Five years ago...
Hospital's room

"Oh, you finally woke up, dear!" Uraraka heard Recovery Girl's old familiar voice. As she opened her eyes and her blurry vision slowly became clearer, the brown haired girl began to recognize and smiled at all the faces that were around her.

"Hi everyone..."

"Good morning, sweet princess!" Toru playfully greeted, happy that their friend was all right.

"Ochako! We all worried when we heard you were hurt!" Momo said out of pure relief.

"Your parents are coming, but don't worry, ribbit, you are safe and they know it..."

"Yeah, girl, you are Uravity after all; it would take far more to truly hurt you."

"Tsu!! Kyoka!!" Uraraka cried, giving her two friends a strong hug. "Is everyone okay? Deku? Bakugou?"

"Relax, Uravity; you were injured during your last mission and you needed some surgery. Now you must rest" Recovery Girl stated. "Midoriya is in another room. He was injured too, but it is nothing he hasn't come through before and he'll be fully recovered in less than two days."

"Ha... who do you take me for, Round Face?" Bakugou said from the corner he was sitting, as nicely as usual. "As for Deku... you better make an effort to remember. I refuse to talk about that..." the explosive hero looked like he was either about to puke or die from cringe.

"Speaking of sensitiveness" Jirou rolled her eyes. However, there was more delight than sarcasm in the rocker's knowing smile when she looked back at Uraraka. What was all that about? Her head ached a bit as she forced it to work, but Uraraka remembered Deku was the last person she talked to.

"Don't mind him, Ochako" Mina, opposite to Bakugou, looked radiant like a fangirl and her eyes were shining along with her wide smile, just some inches away from Uraraka's confused face. "Please, tell me... that it happened... and that it happened exactly as Tsuyu and Jirou told us."

Uraraka looked at Tsuyu, who was also slightly blushing, and for once seemed like her usual froggy expression was retaining an emotional croak. It was true, something happened before she lost conscience, and Bakugou, Jirou, Tsuyu had been there to witness it.

Uraraka started to remember: Deku, Bakugou, Tsuyu, Jirou and her were trapped behind the remains of a fallen building, reinforces were still coming, robots were shooting at them... oh true, as the bandages on her leg and abdomen proved, things had gotten really ugly. They were surrounded and she was hit, but Deku had picked her and put her safe. As much as it hurted, Uraraka had told him it was nothing, but Deku was worried about her, like Deku always was. He was so upset he ended up breaking some of his bones when he tried to keep the enemy at bay, like in the old days.

Then... just when help was about to arrive... Deku came to hold her, he talked to her, and then... oh, then... she remembered... and the blush invaded her face like a big red fire.

"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!! IT DID HAPPEN, RIGHT!?" Mina cried covering her mouth and almost hitting the ceiling. "DAMN, I WISH I HAD BEEN THERE TO SEE IT!"

Momo knew she should reprimand them for invading Uraraka's privacy hardly a minute after waking up. But, jeez, she would be made of stone if she wasn't moved by what happened between Uraraka and Deku just a few hours ago.

At that very moment, someone opened the door.

"OCHAKO!" he cried. "Are you okay...?!"

"SSHHH!" Recovery Girl hissed. "Young man, please! This is a hospital! And what are you doing out of your room in the first place?"

"S.. sorry... I just wanted to..." as soon as the green haired boy entered, his expression of concern started to make way to a new one of embarrassment and shyness, while his eyes met Uraraka's.

"My apologies, Recovery Girl!" Iida, who came behind Deku, bowed his head. "I tried to stop Midoriya!"

"You lying Four Eyes, I bet you didn't even try" Bakugou frowned as he got up from his chair. They all knew what would the dumbass try to do as soon as he woke up. And Bakugou wanted his food to stay where it was. "Well, Uraraka and the nerd are fine, so I'm leaving. Get out of the way, you two" he growled to Deku and Iida before leaving the room.

