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its-f4nf4n-again · 1 year

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Things We Carry

Ochaco and Izuku don't talk about certain things. But just because you ignore something doesn't mean it isn't there.

AO3 Link Here Word Count: 1433 Rated T; written for @izuochaweek Bonus Day Prompts "Locked Away/Skeleton Keys" .

It starts with something small.

Ochaco finds an old photograph from her childhood. It’s nothing special—just her parents with a chubby toddler between them. Little Ochaco beams, something vaguely jam-like smeared on one cheek and her stubby fingers, across the front of her father’s shirt.

The Urarakas are smiling. Laughing.

Looking at the photograph, Ochaco recalls the sweet and tangy jelly on her tongue, the saltiness of the stale crackers she ate it with. The way her mother and father let her take the whole sleeve, eating nothing themselves.

Her parents don’t regret going hungry so their daughter could eat, not that day and not any other when it was necessary, but the picture awakens something nearly forgotten in Ochaco’s memory; bare cupboards and plain rice for dinner. Her mother smiling as Ochaco ate her breakfast before classes, saying she’d already had her own to drown out the sound of her stomach growling. Her father cheerfully calling that he’d pick up breakfast on his way to work.

The sting of tears is unexpected, out of place in contrast to the picture as she slides it into a frame and sets it on the shelf where she and Izuku have decided to keep such things. It’s a little crowded, but they both like the chaos of it—mismatched frames tipped at odd angles in order to fit between the others. Mostly, they’ve collected pictures of themselves, their friends. In and out of their Hero costumes, at UA and even a couple of impromptu celebrations when someone was promoted from intern to sidekick after graduation.

A few family photos have slipped in as well and Ochaco adds the jelly picture wherever she can slot it in, which just happens to be right next to a photo of Izuku and his mother together. Her eyes flick to the out of place hand in the center. It’s almost floating, not attached to anything but the dated shoulder pad of Inko’s blazer.

Ochaco bites her lip, knowing what she is about to do is probably not warranted. Still, she’s curious—always has been—and so she carefully picks the frame out of the messy grouping and turns it over in her hands.

The two Midoriyas she knows so well smile widely back at her, Izuku’s chin tipped up in that child-like way so many kids do when they look at a camera. He can’t be more than three.

She chuckles, running the pads of her fingers over the glass lovingly before she turns it over and unclasps the paperboard backing so she can pull it free.

She doesn’t even have to take the picture out of the frame to find what she’s looking for. Because Hisashi Midoriya stares at Ochaco from the interior of the frame. She isn’t sure exactly what she expected—Izuku looks so much like his mother already, it’s not as if she wondered where his green hair or eyes or easily reddened expression came from.

She is surprised to find that Izuku inherited his freckles from his father, though. She’s even more surprised that Hisashi looks so happy. Content, even. She always expected him to be frowning.

Izuku never talks about his father. His absence is a hole in his chest he will never quite fill. One he knows Inko carries with her, too, though hers is wider, deeper than his could ever be.

So he tries to be the best son he can, though he knows he’s fallen woefully short on several occasions. He bent the photograph back years ago, before he moved into his first real apartment on his own. There was no reason for it, really. Doing so, in fact, made it that much harder to find a frame to fit what remained visible of the original picture.

Inko noticed. Of course she did. The first time she visited that cramped little efficiency, her eyes wet with happy tears, Izuku heard the faint, “Oh,” of surprise when she found it. Picked it up carefully, much as Ochaco does now, ran her fingers over the glass in precisely the same way.

It’s funny how some things are instinctual.

“I don’t remember much about him.”

Ochaco jumps when Izuku appears suddenly behind her and she fumbles the picture, only managing to save it from a terrible, shattered-glass fate by slapping her fingers to the frame so it spins harmlessly through the air.

Izuku catches it, pulls the photo free of the frame as Ochaco releases her Quirk.

“S-sorry!” she says, eyes squeezing closed in shame, fists curled against her chest. “I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s okay,” Izuku says softly, “I would be curious, too.”

He doesn’t see much of himself in his father, but he thinks that’s probably because he doesn’t want to. Doesn’t want to admit he carries the traits of a man who so easily left his family behind. His analytical mind, though, can trace the lineage easily—the cut of the jaw, the sharp slope of the shoulders, the freckles dusted everywhere. Even the shape of his uncrooked fingers mirror the man he tries to pretend does not exist.

Inko is his mother. The person who raised him, championed him. The one who protected him to the best of her ability.

The rest is irrelevant.

“You never talk about it.”

