You wanted to wake up from this nightmare.
Ochaco Uraraka.
She was so kind to you and to be honest...she was the first girl you ever considered to be your 'best friend'. She had your back and supported you when you fell in love with Katsuki...she always acted with a sense of bubbly happiness and lively. You relied on her and overlooked her betrayal thinking it would have been impossible...but just like Toru Hagakure, you were wrong.
You stood up with tears brimming your own eyes as they quickly overflowed, the sound of muffled explosions outside no longer grasping your attention. A fissure broke through your heart as sharp chest pains reverberated through the parts of your body. You thought she hated you for putting Hagakure away...maybe just held some form of resentment over some simple jealousy...but this...
...all the pain Katsuki felt right now was because of the girl in front of you.
You wiped the tears away as your eyes narrowed in bloodshot rage.
"Out of respect for our previous friendship, I will give you a minute to explain EXACTLY why you did what you did and how you betrayed us. You will answer every question I ask you with full honesty or you will not walk away from this. Do you understand me?" You stated with clear intent behind your lacquered tongue. How smoothly you were able to threaten a person you felt adoration for...it was just as terrifying as being betrayed by them.
Ochaco buried her face in her hands but soon removed them after hearing your threat. Her voice cracked and wobbled as the outpouring of her bottled up feelings cracked through the mask she had been wearing for weeks.
"It started the night that Hagakure was captured. My parents...(y/n) my parents have a demolition and construction company that employs quirkless people. Because they are quirkless, no hero agency wants to hire them for contracts and their business is about to fail. If that happens...my family and I will be homeless. Kurogiri captured me after Hagakure was put into custody on the same night and took me to their bar to meet Shigaraki. It was there that they cut me a deal: either I supply them with information, or they feed my father to loan sharks. I...I didn't have a choice." Ochaco croaked with each word she said, and your blood started to boil.
"Was your intent to harm any students in any way?" You asked her with crossed arms and a stagnant voice.
"No of course not...but I had to give them what they wanted or else they would have used my family's debt against them!" After listening to her, you pinched the bridge of your nose.
"How did you communicate with them? What did they ask of you to do? And are you currently giving them information?"
"They gave me an old school pager. It looked like a calculator so it got passed the security before we went camping. That Toga girl ended up crushing it when the villains attacked, saying that they didn't need me anymore and she was going to tie up a 'loose end'...but I survived her attack. So no I'm not currently talking to them," She said.
"And what about my other question. What did they ask you to do Ochaco?"
She gritted her teeth knowing that you were going to hate the next sentence.
"They...wanted to know who the successor to All Might was. They pressured me, asking me who they were...and I just said his name to protect-...because I had to. Originally they wanted to lure you in but taking him and converting him would mean that All Might's successor would be a villain and his lineage would die out." Listening to her made your blood run cold as beads of sweat built upon the surface of your skin.
"Him?! Who do you mean by him?! " You growled, knowing exactly who she was talking about. You needed to hear her say his name.
"Bakugo. I told them he was his successor. I...I wanted to say Deku since he seems so similar to All Might but I just couldn't. I wouldn't be able to handle if Deku got...if he...if what happened to Bakugo happened to him." You clenched your fists and threw a right hook straight towards her jaw but stopped just before you could connect. The hand stayed there as a lingering threat while Ochaco gritted her teeth in fear to the point of agony. A shadow loomed over your face as you spoke.
"You were willing to potentially get Katsuki killed. The love of my life...someone who saw potential in you and trusted you to be a good person...you tossed his name so carelessly to villains that butcher people for fun. I know what your excuse was. I understand what you went through...but do you even realize the extent of the actions you took? The consequences?! Do you HEAR him out there Ochaco?! He is screaming outside thinking that he was the one who all but killed his biggest idol! All Might is the reason Katsuki chose to be a hero and now he is convinced he ruined him. Katsuki SUFFERED for days as a PRISONER and as a result, the world lost All Might. You lied out of fear instead of coming to ME to help you! I would have died for you Ochaco because you were my best friend..." Ochaco could see the tear streams rolling down your cheeks as you started choking up. She started sobbing as the guilt overwhelmed her small, petite body.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry. If I could take it back I would...I'm so sorry." She couldn't stop the sobs that wracked through her body in waves.