"UA's children will always be UA's children..." Recovery Girl sighed. "Anyway, I must go check other patients, so please Uraraka, be a good girl and stay here resting. And you Midoriya... it's been a while since I had to repair your bones. I hope you are retaking that terrible habit. I'm getting too old for this, you know?"

"We are leaving too, aren't we, girls?" Jirou asked as she tried to stay cool and not giggle.

"Oh, sure we do!" Toru agreed. Uraraka's heart began to race when all the other girls stood up with a smile, in perfect coordination, as if they had been waiting for that moment.

"Yeah, these two need privacy" Mina announced. "It's match point, ladies!"

"You never change, don't you, Mina?" Uraraka thought with her cheeks burning.

Iida, Momo, Tsuyu, Jirou, Mina and Toru left the room. Some of the girls were still muttering among them:

"This is it! Oh please, Yaomomo, tell me you brought it!"

"Sssh" Momo told Mina in a low voice. "Yes, yes, I have it here. Soon we'll know if..."

Before the door was closer behind Deku, he was already looking at her like there was nobody else in the room or the whole hospital. Uraraka's heartbeat was still fast, but now they were alone it had become stable. Now everyone was aware of the words Deku and her had exchanged... and yet she didn't dare to think about what the two of them were at that moment.

After some time looking at each other, the also blushing Deku picked up the courage and walked towards a chair next to the bed, while Uraraka took a deep breath, removed the sheet and sat in front of that chair Deku eventually occupied.

"I... needed to know you had been healed and you were fine" the stuttery Deku would always be there for Uraraka, but right then he would show a new kind of determination just for her. "I guess it was about time I was the one who came to visit you after some injury. You were always there for me..."

"But you were the one who started" a thousand years would pass and she would still be heart warmed by such a display of kindness in one single boy. "I could never forget the first time you broke your limbs it was for me..."

"You were nice to me even before that" Deku had always sincerely thought she had nothing to thank him for. "And from then you have helped me and saved me more times than I can count."

"You are one to talk, Deku" Uraraka flashed that smile that people around them had learned to identify as the smile she had for her UA's crush. "I'm here safe because you saved me. How is your arm, by the way?

"Oh, it's all right, thanks" Deku showed her his arm in sling. "Like you said, it's not like I haven't broken one of my bones before...."

Either the warmth Uraraka always felt when she was close to Deku had lowered and concentrated on her right or the two recent heroes were holding hands. Neither of them needed to look down to answer that.

"But... you are one girl... for whom it is worth breaking all my limbs a hundred times..." Deku said  changing his tone to more serious one.

Uraraka had a mixed bag of each time more positive emotions, but she was also doubtful on how the sincerity they were about to share would affect their bond. They both knew which direction their conversation would unavoidably take, so it would be useless to delay it.

"You remember it, don't you?" she forced herself to stay calmed despite what every cell of her body was asking her to jump into his arms. "What we talked before they came to help us..."

"Yes" Deku knew it was the moment of truth. "I know, Kacchan is right: it was terrible timing and that's my bad. I still don't understand how so many people could be so certainly aware of how I felt before myself did."

"I could also have confessed to you far before, Deku. After all, I knew I had that feeling from the first year" Uraraka regretfully said. "And it's not like I didn't have a good chance at the prom night."

Uraraka and Deku had gone together to the end of the course's dance on two ocassions. Well, actually only once, since the first time, when they were in Second Year, the"Deku" who danced with Uraraka and to whom she confessed her feelings, happened to be Toga in disguise.

The second time, in Third Year, the girls did everything in their power to convince her to go to the prom, since graduation was one ocassion in a lifetime. The former year's experience had made her reluctant, to the point of tweeting her refusal to assist (just in case, to keep dudes like Mineta away). But her friends, specially Mina, wouldn't give up so easily, and they would help Deku to get ready and make the night special, this time for real.

"You know... this situation reminds me of that very moment before the party..." Uraraka sighed from the bottom of her soul. "I heard the door knock, I opened it, and I there you were: in a formal suit, with your usually messy hair combed and bouquet of flowers..." when the two smiling youngsters raised their eyes they were at least two inches closer.

