The One Who Lived // Izuku Midoriya

9. How It Should Have Been

You hugged her when you saw her.

You weren't sure if it was because of how sad she looked or because you were proud of her for how hard you knew she fought.

That or you regretted missing the second half of it.

"I'm proud of you." You whispered to your friend as you squeezed a bit tighter, before letting go and taking your seat.

Ochaco smiled at you, her eyes that were a bit puffy, brightened. "Thank you Y/n-Chan." You loved hearing your name from your friends.

**
You weren't entirely sure how you thought the match between Todoroki and Midoriya would go, but

It was over quicker than you were expecting.

It seemed oddly emotional for the both of them. You had wished you were down there besides them. As much as you had your vices for Todoroki, that look on his face made you want to reach out to him.

But in all honestly, all you could think about was the way Midoriya barely held up against the wall—and how limp his arm fell to the side.

You had stood as soon as the arena was visible. The moment your eyes laid on him you wanted to jump down there and run to him.

Maybe if you had sat there beside him and talked to him, maybe he would have felt better?

But what could you have honestly done anyways?

**
"Kurogiri." Shigaraki would call out to him from time to time as he sat before his screen, intently watching the games go on before him.

He had played you match three time now. He clicked restart once more, watching the way your body moved.

"Yes, Tomura Shigaraki?"

"I don't understand this girl." His finger was shakily pointed towards the screen as he paused the video feedback. "She's so strong but there's no evident reason why."

Shigaraki leaned in closer to the screen and really took in the features of your face.

Your hair was pulled up, kinda bland, pretty frizzy. You always looked exhausted, but the bags under your eyes only highlighted the distantly familiar shape of them.

"There's nothing flashy about her." Tomura grumbled, but that wasn't entirely true.

"I guess most hero trainees make up for a weaker quirk by strengthening their bodies." Kurogiri offered, hoping to ease the anxieties this was causing the young man.

Shigaraki shook his head. "Her quirk isn't weak at all. If you watch very closely you can see the way she uses it to enhance her strength and speed." He unpaused his replay and watched the way you flipped. "It's unnatural."

That word rang through his head, unnatural...unnatural...unnatural.

That word...he had always associated it with his own quirk.

Why couldn't he see the connection?

What was he missing?

**
He found you in the hallway, nervously pacing.

He always found you doing something that would seem random to anyone who didn't know you like he did.

Sometimes he would find you laying on the floor, whether it was in the middle of a field of dandelions—or in class.

Other times he would find you walking around in a handstand or curled up in a ball, isolated in the corner of the room.

He didn't like seeing you like this, so uncertain and nervous.