The Layman's Gambit.

Pack Hunt (1.5)

To Ochako Uraraka, Trust was a fickle mistress. It was a vast ocean that she was barely floating in, one more hole in her raft and it was game over. Trust was the horizon and the ocean underneath it was solitude.

Solitude that would destroy her, drive her insane and make her do things unimaginable to her before she ended up killing herself to get rid of the emptiness.

The vastness would consume her, the raft of trust that she and Izuku had built barely clung on to life. So, despite knowing her on-and-off relationship with trust, Ochako couldn't comprehend why Izuku was insistent on destroying the thin barrier between her and the depths of despair.

He was the one who preached about teamwork and yet, when she tried to cite her opinion he'd rejected her outright. Something about how she couldn't handle it: she had sharpened senses, Ochako could and would handle herself.

The emotion was snuffed out quickly as she was pulverised almost instantly the moment they'd separated.

Here she realised maybe she'd been overestimating herself, to put it simply. Ochako had a sprained elbow, multiple cuts and bruises courtesy of being stepped on by a horde of people.

Oh yeah! Her stomach felt like absolute shit, something told her that the bitter taste in her mouth was not just blood but bile as well. So on second thoughts Maybe this was not a good idea and maybe she was not as good as she thought.

The thought stung, chest constricting painfully at the memory of Toxic chainsaw cleaving through her hand like it was made out of wood. She'd promised herself to be stronger so strong that she would be able to handle the toughest of situations on her damn own.

There was simply no way she could grow stronger on her own...

Her hands tightened around the bed rails, turning her fists pale. Turning her head to the side, she met the exhausted green eyes of midoriya, who looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

He was seated across her bed on a rather uncomfortable-looking metallic bench, between two burly guys who were passed out their heavy snores filling the silence in the room.

She was in the infirmary surrounded by other injured or passed-out students. The metal benches were mounted to the walls opposite the beds most of them occupied by worried teammates.

Izuku offered her a small smile and Ochako felt her heart clench at the sight of his chapped lips stretching painfully.

He looked...so exhausted.

He made a brave effort to stand up hobbling on his feet when he did so before regaining balance, he took a few steps towards her only to almost trip over his laces, "Ahh-!" His scream was cut short by his hands slamming onto her bed rail "Midoriya what the hell-," which moved the bed to the side slamming into the curtain separating her from her neighbour. Who happened to be Legoshi from 3-e sleeping soundly with an arm around his...girlfriend? If she remembered correctly. Pretty sure that was not allowed but oh shit- Ochako could no longer watch the destruction.

"There. Got you," Midoriya's hoarse voice cut through the darkness, she hesitantly opened her eyes and let out a silent sigh of relief when she saw that he'd managed to stop the bed holding it tightly with his hands, his legs bent over in a squat position.

Midoriya let out a shudder and pulled the bed back to its original place, letting go of the rails to reach over the other side and trying to Grip the curtains...only to have his average stature betray him, With a pout he walked over to the other side and closed the curtain hiding her view of the sleeping couple.

"People are sleeping here! It would be much appreciated if you shut your mouth," An old-looking nurse whisper-yelled at him from her perch at a coffee table. Midoriya let out a sheepish apology his face going red despite his exhaustion making Ochako giggle, she slid her hands over the bed rails, startled when the cold, even surface under her suddenly dipped under making her lift her palm to reveal that the railing had bent and twisted under Midoriya's grip.