendipity to see you and start my day off right, then Nimbus would always show up.” 

 

She looked up at him, her eyes full of fire and brilliance. “That’s why you never could tell me about your quirk.” 

 

Suddenly, Ochako’s eyes went even wider as she clapped her hands on her cheeks in embarrassment. “Oh my God, I tried to give Nimbus advice on being a hero. I tried to bring Nimbus on as a sidekick. ”

 

She turned away and slowly walked back to the bench, sitting down and putting her head in her hands. Ochako began to speak slowly and repetitively, chanting to herself over and over. “You’re Nimbus. Izuku is Nimbus . You’re Nimbus.” 

 

He felt awkward, standing there dumbly while the waves of Ochako’s shattered reality washed over her. Even if she hated him now—which didn’t seem as likely as he feared—he needed to do something. 

 

Izuku cautiously moved back to the bench, sitting down on the end, leaving a wide gap between him and Ochako.

 

All of a sudden, her chanting stopped. Ochako suddenly turned to him, rapidly sliding down the bench and wrapping her arms around his chest, holding on for dear life like she was going to be blown away by the wind, as if he was the anchor keeping her tethered to reality. 

 

Izuku was completely stunned, his arms frozen in the air as Ochako hugged him tight. 

 

“Y-you’re not mad?” he asked meekly, his voice feeling like blasphemy for even daring to speak.

 

Her arms pulled harder on his torso, letting him feel the strength from years of training. “No. Never. I could never be mad at you for this.” Her voice was quiet, but firm. 

 

Izuku felt his heart squeeze. “But… but I lied to you!” 

 

“With good reason!” she retorted, pulling her head back slightly to look up at his shocked face. “What, should you have just told me your secret on day one?” She giggled slightly, some of her stress escaping. “I always figured Nimbus kept his secret to protect his friends and family, not to mention his privacy and his free time.” 

 

Her arms slowly pulled out from around his body as she leaned back, her smile wide as a single tear fell from her eyes. “Glad to see I was right. I’m just… so happy that you trust me enough to tell me.”

 

Now she had gone and done it. With her crying, there was no way that he could keep his own tears back. “I-I didn’t want to build a relationship without telling you,” he muttered, sniffing once. “I was already feeling guilty about building a friendship without telling you.”

 

She smiled wider somehow. Reaching up and wiping his tears away with a finger. “And that’s so sweet of you. Don’t worry, I still want to be your friend and I still want to date you.”

His tears began to fall harder as an entire morning’s worth of anxiety surged out of his body. “T-thank you,” he managed to blubber out.

 

Ochako’s expression softened. “That’s why you were so lonely. All your time was spent either working or being Nimbus. You were either a masked, unknowable hero or a quiet man keeping that secret.”

 

Izuku smiled weakly; she really was smart. “I didn’t dare let anybody get close, not that there was really anybody in my life to get close to me. Well, not before you.”

 

Ochako reached over and hugged him again, but this time Izuku’s arms moved as well, softly wrapping around her back. “I’m so glad you let me in, Izuku. Thank you for trusting me with this. Your secret is safe with me, I promise. Even if we… don’t work out. I won’t tell a soul.” 

 

Izuku pulled her closer. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You don’t know how much that means to me… Being honest with you… it feels nicer than I ever thought it might.” 

 

They sat there quietly for several minutes, both of them hugging the other close before Ochako finally pulled back. She sighed heavily, almost dreamily, as she looked up into his eyes. 

 

Suddenly, her soft kindness gave way to a teasing glint and a small tinge of pride. “I can’t believe you tried to make me choose between you and Nimbus! Do you know how hard it was to choose between the two of you? The two of… you. Hmm.”

 

Izuku smiled weakly. “Uh, I was really surprised that you picked me. Er, civilian me.” 

 

“Let me tell you,” she continued, “it was actually pretty easy. I was tempted for a bit, but I didn’t really know Nimbus. I knew Izuku.”

 

His heart pounded a little faster in his chest. “O-oh.”

 

“Although, I guess I knew Nimbus better than I thought, huh?” She giggled a bit, then cocked an eyebrow. “It’s gonna be weird not separating you anymore. It’s not Nimbus and Izuku, it’s just… Izuku.” She sighed dreamily again. 

 

Ochako hopped to her feet, spinning around to face Izuku properly. She looked down at him with a slight smirk and cocked her hip to the side. “If you’ll allow me this small indulgence…” She puffed her chest up a little and pointed her thumb at herself. “I’m dating the number one hero!”

 

“Ochako…” He smiled, but he was a little worried. “Please don’t treat me any differently.” 

 

She clapped her hands together. “Sorry, sorry. I won’t, it’s just… hmm.” She put her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment. “It’s more like I just found out that my boyfriend got a big promotion! You’re still the same Izuku to me!” 

 

That made him feel a lot better. 

 

“You know,” she continued, “looking back, it all seems so obvious. I don’t know how I didn’t see it.” She looked down at him again. “All things considered, you’re pretty bad at keeping a secret.”

 

Izuku rolled his eyes a little, but he was still smiling. “You sound just like Toshi or Melissa. I know, I know.” 

 

Ochako gasped again as yet another revelation crossed through her mind. Izuku had nothing but sympathy for her; he had dumped a lot on her. 

 

“Bakugou!” she exclaimed. 

 

Izuku recoiled slightly. Thinking about Bakugou was a bit of whiplash he wasn’t expecting.

 

“That whole thing on the rooftop… he really has no idea that you have a quirk?”

 

“I was quirkless for as long as he knew me,” he explained. “I didn’t get my quirk until I was 15.” He felt an undeniable pang of guilt, lying to her again so soon, but One For All was a less important secret, at least in this case. He was used to keeping that one longer, anyhow. 

 

He would tell her eventually, but there was no rush on that one. There was only so much he wanted to dump on her at once.

 

“Right, I remember you saying that now," she mumbled. “Well, looking back it’s kinda funny, isn’t it? You fed him that line about him hating Nimbus and not you… you pulled one over on him.” She laughed a little.

 

Izuku rubbed his head awkwardly, realizing he was still wearing his gauntlet. “Well, yeah, I guess.” 

 

“That’s a whole lot to unpack, huh?” she muttered. “This whole thing is… I’ll be thinking about this for a while.” She stepped back over and flopped down on the bench right next to him, sighing and leaning against him. “My mind is racing.”

 

“Sorry,” Izuku offered weakly. 

 

She laughed again. “Don’t apologize, silly. I can’t express in words how happy I am that you told me, it’s just… wow . You’re Nimbus. It’s crazy!” 

 

Izuku chuckled awkwardly. “I am. But uh, maybe some lunch would help?”

 

Ochako perked up immediately. “Oh, yes! Serendipity on a mountainside with you, what could be better?” 

 

---

 

The two of them ate lunch happily, looking out over the beautiful valley while leaning against each other the whole time. After another hour or so, they headed back down the mountain, albeit a little reluctantly. 

 

The whole time, Izuku’s heart felt lighter than air, even though Ochako hadn’t used her quirk on him. He talked with her, laughed with her, lived with her, and he felt better than he ever had. No longer was the fear of his secret weighing on every word he dared to speak. No longer was he living in fear that he would slip up and expose himself to her. 

 

They made their way back down the mountain all too soon, but then Izuku had a plan. 

 

“You know, it’s only fair that I return the favor,” he said, looking over at her with a small smile.

 

“What do you me- woah!” Ochako gasped as she suddenly found herself in a bridal carry as he picked her up. 

 

He smiled down at her as she blushed slightly. “Unless you’d rather walk…”

 

“No, no, this is good,” she muttered.

 

He double checked to make sure nobody was around and then in a flash, Izuku shot off through the woods. It only took a few seconds for them to reach the edge of the town, although Izuku stopped well off the road to avoid any witnesses. 

 

Ochako blinked a few times. “A little faster than what I did,” she muttered. “I feel a little silly now. I thought I was doing something so cool for you when I gave you that ride.”

 

“Hey now,” Izuku returned as he helped her stand back up. “You did! Do you remember what I said to those reporters after you held that building up?”

 

Ochako thought for a few moments. “I’m working with her because she is an incredible hero capable of things I couldn’t even pretend to do. Guh, it’s still so weird to think that it was you the whole time!” 

 

Izuku laughed awkwardly again. “Well, I meant it. I’ve never taken pity on you, Ochako. Please don’t ever think badly about yourself.” 

 

All things considered, he was impressed with how fast he had begun to regain his normal confidence.

 

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I really do. You’ve never made me feel like a burden. That’s part of the reason I like you so much. You’ve got this… way about you that just makes me feel so capable and confident! That’s another thing! I felt that same feeling from both you and Nimbus. How did I not see it sooner?!” She threw her arms up in the air in frustration. 

 

Izuku laughed louder. “That makes me feel really nice. Maybe it’s me, or maybe it’s just so easy to make you feel that way because you are so capable.”

 

“Flatterer,” she muttered with a smirk. “Come on, we don’t want to miss the train.”

 

The two of them walked back through town, holding hands happily as they arrived back at the station. It was there when Ochako revealed with a small, smug chuckle that she had bought round-trip tickets the whole time and Izuku couldn’t pay for anything. He sighed, admitting defeat as they made their way to their seats.

 

As the train began to move, Izuku began to feel quite tired. It had been a mentally and emotionally exhausting day, not to mention the energy he expended hiking up a mountain combined with his poor night's sleep.

 

His head slowly drifted to Ochako’s shoulder as his eyes grew heavy.

 

A small smile graced his face as he drifted off to sleep. 

 

Finally, after all this time, Ochako knew he was Nimbus.

 

Finally, she knew the real him.

 

---

 

Ochako’s mind was racing, like it had been ever since Izuku had revealed that he was Nimbus.

 

Nimbus!

 

She couldn’t believe that her kind-hearted sweetheart of a boyfriend was the world’s greatest hero.

 

Although, after she thought about it, she totally could believe it. All the signs had been there, she just hadn’t been looking. She didn’t have any reason to look, after all. Who would have guessed that Nimbus would spend his free time making coffee and serving people in a small restaurant. 

 

She felt a little funny, knowing Nimbus had waited on her so many times.

 

But no, he wasn’t Nimbus. He was Izuku. 

 

He might have finally shared his big secret with her, the secret that had dominated his whole life and their entire relationship, but there was a big reason why that didn’t upset her.

 

Under the relaxing hum of the train, she reached over and brushed a lock of hair from Izuku’s eyes, looking at his peaceful, sleeping face with affection and joy. Seeing him so relaxed around her— truly relaxed for the first time… it meant the world. It let her mind slow down; being next to him like this was calming.

 

She yawned widely as Izuku rested his head on her shoulder. It had been a mentally and emotionally exhausting day, not to mention the energy she expended hiking up a mountain. 

 

Her head slowly drifted to rest on Izuku’s as her eyes grew heavy.

 

A small smile graced her face as she drifted off to sleep. 

 

She wasn’t upset with him because she had already gotten to know him properly. He may be Nimbus, but more importantly, he was Izuku.

 

She had known the real him the whole time.

 

---

 

I've received some wonderful fanart! Thank you to JelloJolteon for this artwork of Nimbus! Please go give her a follow on twitter; she does a bunch of cute art!

 

Notes:

It's not over yet! We've got a bunch more story to go still!

See you guys next time!

:)

Chapter 12: Letting It Sink in

Summary:

The morning after.

Izuku awoke the next morning with a smile on his face. After Izuku and Ochako had arrived at the station and woken up, the two had exchanged a long hug and gone their separate ways for the evening—and Izuku had been wearing that smile ever since. 

 

He was honestly surprised that his cheeks weren’t hurting yet. 

 

After quickly rolling out of bed and getting ready for the day, Izuku hurried downstairs with a spring in his step, giving his mother a hug as he bounded past her grinding coffee beans. 

 

“I haven’t seen you this happy in years,” Inko said as she gave him a warm, motherly smile.

 

Izuku had told his parents that he had shared his secret as soon as he had gotten home the previous night. Both of his parents had taken it well, with Inko even calling it ‘overdue’; they both thought that Ochako was more than deserving to know his secret. 

 

"I don't think I've felt this free in a long time," Izuku responded after his short reverie. 

 

He looked up as he felt a hand clasp on his shoulder. "You know, you don't have to keep this secret up," Hisashi said softly. "Your mother and I want nothing more than to see you happy."

 

Izuku smiled warmly at his father, averting his gaze slightly. "I know, but… if I gave up my secret now, it would be chaos. What we have here is nice, and I don't want to mess it up."

 

"Izuku," Inko began, "it's going to be chaos no matter when you do it. You're too honest of a boy to keep a secret like this well; the only way you've been able to do it is by isolating yourself all these years. Now that you're finally getting some friends, it might be impossible."

 

Izuku looked down. "But you'd rather have me relax and be happy with my new friends than the alternative."

 

"Exactly," Hisashi added, squeezing Izuku's shoulder again before walking off to attend to a boiling kettle.

 

Izuku looked back up and into his mother's kind eyes. "I don't know if I'm okay with that. If people knew who I was, villains could track you guys down and hurt you to get at me. Maybe I can tell some of the others, but only once I trust them completely."

 

"I understand, sweetie," Inko finished, turning back to the grinder. This was far from the first time they had gone through this conversation, but Ochako had brought up the thought again. 

 

She had already upturned and shaken up so much of his life, just by being there, and he couldn't say honestly that he hated the changes. On the contrary, Inko was right: he was happier than he had been in a long time. Maybe… maybe he would see where things took him. 

 

Izuku settled into his morning routine, cooking food, serving coffee, and making small talk to customers both new and old. The time ticked by, and Izuku began to wonder if Ochako didn't have time to stop by that morning. 

 

Then the door opened one more time and Izuku felt a wide smile break across his face. 

 

Ochako quickly locked eyes with him and smiled back, walking slowly over to the recliners and taking a seat. 

 

Izuku whipped up her favorite coffee and walked over to her a few minutes later, handing her the cup as they both blushed a little.

 

Ochako took a sip and sunk into the chair a little deeper, sighing happily. Izuku glanced over at his parents, making sure they had the store under control before he sat down in the chair next to his girlfriend. 

 

"Morning," Ochako hummed. 

 

Izuku blinked, realizing they hadn't actually spoken yet. "Good morning," he replied.

 

Ochako looked over at him, her eyes tracing him up and down before her expression went from content to slightly… nervous .

 

"Izuku," she began quietly, "yesterday… all that stuff happened, right? I didn't just dream it all?"

 

He stared at her for a few seconds before smiling softly, chuckling under his breath. "It happened."

 

Ochako sighed again. "Sorry, it just kinda feels too good to be true, you know?”

 

Izuku’s eyes widened slightly as he felt his face heat up even more. “I… wow.”

 

Ochako began to blush a little more as she giggled softly. “That was kinda corny, wasn’t it?”

 

“No, no,” Izuku said softly. “It was… really sweet of you.”

 

She smiled wider and took another sip of her coffee, humming again as she looked through the windows, out into the morning sun. 

 

They spent the next five or so minutes talking quietly with each other about this thing or that, but it quickly became time for Ochako to leave so she could get to her agency on time.

 

“Before you ask,” Izuku began as she stood up, “you’re not paying for that. Honestly, I’d be surprised if you paid for anything ever again here.”

 

Ochako put on a playful pout. “No fair.”

 

“You’re the one who chose to make me the happiest man in Japan, not me.”

 

Ochako rolled her eyes. “That was corny then, and it’s corny now.” 

 

She leaned down so she was only a few inches from his face and looked him straight in the eyes. “I’m heading to work now, will I… see you there?” she whispered.

 

Izuku didn’t answer for a moment, as he was distracted with just how good she smelled. Was it her shampoo? Was she wearing perfume? Whatever it was, Izuku finally pulled himself back to reality and nodded. “I’ll be there.”

 

Ochako smiled again as she leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

 

The blush on his face darkened further as he blinked up at her. She smiled one last time and then left Serendipity, leaving Izuku feeling like he was floating, even though she never used her quirk on him.

 

---

 

Mina spotted her target walking out of Serendipity and wasted no time running up to her and throwing a big hug around her shoulders.

 

“Mina?!” Ochako exclaimed as she recognized her mysterious hugging assailant.

 

“Hey, hey!” Mina chirped as she released one of her arms, but kept one around Ochako’s shoulder as they began to walk. 

 

“What’re you doing here?” Ochako asked. “Aren’t you going to be late?”

 

Mina smirked. “If I am, it’ll be worth it. Kiri is gonna cover for me.”

 

“Okay,” Ochako huffed, “but that doesn’t explain why you were outside of Serendipity, waiting to ambush me.”

 

There was a faint note of nervousness in Ochako’s voice, which told Mina she probably knew exactly why she was here.

 

Mina smirked. “Like I was going to accept just hearing about your date over the phone! Come on, how did it go?”

 

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you about it,” Ochako groaned. 

 

“I would’ve just found out some other way,” Mina responded teasingly. “You can’t hide this sort of stuff from me, Ochako! Come on, you owe it to me, especially after you lied to me back when we ate there. No crush, my pink butt.”

 

“Fine,” Ochako said with a sigh. “It went well. We took the train up to the little town nearby, ran into Akiko and then made it to the viewpoint. It was really spectacular; you could see for miles. We ate lunch up there, then walked back. It may sound simple but… it was truly unbelievable.”

 

Ochako drifted off a little at the end, which Mina picked up on. What’s more, Ochako was being very sparse on details.

 

“Why so secretive?” Mina asked with a little whine. 

 

Ochako stiffened up a little, then let out a nervous laugh. “Well, it’s just kinda personal, you know?”

 

Mina rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to know what color his underwear is, I just want to know how it went! Did he pack food? Did you guys take pictures? He seems like such a sweet guy, I’m curious!”

 

Ochako began to blush slightly more. “Okay, fine. Yeah, he packed a lunch from Serendipity, of course. It was amazing, and being there on the mountain only made it better. He was a little quiet at first, but it was just him being nervous.”

 

“Well, of course he was nervous,” Mina scoffed, “you’re a catch and a half, Ochako! The boy probably couldn’t believe his luck!”

 

Ochako smiled and looked down a little. “Yeah, something like that.”

 

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a cutie, too,” Mina teased.

 

“We had a great time,” Ochako continued. “It was a beautiful view that really made you feel small, but at peace at the same time. We sat there together, arms around each other and just watched in silence for a while. It was… really nice.”

 

Mina stuck her tongue out a little. “Sounds like you’ve really fallen for the barista boy. When’s the wedding?”

 

Ochako’s brow furrowed as she grew a small pout. “I could ask the same thing about you and Kirishima, Mina.” 

 

Mina almost physically felt the whiplash. “What do you mean?”

 

“Oh, come on,” Ochako said, her voice taking on a slightly teasing air herself. Her arm moved out and grabbed Mina around the waist, pulling her in a little closer. “Do you know how many people think you two are already married? You act so familiar with each other!”

 

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mina offered weakly. This wasn’t right, she was the one who was supposed to be teasing Ochako.

 

“Uh huh,” Ochako muttered, clearly not convinced. “You should see the way he looks at you when you’re not looking. I don’t believe for a second that Mina Ashido is this unaware. You used to get on any of us if one of the boys ever looked at us for more than a second, but you’re trying to tell me that you’re just friends with him?”

 

“Well, yes,” Mina mumbled. Of course she knew how Kirishima looked at her, but something had always made her hesitate. 

 

“Uh huh,” Ochako repeated. “It’s so easy to play matchmaker for others, but now that you’re a piece on the board, suddenly it’s not all fun and games!”

 

Ochako was right, Mina was never a fan of these reversals. “You and Tooru, I swear.”

 

“Oh, is Tooru on about this, too?” Ochako asked, a glint in her eye. “Tell you what, Mina, I know this perfect place for a date. It’s a mountain trail just a quick train ride away. Here, I have a pamphlet!”

 

Mina bristled a little, a light blush on her face. “You scoundrel! How dare you turn this around on me!”

 

“En garde,” Ochako huffed, raising an eyebrow. 

 

Both of them smiled widely at each other as they began to giggle. 

 

“Fine, fine,” Mina chuckled, “you win this time.”

 

Ochako sighed, her smile dropping just a little. “I know you’re just looking out for me, Mina. But for real, think about Kirishima. I think he would be good for you.”

 

“Yeah, maybe,” she deflected as the two arrived at Ochako’s agency. “But hey, by the way, we’re having a girl’s night on Friday. You in?”

 

Ochako’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Where at?”

 

“Kyouka’s place,” Mina answered. 

 

“Great, looking forward to it,” Ochako said happily as she let Mina’s side go and pulled around in front of her.

 

The two women shared a quick hug before wishing each other well and going their separate ways. 

 

Mina looked at her phone and gasped when she saw the time. It seemed like Kiri was going to have to cover for her after all; she didn’t realize she had taken so much time talking.

 

Ochako’s words echoed in her mind, causing Mina to gain a slight blush as she took off running in the direction of her agency.

 

---

 

Ochako put her signature on the final piece of paperwork and set the pen down with a sigh. She had a little bit of a backlog because she took the previous day off to spend time with Izuku, but it had been worth it. It had been worth it a thousand times over.

 

However, her conversation with Mina had gotten her thinking. When she began to pry like she always did, Ochako had realized that Izuku hadn’t just given her a delicious meal on top of that mountain, but a burden as well. 

 

She was now responsible for keeping his secret as well, and she was much less well-practiced than he was at it. 

 

Perhaps she was a little too close to the chest with Mina, but she was erring on the side of caution. Mina was astute and a brilliant socializer; it would likely take a lot less for her to figure out the connections between Nimbus and Izuku than it had taken Ochako. Because of that, she couldn’t take any risks. 

 

Fortunately, she had managed to change the subject and turn Mina’s inquisition back on herself, teasing her about Kirishima, but that was unlikely to work a second time. She had only managed it because the had the element of surprise; she would have to talk to Izuku about how best to keep his secret. 

 

Ochako and the rest of the class A girls knew that the two had something between them, but they hadn’t ever acted on it. It was probably wise to wait until after they graduated to think about stuff like that, but they were three years out of UA at this point. Mina and Kirishima were such good friends and they spent so much time around each other, both in and outside of work that some people really did assume they were dating. 

 

Ochako remembered that the two had offered to hang out with Ochako and Izuku as friends, which gave her an idea. Perhaps Ochako could turn their excursions into double dates of sorts and pay Mina back for the years of teasing. 

 

However, now wasn't the time to think about Mina. Ochako's thoughts returned to Izuku and the secret that she had to keep. It was a big deal, but she didn't resent him for it at all, nor was she upset about it. Now that she had begun to grasp and appreciate how large of a burden it was, her main thoughts were of gratitude. 

 

Izuku had opened himself up, made himself supremely vulnerable to her, because he trusted her and respected her too much to keep 'lying' to her. It was both flattering and endearing to think about how big of a leap of faith he had taken, even with how well they had gotten to know each other.

 

Although, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. She was still reeling from the paradigm shift, and she didn't know when she'd be able to truly steady herself again.

 

Truth be told, she was a little nervous. She had known for almost 24 hours now that Izuku was Nimbus, but it still didn’t seem real. Part of her mind refused to truly comprehend it, but she had a feeling that things would change soon enough.

 

In the silence of her office, she was able to pick up a faint thud from above her head. Her heart began to beat faster as she sat rooted at her desk, listening to the rooftop door opening and the footfalls coming down the steps. The steps approached her office door and there was a small knocking before the door opened.

 

Standing there in full uniform, like he had a dozen times before, was Nimbus.

 

But this time, things were much different. 

 

Ochako stood up slowly, her eyes never leaving Nimbus’ visor as she pulled herself to her full height and began to walk closer.

 

In that moment, her mind was racing. There was even that tiny, irrational seed of doubt that wondered if Izuku had lied to her about the whole thing. She knew he wasn’t lying, especially after the ride he had given her back through the forest in his arms, but there was still that tiny, obnoxious voice saying ‘what if’?

 

“Izuku?” she asked quietly.

 

Nimbus nodded. “It’s me, Ochako.” 

 

Her heart began to beat faster, as if it was trying to break out of her chest. Hearing and seeing was so much different than simply being told.

 

“It sounds so weird to hear your voice come through that,” she mumbled. “To think you were faking that accent all along… you’re pretty good at it.”

 

Nimbus laughed and reached up to take off his helmet. There was a slight mechanical noise as the lock disengaged and then he slowly began to lift it off his head.

 

She saw his chin, then his soft lips, those freckled cheeks, those big, green eyes filled with kindness, and finally his messy green hair. 

 

Izuku cupped the helmet in one arm and held it to his side, looking down at her with a gentle, kind smile. 

 

Finally, that voice was silenced completely. All of her unreasonable doubts were burned away, and that fact that she knew for almost a day became reality.

 

Ochako moved forward and hugged him tightly, throwing her arms around his midsection and pulling him close. 

 

Izuku seemed surprised for a moment, gasping slightly before he hummed and moved his one arm around her back, returning her hug. “Is everything alright?” he asked softly.

 

Ochako nodded as she squeezed him a little harder. “Seeing is believing, you know? For so long, Nimbus and Izuku have been completely different people, and I know you weren’t lying, but now that I’ve finally seen you like this…”

 

“I get it,” Izuku mumbled as he rubbed her back gently. “Do you remember the shock when the world saw All Might’s shriveled body after that big fight a few years ago?”

 

She pulled back, looking up at him curiously as she nodded.

 

“Well,” Izuku began, still holding his arm loosely around her back, “I found out about it before all that. I met All Might and I wound up basically following him because I was a big fanboy. He shrunk down before my eyes and… it took a bit for me to reconcile that the man in front of me was the world’s greatest hero.”

 

“Wow…” Ochako muttered. He really did understand. All Might’s sudden retirement had shaken the very foundation of the hero world; she fully appreciated how shocking it would have been for a younger Izuku to find out that the All Might wasn’t the unstoppable juggernaut he appeared to be. She had watched that television broadcast of his departure from Japan, never thinking that he would return as-

 

Wait.

 

The gears of her mind began to turn rapidly once again.

 

“Izuku…” Ochako said slowly, looking up at him with a piercing glare.

 

He seemed both curious and a little nervous under her gaze. “Uh, yes?” 

 

“Did All Might go to America to teach you?” she asked.

 

Izuku blinked for a few seconds before beginning to laugh, softly pulling her back into his side with his arm. “You really are brilliant. Yeah, he did.”

 

“That’s why all your moves are smashes like his,” Ochako continued, her smile growing, “and that’s why your helmet has those antenna things on them! You’re a huge All Might fanboy!”

 

Izuku laughed. “I was. I guess I still am, but it’s different now. All Might is… very important to me. He’s basically family at this point.”

 

“You still talk to him?” she asked. It made sense, she supposed, but she hadn’t ever thought about it.

 

“Oh, yeah!” Izuku responded. “I talk to him in person at least once a week.”

 

“That must be really cool,” Ochako muttered.

 

Izuku got a glint in his eye. “You know, I talked about you a lot with him.”

 

“You did?!”

 

“Only good things, I promise,” Izuku chuckled. “In fact, he was the one who first really encouraged me to tell you who I was.”

 

Ochako’s eyes went wide as she stared up at her boyfriend.

 

“It was before you asked me out, and I wanted to tell you,” Izuku mumbled, looking away slightly, “but I was scared. It had been so long since I trusted anyone new that… well, you know.”

 

She nodded. “Yeah, well it’s all worked out now, right? I’m so glad you decided to tell me.”

 

“So am I,” Izuku hummed as he smiled softly. “Hey, would you like to meet All Might? I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”

 

“Really?!” Ochako gasped. 

 

Izuku nodded. “Really.”

 

Ochako’s surprise turned into a slightly teasing smirk. “Introducing me to your family already?” she asked with a giggle. 

 

Izuku laughed again. “Well, you’ve already met my parents.”

 

Ochako smiled softly as she finally pulled back from him fully and began to walk over to a cabinet at the side of the room. “You seem to be a lot more confident today,” she hummed as she began to enter a code into the keypad. 

 

Izuku rubbed the back of his head as he smiled. “I think it’s the suit. I always feel more confident when I’m in uniform.”

 

“I like it,” she said quietly as she opened up the cabinet and pulled out one of her heavy wristguards.

 

Izuku began to blush a little and quickly put his helmet back on. “I’ll meet you on the roof,” he muttered, securing his helmet and heading back upstairs.

 

Ochako smiled to herself again as she turned back and finished putting on the rest of her equipment.

 

Today was going to be a good day, she could feel it.

Notes:

Been a while, eh? Well, the good news is that the next chapter should be a lot sooner. I've officially put a few of my other fics on hiatus to focus on this fic, What's in a Hoard? and Heroes by Choice, so expect more of this story until it finishes!

See you next time!

Chapter 13: Sunshower

Summary:

We find the sun through the rain.

It was a couple days later, a Thursday morning, and Ochako sighed as she walked into her agency. Normally, Thursdays were her day off, but she had taken off earlier to go on that hike with Izuku so she had to make up the time for the Hero Commission. She was running quite late, but her new administrative assistant had beaten her there and unlocked the door.

 

“Good morning, Miss Uraraka,” she chirped pleasantly from the front desk inside. 

 

“Good Morning, Suzuki,” Ochako returned. “Sorry I’m late and thanks for coming in today.”

 

Rin Suzuki, a woman fresh out of UA’s General Studies course, smiled back at her. She was about an inch taller than Ochako with long black hair she tied up into a tight bun, and a chipper attitude that made Ochako quickly take a liking to her. “Oh, it’s no problem at all. I know how busy heroes can be!” 

 

“Ah, yeah,” Ochako muttered. “Very busy.” There was no way she was going to tell Suzuki that she had gotten to bed far too late last night because she was talking to Izuku. He had been out as Nimbus chasing down an A-rank villain who was making trouble while talking through the built-in phone in his helmet. How cool was that?

 

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Suzuki exclaimed. She reached behind the desk and pulled out a thermos. “Mister Midoriya came by a little bit ago and dropped this off. He said it was your favorite blend.”

 

Ochako blinked. “Izuku was here?” She approached the desk and took the thermos with a small thank you, opening it up and smelling the coffee inside. “Oh, this is just what I needed. I’ll have to thank him later.”

 

“Would you like me to send him a message?” her assistant asked. She was so eager.

 

“Ah, no thank you,” Ochako replied with a small smile. “I’ll thank him myself. Keep up the good work.”

 

“Thank you, miss!” Suzuki bubbled as Ochako walked by her and up the stairs to her office.

 

Honestly, she reminded her a lot of Tooru; always restlessly moving around, humming to herself, and generally being a beacon of sunshine. The hiring process had been far more stressful than she had ever imagined; who thought it was a good idea to put her in charge of giving people jobs? She wasn’t even 22 yet and she was supposed to be hiring people and paying them and stuff?

 

Ochako felt like it had only been with Izuku’s help—both through him and Nimbus, although she hadn’t known at the time—that she had made it through the interviews with her sanity intact. The man had a remarkable way of making her stress vanish, which she appreciated more and more every day. Being a hero was hard on the best of days, but the revelation that her favorite work partner was her actual partner made things much easier to bear.

 

She tossed her satchel onto her desk and began to sip at the coffee, letting it fill her with warmth and chase away the weariness so she stopped doing her best Aizawa impression. Although to be fair, nobody did a better impression than Shinsou. His ability to mimic their old homeroom teacher was second to none, even without his voice modulator. Maybe it was the eyebags.

 

After savoring her drink and finishing up some paperwork, she finally decided that it was time to get out there. She pulled on her costume and strapped on her gear like she had a thousand times before and made her way to the roof, checking her wrist display once before removing some of her own gravity and leaping into the day.

 

---

 

Her morning went fairly smoothly. It was a quiet day and she didn’t have to do too much, which was always welcomed. She thought back to what Izuku had told her, in the guise of Nimbus when she was still calling him Redacted.

 

“Any day we don’t have to do anything is a good day, you know?”

 

That was on the first day she had met him, after he had dropped by to patrol with her on the first day of her running her own agency. Izuku, Nimbus, her Agency, all began on the same day, like the opening of a new chapter in her life framed by them. It felt appropriate, in a way.

 

Around noon she sat down on a rooftop like she often did, pulling out the simple sandwich she called her lunch and began to eat. Even after becoming a pro hero, and now having the income of an independent hero with her own agency, Ochako still practiced the frugal habits she learned growing up. She was perfectly content with her cheaper, less extravagant diet, her rather modest apartment, and her simple hobbies. That wasn’t to say she didn’t enjoy splurging every once in a while on a nice restaurant or a new hat she saw in a window, but those were rare occurrences. She felt like in addition to keeping her bank account healthy, her modest lifestyle helped make those times she got something special even more, well, special.

