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A Clash of Icebound Hearts (IzuOcha) (Oneshot)

Summary: “The version of him she needed had emerged again. Not a friend. Not a lover. A rival.”

Ochako knows she is a long way from being a hero that could match Deku. But when she is unable to save him from a severe injury, she questions whether she is worthy of a place at his side. She must find a way to prove her strength, to both herself and to him. Even if that means risking their relationship.

________________________________________

Uravity struggled to breathe as she pushed through the wind and snow, sheer terror seizing her desperately heaving lungs.

Nonetheless, she ran with everything she had. The elements fought against her, the cold biting into her flesh and the twisting white obscuring her vision. She refused to let it slow her. A life was on the line - one far more precious to her than any other.

The Paranormal Liberation Front’s attack on the city charged the air, filling it with shouts, screams and thundering explosions. People called out in need, far more than she could hope to rescue - though she had already helped plenty. She carried on as the crying battered her ears. She had to trust her friends would get the job done.

“He can’t...be...that far…” she muttered to herself between breaths. Civilians and heroes alike ran in the opposite direction, but she paid them no heed.

The discordant sounds of combat were easy to follow. The crowds began to thin, as they ran away from the forces of nature at the heart of it all.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed her legs even faster, forced to forgo weightlessness or else get bounced around in the wind. She turned a corner, barreling headfirst into the fray.

Uravity had little time to react to the scene before her. The major intersection was completely wrecked. Broken screens and windows dotted the buildings, the glass scattered onto the streets below. The ground had become uneven, broken into chunks as if crushed underneath the weight of titans.

But none of that got her attention for long. Deku - the target of her rescue - floated in the air, twisting and turning away from sharp, deadly tendrils shooting out from Shigaraki. The villain to end all hung menacingly from on high, a devil laying waste to the land below.

One hit could be her hero’s end - but she knew that would never cause him to flee. She could not see any of the other heroes who must have engaged, but she was not surprised he was the last one standing. Even if he was not supposed to be here at all.

The gravity hero leapt into the air, triggering her Quirk on herself, sending out ropes from her left gauntlet to anchor to a leaning lamp post. She floated closer to the encounter, readying herself to act quickly as necessary.

Deku surged upward, intent on closing the gap between him and his foe. But he did not immediately react to three massive hunks of concrete hurtling toward him from different directions, drawn in by some unseen force. Uravity did not think - she pushed herself off the post, rocketing towards the fight. She sent more ropes out, desperate to reach him.

He managed to smash through two, but the third crashed into his left side before she could secure him. She cried out as the ropes coiled around his descending body and she quickly pulled them in. She barely managed to get him out as a surge of darkened tendrils penetrated the air where Deku had been mere moments ago.

Uravity triggered her Quirk on her charge as soon as she had him in her arms. Without a word, she whacked the nearly unconscious man in the back of the neck, sending him the rest of the way to sleep. This was a rescue mission - and he would bolt from her if he found the opportunity. She could not afford that.

In her next breath, she let herself plummet, barely dodging out of the way of another attack from the villains’ master. She tapped a button on her belt, sending out a distress beacon to her location. When she carefully hit the ground, she sprinted with everything she had, knowing two lives were on the line.

A burst of energy in the air signaled the arrival of back up - precisely who, she did not risk checking. Lungs burning, she pushed herself through the howling wind towards relative safety.

She squeezed Deku towards her, shifting his limp body to get him hanging on her back. Full of adrenaline, her pulse pounded in her ears. She kept her mind focused as much as she could on putting one foot in front of the other - and not on the near-death experience they had barely escaped.

They had to live - and fight another day.

_________________________________________________

Ochako’s brows furrowed as she watched the steady rise and fall of Izuku’s chest. With nothing else in the hospital room to listen to but the sound of his breathing, it became monotonous. She used to find calm in hearing peaceful breath. Now, it acted as a reminder of how little things had changed.

Once again, she found herself looking over the prone form of Izuku in a hospital bed. Bandages covered his skin, particularly around his left arm which had taken the brunt of the impact. He had suffered worse injuries, but it still did her heart no good seeing him like this, out cold for over a day now.

Same as it ever was.

I could not be there in time to help him.

The thought rang around in her mind, over and over again. If she had arrived mere seconds sooner, he might have avoided any injury - and kept fighting. For all the effort she had put into training - specifically to save heroes - she was unable to save Izuku from getting hurt like this. Worse still, if she had even been one second later, there might not even be a body here for her to mope over. They were no strangers to brushes with death - but something about his life being in her hands made everything far more terrifying than it used to be.

It did not help that he leapt into the fray and bit off more than he could chew - again. It was not surprising, but as the danger of their lives increased, so too did her frustration with it. He had torn away from their class’s group - assigned to backline rescue as third-year students - without a second thought. She could never fully understand his reckless zeal, as much as she admired it.

Deku is a hero who would always charge in, alone if need be, to save people. Even if it meant leaving those who could not keep up with him behind.

Even if it meant leaving her behind.

Ochako groaned, putting a hand over her beating heart. She shook her head to drag her thoughts out of a spiral. She refused to be ruled by her haywire emotions - a difficult war, which added to her frustration.

Things had changed. They were together now. Despite her better judgement, she had let herself fall into that heavenly tempest when he had invited her in. Awkward dates, relaxed companionship, their first shy kisses - it was magic. Her unchained heart breathed a new sense of life and bliss into her.

Now, that heart hammered around inside, violently lashing out over his safety - and her failure.

I could not be there in time to help him.

She balled her fists into her jeans. If he only would just stay still and do what he was supposed to, for once. If he did not rush headlong into wherever the fire burnt the hardest. If he would do the rational thing. If he would not run off, turning her back on her, every single time, leaving her to chase after his shadow.

But he would not be him then. The greatest hero on Earth. Her mind warred against her heart over how much she could reasonably fault him for it.

The seconds ticked on. Despite all her effort, nothing had changed.

I’m not good enough to help him.

Then she would have to find a way to get good enough.

The sound of movement broke the uneasy peace in the room. Ochako gasped as Izuku began to stir, his eyes finally opening. His gaze moved slowly, surveying his condition; he visibly relaxed after a moment, a hospital bed all too familiar to him.

