Echoes of trust

underneath the stars

“Yes, it was. Nedzu didn't even know that was your last name now, and when we asked the townspeople about you, we had to use your first name.”

“Changing topics, I hear Uraraka is working for you now.”

“Yeah, she said when we find you and you come back that she'll be able to see you every day since it's technically your agency.”

“Really? I thought you were joking when you said that.”

“Nope, like I said when you get your hero license it'll become yours.”

“Thanks, Toshi, but I still have to think if I want to come back.” When he said this, I realize that he isn't that little boy anymore, he is his own man now.

“I know Izuku, but it'll always be there for you.” For the rest of the trip, we catch up on each other's lives. I tell him about Gran threatening me that if I don't find him, he'll put me back through his training. We both shudder thinking about it. And he tells me about Eri and how much she has grown. It's really sweet seeing how much he loves her. We finally get back to the house, and he starts cooking dinner.

Eri comes up to me while I'm sitting on the couch. “Toshinori, Dad told me to come heal your injury.”

“I'm fine,” I start, but she cuts me off.

“Nope, Dad said do it even if you don't want it done.” She touches my injury and starts rewinding it. After a minute, I feel better than I have in years and lift up my shirt to reveal my injury is no longer there. I hug her, and she just says you're welcome before walking back to the kitchen.

**Izuku's POV**

I walk into the room Aizawa is using. “I figured we should talk.”

“Yeah, that would be good,” he says.

I sit on the office chair in the room. “I guess you want to know why I didn't tell you.”

“No, I can understand that. If I was in your situation, I would have been cautious of authority figures too. But I just want to hear about your life after you left.” I start telling him stories about my time after I left. “I'm glad you've been living a good life, Izuku.”

I stand up and go to the door. “I'll let you get some rest.” I shut the door behind me and make my way up to the roof to look at the stars. I come up here often so I keep a cooler with a few beers in it. I crack one open and look over the horizon.

I hear something land on the roof behind me. “Hey Izu, mind if I join you,” Uraraka asks.

“Go ahead, would you like a beer?”

“Sure.” I hand her one, and we just sit there.

“I used to dream about this.”

“About what?”

“You finding me up here one night out of nowhere, and we just talk. Like we used to.”

“I miss our talks too.”

“That's why I started watching the stars. Because I know how much you love them. So I always looked at them hoping you would be watching them at the same time. Sometimes I would imagine that you were next to me.”

“I've had that dream too. Where I'm just doing some paperwork and you'd come up behind me and point out something I need to fix.” I put my arm around and pull her into a hug, which she hugs back. “Why didn't you tell me you were leaving? I would have gone with you.”

“Truth be told, I was in a bad mental state back then, probably still am, but I've done things differently. I honestly wrote you so many letters over the years but never had the courage to send them.”

“Izu, I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah, Uraraka?” I ask, expecting the worst.

“To be honest, I'm in love with you. I was back in UA and now, even though it's been one day, I love you even more. It feels like you never left my side.”

“Uraraka, I'll be honest. I always held out hope you felt that way. So, it doesn't feel real right now.” She leans in and kisses me.

“Does that feel real?”

I blush slightly but nod. “Yeah, Uraraka.”

“Call me Ochaco or a nickname.”

“Ok, Ocha. Yeah, it felt real.” I lean in and kiss her back. She blushes slightly.

We both lean back and look at the stars while just talking about anything. We talk about some of the dumbest stuff and catch up with each other. It almost feels like I never left and we've been together for all those years. Our hands interlocked.

The next morning on our run, I decide to ask Eri her opinion on moving back.

“I honestly don't know. I mean, Dad, what would make you happy?”

“As long as you're happy.”

“Nope, think about you for once.”

“I always wanted to be with Ocha, and now that might be possible. Plus, it'll be better for you since you'd have to move to attend a hero school anyway.”

“Then I say let's do it. You know how I feel about Uraraka.”

“Yeah, yeah, fan girl.”

“Hey, I get my obsession with heroes from you. And don't act like you don't have all her merchandise too.”

“You know Ocha is going to see your room at some point when we move,” I say, and she blushes a bit, reminding me of me when Toshi first saw my room.

“Hey, don't feel bad, at least she's only been a pro for two years officially so there's not as much as there was when Toshi saw my room.”

“True that.”

**Uraraka's POV**

Izu gathers us all in the living room that afternoon. “So after a lot of thought, I decided I will come back with y'all.” I squeal and hug him. “I know it might be hard sometimes, but after comparing the pros and cons, it would be best to go with y'all.” We all are happy Izu and Eri both decided to come home with us. We start helping them pack, but for some reason, they refuse to let me in his office and her bedroom. I finally get into Eri’s room and see almost every piece of merch I have in her room. I turn to Toshinori.

“Is this how you felt when you first saw Izu’s room?”

“Yup,” he says, popping the 'p'. Then I realize something and run to Izu’s office. He tries to stop me, but I get past him. In his office, it has all his All Might stuff, but it also has all my Merchandise.

“Izu, you really are a big dork.” He blushes. “You're lucky you're a cute dork,” I say, kissing him.

“Oh, you want to go there. You remember how we both gave each other our first autographs. Of course, you do. I heard from Aizawa you have it framed on your desk.” I feel myself blush.

“Aizawa, you traitor,” I say, turning to Aizawa, who simply walks out of the room.

“Dad, you can't say much, you have hers on your bedside table,” Eri says.

“Eri, you traitor.” She simply laughs while walking out.

After that, the week went by pretty normally. Izu and I would go to the roof every night and stargaze. He told everyone in town that he was leaving; they understood why and even gave him and Eri a going-away gift. During Eri's birthday, she gets some of my merchandise from Izu. Star and Stripes sent some of hers. While David and Melissa sent her a new camera. I manage to get her some candy apples while Aizawa and Toshinori got her some merchandise from the big 3.

The next day Aizawa and Toshinori took the moving truck while me, Izu, and Eri piled up in his truck and took off to Tokyo.