 

When she was about halfway done with her sandwich, as she hung her feet over the edge of the building and kicked them absentmindedly, there was a sudden rush of wind and a loud impact from behind her.

However, instead of turning around, Ochako just lowered herself slowly onto her back so she could look up at the new arrival. “Hey, hey,” she said happily.

 

“Hey, hey, yourself,” Izuku returned through his helmet as he looked down at her laying on the roof. It was still a little weird to hear ‘Nimbus’ speak without an accent.  He sat down next to her as she raised herself back up and smiled up at him. 

 

“How’d you find me?” she asked casually as she took another bite of her sandwich.

 

“I planted a tracking nanobot in that coffee I delivered this morning,” Izuku returned flatly.

 

Ochako nearly choked on her sandwich. Her eyes went wide as she quickly finished chewing and swallowed her bit. “You did what ?!”

 

Izuku began to laugh heartily through his mask. “I’m just kidding, I’m just kidding!”

 

“The worst ,” Ochako groaned as she shoved him playfully. 

 

Izuku tapped his helmet. “I have you highlighted in my news feed. I saw that you helped someone carrying a piano up some stairs near here a bit ago, so I came this direction and started looking!”

 

“News feed?” Ochako asked incredulously. “No news outlet is going to report that.”

 

Izuku waved his hand. “Nah, social media. Hashtag Uravity! My information network is pretty powerful, so it wasn’t that hard.” 

 

“You don’t seem like much of a programmer," Ochako noted. "Er, no offense."

 

Izuku laughed again. “None taken! No, I’m terrible at coding, but my friend made it for me.”

 

“Your friend?” she asked.

 

“Mhmm, the one who makes my gear. She’s amazing,” he responded, looking out over the skyline. 

 

“It’s still a little creepy that you, what, just see my name whenever someone posts about me online?” 

 

Izuku shrugged. “Only when I have your filter turned on. Information is key in our line of work, you know? I’ve heard about villain attacks through the internet before I get the notice from the Hero Network.”

 

Ochako rubbed her chin. “That makes sense.”

 

“Look,” Izuku continued, “I know what you mean, but when you live in the public eye like us, you gotta be used to that, right? I wouldn’t be surprised if there is someone taking a picture of us right now and sending it to those tabloids that were always claiming we were secretly dating.”

 

Ochako blushed a little as she giggled. “Well, I guess they weren’t exactly wrong, were they?”

 

“I guess not,” Izuku said warmly. She couldn’t see his smile, but she could hear it.

 

Ochako finished her lunch as they sat in silence for the next minute, just enjoying each other’s company, then stood up on the roof. “Did you already eat?”

 

Izuku nodded as he stretched his arm and legs out, flexing against his skin-tight suit, which Ochako totally wasn’t checking out. “Yeah, I ate at home. After I brought you coffee, I went home and slept all morning. I honestly only woke up about a half hour ago.”

 

“Lucky,” Ochako huffed. “Well, shall we?” 

 

“We shall!” Izuku responded cheerily as they both jumped from the rooftop and out onto patrol together like they had so many times before. 

 

---

 

The rest of the afternoon went quickly, as time often did when she was spending time with Izuku. Like normal, they were patrolling together for most of it, although they broke off to go do independent things sometimes if the situation warranted it. 

 

Such as now, when she was helping a group of kids with a ball they had accidentally thrown onto the roof of a building. 

 

Ochako landed gracefully on the roof and grabbed the ball, then removed some of her weight again to slow her descent. The children cheered as she handed the ball back to them, each of them bubbling that ‘heroes are so cool!’

 

“Where’s Redacted?” one of the boys asked.

 

Ochako tapped her chin. “Oh, he’s somewhere. I just saw him a few minutes ago.”

 

“Yeah,” one of the girls added, “Miss Uravity is dating Mister Redacted, right?”

 

Ochako blushed a little. “No, no. That’s all made up. Nimbus and I are just friends.” A little white lie wouldn’t hurt them.

 

“I bet she wishes she was, though!” another boy exclaimed.

 

“No, it’s-” She stopped herself, as the kids weren’t really listening to her anymore. They all began to run back off with their ball as they laughed and shouted. 

 

Ochako sighed, then saw that one of the girls was lagging behind. She kneeled down so she was at eye-level with her and asked softly, “What’s up?”

 

The girl blinked at her a few times, clearly shy. “I, uh, I j-just wanted to say that… that I think Miss Uravity is cooler than Mister Nimbus. I think she’s the coolest hero!” 

Ochako’s heart squeezed. “Aw, thank you! That means a lot to me.”

 

The girl moved forward and hugged Ochako. “My daddy was in that falling building you held up. He told us that if it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t have- have-” She began to sniffle.

 

Ochako returned the hug and patted the girl, trying to comfort her. “Shh, it’s alright, it’s alright. I’m glad your daddy is okay. That’s what heroes do, we help people.”

 

The girl wiped her nose and nodded. “That’s why I’m gonna be a hero, too! I’m gonna grow up and be just like Miss Uravity!” 

 

Ochako beamed widely as she released the hug. “That’s the spirit. I look forward to seeing your debut one day!”

 

She looked down as her display beeped. There was an A-rank villain on the loose nearby.

 

“Go run along,” Ochako said softly, trying not to worry the girl. “Miss Uravity has to get back to work, okay?”

 

“Okay!” the girl exclaimed as she ran back to her friends.

 

Ochako touched her arm and jumped to the air, clearing the nearby buildings in a single bound as she headed for the coordinates. 

 

On her third jump across the rooftops, she heard a familiar rush of air. She didn’t even have to look to her left to know Izuku was there at her side. They jumped together from building to building, and a part of her noted how much faster she was than when they had first met. She was constantly improving, but even after UA and being a pro for three years, having Izuku by her side made her strive that much harder. There was probably no way she would ever catch up to him, but she would be damned before she became dead weight.

 

They passed the several blocks together, Izuku dashing a little ahead to make it to the scene a little sooner, but when he got to the final rooftop before the coordinates, he stopped dead.

 

Ochako caught up to him a few seconds later and saw why he had stopped. 

 

Down in the middle of the street, the quite unconscious villain was laying there, smoking slightly. Standing over him was a slightly panting Ground Zero, who was glaring down at him with disdain.

 

“Well, it seems we’re not needed here,” Izuku muttered. “Let’s get out of here before-”

 

“REDACTED!”

 

Izuku flinched. “Crap.”

 

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Bakugou yelled from the ground. With two carefully-controlled explosions, he had launched himself into the air and had landed in front of them on the roof.

 

Ochako noticed Izuku straighten up a little, bringing himself to his full height so he could look down at Bakugou slightly, and righting his shoulders so the entirety of his very impressive musculature was brought to bear. “I came because I received a request on the Hero Network,” Izuku explained bluntly in his thick American accent.

 

Between that and the sound filter on his helmet, it was functionally impossible to tell Nimbus was Izuku. 

 

“I didn’t need your damn help!” Bakugou retorted. “You or Round-Face!” 

 

That was a name she hadn’t heard in a long time. She didn’t miss it.

 

“I thought we already had a talk about that nickname,” Ochako warned in a very serious tone.

 

Bakugou’s eyes flashed over to her as the man thought twice and faltered the smallest amount, then turned back on Izuku with his full fury. 

 

“I had no way of knowing you were here,” Izuku replied calmly. “I’m just glad you took the villain down before he did more damage.”   

 

Bakugou sneered. “Bullshit. I’ve been tracking this villain and his organization down for two weeks and you just happen to show up right as I take him down? You don’t care about the damage, you’re just looking for the spotlight.” 

 

Ochako had just about enough, but as she opened her mouth, she saw Izuku twitch his head a small amount in her direction.

 

“That’s why you have the nickname, Redacted .” Bakugou spat the name. “That’s why you have the mask. You just want the attention and the mysterious, masked hero bit really sells, huh? You’re a damn coward if you ask me!”

 

“I wear this mask to keep my family safe,” Izuku responded calmly, although Ochako could hear cracks in his voice. 

 

Bakugou scoffed. “Oh, are you the only hero with a family? With people they care about? I didn’t know. My bad !” 

 

“What do you want me to do?” Izuku asked flatly.

 

“I want you to take that damn mask off!” Bakugou snarled. “I want to look you in the eyes when I finally beat you. I want to see the pain when people realize that-”

 

He cut himself off as he let out a big sigh. Bakugou seemed to calm down rapidly, leaning back a little as he looked up at Izuku. “Just stay out of my way.”

 

Izuku said nothing and let the number two hero leave, jumping off the roof and descending back to the unconscious villain.

 

A few moments of silence passed, broken only by Izuku sighing. 

 

“That was… really bad,” Ochako said softly. “I haven’t seen him like that in a long time.”

 

Izuku shook his head. “Remember that villain I took down last night?”

 

“When we were talking on the phone?”

 

“Yeah,” Izuku sighed. “Turns out, that villain was part of that same group he was just yelling at me about. He had been working secretly to take them down, then I happened to catch wind of the villain when he sent her scurrying and took her down before Bakugou could catch up. He… wasn’t pleased. Accused me of following him to steal all his hard work so I didn’t have to do any myself, the whole thing.” 

 

Ochako pursed her lips in a small pout. “I guess I get why he’s frustrated; work on anything for weeks and have someone take the credit and anyone would be mad. But you’re not like that!” 

 

Izuku laughed softly. “ You know that. He has a different image in mind for me. To him, Nimbus is the last obstacle between him and his lifelong dream. He’s not a fan.”

 

“Yeah, I get it.” Ochako looked down at her display, noting the time. “It’s getting late, ready to head back?”

 

Izuku nodded. “I’ll bring some food by the agency. Wait for me, alright?”

 

“Sounds good,” Ochako said with a soft smile. Izuku was still quiet, subdued, and clearly deep in thought. He just needed some time. “I’ll see you there.”

 

---

 

It was only a few minutes after Ochako had finally finished the paperwork she had been lagging behind on that her intercom buzzed. She made a small note in the back of her mind that she actually had one of those now before pressing a button on the phone. “Yes, Suzuki?”

 

“A man is here with a food delivery for you,” her assistant replied dutifully. 

 

“That’s my boyfriend,” Ochako responded with a small laugh. “Send him up.”

 

There was a small pause before Suzuki spoke again. “He’s on his way!” There was a pause for a few seconds before she continued. “And really? He didn’t look anything like the guy that came by this morning.” 

 

Ochako furrowed her brow. “Wait, what?” 

 

There was a knock on her door. Polite and firm.

 

“Come in,” Ochako said calmly. 

 

A simple-faced man in what looked to be his mid-30s entered the room, wearing a plain, brown jacket and a tall, otherwise nondescript hat. He carried a bag from Serendipity in his hand that she could almost smell before she could see as he bowed slightly. 

 

‘I guess Izuku sent a deliveryman instead?’ Ochako thought to herself. ‘Maybe somethin’ came up? I hope he’s alright.’

 

As she was looking him over, suddenly something… twitched. Perhaps ‘glitched’ was a better word as his jacket and hat began to buzz like a broken computer monitor. Ochako tensed up, ready to defend herself and Suzuki if this was some villain sneaking into her-

 

The disguise faded, revealing Izuku in his full Nimbus gear looking down at her in that same slight bow. 

 

Woah. Cool.

 

Ochako reached down and pressed the button on her phone again. “Suzuki? You can go home. Thanks for coming in on your day off.”

 

“It was my pleasure, Miss Uravity!” Suzuki responded cheerfully. 

 

Ochako made sure the intercom was off before she spoke again. “What was that ?” 

 

Izuku chuckled as he took off his helmet. “A hologram! It helps me move more discreetly when I need to. You’re the first person outside of my family to know!”

 

“Your secret is safe with me,” Ochako declared confidently.

 

Izuku smiled awkwardly. “Oh, I know! I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t trustworthy or anything!”

 

“No, no,” Ochako responded with a giggle, “I know you didn’t.”

 

He let out a big sigh. “Right, sorry. I just… you know, want to do this right.”

 

“I know you do,” Ochako said softly, trying to reassure him. “I want to do it right, too.”

 

Izuku smiled at her.

 

She smiled back, then glanced down at the bag in his hand. “Whatever’s in there sounds like a good next step, though.”

 

He grinned wider as he moved further into the room and sat down next to the small coffee table in her office. She quickly made her way over, giving him a big hug as she sat down next to him and they both leaned back against the couch.

 

They ate happily together, enjoying the savory American cuisine and talking about nothing important. Being a hero was a high stress job, and she had learned to take opportunities to relax when she could. Worrying about things meant you didn’t really clock out, and you were still mentally at your job. It wasn’t always easy to let go, but she found it easier with Izuku around.

 

Finally, once they finished eating perhaps one too many french fries each, they sat there in silence, leaning on each other and letting their meal settle. 

 

“You know,” Izuku began softly, “I haven’t been able to relax like this in a long time. Thank you, Ochako. Really.”

 

Ochako leaned into him a little harder. “I’m glad you can finally let your guard down around me.”

 

Izuku leaned back. “I am, too. I just wish I didn’t have to burden you with my secret to do it.”

 

“You used the term burden, not me,” Ochako retorted playfully. “The happiness I feel that you trust me this much outweighs any ‘burden’. Although, I’m still getting used to it, I guess. I’m sorry about earlier with Bakugou.”

 

“It’s fine,” he replied instantly. “I just can’t afford to have anyone get suspicious. Nimbus and Uravity are friends, nothing more.”

 

She bumped his arm with her shoulder. “You mean we can’t afford, yeah? I’m in this with you.”

 

He reached his arm around and grabbed onto her shoulder, pulling her even closer. She saw his cheeks light up with blush as he averted his gaze. “Yeah. Thank you.”

 

Ochako sighed happily as she hugged him back and they sat there silently once again. Physical contact was something she hadn’t gotten much of while at UA or since she graduated, outside of the hugs she got from her family and the girls, but it was something she very much enjoyed. Now that she was officially dating him, she took all the opportunities she could to hug him, and he was warming up to the idea, too. It didn’t seem like he wasn’t enjoying it—on the contrary, it seemed like he was a sucker for hugs, too—but it seemed like he wasn’t used to the idea. 

 

Izuku looked down at her, his blush faded somewhat. “You know, there was a reason I came over in my hero gear.”

 

“I thought you were just too lazy to change.”

 

Izuku laughed once. “I mentioned my friend earlier. I figured you might want to meet her.” 

 

“Really?” Ochako asked with awe in her voice. “Are you sure?”

 

“I’m sure,” he confirmed, nodding once. “I already talked to her and temporarily disabled the security measures on the helmet so it will actually work.”

 

“The helmet?!” Ochako gasped. “You mean…?”

 

Izuku held up his helmet and offered it to her. She took it, marveling at how surprisingly heavy and surprisingly light it was at the same time. She ran her fingers along the green paint and the All Might-inspired fins on top.

 

“Nimbus’ helmet…” Ochako whispered. 

 

Izuku laughed again. “Go ahead, just put it on and say ‘call Mother’. Don’t worry, I washed it before I came over.”

 

She turned it over and looked at the opening in the bottom. Was she really about to do this? There were dozens of support companies that would kill to be in her position.

 

Ochako pulled the helmet down, submerging herself in the high-tech shell. A light kicked on in front of her face as the visor turned on, showing a display. 

 

‘Operating in Safe Mode’, it read. She turned and looked at Izuku through the visor, who smiled widely back at her. 

 

Oh, right. Ochako cleared her throat. “Uh, call Mother?”

 

A small spinning symbol appeared in the middle of the visor as it did as it was told. Ochako wondered what kind of person this ‘friend’ of Izuku’s would be. Maybe she didn’t like Ochako for distracting him? No, no reason to think like that.

 

The call connected as a video of a young, blonde woman appeared on the screen. She was sitting in front of a row of keyboards and monitors that made her look like she was straight out of a movie where the techie said stuff about hacking mainframes and bypassing firewalls. 

 

“So, we meet at last,” the woman replied in nearly perfect Japanese, despite clearly being American. 

 

Ochako gasped. “Wait, Melissa Shield?” 

 

“I see you’ve heard of me!” she replied with a smile. “In the flesh. Well, digitally.” 

 

“You’re Izuku’s ‘friend’? You’re the brain behind his tech?” Ochako couldn’t believe it.

 

The inventor laughed. “Guilty as charged. Most people know that his gear is based off Shield tech, but we keep it secret just how involved I am in the process. He wouldn’t be half the hero he is without me, and he’ll tell you that!” 

 

“Woah… It’s an honor to meet you, Miss Shield.”

 

“Please, Melissa is fine,” she said with a soft smile. “Truth be told, I’m just glad I can help Izuku. He saves so many people and knowing that I helped him do it makes all the secrecy and headache worth it.” 

 

“Yeah,” Ochako returned. “He’s amazing.”

 

Melissa nodded. “But hey, so are you! You should hear him go on and on about you! Uravity this, Ochako that! The boy is crazy about you and he thinks you’re an absolutely amazing hero.”

 

Ochako’s face lit up like Eijirou’s hair. “D-did he put you up to s-saying that?!”

 

“If Izuku knew I was saying this to you, he would rip that helmet off your head so fast ,” Melissa said with a smirk. “He thinks I’m just saying hi to you and stuff. That’s what I told him I’d do, but I actually want to talk to you about something a little serious.”

 

“Serious?” Now Ochako was getting nervous.

 

Melissa nodded. “Look, Izuku is very important to me. We’ve been friends ever since he moved to America, but ever since he moved back there, I haven’t been able to be there for him. Not physically, at last. He’s like a brother to me and, well, up until he met you, he’s been lonely. Very, very lonely.” 

 

Ochako’s heart sank. “Yeah, I noticed.”

 

Melissa smiled sadly. “You’re important to him. Perhaps more than you know. He thinks you’re an amazing person and an even better hero. You may not believe this, but he looks up to you. He said that you inspire him to do better. This was all before you two started dating officially.” 

 

Now that she thought about it, Ochako felt like she and Izuku had been dating for a lot longer than they had. It was less than a week officially, but… 

 

“What I’m asking,” Melissa continued, “is that please, take care of him. Even if you break up with him, he needs someone to lean on. Someone to trust outside of his parents and Toshi. Someone who he can just be himself around. I know you don’t owe me anything, but could you be that person for him?” 

 

There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation. “Yes. As a hero, as a person, and as his friend, yes. Izuku makes me want to do better, too. He’s my inspiration, and if I’m his, then I’ll just have to work even harder to make sure I keep living up to that.”

 

Melissa smiled widely. “Oh, you’re exactly like him. No wonder he likes you so much! Thank you, Ochako. Oh, is it okay if I call you that? That’s all Izuku calls you so it just kinda slipped out.”

 

“Please do,” Ochako responded with a wide smile of her own. “Any friend of Izuku’s is a friend of mine.”

 

“I feel the same way.” Melissa raised an eyebrow. “You just tell me if you’re interested in any new gear, alright?” 

 

Ochako nodded. “Thank you, but Hatsume covers all of my needs very well. I’d hate to spurn her.” 

 

“Hatsume?” Melissa asked. “Mei Hatsume? Man, I’ve wanted to work with her for years. I follow her work; she’s something else.” 

 

“She’s a little nuts,” Ochako muttered. 

 

Melissa laughed. “The brilliant ones always are.”

 

“I can send you her number, if you’d like,” Ochako offered. “She’s always looking for new business partners. I’ll be honest, that’s because she usually chases them off pretty quickly. Just a warning.”

 

“Challenge accepted!” Melissa declared. “I’d really appreciate that. She has some designs out on the market that I just have to know more about.” 

 

Something beeped behind Melissa, causing her to jump slightly. “Oh! Hey, gotta go. Good talking to you, Ochako! Take care!”

 

“You, too! Bye!” 

The feed cut off and Ochako pulled the helmet off. The light poured back into her senses as she blinked a few times.

 

“Yeah, it’s disorienting at first,” Izuku said knowingly. “How was Melissa?”

 

Ochako put the helmet down on the table and leaned over, throwing her arms around him in a big hug. 

 

“That good?” he asked as he put an arm around her again and held her firmly.

 

She nodded into his chest. “Melissa is super nice.”

 

“Yeah, she really is.”

 

“She also told me that I’m your inspiration,” Ochako hummed teasingly. 

 

Blush immediately covered his entire face. “Uh, well, it’s true. You make me want to do better. I feel stronger when I’m around you.”

 

Ochako hugged him tighter. “I feel the same way. I guess that’s why we work well together, huh?”

 

Izuku nodded as he rubbed her back. She could see how much her touch was helping him relax as the tension seemed to drain away from his shoulders. “I guess so.”

 

They sat there in a comfortable, silent hug for a while before Ochako looked up at him, then away as a thought crossed her mind. “You know, you’ve trusted me with so much. What if… I gave you a secret of my own?” 

 

He turned his head and looked straight at her, a fire in his eyes, like he was almost worried. “A secret?”

 

“It’s nothing big, silly, calm down,” she laughed, reaching up and poking his nose with one of her fingerpads. 

 

He blushed a little harder out of embarrassment. “Sorry,” he muttered sheepishly. 

 

“It’s kinda silly, but it’s important to me.” Ochako took a deep breath and let her facade drop. “Truth is, I’ve actually been hidin’ my accent all ‘long. This is how I really talk.”

 

Izuku’s eyes went wide as he heard her speak. She felt self-conscious for a half second before he squeezed his arm around her tighter, pulling her into his firm, muscular chest. “That’s so adorable,” he muttered quickly, awe in his voice. 

 

“Ya don’t think it makes me sound dumb?” she asked.

 

Izuku shook his head quickly. “No, no, not at all! It makes you sound… energetic. Down to earth. Comfortable. It fits you.”

 

Ochako felt her heart squeeze. “Oh, aren’t you just the sweetest. But like I said, it’s a secret! Ain’t nobody but Tsuyu know about it.” 

 

“Really? Not even Mina?” 

 

“Oh God ,” Ochako groaned. “Can you imagine the teasin’ I would catch? I trust the woman with ma life, but with somethin’ like this? No way.”  

 

He began to rub her back again, making her sigh softly. “I’ll guard it with all my strength.”

 

Ochako laughed into his side. “So dramatic! But now we both have a secret to keep for the other, and I know mine is waaaay bigger than yours, but that’s jus’ how much I trust you!” 

 

Izuku grinned as he laughed harder. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this responsibility!”

 

“You’ll do fine,” she reassured him jokingly.

 

After a few more minutes of quiet cuddling, Izuku shifted slightly, threatening to remove his arm from around her. “Shouldn’t we get back? It’s getting late.”

 

He was right, but Ochako was so comfortable, even just sitting on the floor and leaning back on the couch with him. “Just a little longer?” 

 

Izuku smiled and resecured his arm around her. “Sure. That sounds nice.”

Notes:

Hey, it's been a while. Long story short is that my job has been hit pretty hard by this pandemic and I've been having to work extra hours and when I finally do get off, my brain has been too fried to really write. I'm hoping to get back on the horse soon enough, but we are living in tumultuous times.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you all next time!

:)

Chapter 14: Doubt

Summary:

Izuku has some thoughts.

Izuku was beaming as he dashed over the rooftops on the way to Ochako’s agency. She had just finished giving a live interview from her office and she had handled it like a real pro. The reporter wasn’t drilling her like he knew she could have, but she hadn’t just given Ochako softballs. She had asked her about running her own agency, about when she was going to start picking up sidekicks, and about some of her recent heroic activities. Unfortunately, as the interview ended, the questions had unsurprisingly turned toward Nimbus.

 

The interviewer seemed more interested in those questions than any of the ones with actual substance, but with how well those sorts of stories sold, Izuku wasn’t surprised. People pried her for details about her relationship with Nimbus, asking if they were dating, if she had seen under the mask, if she knew anything about him. Obviously, Ochako knew better than to say anything and she had dodged several of the ‘gotcha’ questions with the lies they had coordinated beforehand.

 

Izuku landed in front of the front door and walked in, waving at Suzuki with a smile she couldn’t see.

 

“Good morn-” Suzuki stopped as she saw Izuku. “O-oh! Good morning, Mister Nimbus, sir. Miss Uravity is upstairs!” 

 

“Thank you, Suzuki,” Izuku answered in his American accent as he walked past the front desk and up the stairs.

 

As he neared Ochako’s door, a beep in his visor put him on edge.

 

‘What?!’ he thought. ‘Why is-’

 

Izuku narrowed his eyes. That reporter.

 

Dammit, this was all his fault.

 

He quickly threw Ochako’s door open, speaking loudly in his accent. “Good morning, Uravity!”

 

Ochako’s wide smile quickly fell off her face as she heard him call her Uravity. Her eyes locked onto his with equal parts concern and confusion. “Good morning, Nimbus. I wasn’t expecting you today.” 

 

“Yes, but I had some questions for you about that villain you captured yesterday,” Izuku continued, thankful she picked up his charade as he scanned the room. “Do you mind if I ask them?” 

 

“Of course not,” she continued. “Please, go ahead.” 

 

Izuku nonchalantly walked over to one of her bookshelves as his helmet locked onto the signal. “Oh, there’s a spider here. Let me just…” 

He reached out and crushed the small black thing with two fingers.

 

Izuku let out a huge sigh and relaxed his shoulders. “Sorry about that, Ochako.”

 

“What was all that about?” she asked, still confused. 

 

“My helmet detected a bug,” Izuku explained, holding up the small crushed device. “The listening kind, not the real kind.” 

 

“A bug?” Ochako repeated. “How did- the reporter!” 

 

Izuku smiled under his helmet as she came to the same conclusion. 

 

Her brow furrowed as her face twisted into frustration. “I shoulda known better! God, if you hadn’t come along, who knows what they could have heard!”

 

“I’ll get Melissa to make you a detector like I have,” Izuku offered. “Since you share the secret, you deserve the upside, too.” 

 

Ochako sighed as he slouched back into her chair. “Ugh. Thanks, Izuku. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

 

“I feel the same way,” Izuku said with a smirk that she couldn’t see. There was something about being around her that made his worries melt away.

 

She froze for a moment then began to laugh. “That was really corny!”

 

“Hey, it's true,” he said as he sat down. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve smiled so much.” 

 

Ochako sighed happily. “Remember when I first asked you out? I don’t mind corny. As long as it keeps making my heart fluttah, keep it comin’!” 

 

Izuku was very glad Ochako couldn’t see how red his face was. 

 

“But hey,” she continued, “I really wasn’t expectin’ you this mornin’. What’s up?”

 

“I wanted to congratulate you on a well-done interview,” Izuku answered. “You handled it like a real pro.” 

 

Ochako beamed. “Thanks! Those questions about you were tough! I don’t know how you handle this all the time!”

 

A pang of guilt made his stomach clench, which made him even more grateful she couldn’t see his face. 

 

“Oh, and I wanted to invite you to dinner,” he continued.

 

“Dinner?” she repeated. “Why such a formal invitation?” 

 

“Do you remember how I asked if you wanted to meet All Might?” he asked. “Well…”

 

Ochako gasped. “No way. Really?” 

 

“Absolutely.” 

 

“When?” 

 

“Tomorrow,” Izuku answered. “If you’re available.”

 

“Of course I am!” she almost squealed. “Do I need to bring anythin’?”

 

“Just yourself,” he said as he stood back up. “Come by Serendipity at five and we’ll take you over to where he lives. 

 

Ochako looked excited, but visibly nervous. She was so cute. “Alright, I’ll see you then! You stickin’ around or…?”

 

Izuku shook his head, standing back up. “I have a meeting with the Prime Minister today, so I can’t, sorry.”

 

“Oh, ho!” Ochako said with a laugh. “Look at mister hot-shot over here!”

 

“Ochako…” Izuku grumbled. “You know this is something I have to do.”

 

She smiled as she stood up and walked over to him. “And you know I’m just teasin’ ya. Now, come here.” 

 

Izuku leaned down into her arms as they gave each other a tight hug. They held each other there for several seconds, enjoying each other’s warmth, and Izuku felt a thought come unbidden into his mind.

 

‘It would be nice to start every morning like this.’

 

He tensed up a little as he quickly dismissed the thought. That could never happen, not really. Not while…

 

His tension melted away as Ochako squeezed him a little tighter. “You stay safe today, alright?” she warned.

 

“I promise,” he assured her. “You stay safe, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“See ya,” she said with a smile as he turned and walked out of her office. 

 

Once he was away from her, there was nothing to stop that guilt from rolling over him. Ochako was under all sorts of pressure and scrutiny because of him, and because of his mask. If he had never met her, both of their lives would be so much simpler. 

 

But now wasn’t the time to think about that. He had to meet with the Prime Minister, and then he had a long day of patrol ahead of him. Izuku could wait, Nimbus was needed.

 

---

 

Ochako was understandably nervous when she arrived at Serendipity the next day. She was apparently about to meet All Might and have her first formal dinner with Izuku’s parents at the same time. Sure, she had known them for months and saw them multiple times a week, but this just seemed more ‘real’.

 

Izuku hadn’t told her to dress up, but she refused to wear a t-shirt to meet All Might , so she had picked out a cute blouse and pants that Mina had given her for her birthday, and a nice jacket that Momo had bought her. She had even put on a little makeup, which was something she normally avoided. Ochako’s own fashion sense was more focused on comfort than style, which is why Mina and some of the others took it upon themselves to make sure their friend was ‘presentable’. 

 

Ochako just liked sweatpants, it wasn’t her fault.

 

She opened the door to see Izuku and his parents all standing around waiting for her, each of them carrying a basket or plate of food. They were all wearing fairly nice clothes, but nothing too formal, which assuaged one of her concerns. 

 

“Oh, look at you,” Inko said with a motherly smile. She was so nice, it made Ochako both miss her mother more and less at the same time. 

 

“I’m glad you accepted,” Hisashi added. “Let’s get going; don’t want to keep Toshi waiting.” He and Inko gestured for Izuku to come as they walked past Ochako and outside.

 

Izuku followed, but stopped next to Ochako, smiling down at her kindly. “You look great. Thanks for coming.”

 

She saw the kindness in his eyes, but also saw some sadness behind them. There was something about the tone of his voice that gave her pause, but she didn’t know what to do about it right then. “Thanks for inviting me. I’m honored.” 

 

“No need to be so formal,” Izuku said with a chuckle. “I’m sure you two will get along just great.”

 

Ochako smiled as he led her outside and to the car waiting outside. She got into the back seat with Izuku and Hisashi began to drive, taking them away from Serendipity and out of the city proper. She was surprised just how far out All Might lived, but on second thought, it made sense. After a lifetime in the spotlight, he deserved some peace and quiet.

 

The evening got dark quickly, thanks to the grey clouds that covered the sky, and it looked like it was already night by the time they turned onto the mountain drive that led up to the townhouse overlooking a beautiful mountain valley. Ochako stepped out of the car and shivered a little at the stiff early-winter breeze rolling through the trees before following Izuku’s parents up the walk to the front door.

 

Ochako’s was getting more and more nervous as the moment of truth got closer, and the wind wasn’t helping. However, she felt Izuku reach down and gently grab onto her hand, wrapping his fingers between her own before giving her a firm squeeze.

 

The effect was immediate, and she felt her confidence resurging as she looked up at Izuku, who was blushing a little. Her own cheeks felt a little warm, too.

 

Inko rang the doorbell and soon the door swung open, revealing the tall, thin form of the former number one hero. His face was sunken and gaunt, but his smile was just as radiant as she remembered. It was hard to believe that this skeleton used to be the mountain that held up hero society.

 

“Welcome, welcome!” he greeted Inko and Hisashi, receiving a hug from both as he ushered them inside. He turned back to Izuku and then looked down at Ochako with a smile she could only call fatherly. “It is good to finally meet you, Young Uraraka. I’ve heard quite a lot about you.”

 

Oh my God, All Might just addressed her by name. No, she needed to stay cool. 

 

She began squeezing Izuku’s hand in a death grip in a desperate attempt to ground herself. 

 

“H-hopefully only good things, Mister All Might, sir,” she weakly responded. 

 

All Might laughed warmly. “No need to be so formal! Please, Toshinori Yagi.”

 

He reached a hand out, which Ochako shook earnestly. 

 

“And don’t worry,” Yagi continued, “I’ve only heard good things. Now, how about you let Young Izuku down and let’s eat!” 

 

Yagi walked back into the house and Ochako tilted her head for a moment before realizing that Izuku was floating a little off the ground, smiling down at her as he continued to hold her hand. Her cheeks turned red as she quickly released her quirk and let Izuku drop back to the floor. “Sorry, Izuku! I haven’t done that in years!”

 

Izuku laughed kindly as he patted her shoulder. “You were so flustered! I’ve never seen you fangirl like that! Well, not since you met me.”