“Good to see you awake, Deku.” She scooched her chair closer. He gave her a gentle smile, one she could not find it in her to return.

“You saved me,” he said. “Thank you for that. And every other time. I owe you so much.”

“Don’t mention it,” she replied quickly. The line made her squirm in her chair. She appreciated it, but the sentiment strangely hurt. It felt wrong with him injured like this - because of both their mistakes.

But as the smile ran away from his face, guilt coursed through her. She should push her feelings aside here; he had just woken up, after all. She reached out to grasp his loose left hand, squeezing it carefully to avoid triggering her Quirk. He responded in kind, but his weak grip did not return a sense of comfort.

“What happened?”

She let out a sigh, dreading the question. She disentangled herself from his hand, leaning back into her chair.

Ochako did her best to recount the day’s events - her rescue effort, the professional backup arriving to re-engage with a worn-down Shigaraki and the villains fleeing when the battle started to turn, content with the damage done. Low casualties, but plenty of destruction and injuries. The world sinking deeper into a pit of fear, hero society alive but getting ever closer to the brink.

His demeanor shifted as the story went on. His eyes became downcast, his fingers tensing into his bedsheets. He turned his head away from her, staring out into the snowy landscape outside.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I couldn’t stop him. I was not strong enough. But I will be next time.”

Her heart sank into her stomach, even though she completely expected that response. He would always be eager to leap back into the fight right away, even as he had just barely begun to recover from his injuries

When the time came, he would do it alone. Whatever the reason, he would not likely ask for help in this battle. Help usually to be thrust onto him - but she could not consistently offer it when it counted.

This was a battle between two nigh-unstoppable beings. She lacked the strength to earn a “we” from him. He would leave her behind, again.

The thought tasted so bitter on her tongue. “How are you going to do that, Deku?” His head swung back toward her, his eyebrows quirked above his head. “Come again?” “How are you going to survive against him?” She clenched her fists. They vibrated intensely, as she imagined his prone form hanging in the air, without her close enough to save him. “Ochako, are you okay?” She blinked and cursed herself when realized a couple of stray tears had escaped her attempts to shackle them. “I’m fine.” He stretched a hand out but could not hope to reach her. “You’re-” “What are you going to do from here?” The boy withdrew his hand as if she had struck him. It pained her to see it - but she ignored that pain within the storm of her other emotions. “There may not be anyone else who can stop him now.” His fierce green eyes answered her impassioned stare. “It’s going to be hard. I know my life will be on the line. But I’ll do whatever I have to.” It was the only answer he would ever give. She would never factor into that equation. In this, Uravity could never be his partner. She could never be his equal. She rubbed at her eyes as a few more tears escaped. She had to get a hold of herself. She could not afford to waste time. Ochako took a deep, steadying breath and rose. She had work to do. “I know you will. Because you’re you.” She grabbed a coat hanging around the back of her chair, turning her back on him. “I promised myself I’d always be there to save you. But you’re making that difficult. I guess I’ll have to push myself harder, too.” She headed towards the exit. There were many long days of training ahead of her if she wanted to make herself stronger. The bed creaked behind her - far too much for how much he should be moving. “Ochako, wait, please!” She stopped in place but did not turn around. “I can’t wait.” She took another step. “I know the person I’m chasing won’t wait for me.” The threshold was upon her. She paused one more time, glancing backwards. His hands shook, while his eyes stretched wide open. The pained expression seared itself into her mind. She hated herself for putting that there. “Rest up. Don’t push yourself too hard.” She ripped her glance away from him. She had to escape. “I know you can do it.” For the first time since they had met, she was the one leaving him behind. ______________________________________________

The rising sun offered little warmth against the chill of the morning. Ochako kept herself suspended in midair. She stretched, moving through a variety of attacking forms, testing both her strength and endurance. On another day, the glorious orange hues of the early morning, reflecting off the untouched snow below, might have inspired awe in her. But floating 50 feet above the ground - right over the roof of her student dorm - she could not spare the loss of focus for even a second. Her gut churned. She punched. The bile kept bubbling in her throat. She kicked. She refused to be felled by her queasiness. Her life revolved around this now. She pushed her body to the brink each day, from dawn to dusk, training. She had never been a slouch, but she had a better understanding now of how much further she had to go to achieve her goals. The rays of the sun above could not reach her, nor could the chill flowing across her skin. She would deal with worse soon. This was nothing. The loud beeping of her phone from the rooftop signaled the end of her drill. She carefully descended towards it, turning her Quirk on-and-off to guide her descent and practice her fine-control skills. With exactly 15 minutes to get to her first class, she grabbed her bag and leapt right off the roof, bounding towards the main school building. It had taken some thought to develop the system, but it had worked perfectly so far. She rose before anyone else in her dorm to get hard training in. She avoided the morning rush in the common rooms, taking a direct and solitary route to the classroom. The best way to start the day without any hassle. Her feet touched the ground in front of the school, and she took off in a sprint towards her class. The timing was always a little tight - she needed to ensure she made it with time to spare, but as little of it as possible. That would leave the smallest amount of opportunity for any chatter or distractions. But her spirits inevitably came crashing down as she found herself at the Class 3-A door. The wood imposed more than it had ever before, looming large over her head. With a tired sigh, she kept her head down and opened the doorway. She felt the eyes of her classmates drawn to her. It was not unusual for entrants to garner attention, but the intensity of their stares penetrated far deeper into her than they normally would.

