𝐀 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 ( 𝐈𝐳𝐮𝐎𝐜𝐡𝐚 ) | *𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐧𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬*

Chapter 97 | One Punch

Deku's Pov.

  The bell rang and they all headed to lunch.

  They all stood in line, waiting to order their food.

  "Is there anything special going on with you today?" Iida asked them.

  "No! Nothing at all! Why would you think that!?" Uraraka exclaimed.

  "No reason," Iida looked a little confused, but who could blame him? Deku felt the same way.

  "Er... Okay..." Deku trailed off, looking at Uraraka's red face.

  "Did you guys plan to do anything after school?" Iida questioned.

  "Well, I was going to meet Uraraka," Deku told him.

  Iida nodded.

  "That's right, I have something planned after school too," Iida remembered.

  "What is it?" Deku wondered aloud.

  "Personal business," Iida replied simply.

  "Okay," Uraraka nodded her head, "My day's kinda busy too."

  "Then why would you meet up with me?" Deku thought aloud.

  "Because I already planned on it before everything else," Uraraka explained.

  'I'm not even going to question that...'

  They got their food and sat down at a table for four. Deku sat next to Uraraka and Iida sat across from him.

  "Anything else going on with you guys?" Deku asked.

  "No!" Uraraka shouted nervously.

  "Not at all," Iida responded calmly.

  "Are you sure that you're okay?" Deku questioned her again.

  "You do seem to be acting out of the ordinary," Iida commented.

  "I'm fine!" Uraraka's face was pink.

  Ashido came over with her tray.

  "What are they doing to you Ochaco?" Ashido asked.

  "Nothing's wrong!" Uraraka was covering her head.

  'I hope that she's okay... I can't help her because she won't tell me what's wrong... II wish I could help her...'

  "Well anyways... Could I sit here?" Ashido really cut to the chase.

  "But don't you normally sit with the other girls-" Deku was cut off when she sat down next to Iida.

  Deku looked at the other table, which had an empty spot with the chair pulled out. He wasn't going to question this either. He would either get a ridiculous answer or the question would've been avoided...

  "So I just wanted to wish to Ochaco that she survives through this..." Ashido gave her a hug.

  Now that she mentioned it, Uraraka had dark circles under her eyes... Was that why she was acting weird?

  'Wait a minute... did we tell Iida yet?'

  "Metaphorically speaking, right?" Iida wondered aloud.

  Ashido sent him a look that said "you didn't tell him yet, did you?".

  Deku shrugged back apologetically.

  "Just tell him..." Uraraka sighed.

  "So Villain Deku can actually murder her through her dreams..." Ashido spilled the beans.

  "I-I think I misheard that, could you say it again?" Iida looked taken aback.

  "Villain Deku can physically hurt her through her dreams," Ashido repeated it in a different way.

  Deku could hear Uraraka give a small sigh.

  "When were  you thinking about mentioning this?" Deku could feel Iida's stare on him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at his eyes.

  No one said anything. It was just an uncomfortable silence. Deku could feel the mountains of guilt weighing on his back.

Uraraka's Pov.

  "Just tell him..." she sighed. Uraraka had completely forgotten to mention this to him... She had her head down so that no one could see her face.

  She could hear them talking in the background, but all she could do in that moment was think.

  'I'm such a horrible friend... and family member.... I didn't even tell my family about any of this... And now Iida knows and I can't believe I didn't tell him earlier... I just wish I could disappear sometimes... Everyone would be better off anyway...'

  Uraraka sighed.

  'Don't think like that now, not after your friends have been trying to help you...'

  The voices stopped, but she could feel Iida's gaze resting on her. She couldn't bring herself you look up at him. They say that the truth sets you free, but she didn't feel free at all... More like she couldn't escape all the truths that she told and knew, as if she was trapped in a cage of everything that's been piling on her mind...

  Uraraka felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her, but she forced herself awake.

  "I just wish that it would all go away..." Uraraka whispered. She felt tears form in her eyes.

  "What did you say?" Deku asked, and she could feel everyone turning to her.

  "I just wish that it would all go away..." Uraraka said louder, and then tilted her head up to show her face. She felt tears pouring down her cheeks.

  "I wish Villain Deku gone. I wish that I could sleep again. I wish that I could help my parents. I wish that I didn't have nightmares. I wish that I didn't feel the pain of the stab in my thigh whenever I almost go to sleep. I wish that... I wish..." Uraraka couldn't say anymore. She was choked because of her tears.

  She could feel the pity in their eyes on her, but she didn't want their pity, she only wanted it all to go away.

  "Why if it isn't class one-a? Are you thinking about all your past mistakes and failures? Because they are really bad. Maybe you should re-think being a hero after all!" Monoma laughed psychotically, "and what kind of quirks do you have!? They're awful! And I mean every single one of you!"

  Uraraka felt even more tears pour out of her eyes. He was right...

  "And what about you brunette!? You were in the sport's festival, where's all your confidence now!?" Monoma targeted her.

  "Stop talking about her like that," Deku had this sharp tone... she had never heard it on him before. It was kind of... she didn't really know... scary? A little bit, but that wasn't the point she was getting across.

  Uraraka looked up. Deku wasn't even looking at Monoma.

  "So now you're onto protecting your girlfriend, but where's her confidence? She'll need it if she wants to be a hero, so I guess she won't be-" Monoma was cut off.

  "I said stop," Deku had the same tone as before.

  "Or what?" Momoma asked.

  "Or else," Deku threatened him again.

  "Well then. You're girlfriend's stupid! She won't be a hero in the position she's in right now. She should-"

  Deku was on  his feet and delivered a strong punch to Monoma's face, sending him backward.

  Everyone was looking at him with surprise.

  "There you are you idiot!" Kendo started dragging him away, "Thanks for saving me a job!"