"I thought I would faint before I could ask you if you would be my date..." Deku felt like those chocolate eyes could wash away any pain in the world. "And when you went out with the dress Momo created... phew, there were no words to describe how you looked."

"I'm so glad you didn't let me miss the dance"  Uraraka couldn't have imagined a better way of closing their chapter at UA. "It was an amazing night."

"It was" Deku couldn't agree more. "Not to mention that tour you gave us two under the stars in gravity zero..." it had been less than a year from that, and now they felt like they had been brought back in time to that moment. "Listen, I'm really sorry for what happened the year before. I understood you didn't want to talk to me for a while for being late to the dance... and some time later I discovered what happened and what had really hurt you."

"I'm sorry. I was hurt, but it wasn't fair I didn't contact with you during the vacations" Uraraka thought she had acted  far more like an average teen in love than the hero she was committed to be. "Even if we had a date, I couldn't expect you to find a dangerous villain like Dabi on your way and not protecting civilians from him. What happened wasn't your fault..."

"Actually it kind of was, and fighting a villain was no excuse" Deku declared. It had taken him long enough to reach that conclusion. "A hero is someone who is always there for those who need him. But how am I supposed to answer to such description... if I am not there for someone I love first?"

Uraraka might be the girl with the Zero Gravity Quirk, but Deku's words also had the power to make her feel like she floated. Love... that brought them to the last words they shared before their current reunion.

"You... said it again..." she muttered, with her forehead almost touching his.

"There are thousands of reasons why a person could be loved. And in hardly three years, you had given almost all of them to me. In fact, I should have told you months ago, when we were alone floating in the air after the dance..." Deku had inadvertently half closed his green eyes.

"That was also my mistake. I had been trying for so long to persuade myself my crush on a boy like you was something that had come naturally and would go away as naturally I wasn't sure what to say when..."

Uraraka couldn't take it any longer and leaned forward to cover the scarce distance between their lips. Deku didn't hold back and softly returned the kiss, which would only last a few seconds, but to them it would have felt like that even if it had lasted an hour.

"Well... when we did this..." Uraraka said, with the color of their faces matching. Nervousness, fear of losing a great friend, months of hero work in separated ways, and many other factors that now seemed like nothing had prevented them from talking about it until then.

"We two have different reasons to become heroes"  Deku was no fool and knew it couldn't be easy. "And we have improved each other and become heroes on our own right. Sure, none of us want to depend on anyone to achieve our dreams, or get distracted from giving our hundred per cent. I'm just saying that... even if I didn't want to, you have become part of my way to reach the top, and I can't imagine that way or that top without you..."

"Deku, I... as much as I have managed to have a life and a career on my own..." Uraraka answered. "It's hard to explain, but at this point, I feel like we are part of a dream bigger than life itself... and you are an irreplaceable part of it. And if you want to keep sharing this great dream with me... I need to tell you I want the same with you."

"Ochako... I mean, if you don't mind if..." Deku stuttered.

"Deku" Uraraka almost laughed and rolled her eyes at the same time. "I've called you by nickname from day one, we have known and protected each other for years, we have danced together, we have kissed and we have confessed how we felt towards each other. Do you really need to ask me for permission to call me for my first name?"

"I'm sorry... Ochako" Deku rubbed the back of his head and smiled at his own clumsiness. "Going back to what I told you during the shooting... I'm taking nothing back: neither the three words I told you or the question I made to you. About that question... I know it wasn't the best moment to ask that, so you don't have to give me an answer now if you don't..."

He was cut by another brief yet stronger kiss when Uraraka caught his freckled face between her hands and bring him back to her.

"I told you the same words and I already gave you an answer, Deku, and I'm taking nothing back either" she said with her happy tears mixing with Deku's own happy tears. "I love you too, Izuku Midoriya. And yes: I want to be your girlfriend... and you can consider me as such from this very moment."