Ochako carefully stepped forward. She lifted her head just enough, putting on a small smile. She had to keep up appearances. She repeated a mantra in her head - I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine - as she headed toward her desk near the back. She kept her eyes forward, pointedly avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Despite her best efforts, she felt Izuku’s gaze on her, a flash of green in her peripheral vision. Her heart beat faster - threatening to break through the chains she had surrounded it with again - as she neared the front row of desks where he sat, waiting for her, every day. For a week now, she had done everything in her power to avoid him. To avoid addressing these feelings burning at her core, that none of her training completely shook off. To prevent a confrontation with him about her anger, her misery, her love. To instead focus on working for the greater good of the world - and him. To push past any of the distractions that might prevent her from getting as strong as she needed to be. “Hey, Ochako, how is it-” “Hello, Midoriya. Fine.” The cold reception did the trick to freeze him in place, allowing her to pass him by. The icy walls between them had to stay up, for now. She could not know what might happen if she let them fall, with her heart and mind at war with each other. Soon. She would deal with it soon. She just needed a bit more time. Her heart refused to end things with him completely, not when it had tasted the sweet nectar of romantic bliss. She just had to find a way to rebalance things - when she could get a better hold of her heart again. Ochako reached her desk and busied herself with getting ready for class. She felt the stares of her friends on her. But with perfect timing - she had ensured it - Aizawa came into the room and got the attention off her. She scribbled furiously in her notebook as her instructor droned on. She let her mind fall into the day's lessons on heroics, a headspace she felt safe in. But despite her best efforts, her eyes wandered toward the messy green hair of the man she loved. She could not see his face, but his hand moved at a rapid pace, dutiful as ever in his studies. She frowned and followed suit. Soon. She would figure things out soon. Just as soon as she was good enough to walk by his side again. _____________________________________________ The cool water was mercy as she chugged it down her throat. Ochako drank eagerly, her sweat-stained body demanding nourishment. She felt aches all over after a difficult sparring session, but she got a strange enjoyment out of them. They were proof of her ability to push herself, something she would continue to do. By her side, she heard her Izuku drinking along with her, his hurried breath matching hers. “You’re...getting a lot harder… to pin,” Ochako said. The extra aches were a testament to that. His technical fighting skills had improved so much in the span of the mere weeks since they began training together.

He smiled gently at her. “That was a heck of a move, though. Where did you learn it?”

“Something I’ve been working on my own.” She stretched her arms upward, unable to contain the pride in her voice. “Got to keep things fresh if I’m going to keep up with you, right?” “I could say the same to you.” He glanced back toward the training ring, a small corner in the U.A. gym complex for hand-to-hand, generally Quirkless, sparring.

It was a place they liked to frequent - and a place where Ochako reigned supreme, thanks to her Gunhead Martial Arts knowledge. Nobody in their class had been able to take her on successfully without a Quirk. “You’re getting loads better though! You had me on the ropes.” “Still got a long way to go. But thank you again - senpai.” Ochako felt heat pool into her cheeks at the title. She cringed, leaping up off her seat. ”I told you not to call me that! Gosh, that still sounds so weird.” She shook her head, trying to shake it off her. “You’ve taught me way more than I’ve taught you!

“I beg to differ. You’ve helped me so much, Ochako.”

He stood up and held a hand out to her. She gladly took it, as they walked together toward the exit. Their sweat mingled between their grasps, but the sensation was not unpleasant. It felt right, somehow.

“You’ve helped me way more, Deku.”

“Agree to disagree.”

“We can settle it in the ring next time!”

“Well, that hardly seems fair.”

They laughed together, lifting each other’s spirits. A precious moment of peace in a time of darkness.

On impulse, she grabbed onto him and reached up, planting a kiss on his freckled cheek. A thrill surged through her as he blushed and huffed, the hue far too adorable on his boyish face. He affixed her with a questioning look. He opened and closed his mouth, unable to find the words. Her kisses tended to do that to him, to her endless delight. “Wha…?” “Payback for earlier,” she said. “Had to embarrass you too.” Izuku blinked at that, before rejoining her in mirth. Being with him was a respite - one she was glad to no longer deny herself. Walking side-by-side, she knew that they would be all right. _____________________________________________

Ochako groaned as her phone’s alarm clock blared at a far-too-early hour. Nonetheless, she grabbed onto it with her oversized sleeping mitten, turning it off and forcing herself to get out of the bed. The remnants of the dream - an echo of far more pleasant days - added to her sour mood as she got herself changed. She did not want to think about him and her together, but her sleeping mind often forced that on her. It added to the misery of it all, but she would not let it break her concentration or impede her daily training.

She grimaced as she peeked out of her window. The wind blew the flakes of snow in a vicious spin. Not a promising start to the day. The weekend had arrived, which meant her scheduled run that would eat up a lot of the morning. Even with the weather against her, she would not be dissuaded. She would endure whatever the world threw at her and push through anyway. That was what it meant to be a hero, after all. She dressed into her athletic gear and exited the back door of the dorm building. The unrelenting white greeted her with a cold embrace that sent goosebumps across her exposed face. The wind attacked her, making it difficult to see far. Gritting her teeth, she stepped onto the snow-laden path, stretching a bit before starting up a jog, warming her body up as best she could. The difficulty made itself immediately apparent. The slippery ground required extra force in her steps to avoid falling. Even if she knew the path like the back of her hand, it was difficult carrying on. But she would do it. For him. For her. For the future. “Hey, Ochako! Could I join you for this one?” Izuku’s voice sent a jolt down her spine. She swung her head behind her; there he was, a short distance away with an eager grin, wearing the same athletics uniform. The air howled again, pushing against her. She frowned at him and kept running. This was not the time to entertain thoughts of rekindling their stalled relationship. She had training to do. She had to focus on that. This was a test; her will against her aching heart. But Izuku could not be so easily shaken off. He sped up to her, nearly getting to her side on the path. The wind and snow continued to beat down on them, ripping through the space between. “Look, I was hoping we could talk after this!” Izuku shouted, voice penetrating through the wind. “I want to give a proper apology. And I want...I want to talk about us. I’ll accept whatever you have to say. But I just want to sort things out.” It hurt her ears for his voice to ring so desperately. To hear the pain she had caused. A part of her roared in anguish, demanding she relent. She bit her lip and pushed down those feelings. She was not ready for this. She could not do this right now. Ochako angled her head to the side, hoping her words could carry loudly enough. Her breathing came hard now, but she kept up her pace, determined to keep ahead of him.

