The story of someone's life being flip-turned upside down in a single day was something Uraraka had ever experienced through pages of a novel, like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, but this....this was unbearable. If only this was a fictional story that could be edited, redacted, retconned, or rewritten even. Her thoughts kept bouncing around four things: anger, hurt, heartbreak and remorse.
Anger at Jirou for what she did. Hurt because of it, and because Izuku had accepted it, defended it. Defended her. It broke her heart, seeing the development of her chances with her first crush wither and die before her very eyes. But that didn't excuse lashing out at anyone, much less physically, which is exactly what she had done. Something unbecoming of one aspiring to become a hero, someone who fights for others, when it was also her own fault for not acting on her feelings and just spit out the words declaring her affection for him. And the cycle continued, endlessly, for the past four days now.
Everything seemed so... pointless. She still got assignments done on time, but she didn't bother putting in as much effort as she always did, checking over her work and such.
Uraraka kept telling herself it wasn't his fault. Izuku was free to choose whomever he likes as his girlfriend. But she could never convince herself that she couldn't help feeling betrayed at least a little bit. She was the one that had known him since before day one at UA. She had brought about the Copernican Revolution to the name Deku which had now become his codename that he came up with and presented to the class. She had been an asset in getting to the finals in the Sports Festival, and everything else. Her and no one else.
Smacking her face into the pillow, Uraraka sighed. Who was she kidding? She was sounding like a psychotic egotistical bitch now. Maybe not as psychotic as Toga, but still, it was enough to make her feel disgusted about these thoughts running through her head.
Her lethargic session of self-hate and degradation was interrupted by a knock. Slowly rising, Uraraka dragged her feet as she opened the door to her room to see a familiar froggy face of her friend Asui with a look of concern on her face, one that almost everyone (save Bakugou) sported when they saw her. "Um...hey, Tsu."
"Ribbit. Can I come in? Just for a bit?"
"I'm....really not in the mood for talking..."
"You don't need to talk if you don't want to. I actually just want you to listen for the most part, actually. Five minutes. And I'll leave you alone." With a small nod, Uraraka acquiesced, opening the door wider and sidestepping so Asui could enter. They sat across from each other with the small wooden table in between.
"Like the most of the people in our class, I know about your crush on Midoriya. And from the looks of it, you're not taking it well with him being with Jirou. But let me tell you something. You're not the only one that's heartbroken."
"Say what?"
"It's far, far slighter and infinitely mild in my case, so I already got over it no problem, but....I previously did have a crush on Midoriya."
"Wha....wait....you did? Really? You?"
"Mmhmm. I'm a girl just as much as you are, Ochako. But I get it, who would've thought, right? Back at USJ when he, Mineta and I were flung into the shipwreck zone, he was the one that came up with a plan to not only escape but apprehend the villains in one fell swoop. Broke two fingers for his trouble. Then he tried to intercept Shigaraki when his hand was barely half an inch away from my face. Midoriya may not have saved the day like All Might, but he did save me. I think that was when I thought: 'I actually might like this guy.' "
"Why didn't you say anything to him?"
"I just....didn't have the time." Asui shrugged. "I have schoolwork, school events, and back home I have to take care of my brother and sister when my parents aren't there. And I was pretty confident that I won't be able to juggle a romantic relationship in that mix. Way too taxing. Besides, I had time to think after that. If I liked him, romantically, then why? And I was able to come up with some pretty specific reasons."
"How does that relate to not confessing?"
"I'm getting to it, hang on." Asui chuckled, a single finger stroking her own chin. "I'm just a girl that's had what I thought was a crush, so I can't really offer an empirical framework on what constitutes true romantic attraction, but if....if there are specific reasons that you like someone, be it physical features or their mentality....that's just liking those specific aspects of them, not the whole person. You're not liking them for them. That is, unless you go out of your way to actively find out for yourself. Is this making sense?"
"Okay....I think I get it...kind of?" Uraraka scrunched her face up, trying to make sense of her friend's words as she slowly digested them.
"Well, I mean...let's face it, we were all scared out of our minds facing actual Villains. It was an extraordinary situation in which we happened to come out on top. My heart was pounding, Midoriya was there, and I thought to myself: 'He just saved my life from certain death, and even went to save All Might. He's someone that's brave and reckless but inspires what it means to be a hero. Therefore, I actually might like him.' Personally, once I reflected on whether I actually liked him or not at a later date, I thought I sounded absolutely insane. So I just figured it was a misattribution of arousal."
"And you let it go."
"Yup. Ribbit."
"And....you're...okay with that? I mean, even if it was a misattribution, even if it would be too much to juggle in life....wouldn't you at least want to take a shot at it?"
