He wasn't being himself

Free

She looked wide eyed at him. Her eyes glanced at his restraints then back to his emerald eyes.

He looked so hopeful, so happy. Uraraka looked at her hands and fiddled with her thumbs.

"I'm not sure about that." She said calmly.

"No harm in it!" He said cheerfully.

"Yes, harm in it." She looked at the wall.

"But I'm okay now! Won't hurt you, a promise is a promise!"

"You've lied to me before..." she felt awkward now.

It was Izuku's turn to look away, "I-I know."

Why did he have to sound so much like his old self?

"I-I just.."

was he opening up to her? Uraraka looked back at him with a smile on her face to let him now that she was listening.

"I don't like people worrying about me" he whispered.

It broke her heart.

"Aw- Deku I-"

"Don't feel bad or anything, it's my fault."

"Deku... have you ever had friends before? like... um, before UA?"

The question took him by such surprise that he reeled back in his chair.

"H-how-" he tried stuttering out.

"I can tell," she said embarrassingly, "you don't let people care about you."

"I.. g-guess not... um.."

"What is it?"

"No one has ever cared about me."  He looked away in shame, like it was his fault.

"What about your mom?"  Uraraka tried not to cry.

"I guess... I think she does.  But would she really care if I didn't come home one day?"

"Deku!  Don't think like that!" Her tears started spilling, "people care about you now!  They really do!  Please stop it.." she fell to her knees.

"And here I am chained up by the people that 'care about me.'" He sounded pained.

"S-Stop," she whimpered, "D-do you care about us?" She whispered.

There was a very, very long silence.

"Yes." He said weakly.

She rose from the ground, and wiped away her tears fiercely.

"D-Deku... that makes me so happy."

Their eyes meet and they both smiled. 

"Do you wanna let me go?" He sounded so very happy, happy, happy. The pain he talked about just moments ago, completely forgotten.

Uraraka smile only grew and she walked over to him.

She was so close.  Coming closer.

Izuku smile rivaled hers, each of them becoming increasingly happier.

He was gonna be set free!

Finally!

She reached him and stood inches away.

She reached her hands out, and let them hover over the restraints on his hands.  She looked down and examined them.

She slowly let her hands fall, not on the restraints, but on top of his hands.  She interlaced their fingers together and he flinched away at the touch.