“I don’t really want to talk right now!” With that, she kicked into another gear. Izuku had kept a respectable distance in recent days, able to take a hint. But this time, he refused to relent. He matched her increased speed, using a bend to close the distance. It was a race now. Her, Izuku and the raging winter between them. She had to keep ahead or risk her resolve crumbling. If she had to outpace him to achieve that, she would. “You keep running!” Izuku shouted again, voice breaking through the crisp air. “But we have to deal with this at some point!” “This is a bad time!” She raised her voice, not disguising her ire as she began to sprint. She hoped he would not trigger his Quirk for this, but he hardly needed to, his natural physique allowing him to keep closing the distance. She drew into the fire burning within her - the passionate determination she had to improve. She fueled herself with it, pushing to her limit. She could not even feel the cold anymore. “Ochako, please!” She refused to heed him. “This is what I have to do!”

“Just tell me what you want from me, and I’ll do it!” His footsteps became more rapid as she tried to widen their gap, staying a few strides ahead of him.

“I know you can’t do it, so I have to do this!” She did not look back. She could not afford to.

“What are you talking-”

He let out a wordless yelp, followed by a loud thud. She slowed her run until she could stop to turn. His face sunk into the ground, their race upending him.

“Deku!” She ran over to him, his wellbeing taking precedence over maintaining their separation. She kneeled and put a hand on his shoulder, readying herself to carry him if need be.

“I’m alright,” he said as he sat up, shaking the snow from his hair. His face had a small gash, but nothing too concerning. Still, he winced as he stretched. She knew if he did have a more serious ailment, he would ignore it.

“You should go inside and get it looked at, just in case,” she chided as she grabbed onto his hand. He grasped onto it, the calloused appendage slipping into hers. Rough, but still pleasant to touch. “I’ll go in a bit. Thanks, Ochako.” For a brief shining moment, they stood together, their hands intertwined. It was natural. Warm. Right. They forgot their divide, as their care for one another overpowered it. But it vanished as quickly as it came. Izuku tried to hold on, but Ochako forced a break in the physical connection. She retreated into herself. “Izuku, I appreciate what you’re trying to do. But I... I just can’t, right now.” “Then when? I just want to fix this. Please. Don’t keep shutting me out.” “It’s not...it’s not something I want to do.” She shifted on her feet, turning her back towards him. She could not bear to face him right now. “But I’m still hurt. And I’m still figuring stuff out. I’m just not sure about where we go from here.” “Not sure…” he repeated, voice sinking. She took a couple of steps, intent on sprinting away. But her heart rebelled, keeping her in place. She grimaced and clutched at her chest, trying to retain some semblance of control. She could not do this. She could not fall into his arms. She had to be strong.

“Ochako, we should really talk about this more.” There was a harsh edge in the words. A bitterness she could not stand. “I don’t understand. And I can’t understand unless we-”

She cut him off before he reeled her in.

“We will. Eventually. I just...need more time. I think some time is good for both of us right now.”

With that, she ran away, keeping her eyes glued to the landscape. This time, he did not chase after her.

The wind roared, and the snow kept bombarding her. She eagerly plunged into it, focusing on the awful sensation it left atop her skin, relishing in the bitter cold.

________________________________________________________

No matter how she tried, she could not capture sleep.

Ochako tossed and turned in bed, haunted by her encounter with Izuku from that morning. In wakefulness, she drove herself to the point of distraction. But it was harder to escape him between the realms of sleep and waking, his face plaguing her, muddying her mind. With a groan, she pushed herself upright. She stared out into the dark room. Memories of the time they spent together here began to surface in her mind, making the space foreboding. She quickly forced herself out of bed, hurriedly getting herself dressed. If respite was unreachable, she would just train until she could. Natural sleep eluded her; she would work herself until she could force it to take hold. She grabbed her workout bag and left the room, tiptoeing through the dorms, mindful not to stir her classmates. The nighttime halls were tricky to navigate, but she had enough late escapes over the years to maneuver by memory. The chill outside brushed her skin intensely, with snow falling gently over the fields. Ochako acted quickly as the cold sunk its teeth into her again. She raced towards her destination, wanting to find even a modicum of warmth. The scenery had its appeal - with the snow glistening under the lights of the school - but the chill made it difficult to find any joy in the sight. The U.A. gym facility loomed large as she arrived. She fumbled through her pockets to pull out a keycard, a perk of being a third year in the hero course. In these harsh times, the school would not deny them the training space, regardless of the hour.

To Ochako’s surprise, light flooded the facility, indicating she was not as alone as she expected to be at this late hour. She glanced over the rows upon rows of equipment as she entered to find her late-night compatriot.

The head of green hair - underneath a shifting, massive dumbbell - shocked her into stillness.

There Deku was, glistening with sweat as he pumped the bar up and down quickly, assuredly without his quirk. She dared to approach - if he had noticed her, he did not bother indicating as such. His arms moved deftly, the heavy weight doing little to impede his well-muscled limbs.

Evidently, restlessness had taken hold of him, as well.

Ochako opted against disturbing him. She had to work herself to sleep - nothing more. If he kept his distance - allowed her to maintain the icebound spell between them - she could carry on fine. She got herself into a weight machine well away from him and got to work.

Izuku eventually paused his own ministrations, setting his bar back against the rack, breathing deeply. He looked up at her, maintaining a stoic aura. He did nothing to outwardly acknowledge her presence, but she knew he was too observant to miss it. Still, that suited her just fine.

The two continued their workouts without a word. Calming tranquility took hold of the space. Not enough to bridge their divide, but enough for a ceasefire in their cold war.

The space filled with the sounds of their breathing and the metallic slams of whatever weight system they tackled. Their paces stayed out-of-sync, but they both worked toward their respective goals in peace.

But before Ochako became completely cognizant of it, they both pushed themselves more than needed to. They went beyond their original aims of finding rest.

Izuku ran quickly on the treadmill, breathing deeply. He attacked an exercise machine next, adding enough weight to reach what she knew was close to his Quirkless maximum before attacking the device in earnest.

For her part, Ochako added a few extra discs when he took to the bench press, pushing against her own limits. Like Izuku, she refused to use her Quirk to make things easier on herself.

The tension in the room escalated with their intensity. What began as a sleepless night soon became another unspoken contest. In this space, they had always pushed one another, driving each other to go beyond. Tonight, it would be no different.