 

“Shut up!” she hissed, trying to hold back her smile. “You’re the fanboy here!” 

 

Izuku sighed as he led her inside. “You have no idea how true that is. If I know my parents and Toshi, you’re probably gonna get told that story.”

 

Well, now she was curious. 

 

The warmth and light of the well-furnished house was welcomed after the cold, bleak outside. He led her past a living room with a crackling fire and into a modest dining room where she took a seat between Inko and Izuku. The indulgent smell of American barbeque filled the room as Inko and Yagi both revealed the food they had prepared, making her stomach growl audibly.

 

“Have you not eaten today?” Inko asked with concern. 

 

Ochako smiled awkwardly. “Well, I knew I was getting your cooking tonight, so I didn’t want to spoil my appetite.” 

 

Yagi laughed as he took his seat between Izuku and Hisashi. “I do the same thing, don’t worry!”

 

The food began to get passed around and Ochako wasted no time filling her plate. She piled on ribs, pulled pork, some brisket, and a side of macaroni and cheese before she regretfully ran out of space to fill. The next obstacle was the wide variety of sauces that Yagi had set out. There was rich sauce from Kansas City, mustard sauce from the Carolinas, even some white sauce from Alabama, and more. She didn’t even know most of these sauces existed before today.

 

The last traces of cold were chased out of her body by the savory meal and warm company. It was a little surreal to see just how friendly Yagi was with the Midoriyas; it was honestly like he was part of their family. From what Izuku had told her, that was basically the case, but seeing was different than hearing, after all.

 

“Young Uraraka,” Yagi began as he wiped some sauce off his mouth, “have you heard how Young Izuku and I first met?” 

 

Ochako shook her head as Izuku groaned next to her.

 

Yagi smiled warmly. “Oh, I never get to tell this story. It’s been nearly what? Seven years?” 

 

“Toshi, please-” Izuku began to beg before Ochako put a hand over his mouth. There was no way she was missing this story.

 

“I had just arrived in Musutafu,” Yagi began, leaning back in his seat as Izuku slumped in defeat. “A villain made of slime robbed a store nearby and was trying to escape, so of course, I chased after him. He led me on a chase through the sewers and he nearly lost me! I managed to stay on his tail and burst up into an alleyway to find a young, green-haired man being suffocated.”

 

Ochako gasped. 

 

“I blew the villain away with a single heroic punch!” Yagi declared proudly.

 

“And knocked me out,” Izuku added.

 

Ochako looked to her right, where Izuku was raising an eyebrow at Yagi as he took a drink of water.

 

“ Anyway ,” he continued, “I woke Young Izuku back up-”

 

“By slapping me in the face repeatedly.”

 

“I would use the term patting,” Yagi returned with a grin. “Once he saw me, he nearly passed out again. The first thing he asked for once he got his wits about him was an autograph.”

 

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Ochako said gently, looking over at Izuku, who was holding his face in his hand.

 

Yagi smiled kindly. “I had already signed his notebook while he was unconscious and I needed to be off to turn the villain over to the police. However, as I jumped away, someone decided to hitch a ride.” 

 

“What? How?” Ochako asked. “With your whips?”

 

Yagi shook his head. “This was before he developed his quirk. He grabbed onto my pants and soared with me through the air. He could barely stand when we landed on a rooftop he was so scared.” 

 

Ochako couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She knew Izuku could be reckless, but…

 

For some reason, Izuku and Yagi shared a look full of far-off memories. Perhaps more had happened than they were letting on.

 

“Unfortunately, the villain had fallen out of my pocket during the jump,” Yagi continued. “I had stored him in a soda bottle, you see. Many people didn’t know this, but I was actually operating on a time limit with my quirk. I could only maintain the All Might form for a few hours each day.”

 

Ochako nodded. “Izuku told me a little about that.”

 

Yagi sighed. “I was out of my time limit for the day, but the villain escaped. I ran there as fast as I could to see if I could do anything, but it was too late. The villain had grabbed someone and was suffocating them and all I could do was stand there helplessly.”

 

“This part still makes me nervous,” Inko added.

 

He paused, looking over at Izuku with a proud expression. “And then Young Izuku happened.”

 

Ochako looked over at Izuku, who was staring down at the table, seemingly deep in thought. 

 

“He ran out of the crowd, past the heroes, and straight at the villain,” Yagi said proudly. “Let me remind you, this is when he still didn’t have his quirk. He ran out there, threw his backpack at him and tried to pull the person out of the slime. The villain was actually stunned a bit, but before long, he recovered and aimed a slimy tentacle down at Young Izuku to crush him.”

 

“Then Toshi saved me,” Izuku added as he looked directly into Yagi’s eyes. “Again.”

 

“I did,” he confirmed. “I pushed myself past my limits because I saw him giving his all; he reminded me the true test of a hero is always being prepared to risk your life and to go beyond. It was at that moment that I knew that he was someone truly special.”

 

Ochako reached out and put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “A hero before you got your quirk. I’m not surprised.”

 

She almost didn’t notice Yagi and Hisashi exchanging a look before the former pro stood up. “Ah, well, let’s clean up and then we can head downstairs to the theater.”

 

“That’s right,” Hisashi added. “We were in the middle of the crime drama.” 

 

Inko stood up and helped them begin to clear the table. “Oh yes! I hope that they find that detective before it’s too late!” 

 

Izuku and Ochako shared a look before they stood up to help clean up as well. Between the five of them, it didn’t take long at all for them to finish, and before she really knew what was happening, Yagi and Izuku’s parents were heading down to the basement.

 

“Watch the fire, would you?” Yagi asked Izuku, who nodded as the door shut behind them, leaving Izuku and Ochako alone.

 

She turned to Izuku and wasted no time. “Somethings been bugging you. Like up on the mountain. What’s up?”

 

He looked at her for a moment before he let out an airy laugh and walked over to the couch, sitting down and grabbing a blanket. Ochako followed, snuggling up next to him as he wrapped an arm around her and then the blanket.

 

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “I’m grateful that you can tell when something’s bothering me.” 

 

Ochako hummed as she leaned into him more. “You’re not exactly good at hiding it.” 

 

“Fair enough,” Izuku admitted. “Yesterday got me thinking.”

 

“The bug?” 

 

He nodded, looking down. “I bet you noticed I was acting weird in that week before I revealed my secret to you, didn’t you?” 

 

“Yeah, I did,” she said softly. “At the time, I thought something had happened in your personal life, but now…”

 

“It fell to the back of my mind because of, well, you,” he continued. “You asked me out, and then everything else just… it’s been so wonderful that I almost forgot about it. But ever since yesterday, it’s been on my mind constantly. I’ve been wondering: is it worth it?”

 

“Is what worth it?” Ochako asked. 

 

“The mask,” Izuku clarified.

 

Ochako furrowed her brow. “You’re having doubts about your secret identity? After all this time? Is it because of me?”

 

He squeezed his arm around her gently. “Yes, but not in the way that you think. Do you remember the day that Muscular escaped?”

 

She tensed up a little, the memories of her near death flowing over her unexpectedly. “I do.”

 

“I almost wasn’t fast enough,” he continued. “I almost wasn’t there in time to save you. You went straight there, like a real hero, while I had to run back to Serendipity and change into my costume. I almost let my best friend die because of my secret identity.” 

 

“That’s the risk we take every day,” Ochako said after a moment. “I should have been more careful. I should have known the villain could still have been around and waited to move that family. I could have defended myself if I wasn’t carrying them.” 

 

Izuku pulled her even closer to himself. “I know, but you didn’t have to be in that situation. I could have been there for you, like you’ve been there for me. If I was a normal hero, I could have just gone straight there. I put myself in front of the people I’m supposed to save.” 

 

Ochako reached her arm around his back and held him close. “Izuku, you can’t put all of this weight on yourself like that. It’s unhealthy. You can’t get hung up on every ‘what if’ or you’ll go crazy. Maybe we were lucky, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter is how we learn from it how we move forward.” 

 

Izuku smiled. “You sound just like Toshi. You know, I was sitting right here on this couch, talking to him about all this when I decided to let you more into my life. He told me that I had two options: tell you, or break off our friendship.”

 

Ochako smiled as she leaned on his shoulder. “I’m glad you made the right choice.” 

 

“So am I,” he agreed. “But now I’m trying to make the right choice again. If I didn’t have the mask, I could have gone straight there and prevented who knows how much destruction. In the past, it wasn’t a problem, because I was always either on patrol or at home.”

 

“And now you’re out with me sometimes,” Ochako finished. “Would it be better if you went back to-”

 

“Toshi and my parents would kill me if I did that,” he interrupted. “No, I have no intention of doing that.”

 

Ochako would have been lying if she said her heart didn’t swell to hear that. Even so… “That reporter probably bugged my office hoping to hear your secrets.”

 

“I thought the same thing,” Izuku said with a sigh. 

 

Ochako took a deep breath. “Izuku, look, my first priority is being a hero, and I know your’s is as well. I know you well enough to say that with absolute confidence. You’re worried that your desire to keep your secret is going to hurt me. I get it. But look, I’m not some damsel who needs to be saved, and I know you know that. I am more than willing to deal with some nosy reporters and whatever other ‘burdens’ come with knowing your secret. I’m not here for Nimbus, I’m here for Izuku, and I’ll do what I need to do to keep my friend safe.” 

 

Izuku looked down as a small tear began to gather in one of his eyes. “Right. We’re partners, yeah?”

 

“Of course,” she said softly. “So don’t worry about me. If you keep the mask, or ditch the mask, I’ll support you. It would be nice to be able to show you off in public, but I know you have good reasons.” She stuck her tongue out a little, which made him smile softly. 

 

“I’m doubting some of my reasons,” he admitted. “Remember what Bakugou said to me? He has a family, you have a family, all heroes have a family. Why am I special and get to keep mine a secret? Does it make me a coward?”

 

“It makes you smart,” she answered. “If I could have kept my parents secret, I would have.”

 

There was a short silence before he began again. “Toshi telling that story reminded me of something. The true test of a hero is always being ready to risk your life. The way I see it, maybe that extends past just my physical life. Sure, I keep my parents safe and happy, but if Muscular killed one person that I could have prevented, is it worth it? Is that person’s life worth the chance my parents would be attacked? Maybe if I didn’t have the mask, they would still be fine. I probably couldn’t help out at Serendipity, but I can’t assume that they would have been attacked. I’m gambling people’s lives on a chance here.” 

 

“There’s no easy answer to this,” Ochako responded gently. “If you reveal your identity now, the media storm will definitely shine a spotlight on your parents. If you keep it a secret, you run the risk of having another incident like Muscular.”

 

“And maybe somehow I get exposed anyway,” Izuku added. 

Ochako smiled as she reached up and wiped his tear away. “We’re falling into those ‘what ifs’ again. We can’t know anything for certain, we can just do our best every day. I don’t think we’re going to figure this out sitting here tonight, though.”

 

“You’re right,” he agreed. “I’ll figure it out. Or maybe… we’ll figure it out?” 

 

Ochako smiled wider. “In the end, it’s your decision, but like I said, I’ll be with you every step of the way. I’ll even hold your hand if you want.” 

 

Izuku smiled to match hers and reached under the blanket to grab her hand. “I’d like that.”

 

They sat there in a comfortable silence, listening to the crackle of the fire and the faint noises of a television show coming from downstairs. 

 

“Oh, I know something that might cheer you up,” Ochako said suddenly. “Every once in a while, my old teacher at UA invites some of us back to help teach some students. I’m sure he’d be willing to let you come if you’d like!”

 

Izuku looked down at her with a proud smile. “You know, Toshi taught me so much, it would be a shame if I didn’t pass on that knowledge, as well as everything else I’ve learned. Sure, if he’s willing, I’ll be happy to come.”

 

“Great!” Ochako bubbled. “The students will be so excited!”

 

They returned to their silent cuddling, but then something caught Ochako’s eye. She looked out the window and saw some small white flakes falling from the sky. Izuku followed her vision and smiled. “The first snow of the season.” 

 

“And we’ve already got a fire,” she added.

 

Izuku and her looked out the window for a few minutes, their arms holding each other under the blanket as they simply enjoyed each other's company. However, after a few more minutes, Ochako could tell something was on Izuku’s mind again, but before she could ask, he spoke.

 

“Ochako,” he began nervously, “can… can I kiss you?”

 

Her heart leaped in her chest and began to beat faster. “I didn’t ask you when I first kissed you,” she reminded him. 

 

“Well, sure, but…”

 

Ochako giggled, reaching a hand up to his cheek. “Yes you can. And for future reference, you don’t have to ask.”

 

Izuku smiled nervously as he slowly leaned his head down and closed his eyes. Ochako closed her own as she leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

 

Warmth and joy flowed through her body as they kissed, feeling his soft lips on her own. They broke apart quickly, each of their eyes opening and staring into the other’s with a combination of nervousness and affection. It was clumsy, quick, and chaste, but it was their first kiss, and Ochako wouldn’t have it any other way. 

 

Neither could get rid of the goofy smile on their face as they leaned back into each other and snuggled closer. There was surely a lot of uncertainty in their future, but what was certain, was that right here, right now, she was happy. 

Notes:

See you all next time.

Chapter 15: Parallels

Summary:

Izuku scares some kids.

“Just before we go in there,” Ochako said as she put a hand to Izuku’s chest, stopping him in front of the UA gates. “There is a chance Bakugou will be here.”

 

Izuku sighed, shaking his helmeted head. He was grateful she was always looking out for him. “I figured as much. I’ve already mentally prepared myself. I just hope he doesn’t make a big deal about it.”

 

Ochako nodded and let them continue walking. “He doesn’t show up often , but he does show up. And it would be just our luck if today was one of those days.”

 

“Wouldn’t want things to be boring, would we?” Izuku asked rhetorically, almost theatrically, earning a chuckle from his partner. 

 

The UA gate opened up as it recognized Ochako’s hero badge, hissing open to reveal two people standing there, waiting for them. One was the perpetually-tired looking Eraserhead, while the other was the enigmatic principal of the school, Nezu.

 

This was perfect; Izuku had been looking to get at the slippery pro. He just had to wait for the right opportunity.

 

“Oh! Hello, sirs,” Ochako said, bowing slightly. “I wasn’t expecting a welcome like this!”

 

Nezu chuckled. “Well, it’s not every day that you bring someone like Nimbus to our doors.”

 

Izuku bowed, putting on his well-practiced accent. “It is a pleasure to formally meet both of you.” 

 

Nezu smiled while Eraserhead just looked at him with a lack of any sort of expression. “We are honored you chose to come to our school,” Nezu continued. “I hope that your stay is enjoyable and educational.”

 

“Yes,” Eraserhead chimed in finally. “You’re here to teach my students, which means you will listen to me and do as I say. Is that understood?”

 

Izuku nodded immediately. “Absolutely! I am grateful that you accepted my request and will do everything I can to act respectfully.” 

 

“Good,” Eraserhead noted. “You’ll follow me and I’ll tell you the plan. I hope you’re ready to do something… a little outside of the norm.” 

 

“I aim to bring my experience and knowledge to your students as best I can!” Izuku declared boldly. “It is my duty to help the heroes of tomorrow reach their peak!” 

 

Eraserhead huffed. “You remind me of All Might.” 

 

“Thank you!” Izuku responded genuinely, eliciting another grunt out of Eraserhead and a chuckle out of both Nezu and Ochako. He liked making her laugh, it sounded divine.

 

“Do you have any special requests or needs?” Nezu asked Izuku. “We’d like your stay to be as pleasant as possible.”

 

Bingo. Time to strike.

 

“Just one, actually,” Izuku said firmly.

 

“If it is within my power to grant,” Nezu responded.

 

Izuku whipped out a notebook and a pen, holding them out to Eraserhead. “Can I have your autograph?” 

 

Ochako couldn’t contain her laughter, even as Eraserhead glared daggers at her. 

 

---

 

Ochako had a wide grin on her face as she watched Izuku gush over his new autographs. After he finished laughing, Nezu was more than happy to sign his book as well, which put the nerd over the moon. How was he so adorable? Was he trying? Either way, he followed Aizawa off in another direction to prepare for his ‘part’ as Ochako headed for the normal waiting room to kill time before the class began.

 

She arrived and found herself alone; she was the first person to arrive. With nothing more to do, Ochako sat down on one of the couches and began to browse through the news on her phone. She saw another frustrating article supposing the relationship between her and Izuku; sure, they were right, but they didn’t know that! After that, there was another one of the countless articles discussing Nimbus’ secret identity, another discussing whether or not he properly took up All Might’s mantle… nothing too interesting.

 

She heard the door opening behind her and turned around to see a pair of friendly faces. “Mina! Eijirou!,” she exclaimed as she stood up.

 

“Hey, girl!” Mina called back as the two walked over to Ochako. The women shared a quick, tight hug before they continued.

 

“Always good to see you here,” Eijirou noted as he gave Ochako a hug as well. 

 

Ochako smiled up at her friends, but then it faded a little. “Hey, do you know if Bakugou is gonna be here?” 

 

“No clue,” Eijirou said with a shrug. “His answer was as noncommittal as always. Why?” 

 

“Well,” Ochako began, looking away a little, “Nimbus is here today.” 

 

Her friends’ eyes went wide. “Oh,” Eijirou muttered. 

 

“You brought your boyfriend?” Mina teased.

 

Ochako rolled her eyes. “Mina, you’ve met my boyfriend. He serves coffee.” She left out the other parts.

 

“It’s good coffee,” Mina noted. “Those tabloid articles are still really entertaining.” 

 

Ochako groaned. “More like annoying.” She turned back to Eijirou. “Anyway, I was hoping to avoid any sort of incident, especially in front of the students.” 

 

Eijirou shrugged. “I really don’t know if he’s coming, sorry.”

 

“Those two really don’t like each other, huh?” Mina said with a sad sigh. 

 

“I think it's more Bakugou than Nimbus,” Ochako said, folding her arms. Maybe she was a little defensive of her boyfriend. Sue her. “Bakugou has always had a problem with anyone stronger than him.” 

 

“True,” he admitted, “but the mask bugs him, too. You know Bakugou has always been kinda a purist in a lot of ways. He goes to bed early, doesn’t pay attention to anything that isn’t worth his time, and does his job. He’s so focused, he’s insular.” 

 

“Good word,” Mina noted quickly.

 

Eijirou looked at her and smiled softly before turning back to Ochako. “He thinks Nimbus is a showman who focuses too much on the wrong things. It’s hard on him to be repeatedly bested by someone he looks down on, you know?”

 

“Nimbus does more charity work and rescue work than Bakugou does,” Ochako countered. “Not only is he the strongest, he’s also the kindest and the most well-liked.” 

 

“Who has solved more cases?” Eijirou asked simply.

 

Ochako blinked. 

 

“Ground Zero,” Eijirou answered for her. “Bakugou keeps his nose to the grindstone always. If he’s not sleeping or training, he’s on patrol. Every moment of his life is dedicated to being the best.”

 

“Yeah, that sounds like him,” Ochako admitted with a sigh. “You know, I ran into Bakugou the other day when I was patrolling with Nimbus. He almost flew off the handle, but before he reined himself back in, he said he wanted him to take off the helmet.”

 

Eijirou nodded a few times. “Yep. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s super manly to protect your friends and families like that, but I also think it’s super manly how Bakugou goes about things. They’re both amazing, I really wish they wouldn't fight.” 

 

Mina put a comforting hand on Eijirou’s shoulder. “There’s not necessarily a right answer, yeah? They both do things they way they think is best. It’s not hard to see all the parallels between All Might and Nimbus. The way I see it though, is that Bakugou focuses on defeating villains, while Nimbus focuses on saving people. That’s why while Nimbus is signing autographs and taking pictures, Ground Zero is still on patrol. They’re both amazing heroes, but they get there through different paths.”

 

“You sounded a bit like Yaoyorozu there,” Eijirou noted. 

 

“She’s rubbing off on me,” Mina responded with a shrug and a smirk.

 

“Took long enough,” Ochako jabbed teasingly. 

 

Mina was about to retort when the door opened up at Aizawa appeared behind them. Even after all these years, they all shut up instantly and gave him their full attention. 

 

“Thanks for coming out,” he said in his traditional flat tone. “I appreciate you lending a hand.” 

 

“Not a problem, sir,” Ochako said dutifully. “We’re happy to help out.”

 

Aizawa nodded. “Alright, follow me, you know the drill. You’ll just be observing for a while; our special guest will be giving a… demonstration . I’ll explain on the way.”

 

Ochako, Eijirou, and Mina all looked at each other, their expressions somewhere between curiosity and excitement. This was sure to be good.

 

---

 

Ochako and her friends walked with Aizawa out to the field, each of them with a huge grin on their faces. It was nice to be on the other end of one of Aizawa’s famous ‘logical ruses’. 

 

As they walked, Ochako noted that the man himself looked even more tired than when she was in his class, but she attributed it to him being several years older. There may have even been a white hair in that black mop, but she couldn’t tell for sure in the bright early Winter sunlight. 

 

The snow from the previous week had all melted away, but even the sun couldn’t melt away the crisp chill in the air. Luckily, once they got moving, they would warm up very quickly. 

 

Aizawa led them around a corner where they saw the 20 students of the new 1-A standing. They had already been through almost two semesters with Aizawa, and weren’t the wild band of teenagers that they were back in Spring, although they still had a lot of forging ahead of them before their teacher would be satisfied.

 

Standing next to the group was the Hero Foundational Studies teacher and their good friend, Mirio Togata, also known as the Pro Hero Lemillion. After going on an extended hiatus and then getting rewound by Eri, he had been a little disoriented, but once he had graduated properly, he offered to take the job at UA. It was his way of thanking the school for helping him, letting him stay near to Eri as Aizawa raised her, and passing on the teachings of his late mentor, Nighteye.

 

Ochako always liked how his bright exuberance contrasted with Aizawa’s dark severity.

 

Togata quickly rushed over to the group as they approached. “Good morning, sir!” he said to Aizawa before turning to Ochako and her friends. “And it is good to see all of you, too.”

 

“Always a pleasure,” Eijirou said with a grin. “Did Aizawa already tell you what’s going on?”

 

Togata nodded enthusiastically. “I’m super excited to see this go down! Hopefully the kids don’t really think-”

 

“I want them to,” Aizawa interrupted. “If they don’t take it seriously, they won’t learn. I just hope Nimbus is a good actor.” 

 

Mina looked over at Ochako who just shrugged. Technically , Izuku was acting constantly as Nimbus, so maybe?

 

Aizawa stepped forward toward his class, which quickly came to attention. It was both a little scary and nostalgic to see it from the other side. 

 

“Alright, today’s class is going to be a little different. We’re going to have a special guest,” he droned, his passive annoyance filling his voice.

 

“Uh, yeah? We can see the heroes behind you,” an orange-haired boy snarked. In many ways, he reminded Ochako of Kaminari and Sero.

 

A glare from Aizawa caused him to shrink down, causing Ochako and Mina to giggle. 

 

“This is even more out of the ordinary,” Aizawa continued with a bite in his voice. “I protested, but Nezu insisted.”

 

Ochako kept her smirk to herself. This whole thing had been Aizawa’s idea; he wasn’t a bad actor himself. 

 

Aizawa let the silence hold for a moment, letting trepidation creep into his students. “UA is participating in a villain parole program. One of these lucky criminals will be assisting us in class today.” 

 

A great ‘WHAT?!’ arose from the students as Ochako and the others desperately fought to keep a straight face. 

 

“Come on out here,” Aizawa droned. Ochako was sure that he was grinning beneath his scarf.

 

Behind them, trudging out from behind a building came a man in green pants and a black, skin-tight shirt. His hands were bound in heavy metal handcuffs that went from his wrists to his elbows. He wore spiked shoulder pads and had a heavy, also spiked, gas mask on his head, but Ochako could recognize her boyfriend anywhere.

 

The students stared in awe as the imposing man walked toward them, moving slowly past Ochako and the other pros.

 

“Are you wearing two helmets?” Ochako whispered discreetly.

 

“Maybe,” he whispered back.

 

Ochako and Mina both suppressed laughter as he walked past them and stood next to Aizawa. However, as soon as he did, something changed. The air about Izuku shifted and Ochako could feel a real aura of menace flowing off of him. It was surreal, and a little scary… and intriguing.

 

One of the girls in the class spoke up. “You can’t be serious. A real villain?!”

 

Aizawa barely acknowledged her with a glance before he continued. “You all will be sparring against him for the first part of training today. We want to see how you’ll perform against a real villain.”

 

“W-what?” another student stammered. “Like, one at a time?” 

 

Their teacher shook his head. “All at once. All twenty of you against him. I warned you that things were going to pick up.”

 

“This seems excessive.”

 

“Oh, and to make sure you all try your hardest,” Aizawa said, pausing for dramatic effect, “if you don’t take him down, you will all be expelled.”

 

Another great ‘WHAT?!’ erupted as Mina, Eijirou, and Ochako exchanged knowing looks.

 

“You can’t do that!” a student protested.

 

“Do you really think so?” Aizawa countered. Behind him, Mina hammed up a solemn expression.

 

Their silence told Aizawa everything.

 

“Think about real heroes,” Aizawa continued. “We don’t get the luxury of our failures only resulting in poor grades. If heroes fail, people get hurt. People die. You don’t have the luxury of failure. You will succeed or you will find a different career.”

 

The students were stunned for a few moments, but Ochako could already see the determination growing on their faces. 

 

Good kids.

 

“Now, we’ll get started,” Aizawa said, pulling out a key and reaching over to Izuku. However, before he could unlock the handcuffs, Izuku flexed and tore them apart, causing the kids to yelp in surprise. 

 

Izuku slowly reached up and tore the remnants of the heavy steel cuffs off his arms one at a time, all the while his face never left the students before him. He threw them aside and took a step forward, followed by another. Each time he moved his feet, the students mimicked it in the other direction. The pure menace that he exuded was almost overwhelming.

 

“When they told me I was going to be able to beat the hell out of a bunch of kids as my ‘parole’, I thought they were joking,” he spat, his voice being modified by his helmet to sound surreal and horrifying. “Is this really the hero class of tomorrow? Is this really what UA is sending against me? Pathetic.”

 

Ochako looked on with interest. If this was her class, she was sure Tenya or Momo would already be organizing some sort of plan, or at least making sure people stood their ground. If this class didn’t have a leader yet, this might help someone turn into a leader. 

 

Izuku crouched down a little as power began to radiate off of him, growing with every passing second. It wasn’t something that you heard or saw; power like this was something you felt in your very soul. It was something primal and deep, something that told you to run as fast as you could away. Being a hero meant feeling that sensation and not only standing your ground, but moving toward it.

 

Ochako’s eyes drifted over the skin-tight shirt, which was hugging tighter and tighter with each moment. Izuku’s arms bulged, his back bulged, every muscle of his body was swelling with power in a massive flex; even his formerly loose pants were becoming tight as his body grew with his seemingly limitless strength. 

 

She realized she was biting her lip and quickly recovered her composure. 

 

“Nothing? You all stand there like stunned farm animals while your enemy threatens you? Fine. I will make the first move.” 

 

Before the students knew what was happening, Izuku vanished. Even with Ochako’s trained eye, she couldn’t follow him as he seemed to reappear behind the mass of students. A rush of wind erupted behind him, followed by a sonic boom, causing some of the students to be knocked off their feet without him even touching them. Before they could turn around, he lifted his right foot up and brought it down to the ground.

 

Ochako noticed—perhaps she was the only person who noticed, because she spent so much time with him—that he let most of his power snap away before he stomped his foot. If Izuku had actually used that much of his quirk… well, things wouldn’t be pretty. 

 

It made her heart beat a little faster, seeing how much fine control her boyfriend had over the massive power at his command.

 

The concrete sundered under his blow and a huge shockwave echoed out, knocking the remaining students to the ground. His stomp drove the earth down and away, creating a makeshift arena with rubble walls. Ochako and the others stepped up to the edge, looking down at the round pit that he had terraformed with a single motion.

 

“Letting your opponent move first is foolish. You must always act decisively or you will fail.”

 

Ochako smiled softly. Even when he was playing the terrifying villain, he was giving the students advice. 

 

“Now get up! ” he ordered. “I don’t want it to be over too quickly; that would be boring. At least give me some challenge before I crush you.” 

 

The students scrambled to their feet and stared up at the spiked monstrosity before them. 

 

“He’s gonna kill us!” one of them squeaked.

 

Izuku laughed derisively. “Don’t worry about that. I want to get out of prison, not go back for life. Killing is a no-go, but they were a little more vague on the subject of broken bones. I hear that doctor you got is really something , might as well give her something to do.”

 

The aura around him began to build again as the students continued to gawk. “Man, if heroes were more like you, I would never have gotten caught! Come on, if you’re gonna be expelled, at least get expelled tired. That way, you can say you tried. Unless you’re so pathetic that you’d rather just give up.”

 

At that moment, Ochako was glad that Izuku wasn’t really a villain.

 

A silence hung over the students for a few seconds before a few of them finally broke out of their stupor. Ochako could hardly blame them, the amount of power Izuku was putting off was mind-bending, even for her and the other pros. The fact that the students hadn’t tried to run yet was a testament to their bravery. 

 

“Ito,” one of the boys said, “what’s the story?” 

 

The black-haired student shook his head. “H-he’s just standing there. He really is waiting for us.”

 

Ochako knew that Ito was a kid with a quirk he called Future Sight, which allowed him to predict likely courses of action for people he was looking at. It wasn’t much on its own, at least not yet, but it had a lot of potential.

 

“Alright,” the first boy continued. “Then we’ll give him what he wants. I don’t know about you all, but I don’t want to be expelled.”

 

Izuku just stood there, watching. Ochako bet he had a small smile under his mask.

 

“This dude is unstoppable,” another student whined. 

 

“What kind of hero talk is that?!” a girl shouted. “Listen to what Aizawa said! We have to do this! It’s this or giving up on everything we’ve worked for!”

 

Ochako smiled as she saw the students gathering their resolve. 

 

“Then let’s hit him with everything!” another girl declared. “Nothing held back!” 

 

“Good! Make me work for it!”

 

Now Ochako knew he was grinning under his helmet. 

 

The twenty students lowered themselves into combat stances and all at once, they began to move. Of course, they didn’t stand a chance if Izuku was actually trying, but it was still a sight to see.

 

Several of the enhancement-type quirk users began to charge at him; one was glowing with sunlight, another had steam rising off of them as their quirk began to heat up, while another began to shapeshift into a lion, and more. They jumped on Izuku at the same time, but he was too quick for them.

 

With a step to the side, two flew past him, while he caught the fist of another and threw him backward into a student. One of the students used her quirk to create several small constructs out of the concrete rubble around and sent them on the offensive, some attacking in melee and others hurling rocks.

 

In a flash, Izuku rushed over and picked one up, hurling it into the others and disintegrating them into a fine powder. Not missing a beat, another student stepped up and inhaled the powder, along with several other chunks of concrete that vaporized into her mouth. She then exhaled, forming the concrete into a heavy plate over Izuku’s head, letting it drop on top of him.

 

He was, of course, too fast, and dashed out of the way as the concrete slab slammed into the ground. Only a few seconds had passed, but it felt like longer. These kids had spirit.

 

“Sasaki,” one student called out, “he’s too fast! You gotta slow him down!”

 

The student with the skull-like face nodded, and turned his gaze upon Izuku. The sockets of his face lit up with glowing fire as he glared at the ‘villain’. “Feel the weight of your sins!” he declared dramatically.

 

Sasaki’s quirk allowed him to attach literal weight to the ‘sins’ of his foes, slowing them down based on the wrongdoings of their past. Ochako couldn’t help but smirk.

 

“Tokoyami would like him,” Mina noted.

 

Eijirou nodded. “I still think his hero name should be Ghost Rider.”

 

“Copyright issues,” Aizawa said flatly.

 

“Ah, yeah, sure.”

 

There was a pause down below as Sasaki’s ‘eyes’ blinked. “Uh, guys? He like, doesn’t have any sin.” 

 

“What do you mean?!” said another student as he hurled a rock at the ground, his quirk letting it ricochet around and fly at Izuku from behind. “He’s a huge villain, rig-”

 

He was cut off as Izuku caught the rock hurtling toward him and threw it back at the student, catching him in the gut and sending him crashing to the ground. 

 

“Hey, big guy! Come at me!” a girl with spiked hair challenged. She planted her feet and flexed, her skin and body turning into hardened, diamond-like crystals.

 

Eijirou pounded his fists together. “That’s right, Hara! Show him what’s what! Be that wall!”