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to. My Katsuki will carry this pain with him for the rest of his life. Even I can't take it away. He's traumatized even if he won't admit it...And here I thought you just hated me after all this time..." You lowered your arm and wiped your face again, the ache of an emotional overload hitting your forehead like a heavy weight. A deep breath filled your lungs and released a soothing warmth across your back muscles. The emotion was lifting.
"(y/n) please...I never hated you. I was scared. You broke Hagakure and I was terrified you were going to do that to me. You were my best friend too...I wanted to keep everyone safe. I didn't know what to do. I'm done hiding. I couldn't handle hiding it anymore...I just wanted this pain inside to end. Please...forgive me." Seeing her weeping on the floor and telling you everything you needed to know was such an odd feeling of catharsis and anxiety. The answer as to why Ochaco has been so distant was now evident, but the downside is now you had no idea how far this rabbit hole went. If someone like Ochaco could be bought by the League, even against her will, could someone like Todoroki who hated his father? Or Kaminari who held a slight admiration of the Hero Killer: Stain?
Who could you trust if you couldn't trust your friends?
"Ochaco. From now on, I want you to come to me with any issue you feel you can't solve on your own. I don't care what it is. If it is money issues, do not feel ashamed to ask me for help. If you feel unsafe, TALK to me. I will protect you with my life. If it's something as fucking stupid as boy problems, I will listen to every word. I wish you trusted me enough to know I would have done everything I could to help you." She stood up and shakily grasped your hands and gave you a small nod with her round teary-eyed face. Her cheeks were completely flushed with red from the irritation of salted water, the chocolate brown of her eyes holding a warmth that was unseen for weeks.
"I promise you. Please. I'll always tell you everything, I just want to be friends. All I ever wanted when I chose to be a hero was to provide a life for my family and to bring smiles to other faces. I never wanted to hurt anybody." You pulled her in for a hug after she finished speaking, your arms wrapped around each other tightly.
Soon enough, the explosions outside had settled and your heart-to-heart with Ochaco Uraraka had come to its conclusion. The mystery of how the League of Villains found the campsite was settled, and you were lying in bed going over how to solve the problems that caused Uraraka to become a target. You thought about everything...but mainly whether or not the League would still be targeting her. If Toga attacked her with the aim to kill, it was probably to cover the fact Uraraka saw their base. However, Katsuki saw their base and their aim was not to kill him but to convert him. The League knows that Katsuki had been communicating with the police so more than likely they are simply planning their next course of action instead of targeting Uraraka. She should be physically safe.
As much as you wanted to blame her for everything, you felt that you overlooked the potential weaknesses that the League of Villains would want to exploit. Hagakure lost her sister due to her quirk...Ochaco's family was on the brink of poverty...it was always after they were used by the League that you caught on to their pain.
Ochaco must have been soaking in fear and anxiety for weeks thinking that you were going to find out and kill her at any second...yet she did it all for her parents. Thinking of Katsuki, the Bakugos, and All Might...you knew you probably would have done the same.
I should have done better. I should have known...but...I think now I can help her.
You reached over to your cell phone and pulled it off the charger to dial a number you have never used before. Staring at a business card in your hand, you typed in the number slowly to ensure accuracy through your swollen eyes. It didn't take long for a voice to start speaking to you...one that was not expecting to hear from you anytime soon.
"Hello?"
"Endeavor, it's (y/n). I need to ask you a favor."
~~
Ochaco slept better than she had in weeks...ever since Hagakure was captured. She stretched when the morning sun peeked through her windows and let out a soft sigh of relief. After talking to you, she felt a hint of hope that maybe things would be okay...but she still was worried about the state her family would be in. Had she failed them? Was it too late for them? Did they have no choice but to sell their company?
The icy chill of the floor in her room soaked through her toes and sent shivers up her spine. Shaking this off, she noticed a folded note on her bed stand. She picked up the crisp parchment to see a short message waiting for her...one that drove her to tears.