This time it was Deku who started the kiss and when they separated, they hugged so forcefully, they both had to remember, in slight pain and laughs, they still had to recover from their injuries. But it was done: the relationship between them that somehow started to be built the day they met at the entrance exam had finally become sentimental and official.

 And they wouldn't be the only ones happy for that, because most of their cute conversation had been listened from the hospital's immediate lower floor, where Toru, Momo, Tsuyu and Mina (this last one's mouth was being covered by her friends so her possible squeal or curse didn't wake up the whole building) waited anxiously while Jirou used her Quirk on the ceiling. 

"So... what's it gonna be?" Tsuyu was dying to know as much as the rest when Jirou removed her earphones from the ceiling and began to turn to look at the expectant girls.

"Ladies, that would be... game... set... and match!" Jirou joyfully announced, unable to hide a little blush.

"WOOO-HOOOOO!!!" they all cheered.

"That's our Uravity! She deserves it!" Toru clapped.

"I ALWAYS KNEW IT!!!" Mina made no effort to contain herself.

"It's time to toast, my friends" Momo smilingly announced serving the green tea she had selected and brought for the occasion.

"Yep" Jirou corroborated as they all picked a cup. "To one of the best, cutest and purest ships in history, which has finally become official!" she said, raising her cup.

"CHEERS!!" they toasted before taking a good sip.

"Oh, my, Momo, this tea is delicious!" Toru praised.

"I can't help but agree, Invisible Girl" Mina slyly grinned. "There must be a place in hell reserved for those who don't appreciate some good green tea..."

(a.n: I took that from Inglorious Bastards, but come on, how could I resist??)

July 10th, 22:00.

Kamino's suburbs.

It already was of public domain that the meeting with the League in the middle of the sea had ended in disaster, with the ship damaged, some militants killed by others, no news from the missing people, and little information on what had actually happened. Hawks, Gang Orca and Captain Selkie had regained control over the military ship and arrested the soldiers who were working for the League, but everyone knew that Eri's grandfather, a notorious Yakuza boss, had been there and hadn't returned alive. To make things worse, Lemillion, All Might and Melissa Shield hadn't returned either and it was Hawks himself who confidentially told Mayor Nezu what had happened.

Despite the efforts of Nezu's administration to keep the details in silence until they had some evidence that could clear that mess,  the unclear circumstances of the old criminal boss's death had lighted the sparkle for malicious rumors against the hero community, including conspiracy with criminals and murder at the hands of one of the top heroes.

Things in the suburbs we're going from bad to worse. Criminal activity had always proliferated in the streets from where the current League Of Villains had extended its nefarious influence along the country and beyond, but the news and certain rumors had made the situation more tense and violent than ever.

That night, in the middle of all that, a gang of petty delinquents was using its Quirks to spread chaos across the streets. When Tokoyami arrived and found them painting words like FAKE HERO, TRUE EVIL and MURDERER in big red letter on a hoarding where a big image of a confident and smiling Hawks could be seen, that made the young Pro Hero's rage quit.

They were fourteen people with their respective Quirks, but in such dark environment, a roaring and monstrous Dark Shadow fused with an already angry Tokoyami would always have the upper hand. In the dark of the night, the black cloaked hero's moves were always graceful and precise, at least until his creature went wild and brutal.

"He did it! He murdered an old man in a wheelchair!" the one responsible for the graffiti, a man whose Quirk allowed him to use any limb of his body to shoot paint of any color, was the last one standing.

"Lies... all lies..." the combination of Tokoyami and Dark Shadow's voices had never been so eerie as he tighten his grip on the man. He didn't care about what ignorants and villains, he wouldn't have such disrespect towards his mentor's image.

"Screw you... screw you all..." the defeated but still infuriated criminal spitted. "You heroes brought this on yourselves..."

"SILENCE!!" Tokoyami roared and the huge claws of his creature got ready to punish the criminal if he kept talking, but an almost invisible tongue extended from the closest brick wall and rescued the vandal from Dark Shadow's claws.

"I'll take him, Tsukuyomi" Tsuyu changed her color and revealed herself stuck to the wall. Good thing she had decided to go find Tokoyami. Her friend and often combat partner had been gloomier than usual when a certain rumor about Hawks reached their ears.

