To Protect and Serve (IzuOcha)

Chapter Four

I made my way slowly back to the UA dorms. I couldn't believe Midoriya had just left me out there! What if someone else came? The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but I knew he'd come back if something else happened. I opened the door to Heights Alliance and was greeted by Todoroki. "Oh, hey Todoroki!" I called out to him, to which I was greeted by a cold stare. "Something wrong?"I asked him. "Nothing, just you breaking the hearts of one of my closest friends." His words ate through me. Broke Deku's heart? Why? He didn't even like me! Why does this entire ordeal have to be one in the first place?

"I don't understand." I looked at him, confused. "It's not my job to connect dots for you, Uraraka." He coldly replied and walked away. I had to find Deku and make everything right. I walked to his door and knocked. "De- Midoriya? Are you in there?" I called out, to no response. "Please, I just want to-" I was cut off by his door opening. "What do you want?" He gritted his teeth; I noticed a tear in his eye which was a sign.

He really was hurting.

"I didn't mean what I said, Deku. This is all just a big misunderstanding." I smiled at him. "Of course I like you! You're my friend!" Deku murmured something under his breath that I couldn't make out, except for the word 'all.' "Deku, please let me explain. Please, let me in!" I begged and pleaded with him. "I let you in and you shattered my heart. I think you should go." "Deku, I'm not leaving until you know the truth!" I started to cry. "I care so much about you, Izuku Midoriya. You're my favorite person in the entire world! I look up to you for strength more than I do to most heroes! In my eyes you're the coolest, strongest, smartest, funniest person in the entire world! I guess what I mean is... I... I guess I..." I was interrupted by a certain noise. "Midoribro, close the door man!" Kirishima shouted, clearly annoyed. "Hah! You finally lost!" Kaminari excitedly shouted, jumping up and down in Deku's room. "Come on man, let's play some more Smash and eat some more ice cream! Good old heartbreak therapy with your bros!" Kirishima exclaimed. "The ice cream I just brought is getting a little warm." Shoto added. They didn't know I was here, somehow. "I'll be right in." Deku turned to face me. "I don't believe you. I think you were taking advantage of my kindness and my friendship and now you want it back. If you really mean it, you'll have to prove it to me." I nodded. "I will, Izuku Midoriya. I promise I'll show you just how much you mean to me." He looked straight through me and closed the door in my face, as Kirishima, Kaminari, Todoroki, and Iida excitedly shouted his name when he came back into the room.

I made my way to Yaoyorozu's room. She'd know what to do since her and Todoroki have been dating for a few months now.

-Midoriya POV-

"So who was that? Visitors are prohibited on campus!" Iida inquired. "It was Uraraka." I confessed; everyone looked at me surprised. "She was apologizing and telling me that she really did like me." "She's lying, how unmanly is that?" Kirishima added, to which I nodded. "Yeah." Was all I could add.

-The next day-

I woke up, ready to face another week of school. Walking to class alone I realized just how sad my life was, and I began to believe that All Might should've chosen Togota after all. I made my way into class and began to listen to Mr. Aizawa's long and boring lecture, to which I paid absolutely no attention. My mind had bigger and badder foes to tackle than an influx of knowledge at this moment.

After class I quickly made my way to visit with Eri, the little girl I'd helped rescue. "Deku!" She happily shouted as she made her way up to me, lifting her arms and jumping up and down indicating she wanted me to carry her. "Hi, Eri!" I smiled at her, picking her up and putting her on my shoulders. I loved Eri as if she were a little sister, maybe even a daughter. She was absolutely adorable, and it was a miracle that we had gotten her away from Chisaki and his evil gang. "So what do you want to do today?" I asked her. "I wanna go to your room and play video games! Uncle Kirishima showed me all about them with Mr. Kaminari and that scary Mr. Bakugo!" "Video games it is, let's... GO!" I shouted, charging up One For All and leaping quickly to give Eri a fun ride to my dorm.

We arrived and Eri noticed a book. Unbeknownst to me, she began to read it. I had just started teaching her to read when we rescued her, and she'd gotten pretty good at it! "Uncle Midoriya, what is 'lo-ve'?" She spelled out. I turned red and instantly whipped around and took the book from her. "Ahahahait'snothingwhywouldIknowaboutloveI'veneverevenheardofititsoundskindastupidwhatkindofwordislove?" I nervously tried to explain to her. "The book said you felt that way about Aunt Ocha." She added. I sighed and sat down beside Eri. "Well, you're too young to understand love, Eri. Let me explain it to you." I faced her and put my hands up, planning to use them for demonstration and emphasis.

"Love is when you meet a person and want to spend all of your time with them. Love is when you stare into someone's eyes and see the future." "Like Mr. Nighteye did?" "Not quite. Love is when you want to do anything for someone to make them happy, even if it means you have to be sad. Love is wanting to give your entire life to a person, and fight endlessly to protect and serve them. Love is a magical thing, Eri. Yes, I did love your Aunt Ocha. Your Aunt Ocha didn't love me." I sighed. "Yes she did, Deku! She used to talk to me about you all the time and how cool and strong you were! She talked about how she liked spending time with you and how you were her best friend and she would give anything to make you happy! Deku, I like spending time with you too. Does that mean I love you?" Eri asked me. "A different kind of love but yes, the same way I love you, Mirio loves you, Uncle Kirishima, Aunt Ocha and Aunt Tsu love you too." I informed her, to which she smiled. Little did I know, someone else had heard me talking to Eri about love. It was Uraraka.

I heard a knock on the door, of course it was barely heard of Eri's giggling when I picked her up and flew her aroud the room. I put Eri on my shoulders and went to the door. It was Uraraka. "Aunt Ocha!" Eri smiled and hugged her from my shoulders. "Did you mean what you said?" She asked me, looking straight into my eyes while holding back tears. "What?" "Did you mean what you said?" She sternly asked, with a frown on her face. "How did you not believe me Midoriya? Do you believe me now after Eri told you everything?" She started to cry. "I..." I struggled for words. "I love you, Izuku Midoriya!" She cried harder and harder as she confessed, causing a ruckus and people to gather in the hallway. I didn't know what to say. She looked down at her feet and continued crying. "Why can't I have you? Why can't I have what I want? I would give anything to hear you say you love me! Why won't you just say it, even if it isn't true?" She begged me. "I won't say it because actions speak louder than words." I replied. She looked up, confused, as I pulled her into a deep embrace. I wiped her tears with the sleeve of my shirt. "Stop crying, Uraraka. I do love you." She looked up and sniffled. "You do?" I nodded to which she hugged me and spun as I lifted her off of her feet and laughed.

Eri tugged on my shirt, now on the ground after I'd sat her down. "Is that love, Uncle Deku?" She asked with bright eyes.

"Yes, Eri. This is love." I smiled at her.