My Hero Academia: From The Ground Up

Chapter 26: Have a Little Faith

The following morning, Izuku was pulling, carrying, and hauling junk of every shape and size from the beach while All Might coached him nearby.

While Katsuki and Ochaco lifted and stretched next to the hero.

"So tell me again why you're making Deku work so hard?" Katsuki asked.

"He's going to UA with the two of you. He's got so much potential in him that I see. Quirk or no Quirk, he's going places. Especially if he has the two of you to look after him while I'm away." All Might explained.

Ochaco put down the old tire she kept flipping for exercise. "I'm still worried about him, All Might-sensei. All our lives the Quirkless curse about him always held him back. It always just lingers in his mind."

"I have faith in young Midoriya, Ms. Uraraka. He's young. He's immature. He's timid. But he's willing to act like a hero even before his body can keep up and that's what I like. While I have him train for the entrance exam, I need the both of you to be there for him. Be his friends."

Katsuki scoffed. "He's an idiot."

"But we can help him.... We're all he has." Ochaco said.

"Believe that he can make it, my young friends." All Might requested.

Katsuki sighed. Rather than answer All Might directly, he noticed Izuku was struggling with a rotting couch and rushed to him.

"Is that all you got, Deku?! That thing's puny and old! Push like your life depends on it!" He yelled standing close by.

"I better go help so it's not just Katsuki insulting him." Ochaco said.

"I'm afraid I have to go as well. Duty calls!" All Might stood up tall. "Give him a chance. He likes you, you know."

Ochaco's cheeks grew a bright red and she turned her face away.

"I'll see you kids later! Remember! Only together will you be able to overcome each of your demons and become true heroes!" He shouted and leapt off into the city.

She felt embarrassed hearing from Izuku's childhood hero that he liked her. Multiple thoughts flooded her head of the possibilities as to what exactly he meant by that. For now, she had to shake them off and rush to her two friends.

She laughed as she ran and didn't stop when she reached them. All she did was tackle them together in her arms and force a group hug.

Although Katsuki protested, Izuku blushed at the sudden gesture of affection.
~~~~~~~

Their workout was enough to make Ochaco sore. Both she and Katsuki worked hard and moved a lot of the trash from that beach but nobody worked at much as Izuku had.

Still, she was tired enough to find their living room sofa comfortable enough to lay on. Her phone was lifted to her face to look at some advertisements for UA lazily until she heard a knock at the door.

"Uuuugh." She groaned and got up, shuffling to answer.

The door opened to Izuku Midoriya standing in a button-up shirt and looking quite nervous and possibly sweaty.

"U-Um... Hi." He waved.

"Hey." She smiled.

"I-I was wondering i-if you...." He gulped. "You still wanna go to the pier?"

She felt bad because of how tired she'd become. She wanted to say yes more than anything.

"I don't know how you have the energy to do anything else today, Deku-kun. I'm pretty pooped." Ochaco said, trying to lighten it with humor.

"R-Right... I.... Yeah." He shifted. "I guess I'll talk to you again tomorrow..."

"H-Hold on now." She stopped him. "I didn't say we shouldn't do anything."

The faint blush in his cheeks deepened in color. Her own pink cheeks lit up.

"Come on in." She invited. "You wanna watch a movie?"

"I.. S-Sure!" Izuku smiled and stepped inside.

"I was just about to fall asleep- I-I mean watch something on TV. There's like, a whole marathon of sci-fi movies playing tonight." She chuckled nervously.

"Yeah that's okay!" He smiled at her. He was acting very subconscious, mentally slapping himself each time he felt his stares were too long or his maneurisms were too shaky.

He also made sure to wear anti-perspirant deodorant due to his insane sweatiness and nervousness always mixing. However, he noticed that she seemed very happy to see him regardless of his anxious look.

She sealed that hope in surety suddenly when she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the couch where they now sat with the television on, playing the older cheesy sci-fi thriller flicks.

Over the time they spent talking and watching, small comments turned into conversations, giggles and chuckles turned into laughter, and the space between them on the couch grew smaller and smaller.

Izuku had somehow snuck his arm around her shoulder, even without his knowing completely. And she was reclining back and snuggling against him.

"Thank you for being here with me." She whispered.

"Of course... I-I learned, once again, that if I want to be a hero, I'm going to have to accept all the help I can get.... Especially from you and Kacchan." Izuku said softly.

"I still worry about you, dummy. But I'm trying to have faith for you. Please just...be patient with me...okay?"

"Okay, Ochaco-san." He said.

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Izuku froze up in place. She was too tired to feel flustered about it. She only continued to cuddle him and soon dozed off. It wasn't long before he too drifted off with a small smile, resting his head on top of hers and his arm around her shoulder.