"Well....Love has made people do crazy things. I could've, but I just didn't. There wasn't much of an impetus, I guess. I like him, I do. He's a good friend, we respect each other and....I'm....I'm just fine with that. I've made my peace with it. Who knows, maybe five, ten years from now, an old flame or two will get stoked between him and me, but we'll never know till we get there."
Uraraka chuckled at that. "Well, you'd be Team Green if that ever happened."
"Then that'll make you Team Green Tea then, Ochako." Asui's remark sent her into a full-blown laugh as her friend covered her mouth to try and fail stifling it.
"I can't imagine what it's like to not have someone reciprocate how you feel about them, especially if it's the very first person you felt like this but what's done is done. Jirou may have things you don't have but you have things that she doesn't have, and not seeing that in you is Midoriya's loss, isn't it? It's too late if he comes crawling back to you later."
"Mmm....I guess....But what do I do now? I can't exactly look them in the eye in good conscience after I told her I hate her. And I punched her. In the face."
"Oh...." Asui's eyebrows perked up upon hearing this new information. "Well, I mean, the damage isn't permanent so a proper apology should suffice. I can go with if you want whenever you're ready."
"Then what?"
"You'll figure something out. I can't give you the answers to everything, you know. But before he became a crush, Midoriya was your very first friend in UA, right?"
"Yeah. He was."
"And he still is. At least I'm pretty sure he feels that way about you. He still cares about you very much. Ribbit."
"So....what, I give them my blessing or something? Threaten them half-jokingly that if she doesn't make him happy I'll take him for myself?"
Asui had to pause at that example, but upon seeing Uraraka smile, she knew she'd been had just then. "Um.....Something more within the bounds of good taste and propriety, but sure, as long as it helps you move beyond it, anything. You can't be mad at Midoriya, Jirou or yourself forever. You're going to implode, and....I imagine it won't end well. Gorge on the new chocolate mochi stuffed donut at Dunkins or something, work out, anything that you can possibly imagine." Looking at the clock on the wall, Asui stood up. "Well, that was....actually way over five minutes, so I'll leave you alone now."
"Hey, Tsu?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For telling me all of that. I know you said you've gotten over it, but still, it's gotta take a lot to come out with that sort of thing. And.....I'm so sorry. For making you worry, I mean."
"Heroes help one another and friends should do the same as well. We need our laid back girl happy or the class just feels....bleak. Ribbit."
Izuku was getting very close to losing his damn mind. When Jirou said to cut back on the PDA, he did not expect going close to full-on cold turkey. She wouldn't even let him so much as hold her hand for more than thirty seconds a day! It was like rations in a POW camp.
The frustration was destroying his sleep cycle, his ability to study and play chords he already learned. The only saving grace was his enthusiasm and aggression that he actively used against his sparring partners during class, in which they were now allowed to incorporate their Quirks to a certain extent.
He knew his girlfriend had a bit of a mean streak, but it was part of her charm. Besides, he could always poke fun at her in his own way. Or better yet, make her squirm and writhe in pleasure.
Being back at the wooden post again, his hands more or less healed up. Pulling his wrapped hands out of the pockets of his hoodie, the beating against the post began in his desperate attempt to stave off the temptation to just barge into her room regardless of who happened to see him and kiss her up against the wall.
But it was useless. The harder he exerted himself, the clearer the sensory details got. Jirou biting down on her lower lip, with that light, rosy blush and anticipating eyes as she looked up at him; her immaculate porcelain skin that got flushed with every kiss, making every bite mark and hickey stand out like paint on canvas; the natural scent mixed with the perpetual hint of chocolate her lips making her taste like cake, and that husky voice that could rise an octave as she orgasmed again and again as his fingers――
A loud cracking noise jolted him out of his zone. As he came to his senses, Izuku wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Oh...shit...." The post he had been beating mercilessly not long since everyone had moved into the dorms had a crack in it from the kick that landed, which had splintered the wood slightly. No amount of duct tape was going to fix that.
Moving away from the post, Izuku switched over to shadow boxing, bobbing, weaving, countering, and blocking attacks, taking down a multitude of imaginary enemies for another half an hour. Still no change.
He moved on to calisthenics, starting with jumping squats, swinging his hands up high into the air as he went airborne, counting to three hundred and twenty three before collapsing, his lungs protesting to stop. Ignoring the pain, Izuku swung his legs up against the post to do handstand pushups. Just as he had gone through a dozen or so repetitions, a pair of toned legs in workout clothing came into view along with black sneakers. A familiar olive drab hoodie was wrapped around the waist. "Figured you'd be back here."
Standing back upright on his legs, Izuku turned around to see a wide-eyed Jirou with flared nostrils staring intently at him. "Oh, please....Please tell me I'm not hallucinating or delirious right now. That would make my situation so, so much worse."
"You're not. It's me, Izuku."
"Kyoka?" Izuku rasped.