If you don't hear from your parents within the next twelve or so hours, it's because they are on their way to Hawaii for that vacation you once said they dreamt of. As for their business, rest easy. I worked it out with a pro-hero I trust.
Expect to never worry about having food on the table again.
Your friend,
(y/n)
She ran out of her room and went to open your door just to see that it was locked. She knocked on it and called your name, but Ochaco heard no response. Suddenly, a raspy and tired voice from overuse broke the silence.
"She had to run an errand before class started. She'll be back in time." Ochaco turned to see Katsuki leaning against a door fully ready for class in his uniform with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed into scarlet slips.
"O-oh...thanks Bakugo." He nodded before walking closer to her, causing the pink-cheeked girl to shake just slightly in nervousness.
"(y/n) talked to me this morning. All I am going to say about it is if you ever give my Extra a reason to cry again, I will come after you. I don't believe in second chances and I'm not nearly as kind as her. Don't fucking waste it." His body just continued to walk past her and straight to the elevator. Ochaco thought Katsuki was going to rip into her for all of the harm she caused him...but the only thing he was concerned about was how Ochaco hurt you. As far as he was concerned, he didn't need an apology or pity...but seeing the look of rejection in your eyes when Ochaco would ignore you in the past was more than enough reason for him to detest Uraraka.
You, on the other hand, wore one of Mitsuki's summer dresses as you teleported yourself to a hero agency quite a ways away, your eyes burning you in protest since you still have yet to recover from your surgery. The building was a simple glass-paneled skyscraper with a sky garden on the very top. The early morning sun lit up the cerulean sky that lacked even a single tuff of a white cloud, the heat beginning to lay heavily on your cheeks.
"Fuck...I forgot my sunglasses." You muttered in annoyance as you held your hand up to walk into the building. A petite woman with a silver bun and youthful russet skin was working the front desk in a tailored feminine suit jacket and skirt. A mural of flames was positioned behind her to prove that you were indeed standing inside the Endeavor Hero Agency.
"Endeavor Agency. Do you have an appointment?" Her polite and professional voice was clear as it echoed through the empty lobby. The room itself was sleek and modern with black marble floors and two gold-colored elevators, one on each side of the solid black wooden desk in the center of the room. Stylish black and gold rugs were laid in a pristine fashion in front of the elevators, elegant patterns decorating it.
You had to admit, the dude was a shit Dad but boy did he have style.
"My name is (y/n) (l/n). I have a meeting with Endeavor." She clicked onto her brand new monitor a few times before seeing your name on the calendar.
"Alright ma'am. You'll want to take the elevator up to floor 48."
"Thank you." You walked to the elevator and pressed the button with a small feeling of satisfaction when you heard the click. Refraining from clicking every button in the elevator, you selected 48, seeing that there was only one floor above it. Maybe floor 50 is the sky garden...only accessible by stairs.
As you walked out of the elevator, you were greeted by a secretary who was dressed identically and looked identical to the woman downstairs.
"...Hi?" You spoke slowly. She gave you a cheesy expression before waiving away your confusion.
"My twin sister works at the front desk. Everyone gets confused. Would you like coffee?" Now was your turn to eagerly nod.
"Do you happen to have whipped cream?" She nodded. "Three sugars and whipped cream please." Two minutes later you had a piping hot black mug with Endeavor written in gold text, inscribed on the handle.
Each step drew you closer to Endeavor's office where you could see the man in his full glowing fiery glory. Bay windows covered the entire back of his office, one of them cracked open just enough to fit through. He was sitting at his desk with the flames turned off for everything but his beard, a pen scribbling effortlessly in his large masculine hands. When he saw you, he dropped what he was doing and stood up to meet you halfway with a hearty handshake and smile.
"(y/n), you're right on time. So...we are making a deal hm?" His deep voice bellowed out towards you. You nodded with a smile on your own face.
"Yeah. I am recommending the Uraraka Demolition Company to be your newly contracted Hero-Repair company. Since you're now the number one hero, it would really make a difference to a friend of mine whose family really needs the help. She was targeted by the League of Villains due to this and I'm worried for everyone's safety...for Shoto's safety." You had to play your cards right when bargaining with Endeavor since he was such a stickler. His soft spot for you and the generosity he had when no one was looking let you trust him though...even despite all of his past. The Endeavor of yesterday was no longer the man standing in front of you today. He wanted to be and do better.