 

Ochako and Mina shared a fond smile. Eijirou had taken a shine to Hara, especially after he found out that she not only shared a similar quirk to him, but she looked up to him as one of her role models. He had cried for at least ten minutes when he saw her hair styled like his own.

 

Izuku took two intimidating steps toward the student, but she didn’t falter. He swung his fist around at her as she crossed her arms and a huge rush of wind erupted from the point of contact, blowing dust and rubble around in a huge storm. 

 

As the debris settled, the observers looked down to see that the girl had been shoved back several feet, but she was still standing. Ochako knew that Izuku had barely tapped her; she had doubts that even Eijirou could stand a punch from Nimbus if he was being serious. Nevertheless, it was more than enough to show these students he meant business.

 

“Yeah, that’s my girl!” Eijirou cheered.

 

“Good,” he said firmly. He paused as several crystals fell to the ground off her arms, crushed to powder by his blow. “Oh, sorry.” 

 

“Did you just say sorry?!” she asked incredulously.

 

“Uh-” Izuku took a step forward and grabbed her by the wrist, hurling her away and into a group of other students, sending them all crashing to the ground.

 

Aizawa slapped his forehead with his palm as Mina and Ochako chuckled.

 

The fight continued for several more minutes, but the situation barely changed. The only hits they landed on Izuku were glancing blows that Ochako could tell he let them get, so as not to totally crush their spirits. To the students, he appeared as this hulking, unstoppable monstrosity that was hell-bent on taking away everything they cared about. Their attacks either missed or seemed to bounce off him harmlessly. His speed was unparalleled, and they had no hope of dodging his attacks. 

 

They had no chance.

 

But this is what Aizawa wanted. He wanted them to come up against an impossible situation and not give up. He wanted them to understand a bit of what Plus Ultra really meant. And judging by the looks on the kids’ faces, they were getting ready to really give an example of that.

 

Which is probably why Aizawa stopped them.

 

“Alright, that’s enough,” he barked.

 

The students all froze, including the one that Izuku was lifting up by the shirt. They stared up at their teacher in various stages of confusion, anger, and despair.

 

“But… but….”

 

“Does that mean…?”

 

Aizawa smirked a little. “It was-”

 

“Oh, oh!” Mina chirped. “Can I? Can I say it?”

 

Aizawa looked at her for a second before he sighed and exuded what amounted to a small chuckle. “Alright, fine, Ashido.”

 

“Yay!” She stepped past him to the edge of the depressed arena and pointed down at the students, striking an over-dramatic pose. “It was all… a logical ruse!”

 

“Oh no, not again,” a student groaned.

 

Mina beamed widely. “That’s right! Nobody is getting expelled!”

 

Hara dusted herself off, blood dripping down her arms from where Izuku had crushed her crystals. “You just wanted us to give it our best, yeah?!”

 

Eijirou put a fist to his heart. He was so proud of Mini-Kiri.

 

Mina shifted her pose and pointed down at Izuku. “Mister Villain, take off that mask!”

 

The students all turned to the imposing man in the middle of them as he put the student down and reached up to unhook his helmet. They all stared as he lifted it off his head to reveal… another helmet. This one was a little more recognizable, though. 

 

Izuku tossed the helmet to the side as the students’ brains lagged. “Hello, everyone!” he said in his fake accent.

 

“HOLY SHIT, REDACTED?!” 

 

With that, all the tension in the air snapped away. In a moment, all twenty students were crowding around him, jostling and bouncing him around as they tried to get as close as possible. Many were clamoring for his autograph, while others were just trying to touch him, as if to make sure he was real.

 

“I can’t believe it!” several students yelled.

 

“No wonder my quirk didn’t work,” Sasaki said in awe. “Redacted is the coolest!” 

 

“I got punched by Redacted!” a student declared excitedly, lifting up his costume to reveal the large bruise on his stomach. “No way I’m gonna let Recovery Girl heal this away! This is like… a personalized autograph!”

 

“Please don’t do that,” Izuku said weakly.

 

Hara jumped up and down excitedly, holding her bloody arms high. “I took a hit from Redacted! Did you see me, Mr. Red Riot? Did you?!”

 

Eijirou laughed proudly. “I sure did! You did great!”

 

Ochako watched happily as the students fussed over Izuku and he eventually began to give out autographs. However, a thought slowly creeped into the back of her mind; the mental child of Izuku’s doubts and Eijirou’s explanation of Bakugou. 

 

Ground Zero was almost undoubtedly out there right now patrolling and keeping people safe, but Nimbus was right here, helping a group of heroes train for the future. Sure, the joy on their face was amazing—it was the reason Ochako became a hero, after all—but there was that voice in the back of her head that Izuku had planted there. 

 

Was he shirking his responsibility by being here instead of out there? If one person got hurt or worse that he could have prevented, is that his fault? Does the same go for Ochako and Mina and Eijirou? 

 

No, of course not. They couldn’t have that kind of destructive complex. They were heroes, but they were only human. They couldn’t be out there all the time, they had to have time to relax, to have fun, to rest, eat, be merry. They had to make time to teach the next generation and keep themselves healthy, mentally, physically, spiritually. 

 

But did that mean that they had an even greater responsibility while they were out on patrol? Was Izuku right about his mask being an irresponsible limitation on his ability to be a hero? 

 

Ochako didn’t know the answer to that one. Did Nimbus’s position as the greatest hero mean that he was more obligated to patrol more like Bakugou? What did Izuku think? He obviously didn’t see eye to eye with Ground Zero, but the responsibility weighed heavy on his shoulders just the same. 

 

Maybe one day, the two could talk. Hero to hero, man to man. Maybe that would be the only way to really figure these things out.

 

Questions for another time, then.

 

Ochako jumped down into the pit as Aizawa finally corralled his students away from Izuku. They had a long day of teaching and training ahead of them, but judging how Izuku was already giving Ito advice on how to best use his quirk, Izuku wouldn’t have any trouble with that. He was such a hero nerd, and such a good hero himself, that this seemed to come natural to him.

 

There were many uncertain things in both of their lives right now, but Ochako was certain of at least one. No matter what, she wanted to face the future at Izuku’s side, and she knew that he felt the same way.

Notes:

See you all next time!

Chapter 16: Domestic

Summary:

A cuddly double-date.

Notes:

With all the shit going on in the world right now, I needed some fluff. Hopefully it helps you, too.

Izuku smiled widely as Ochako opened the door and let him into her apartment. It had been a week since they helped the UA students train, and they were looking forward to their day off after a hard week of heroics. He stepped inside and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as she shut the door behind him and walked toward the kitchenette. 

 

This was the first time he had ever been in her apartment and he took a moment to look around. Past the entranceway was a modest living room with a kitchenette attached; further in the apartment he saw a few more doors, which he assumed led to her bedroom, a bathroom, and a small laundry room. The spacewas decorated modestly with warm colors that made him feel right at home and made him slowly grow a smile.

 

“Sorry, it’s a little small,” she said sheepishly.

 

He waved his hand as he looked over at her. “I’d call it cozy. It’s down-to-earth and comfortable, just like you. It suits you perfectly.” 

 

Ochako blushed a little as she smiled. “Do you want to help me cook? Mina and Eijirou won’t be here for another hour.” 

 

“Sure,” he agreed, “I know a thing or two.” 

 

As she giggled and turned around to open the fridge to pull out some ingredients, Izuku couldn’t help but take a moment to admire her. Her toned, muscular arms showed off the hard work she had put in for the better part of a decade, and he knew the rest of her body was just as firm. Not that she wasn’t soft in all the right places too; this was far from the first time his eyes had drifted downward, and cuddling with her was one of his favorite things. For some reason, the apron she was wearing and had tied around her waist made her seem even more attractive than normal, especially with how it seemed to emphasize her hips. When she bent down with her back facing him to grab something in the bottom of the fridge, Izuku had to make a conscious effort to stop staring. 

 

His face heated up a little as he turned away and began to wash his hands. He felt a little guilty for staring, but he knew that she did the same thing to him sometimes. It felt good when she looked at him like that, so maybe she enjoyed him looking at her like that, too. 

 

Ochako bumped the fridge door closed with her hip as she placed the food on the counter next to him. He looked down at it, then back up at her face. “Is that?”

 

She grinned proudly. “Your mom said you liked katsudon. I thought it would be a good idea for the first thing we make together.” 

 

Izuku tensed up for a moment as his mind twitched at the implication of permanence, but he quickly recovered. It was way too soon to think about anything like that; Ochako clearly just meant as a couple. He looked down at her with a wide smile, disregarding the thought that her cheeks might be blushing just a little more than they normally were. “Like it? It’s my favorite!”

 

“Great!” Ochako beamed widely, almost to the point where Izuku had to squint at her because she was just too bright. 

 

They set to work cooking with smiles on their faces. Relaxing music played softly through a speaker while they chatted peacefully and the smell of pork and rice began to permeate the apartment, making it feel even more comfortable. 

 

Izuku tried not to blush too hard as Ochako fed a small piece of pork to him for him to taste test. She wasn’t the best cook ever, but when her competition was Inko, it almost wasn’t fair. That’s not to say she was bad by any means, but there was just a high bar. From how good it tasted, she was well on her way.

 

As they stood there, cooking and enjoying each other’s peaceful company, Izuku couldn’t help that a single word crossed his mind.

 

Domestic.

 

Would this be what living with Ochako would be like? Before he could think any further down that path, he shook his head and refocused on the task at hand. It wasn’t time to have those thoughts.

 

“Where did the time go?” Ochako said suddenly as they were finishing up nearly an hour later. “They’ll be here any minute!”

 

“Is there a problem?” Izuku asked.

 

She took off her apron as she moved over to the living room. “No, I just need to make sure things are set before they get here. You can finish up, right?”

 

“Sure,” he answered, “no problem.” He watched her touch a few seats and float them up with her quirk before carefully moving them to her bedroom. For some reason, she had removed all but two comfortable recliners from the room. Izuku’s eyebrow raised as she came back out with a mischievous grin on her face. 

 

“And now one last touch…” she muttered as she moved over to the thermostat and turned it down by a few degrees. 

 

He glanced at the gentle snowfall outside the windows then back at her. “What’s all this?” 

 

“Payback,” Ochako answered confidently as she came back to the kitchenette and gave him a hug. “Mina was always teasing me back at UA, so now it’s my turn. I just need you to follow my lead, alright?” 

 

“I’m basically a professional liar,” he noted. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

 

“Funny profession for someone so bad at lying,” she retorted as she stuck her tongue out. 

 

He smiled sheepishly as he turned back to put the final touches on the katsudon. It was only a few minutes later when there was an excited knock at the door, which Ochako answered and revealed Mina and Eijirou both smiling widely. 

 

“Hey!” Ochako exclaimed warmly as she reached out and hugged them both. “Glad you could make it.”

 

“Of course,” Mina replied. She glanced over at Izuku and waved before turning back to Ochako. “It’s his day off and you still have him cooking?” 

 

Ochako put on an adorable pout. “We were cooking together. ”

 

“Oh, so domestic !” Mina teased, poking Ochako’s nose gently.

 

Izuku blushed a little as that word crossed his mind again. 

 

Ochako held her ground and didn’t give Mina a response. “The food’s almost ready, then we can watch the movie.” 

 

Eijirou and Mina took their coats off and walked over to the kitchenette as Izuku doled out portions of the food. 

 

“Wow, this smells amazing!” Eijirou said with a huge grin. He took a bite and clutched at his chest; if Izuku didn’t know better, it almost looked like he was on the verge of tears. 

 

He thought back to that time he had ‘met’ Red Riot; maybe he really was about to cry.

 

Mina squealed happily as she took her first bite, and Ochako hummed contentedly. She leaned over and bumped Izuku with her shoulder, smiling as much as she could without opening her mouth. 

 

As they all stood around the counter while they ate, chatting and smiling, Izuku felt a profound warmth. Four friends enjoying a nice meal on a cold afternoon was something Izuku had never experienced before; at least not in Japan. 

 

Growing up, after the age of four, the only person he could really call his friend was his mother. Once he met Toshinori and moved to America, he had some friends over there he spent time with, but he never connected with them like he had Ochako. He was so entirely focused on training and his future, it was almost an obsession, but that didn’t mean he didn’t spend time with them. Some of his favorite memories of America was the time he spent with them. 

 

He smiled secretly to himself. Fortunately for him, none of his old classmates spilled his secret to the media. It was a sacred code that none of them dared to break; there was a reason they all went to that secretive academy. 

 

To Izuku, this felt different. This wasn’t him with his family, or him with his classmates, this was him back home in Japan with his friends. Entirely as an adult. This was… his future, at least hopefully. That made him feel good. That made him feel… more complete.

 

As lunch finished, Mina noticed the change in the living room and grew suspicious. “Ochako, what happened to your other chairs?” 

 

Ochako sighed. “I spilled a bunch of stuff on them while I was cleaning and they’re all soaked. Sorry!” 

 

“Oh man, that sucks,” Eijirou said as he took another bite.

 

“Yeah, for sure,” Mina said slowly as she glanced at Eijirou, then back to Ochako. “And, pardon me if I’m being rude, but is your apartment a little… colder than normal?” 

 

Ochako was really hamming up the sad expression on her face. “Yeah, it’s been running cold for a few days. I’ve told maintenance, but they haven’t had time to come fix it, I guess. It’s okay, I have blankets! Well, some of them were on the chairs when they got wet, so I only have two.” 

 

“Wow, that’s super unlucky!” Eijirou exclaimed as he put his bowl down, his brow furrowed in concern.

 

Mina shot the man a look of disbelief before she turned her glare back on Ochako. It was clear to Izuku that she knew exactly what Ochako was doing, but her narrowed eyes told him she wasn’t backing down. Ochako gave Mina a smug look back because she knew she was trapped. 

 

“Go ahead and take a seat, Izuku,” Ochako continued as she began to clean up the meal. “You too, E.” 

 

“Are you sure?” the redhead asked as Izuku walked out of the kitchenette. “I can sit on the floor and you or Mina can have the chair.” 

 

“Please, I insist,” Ochako insisted. 

 

Eijirou shrugged and sat down in the comfy easy chair a few feet away from the one Izuku had sat on. They were large and cozy; perfect for staying inside on a chilly day. Ochako grabbed the two blankets she had set out and tossed one to each man. 

 

“We’re gonna have to make do and share,” Ochako instructed as she stood next to Izuku. “Get comfy and I’ll get the movie ready.” 

 

She gave Izuku a small smirk as she climbed over the chair and sat down on his lap before spreading the blanket out over them. Ochako nestled into his chest as she shot a small, smug glance at Mina and Eijirou, the latter of which was suddenly, finally aware of the position he had been put in. 

 

His cheeks began doing an impression of his hair as Mina climbed into the chair and spread the blanket over them, pressing her back into his chest. 

 

“Comfortable?” Ochako asked.

 

Neither of them responded; Izuku wasn’t sure if they had even heard her.

 

“Great!” She grabbed the remote from the end table and turned on the movie before settling back against Izuku. 

 

Truth be told, he wasn’t really paying attention to the movie. He was more focused on the woman nuzzled against him. As he reached around her and hugged her gently under the warm blanket, that word crossed his mind again. 

 

He felt his cheeks get warm, but the warmth in his heart was far greater. He tilted his face down into the soft, brown hair under his chin and gave Ochako a small kiss on the top of her head, which made her giggle softly. 

 

Her laughter always sounded angelic to his ears.

 

As the movie continued, Izuku and Ochako kept glancing over at Mina and Eijirou, who were considerably stiffer than they were. He couldn’t help but smile at the mischievous grin Ochako tried to hide on her face, but he also saw that beneath it was that kindness he adored so much. This ‘prank’ may have been a way to get back at Mina for doing stuff like this to Ochako back when they were in school, but maybe it was also Ochako’s way of trying to help her. 

 

Not too many more thoughts went through his head before he felt his eyes growing heavy. Between the supreme comfort of the chair and Ochako’s closeness, he stood no chance of staying awake. The last thing he felt before he drifted off to sleep was her intertwining her fingers with his own.

 

The obnoxiously loud preview for another movie roused Izuku from his slumber almost two hours later. He blinked up and saw the credits scrolling past in a small box as the advertisement for some new hero movie played behind it. The preview showed a mysterious, masked hero prominently, which he knew was playing off Nimbus’ popularity.

 

As he shifted around, Ochako woke up as well. She yawned cutely and looked up at him with a soft smile that made it impossible to resist leaning down and giving her a small kiss. 

 

Ochako’s eyes filled with affection as they pulled apart, which made his heart beat faster. Before he could lose himself in further thought, she looked over at the other chair and cooed softly. Izuku followed her gaze and saw that, much like them, Mina and Eijirou had both fallen asleep, although they hadn’t woken up yet. 

 

“They look comfortable,” Izuku whispered.

 

Ochako nodded. “They look happy.” 

 

She climbed off his lap, taking the blanket with her and causing him to miss her warmth in more ways than one. When she turned the TV off, the other two finally began to stir awake.

 

Mina’s eyes blinked a few times before they went wide as she realized what had happened. She quickly climbed off of Eijirou and shot Ochako a firm look. “Can we talk for a moment?” 

 

Ochako nodded and led her toward the bedroom, leaving Izuku and Eijirou alone. They both climbed out of their chairs and stretched themselves out a bit before heading back to the kitchenette to grab something to drink. Eijirou took a seat at the counter while Izuku began to heat up some water for tea.

 

“Good movie?” Izuku asked awkwardly after a few minutes of silence.

 

Eijirou shrugged. “You watched about as much of it as I did.” 

 

“Yeah, sometimes you need a quiet day.” 

 

“It can be rough sometimes,” Eijirou noted. “Being a hero is great, but it’s stressful sometimes. All the time. You know, I sometimes envy you. You don’t have to deal with all the crap heroes do. Not that I look down on you or-!”

 

Izuku held up his hand to calm the panicking man. “No, no, I get it.”

 

Eijirou sighed and smiled softly as Izuku began to pour the water into two cups Izuku wished he could tell him that he did understand; perhaps he understood better than anyone else. Maybe one day he could say something, but not now. He couldn’t risk it.

 

What was he risking, though?

 

Before he could get too deep into his thoughts, Eijirou spoke again. 

 

“Hey, man, do you mind if I talk to Bakugou about you?” 

 

Izuku’s brain came to a halt as his vision snapped to the redhead. “What do you mean?” 

 

“I mean like, about reconciliation or something,” Eijirou began as he rubbed his head. “You’re both my friends, but knowing how much bad blood there is between you all really stresses me out. I know he did awful stuff to you; he told me as much when I confronted him. But… I dunno.” 

 

Izuku was silent for a few moments. “I think I know what you mean.”

 

“Yeah.” 

 

“This is really eating you up,” Izuku noted. “It’s good to see that he has some real friends.” 

 

Eijirou smiled sadly. “I know he has problems, but at his core, he’s not a bad person. He’s like a brother to me, and I want to see him better than he is.” 

 

“If he was a bad person, he wouldn’t be a hero,” Izuku said as he passed Eijirou his tea. “He wouldn’t push himself like he does. I understand that. He’s different now than he used to be. But I don’t know if I want to be friends with him again.”

 

Eijirou looked up at him solemnly. “Even if you both don’t become friends, the chance to talk is more than I could hope for. To tell you the truth, that conversation when you ‘reunited’ has been eating him up in some ways. He’s been different since then. I can’t quite describe it, but I think you really shook him up in some ways. I know I’m asking you for a huge favor and that you don’t owe him anything, but…”

 

Izuku looked Eijirou dead in the eyes for a few seconds as he thought. “If he wants to come talk to me, I’ll hear him, as long as he’s respectful. The kid who used to chase after him never came back from America.” 

 

“That’s more than I could have hoped for,” Eijirou said with a relieved sigh. 

 

They fell back into silence as they drank their tea. Several minutes passed where the only sound in the apartment was the faint hum of the heater and the muffled voices coming from Ochako’s bedroom. Izuku looked over at the door before posing a question to Eijirou.

 

“What do you think about her?” Izuku asked.

 

“Who? Mina?” Eijirou responded.

 

Izuku nodded as he took a sip from his cup.

 

“She’s… amazing,” he said almost immediately. “I’ve thought that about her for almost a decade now, honestly. She was my inspiration for getting into UA and why I wear my hair in those horns. It all comes back to her.”

 

“But you haven’t ever asked her out?” Izuku knew he wasn’t one to talk, but he’d grown as a person.

 

“I couldn’t bring myself to ever do it,” Eijirou admitted. 

 

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “You’re always talking about living with no regrets. About making sure you live fully.” 

 

Eijirou looked at him. “You watch my interviews.” 

 

“Of course I do,” Izuku responded with a small smile. “I watched them even before we met.” 

 

“Bro…”

 

Izuku laughed. “You didn’t answer my question, though.” 

 

“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “There’s just something about her. Something that’s always caused me to hesitate. I can’t pull the trigger.” 

 

Izuku put his cup down. “What is that something? Think about it a bit.”

 

Eijirou stared into his tea and was silent for a few moments before he looked up at Izuku and sighed. “She’s too good for me.” 

 

“Ah,” Izuku said succinctly as he nodded. “I know the feeling.” 

 

“Really?” 

 

He laughed. “Of course. She’s a pro hero and one of the best to boot. I serve coffee.” 

 

Izuku left out the part about being a pro himself, of course, but that didn’t change his point. It was still hard to convince himself that he deserved Ochako.

 

“Ah, don’t be so hard on yourself!” Eijirou exclaimed, fire igniting in his eyes. “You don’t have to be a hero or famous or anything to be a great guy! Ochako has always had a good eye for people, and if she’s set her sights on you, then she did it for good reason! I can’t tell you how many people tried to ask her out at UA. She turned each and every one of them down. Then within what, two months of you two meeting, she’s dating you? You might not understand, but I know what that means.” 

 

Izuku blinked in shock. “Um, wow. Thanks, man. I… thanks.” 

 

Eijirou beamed. “I mean it, too!”

 

Izuku smiled back warmly. “Maybe Mina is similar.”

 

“How so?”

 

“You said Ochako stayed single until she met someone she really liked, right?” Izuku began. “What if the reason Mina is single is that she’s already found someone and she’s just waiting for them?” 

 

His shoulders slumped. “Yeah, a woman like her has to have someone.”

 

Izuku blinked. “I mean you, man.” 

 

“What, me?!” Eijirou seemed shocked. “Really?”

 

At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Mina came walking out with a determined look on her face. Standing behind her was a smug-looking Ochako, who shot Izuku a small wink.

 

Eijirou opened his mouth to say something before Mina grabbed his cheeks and kissed him on the lips. His eyes went wide as he realized exactly what was happening, but his body was otherwise frozen. Mina pulled away and Izuku saw the furious blue blush on her pink cheeks.

 

“Yeah, really,” Izuku said with a smile, answering Eijirou’s question.

 

Mina stared the man down. “We’re dating now, alright?” 

 

The man nodded dumbly. 

 

Mina nodded once. “Good. Now, we gotta get going for our evening patrol or we’re gonna be late. Come on.”

 

Eijirou blinked a few times before he stood up and looked down at Mina. There was a moment of silence before a grin grew across his face and he reached down to pick her up in a big hug. It was clear he didn’t know the words to articulate what he was feeling, but the tears rolling down his face communicated it well enough. 

 

Mina returned the hug as her feet left the ground. “Stop crying or you’re gonna make me cry!” 

 

“You know I can’t!” he responded as he hugged her tighter. 

 

Ochako and Izuku exchanged a happy smile. 

 

It took another minute or two for the tears to stop before Eijirou and Mina could put their coats on and hurry out the door. Mina gave Ochako one last hug and a whispered “thank you” before they waved goodbye and left. 

 

The apartment suddenly felt cozier with their friends gone. With just the two of them, it felt more… yeah.

 

Domestic.

 

Izuku walked over to Ochako and reached out a hand for her to take. She looked up at him before placing her hand in his, but as she did so, black tendrils grew from his fingertips and wrapped around her, lifting her up into the air. He pulled her into a bridal carry as he smiled down at her.

 

“What, you haven’t had enough of me?” she asked playfully. 

 

“Never,” he responded with a surge of confidence as he carried her back over to the recliner and sat down. With another flick of his wrist, Black Whip grabbed the blanket and pulled it over the two of them as he reclined the chair and they settled back in together. This time, Ochako was laying on her side, resting her temple against his shoulder as his arm supported her back.

 

“You’re a comfy pillow,” she said with a happy sigh. “Even if you all are muscley.” 

 

“We still need to work out today,” he mentioned.

 

“Mmm. Later,” she mumbled. “Right now, Nimbus himself couldn’t pull me out of this chair.”

 

He chuckled softly, trying not to shake her too much as he laughed. They laid there in comfortable silence for a few moments before something began buzzing in his brain. It was one of those intrusive thoughts that he knew wasn’t going to go away, so he said something.

 

“Do you wish that you could tell people who I am?”

 

She didn’t say anything for a second or two. “I don’t want to influence your decision.”

 

“I want you to influence it,” he responded softly. 

 

She pulled her head up slowly and looked at him very seriously. “Sometimes, yeah. I do. At least a few people, like Mina and Eijirou. I want them to know how proud I am of you. I want everyone to know how amazing you are.” 

 

He couldn’t help but smile widely, even as his cheeks turned red with embarrassment. “Come on…”

 

She put a finger on his lips. Her pad was soft. “Shh. None of that. You’re amazing and I won’t hear anything else.”

 

He gave her finger pad a small kiss. The more time they spent together, the more touchy he felt, and the bolder he became. It felt natural. “Only if you admit that you’re amazing, too.”

 

“Mmm.” She paused for effect. “Alright, deal.” 

 

Izuku snuggled her a little closer as she nuzzled into his neck, tickling his skin with her soft hair. She had gotten more cuddly, too. It was honestly like a dream come true.

 

As they sat there together, breathing slowly and enjoying each other’s presence, the word entered his mind again, but this time, he realized that it had been wearing a mask. He hesitated, then took off the helmet, revealing the truth underneath. What that word really meant.

 

His heart began to beat faster and faster. Ochako’s ear was up against his chest and she noticed almost immediately. 

 

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she lifted her head again.

 

“I just realized something,” he answered. 

 

“Uh huh?” 

 

He took a moment to look at her face. He took in her big, round, chestnut eyes, her soft hair, her cute nose, that permanent blush that framed her face in a way that made her both incredibly cute, yet supremely beautiful. He couldn’t think of anything better. 

 

“I’ve… thought about this moment,” he admitted. “But in my mind, it was always somewhere more… cliche. A fancy restaurant. A sunset at a beach. A romantic garden.”

 

She propped herself up a little more on his chest as confusion grew across her face. “What moment?” 

 

He could feel her heart beating faster, too.

 

“The moment when I finally realized…” He trailed off as he looked down at her. He knew his entire face was burning brightly with blush. “I know we’ve only been dating for about a month, and it’s still relatively early in our relationship, but…

 

“Ochako, I think I love you.”

 

She gasped and her eyes went wide for a moment before she lunged forward and kissed him deeply. Her lips pressed into his with passion he hadn’t ever experienced before. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around her back as she grabbed the sides of his head, her pinkies extended so she didn’t float him away. He could feel her strong arms and back working to eliminate all the space she could between them as their lips locked in a deep kiss.

 

For that moment, there was no Nimbus, no One For All, no villains, no government, no media, almost no quirks at all. There was only her and him.

 

Finally, she pulled back, perhaps out of a need for air more than anything else. She panted a little as she stared deeply into his eyes and a smile beamed wide across her face. A small tear fell from her eye as she brushed a few strands of hair away from his face.

 

“Izuku,” she began slowly, “I think I love you, too.” 

 

He could hear the emotion in her voice. The… love … in her voice. 

 

She slowly lowered herself back down so she was snuggled up against him again. Even though it was the same as before, it felt so much closer than it had. 

 

Izuku reached his arm up and gently stroked her hair, eliciting a small mewl from her. “Let’s keep going until we know for sure, alright? Until we can drop the ‘think’.” 

 

Ochako shuffled herself a little higher on his chest, until her face was nestled in the crook of his neck. “Deal. But in the meantime, let’s just keep lying here for a while longer.”

 

“Deal.” 

Notes:

See you all next time :)

Chapter 17: Expanding Horizons

Summary:

Welcome to the circle of trust.

“This is definitely one of the weirdest parts about being a hero,” Ochako muttered under her breath as she cuddled against Izuku underneath a blanket. They had a laptop between them and were scrolling through one of the darkest places on the internet: forums. 

Specifically, hero forums. More specifically, threads about Uravity and Nimbus.

 

“We can stop if you want to,” Izuku replied. 

 

Ochako shook her head. “I’m too morbidly curious. This is equal parts fascinatin' and horrifyin'.”

 

They scrolled past yet another argument between Uravity fans and haters. Izuku adjusted his arm and brought her a little closer to him as he scanned the page. “This is insane.”

 

She happily accepted the contact, but whined a little as she read the screen. “It’s so weird having these people fight over me. They don’t even know me! I don’t know them! Look at that one! ‘Everyone knows Uravity is just followin' Redacted around because she knows she’s not good enough to get popular without him’.”

 

“Bullshit,” Izuku immediately spat. 

 

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before continuing. “Then this one, ‘Uravity doesn’t need that green loser, she’s a queen’.”

 

“True,” he noted, before gasping as she lightly elbowed him in the side.

 

“None of that,” she scolded.

 

“I’m just joking!” he replied with a laugh. 

 

He scrolled a little further down before she gasped. “Wait, stop! What did that one say?!”

 

Izuku cringed physically before he repeated it out loud. “‘There is no way Uravity’s tits are that big. She definitely stuffs her bra a ton. Like seriously, how obvious can you get?’”

 

“No, no, the reply.”

 

He read it over and looked a little sick. “It’s just a link for a video titled… oh God... ‘Uravity’s Boobs are Real! Analysis and Proof!’ I feel ashamed that I spent time on this website when I was younger. I definitely don’t remember it being this gross.”

 

Ochako was almost more curious than she was creeped out. “What kind of ‘proof’ could they even have? I wear a pretty tight sports bra in costume. How could they tell?”

 

“I’m not clicking on it,” Izuku refused flatly.

 

She giggled lightly. “I’m not that curious. Go on, keep scrollin'.”

 

The very next post was a picture taken of Izuku jumping over a crowd with the lower half of his body clearly set as the focus of the picture.

 

“Redacted Butt Watch: Day 582,” Ochako repeated with a surprised laugh. “Who knew you had such dedicated booty fans?”

 

Izuku groaned. “I try not to think about it.”

 

“Well, too bad for them,” Ochako huffed smugly. “That butt is mine.”

 

“Ochako!” Izuku sputtered. 

 

She laughed again and nuzzled into his chest a little. “Oh come on, you gotta have fun with this!”

 

Izuku sighed and smiled at her before they both turned back to the screen. “‘Okay, but look at those things. I want Nimbus to crush my head with his thighs’.”

 

“Same,” Ochako muttered.

 

Izuku looked over at her so fast that she thought his head might fly off. “Ochako!”

 

“Did I say that out loud?” she asked with mock-innocence.

 

His face turned red as he stared at her.

 

“Come on, I’m allowed to be attracted to my boyfriend, ” she teased. “Aren’t you attracted to me, too?”

 

“Of course!” he sputtered quickly. “I just, I mean, I don’t-”

 

“It’s okay, Izuku,” she laughed, putting a hand on his chest. “I understand. I’ve seen you staring at me when you think I don’t notice.” 

 

“Oh.”

 

“You’re such a dork,” she teased as she stuck her tongue out at him before leaned up against his side again. “Come on, keep scrollin'.”

 

The next thing that caught their eyes was the bold letters declaring ‘UraDacted Megathread’. 

 

“Making up ship names for real people is weird,” Izuku muttered as he clicked. 

 

“Almost as weird as scrollin' through websites looking at posts about ourselves,” Ochako added. “It feels a little vain.”

 

“We can sto-”

 

“No.”

 

The thread was filled with pictures taken of them out on patrol together from nearly every angle imaginable. There was a particularly popular one of them that made her butt look fantastic if she said so herself, which Izuku seemed to notice as well. 

 

“Damn, gotta save that one,” he said softly as she felt her face grow flush. She saw him click on the picture and save it to his computer as she gasped.

 

“Izuku!” she exclaimed, mirroring him earlier.

 

“You’re the one who encouraged me,” he hummed as he grinned down at her.

 

The blanket suddenly felt a lot warmer than it had a few moments ago. She nestled further into his shoulder so he couldn’t see her blush as she prompted him to continue.

 

The next post was a whole thread titled ‘UraDacted isn’t just a theory! FINALLY REAL PROOF!!!!’. Izuku and Ochako exchanged a nervous glance before they took the bait and clicked. 