Izuku flicks his gaze up to meet Ochaco’s. Her cheeks are still flushed in embarrassment, bottom lip trapped tightly between her teeth.

He shrugs, replacing the picture and the paperboard over his father’s smiling face. “There isn’t much to say,” he says, “He left to make money for us. He never came back.”

There’s much more to say, of course, but opening wounds means you must be prepared to live with the scars. And Izuku is not sure he is ready, yet, to tear those sutures away, poke around at the gooey insides until he finds the part that hurts most so he can press against it like the exposed nerve of a rotting tooth.

His eyes stray to the new addition to the picture shelf—the smiling Urarakas. A similar expression tugs at the corners of his mouth—unbidden, automatic. Ochaco’s parents embraced him immediately when she introduced them, their warmth a balm against all his anxious uncertainty.

“They look really happy, right?”

The question surprises him. Of course they look happy, they always do. But when Izuku turns, Ochaco’s brow is pinched strangely together, her eyes as wet at his mother’s when he told her they were moving in together six months ago.

“They were always so good at hiding it,” she whispers.

“Hiding what?” he asks, though he thinks he already knows the answer; it’s written in the way Ochaco still sometimes hoards non-perishables, the militance of her monthly budget. He remembers her simple room at UA, her outdated cellphone.

Ochaco doesn’t answer his question, knowing he won’t push her if she makes it clear she no longer wants to pursue the top. Instead, she wipes her palms against the corners of her eyes and says, “I’m really glad I can help them so much, now.”

Izuku swallows down what he wants to say—the impulse to offer reassurances that she will never have to worry about money again. Not with her job. Not with him.

It sounds too much like the last letter his father sent before he stopped writing at all.

Instead, Izuku thinks of his mother. Of the Urarakas. Their similarities—the warmth and love that flows so easily from them. Ochaco thinks of it, too, the tight hug Inko dragged her into when Izuku introduced her as his girlfriend—the tears that soaked her hair.

Izuku opens his arms and Ochaco dives in, tucking her face against his neck. She feels the soft thrum of his pulse against her cheek and he smells the honey almond scent of the shampoo she keeps at the Agency so she can shower before she comes home.

“What should we do for dinner?” he asks, “Anything you want.”

Ochaco pulls only far enough away so she can kiss his chin, smiling when his face stains crimson all the way to his hairline. A hairline she now knows he inherited from a man she will probably never meet.

“I don’t care,” she says, “as long as I don’t have to cook it.”

Izuku laughs. “Katsudon it is, then.”

Ochaco laughs, too, the sound bright and hopeful as they make their way toward the kitchen, knowing they will both go to bed with full bellies, wrapped in arms loving arms that will always be there when they need them.

#izuocha #izuocha fanfiction #izuocha week 2023 #f4nf4nwr1t3s #sad with a happy ending

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tammulberry · 1 month

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Polaris: Izuocha Reincarnation AU by T.A.M. Mulberry

I miss these two interacting so much so that's why I created a full blown AU where they interact more than once and perhaps more than a thousand times too...

SYNOPSIS: Ochako Uraraka had a dream. To see the smiles of her parents and let them live an easy life. If it meant going to a far off university to become an engineer, she would do it. But when she fell asleep, all she had were nightmares of a different reality that continued on after the summer it started. Soon, she met Izuku Midoriya, an awkward but ambitious boy that lived just across her apartment. While most would only look his way when he did something outrageous, there was a warmth to his eyes that drew her in. In time, she developed feelings for him. It terrified her. The idea that a boy might get in the way of her goals. However, as her friendship with him deepens, she realizes that there’s an underlying reason to her hesitance.

Years of the Yapping™ started in 2023 finished in ?

RATING: PG-13 WORD COUNT: 5.6k+

CHAPTER 1. The Building Blocks

It was Ochako’s last year in high school and to say it was the most difficult one yet was an understatement. With cram school, academics and part time jobs that never stuck — she had to triple her efforts just to balance everything before college.

Graduation was fast approaching. Luckily, she passed third year even if it meant skipping meals and burning the midnight oil to pass every project, every test.

Every test. The thought resounded in her head. It’s been a few weeks since she took the entrance exam for Yuuei. Impatiently, she waited for the results. She was sure of most of the answers and she had dedicated sleepless nights to making sure she aced it but what if she didn’t? It was one of the best schools in the country and the acceptance rate was so low.

“Announcement!” The speaker sounded. “I will be listing a few names and whoever is called must proceed to the principal’s office.”

“Ooh, do you think this is about Yuuei, Ochako?” Her seatmate whispered to her.

“I hope so…” Ochako smiled hopefully.