But silence had replaced relentless encouragement. Their warm love was replaced by an icy unease. Friendliness had left their competition. Even as the allure of sleep began to gnaw at the corners of her mind, she did not heed it. The prospect of leaving before Izuku did - proving herself unable to keep up with him - had become unfathomable.

Their bodies could not keep up the pace forever. With synchronicity, they each took a water break, grabbing a drink from fountains on opposite sides of the facility. Merely a few seconds apart, they both sat down on a weight bench, suddenly face-to-face at some distance.

Ochako pointedly acted aloof, looking away from him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him doing the same, idly scanning his shoes.

They were a completely hopeless pair.

Ochako could not stop the small chuckle and smirk that came from the thought. It proved infectious, as Izuku let out his own peal of laughter across from her.

They dared to look at one another, finally acknowledging each other. Her hero’s eyes had a fierceness, but also a spark she had come to love. They spoke of challenge and unyielding determination. She did her best to meet it head-on. To stand up to his expectations.

With the slightest incline of her head, she motioned towards her left. The direction of the sparring ring. A silent challenge. An opportunity to test her mettle. To quickly end the contest the night had brought.

He nodded in reply.

The two walked wordlessly in unison towards the ring. They both loved the place, the home of their many bouts. But as Ochako entered and squared up in her usual position against her far superior foe, the energy was different. It mattered in a way it had not before. She knew when push came to shove, he always pushed back harder.

The two of them paused, eyeing one another. Izuku stood powerfully, the fire still roaring in his eyes. In these moments, she found him to be at his most enthralling. When he looked ready to tear through any wall in front of him.

Tension-filled sweat gathered along her forehead. She took a steadying breath as the seconds eked on. The tempting flames that had lured them in burned between them. A part of her saw the ridiculousness of this. But she realized this is exactly what she needed - a chance to fight him. To prove herself a worthy adversary - and a worthy companion.

A test she needed to pass.

“Don’t hold back, Deku!”

He nodded. “Same to you.”

“Of course!”

Deku opted to make the first move, as he often did. He launched himself into head-on assault, leading with an overwhelming burst of speed and strength.

But Uravity was ready, predicting such a tactic. She easily blocked his flurry of punches and sidestepped the few knees he attempted to send her. She nearly grabbed hold of him to enter a grapple. but he dodged out of the way, using his agility to gain a bit of distance.

She did not relent. The moment he disengaged, she got right on top of him again, grabbing onto both of his arms. He struggled as she brought him in close and slammed his body into the ground, quickly gaining the upper hand. Even as he directed a few elbows into her core, she pushed on. Try as he might, she still had better technical hand-to-hand skills.

Uravity twisted his body, pinning him with her weight, a hand to the back of his neck.

She had won. But the hollow victory failed to satisfy her.

Where was the action to match his intense gaze? Where was the tactical genius she had seen overcome much greater odds than this? Where was Deku, the unstoppable force? This had been far too easy - like any run-of-the-mill sparring session.

It was not good enough. She could not be sure she was good enough with this.

“That can’t be all you got.” She released him, standing up and stepping away. “You’re holding back on me.”

Deku scrambled to stand back up. He grimaced, frowning at her, his eyes pleading. They no longer had the same intensity. That would not do. She bore her own gaze into him, challenging him, demanding his fire match her own.

“Ochako,” he began slowly, looking away, unable to match her intensity. “I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

“Not now,” she replied, stomping a foot down onto the mat. “I appreciate the sentiment, but we can talk later. Let’s finish this first.”

Deku huffed, but relented, getting into a ready stance. He balled his fists, his hands starting to shake. The fire returned to his eyes. The version of him she needed had emerged again. Not a friend. Not a lover. A rival.

“You ready?”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Yes.”

She made the first strike this time. Defense was not his strongest suit, but he pressed as hard as he could to block her onslaught. He leaned into her efforts to grapple him, challenging her on her terms, desperate to find a way through. They found their hands intertwined, pushing against one another, each struggling to find an advantage.

For a brief moment, they stood face-to-face. Ochako looked into his eyes more closely than she had in weeks. She saw his fury, but there was more than that there. Wetness surrounded his eyes, his emotions pouring out from them.

“I hate this,” he whispered. “I hate fighting you like this.”

She groaned and shoved harder at him, but he remained unmoving.

“It’s not about whether it’s enjoyable,” she said, unable to contain the venom in her words. “It’s about doing what you have to do to save people. That’s how I see this. This is what I must do. That’s what it means to be a hero, isn’t it?”

“But we don’t have to do this!”

Izuku suddenly released the grapple, ducking under her oncoming hands. In the second she tipped off-balance, he tackled her core, driving her onto the ground.

“I don’t want to fight you! I just want to be with you!” He shouted it out as he struggled to find a pin against her. Despite his best efforts, she shoved him off, forcing him to hop back onto his feet.

“What are you-”

“But you won’t let me in, the same you always used to do! I hate it!”

He sprung at her as she stood back up, launching a series of punches toward her midsection. She managed to block most of them, but her reactions were not quick enough, and a couple of them struck true.

She shook as she found herself unable to contain his attack - or his words. “I just need time!”

“I can’t wait forever!” Another punch landed on her shoulder. She flinched as it seared in pain.

With a quick sweep of his feet, she fell backwards. As he brought her down to earth, he caught her arms, using his sudden leverage to twist her around. The two tumbled down together, him on top of her - and her arms caught behind her back.

Deku had won.

But for their racing breaths, the facility was quiet again. His words hung in the air, storming above them.

“I just…” he gulped. “Just tell me already. Tell me how you really feel about me. Don’t leave me on the edge.”

Deku left her there. She kept her face to the mat as he exited the ring. Uravity could not describe the emotion that coursed through as she lay there and pondered his words.

After all the effort she mustered to protect him from the extent of her feelings - he wanted to break through, right now? All the time she spent carefully containing them, locking them up to focus - all for his sake. All to save his life when his ridiculous, awesome, incredible, stupid zeal put him in harm’s way.