 

Their hearts were racing for a few moments before they realized that it was simply the ramblings of a conspiracy theorist. None of the so-called ‘proof’ was anything beyond tangential connections between two completely unrelated dots. 

 

They both breathed an audible sigh of relief and began to laugh as the poster used the fact that they both wore gloves as evidence of their relationship. 

 

“Oh, man, I was really worried for a moment,” Ochako sighed.

 

“They’re right,” Izuku noted, “but for all the wrong reasons.”

 

Ochako smiled. “Still, it scared us. Maybe we should be more careful…”

 

However, for every popular thing, there were always people against it, for one reason or another. Nasty replies were present in almost every thread, calling the supposed relationship ‘gross’ or ‘creepy’. Some of them were simply opposing the concept of ‘shipping’ real people, which Ochako appreciated, but others were much crueler. 

 

‘That bitch Uravity better not be dating Nimbus or I’m gonna kick her ass! No way she’s good enough for him!’ she read. Another reply said ‘Redacted better keep his hands off of Uravity if he knows what’s good for him. That arrogant scumbag doesn’t deserve to be in the same city as her!’

 

There were dozens of replies in similar veins, many even nastier than those. Izuku doomscrolled for a few more minutes before both of them shuddered, looked at each other, and hugged silently. 

 

“Let’s just… move on,” he muttered as he kissed the top of her head.

 

“Yeah, good idea.”

 

After that, they found post after post of, well, fanart of the pair, doing things from fighting villains together to holding hands and even kissing. It seemed common practice to leave Izuku’s helmet on for most of the pictures, or to draw his head as a black scribble. As they scrolled down, they saw a collection of cosplay, much to their surprise. 

 

“Oh hey, this is actually really accurate,” Ochako said as she looked closely at a man dressed up as Nimbus who was hugging a woman dressed as Uravity. “Any closer and Melissa might sue.”

 

“There’s a whole industry for hero cosplay,” Izuku explained. “You should see the amazing costumes at conventions. You can barely tell the difference!”

 

“Of course you went to cons,” Ochako giggled. “Did you cosplay as anyone?”

 

“No?” he tried weakly.

 

“Was it All Might?”

 

“...Yes.”

 

She giggled harder as he blushed and scrolled further down the page to try and distract her. The next biggest thread was a large collection of adorable comics of her and him doing everything imaginable. They laughed at some of the punchlines, and cooed happily at some of the sappier ones. Neither of them made eye contact after they saw a short comic where they were in a hospital room. Izuku was wearing normal clothes, but was still wearing his helmet, while Ochako was laying in the hospital bed, holding their… newborn child. The joke was that the baby was wearing a miniature version of Nimbus’s helmet, but Ochako was distracted by other thoughts.

 

Was it getting hot in here again?

 

Beyond those were some darker and more angsty ones about him breaking up with her, which made her heart hurt, and some with him or her cheating on the other, which both of them grumbled at, but the last one in the list was a short story about him turning out to be a villain and betraying her.

 

Ochako couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh man, that’s too good!”

 

“What?” he huffed indignantly. “You don’t think I could be a villain?”

 

“Alright, give me your best try,” she challenged.

 

He puffed his chest out and tried to drop his voice as low as it would go. “You’ve interfered with my plans for the last time, foolish hero! Now I will defeat you once and for all-”

 

Both Izuku and Ochako bursted out into raucous laughter before he could finish. He fell back onto his bed, taking Ochako with him. They laid there rolling with laughter for several seconds before they finally began to calm down.

 

Izuku stared up at the ceiling as he rubbed Ochako’s back gently, causing her to sigh with happiness as she laid her head on his chest and cuddled up to his side. 

 

After a few moments of silence, he spoke. “We’re going to make a bunch of people really happy and really angry when they find out.”

 

“When?” she repeated. “Not if?”

 

He was quiet for a couple seconds again. “Yeah. I think so.” 

 

“Only if you want to,” she said softly.

 

“I think I really do. Eventually. Gradually maybe. I’ve been thinking about what you said last week at our little movie night.”

 

She gasped. “Are you goin' to tell Eijirou and Mina?”

 

He reached down with one hand and easily pulled her closer, showing off just how much strength he had, even without his quirk. Izuku stared into her eyes for a few moments before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

 

They broke apart after just a moment, but she felt the warmth spread through her body. 

 

“I think so, yeah.” 

 

“When?” she asked.

 

“Tomorrow?”

 

“Ooooh, I need to be there. I need to see Mina’s face!” she exclaimed.

 

He laughed as he rubbed her back, his hand drifting downward boldly. “I wouldn’t dare do it without you.”

 

---

 

“Are you really gonna make us do this?” Mina asked pointedly as she and Eijirou stared down the villain. He was the last of his little group of thieves; the pair had been able to round up the other four criminals with little effort. However, this last guy actually had a decent enhancement quirk, so they had to maybe try a bit.

 

“I’d sooner die than give up!” he declared back defiantly as he ripped up a chunk of concrete and hurled it at her and Eijirou.

 

Mina quickly whipped her arm up at it as a large jet of acid hit the boulder and melted it in half, causing a piece to land harmlessly on each side of her and her boyfriend. 

 

“Come on, man!” Eijirou shouted. “You don’t have a chance. Come peacefully and make it easier on all of us.”

 

“Never!” the villain screamed to the skies. “Surrender is the coward’s way! I’ll never-”

 

A look of pure fear grew across the man’s face, causing Mina to cock an eyebrow.

 

“Actually, on second thought,” he laughed nervously as he raised his hands up, “surrender sounds like a great idea.”

 

Mina realized his eyes weren’t looking at her, but beyond her, so she turned around and-

 

“Oh!” she exclaimed, jumping a foot in the air. “Re-Nimbus!” 

 

Floating a good six or seven feet off the ground behind Eijirou and her was Nimbus, his helmeted head looking down on them. “We’re not interrupting, are we?”

 

A moment later, Ochako landed gently next to him and smiled. “We saw you working and wondered if you needed some help. Doesn’t look like you do.”

 

Eijirou beamed back at her. “No, we’ve got it, but it’s always good to see you!”

 

As Eijirou moved forward to arrest the surrendering villain, she turned back and gave Ochako an appraising look. “You just saw us, huh? You two don’t normally patrol out here.”

 

“So suspicious!” Ochako chirped playfully. 

 

“The last time you had that tone, you set me up with E,” Mina pointed out.

 

“You’re welcome?” Ochako replied with a raised eyebrow.

 

Mina squinted at her as she walked away and helped Eijirou finish arresting and turning over all the villains to the police. After they were done with their heroic duties, they walked back over to Nimbus and Ochako. 

 

“Hi!” Eijirou exclaimed as he grinned at Nimbus in his too-bright-to-look-at way. “Just in the neighborhood?”

 

“Not exactly,” the American said. “I was hoping to speak with you two.” 

 

Mina’s heart began to pound. What could Nimbus want with them? She knew he was good friends with Ochako, maybe she had talked them up? “About what?”

 

He shook his head. “Not here. This is a top secret matter.”

 

Eijirou and Mina looked at each other with a mix of concern and excitement, then at Ochako, who was strangely stone-faced. 

 

“Hey, we appreciate it,” Eijirou began, “but aren’t there better people for the job? We’re not even close to the top 10.” 

 

“I’ve already made my decision,” Nimbus replied firmly. “Unless you choose to decline.”

 

“If you want our help, then you’ve got it,” Eijirou said confidently.

 

“I thought you’d say that,” the mysterious hero laughed. “Come on, I have a secret location we can meet, but first…” 

 

He seemed to stand silently for a moment before turning to look at Mina. “Pinky, can you turn your phone off? It’s broadcasting your location.” 

 

“What? Oh, sure.” She reached into her belt and quickly turned her phone off. Her sense of direction wasn’t the best and she often used the GPS, so she just left the location on by default. It made sense that Nimbus was careful about that kind of thing, but it was a little impressive that he had the technology to notice it.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked. Mina and Eijirou looked at each other, then back at him and nodded. As soon as they did, black tendrils of energy shot out from his hand and wrapped them up together securely as he wrapped Ochako up with his other arm and pulled her close. It was Mina’s instinct to tease her, but with how close she was pressed into Eijirou, her mind was on other things. 

 

There was a beat as energy began to charge up around them, which Mina sensed more than felt, before everything turned into a blur. Entire districts blazed past them in an instant before they arrived in a dingy alleyway in Who-Knows-Where, Tokyo. Nimbus let go of the other three and walked forward to a dirty brick wall, which parted in front of him like they were in a movie.

 

He beckoned them to come in quickly, which snapped Eijirou out of his stunned trance. They all followed him into a dimly lit room furnished only with a metal table, a folding chair, and a cot as the wall closed behind them. A row of lights illuminated the small space, which was far cleaner than Mina expected. 

 

“Well, this is all very… secret agent-y,” Mina commented as she looked around. 

 

Eijirou was almost vibrating with excitement. “I feel like the Prime Minister is going to come out of the shadows and tell me that we’re the only hope to save the world from aliens or something!” 

 

Ochako giggled. “Nothing quite that intense.”

 

“Okay, well, pardon my impatience,” Mina huffed, “but why’d you drag us out here? Literally! Not that we’re not grateful!”

 

Nimbus chuckled. “Right to it, then. I’d like to invite you both to my circle of trust.”

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

“T-trust?” Eijirou repeated. “What… what do you mean, exactly?”

 

“Bluntly, I’d like you two to know who I am. My secret identity.”

 

Mina pointed an accusing finger at Ochako. “You DO know! You always told me you didn’t!”

 

“Of course I didn’t tell you!” Ochako retorted. “I couldn't betray his trust like that!” 

 

“Please do not hold it against her,” Nimbus requested nervously.

 

“Oh no, I’m not mad! I’m proud of her!” Mina clarified. “I’m just giving her crap because if I didn’t, I would die.”

 

Ochako sighed and shook her head. “I can’t argue that.”

 

“Okay, but why us?” Eijirou asked. “I mean, we’ve only met a few times! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take your secret to the grave with me, but why pick us?” 

 

“E, what happened to your motto?” Mina asked.

 

“He’s the number one hero!” Eijirou exclaimed, gesturing at Nimbus. “I’ve got no regrets, I just don’t believe it!”

 

Nimbus held up his hand to calm them. “Well, Uravity trusts you, and she speaks highly of you beyond that. I had to start somewhere, and this seems like the best path forward.”

 

“Had to start somewhere?” Mina repeated.

 

“Are you going to tell everyone?” Eijirou asked.

 

Nimbus was quiet for a few seconds. “Eventually, I think yes. My identity has caused me problems and I don’t know if I should keep it up. In theory, you two will help me make that decision. I trust that I have your oath of secrecy.” 

 

“If you’re sure…” Mina muttered. Was she really the best person to help with this decision? She was famous among her friends for her inability to make good decisions.

 

“We’ll support you however we can,” Eijirou declared. “We won’t tell a soul.”

 

Nimbus reached up to his helmet and Mina’s heart, which was already racing, began to pound almost audibly in her chest. Was this really happening? Was she about to find out who Nimbus really was? Would she even know? Would he just be some random American that she didn’t recognize? 

 

A hiss and click echoed through the small room as the helmet unlocked.

 

Was she ready for this responsibility? Could she handle knowing this secret that few did? She woke up this morning obsessing over the new chapter of the serial she loved, how did she wind up here?

 

With single, firm motion, the helmet came off and-

 

A beat.

 

All Might’s beaming face looked down at her. Her brain shorted out and stopped processing for a moment, but in that moment, Ochako began to sputter and laugh. All Might’s face twitched and vanished like what she could only describe as a hologram, revealing the true face underneath.

 

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist!”

 

“IZUKU?!”

 

It couldn’t be, but it was. Standing across the table from them was their green haired friend.

 

“I am really glad that this room is soundproof,” he said with a chuckle and a total lack of accent.

 

“But you- he- it was-” Eijirou was just as stunned as Mina.

 

Mina’s wide eyes shifted to Ochako, who had the biggest, smuggest grin she had ever seen. “How long have you been waiting for this?!”

 

Ochako laughed hard before responding. “A while, but that look on your face was worth it!”

 

“I don’t understand,” Eijirou finally said. “Izuku… you’re Nimbus?”

 

He looked down at the helmet in his hands. “Certainly seems to be the case.” 

 

“Oh my God, I thought you were quirkless, I…” Eijirou’s face went pale. “I always spoke to you like you had no idea what it was like to be a hero.”

 

“Nimbus served me coffee this morning,” Mina groaned as she clapped her hands over her face. “I feel so mortified.” 

 

“Was the coffee good?” Izuku asked.

 

“Hey, I offered to take him on as a sidekick,” Ochako chuckled. “I’d say that’s worse.”

 

It took a few minutes for Mina and Eijirou to get their heads back on straight, and even then, she was sure that her mind would be spinning for hours. Eijirou had been hugging Izuku for at least a minute by the time Mina finally had the sense to tell her boyfriend to give him some space. 

 

“When did you know?” she asked Ochako. 

 

Ochako sighed fondly. “The day after we started dating.”

 

“Wait, so you didn’t know when you asked him out?” Mina gasped. “Oh, and the guilt must have eaten you up!” 

 

“It did,” Izuku confirmed. “I could barely sleep that night.”

 

Ochako leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. “Did you know that he hit on me as Nimbus first?”

 

“ REALLY?! ” Mina exclaimed. “Did you… Oh my God, you did! You turned down Nimbus for Izuku, didn’t you?!”

 

Ochako laughed awkwardly. “Uh, yeah. I told him that I was already seeing someone, then I went and asked Izuku out. Looking back, it was kinda funny.”

 

Mina cupped her cheek and sighed. “Oh, girl…” 

 

“What?” Ochako huffed.

 

Mina grew her toothy grin. “You really do love him.”

 

Ochako and Izuku both blushed, but he reached down and grabbed her hand and they smiled at each other.

 

“Aw…” Eijirou said softly. “Hey, patrols are like dates for you guys, aren’t they? Now I get why you patrol together so much!”

 

“She makes me a better hero,” Izuku muttered.

 

Ochako smiled warmly up at him. “Same to you, big guy.”

 

Mina clapped her hands together. “Aren’t you two just the second cutest hero couple!”

 

Ochako cocked her hip and gave Mina a sassy look. “Behind you two, I take it?”

 

“Of course!” Mina chirped as she reached over and put a hand around Eijirou. 

 

“Double dates aside,” Ochako began, “that isn’t technically the reason Izuku told you all his identity.”

 

Izuku nodded. “Like I said, I’d like you two to help me. I’m at a crossroads… I’m not sure if I want to keep my identity secret any longer.”

 

“Why not?” Eijirou asked. “It’s been this way for years; why change now?”

 

“A couple reasons,” he began. “First of all… I wasn't happy. I was lonely. Then Ochako walked into my life and everything changed. She introduced me to you two and your other friends and I was the happiest I’d ever been. I couldn’t let that go.”

 

“Aw…” Mina cooed.

 

Eijirou sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. “Bro…”

 

“Secondly, it's interfering with my ability to be a hero,” he continued. “It wasn’t a problem when I was… alone, but now that I have friends and a social life, it’s a risk being away from my hero suit. I can’t just spring into action like you all can. Think of all the times you’ve been out to dinner or doing other things and you’ve had to be a hero? I couldn’t do that.”

 

“Are you thinking about going public?” Eijirou asked.

 

Izuku looked at Ochako, then back at Eijirou and Mina. “I’m… considering it. There’s a lot to think about. Here, let me share some of my thoughts and I’ll buy you all dinner afterwards.”

 

---

 

The next day started like many others, but Ochako was smiling extra wide as he handed over her morning coffee, on account of who was behind her in line. Mina and Eijirou were both stiffer than normal as they tried to reconcile him standing behind the counter in his apron like he always did with what they had learned the previous day. 

 

“Here you go, brewed fresh,” he said with a grin.

 

“T-thanks,” Mina muttered, clearly diminished compared to her normally peppy energy.

 

He wished for them not to treat him any differently, but he knew it would take a bit for them to get used to it. Regardless, he wished them a good day like he always did when they showed up. The rest of the morning went by smoothly; the breakfast rush came and went, he served Mr. Tobita his special tea, and overall, nothing unusual happened.

 

However, things took a sudden turn in the midmorning.

 

Izuku was cleaning the counter when he heard the door open. Years of reflex painted a kind smile on his face immediately as he turned up to greet the newcomer, but it took only a moment for that smile to fall back off.

 

Izuku’s green eyes met the red. He stood up tall and looked down at him.

 

“Bakugou.”

 

The blonde averted his eyes for a moment before locking back onto him. “De-”

 

He stopped and took a moment.

 

“Midoriya. Can we talk?”

 

Izuku considered him for a moment.

 

He put the rag down and nodded. “Let me just tell my parents I’m stepping out. Then sure. 

 

“We can talk.”

Chapter 18: Confessions

Summary:

Izuku gets some things off his chest.

Izuku’s mind was racing as he walked behind Bakugou. He wasn’t worried or panicking; that was just how his mind worked most of the time. Over the years, he had managed to contain most of his verbal rambles, but that didn’t stop his brain from going full tilt. 

 

Why did Bakugou want to talk? Why now, after all this time had he come back? Had he found out about Nimbus? How could he have? There was no way anybody who knew had told him. Had the government told him accidentally? Maybe, with Christmas right around the corner, he was in some sort of charitable mood and had bought him a gift!

 

Yeah, probably not.

 

Izuku kept thinking, and as he often did, he got lost in that thought and didn’t really notice too much of what was going on around himself. Before he knew it, his feet were crunching sand beneath them, which broke him out of his thoughts.

 

He looked up and around to see an empty beach, devoid of people on a chilly December morning.

 

“You still get caught in your head, huh?” Bakugou asked gruffly. He wasn’t looking at Izuku, but rather out at the gray winter waters. 

 

“Yeah,” Izuku replied simply.

 

Bakugou shook his head. “Some things never change.” 

 

Izuku brought himself to his full height and looked down at the back of Bakugou’s head. “Why did you bring me out here?”

 

He was silent for a moment. “Privacy, I guess.”

 

“Sure, but why?” Izuku kept his tone level and cool.

 

He was silent for longer. The gentle noise of waves brushing up the sand punctuated the otherwise empty moments. “I wanted to talk.”

 

Izuku appraised him, still looking at the back of his head. “You said as much.”

 

“I… shit, I’m not any good at this,” he began with a mutter. “I wanted to apologize.”

 

Izuku was genuinely surprised. “Really?” 

 

Bakugou turned around, glaring up slightly into his eyes. “Yeah. Look, I could make a bunch of fucking excuses for what I did to you growing up. Reasons why I did things, what I was thinking, what I felt, but that’s crap. That isn’t me. I don’t make bullshit excuses.”

 

Izuku stared down at him flabbergasted. He hadn’t expected Bakugou to ever apologize.

 

“So here it is,” he grunted. “I fucked up and I’m sorry.”

 

Izuku almost laughed, but he heard what he figured was sincerity. “Why now? After all this time, why now?”

 

Bakugou huffed and looked away. “You don’t believe me. That’s fair. I probably wouldn't believe me either.”

 

“It’s just not something I ever expected,” he admitted. 

 

“Yeah. I know.” Bakugou stared at the sand like it would give him answers. “Look, Kirishima has been on my ass about this for months, ever since I came to that damn restaurant.”

 

Izuku cocked an eyebrow. “So, you only did this because-”

 

“ No ,” he snapped. “I didn’t. He’s been bugging me because he knew I wanted to do this. I’ve felt like shit since you talked to me, because a lot of what you said was fucking true. God, it was like I was a kid again. As I grew up, I changed. I’m not the same shithead I used to be. But you were gone and I had to learn to live with that. When you came back, I didn’t know what to think, so I defaulted to old me. I fucked up again.”

 

Izuku sighed. “I think you’re telling the truth. I accept that you feel regret for what you did. Kids are stupid. I get that. You can tell Eijirou that you did it. Apology delivered and received.”

 

“Hmph. Thanks,” he muttered sarcastically. 

 

There was a long silence again, punctuated by the wind and waves. Bakugou turned back around, but in a way that put him next to Izuku instead of in front. “Didn’t see it going this way, but that’s my own fault. You’re not the same person you used to be, either, Midoriya.”

 

“I told you,” Izuku reminded him, “Deku went to America and never returned.”

 

There was a definite stiffness to Izuku. The kid who chased after Bakugou was many years dead; he didn’t need or want Bakugou’s validation anymore. He had his father back. He had Ochako. He had Mina and Eijirou and damn near the entire country cheering for him. Maybe if he had stayed in Japan and continued to grow up with him, things would be different. But he didn’t. So they weren’t. 

 

Izuku was under no obligation to let the person who caused him so much pain and grief back into his life. He didn’t wish ill to him, and he had accepted the apology honestly, as he didn’t want either of them to hold onto that pain or guilt on his account, but he wouldn’t start chasing after him again. Never again.

 

As it was, there was no place for Bakugou in Izuku’s life. Maybe one day, but not today. 

 

“Yeah,” Bakugou replied softly. It seemed he understood the situation as well. “Yeah.”

 

“Can I ask you a question?” Izuku requested suddenly. 

 

Bakugou grunted.

 

“What would you do if you knew who Redacted was? If he revealed his identity?” Izuku asked flatly, glancing over at him.

 

Bakugou took a while to answer. His eyes were distant and deep in thought. “Honestly? I don’t know. I think he’s a damn coward for hiding his face, but I can’t deny he’s something special. Hell, I won’t be the first to compare him to All Might. I… doesn’t matter. Won’t ever happen.”

 

Izuku was admittedly curious. “Maybe he gets exposed accidentally. It could happen.”

 

Bakugou glared up at him before looking back to the water. “Maybe. But I gave you my answer. I don’t know.” 

 

“Fine, fine,” Izuku relented. “Do you think he should take his mask off?”

 

Bakugou, surprisingly, took a moment. “Yeah. I do. In some ways, I don’t blame him, but I think it’s crap. We have a bigger responsibility to help people than to stop villains. Hiding his face takes away from that.”

 

Izuku’s jaw dropped, then he started laughing. 

 

“Hey, fuck you!” Bakugou snarled. “What’s so funny?!”

 

Izuku waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, man. No, no, I think I agree with you, I just didn’t expect to hear you… Look, you’ve changed a lot, too.”

 

Bakugou huffed as he turned around and began to walk away. “Yeah, whatever. I gotta get back to my work.”

 

Izuku watched him walk up the beach and back onto the pavement before he called after him. “That offer still stands, by the way. You can come back to Serendipity if you behave!” 

 

Bakugou waved his hand in acknowledgement, but didn’t say anything. Izuku turned back to the ocean and lost himself in his thoughts again. 

 

Maybe if things were different, if he was a different person, he might have told Bakugou his secret. Maybe he would have felt an odd compulsion to confess to the person he spent years looking up to, but that’s not who he was, at least not anymore. America had changed him for the better. His friends had changed him for the better. He was looking forward, not back.

 

But speaking of spilling secrets…

 

---

 

Christmas had come and gone peacefully and quietly, even though the Midoriya family had a special guest. Ochako had joined Izuku, Inko, Hisashi and Toshinori at the latter’s house, as she didn’t feel like she could afford to close her agency for the several days it would take for her to visit her parents. The first year was the hardest for a new agency, and her parents understood. 

 

She had vented to him about how much she hated missing her parents, but it just wasn’t in the cards that year. Once she had saved up enough, maybe she could move her parents closer, but for now, she was grateful that Izuku and his family had opened their arms to her. They were, of course, happy to have her. 

 

Izuku quietly fantasized about having Christmas with her every year.

 

Even so, Ochako was still strictly frugal. She insisted on no gifts, although he managed to argue her up to allowing Izuku to give her one . He had respected her wishes and bought her something cheap, but heart-felt: a small Christmas ornament of All Might. At least, he told her it was cheap, which wasn’t totally untrue. It had only cost a few dozen yen… when it had been released in limited quantities almost a decade prior. He opted to not mention how much it cost him to obtain it.

 

Truth be told, even with how much he gave away to charity, Izuku was very well off. Money wasn’t much of an object, and he was happier to spend it on her than anyone else.

 

Two days after Christmas was another celebration: Ochako’s 22nd birthday. 

 

Mina had organized a party for her and had chosen Serendipity as the venue. Many of her friends from UA had shown up, including Tsuyu, Tooru, Momo, Kyouka, Eijirou, Denki, and more. Izuku had finally met Kouda and thanked him for letting Ochako and him go up that trail all those weeks ago, as well as snagging his autograph for his book. He got several new signatures that day, but the joy of that was far lesser than the joy he gained from Ochako’s happiness. 

 

The party was loud and jovial, filled with the smell of good food and the cheer of good friends, each of which were also limited to a single, frugal gift. Evidently, Ochako’s monetary modesty was well known, and each of her gifts came from the heart, rather than just the wallet. Kyouka gave her a signed copy of her most recent album, as well as two tickets to a future show—she had winked at Izuku when Ochako unwrapped them. Kouda gave her a beautiful geode he had found, Kirishima had carved a model Saturn out of wood for her, and Mina gave her some new lotion and then whispered something in Ochako’s ear, which had caused her to blush. Momo had created her gift right in front of her eyes, which was a whole new level of flex that Izuku hadn’t considered; who needed gift wrap when you could make anything fresh?

 

“Where’s Izuku’s gift?” Mina teased later in the evening. “Oh, wait, I know. He’s giving it to you later, right?~”

 

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, causing Ochako to blush a little as she playfully shoved her away. “No, he gave me his gift on Christmas. You know the rule. You only get one.”

 

Izuku recalled that she explained that, with her birthday so close to Christmas, she had always gotten a single batch of gifts, and that was plenty for her, thank you very much.

 

“Uh huh, sure~” Mina cooed as she made a kissing face at Izuku and laughed uproariously as she got a blush out of him as well.

 

“Tooru, your child is misbehaving!” Ochako called out as she shoved her hand into Mina’s face.

 

The invisible woman hopped over and grabbed Mina by the ear. “Don’t make me ground you, young lady.”

 

Mina made puppy dog eyes up at her friend. “I’m sorry, Mommy .”

 

Tooru squeaked and released Mina. “Okay, you win! You win!” 

 

“Why don’t you go tease Momo about Awase?” Ochako suggested.

 

“Because that’s no fun!” Mina pouted. “She just owns it!”

 

Momo looked over from her chair. “Yosetsu and I are doing quite fine, thank you.”

 

“See!” 

 

Eventually, the party died down and people trickled out, giving Ochako warm hugs and well-wishes as they went. Soon, as the sun began to set, it was only Izuku and Ochako left. He was sitting in one of the comfy recliners with her in his lap as they basked in the afterglow of the party. The snow was falling gently outside as they relaxed. 

 

“Your day isn’t over,” Izuku reminded her softly.

 

“Oh, I ain’t forgotten,” she hummed happily. “I’m already hungry.”

 

Izuku had promised to make her dinner at her apartment that evening and he had no intention of disappointing her. “Well, in that case, we should get going.”

 

She gave him a kiss on the cheek then floated herself off him with her quirk and began to get ready. Izuku called up to his parents that they were leaving, grabbed the food kit he had prepared, and the two walked out into the snowy December evening. It wasn’t far to Ochako’s apartment, and he knew the way by heart after several trips there. 

 

As soon as the door closed behind them, Izuku scooped Ochako up with Black Whip and walked her over to one of the comfortable chairs near the kitchen. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and went to the kitchenette to begin. Ochako watched on fondly as the air was quickly filled with the smells of noodles, vegetables, eggs, and meat as he began to cook and prepare with all his heart, causing her stomach to growl noisily.

 

They chatted casually and comfortably as he cooked. Her eyes continually drifted to the mochi he was preparing, even as the other food sizzled and simmered, bringing a smile to his face. He didn’t know what it was, but even the little things about her made him grin; Izuku couldn’t put his finger on what exactly made him love every moment with her, but he didn’t care. 

 

He put the final touches on the two huge bowls and placed them on the counter for her and himself to share. It wasn’t the fanciest meal he could have made, but Ochako was never a fan of fancy. As he pulled up a stool next to her, she gave thanks and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she dug in; preparing the food and made him work up quite the appetite as well, and he followed her lead. Barely a word was spoken as they all but inhaled their food, but Ochako reached her leg out and rested it on his stool, touching him softly as they ate. 

 

With the main course finished, they wasted no time digging into the mochi, and Izuku found himself genuinely impressed with how much she was able to eat. “Where are you putting it all?”

 

“I have a second stomach exclusively for mochi,” she explained with a laugh. “God, this is good. I don’t know if I can keep eatin’, though…”

 

“Finally hit capacity?” he asked teasingly. 

 

“Want… more…” she groaned. “But I’m so full.”

 

“Don’t make yourself sick,” he cautioned, putting a hand on her back and rubbing gently. 

 

Ochako made a faint whining noise as she planted her forehead on the counter; it seemed like her body was finally catching up to her stomach. 

 

“Let’s get you into a chair so you can rest,” he encouraged affectionately. 

She shook her head against the counter. “I can’t move.”

 

He stood up and gently put a hand under her knees and another on her back as he gingerly picked her up out of the stool. She whined again as he carried her over and began to lower her into one of the recliners, but she grabbed onto him tightly. 

 

He looked down at the woman in his arms. “Are you alright?”

 

“Lap,” she said simply. 

 

“Lap?” he repeated. “What do- oh.”

 

She nodded and buried her head in his chest with a soft mewl. He turned around and sat down slowly, making sure not to move her too much. As he got comfortable, so did she; Ochako snuggled her head into his side and pulled her arms close as she nestled in. His left arm braced her back and held her close, but with his right hand, he moved up and began to run his fingers through her hair gently. 

 

“Not fair…” she whined. He smiled softly as her breathing slowed down and after a few minutes, she was asleep. Izuku continued to tousle her hair softly as he fell back into his thoughts as he often did. 

 

Izuku reflected on how much his life had changed over the past several months. He had been obsessed with being a hero; it seemed like the only point to life. Every moment that he wasn’t sleeping or working in Serendipity, he was out on patrol. Nimbus was always out there, helping people and stopping villains. He signed autographs and gave evasive interviews for what felt like hours every week, and it left no time for himself.

 

Perhaps that was subconsciously his intent. He never got to be himself; he was either Izuku the worker or Nimbus the hero. No time to be alone. No time to be with his thoughts. No time to be lonely. 

 

Izuku looked down at the beautiful woman asleep in his arms and then out at the gently falling snow. He hadn’t realized how much he had longed for this until he had it. A hole that had been dug in his soul from a very young age was being filled. His mother, his father, Toshinori, and Melissa were the first to begin to patch it, but now it longed for more. Mina and Eijirou filled in their parts, but now, with Ochako, he finally felt full. Full to bursting. 

 

Izuku often wondered how he had gotten so lucky, from meeting All Might, to One For All, to everything else amazing in his life, but at this moment, he knew that the luckiest he had ever been was that morning Ochako walked into Serendipity for the first time.

 

Tears began to well up in his eyes, but he managed to keep them from rolling down his cheeks. Without a doubt, he knew that this was the right time to lay it out for her; she deserved it more than anyone.

 

He lay there silently for almost a half hour until Ochako began to move against him. Her eyes cracked open and blinked around in the dim light before she spoke in a hoarse voice. “Water.”

 

Izuku’s right hand left Ochako’s head as Black Whip reached out and grabbed a water bottle from the counter. He offered it to her with a smile and she took it eagerly, downing it while hardly taking a breath. 

 

“You’re the best,” she sighed happily after she caught her breath. “I feel alive again.”

 

“Sleep well?” he asked. 

 

“Did I fall asleep?” she asked, blushing a little as she looked up at him. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

 

He smiled warmly. “Don’t be. It was adorable.”

 

“Flatterer,” she huffed softly into his chest.

 

Izuku took a deep breath and squeezed her once with the arm around her back. “So… Mina teasing me wasn’t entirely unfounded. I actually did get you another gift.”

 

Ochako jerked a little against his torso as she twisted to look up at him better. “Izuku, no. I told you no.”

 

“I wanted to tell you a secret,” he began sheepishly. “A big secret. My biggest.” 

 

“Bigger than ‘I’m Nimbus’?” she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

 

“Yeah,” he continued. “I want to tell you the truth about my quirk.”

 

She perked up a little more. “Wait, you sound serious. What’s so secret about it? Are you in trouble? Do you need help? I can-”

 

He held up his hand. “I’m fine, don’t worry. Your concern is appreciated, though. I just wanted to, after all this time, be fully honest with you. I didn’t want to keep the truth from you any longer.”