"I see...I did research on this company and found that the reason they weren't hired was that the workers were typically quirkless. Why should I hire a quirkless team when I could hire a more efficient one?" He asked you with his arms crossed. He was playing hard to get but he had a point. You were asking his agency to hire an entire company to work with him whenever his agency caused damages in the cities or whenever they needed to build things. There had to be a reason to spend that kind of money outside of 'they are my friends'.
"Well, I know you're trying to up your public image so you can hold onto that number one spot when the next billboard rankings get released...so what better way to do it than show your support to quirkless owned businesses who have suffered under the foot of so many hero companies? You could be setting a precedent here and it can only give you positive press. Essentially you're paying for both good service, your son's safety, and positive public response. How about that?" Endeavor scratched his beard for a moment before giving you a pearly grin.
"I'll accept." You smiled brightly in excitement. "Under one condition." The grin turned sour. You waited to hear what Endeavor had up his sleeve.
"A full out, not provisional, hero license is granted in two ways. One is to graduate from an accredited Hero Academy like UA and the other is to be granted a license by a hero in the top ten rankings. I will grant you this license as long as you become an employee of my agency for a period of one year. During this year, you'll have your provisional license and after that, you will no longer have to attend UA because you'll have your official hero license. Essentially, you can skip your senior year of high school as long as for the rest of this semester and the next school year, you come to work for me part-time." Endeavor stunned you into silence...your eyes wide along with your mouth.
I could be a hero a whole year earlier than everyone else in my class without any exams...but...I wouldn't be on the same level as Katsuki, Deku, or Shinso anymore...
You knew they would kill you if you held yourself back.
"I accept." Enji Todoroki gave you a gentle smile of relief, a genuine sense of happiness forming on his usually serious face. He held his hand out for you to take once again, you shook it with an equal gentle expression.
"Now, for your first assignment. I need you to act as a liaison for this dumbass I've been working with." Just as he finished his sentence, you heard the bay window open further. Your eyes connected a man with ruffled gold hair and matching pools of warm honey-colored eyes. An ivory smile of perfect teeth revealed themselves to you in perfect contrast to his black shirt and tanned cargo pants. The most notable aspect of this man was his beautifully ethereal vermillion wings whose feathers caught the fractals of the morning sun as it beamed through the window. His voice was just as comforting and intoxicating as whiskey, a slow burn in the back of your throat.
"The Human Torch over here never introduced us, but I watched you work on TV. Call me a fan Miss Astral. You can call me Hawks."
~~
A/N
Look at this BEAUTIFUL fanart by _kayhdam_ !! I absolutely LOVE the hero costume here!
I love seeing all of your fan art and interpretations of 'our' character in this story. You guys are all beautifully creative, even if you haven't submitted art, and I love seeing/hearing about what you picture your character to look like!
To submit your art, please send me an email at vote4kiba@gmail.com
I also want to make sure I haven't missed your art submissions since I post one artist per chapter. Here below, in order, are the usernames of who will be featured in the submissions (I post on a first come first serve basis).
If you sent me art that HAS NOT BEEN POSTED and you DO NOT SEE YOUR NAME BELOW then PLEASE send me a DM where I can make sure I received your art!
Chapter 53: thequeenofearth
Chapter 54: ash_hashuri
Chapter 55: -meadowsweet-
Chapter 56: TiffAnimates06
Chapter 57: _99centstore
Chapter 58: Misa_Suzuki
Also, not that I think this story will be finished anytime soon, but once I do get closer to the end, I may double up the art shown due to the recent boom in submissions. Either that or when the story is inevitably finished, I may post the art in the one-shot book with Katsuki x Reader one-shots where this version of the reader is the protagonist.
What are your thoughts about this? Please let me know what you prefer:
1. Double Submissions
-or-
2. One-Shots Post Story Finale
Thank you for reading this long-ass note! I love you!
-v4k