She just needed time. Space. A way to figure out how to do this. A way to prove to them both that she could keep up with him.

Yet here he was, demanding she break it all down for him. Let out the torrent, the anguish, the guilt, the envy.

Screw it.

If that is what he wanted, she would give it to him - and bury him under it. He would see her feelings. She would hide nothing - and get the battle she needed.

Without fanfare, she stood up, took a breath, and followed him out of the ring.

Uravity took a moment to regard him as he stood, still watching her. He looked completely worn out, his hair disheveled and his eyes red. More tears threatened to spill out of them. But there something resembling pity hid in that stare - which she would not stand.

Her vision got hazy as she stomped toward him, drawing into the bubbling fury within her. Deku meant everything to her - and that includes her envy, her fear and her insecurities. She could draw from that, just as much as she could draw on her love.

This was what she needed. She had to believe that.

“You want to know how I feel? Would you really understand?”

Uravity did not let him reply as she surged forward, slapping his face. She stretched her fingers out, tapping him with her Quirk and sending him hurtling towards the entranceway. Without missing a beat, she caught up to his floating form, grabbing onto his arm and roughly pulling him outside.

“Ochako! What are you doing?!” He fumbled in her iron grip, twisting and turning but unable to escape.

She pulled them out into the white abyss. The wind howled around her ears, the snow blowing roughly. The cold hit her again, but she hardly felt it.

Uravity threw him roughly towards the ground, releasing her Quirk. He sprung up as soon as she released him from the hold, instinctively putting his hands in front of him, expecting another assault.

The exact reaction she wanted.

“Fight me, Deku. No holding back. No holds barred. With your Quirk. Come at me with everything you got.” She got herself into a ready position, her hands going in front of her, keeping her gaze focused on him. If she wanted to stand any chance, she had to predict exactly where he would be in advance.

“Ochako, what the heck are you doing?!”

“This is what you asked for!” She stomped her foot into the ground. “You want to know how I feel? Well, here it is Deku! I feel like I need to fight you!”

The situation was absurd. Wild. A madness. But the churning in her belly demanded she followed through. She let her impulse take control. She could test her power this way.

He flinched under her verbal onslaught. “That’s...you…”

“I need to prove myself!” She refused to stop, even as his face crumbled. “I need to prove that I’m strong enough to stand by your side! So, let’s do it! Let’s fight for real!”

“Ochako, that’s not true. You don’t need to prove-”

“Do not lie to me Deku!”

The denial died on his tongue. He looked at her, hands shaking. He shivered, whether due to the chill or something else.

“Bakugo. Todoroki. I need you to fight me like you fought them.” She let her hands drop to her sides. She looked across his exposed arms, marred with the scars of past battles.

“Ochako, that’s not really...this is a different situation-”

“I need to know if I can fight you like they can.” She closed her eyes. The memories of all the times he had run off without her played in her mind - all the times she could not hope to chase him. “I see now. This might be the only way. The only way you will really trust me to stand with you.”

She got back into a ready position.

“I don’t need to prove myself? Then treat me like I’m someone worth giving your all to.”

Deku’s eyes widened. His body still shook. She watched another tear leak down his face, trailing down his freckled cheek into the ice below. She was sure she had let out a few of her own. It did not matter.

Her idol closed his eyes. Her rival opened them, filling those green irises with the burning intensity she needed.

Deku nodded and moved his hands in front of him.

“First to give up or be pinned. Hold nothing back. For real this time.”

“I won’t,” Deku replied. “I do respect you, Uravity.”

“Good. Prove it. Come at-”

She had to duck from his oncoming blow. The wind swept around her hair, blowing with an intensity that nearly knocked her off her feet.

She twisted around quickly. Deku had flown 10 feet behind her, his arm outstretched. The superpowered charge carried him quite a distance, so fast that she could barely track it. Still, it thrilled her that she dodged him at his top speed, even if only once.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that!”

Deku turned back towards her, readying himself to burst forward again. His mouth formed a hard line, his eyes imploring her.

“Uravity, I don’t know if this means anything to you right now. But I’ve always felt you were one of the best.”

He leapt out of her sight again. She did not react immediately, predicting he would take his time for his second attack. She could not see him well - his speed made him a blur and the snow made that even worse - but she heard him in the air. She just had to be patient.

“That hardly matters when I am comparing myself against the best.”

She shifted the side as he directed a punch towards her stomach. In the split second of his vulnerability, she grabbed hold of his outstretched arm. She delighted in his little gasp of surprise as she triggered her Quirk. She twisted him overhead, slamming him towards the ground and releasing him with all his weight back.

The green hero crashed hard, gasping at the impact. Before she could go for the pin, he had already started moving, rolling with the blow and returning to his flyby pattern.

It was a start - but not good enough to keep him down.

“Look how strong you are!” He cried out from the darkness, keeping out of her vision. “You’re reading my moves like a pro, even at these speeds. You’re incredible, Uravity! You are worthy!”

“Not yet I’m not!”

A blast of air buffeted her - courtesy of a finger snap from him - far more difficult to track than his physical form. She barely stood her ground, digging her heels into the snow to keep herself from flying away. She had more preparation for the second burst of air, though she had to fall to her knees to keep herself in place.

But it left her vulnerable to his black whip. The tendrils wrapped around her arms, shoving her, making her topple over face-first into the ground. Breathing hard, she forced her body to roll forward, pulling hard and breaking the whips even as her body protested hard against the maneuver. But it stopped the fight from ending, as Deku pounced on the spot she was in a split second ago.

Uravity rolled back onto her feet by the time he was ready to attack again. He stood still for just a moment before squatting down to leap away again.

But this time, she did not allow him to. She pushed herself to her knees and triggered her Quirk, blasting upwards with all the strength she had built over the years. She could not hope to match his speed, but she had just enough quickness to grab onto his foot as he leapt, activating her Quirk again and ruining his trajectory.

His forward momentum carried them both skyward, but Uravity did not stop there, yanking him back down. She could not see his face as she went into a power move - mustering all her strength to whirl him around mid-air, using his momentum against him in a disorienting spin.