 

“I’m glad you trust me,” she said softly as she scooted further up his body so her head was just below his.

 

“With my life,” he replied firmly and without doubt. “But, where to begin? I guess with the name.”

 

Izuku explained the secrets of One For All to Ochako, who sat there stunned for a good while. He went over everything, from the inception, to how he inherited it, to how it worked. Eventually, she began asking all sorts of questions as he finished up. 

 

“I still can’t wrap my head around this!” she gasped, sitting upright as she tried to comprehend what he told her. “So, you could just… give me your quirk.”

 

“If I wanted to, yes,” he answered. “I have no intention of giving it away, though, for a myriad of reasons. For what it’s worth, if I had to give it to someone, you’re probably who I’d pick.”

 

“Flatterer,” she repeated with a smile. 

 

“It’s true!” he insisted. “There’s nobody I’d trust more with it and nobody who I think would do more good with it!” 

 

She leaned in and kissed him on the nose, making him blush more. “You know how to make a girl feel nice, that’s for sure. But back on topic, it’s been passed down eight times, and All Might gave it to you, does that mean you’re going to look for a successor eventually?”

 

He shook his head solemnly. “No. I broke my bones dozens of times just trying to get a handle on its power, and it’s only gotten stronger since I got it. I worry that if I gave it to a teenager, it might just kill them. I honestly have concerns I could pass it on to anyone other than someone who was a top hero already. No, with All For One defeated, One For All has served its purpose. When I eventually pass on, the quirk and the vestiges within it will finally find rest.”

 

She leaned in and put an arm around the back of his neck to comfort him. “And the vestiges… they’re the past users that can talk to you?”

 

“Yeah,” he confirmed, “or at least, they used to. Ever since the ultimate defeat of All For One, they’ve gone quiet. It’s been years since I talked to them. Their purpose has been fulfilled and they're at peace, I think.”

 

“There’s a romance there,” Ochako noted. “Has it been lonely without the… voices in your head?”

 

He laughed as she giggled. “More like in my soul, but yeah, it was a little. Luckily for me, I met this amazing girl who I wouldn’t trade the world for, and-”

 

Ochako interrupted him by kissing him deeply on the lips, catching him by surprise. He recovered quickly and wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her closer as they shared their passion. She broke it off after a cruelly short time and pressed her forehead to his.

 

“Right back at ya, big guy. The feelin’s mutual,” she all but whispered. 

 

Ochako by chance looked outside the window, where the snow was coming down heavy and hard. She looked worried and turned back to Izuku. “It’s getting bad out there.”

 

He looked out the window and sighed. “Yeah, it is. I guess I should get going then, huh?”

 

“I don’t want you out in that,” she insisted quietly. “Stay here for the night.”

 

“Ochako, I’ll be fine,” he muttered. “I’ll just use my quirk and- what did you just say?”

 

She smiled nervously. “Sleep here tonight. Please? It’ll make me feel better.”

 

“I…” Izuku looked into her eyes and saw the affection within. How could he refuse? “If you’re okay with it…” 

 

“I wouldn’ta offered if I wasn’t,” she remarked with a shy laugh. 

 

He reached his hands up, dragging her soft locks through his fingers as he gently pulled her closer and kissed her again. The warmth she spread through his body trumped any amount of cold outside; he wished he could stay here forever.

 

A thought struck him. “I don’t have clean clothes here.”

 

“Sure you do,” she reminded him. “You left some here last week because you had to change before heading to that charity dinner. I washed them for you.” 

 

“I left those here?” he asked. “No wonder I couldn’t find that shirt…” 

 

She giggled. “You can use my bathroom to wash up, of course. You’re gonna smell like me, though.”

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he teased as he finally stood up, carrying her up with him. 

 

He placed her back on her feet and went to clean up. The grease and sweat of a day of cooking—and before that, heroics—left him a little sticky under his clothing, so he was grateful for the opportunity. It felt a little scandalous to use her shampoo and soap, but Ochako had told him that it was fine.

 

The hot water soothed his tired muscles and the sore spot on his leg from where that villain hit him a few days ago. The rising steam sent waves of relief around his body and he couldn’t help but sigh in satisfaction. His hair had never felt smoother after he rinsed out her shampoo, and his skin felt brand new after he lathered himself up. Maybe he should ask Ochako for some tips on how to better take care of himself.

 

As he dried himself off and stepped out of the shower, he felt like a new man. He left his hair as wild as ever and dressed himself.

 

“There’s a spare toothbrush in the cabinet!” Ochako called through the door.

 

His mind returned to his repeated thoughts from the movie night. 

 

Domestic.

 

Izuku put on the white shirt and simple gym shorts quickly, trying not to lose himself in his thoughts. He finished freshening himself up and stepped out of the bathroom to find Ochako waiting for him patiently. 

 

“You clean up nicely,” she teased. 

 

He smiled. “Better than the suit?”

 

“The hero suit or the black tie you wore last week?” She stood up and began to walk toward him.

 

“Uh, either?” 

 

“Doesn't matter, as long as you have that butt,” she teased as she gave his backside a playful slap as she walked past. “My turn to clean up.”

 

She closed the bathroom door behind her and he soon heard the sound of water running again. He made himself comfortable, browsing on his phone, until he heard the water turn off and a thought crossed his mind.

 

Where was he going to sleep? Did she have a spare mattress? Maybe an inflatable one in a closet? The recliner wouldn't be bad; he’d slept in it before, after all. 

 

Ochako exited the bathroom with her hair tied up and wearing comfy pajama pants with a t-shirt that was far too large for her. 

 

He recognized that shirt. “Hey, where did you-”

 

“Oh, this?” she asked playfully. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always had this shirt.”

 

“Did you take that from my room?”

 

She stuck her tongue out. “You can’t prove anything.”

 

He laughed, but then his previous questions came to his mind. “Um, Ochako… where am I gonna sleep?”

 

“The bed,” she answered plainly. 

 

He blinked. “Then where are you going to sleep?”

 

“The bed,” she answered again, her face beginning to redden slightly.

 

His cheeks began to heat up as well. “O-oh. Um, are you sure?”

 

She nodded. “It’s not a big deal, right? We’ve slept together before- Not like that! Of course! Um, I mean that we’ve both been sleeping while next to each other.”

 

“I knew what you meant,” he muttered. “And yeah, I guess you’re right, it’s just…”

 

“Look,” she began, walking over to him and grabbing his hand gently with four of her fingers, “it’s fine. As long as you’re comfortable with it, I’m comfortable with it.”

 

He thought for a moment, then nodded. “I’m okay with it.”

 

Ochako put her fifth finger down on his hand and he began to float up. She smiled and carried him off to her bedroom, placed him over the bed itself, pulled back the covers, and released her quirk. Izuku flopped down onto the soft sheets, which were even nicer than what he had back at home. He was a little surprised at how expensive the sheets must have been, but then he remembered how much Mina, Momo and the others liked to spoil her, even against her will. 

 

He had to admit, the soft sheets and warm blankets would be very nice on this frigid night. 

 

Ochako climbed in after him, making a point to not look at him as she got situated and pulled the covers up. Finally, she looked over at him, blushing furiously and smiling nervously.

 

“Comfortable?” she asked softly as she laid her head down on one of the pillows.

 

He stared at her for several seconds, feeling his heart beginning to swell with affection again. With a flick of his fingers, Black Whip grabbed Ochako and pulled her closer to him, so she was snuggling up against his side. “Now I am.”

 

Ochako’s surprise was quickly replaced by a nervous laugh as she buried her head in his shoulder. He adjusted the covers as they settled in, and with another flick of Black Whip, he turned off the lights. Ochako rolled over a little so she was laying on her back like he was, but using the arm he had wrapped behind her as a pillow. 

 

“Good night, Izuku,” she said softly.

 

“Good night, Ochako,” he returned.

 

Beneath the heavy covers, with no light other than the street lamps reflecting off the snow, Izuku found a new happiness he had never known. He felt safe, cared for, and cherished. The woman he cared for so deeply was cuddled up against him and the contact made his heart and soul soar like never before.

 

His eyes went wide as he came to a realization. There was no more doubt plaguing the corners of his mind and his heart. He knew that utterly and completely, he had fallen for Ochako. 

 

“Ochako-” he began softly, but stopped, as he realized that while he thought, she had already fallen back asleep. 

 

Izuku smiled lovingly and gave her forehead a small kiss, careful not to disturb her slumber. 

 

“I love you, Ochako,” he whispered to nobody as he closed his eyes and joined her in sleep.

Notes:

See you all next time!

My friend Penguin has begun to write a reaction fic about this, where Canon 1-A 'watches' this story. Check it out!

I am [REACTING]

Chapter 19: Sunrise

Summary:

The dawn of a new day

Izuku woke up in a strange, familiar place. He was surrounded by tall, pale stone walls that once bore the scars of ruin, now repaired with only the faintest hints of the cracks that once ran their length. The floor, once barren, then sparsely decorated, was now filled with tall-backed chairs and illuminated with the warm glow of a crackling fireplace. The eight chairs once each were filled with someone, but that had been years ago. It had been before his return to Japan that he had last been here, and seeing it so quiet filled his heart with peace, but also with a somber feeling of loss. Memories from what felt like a different lifetime.

 

But the room wasn’t entirely empty. As Izuku stood there on the soft rug, his green eyes locked with the kind, black eyes of one of his predecessors.

“It’s good to see you again,” Izuku began softly. 

 

Nana smiled warmly. “Been a while, huh? It’s good to see you, too.”

 

She stood up as Izuku approached. Nana Shimura stood a good few inches taller than Izuku and had to lean down a little to hug him as they embraced tightly. Even though she had been dead long before he was born, Nana was like family to him in many ways. Such was the romance of One For All.

 

“Have I been using your quirk well?” he asked as he broke the hug.

 

She scoffed. “Better than I ever did. You have a bit of an advantage over me, of course.”

 

“I had a good teacher,” Izuku returned politely. “And you too, of course.”

 

Nana laughed and put him in a headlock. “You little…”

 

Izuku laughed and scrambled out of her hold, grinning ear to ear as she did the same. It felt nice to see her again. He often missed the other vestiges, especially Nana, but he respected their sacrifice and their well-deserved rest. 

 

He felt a little guilty to admit that ever since he had met Ochako, he had missed them less. It was no secret that he was lonely, he supposed, and Ochako was the best friend he had ever met. He loved her, after all.

 

“Not to sound ungrateful,” he muttered as he looked up at her, “but why now? Why after all these years of silence?”

 

Nana thought for a moment as she sat back down in her high-backed chair. He knew this wasn’t really her, but rather an imprint of her soul. He didn’t exactly understand how it worked, but it didn’t really matter. “I’d guess it’s because you need me.” 

 

“I do?” he asked as he sat down in a chair he willed into existence across from her. “After we… after we won, you all found peace. We said goodbye- Is there another threat?” 

 

She shook her head and smiled. “Our mission is completed. The world is saved from All For One and—unless something’s changed—the line ends with you.” 

 

“That’s still the plan,” he confirmed. 

 

“No, there isn’t a new threat…” She paused. “Well, in a way, there is. There’s a threat of you making the same mistakes that I did.” 

 

Izuku felt the weight in Nana’s words; the weight of a woman that once saw everything she fought for crumble.

 

“You love her,” Nana observed pointedly. 

 

He stared at her for a moment, but wasn’t exactly surprised this was about Ochako. “... I do.” 

 

“Yet doubt is still holding you back,” she continued. “I know it well. You’re worried that you would make her and all of your loved ones targets.”

 

He nodded. “I know she’s strong, I know my parents want me to, but is it right for me to expose anyone to this?” 

 

Nana stared at the floor for several seconds. “As you know, I thought that way at one point, too. I left my family behind to protect them and do my duty as the bearer of the torch.”

 

The weight and pain in her words was almost overwhelming. Izuku tried to comfort her, reaching out a hand and placing it on her leg. “You made the right choice.”

 

“Did I?” she replied almost coldly. “In the end, they all still died. All For One killed them all, in one way or another. I suffered, and they still weren’t safe. If I had been there, maybe Tenko wouldn’t have-”

 

Izuku pulled her in for a hug, cutting her spiraling thoughts off. Her strong arms wrapped around his back and held him close as he did the same. She squeezed and spoke into his ear. “You cannot make the same mistakes that I did. Our lives can be cut short at any point, hero or not. Do not rob yourself of what is for what could be. Do not trade today for an uncertain future.” 

 

Nana relaxed her hug, but didn’t let go, instead pulling back and looking him dead in the face with a few tears running down her face. “I gave up my chance. Toshi never gave himself the chance. You cannot miss your chance.” 

 

Izuku stared up at her with wide eyes. “I understand.”

 

She smiled in that kind, motherly way. Her arms released their hug, but one of her hands reached up and cupped his cheek gently. “I love you like a son, Izuku. Toshi couldn’t have picked better.”

 

He gasped, then laughed softly. “Thank you, Nana. I love you, too.”

 

She laughed loudly as the hand that was cupping his face began to pinch his cheek. “Then you need to go make Momma Nana proud. You need to make Inko proud too! Don’t disappoint both your moms; go get her!” 

 

---

 

Izuku woke up suddenly, feeling a distinct soreness in his cheek. He reached up to rub at it, but realized his arm was being held down by something, causing him to open his eyes slowly. Realization and memory flooded back into his mind as he looked down at the messy brown hair strewn all over his arm and chest as Ochako slept peacefully. 

 

Or rather, where she had been sleeping peacefully. Her own eyes opened and she seemed to go through the same initial confusion followed by realization that he had, and slowly looked up at his face. 

 

“Hey,” she mumbled with a rough, groggy voice. 

 

He blinked down at her once. “Hey.”

 

She smiled softly and shifted against him, sending a new wave of affection echoing through him. Her leg was hooked over his, and her arm was draped over his chest as she sighed peacefully. “I slept like a rock.” 

 

Izuku took a moment to admire the way the light of the morning sun played off her hair before he made a small ‘mhmm’.

 

“Thanks for stayin’,” she muttered into his chest.

 

“Thanks for asking,” he replied as he tried to sit up. Ochako made some grumbling noises, but eventually rolled off of him and sat up herself. 

 

“We should have taken today off,” she grumbled.

 

“Yeah,” he agreed, “but we didn’t.”

 

Izuku looked around the room, at the way the heavy covers were piled up on his legs, how the sun reflected off the heavy snow outside, and at the woman sitting next to him, rubbing her eyes. He smelled her bodywash and shampoo, both on himself and her, and heard the chirping of birds outside as the world woke up with them. He felt a deeper peace than he had in a long time.

 

“You know,” Ochako began, “I had a dream last night. I don’t remember much, but I know I heard you say that you love me.” 

 

He looked away from the window and down at her. “That wasn’t a dream. Guess you weren’t as asleep as I thought.”

 

Her eyes went wide for a moment. “That was… oh, Izuku.” 

 

She leaned over and gave him a hug, which he returned eagerly. “I finally got rid of the ‘think’.”

 

“After all this, how could I not?” she asked. “I love you, too, Izuku.”

 

He felt his heart leap in his chest. In many ways, he knew that already, but hearing her say it made things so much different and more real. Izuku leaned down and kissed Ochako on the lips. It was short and a little clumsy, but the affection—the love—was there in spades. 

 

She pulled back and giggled softly. 

 

“What?” he asked.

 

“Your breath stinks,” she replied with a playful cringe. 

 

Izuku scoffed indignantly. “Yours isn’t exactly roses!” 

 

She stuck her tongue out at him and rolled over, putting her feet on the ground and standing up. “I’ll make coffee.” 

 

“I’ll be in in a moment,” he said sleepily as he watched her leave. With her gone, he grabbed his phone and called his father. 

 

It ringed a few times before he picked up. “Serendipity, Hisashi speaking.”

 

Izuku rolled his eyes. “Dad. It’s me.”

 

He heard a gasp. “Izuku? Is that you? After all this time? Inko, come quick, our long lost son has finally come back to us!”

 

Izuku sighed as he heard his mother’s voice getting closer, scolding Hisashi. “Honey, don’t tease him too much.”

 

His father put him on speaker so he could hear her better. “Hi, Mom.”

 

“Izuku, baby! Is everything alright?” Inko asked dotingly. 

 

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry I didn’t tell you I’d be staying out,” he apologized. 

 

“It’s alright,” Hisashi chuckled, “we know you’re a grown man.” 

 

“You used protection, right?” his mother pried. 

 

“Mom!” Izuku exclaimed, nearly dropping the phone. 

 

“Is everything alright in there?” Ochako called across the apartment.

 

“Yes!” he called back. “Just talking to my parents.”

 

“Oh! Tell them I say hi!” 

 

“Alright!” Izuku put the phone back to his ear. “Ochako says hi, but-”

 

“Oh, tell her we say hi, too!” 

 

“But- fine.” He pulled the phone away from his mouth. “They say hi back!” 

 

“So nice,” he heard Ochako muse to herself.

 

“Mom, it’s not like that!” he hissed back into the phone. “We just slept together. Literally!”

 

“Our boy is growing up, Hisashi!” 

 

“I know, Inko,” he replied proudly. “Izuku, it’s fine if you did. You’re young, it’s normal! Your mother and I could tell you stories.”

 

Izuku groaned. “That’s not why I called. It’s about our mutual friend.”

 

Their ‘mutual friend’ was their code phrase for Nimbus. His parents immediately got more serious. “Is there a problem, honey?”

 

“No. And yes.” He paused. “I’m ready to move forward on the plan.”

 

A pair of gasps rang through the phone. “Son, are you sure?” 

 

“I am. I had a talk with Nana and I want to live my life free from these restrictions. I want to be able to be with Ochako on the job or not and not be worried constantly about my secret. I want to spend my life with her instead of anchored to my suit.”

 

There was a long pause on the other end. Finally, Hisashi spoke. “That sounds pretty serious. Did you propose to her already?”

 

Izuku almost dropped the phone again. “No! I didn’t, I would- I mean, I would, but- I haven’t even thought about it!” 

 

“He would?” Inko whispered, clearly excited.

 

“Have you seen the way they look at each other?” Hisashi replied. 

 

“Guys, please,” Izuku begged. 

 

“Sorry, sorry,” Hisashi laughed as Inko began to cry in the background with wails of ‘My baby!’. “You can’t blame parents for being excited that their only child is in a serious relationship!”

 

“I… yeah. Fair. Sorry.” Izuku sighed again. “But I wanted to tell you all about the other thing. We’ll have to make plans. This is going to be serious. I need to make sure you all are safe.”

 

Inko collected herself. “Yes, of course. The important thing is you, however. We’ll close the store and move if need be. Your father and I will gladly never work another day in our lives if it meant you were happy.”

 

“Thanks, Mom, but I hope that isn’t necessary. I just need to make sure you’re safe.”

 

“Regardless, we’re proud of you,” Hisashi said firmly in a way that made Izuku almost feel the paternal hand on his shoulder. “You’ve done more for others in a few years than almost anybody has done in their entire life. You do what you think is best and we’ll stand behind you. And I know Ochako will, too.”

 

“Yeah… yeah. Thanks, Dad. Mom,” Izuku muttered softly. 

 

“Coffee is almost ready!” Ochako called through the apartment.

 

“Be right there!” he replied. “I gotta go. Talk to you later.”

 

“Bye!”

 

“Stay safe!”

Izuku hung up and made his way to the kitchen, where he sat down at the counter.The smell of coffee permeated the room as Izuku smiled, watching Ochako dance faintly to a song only she could hear. He was so relaxed and she was so amazing, he nearly forgot all about what he had to talk to her about, but he had to get this out.

 

“How were your parents?” she asked as she handed him a mug of coffee and sat down next to him.

 

He took a sip. “Good. They’re fine.”

 

“Sorry it’s not as good as Serendipity’s,” she joked as she took a drink.

 

“No, it’s fantastic! It’s made with love,” he chuckled.

 

She gasped and shoved him lightly. “Corny! So corny!”

 

He laughed with her as they sat next to each other. The way her giggling rang through the air made Izuku feel like he was listening to beautiful music. Maybe she was right. Maybe he was corny.

 

“I thought you liked corny?” he asked playfully.

 

Ochako sighed. “God help me, I do. It’s a real problem.”

 

Silence settled in between them as they both turned around and looked out the window at the snow-covered city. She leaned in a little so her head was resting on his shoulder and he did the same, resting his cheek on the top of her head. 

 

He could stay like this forever. Part of him wanted to, but they had a responsibility to the people of Tokyo. Even so, a little longer couldn’t hurt. Besides, he had something important to talk to her about.

 

“You know,I had a dream, too,” he began. 

 

“Yeah?” she hummed, turning back around to put her empty mug on the counter.

 

He turned back around with her. “You drink fast- uh anyway, Nana spoke to me. First time in years.” 

 

“Nana?”

 

“The seventh holder. The one before Toshi,” he explained. 

 

Ochako shook her head. “Wait, the vestiges? You said they- it’s too much of a coincidence for them to suddenly talk to you right after you told me about them.”

 

“I agree,” he continued. “Nana was the only one there, which was strange. She cautioned me against my doubt, and against losing you.”

 

“You’re not losing me,” Ochako objected, poking him in the chest.

 

He smiled. “She gave up everything to fight All For One. Toshi never gave himself the chance to have anything. I have that opportunity, and I can’t waste it. I won’t let anything stand in my way.”

 

“Izuku, do you mean…?” she asked cautiously.

 

He nodded. “It’s time for the helmet to come off. Metaphorically, at least.”

 

“Izuku!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him excitedly. He reacted in time and put his mug down safely before catching the Ochako missile and hugging her tightly. 

 

“I’m sorry it took so long,” he apologized as he held her.

 

She shook her head against his chest. “Don’t be. You needed to do things at your own pace, and I’m glad you did. I just can’t believe it’s finally happenin’!”

 

“Well, it’s not like it’s going to be tomorrow,” he muttered. “A lot of things need to be done and done right.” 

 

“You know what I mean!” she pouted, hugging him tighter.

 

He felt his breath being forced out of him. Ochako took her training seriously, there was no doubt about that. “I know, I know. I don’t think the shock has really set in yet. I’ve been doing this—or planning on doing this—for the better half of a decade.”

 

“And then I ruined it in less than six months,” she observed.

 

“You didn’t ruin anything!” he exclaimed.

 

Ochako giggled and gave him another squeeze. “I know, I’m just teasing!”

 

He sighed and ran his hand through her hair. “I won’t pretend that if it wasn’t for you, I doubt I would’ve done this.”

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she muttered playfully. 

 

“Of course it is,” he huffed, “you know that. I never would have imagined I’d be this happy. I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

 

“You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” she whispered into his neck as she climbed up on him a little.  Ochako leaned up and kissed him on the lips. Slowly. Passionately. They broke apart and she pressed her forehead into his. “These past few months have been a roller coaster, but so far, I’ve fallen in love with a man and I’m being held in his arms after an incredibly comfortable night’s sleep. I wouldn’t trade this for anything either.

 

“And the best part is that it’s going to keep getting better.” She pulled back and placed one of her soft fingertips on his nose. “But you still need to brush your teeth.”

 

The romantic aura was shattered and replaced by laughter. He made a show of holding onto her tighter and breathing into her face, which made her squeal and try to scramble out of his arms, but his grip was too tight. Ochako grabbed onto his arm and used her quirk, then breathed into his face, metaphorically punching him with coffee breath. He opened his arms and let Ochako fall to the ground, where she landed gracefully and looked up at him with a stern, but clearly playful expression. “Serves you right!”

 

Izuku held up his hands in defeat as she released her quirk and he Floated gently back down to the ground. “Fine, fine, I think we both need to brush our teeth.”

 

“Agreed,” she said with a nod. “Besides, we need to be at work soon.”

 

“What time is- oh crap!” Izuku bolted past Ochako with a small percentage of One For All and dashed into the bathroom to get ready. 

 

Ochako laughed as she followed him into the bathroom and grabbed her own toothbrush. “I’ll give you a lift! But move over, you’re hogging the sink.”

 

“Thanksh!” he slurred through a toothpaste-filled mouth. 

 

They both got ready with the frantic speed of a college student who slept through their alarm before a final. Ochako made him weightless and carried him like she did back at the forest before he revealed his identity, and they made it to Serendipity in no time. Izuku waved goodbye to her as she jumped off toward her agency and he made his way to the back of the shop to change into his own costume.

 

While he strapped on his boots and his gauntlets, and pulled on his helmet, he couldn’t help but get a little reflective. Things were about to change in a big way, and not just for him, but for his family and friends—especially Ochako. The helmet felt a little lighter as he put it on, and he wondered how people would react to his reveal. The media swarm would be insatiable, to be sure, but how would the rest of Japan feel? 

 

He supposed only time would tell. But that time would be soon. 

 

Izuku flipped on his hologram and stepped out of the back of Serendipity. Regardless of what time would end up telling, he knew that as long as Ochako was by his side, he could face anything.

Notes:

See you all next time! I'm planning on finishing this fic soon, so stay tuned!

Chapter 20: Unmasked

Summary:

The title says it all.

The sun was rising on an April morning, almost four months after Izuku decided to set the plan in motion. His parents were loading their car outside of Serendipity as Izuku and Ochako made sure the building was locked up tight. They had invested in security shutters and locks from renowned inventor Mei Hatsume through her connection with Ochako; Hatsume had confidently declared that Redacted himself would have trouble getting through them. 

 

Izuku didn’t think they were that strong, but he was pleased with her confidence. 

 

“That should be that,” Ochako hummed, pressing a button and initiating the active-protection modules. “This place could survive a bomb.”

 

Izuku nodded down at her. “I know it seems like a lot, but I want to make sure it’s safe. Besides, I have the money to spare.”

 

“Hatsume would forget to charge half the time if her assistants didn’t remind her,” Ochako remarked with a laugh. 

 

They both stared in silence at the wall of metal in front of the windows for a few moments.

 

Ochako looked up at him. “Are you nervous?”

 

“Incredibly,” he muttered. “I’m afraid I’ll trip over my words or say something dumb.”

 

“You’re not having doubts about doing it though, right?” Ochako asked.

 

“No, I know it’s the right thing to do.” He sighed heavily. “I just wish I could just write a note instead of giving a press conference.” 

 

She began to giggle. “Oh man, could you imagine? Nimbus just makes a post on social media that he’s actually a green-haired barista with a great butt!”

 

“I don't think I would add the last part!” Izuku protested jokingly. 

 

“That’s why I should be your social media manager,” Ochako informed him. 

 

The last four months had brought the couple closer than ever off the back of the snowy night they had spent together. It had been far from the last time they had slept in each other's arms, and Izuku had never forgotten his parents asking him when he would propose to her. 

 

In fact, he was going to be staying with Ochako for a few days while the shop was closed. Well, a few days or however long it took for the spectacle around his identity to wear off. Izuku privately thought that if he was forced to stay with Ochako for a few weeks, he wouldn't mind it one bit.

 

The car trunk closed behind them, causing them to turn to look at his parents. Hisashi patted the ties holding down the luggage on the top of the car. “That’s not going anywhere.”

 

“Are you two going to be okay?” Izuku asked. 

 

Inko smiled up at him. “We’ll be fine! Toshi is excited and honestly we think it’ll be a bit like a vacation! It’s been years since we’ve had a proper one.”

 

Hisashi put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “We’re more concerned about you. This is a big day.”

 

He felt Ochako put an arm around his waist. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him. 

 

“Thank you, Ochako,” Inko said warmly. 

 

“I’ve survived worse than this,” Izuku sighed. “At this point, I just want it over with.”

 

Inko reached up and hugged him close. “You’re going to do great, baby. You always do.”

 

He hoped she was right. It seemed likely that the idea of doing it was worse than the actual reveal, but it still felt daunting. He just had to remember that this was for his family. For Ochako.

 

“Thanks, Mom.” Izuku hugged her back. “Love you both.”

 

“We love you too, Son,” Hisashi replied softly. “Good luck.”

 

Izuku smiled and nodded as his parents let go of him and got into the car. Ochako and he waved goodbye as they drove down the road, turned the corner, and disappeared, en route to Toshinori’s house for shelter. They’d be safe there, even if the paparazzi found out where they were hiding. That house was built for solitude and safety; even if the worst happened and a villain attacked, they could easily be protected until Izuku could get there. 

 

“What are you going to do?” Izuku asked Ochako.

 

She shrugged. “Honestly, I’ve been so concerned about making sure you all were taken care of, I didn’t think about it. I guess I’ll just head home and make sure you have a nice meal to come hom- uh, come back to.”

 

Izuku blushed a little. Home… with Ochako. That sounded nice.

 

As if she was waiting, a voice called to them from down the street. “Hey, you two!”

 

They turned to see Jirou walking toward them, a smirk on her face as she approached. “I knew I’d find you here.”

 

“I am dating Izuku,” Ochako reminded her. 

 

“I’m not saying I’m a detective,” Jirou joked. “I’m just saying you’re a little predictable- woah! What’s with the iron curtain?” 

 

“His parents are going on vacation,” Ochako responded instantly. Over the past few months, lying to cover for Izuku had become as natural as breathing. Soon, that skill would be mostly useless, but for now, Izuku was very grateful. 

 

“Oh, just his parents?” Jirou noted. “Not him? Where is he going?” 

 

“Who are you, Mina?” Ochako pouted. “He’s going to live with me for a while.”

 

Jirou smirked. “Oh, just a while? We’re taking bets on when it’s gonna be permanent. Hey, didn’t you say-”

 

Ochako slapped a hand over Jirou’s mouth suddenly. “Shh!”

 

Izuku looked between the two of them with a raised eyebrow. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

 

“Sorry, girls’ secret,” Ochako answered honestly. Izuku opted not to pry; he trusted her. “Anyway, did you come for breakfast, Kyouka? We can go somewhere else. I’m sure Izuku wouldn’t be offended.”

 

“Course not,” he agreed.

 

“No, I came here for you.” Kyouka glared at her. “We’ve been trying to call you all morning. Is your phone on silent?” 

 

Ochako whipped out her phone so fast it flew out of her hands and into the air. Izuku’s instincts were to grab it with Black Whip, but he couldn’t use his quirks in public. Not yet. Fortunately, Jirou reacted quickly and grabbed it out of the air with one of her jacks, then handed it back to Ochako with a smug grin.

 

She took the phone back sheepishly and looked at it. “Um, yeah. I must have forgotten to turn it off silent after the movie last night… sorry…”

 

Jirou rolled her eyes. “Anyway, we’re having a little hangout for the press conference today. Just the girls—minus Mina. She’s watching it with her E and Blasty.” 

 

Izuku and Ochako shared a knowing glance. They both agreed that having Eijirou and Mina there would be wise when Bakugou learned the truth. 

 

“Sorry,” she finished, looking up at Izuku. “It’s a ladies thing.”

 

He smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, I have something to do today anyway.”

 

“If Mina were here, she’d have a joke there,” Jirou noted. “But yeah, meeting up about a half hour before the conference at Tooru’s place. We can’t all take the day off.”

 

“It feels like the whole world is taking today off,” Izuku muttered. “I’ve never seen Tokyo so quiet.”

 

Jirou cocked her hip and raised an eyebrow. “Well, it’s not every day that Red- Nimbus puts on a nation-wide press conference. I wonder what he’s going to say.”

 

Izuku didn’t miss Jirou’s eyes drifting over to Ochako. She shrugged. “How am I supposed to know?” 

 

“Because you patrol with him all the time,” Jirou pointed out. “Surely you have some idea.”

 

“Nope,” Ochako replied flatly, lying through her teeth. “He doesn’t tell me everything.”

 

Jirou eyed her suspiciously. “We’ll see if Tooru and I can pry it out of you before the conference.”

 

“Doubt it,” Ochako hummed.

 

“So you do know something?” 

 

“If I did, I’d be sworn to secrecy.”

 

“Even to your friends?” she asked.

 

Ochako nodded.

 

Jirou shrugged, then turned and waved back to them. “Fair enough. Can’t blame you for that. But hey, gotta get back to it. Catch you later!” 

 

“Bye!” they said together before turning to look at each other. They shared a guilty look, knowing what the other was thinking. They had discussed revealing his secret with her other friends, like Tsuyu, Yaoyorozu, Jirou, Kaminari, and such, but they decided against it. The more people that knew, the more it endangered the secret before they were ready to reveal it. Izuku knew that Ochako hoped the girls would understand, and Mina assured her that they would, but she still felt bad. 

 

“I wish people weren’t making such a big deal of this,” Izuku muttered. “I’m just taking the helmet off, I’m not announcing anything that important.”

 

“You know how big of a deal you are,” Ochako reminded him. “People hang onto your every word.” 

