Heartsick || An Izuku and Ochako story

Cuts and Hugs

"Release!" Ochako yelled again, sending the rock to the ground with a deafening bang.

The night was soundless except for her heavy breathing and the occasional chirp of crickets. Placing her hands on her hips, she surveyed her work. After a few attempts, she'd officially gotten the hang of 'Gravity Wave,' and could now do it on impulse. 

Ochako decided to try it once more before heading back to the dorms. She closed her eyes and concentrated, and her hands engulfed with pink energy. She spread them out and yelled a fierce, "Gravity Wave!," before a nearby boulder hovered into the air. She held her pose for a few moments before her stomach began to churn.

"Release!" Ochako repeated, and the rock crashed to the ground.

Pumping a fist into the air, Ochako praised the work. She'd been trying to improve her quirk for so long, and now she had achieved it. She grinned and put on her sports jacket.

'I suppose I could go for a short run and then return to the dorms,' she thought. 

She tugged on her jacket and began jogging, thinking about how the day had flown by since that morning. Ochako was very glad that Mina had quit her antics and let her relax for the rest of her classes.

As Ochako did a turn, she gazed up at the sky, which was just as beautiful as last night. Taking in another sharp breath, she sped up without seeing where she was placing her foot-

"Ah!" 

Ochako tumbled to the ground, her shoe flying off. In a last-ditch attempt to regain her footing, she put one foot in front of the other. A sharp object pierced her delicate foot and she yelled in pain. 

"Ouch!" She cried. Falling on her bottom, she examined her surroundings and tried to figure out what exactly had happened while also attempting to ignore the horrible pain erupting up her nerves from the base of her foot.

'Oh...the debris,' she concluded. She must've tripped over a rock or a pebble of some sort and fallen. But that didn't explain her foot. Sucking in a breath, Ochako peered down at the base of her leg and gasped.

There wasn't much blood, but there was a deep gash in her foot with small trickles of blood seeping out. She could almost see her flesh...the rock she'd stepped on must've been sharp if the wound was this deep.

Using one hand, she lifted her body up and began trudging on one foot. Her shoe, which had landed far off, was battered but nonetheless, still wearable. Holding it with her left hand, she used her right hand to activate her quirk and lessen the burden.

'I wonder if anyone is up right now,' Ochako thought as she approached Heights Alliance. She saw the elevator open up to a dimly lit room, with only one lamp on in the corner, illuminating Deku, deep in thought.

"Deku- Kun?"

He spun around, and it was then that Ochako had just noticed his blushing face. He ran a hand through his curly, disheveled hair. "O-oh, Uraraka-san! I thought you were asleep?"

She shrugged. "I went out to train."

Deku's gaze traveled down to her leg and limping posture, and his expression shifted from happy to worried. "Uraraka!" He yelped, walking over to her immediately. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Did you fall, or did someone do this to you?"

The stream of questions hit her with like a mental blade of ferocity. His face was worried but at the same time looked as though it might kill whoever had done this to her.

She held up her hands. "Deku-kun, calm down, I'm fine," She insisted. But he wasn't convinced.

"No, you aren't. Your leg is wounded," He pointed out. "You were training outside, right? There could be bacteria, it could get infected!"

She sighed. "I'll wash it, then."

"Washing won't be enough," He said, then without any warning at all, he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the couch.

"Ah!" Ochako yelped in surprise. She leaned against his chest and breathed in his cinnamon fragrance for a mere few seconds before he set her down on the armrest of the long couch. He took a few cushions and used them to prop up her injured foot before rushing to his room and returning with a small case.

"Deku-kun, you don't have to this," Ochako said, but it looked as though he hardly heard her. 

Deku lightly smiled. "I want to, though. You're hurt, Uraraka-san. I can't watch you like that..." His voice trailed off.

 She watched, breathlessly as he dabbed her foot with alcohol and applied the cool medical salve. His hands gently brushed over her skin as he skillfully wrapped on the bandages. 

"Deku...where did you learn to do this?" Ochako asked.

He scratched the back of his neck. "You pick up a few things in Recovery Girl's office," He sheepishly said.

She watched as he put his supplies away and sat next to her. "You're always helping..." 

"Hm?" Deku turned to her.

"You always find a way to help people...even if you don't know how to. You want to make them feel better," She whispered. 

He blushed. "T-thanks, Uraraka-san."

Before he could say anything, she had latched onto him. Without thinking, without considering. She just wanted the feeling of being in his arms again. 

"No," she murmured. "Thank you."

His posture was stiff for a moment before he slowly returned the hug. His warmth spread throughout her body as she let go.

Deku was red and looked about to climax. She tilted her head. "Is something wrong, Deku-kun?"

"O-oh, nothing, Uraraka-san!" He stuttered, looking up. "It's just that..."

Ochako let out a small and quiet squeak as she realized she was very close to Deku's face. She practically jumped out of his arms and to the other side of the couch. "I'm sorry, Deku! I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

Deku scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed look on his face. "I-I wasn't uncomfortable, it's just that you were-"

"I know, I know!" Ochako blushed and looked at her foot.

"But really," she said. "Thank you."