"Damn..." he came closer to the the streetlight so Dark Shadow chilled a bit while Tsuyu administrated to the remaining criminal the exact amount of poison to put him to sleep.

"I know it's hard, Tokoyami" Tsuyu said as she went down to meet him. "But try not to think about it. That must be just a montage by Shigaraki and his crew."

"I don't know, Tsu..." Tokoyami was the member of the group who had always been closest to Hawks. "The authors of these riots claim that heroes of today make deals with villains to maintain an order based on our convenience. Now the Yakuza boss is dead, and they swear some red feathers were found nailing to his body after some questionable negotiation went wrong..."

"You look tired, ribbit. Maybe you should take the night off."

"Impossible. There are still riots around, and night is the best time for me to work" Tokoyami rejected the suggestion.

Tsuyu's phone buzzed and the green dressed heroine picked it to answer.

"Momo, I found Tokoyami. This street is now clear" she reported as the two friends got out of there to go help Iida and the others. 

Momo couldn't enter the battlefield in her state, but as one of the most praised members of the hero community there was no way she was going to stay out of action. The hero known as Creati was reluctantly directing the operation to stop the disturbs from Headquarters, assisting Mayor Nezu and other veteran heroes in everything they needed. The girl had a lot going through her head since she discovered she was expecting Todoroki's child, but that wasn't the time to freak out. It wasn't easy for her to help from the outside while her friends were risking their lives, but it wasn't like anyone, including Momo herself, could even consider the possibility to expose a pregnant woman to danger. Her great potential as a Pro would be useful from there.

"Go west. Jirou says a member of the old Precepts of Death has been seen there"

"On it" Tokoyami answered.

However, when they started to hurry up and got out from an alley, they would find an even bigger and angrier crowd of unknown villains and criminals who were breaking glasses and setting all they could on fire. As soon as they were seen, they pointed at them and began to yell and throw almost incomprehensible menaces towards the two heroes.

"These are not the crowds I am used to meet, ribbit" Tsuyu gulped. Those weren't fans cheering for them for sure.

"Looks like we are going to open our way through" Tokoyami muttered when he saw when those violent guys pick their weapons and activate their Quirks. 

"What do you say, Froppy?" the once again summoned Dark Shadow asked her. "May we have this dance with you?"

Tsuyu allowed herself a half smile. That dance was going to be rather different from the one they had at the UA's prom, but Tokoyami was always a good partner for both occasions.

End of chapter 31.

I was missing some old Izuocha fluff, so I decided to include a flashback about the moment the cinnamon rolls officially became a couple.

I apologize for making the chapter mostly fluffy filler, but I thought I owed readers a bit of this since there are still a few chapters left. Besides, I totally wanted to make that silly green tea joke😁😁...

Don't worry Watties; we'll all toast with green tea the day this ship becomes canon. Today I'll toast with it to you because you are cool and deserve it 🍵🍵🍵🍵!!

Also, Tokoyami is one of my favorite characters (we share birthday and love for apples 🍎!) so he was definitely going to get some attention. Also, I'm sure you have already guessed another of my favorite ships ☺️☺️☺️...

ALL RIGHT! I AM ON VACATION, SO NO MORE FILLER FROM NOW ON! LET'S GET STRAIGHT INTO THE ACTION!

I won't lie, despite having the scheme and some confrontations in mind, more than a few things will have to be improvised, since I must write fighting sequences and imagine a lot of scenarios.

One thing is for sure: you'll know from Shinsho and Mashirao in the next chapter I'll be working on and update soon. That's a promise.

Anyway, it's late where I am writing, so now I update this chapter and in the morning I'll know if you enjoyed it. These days have been harder since I've been practicing drawing for the art book I'll have ready as soon as possible.

A huge psychological hug from Honest Fiction, wherever you are and whatever the day you may be having. Always proud of writing here, and if I can make you have a good time, that's even better.

See you soon, Watties!