“If I am really worthy…” she grit her teeth as she spun, pushing down the bile rising in her throat. “Then why don’t you act like I am?! Why do you always leave me behind?!”

She released him and deactivated her quirk, his weight and momentum hurting him towards the ground. She caught a glimpse of his expression, his eyes wide open in shock. But the spin did not manage to disorient him enough. He cancelled the plunge with his own float powers, quickly countering his descent by flicking his fingers toward the ground, sending out an airblast.

“I’m sorry, Uravity! It just...it happens!” he cried out.

“Then I need to make sure I’m strong enough to keep up!”

She released her Quirk, letting herself fall to the Earth. She oriented herself to rocket towards him, intent on driving him into the dirt with her own two hands if she had to.

Deku twisted himself in the air to meet her. Rather than avoid the collision, he went on the offensive. As they clashed, he drove a fist into her gut. Uravity gasped as the blow knocked the breath out of her, pain surging in her stomach.

But the bulk of her desperate move still landed, and she drove both of them into the Earth. Deku took the brunt of the blow, bouncing with the hard impact. Their bodies tumbled together, rolling into the snow. The substance got trapped underneath her clothing, melting into her bare skin underneath and sending shivers through her. Fresh scrapes and bruises throbbed; she did her best to ignore them.

Uravity disentangled herself from him as quickly as possible, scrambling to stand back up. She could not get to her feet before puking, the blow to her stomach landing hard enough to force it.

She wiped her mouth quickly and surged to her feet. breathing hard to control her queasiness. The world spun, but she got her fists in front of her, ready to deflect his next attack.

Her foe did not strike immediately. He rose to his feet, breathing as deeply as she did. The snow falling overhead had subsided, but the wind still raged. White covered his green hair, while melted traces of ice fell across his skin. Fresh scrapes and forming bruises dotted his skin as well. The illusion of a mighty rival had vanished; he just looked terrible. A strange mixture of horror and satisfaction ran through her, knowing she made him that way.

“Don’t you see yet, Uravity?” His words were strained, interrupted by a heaving breath. “You’re already strong enough to stand by me.”

Uravity shook her head. She would not let his honeyed words deceive her anymore.

“I’m nearly at the end of my rope here, Deku.” She looked down at her right hand, seeing the bloody cuts marring it, the flow slowed by the night’s chill. “You’re the strongest hero in the world. You and I both know who has more endurance here. I have to do a lot better.”

Deku groaned, putting a hand to his face and shaking his head.

“I can barely stand.” He let out an awkward chuckle, filled with bitterness instead of mirth. “It’s funny. I am so far away from being what you think of me. Yet here you are thinking you’re unworthy.”

“You’re not,” she said flatly, taking a step forward. “You’re the most incredible hero I’ve ever met and I’m...I’m just Ochako. The gravity girl, not powerful enough to be there when it really matters.”

“You’re wrong!”

The furious denial made her jump slightly, his voice escalating quickly. She gasped at the passion in his eyes, bearing into her, burning everything else away.

“You’re one of the most spectacular, strong, and powerful heroes I’ve ever met!” he shouted, his hands flying with every word. “You’re the best person I know!” he put his hand over his heart, curling his fingers there. “And I would never have gotten this far if not for you! I would be dead ten times over!”

She brought her hands to her ears. She felt the words burrowing into her, abating the angry pulse of her heart. She loved him so much. But she could not leave this place without finishing this. Without knowing who would win.

She met his stare head-on, hard as he was to look at. “I’m not good enough for that to be true!”

“Yes, you are! You are the one who is far too good for me!”

Uravity blinked, legitimately caught off guard by the preposterousness of the statement.

“What? You’re the most amazing person I know. How could you think that?”

“Because you’ve been ignoring me for weeks! Because you’re you and I’m just me! Because you are the most wonderful person in the-”

”I still want to be with you!” she shouted back. “Now stop complimenting me already and hit me!”

No longer willing to let their absurd, distracting conversation continue, she charged him with all the strength she could still muster.

To her frustration, Deku merely dodged, ducking out of her attacks far too easily. She felt her speed slowing, even as she tried to draw upon whatever adrenaline she had left in her system.

“I don’t want to hit you anymore! I don’t want to fight you!” He cried out as he blocked her punches. He dodged backwards as she attempted to sweep his feet. His agility just made her more frustrated.

“You really don’t get it, do you?” She felt her whole body quivering from a mixture of the biting cold and the fire burning at her inside. “This is what I have to do.”

She let her mind conjure up that haunting vision again. Deku, hanging in the air. A tendril puncturing him, spilling his blood out onto the concrete below. Her, reaching out, not fast enough to save him this time.

With a breath, she demanded her body keep pushing. To go beyond.

“I love you too much to not do this!”

She sank herself to the ground and launched herself with her Quirk again, hurtling toward him in a self-destructive attack. Deku did not leap away in time and she managed to wrap her arms around his hips, sending them both back in the ground again.

Uravity desperately attempted to grab hold of his arms and find the pin, but he shoved back hard, grabbing onto her hands. She stared down at him, his expression a mask of strain as he pushed back against her, trying to get back up.

“And I love you too much to want to hurt you anymore!”

“Little late for that!”

He finally gave her what she wanted. He launched his head forward, butting heads with her. Her forehead stung as she reeled backwards. It allowed his push to work and he flung her off, using enough force to send her tumbling in the dirt a few feet away.

Every bounce off the ice dug into her, the pain stacking up. She tried to do another quick roll to stand back up but found her body thoroughly unwilling to move in that way. When she finally came to a stop, she forced herself to slowly get her feet back under her, her limbs screaming in protest every step of the way. Her legs trembled when she finally stood again - but she managed it.

For his part, Deku also stood up, but his stance looked shaky. They were both out of breath, their arms hanging loosely at their sides. They both stood on their last legs.

“Ochako. Can we-”

“No, Deku. We’re finishing this. I need this. I need to know what will happen.”

He let out a deep sigh.

“I’m sorry. I guess this is the only way.”

Deku brought his shaking hands up in front of him again.

“If this is what you need, I won’t deny you anymore.”

Uravity breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in their fight, she felt her lips curling upwards.