 

“Yeah, but it feels like it’s a national holiday or something!” he protested. “I don’t want to get them all worked up over nothing.”

 

Ochako picked up his hand in her own and held it gently. “You can’t control what people do.”

 

“You’re right…  I suppose we should get going too, huh?” Izuku offered. 

 

“Yeah, but first…” Ochako touched her arm and floated up a little, then grabbed onto his face with both hands, keeping her pinkies extended. She leaned in and kissed him, holding their lips together for a few, soft, precious moments before she pulled back. Ochako pressed her forehead to his and smiled. “You’re goin’ to do great, Izuku.”

 

He felt like he was about to start floating, even without either of their quirks. The weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders as she kissed him, and when Ochako told him he would do great, he knew that it was the truth. 

 

“Thanks, honey,” he hummed. “You know I couldn’t do this without you.” 

 

That made her smile wider. “We’re a team. I can’t be with you in person, but you know I’m with you in spirit.” 

 

“No matter what happens, I know that I’ll be holding you tonight,” he cooed with a confidence that would have surprised himself a year ago.

 

Ochako giggled. “I’m lookin’ forward to it. Now go get ‘em, hero.”

 

She floated back down gently and the two shared one last tight hug before they parted and headed their separate ways. Ochako headed to her agency for the day, while Izuku made his way to one of the secret safe houses where he had stashed his costume and gear.

 

---

 

“He’s here for you, Prime Minister,” the aide said as he poked his head through the door. 

 

Izuku heard, “Send him in,” and walked past the aide into the Prime Minister’s office. She took her glasses off as Izuku shut the door behind him and walked to the center of the room.

 

She was an older woman, in her 60s, with black hair held in a tight bun. She had looked younger a few years ago, but the job took a lot out of anyone who held the position. The office was modest when compared to head of state offices from around the world, but it still held a dignified air that impressed itself upon any visitors. 

 

Comfortable chairs sat before the desk and on ornate rugs, positioned around the mahogany coffee table in the middle of the room. Paintings of the Japanese countryside were juxtaposed with—what Izuku assumed were recreations—of historical artifacts, including a katana in a glass case that the kid in him really wanted to touch. But no, he resisted.

 

Izuku bowed. “You wanted to speak with me?” 

 

“Yes,” she replied, her face devoid of expression. “I wanted to give you one last chance to back out of what you’re about to do.”

 

“I’ve made my decision, madam,” Izuku answered flatly. 

 

“And how exactly did you arrive at that, Mr. Midoriya?” she asked pointedly. She was one of the few people who knew his identity outside of his circle of trust. “I’ve read the reports given to me, but I’d like to hear it from you personally. Walk me through your thought process. Why you felt this was necessary.”

 

“If you wish,” he agreed. “Let me begin by saying that this wasn’t an easy decision to reach, and I’ve spent many months pondering it. In the end, I think it’s the right decision for three reasons.

 

“One, first and foremost, keeping my identity secret hinders my ability to be a hero. If someone needs my help when I’m not in my suit, I have to go and get my suit, and I typically can’t even use my quirk to get there faster, as that would expose my secret just as well. For me to save the most people I can, and for me to be the best hero I can be, I have to do one of two things: either always be in my suit, or no longer have a secret identity. This point was driven home particularly hard about six months ago, when Muscular broke containment. I cannot prioritize my secrecy over the lives of others; doing so would make me no hero at all.

 

“Next, I believe that revealing my identity will better serve to promote public trust. I will no longer be this unknowable monolith, but rather a person. A citizen, just like them. It will show I’m no better than any other hero, no more special, and show solidarity with the rest of my comrades as well as the civilians of Japan. When I was younger, I told All Might that I wanted people to see my smiling face and feel safe. I want to take that more literally now. I want people to know who Nimbus is. What’s more, I don’t believe myself to be perfect, nor above the law or public scrutiny. I have and will make mistakes, and I think it’s unfair and cowardly to hide from that. I owe it to my fellow citizens. 

 

“Lastly, and most personally, I have found my secret to be extremely constraining for my personal life. I want to be able to live my life with my friends and family without having to worry about my identity. I don’t want to always have that specter looming over me, making me paranoid even in the most innocuous of circumstances. It was no way to live, and I’m grateful to my loved ones for helping me see that. A wise woman told me that I cannot miss my chance to live based on what might happen. I intend to follow her advice and enjoy my time on this earth. With all of these together, there is no way I could continue to maintain my secret identity in good faith; for  myself, or for the people I protect.”

 

The Prime Minister had listened patiently to his speech, which was a little more practiced than he cared to admit. As he finished, she appraised him silently for a few moments before she spoke. “It’s very clear you’ve thought this through.”

 

“Thank you,” Izuku replied politely.

 

“Midoriya,” she began, leaning back in her chair, “it’s no secret that you’re the strongest hero in the world. You’re the greatest hero this world has ever seen.”

 

Izuku began to blush a little. “Ah, well, I’m no All Might…”

 

She smiled. “Your humility suits you well. I’ll say that myself and anyone else with the wisdom to see it knows that you’re greater than All Might ever was, and in a few more years, everyone will see it. I know you’re close with the man… What does he think?”

 

“He… agrees with your assessment,” he admitted. As much as Izuku was loath to admit, One For All was much stronger with him than it had been with Toshinori. The nature of the quirk made it so, and Izuku had even unlocked the quirks within it. He was stronger than All Might, but he still looked up to Toshinori immensely. It was hard to not.

 

“You should listen to your elders, young man,” she chuckled warmly. 

 

He nodded dutifully. “Yes, madam Prime Minister.”

 

“In the end, it’s your decision,” she began, leaning back in her chair. “You seem very sure, and I trust that you’re doing this for the right reasons. The bottom line is that you’ve done immeasurable good for Japan these past few years, and I’m sure you’ll continue to do so going forward. All I can say is thank you, and good luck.”

 

“Thank you very much,” Izuku said as he bowed again. He turned to leave, stepping back into the hallway outside her office and beginning to walk toward the press room. 

 

Show time.

 

---

 

“Hurry up, Ochako, it’s starting!” Tooru squealed from across the house. 

 

“I’m coming!” Ochako took her shoes off and hurried to the living room where Kyouka, Momo, Tooru, and Tsuyu were sitting in various places. She took her place between Tsuyu and Tooru on the couch, while Kyouka lounged on a beanbag chair and Momo sat in the recliner. They were all facing the television, where Izuku would soon be giving his press conference.

 

“This is so exciting!” Tooru almost whispered, wiggling in her seat. “Nimbus hasn’t ever given a press conference before!” 

 

“The media has been really drumming it up,” Tsuyu added. “Nimbus doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to make a big deal out of himself.” 

 

Kyouka tipped her head. “He’s seemed real humble every time I’ve met him.”

 

Ochako kept quiet, feeling the pressure of eyes on her from her friends. It was no secret how close she was to Nimbus, but they also knew how tight-lipped she was about him. Still, she didn’t have to hold her guard for much longer. Soon, they’d know, and soon, they’d either be upset or understanding. Or both.

 

“Ochako…” Tooru began expectantly. “What is he going to announce?” 

 

“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t know?” she offered weakly.

 

“No,” Tsuyu replied. “You know. But you probably don’t want to tell. That’s fine. I know he trusts you a lot.”

 

Momo smiled at Tsuyu. “Yes, I agree. Your trustworthiness is laudable. As heroes, we all understand the importance of secrets.”

 

Nobody could see it, but they could all feel Tooru’s tongue sticking out at Momo. Ochako knew that Tooru played at being irresponsible as a gag—much like Mina—but she didn’t mess around with important things. She was a good hero and a good friend, but that didn’t stop her from being a nosy gossip, as well.

 

 “Ochako!! Come on, tell us!” Tooru whined. “We’re just gonna find out!” 

 

“Then can’t you wait?” Ochako asked. 

 

Kyouka leaned back in her seat and smirked. “Your powers of persuasion are only at half strength without Mina here. Just give it up.”

 

Tooru flopped onto the couch in defeat. “Fiiine. But just tell me Ochako, you’re not keeping it a secret because you don’t trust us, right?”

 

“No way!” Ochako exclaimed immediately. “It’s just… you know.”

 

“The less people that know a secret, the safer it is,” Tsuyu finished. “No matter who it is.”

 

Tooru sighed, but relented. “I know, I know… but I’m just so curious! He seems like such a nice guy, I just wanna know more about him!”

 

Ochako smiled to herself. Tooru had only met Nimbus a few times—their patrol routes were pretty far apart, unfortunately, but Izuku traveled all over to where he was needed—but the infectiously-friendly woman had hit it off with him very well. She had also been very friendly with Izuku whenever Ochako brought her to Serendipity, so she didn’t have any worries. 

 

“It’s starting!” Momo exclaimed, holding her hand to her mouth as all their gazes fell upon the screen. 

 

Ochako silently cheered for Izuku as he walked out to the podium in front of the sea of reporters. Flashes of cameras went off nearly constantly, reflecting off his helmet as he looked over the crowd. Ochako knew that Melissa had built flash protection in, but she was sure that he was nervous. He was a master of working under that pressure, but it was still there. 

 

She was looking forward to holding him close later. Even the greatest hero in the world needed protection, and sometimes that protection came in the form of hugs.

 

“Good afternoon,” Izuku began in his thick American accent. “Thank you for being here today, both in person and out there. If you can hear my voice, know that I appreciate you. I promise not to take up too much of your time.”

 

“He’s such a boy scout,” Kyouka muttered.

 

“I’ve been serving the people of Japan for nearly four years now,” he continued, “and while people are quick to heap praise on me, I will always say that I could not do what I do without the support of my fellow heroes.”

 

Tsuyu glanced at Ochako with a worried look. “It almost sounds like he’s retiring.”

 

Izuku looked directly at the camera. “To all those who helped me and supported me: thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

 

Ochako could feel his gaze on her through the screen.

 

She could also feel Tooru’s hands on her shoulders, shaking her violently. “Ochakooooo!!! What’s happeniiiiing?! Just teeeeeell uuuuus!” 

 

“However, I’m standing here today to apologize both to my fellow heroes and the people of Japan. I put myself above others. I thought I was special. I didn’t give you all the respect you deserved. So today, I’m here to set things straight.”

 

Momo’s brow furrowed. “Does he think he doesn’t do enough? He already does more than anyone!” 

 

Ochako agreed silently. She had told Izuku many times that he couldn’t bear the whole world on his shoulders. He was getting better at listening, but it was still hard for him sometimes.

 

Kyouka slowly turned and stared intensely at her. “He isn’t.” 

 

Ochako smiled sheepishly. 

 

“First things first, I can drop this fake accent.” Izuku paused and cleared his throat, then continued in perfect Japanese. “That was pretty annoying to keep up over the years, I have to say.”

 

The gasp in the room was mirrored by the reporters in front of Izuku. 

 

“He’s not American?!” Momo exclaimed. “He’s Japanese?!”

 

“You knew?!” Tooru hissed accusingly at Ochako.

 

“Just keep watching…” Ochako hummed. 

 

Izuku looked out over the room, where all the reporters looked like they were seconds away from bursting forth with questions. “You see, I adopted the accent to keep people off my trail. The truth is, I was born and raised in Musutafu, in the shadow of UA. I almost went to school there, but… things changed. That’s a story for another day, and one not in front of the whole nation, probably.”

 

The distortion built into his helmet kept Izuku’s voice from being recognizable to the other women, but Ochako saw her dorky boyfriend shining through, no matter how much tech was in the way. 

 

The other women were too stunned to say anything.

 

“I kept my identity secret for good reasons,” he continued, “at least I felt like they were good reasons. In the past, they were, but now… well, as I said, things change. Now, I think it’s a hindrance.”

 

Izuku reached up and grabbed the sides of his helmet, and Ochako knew he was speaking the commands inside the helmet to disengage the locks. She could feel the entire nation holding its breath as he began to lift upward.

 

His defined jawline came into view first, followed by those soft lips she loved to kiss. His cute nose that she also happened to love to kiss was revealed, then those distinct freckled cheeks that yes, she loved to kiss. His bright, green eyes looked out on the nation, and for the first time, they looked back on them. As his messy green hair emerged from the helmet, a scream erupted from everyone but Tsuyu. 

 

All four of them turned to stare at Ochako, who could only smile weakly. “Uh, surprise?” 

 

“My name is Izuku Midoriya,” he declared boldly, “and I am Nimbus.

 

“I am Redacted.”  

Notes:

Title drop!

Chapter 21: Fallout

Summary:

The rest of the day.

Izuku looked out over the stunned crowd, but his mind wasn’t really focusing on them. It was more focused on the incredible sense of relief that was washing over him, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Years of lies and deception, years of stress and worry at the slightest coincidences, years of never truly being able to relax… all in the past. Gone.

 

He couldn’t help the dopey smile that grew on his face.

 

However, the reporters didn’t stay stunned for long. Izuku didn’t have much time at all to reflect and appreciate what he had finally done before questions erupted across the press room.

 

Izuku was nearly blown off his feet by the sheer volume and volume of the questions, and he quickly raised his hands to try and calm them down. “Please, one at a time!”

 

He pointed at a woman in the front row as the reporters regained a small modicum of their composure. “Mr. um, Midoriya, you said?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Mr. Midoriya,” she resumed, “this isn’t some sort of prank, is it? Are you really Redacted?”

 

He laughed once. “No, but I appreciate the hesitance. Here.” 

 

Izuku conjured Black Whip to pick up a pen from a nearby table and carried it over to his podium. “Does that prove it enough for you?”

 

He called on another reporter. “Do you dye your hair?”

 

“Um, no,” Izuku muttered. These weren’t exactly winners he was calling on; maybe the third person would be better.

 

“You are a very attractive man,” the reporter said bluntly.

 

Izuku blinked. “Um, thank you, sir, but that’s not a question.”

 

He called on someone else. She stared at him for a few moments before she spoke. “You served me coffee yesterday.”

 

Izuku laughed and smiled. “Yes, Ms. Suzuki! It’s always a pleasure to see you, but that’s not a question either.” 

 

He tried again with a woman behind Ms. Suzuki. She asked him very directly, “Who are you?” 

 

Now that was a question. 

 

He took a moment to collect his thoughts. “As I said, my name is Izuku Midoriya. I was born and raised in Musutafu until I left to attend hero school in America. I returned about four years ago and have mostly either been on patrol, serving coffee, or sleeping ever since. 

 

“There’s too much to tell my life story here, but I can try to hit some highlights.” He gazed off over the invisible horizon for a moment. “My childhood was rough, to say the least. It may seem impossible, but I grew up quirkless.”

 

Surprised murmurs rose up from the reporters. Izuku knew that hearing that the number one hero was once utterly powerless was surely shocking.

 

“It’s true,” he added. “I was a late bloomer. I didn’t get my quirk until I was already 15 years old. I bet there are some people out there right now who remember the weak, wimpy ‘Deku’ from Aldera. It’s hard to imagine that he became me.”

 

Izuku paused for a moment before continuing. “I idolized All Might and always wanted to be a hero—the greatest hero—which made those years even tougher, but it also made me finally getting my quirk that much more incredible. Unbelievably, I actually had the fortune of meeting All Might before I had my quirk. He saw the potential in me even then, and he trained me. Once my quirk manifested, I knew I could finally chase my dreams. And I did.” 

 

Sure, he left out some things and may have twisted the truth a little, but the core was true. He couldn’t give away every secret at once.

 

“I attended a private school in America, then returned with All Might.” Izuku smiled. “While everyone was cheering for his return, I slipped away into the background. After that, well, I think you all know the important bits.”

 

Ms. Suzuki had regained her composure and tried an actual question. “Why did you work in a cafe?”

 

Izuku smiled fondly again. “My mother has always been a great cook, as anybody who’s ever been there can attest, I’m sure, and with my family back in Japan, it was something we could do as a family. It was rewarding to help people, and we didn’t have to worry too much about the stress of actually running a business, as my income from being a hero was more than enough to support five Seredipitys. My mother was able to follow her passions, my father was able to spend time with her, and I was able to help. It seemed like the perfect solution.” 

 

“Why did you choose to hide your identity?” A question he had been asked before, but now he could be more candid. 

 

“As I’ve said countless times in other interviews,” he began, “the main reason was to protect my family. I didn’t want their lives impacted by my heroics. I had the opportunity, so I took it. I realize now that it came with a price, one I wouldn’t pay again.”

 

“What will this change?” another reporter asked.

 

“Hopefully not much,” Izuku replied. “I’m still the same hero I was before, I just have a face now. I’m hoping people feel safer knowing who I am.”

 

Izuku called on a man in the front row; one of the most veteran reporters in the room. He asked the most direct, most important question. “Why did you take the mask off? What changed?”

 

Izuku didn’t answer for a few seconds as he looked down at the podium. A part of him wanted to talk about Ochako, talk about how she had changed his life in ways he could have never dreamed, talk about how she made him realize that he had to live for himself as well as live for others. He wanted to tell the whole world about the amazing, brilliant, beautiful woman that was Ochako and about how she had saved him from himself, but she wouldn’t want him to do that. She wouldn’t want that pressure and spotlight on her.

 

“Someone helped me realize that it was the right thing to do,” he began finally. “For myself, for my friends, for my country. I want to be able to live without constantly worrying about my secret. I want to be able to help people without having to constantly be in my hero costume. I want to be able to have a life outside of being Nimbus. Perhaps most of all, I want people to see that I’m not some unknowable monolith, but a person, just like them. One who laughs, cries, makes mistakes, and tries his best, no matter what comes. As I said, I am Nimbus, but more importantly, I am Izuku Midoriya.”

 

---

 

Ochako could vaguely hear Izuku answering questions, but she was far more focused on staying alive than listening, especially as she was perched up on Tooru’s walls with her back on the ceiling, avoiding the women below.

 

“How long did you know?!” Tooru demanded indignantly as she jumped up to try and grab Ochako’s foot.

 

“He told me on our first date!” she admitted, pulling her foot back. 

 

One of Kyouka’s jacks shot forward, and Ochako had to kick off the wall to dodge it. “You’ve been dating the number one hero this whole time?!”

 

“Kyouka, please,” Ochako begged, “it’s not like that!”

 

While she was able to dodge the first one, she couldn’t avoid Kyouka’s other jack, which wrapped around her stomach, and with her lack of weight, was easily able to pull her down toward her friends. Ochako floated defeated before Tooru and Kyouka, with Tsuyu and Momo looking on from behind. 

 

“I know it’s not,” Kyouka admitted. “You really do love him, don’t you?”

 

“Have you seen how they look at each other?” Momo added with a small laugh. 

 

Ochako smiled. “Yeah, ‘course I do. He’s amazing.”

 

“What’s it like?” Tsuyu asked.

 

“Dating him?” Ochako clarified. “It’s great. But you all gotta realize that Izuku is Izuku, he’s not Nimbus. The man I’m dating is that loveable dork you know from Serendipity, not the number one hero.” 

 

“He’s both,” Kyouka corrected. 

 

“Well, yeah,” Ochako admitted.

 

Tooru sighed, crossing her arms in a huff. “You’re lucky Mina isn’t here.”

 

“Well…” Ochako muttered.

 

Tsuyu picked up her implication first. “She already knows, doesn’t she?”

 

“Her and Eijirou,” Ochako elaborated softly.

 

Tooru’s screech caused Kyouka to flinch. “THEY KNEW?! MINA HOW COULD YOU?! MY HEART! OH, MY HEART! BETRAYAAAL!”

 

“Tooru, please,” Momo entreated. 

 

“No, let me be melodramatic,” Tooru demanded as she pretended to faint onto the couch.

 

“It wasn’t my secret to tell,” Ochako explained. “It took months to get him to tell them, and we talked about telling you all, but decided to wait until, well, now. Rip off the bandage all at once, yeah?”

 

Kyouka gently set Ochako back down on the ground as Tsuyu walked up and hugged her. “I know he’s closer to them than any of us, I get it.”

 

Ochako hugged her back eagerly. “Thanks for understanding.”

 

“We’re gonna give you crap for this for a while,” Kyouka said with a smirk and a cocked hip.

 

“Probably the rest of your life,” Momo added.

 

“I would honestly expect nothing less,” Ochako laughed. She was glad that the girls took it well; now there was only one thing to worry about.

 

---

 

Izuku felt like he had been answering questions for hours by the time he finally left the building. Unsurprisingly, there was a huge crowd of other reporters and onlookers outside, each vying to get a word out of him. Unfortunately for them, he was all but out of energy for the press. All he wanted to do was take off his costume and collapse into Ochako’s arms. 

 

However, before he could do that, he saw someone in the crowd. Through the unintelligible shouting and blinding camera flashes, he spotted someone he had been hoping to run into for a while.

 

Izuku’s eyes locked onto the woman who had interviewed Ochako all those months ago. He walked straight toward her, ignoring all the questions levied at him from all sides as he approached. His face must have been showing some of his intention, as whatever question she had for him died in her throat. 

 

“If you ever ,” he began, loudly enough to be heard by anyone near her, “illegally bug a pro hero again, I will press charges against you and your entire company.”

 

The reporters around him were shocked silent and turned to stare at the woman, who looked like a deer in headlights. He took the opportunity to escape, putting his helmet on and jumping high into the air. The people below could only look on in disappointment that he wouldn’t answer any more questions that day, but he was sure that his life would be far from quiet for a long time. 

 

The secret was finally out. Life would never be the same again, but he was trusting his friends and family that the future would be brighter than before. He guessed he would be far closer to what All Might used to be; giving more interviews and smiling for more pictures. He had no intention of becoming the sole pillar like Toshinori had been; he would have Ochako by his side at the very least. 

 

As his helmet ran him through all the events he had missed, he saw a camera feed that was far from surprising. Just like he had expected, there was already a mob outside of Serendipity; he was happier than ever he had whisked his parents away to Toshinori’s house. They’d figure out there was nobody home eventually, especially with how he had no intention of returning there for several days at minimum. It was sad in a way, but he wasn’t going to complain about spending more time with Ochako.

 

In many ways, this was a test run. He suspected Ochako felt the same way; this was an experiment to see if they did well living together. Dating someone was a lot different than sharing a roof with them, and while Izuku was confident, he didn’t wish to be foolish. It would crush him if Ochako and him didn’t work out, but something told him he didn’t have to worry too much about that.

 

He wasn’t sure if he believed in the concept of soul mates, but in his opinion, there was compelling evidence.

 

However, just because he had taken his helmet off didn’t mean he wasn’t still a hero. The journey back to his normal patrol route had passed by while he was lost in thought and he found himself on a familiar rooftop. He smiled to himself as he looked down at the rooftop of Ochako’s agency, which he figured would likely soon become his as well, but now wasn’t the time to think about that. 

 

As he looked out over Tokyo in the afternoon sun, his helmet picked up a disturbance a few blocks away and he leapt into action. It only took a second or two for him to arrive at the quiet urban side street, where he saw a taller, muscular woman trying to rip an ATM in half. He landed behind her with enough impact to cause her to jump and turn around. 

 

Her eyes landed on him and went wide for a moment before she began to laugh. “Redacted? Come on, you’re just some guy now!”

 

Izuku said nothing and instead just tilted his head at her in confusion.

 

He could almost see the thought process running through her head as she began to scratch her head. “You’re just like every other hero and… and… um. Huh. I guess that doesn’t really change anything, does it?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“Yeah, fair enough.” She put her hands up.

 

As the villain was dealt with, it didn’t take long for a crowd to form, but it was even faster than normal. The quiet city street was filled by people who seemed to pour out of every building and from every alleyway as word spread of Izuku’s appearance. He felt the acute pressure of hundreds of eyes on him from all sides, each asking a silent question. 

 

Izuku obliged them, as weird as it felt. He supposed he would have to get used to taking his helmet off, but years of paranoia would take time to unlearn. As he lifted it off his head, the collective breath the crowd was holding was released and replaced with an outpouring of cheers, questions, and shouts that were far too many for him to understand. 

 

He smiled and waved at the crowd, trying to do his best to channel his inner Toshinori. The cheers renewed, and it made him feel good. Real good. Seeing their joy never got old.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw some people pushing through the crowd. Police officers there to arrest the villain were being led by Kyouka, who froze when she saw him. Her wide eyes gradually shrunk back down as she grew a small smile. “It really is you, huh?”

 

“Yeah, it’s-” He stopped himself and cleared his throat. “Sorry, gotta remember I don’t need to fake the accent anymore. Yeah, it’s me.”

 

She shook her head as she approached him and punched him on the arm. “I guess you really did have ‘something’ to do, didn’t you?”

 

“Yeah, sorry,” he replied sheepishly. “We wanted to tell you, but…”

“No sweat,” Kyouka said dismissively, “Ochako already told us all about it. I get it. You know, it’s hard to believe the number one was serving me breakfast a couple times a month. Although, remembering how much of a nerd you were when we first met in costume, I guess it makes sense.”

 

He laughed. “Ochako and my family always said I was actually really bad at keeping the secret.”

 

Her smile shifted from teasing to warm. “Speaking of Ochako, how’d she finally get you to do it?” 

 

“She made me realize there was more to life than just being a hero,” he explained.

 

Kyouka scoffed playfully. “Sap.”

 

“Are you surprised?” he asked.

 

“No,” she admitted with a sigh. “Seeing how you two were always so lovey-dovey gross together, it makes sense. She’s really proud of you, you know. We watched most of your press conference and that woman wouldn’t stop beaming.”

 

“She’s too good for me, I know,” he muttered. 

 

“Too good for the number one hero?” she asked, raising an eyebrow smugly. 

 

He nodded. “She’d be too good for me if I was ten times the hero I am now.”

 

Kyouka looked at him for a few moments before sighing and looked down at the ground, before glancing back up into his face. “You really love her, huh?” 

 

“With all my heart,” Izuku answered confidently. “With all my heart.” 

 

Before Kyouka could say anything else, he heard a call coming through in his helmet. He apologized to her and quickly put his helmet back on, seeing that it was Eijirou for some reason. 

 

“Hello?” Izuku began.

 

“Hey, bud!” replied Eijirou. “Great press conference! I think you really nailed it!” 

 

“Thanks, man. Means a lot.”

 

“But yeah, um, I was actually calling about Bakugou.”

 

Izuku had suspected as much. “How did he react?”

 

“Um, it’s actually really scary,” Eijirou admitted. 

 

“Did he blow up his house?” Izuku asked, only partially joking.

 

“No, nothing like that, in fact… he didn’t do anything at all. He hasn’t said a word since you took the mask off. I’ve never seen him so… stunned.” 

 

“...Is he okay?”

 

“I dunno, he finally moved a half hour ago or so. He went out to the beach behind the house and he’s just kinda been sitting there ever since. Mina thinks you should go talk to him.”

 

“Is me being there really the best thing right now?” he asked incredulously.

 

“No idea, but Mina is usually right about these sorts of things. Maybe as like… a professional thing. Hero to hero?”

 

Izuku sighed. “Yeah, alright. If nothing else, to get the number two out of his own head.”

 

“Thanks man,” Eijirou said with a sigh of relief. “I know you don’t owe him anything, but he’s my friend.”

 

“Send me the coordinates,” Izuku muttered. “I’ll head over soon.”

 

---

 

Izuku, unsurprisingly, had never been to Bakugou’s house. He didn’t know where he lived, and he had honestly never wondered about it. The location Eijirou had sent him put it somewhere along the coast outside of Tokyo proper, which he supposed made sense. After Izuku had finished signing a few autographs and busting up a few more crimes en route, he finally was nearing the isolated enclave of the number two hero. 

 

The sun was setting as Izuku floated several hundred feet above the east-facing beach, casting long shadows, but creating a beautiful reflection off the calm ocean. He spotted the spiky blonde mane of his… coworker down on the beach, staring out toward the horizon like a statue. 

 

He couldn't really imagine what was going through Bakugou’s head at the moment. His entire world view got upended in a moment; Izuku felt genuine empathy for him. Finding out that your old punching bag was the seemingly-insurmountable obstacle couldn’t be easy on a person. Phrasing it like that didn’t exactly make him feel sorry for Bakugou, but he knew that was an uncharitable view. Bakugou had sucked up his misgivings and apologized to him months ago, he had to respect that. 

 

However, he also knew things hadn’t changed between them. He still didn’t have any interest in befriending the man again, but he knew that Mina was right and that this was the right thing to do. Who knew, maybe this could be the start of a new dynamic between them, but he wasn’t holding his breath.

 

A part of him wanted to just turn around and fly back to Ochako. He hadn’t seen her all day and he was missing her dearly, but he knew he shouldn’t back out. 

 

Izuku gradually Floated himself down to the ground, landing about twenty feet to Bakugou’s right. The man stood rigid for a moment, seeming to not notice Izuku, but then his head slowly turned and his red eyes locked on Izuku’s helmet. 

 

Bakugou was silent as he stared at Izuku, his glare seemingly looking through the helmet and to Izuku’s face behind. There was an awkward silence, but neither man seemed interested in breaking it. Instead, Bakugou continued to stare expectantly with his otherwise expressionless eyes. 

 

Izuku got the message and commanded his helmet to disengage the locks. For someone who was used to taking the helmet off only when he was home safe, he certainly had taken it off a lot that day, but what was one more? As he lifted the helmet off to look down at him, Bakugou’s shoulders finally followed his head as he turned to fully face Izuku. 

 

For the first time since Aldera, Izuku looked at Bakugou without a helmet or a veil of lies between them. Bakugou’s nearly-emotionless eyes slowly lit up with intense feelings as the ocean breeze rolled through their hair. 

 

Dozens of emotions crossed across his face, from indignation, to guilt, to regret, to mistrust, and the most prevalent: anger. Still, no words passed between the two men as Izuku stared stoically down at him, willing to let whatever processes were running in Bakugou’s brain finish before he added anything further. 

 

Perhaps Bakugou was running through their childhoods, or maybe he was reckoning all of the encounters he had with Nimbus with the fact that it was Izuku the whole time. Perhaps he was deciding how best to attack him, or maybe he was just trying to rationalize how he would beat him in the rankings. 

 

The indignation, guilt, and all the other emotions began to fade into Bakugou’s rage. Or perhaps more accurately, frustration. His fists clenched and his teeth gnashed together, but Danger Sense never pinged in Izuku’s mind. 

 

In a single motion, Bakugou whipped around and unleashed an earth-shaking explosion into the sky. Izuku squinted against the flash of dazzling light, and instinctively began to Float a few inches off the sand as the shockwave caused it to shift and flow. Birds from nearby trees squawked and fled into the sky as even the waves were pushed back from the megaton blast. 

 

Izuku shielded his eyes from the swirling sand that had been kicked up, but as it settled back down, he looked back at Bakugou, who was still facing away from him. His shoulders and back stood rigid for a moment, but then suddenly dropped as he let out a long, deep sigh, as if releasing years of tension.

 

Bakugou slumped down onto the sand, sitting down and looking out at the ocean again. Izuku cocked an eyebrow as he reached to his side and opened up a small cooler that Izuku hadn’t noticed until now. He pulled out a bottle of beer and popped the top off with a small blast from his palm, then turned it over as he took a mighty drink. 

 

He pulled the bottle back with a long breath, never taking his eyes off the lapping waves all the while. Izuku Floated there awkwardly for a moment, wondering what exactly he was thinking before Bakugou reached his other hand back into the cooler and pulled out another drink. He outstretched his arm, holding the beer toward Izuku, but not looking at him still. 

 

Izuku blinked down at him for a few seconds, before breathing out a single, airy laugh and landing back on the sand. He walked toward Bakugou, closing the distance between them and sitting down a few feet away. He sat his helmet down on the sand next to him and accepted the alcoholic peace offering without a word. A single motion of his finger brought out Black Whip to quickly remove the cap, which drew a sideways glance from Bakugou before he returned his eyes to the sea. 

 

Izuku took a deep drink and turned his own gaze to the ocean, letting the relaxing breeze blow around him. There was something incredibly serene about sitting in silence, which Izuku appreciated. Sometimes he would simply stand on rooftops and gaze out over the city, but relaxing on the beach was something new. 

 

The salt-tinged air filled his lungs as he breathed in, letting his perception drift away from himself. It expanded all around, hearing the distant sounds of the wind in the trees and the indignant birds returning to their roosts. He felt the sand under himself and the cool glass through his gloves. The setting sunlight danced off the gentle waves and glistened between the sands. 

 

It was peaceful.

 

The two men sat there for the better part of an hour, finishing their drinks, but still never saying a word. The sun had nearly fully set behind the mountains at their back, and the light had all but gone when Izuku finally stood up with his helmet in hand. Bakugou looked up at Izuku and their eyes met for the first time in a while. Izuku nodded once down at him, and he returned the gesture before turning his gaze back to the ocean. 

