Something Further than the Universe

Chapter VI ~ What Happens in the Dark

A/N: I went back and fixed the thing with Aizawa's Quirk that you were all complaining about. It was bothering me too, so I kinda had to fix it. Sorry if you guys got a notification for me posting a chapter! And ignore the author's note on next chapter saying I didn't correct it.

Hey, everyone. Again, this chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I expected (6000 words). But I really loved playing with Mina's heart, and this one was really, really fun to write. I was anticipating it for a while, actually. The last line is a throwback to Chapter 2 if anyone is wondering. There are some parts of this chapter I don't really like and think are far too melodramatic, but this is kind of a turning point for the story, so I hope you guys like it! Also I know the excuse of using a stopwatch as a way to get them alone was kinda sad, but I really couldn't think of anything (you'll see what I'm talking about later in the chapter).

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"Sorry if this is sudden, Deku, b-but... There's something I wanted to ask you."

It was far too early on a Monday morning for either of them to be awake, but Uraraka had taken him completely by surprise, grabbing him by the wrist the moment he stepped foot downstairs. Despite Izuku's hesitance, she was persistent, ringing him around a corner where they'd be hidden from view. The look in her eyes was more fixated, more determined, than anything he was used to. She was serious, and Izuku knew not to take her lightly, especially when she had him pinned to the wall like this.

Her hair smelled faintly of vanilla, warm and inviting. There was this closeness between the two of them that he wasn't used to, and he swallowed hard. He was sweating from head to toe. That attraction was there again, that nervousness he felt whenever Uraraka was around. And she was around him a lot, so much so that it didn't really affect him as much as it used to anymore.

"Deku?"

His eyes widened. "Huh?"

He'd said it without a care in the world, an involuntary reaction to the sound of her voice, but it was enough to make him realize he'd spaced out. Uraraka had released her hold already, eyes wandering to the ground like she'd lost that spark she had just moments ago.

"Um, I—"

He cut her off, remembering the question. "S-sorry, I forgot. You wanted to ask me something, right?"

"Yeah."

He had been wearing a smile, but it was beginning to fade. "But... Isn't it kind of early for that sort of thing, though?"

"I couldn't sleep, I guess," she said, frowning slightly. She certainly didn't sleep as well as she should've, but that was partly because she'd woken up a little earlier than usual just to catch him before the rest of the class could.

"Uraraka, we have the training exercise today."

"I know, I know. I just... had a bad dream, is all."

"O-oh. I—sorry, I never would've known. You're okay though, right?"

He sounded concerned, and she couldn't help but look away. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She was really frowning now, more so than she was before, and now her bangs were the only thing she had left to hide behind. She was lying through the skin of her teeth, and she knew it. She hated that she knew it, especially when she was lying to Izuku, of all people.

But not for the life of her would she admit she was jealous. And if that meant she'd have to lie, than so be it, because jealousy was her downfall and she wasn't going to let it get the best of her.

Besides, she had nothing to be jealous of in the first place, anyway. Nothing justifiable, at least. Not even Mina and her stupid friendship with Izuku, which was something she shouldn't have even cared about since Mina had said it herself: Izuku wasn't her type.