“Thank you, Deku. I’ll live with whatever happens.” Her sore arms ached as she put them up in front of her. “Good luck.”

“Same to you.”

They sized each other up one last time. Even with him in terrible shape, at that moment, Deku looked every bit the hero she knew him to be.

This was the way it had to be. They would sharpen each other to be even better. It had to be an equal partnership - and Uravity could never be content unless she could force that to be the case again.

With a final, harmonious roar, they charged at one another. It echoed into the night, unmitigated by the wind. Uravity braced herself for the blow to come, risking everything into one final strike.

They collided in the middle. She saw every freckle on his features. She sent her first hurtling toward his face. In her peripheral vision, his fist appeared just before it smacked against her cheek.

The scarred fist met her...and she felt no pain.

The two of them panted in unison. She looked up to see her own fist sinking into the skin of his cheek. His head tilted slightly, but he otherwise stood upright, barely budged from the blow.

Their final strikes had done nothing. They had no energy left to summon any more strength for the blows to make an impact.

Izuku and Ochako collapsed onto the ground side by side, completely spent. They crashed into the dirt face up, laying next to one another. The ground cooled their overheated skin.

The tension between them disappeared with the rest of their energy. Ochako did her utmost to stave off the urge to sleep, knowing how dangerous that could be. They should get out of the cold snow - but she found it impossible to move any of her limbs.

The sun crested the horizon, bathing them in the morning’s soft light. They had competed so long - hours on end - that they had reached the dawn. Any chance at sleep was thoroughly squandered.

They did the only thing they could: they laughed together.

Ochako could not help the sounds emanating from her, as the absurdity of everything crashed into her at once. Her partner fared little better, the manic mirth wracking through him with equal measure. The air filled with it, building up more and more, fueling itself in perpetuity.

“We’re hopeless,” Izuku managed to squeak out.

“They’re gonna kill us,” Ochako said, strangely not feeling any fear at the prospect.

“We finished.”

“At least we can get scolded together.”

They reached out for each other's hands, squeezing gently. Ochako breathed a sigh of relief at the sensation. She had missed the simple gesture. They had no energy left to continue their battle for now. They both needed comfort - there had no reason not to seize it.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t understand you.” Izuku’s voice took a serious edge. She heard him getting choked up. “I promise - I do need you, Ochako. To face him - and to get there. I want to stay by your side.”

Oh. Ochako let out a shuddering breath at the firm affirmation. Her eyes misted at the idea. That he would keep her by his side - and that he needed her there.

“I’m sorry too. I didn’t make it easy.” She idly curled her free hand into the snow, enjoying the cool sensation against her aching palm. “I was just so lost. I wasn’t sure if I could handle being with you and working to be with you when it really mattered. But I should have been more open about it.”

Izuku did not respond right away. The silent seconds stretched long. Was her apology not enough?

“Do you...do you think you can handle it now?” He sounded so vulnerable. So afraid of her answer. “Being with me?”

That gnawing guilt ate at her again. She could not be certain of her answer to that question. Her beating heart was hard to control in the best of circumstances. The risks were great.

But as she looked over at him - terribly injured by her hand, willing to go so far for her sake - she knew how she had to answer.

With great difficulty, she stood up, making herself weightless to make that a bit easier. Her muscles ached terribly, but she bore it best she could.

When she stood, she leaned down and reached a hand out toward him. She put on her best, sunniest expression for him, which was easier than she thought it would be.

“I don’t know if I can handle it, to be honest. But I know this is what I want to do. I’ll take that risk for you - wherever that might lead. You’re worth it!”

He practically glowed, making her heart flutter. The power he held over her could be difficult sometimes. But she took some solace knowing she held a similar sway over him.

He grasped onto her hand, letting her lift him up.

They quickly ran into the merciful warmth of the training facility. The insanity of their battle finally caught up with them. They shivered together and moved towards the building’s heated vents. They had both fortunately brought a change of clothes and hurriedly got out of their now soaked garb.

They recovered on their favourite bench, beside the ring where it all began. They each rubbed at their arms and legs to get the feeling back into their numb limbs. The process made them ache, but she took solace in the presence. Being with him, without any walls in their way, went a long way toward heating her core.

“That really was brutal,” Izuku muttered as he rubbed his arms with his hands. “I can’t believe my senpai thought she couldn’t keep up with me.”

“Deku!” she exclaimed, unable to control the flush in her face. She pouted as he laughed at her expense, but she joined him quickly. It felt good being able to joke with him again.

“I do mean it though. You kicked my butt out there. There’s no doubt in my mind about your worth as a hero.”

Ochako smiled at him. but shook her head. “That was a draw at best. Who knows how that would have gone if we were in top form? But I appreciate the compliment from the future number one.”

He blushed at the pronouncement, which she delighted in. “Thanks. But I don’t want you to keep thinking that way about your own ability. How am I going to convince you?” He put his hand to his chin, thinking over the question.

“By fighting me. Again.”

“What?!” He sprang up in response as if expecting another attack.

“I’m not saying right away.” She gave him a challenging smirk. She held her hand out for him, asking him for an agreement. “But in a little while. I need to get a lot stronger first. Then we’re going to have a real fight. No holds barred and in nicer weather. Deal?”

Izuku stroked his chin again, his eyes concentrating for a moment. “I still want to help you train again. We can work together. Like we used to do.”

“I suppose I can agree to that,” she said, trying to sound businesslike, but unable to contain the excitement at the proposition.

With a wide grin, Izuku grabbed onto her hand, shaking it. “Deal.”

The two walked out of the facility together, hand-in-hand, tied together by their new pact and reforged bond. For the first time in her life, Ochako had confidence she would be able to stay at his side, through whatever trials emerged.

Together, they walked outside into the dawn, ready to face the darkness to come.

______________________________________________

AN: Written for the IzuOcha Discord Winter Writing Contest. Prompt: Bitter Cold. This also definitely has nothing to do with my mixed feelings about Ochako’s place in the manga recently. Thank you to the organizers for putting this on and inspiring me to write something new after a lengthy hiatus. I hope you enjoyed! Please like and reblog if you did! =)

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