 

Izuku put his helmet back on, Floated into the air, and headed back into the city.

 

---

 

By the time Izuku knocked on Ochako’s door, the mental and emotional strain of the day had begun to catch up to him. He was feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, but when the door opened and he saw the smiling face of Ochako, the weight seemed to vanish. 

 

She stood aside and shut the door behind him as he stepped in and turned off the hologram disguising him. The exhaustion in his body must have been evident, or Ochako just knew him well enough to tell, but either way, he didn’t get a word out of his mouth before she pressed her hand to his arm and took away his gravity. 

 

“You’ve had a long day,” she whispered into his ear, sending shivers up his spine.

 

Izuku took off his helmet and looked into her kind eyes. “I’ve had worse.”

 

She smiled warmly and planted a kiss on his nose. “You go clean up and I’ll get dinner ready. I put clothes for you in the bathroom.” 

 

His weight returned to him and he trudged over to the case lying on the floor in the middle of Ochako’s living room, he placed the helmet next to it, then took off his gloves and boots, leaving just his suit. Izuku could hardly wait to feel the relaxing water against his skin, and the door to the bathroom had hardly closed on him before he stripped out of the rest of his clothes.

 

As the water flowed over his skin and he began to wash off the sweat and grime, he thought back over the day. It was likely that he would remember today for the rest of his life, and it was definitely one of the most important days he had ever experienced. Trailing behind the day he first met All Might and the day he finally got his quirk, and the day he finally put a stop to All For One and Shigaraki… but that was all in the past. This day felt like the opening of a chapter. 

 

Nothing would be the same. People knew who he was now. Everyone knew. He might not ever be able to truly go back to Serendipity again. People likely wouldn’t accept the number one hero serving them coffee. 

 

Izuku the person would have all the scrutiny of Nimbus on him constantly. He’d have to make extra effort to get peace and quiet and to maintain any semblence of privacy, which to his tired mind, sounded like torture. 

 

However, before a shred of doubt could enter his mind, he heard the angelic sound of Ochako singing to herself from the kitchenette. She would be the first to admit that she wasn’t a great singer, but to Izuku, she sounded like an angel. 

 

Yeah, if he could have this? It was all worth it.

 

Izuku finished washing and dried off before putting on the comfortable clothes Ochako had laid out for him. He stepped out of the bathroom and was greeted with the delicious smell of Katsudon, but not just any Katsudon. The smell was… distinct. Familiar. Familial.

 

“Your mom gave me her recipe,” Ochako explained with a proud grin. 

 

Izuku stared at her in disbelief. “She always said that it was a family secret…”

 

Ochako looked down at the food, then back up at him with a soft smile. “Come on, take a seat. Let me know if it’s as good as hers.”

 

One of his instructors back in America once gave him a kernel of wisdom that seemed very poignant at present. ‘The best seasoning for any food is hunger. Nothing makes food taste better.’

 

As his stomach growled, he didn’t resist Ochako’s request. He sat down in one of the high chairs as she passed his serving over to him. The savory smell nearly brought tears to his eyes, but as he took his first bite, the taste definitely did. 

 

It tasted amazing. It reminded him of growing up when it was just him and his mom. It reminded him of that first evening in America with his father. It reminded him of his first meal back in Japan and countless other evenings. He knew that the next time he ate it, it would remind him of this night. 

 

Ochako had barely gotten halfway through her Katsudon by the time he had finished his first bowl and nearly devoured his second as well. She couldn’t help but giggle as he wolfed down every bit he could get ahold of, and she puffed her chest out a little. “I guess I did okay, huh?”

 

He would have confirmed verbally, but his mouth was full, so he simply nodded vigorously. Between the shower and the food, he felt like a new man. When the food finally ran out, Izuku sighed with deep satisfaction. 

 

“Thank you, honey,” he mumbled. “You’re amazing…”

 

She smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead before beginning to pick up the dishes. Izuku protested, but Ochako insisted that he had a long enough day already and told him to go lay down. Izuku didn’t have the energy to resist, especially not such an attractive option. Ochako’s soft bed seemed to call to him personally as he lazily Floated himself into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed.

 

The energy that had returned to him seemed to drain out like water into parched earth as he sunk into the mattress. Izuku slipped in and out of consciousness as he heard Ochako clean up dinner and then disappeared into the bathroom to clean herself. He jolted awake as he felt the bed shift, and looked up to see Ochako slipping under the covers with him with those adorable mittens on her hands. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t meanta’ wake you up,” she muttered.

 

“No, no, I wanted to talk to you,” he replied, rolling over so he was facing her properly. 

 

She smiled as she pulled the covers up and cuddled against his chest. “About what?”

 

“Today, I guess.” He put an arm around her and tousled her hair gently. “I hope it wasn’t too rough for you.”

 

She shook her head. “Everyone’s focused on you. It might take some time before they figure out we’re dating. Like… a day. Maybe two.” 

 

He laughed quietly. “Yeah. Guess you got your wish, huh? Showing off your boyfriend to the world?” 

 

Ochako laughed and bumped her head against his chest. “Yeah, I did. I know you didn’t do this for me, though.”

 

“No… not entirely,” he admitted. “I did this for me, but it’s only because of you that I saw that I should. But I also did it for you, because I want you to be happy. You deserve it.”

 

“I am happy,” she whispered lovingly. “I’m cuddling with the man I love, what else could be better?”

 

His arms pulled her closer. “If there is something better, I can’t think of it.”

 

“Good answer,” she mused. They fell silent for a while, holding each other close and feeling the love they shared. The exhaustion in Izuku’s mind and soul faded away in her presence, leaving peace and serenity in their place. 

 

“I got a question,” Ochako began suddenly. 

 

“Sure,” he replied sleepily.

 

“My landlord wants to give me a ‘thank you’ for all the work I do, or so he says,” she continued. “Long story short, he’s lettin' me move to a better apartment for the same rent.”

 

“That’s great!” Izuku exclaimed, suddenly more awake. “Wait, that’s not a question.”

 

Ochako hummed against him. “Problem is, it’s a bigger apartment, and I’m afraid it’s too much for just one person.”

 

“Oh, well you can always use more space-” Izuku stopped as his tired mind began to work.

 

“I was gonna ask you later in the week, but I can’t help myself. Will you move in with me?” she asked. 

 

“Yeah,” he answered immediately, kissing her forehead. “I’d love to.”

 

“Just like that?” she asked incredulously.

 

“Yeah,” he repeated. “Wouldn’t want you to be lonely.”

 

“Thank you, Izuku,” she mumbled. “I love you.”

 

“Love you, too,” he responded with a small chuckle. The thought of moving in with Ochako on a permanent basis was making his heart jump for joy, but he was too tired to express it. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

 

“Are you worried about tomorrow?” she asked. 

 

“Worried?” he repeated. “Maybe. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Today was so exhausting, and I don’t see it calming down anytime soon. Things are going to be crazy for a long time.”

 

“You don’t need to worry about that here,” she said softly, leaning up and kissing him on the lips. “Things will be quiet here. Together we can just… turn down the world.”

 

He smiled softly and reached up with a hand to flick the lights off with Black Whip. It took nearly no time at all for the two of them to fall asleep, holding each other close as they drifted off to sleep, closing the book on the day Izuku took off his helmet. Izuku didn’t know what the next chapter of his life would hold, but right now, he was holding Ochako, and he had no intention of ever letting go.

Notes:

YouTube

 

Next chapter is it, thanks for being on this journey with me.

Chapter 22: Ever After

Summary:

The end of one road.

Ochako woke up the next morning with Izuku’s arms around her; a sensation that was getting more familiar with every day. It took a minute or so for the rest of the world to bleed into her perception, as she slowly felt the morning sun and heard the bustle of the city waking up outside her window. 

 

The streets were already so loud, and she knew that a whole world of stress and worry awaited her out there, but in Izuku's arms, she felt insulated from it all. Nothing could hurt her while she was snuggled against him. He was the most powerful man in Japan, if not the world, and he was laying next to her, holding her like she was his everything. 

 

She gently slipped a hand out of its mitten and reached up to touch his hand, running her pad across his skin. In his sleep, his hand reflexively closed around her thumb, holding it gently, but firmly. As her fingers rested on the back of his hand, she felt new warmth spreading through her.

 

It was almost enough to make her cry.

 

Shortly after, Izuku began to stir. His grip around her finger loosened, then tightened as he realized what he was holding. He began to slowly prod her thumb pad with his finger as he leaned down and kissed her on the neck.

 

“Good morning,” he mumbled in a deep, husky morning voice.

 

Ochako was a little surprised how much she liked that, and was grateful he couldn’t see her face suddenly turn red. She quickly replied, “Mornin’, babe.”

 

“I didn’t dream all that, did I?” Izuku asked.

 

“Dream what?”

 

“Taking my mask off on national television.” 

 

Ochako couldn't help but giggle. “No, that was real.” 

 

He rolled over so he was on his back, and Ochako rolled with him, her leg hiked over his as her arm rested over his chest and her head lay on his shoulder. Izuku stared at the ceiling, and she could almost hear his thoughts.

 

“Too late for regrets,” she reminded him. 

 

“I don’t regret doing it,” he began, “I’m just thinking about how today is going to go.”

 

“Just like every other day. Except with about ten times the media houndin’ us.” Ochako sighed a little. “I wonder how long it will take for them to put together that we’re dating.”

 

“I give it until noon at the latest,” he joked. Well, half-joked. Ochako laughed softly, then sighed.

 

“I’m going to be late if I keep cuddlin’ you,” she reminded him, rolling over to get up.

 

However, his arm held her in place. “Who’s going to get you in trouble? Your boss? Oh wait, that’s you.”

 

“Izuku, you dog!” she laughed, before rolling the other direction so she wound up on top of him, laying on his chest. Izuku wrapped his arms around her firmly, holding her there while Ochako leaned in and gave him a deep kiss, trying to show him how much he meant to her. 

 

“Your payment is accepted,” he sighed, opening his arms and letting her roll off him.

 

She stood up, then cocked her hip and looked down at him. “If I can pay you in kisses, then I’m a rich woman.”

 

“Sounds right to me,” he muttered dreamily.

 

“Then you shall address me as Lady Ochako,” she teased in a posh accent.

 

He sat up on one arm and looked at her. His hair was even messier than normal, and he had a just-woke-up smolder that froze her in her tracks. His shirt was bunched up, revealing his scarred, but heavily defined abs, and doing little to hide his muscular neck, shoulder and arms. It was moments like this when she really understood she was dating the number one hero.

 

“Are we doing roleplay already?” he asked.

 

Her face went bright red as her mind went places and she quickly ran off to the bathroom to get ready, with Izuku’s warm laughter following her as the door shut. She heard him get out of bed and walk past the bathroom as she began to tidy her messy hair.

 

“I’ll make breakfast,” he called through the door, still chuckling a little.

 

“Thank you,” she muttered back, still a little flustered.

 

Soon, the smell of freshly-brewed coffee began to waft into the bathroom, urging her to hurry up. She finished as quickly as she dared, but she was acutely aware that there would be an incredible amount of media scrutiny on her that day—more than anything she had faced in the past. 

 

Izuku smiled as she exited the bathroom and offered her a cup of coffee, which she took eagerly and thankfully. In the months and months Izuku had known her, he had not only memorized how she liked her coffee, but he had perfected it. No matter how she made it herself, it never matched what he could make for her, even using the same ingredients. 

 

Ochako sighed happily. “You really are incredible, you know that?”

 

A year ago, Izuku probably would have politely rejected the compliment, or at least made some blustering excuse, but things were different now. He smiled warmly over his mug at her. “Thank you. You’re incredible, too.”

 

“Ain’t we just a pair of incredibles?” she joked.

 

“I think that’s under copyright still,” he noted with a smirk. 

 

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the smile on her face. They ate breakfast together happily, peacefully, domestically , but before long, it was time for her to go. She headed back into her bedroom while Izuku cleaned up breakfast, opening her closet and quickly slipping into her hero costume. She clamped her helmet on and attached the braces around her wrist before sliding her feet into her sleek boots. With her equipment and personal effects squared away, Ochako walked back out of her bedroom to find Izuku whistling as he washed dishes in the sink. 

 

He leaned down for her to give him a peck on the cheek. “Be safe, love you.”

 

“Love you, too,” she replied after the slightest hesitation to give her heart time to settle back into her chest. Those words were so simple, but they had incredible weight. She bolstered herself, then was about to step out into the hallway, when she had a realization.

 

“Hey, Izuku,” she began, “could you lock up the window behind me?” 

 

“Window?” he repeated, before he understood. “Sure.”

 

She grinned and opened up the window in her living room, then climbed up, used her quirk on herself and jumped away. Before she didn’t have anyone behind to lock the window, but now she did. What’s more, to tell the truth, leaving through a window made her feel just that little bit more like a superhero. Next on her bucket list was getting into uniform in a telephone booth. Shame those didn’t really exist anymore.

 

Ochako avoided the streets on her way to her agency, instead sticking to rooftops as she crossed the city. While the city looked the same, sounded the same, smelled the same, it didn’t feel the same. There was a change in the air, and she suspected she wasn’t the only one who felt it. 

 

Redacted was no more. The identity of the mysterious number one was no longer a mystery, and everyone knew it. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t change too much, but right now the entire country was going through the process Ochako herself went through months ago. Now they all could put a name and a face to the hero, it made him more human, more personal, but all that much more impressive. No longer was it some faceless, unknowable monolith that did all those amazing things. It was a cute green-haired man in his early twenties. 

 

On paper, that didn’t seem like that big of a deal, but in practice, it felt like everything. There was something in the human brain that made it seem like a huge difference. Now, Nimbus was relatable. Knowable. Real. She’d felt the same way when they first patrolled together, then again when he revealed his identity to her, so she couldn’t blame others.

 

Ochako stopped on a rooftop a block or so away from her agency and saw that, despite her hopes, the media had put two and two together very quickly indeed. A veritable sea of reporters, cameras, and microphones was surrounding the building like a flock of vultures around a dying animal. 

 

“They probably worked through the night,” she muttered to herself. This was the story of the year, she supposed, and it shouldn’t surprise her that they had figured it out so quickly. It was times like this when she was very glad that she had an entrance on the roof. With a single, graceful jump, she landed on top of her building, sending a ripple through the reporters who noticed her above them. 

 

Ochako quickly slipped into the door and down to her office, flipping on the lights before she had a realization. 

 

“Oh no, Suzuki!” Ochako was able to jump over the crowd, but Suzuki didn’t have a mobility quirk. Sure enough, when she ran to the window and looked out, she spotted her employee trying her best to navigate the sea of media predators. Ochako dashed downstairs and threw the front doors open, shocking the reporters into a momentary silence. 

 

“Back off!” she demanded. “Let her through immediately!” 

 

Ochako channeled some of the fire she usually reserved for villains into her words, which seemed to have an effect on the temporarily-stunned crowd. Suzuki was able to squeeze through and dash behind Ochako just in time for the reporters to recover and begin rushing toward the hero. 

 

“Uravity! Uravity!” one of them shouted. “Can you confirm that you are in a relationship with Izuku Midoriya?” 

 

Ochako stood her ground, holding up a firm hand. “No comment. I need to get to work; crime isn’t going to wait just because Nimbus revealed his identity.”

 

“The people want to know!” another yelled.

 

Ochako sighed. “Fine. I’ll give a statement later in the day, but I do have work to do. Do not harass my employee or anyone else who comes into my agency or I will personally arrest you.”

 

With that, she turned on her heels and shut the doors behind her, leaving the media outside as she walked toward Suzuki’s desk.

 

“Th-thank you, Miss Uraraka,” she stammered, looking clearly flustered from the experience. 

 

“Aw, please don’t worry about it!” Ochako replied. “I’m always gonna look out for you.”

 

“Thank you,” she repeated, then looked at Ochako for a few seconds, clearly wanting to say something.

 

Ochako sighed, then laughed. “Yes, I knew Izuku was Nimbus.”

 

Suzuki squealed. “You didn’t tell me?!” 

 

“I didn’t tell my best friends,” Ochako explained with another laugh. “It was a big secret!” 

 

“I’ve talked to Nimbus!” she realized. “He’s so nice!” 

 

“As if I’d date anyone who wasn’t,” Ochako teased before she gave Suzuki a smile and headed back up to her office. There was a certain part of her that was feeling incredibly smug that everyone was realizing just how amazing of a boyfriend Ochako had snagged. She had the nicest, sweetest, most considerate, cutest, and hottest man in all of Japan all to herself and maybe she was feeling a little proud; who could blame her?

 

However, she hadn’t lied to the paparazzi. Crime was still out there, and still needed to be dealt with… but so was that massive stack of paperwork. She had neglected it yesterday, what with the whole Izuku-revealing-his-identity thing, and it was really piling up. She supposed patrol would have to wait for later. 

 

No matter how much she did it, paperwork never got any less obnoxious. She had gotten faster at it, more practiced, but it was still the worst part of her job. Ochako recognized it as important; they were heroes, not cowboys, but she was still allowed to complain.

 

The next couple hours passed painfully uneventfully. Her torpor was interrupted by a rise in volume from the crowd outside, but before she stood up and walked over to the window to look, Suzuki’s voice played over the speaker.

 

“Someone here to see you for a sidekick application, Miss Uraraka.” 

 

Suzuki’s voice had an undeniable levity to it, as if she was stifling laughter, causing Ochako to raise an eyebrow, but she was more concerned with this applicant. Who would come to apply on today of all days? Were they just trying to get close to her because of Izuku?

 

Ochako pressed a button and spoke. “Send them up.”

 

“At once!” Suzuki chirped eagerly.

 

Ochako leaned back in her chair, pondering who it could be walking up the steps to her office. As her mind worked, it was suddenly filled with realization at the same moment the door opened and Izuku walked in.

 

“Is that sidekick offer still on the table?” he asked, his grin wide on his face.

 

Ochako groaned and her head fell down to her desk, making an audible thump. “Really?”

 

“Of course!” he exclaimed, walking over and grabbing onto her shoulders gently. “As if I could let this opportunity slip by!”

 

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?” she asked, trying to stifle a smile as he lifted her face from the desk.

 

“Probably not.” He tipped her chin upward and leaned down, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. 

 

Her resistance broke and a wide grin spread across her face. “You’re the worst.”

 

“You love me.”

 

Ochako rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Irrelevant.”

 

“But seriously,” Izuku began, looking down at her as he took a seat on her desk. “Now that I’m public, I will need an agency.” 

 

“Izuku…” Ochako looked up at him seriously; she knew what he was asking. “You’re the top hero. You deserve your own agency.” 

 

“Why would I go through all that headache when you already have one!” he retorted, his arms going wide. “It’s already in a perfect location and the woman I love owns it!”

 

She bit her lip and looked away as she thought. “I suppose that makes sense, but… people will think you’re just doing it to appease me or somethin’.”

 

“We can change the name if you insist; Uravity and Nimbus Agency or something,” he muttered, “but I really don’t care.”

 

“Fine, we can talk about it,” she relented. “Nimravity… Urabus… we’ll workshop it.” 

 

“You sound like one of those people online making ship names,” he teased with a sly grin.

 

She flicked his nose, causing him to jump. “How dare you!”

 

“Assaulted for telling the truth!” he feigned injury and insult for a half-second before both of them fell into loud laughter. Ochako’s world felt a thousand times brighter with him here; it was amazing just how much of a difference he made.

 

Once they calmed down, she stood up and stretched a little. “How’d you get through that crowd outside?” 

 

“Smokescreen,” he answered simply. “I’m sure they realized quickly who caused it, but I was already inside.”

 

She looked up  into his eyes as she put two fingers on his chest and slowly walked them up to his collarbone. “And how’s your day been?”

 

“About what you’d expect. Busy, annoying, tiring. Sorry that you have that big crowd out there. My fault, huh?” 

 

She smirked. “Yep. Sure is. That’s why you’ll be makin’ dinner tonight as an apology.” 

 

Izuku barked a laugh. “I’d be happy to.” 

 

“By the way,” she began, “I did promise those reporters that I’d give them an interview. Want to join me?”

 

He sighed and shook his head in resignation. “Sure. We’ll have to get used to this, won’t we?”

 

“Absolutely,” she replied with a wide grin. “But we can’t take too long. I gotta get on patrol soon.”

 

He hopped off her desk, looking down at her proudly. “Of course. We’ll keep it short.” 

 

They walked out of her office together, and he began to walk down the steps when she had an idea and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go out the roof. I don’t like them all pressing in on me.”

 

“Understandable,” Izuku replied, turning around to follow her. “Just let me know if you’re feeling uncomfortable. N-not that you need me to protect you or anything.”

 

She smiled back at him kindly. “Thanks, Izuku. I appreciate it.” 

 

The pair reached the roof and stepped out into the mid-morning sun. After taking a moment to gaze over the Tokyo skyline, Ochako looked up at Izuku, who looked down at her. They both nodded, then walked to the edge of the roof and jumped. 

 

Ochako and Izuku floated down toward the crowd of reporters that had only gotten larger over the past few hours, landing on the portico above them and sitting down on it. She released her quirk and looked over the crowd, which was furiously taking photos already. 

 

“We don’t have a whole lot of time,” she began, projecting her voice, “so we’ll only take a few questions. Make ‘em count.”

 

A reporter raised her hand quickly and Ochako pointed at her. “Are you dating?”

 

“Yes,” she answered simply, and a bit proudly, which caused waves of excited whispering from the media as they wrote and typed furiously. It felt good to finally get that off her chest.

 

“For how long?” another blurted out.

 

“About six months,” Izuku answered. “We began dating last autumn.”

 

“How long have you known his identity?” 

 

Ochako smiled softly, recalling the memory. “He told me on our first date. I could hardly believe what I was hearing.” 

 

Izuku called on a reporter. “So you didn’t tell her before you started dating?” 

 

He smiled sheepishly. “I felt incredibly guilty, let me tell you. I told her the very next day.”

 

Ochako smiled up at him warmly.

 

“Did your feelings for her influence your decision? Was that reckless?” 

 

Izuku furrowed his brow. “I do not regret what I did. Ochako has helped me find a better path through my life, and I will always be grateful for that.” 

 

“Uravity, did you use your relationship to your advantage?” 

 

Ochako had a few choice words she wanted to say, but she kept her cool. “I only ever supported Izuku. All the decisions he made were his own.”

 

“Are you worried your relationship will be a distraction?” 

 

Izuku was ready for that one. “Actually, we make each other better heroes. If you run the numbers—and I have—you will see that both of us have had our incidents-resolved-per-day increase by several standard deviations over the past year, even when adjusting for standard IRD increases attributed to gained experience or other factors.” 

 

Ochako grew a small, smug smirk. Izuku would know that. She turned back to the crowd, eager to bring this impromptu press conference to an end. “Okay, one more, then we need to go. How about you?”

 

The man cleared his throat and took a moment, then asked, “Do you see yourselves staying together? As in permanently?” 

 

Ochako blinked. She slowly turned to Izuku, who did the same. Their eyes met as they looked at each other for a few moments.

 

They both smiled.

 

---

 

A year and some months later.

 

---

 

Izuku and Ochako stood up from their seats on the train. It was a chilly autumn day, which meant they could wear heavy, concealing clothing with less discomfort, allowing them to travel incognito. Since the last time they had arrived in this quiet town, a lot had changed. Uravity had become a household name after she broke into the top 10 this past year, and well, Izuku’s own face was now perhaps the most well-known in the country. They had to go basically everywhere in disguise, which was a little frustrating, but they were happy for the peace and quiet it offered. 

 

The two strolled through the town, hand-in-hand as they talked quietly and comfortably about nothing much at all. For everything that had changed in their lives, this town hardly seemed different at all. The sun was shining on the modest shops that were in the same place, decorated the same as the same people walked down the road. It was almost like stepping into a time machine. 

 

However, as they walked up the hill toward the edge of town, something did catch his attention. Izuku overheard some kids squealing and shouting. The three of them were standing in a small alleyway outside of a corner store, one of them jumping up and down, holding in her hands what Izuku recognized as a hero card pack. They couldn’t have been older than eight or ten.

 

“I got a Nimbus card! I got a Nimbus card!” she cheered.

 

“No way!” her friend shouted. “Show me!”

 

Izuku stopped and looked down at Ochako, who gave him a smile under her scarf and nodded toward the children. “Go on.”

 

Izuku squeezed her hand once then walked over to the kids, who were so wrapped up in their celebration that they didn’t notice him until he was just a few feet away. The boy pointed behind the dancing girl when he finally noticed.

 

The girl whipped around and looked up at him with wide eyes. “Can we help you, sir?”

 

Izuku crouched down so he was at eye level with the children, then pulled his scarf down to reveal his face.

 

The children all gasped audibly, but Izuku was able to put a finger to his lips before they shouted. “Shh, don’t yell. I’m here in secret.” 

 

The boy crouched down, looking around excitedly. “Is there a villain here?”

 

Izuku chuckled at his exaggerated whisper and shook his head. “No, I’m here with Uravity. We’re going on a hike on that mountain outside of town.”

 

“Miss Uravity is here, too?!” one of the girls whisper-shouted, looking around frantically until she saw Ochako standing across the street, looking at them. She waved as hard as she could, which Ochako returned warmly.

 

“Can I see that card?” Izuku asked, holding his hand out to the girl in front of him. 

 

She blinked at him for a few seconds, then nodded furiously, handing it over.

 

Izuku took the card and smiled. It was one of the runs from last year, the first one that had his real face and name on it. He whipped out a small marker and wrote his autograph on the front before using Black Whip to hand it back to her. “There you go.”

 

The girl looked like she was about to faint. “T-thank you, Mister Nimbus! I want to be a hero just like you some day!”

 

He smiled widely, holding out his fist toward her. “Put your heart into it, and you will.”

 

She punched his fist as hard as she could, and he pulled it back, pretending to be injured. 

 

“You hurt Nimbus!” the boy shouted indignantly. 

 

Izuku laughed brightly. “Don’t worry, I’m okay. I have to go now, you all stay safe, okay?”

 

“Yes, sir, thank you sir!” the other girl replied eagerly. 

 

Izuku stood up and jogged back to Ochako, taking her hand before glancing back at the kids. All three of them were staring wide-eyed at the pair like they would vanish if they dared to blink. Ochako giggled in that angelic way that made Izuku’s knees weak as she squeezed his hand tightly.

 

“You’re so good with kids, honey,” she hummed as they began to walk again. 

 

He laughed softly. “It’s easy, I just think back to myself when I was their age. Seeing a hero, especially one like All Might, changed my entire life. And now I can do that for them.”

 

Ochako leaned her head against his arm as they walked, making him feel warm even against the chilly air. Even after all these months, he still couldn’t believe how lucky he had gotten in life.

 

It wasn’t long before they reached the edge of town and stepped onto the path that eventually led to the trailhead. Before Izuku could say anything, he felt his weight swiped out from under him as he was picked up in Ochako’s arms.

 

“Hold on tight,” she warned playfully. With another touch of her hands, she took to jumping down the road, just like they had the first time they had come out here. This time, there were no secrets between them, no fear hanging over Izuku’s head, allowing him to appreciate the natural beauty rushing past him as Ochako carried him miles down the road. There was still a surprise awaiting her, but he wasn’t afraid of that one. He knew her too well.

 

Soon, they arrived at the trailhead, like they had exactly two years before. Ochako set him down and returned his weight to him as he took a deep breath of the clean, crisp mountain air.

 

“It shouldn’t have taken us two years to get back out here,” he mused.

 

“Well,” Ochako said with a shrug, “we are pretty busy.”

 

“Fair enough,” he chuckled, grabbing her hand again as they began to walk up the trail.

 

Izuku and Ochako began their hike up the mountain, and he had to admit, it was a far more pleasant experience than before. He was able to enjoy the walk without worrying about his twisting, guilty gut, and he was sure Ochako enjoyed not having to worry about his strange silence. 

 

They crossed over hills, across streams, and through clearings. They saw Akiko up in the trees, and she came down as they waved, eagerly eating a treat that Ochako had brought for her. They raced to trees, stopped to take pictures, and even had a rock-skipping competition at a small lake they came across. It was fairly even until quirks got involved; Izuku accidentally sent a pebble through a boulder, and Ochako’s hit a bad bump and flew off into the distance, never to be seen again.

 

“I think that means I win,” she muttered as she squinted up into the sky.

 

“I dunno, I think that still only counts as one big skip,” he retorted.

 

“Pfft, whatever,” she scoffed. “Yours only skipped like once before you shattered it into dust.”

 

“Tie?” he offered.

 

“Tie,” she agreed with a firm nod.

 

It seemed like forever and no time at all before they turned a bend and arrived at the same vista from all that time ago. The same bench sat there, overlooking that same valley as the breeze blew through those same trees.

 

Ochako and Izuku walked hand-in-hand to the bench, tossing their backpacks on it before leaning against each other. They were silent for a moment as they both looked out over the river flowing through the valley below.

 

“You know,” Ochako began softly, “things are so different than the last time we were here. But this place is exactly the same.” 

 

Izuku smiled. “I feel the same way. I don’t know how it makes me feel.”

 

Ochako was silent for a moment again. “I think it gives me hope. It makes me feel that, despite everything, some things remain the same. It lets me pretend that I can be here, with you, forever.” 

 

Izuku’s arm squeezed around Ochako a little tighter. “Change is good, too.”

 

“Yeah,” she said with a dreamy sigh. “So much has changed. I met you, I learned about Nimbus, your quirk. I got my own agency. I got into the top ten! I still can’t believe it. I have people who work for me! Sidekicks!” 

 

Izuku smiled warmly. He couldn’t be more proud of Ochako. For all the luck he had in his life, he didn’t think any came close to Ochako. He would give up his quirk for her in a heartbeat. He would give up Serendipity. Anything, really. 

 

He guessed that meant it really was love. True love. 

 

Izuku realized that he had gotten lost in thought, but quickly remembered that he had an ulterior motive for coming out to this mountain. He had to-

 

He blinked as he realized Ochako was no longer holding him. Izuku looked over to his side and saw that she had sneakily lowered herself into a kneeling position, looking up at him with tears welling in her eyes. She was holding something up to him in her hands: a small box, opened and showing a golden band. 

 

Izuku stared at her as a smile spread slowly across his face. 

 

“I-Izuku,” she began shakily, her voice unsteady, “you’re the kindest, sweetest, most darling man I’ve ever met. I wake up next to you every morning and realize I’m the luckiest woman in the whole world. I love you with all of my heart… will you marry me?”

 

Izuku’s eyes closed as he blinked away some tears and chuckled softly. “Stole my lines…”

 

“What?” she asked softly.

 

“I will,” he answered her proudly, “but only on one condition.”

 

She tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “What’s that?” 

 

Izuku kneeled down as well, reaching into his pocket to grab his own small box. He held it up to her just like she was to him. “Only if you agree to marry me, too.”

 

Ochako blinked once before she burst out laughing, lunging forward to wrap her arms around him. They held each other, their laughter echoing through the trees and down into the valley. The hug felt different than all the others that came before. Affection and joy poured through their connection as they committed to taking the next step of their lives together. Her hands gripped him tightly, only a single pinky pulled up to keep them from floating away, at least for now. 

 

As much as he loathed to, Izuku finally released her, if only a little, so she could lean back enough for him to grab the ring and slide it onto her finger. Her fingerpad should have caused an issue, but the ring had a special mechanism that let it slip over it easily before tightening further down her finger. 

 

Ochako gasped softly, looking at the ring in amazement. “It's beautiful, Izuku, and it fits perfectly!”

 

He chuckled warmly. “Mei helped me design it. She has your finger measurements, of course.”

 

His fiancée smirked, grabbing her own ring and sliding down his finger. “Melissa helped me with yours.” 

 

“Thank you,” he began softly as he reached his hand up and cupped her cheek, “for everything. For being my best friend, for helping me, for seeing that I was suffering even when I didn’t admit it. For being a hero, selflessly sacrificing for others. For being the most wonderful and caring woman I have ever met.” 

 

Ochako didn’t say anything, she just leaned forward and kissed him deeply. Both of them were crying softly, warm tears of joy running down their cheeks and their lips touched and love passed between them. He held her with all of his strength, and she did the same. Over two years of friendship, two years of dating, and nearly that long of realized love culminated in this moment.

 

Izuku didn’t know how they had gotten into the air. He didn’t know if Ochako had removed his weight, or if he had activated Float by accident, but as they rose above the treetops, gazing over the valley below in a way that they hadn’t before, he realized something.

 

He was—no— they were living their best lives. Together.

The End

Notes:

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