"Mmhmm." There were streaks of tears going down her face. "Yeah. It's me. All me. Real deal. I know we said we'd put it off until this whole problem with Uraraka gets resolved but....I just couldn't and I knew you definitely couldn't. FYI, your experiment was a shitty idea."
"I'm sorry." He pulled her into the tightest hug he had ever given anyone as if to make sure she wouldn't just disappear in a puff of smoke should he loosen his embrace. It was her. Voice, smell, touch, everything. Like she said, it was all her, right here. All for him. "I'm so sorry for ever suggesting it in the first place." Leaning against the post, he slid down to the floor, his burning legs giving out on him.
"Yeah, you better be." And there it was. The chocolate cake flavored kiss that smelled like her instantly riled Izuku up as his hands dove under her clothes. "Oh my fucking god, yes....ugh...More. Do it more...." The exchanged more kisses as they caressed each other through and underneath their clothes as they gradually began to calm down, avoiding the inundating desire from shattering the dam.
"Kyoka, I missed you so much."
"Shut up, I missed you infinity times more than you ever could. Taking your hoodie made it worse for me. I could sleep fine but I couldn't....feel contented."
Izuku frowned, unsure of what she meant. "What, you mean you need me to sleep next to you?"
"Well, that too, but.....I can't exactly.....get myself....off, because of you..." She mumbled in his ear and chomped down on it hard.
"Ow! You...wait. Get...Oh...Ooooohhhh." He didn't know whether to be flattered or just laugh at her. Or both.
"Just...just shut up and kiss me again, nerd boy. I'll forgive you after that." Izuku was more than happy to oblige as he wrapped an arm around Jirou's waist, spun her around and pressed her up against the wall, gently. But upon hearing footsteps, Izuku stepped back a couple of paces.
"Hey, Deku.....Um, can we.....can we talk? The three of us?"
"Sure. Did you want to do this here, or――"
"Yeah, here's fine. The sooner the better. I just...need to get this off my chest." Taking a deep breath, Uraraka steadied herself as she first turned towards Jirou. "First, I'm really sorry that I hit you. Even if.....even if you feel like you deserve it――"
"I do."
"That doesn't make it right though. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. And I don't hate you. I was just...I was confused. I was hurt and....didn't think straight when I said those things. I acted like a selfish bitch."
"If anyone deserves that label, it's me." Jirou corrected her. "I never came to you about asking Izuku out. I just.....well you weren't his boyfriend back then, but you still were the one with sights set on him. I ignored common courtesy and just....went for what I wanted without even thinking properly. And then I cornered you with other people being there when I was ready. What I did back there was.....arguably worse than you hitting me."
"Yeah. I need to apologize for that as well." Izuku spoke up, his eyes cast down at Uraraka's shoes. "I roped Tokoyami and Todoroki into this when we should've just gone to you by ourselves, and yet we needlessly complicated matters, and ended up hurting you more in the process. I'm....I'm a terrible friend."
"No. No, guys.....I...Look, we're new to this. To romantic relationships. Right? So....by that logic we can't really blame each other for taking the wrong path without knowing it was. We were all going about this wrong. Now we know that, so we adjust accordingly." She ran the back of her hand against her dampened eyes. "I'll accept your apology as long as you accept mine."
"But this――"
"Uh-uh-uh!" Uraraka cut off Izuku.
"Ura――"
"Shhh! No. We're resolving this right now. You're going to fulfill three conditions, one of which is to accept my apology." Uraraka had that look again. The same look of determination Izuku was familiar with when she faced off against Bakugou. She was just as nervous and scared, but she was standing her ground against everything her mind was screaming at her to desist.
He had to relent. "Okay.....yes. I accept your apology. I hope we can still be friends after this."
"Well, that's up to us, right?"
"I guess."
"Alright," Jirou relented as well soon after. "Thank you so much, Uraraka."
"You can thank me by going to Dunkin and getting me half a dozen of the chocolate mochi stuffed donuts they have for a limited time. That's my second condition."
"Done. We'll get you half a dozen. Each."
"Fair enough." Izuku nodded. "What's the third condition though?"
"Oh, yeah, that. This is more for Jirou than you, Deku. He's the first friend I ever made at UA. So make him happy, or I swear I will fight you and take him for myself."
"I'll make it my mission in life. Dunkin's still open and there's still time before curfew. We can go right now and get you your donuts. C'mon, Izuku."
"Wha-right now?"
"Yes." Jirou said through gritted teeth. "Let's go." Jirou half-towed Izuku away from the area, leaving Uraraka in solitude. With her back against the wall, she crouched down and sighed, a hand covering her face. A laugh came up from the pits of her stomach along with choked back sobs as tears rained down from her eyes. She didn't know how to describe this feeling. It was happiness, at least partially. But it was....something more than just that. It was inexplicable, but maybe that was for the best. For now, at least.