Heartsick || An Izuku and Ochako story

Mutual

Hello, puffins!

I was, at some point, thinking of making a spinoff chapter featuring Kamijiro to piss you guys off even more, but thought against it. 

I felt rational that day.

Anyways, here's the chapter you may or may not have been waiting for! Enjoy!

                            .                                         .                                          .

Love is involuntary.

The emotion itself abides by no rules, flowing freely as it wishes. You can never avoid experiencing it or receiving it, no matter the circumstance you are in. 

Often so, the victim in love isn't aware of these margins, causing either denial or confusion. 

Izuku felt confused.

Most students would call him smart, and they most certainly aren't wrong. When it comes to analyzing and observing, Midoriya would be the best person for the job. His intellectual ability had earned him a reputation as not only strong but efficient, especially in battle.

Unfortunately, love is confusing to anyone that falls under its spell, and that's amplified to an even worse degree with Izuku. His quirkless nature left him without friends, and making them was out of the question as long as Bakugo remained his classmate. High school eventually rolled around, and that was when things really started to change for Izuku.

Ochako was one of his biggest changes. She was the first real friend he'd ever made, and he truly cherished their friendship. She was smart, kind, and fierce when needed to be. They were constantly supporting each other mentally and physically, as heroes and as companions.

But it didn't remain like that for long. Soon, all the blushing and obsessive stuttering that had faded away once Izuku started making more friends suddenly returned. He fell into a state of frustration, not knowing how do deal with these new emotions. He couldn't ignore them, couldn't bag them up and send them far, far away. He couldn't even identify them for what they really were. 

The realization happened when he was alone. Gazing up at the ceiling, the only thing not covered with All Might merchandise, Izuku's guilty thoughts kept him awake. After watching his trainer give him an exhausted look with the same eyes that had once been filled with enthusiasm, there was no way he could sleep peacefully. An idea to help her with schoolwork had already been drilled into his mental schedule, but Izuku wanted to do more. Much more.

She didn't deserve this. Ochako had her own work to complete, and he already knew firsthand how much of a challenge it was. He couldn't, wouldn't disrupt her training to become a great hero. 

A familiar heat singed his cheeks as an image of her cheerful self filled his mind. He shut his eyes tight, but the image was still there, outlines with a hazy glow. Her soft brown hair and rosy cheeks, her bright eyes and even brighter smile. The way she encouraged everyone, kept her head up in unfavorable situations, and was empathetic to her friends. 

He wasn't sure when he'd started noticing all these small details, but he knew that he admired them. He liked all of her, actually. 

The heat in his cheeks became even hotter. What was he saying? 

Izuku turned over, the cushy mattress shrinking as he moved. No, he couldn't love Ochako. Even if he did, he wouldn't confess. She was one of the most amazing students in their class, at least in his own eyes. She deserved someone just as amazing as her, and Izuku knew it wasn't him. He was improving, but not at the rate his past predecessor had...