As the names were called, Ochako couldn’t help but let out a wobbly smile in anticipation.

“Ochako Uraraka.”

She stood up a little too quickly and tripped on her bag but that didn’t matter. “That’s me!”

"Good luck, Ocha!" Her friend whispered to her and gave an encouraging wave.

As she speed walked to the principal’s office, she could feel her heart beating out of her chest. Ochako wasn’t usually nervous or antsy about anything but this is her future and if she failed, what would happen then?

She took a deep breath and opened the sliding door to the principal’s office.

The rest of the students called from her year were already there.

“Good afternoon, sir!” Ochako greeted him with a bow. “Why’d you call me in?”

"Please line up with the others first, Ms. Uraraka," said her principal and she nodded, a little flustered by her own eagerness.

"Alright. So…" he flipped over a few documents. She didn't know how much longer she could wait.

“Congratulations, everyone,” said the principal. “You are the students from our school with the privilege of passing Shizuoka University’s Yuuei.” The principal then continued to explain all the reminders and announcements to keep in mind before the next school year started.

Ochako’s mind just blacked out for a second.

“What?!” She yelled in disbelief and scurried to the balding man like a crab desperate for confirmation, her voice dropped an octave. “Do you really mean it?!”

“Yes. I wouldn’t have called you in here if you didn’t get accepted,” he said simply, a little frightened by her eagerness.

The rest of the students were too busy congratulating themselves and each other to notice Ochako's determined face at first, but it wasn't hard to miss.

"Hey, look at the Uraraka girl," a blond boy whispered to one of his friends. "You don't see her looking like that everyday. I thought she was kinda airheaded."

"You should see her in math class," one of her classmates whispered back. “She’s way more focused than she looks.”

Ochako couldn’t control her giddiness. She vigorously shook the principal’s hand and was about to make a beeline for the door before she was stopped in her tracks.

"Wait, Ms. Uraraka. There’s one more thing." The principal called out from the end of the office.

"Oh, sure thing, sir," she replied, a little flustered after her emotional high had died down.

"I must say, it’s very impressive that you managed to land a scholarship for UA. That is no easy feat. You are the only one in our school that managed to.”

“Thank you, sir,” she bowed and noticed that the other students around her were murmuring.

“Told you,” said one of the girls.

The principal stood up and clapped his hands for everyone to pay attention. “Graduation is fast approaching, everyone. I’m sure that everyone must be tired from all the rehearsals. You all have bright futures ahead with this new opportunity. You are all dismissed now.”

As they headed out of the principal’s office, she heard the students talking among themselves again.

“Hey, why don’t we go to karaoke after this?”

“Let’s get some yakiniku?”

“Uraraka, do you want to come with us?”

Ochako was caught off guard by the invitation. It has been awhile since she has gone out. She loved being around people. It’s not like she didn’t have friends. She realized just how much she neglected her social life in order to juggle her goals for passing the entrance exam.

Nevertheless, she wanted to celebrate this achievement with her parents first. Everything she has been doing, every sacrifice she has made was for them after all.

“I’m sorry guys, but I want to spend the night with my parents. I mean I passed UA and got a scholarship! I’ve gotta let them know about it,” she said with a small smile.

“Okay, suit yourself. See ya around,” one of the girls waved at her.

When it seemed like she was the only person in the hallway, she took a deep breath. Inhaled and exhaled, as she walked the path with no other people.

***

Ochako opened the door to the tiny apartment flat she lived in with her parents to find that she was the first one there. As she waited for them to come home, she opened the door to her room to look at her dioramas. Her parents weren't able to afford the materials so she made do with whatever was lying around and learned how to create her own mini buildings.

There was a small dome-like structure that was created from using a worn out metal bowl that she dinked and drew metallic markings on. It was an imitation of the planetarium that Ochako’s parents took her to just once when she was a little girl. Sure, it wasn’t perfect but soon, she’d be able to make models she’d be proud of. To see stars and planets moving like that for the first time wowed her.

It was like a real life dreamscape.

Dreaming was one of Ochako’s favorite things about life. When life was too hectic and heavy to bear, all she had to do was fall asleep and imagine a paradise. Some nights, she could blast off into space and land on the stars. Other nights, she was able to see the most beautiful parts of Japan. On some nights, she'd be in Mochi Land eating all the flavors she wanted but couldn't find.

Yet as cheesy as it sounded, her favorite dream was to see her parents without bags under their eyes or a fake smile to reassure her that they were okay. She could vividly imagine it when she closed her eyes. A stress free life in old age as they laid on a sandy beach somewhere in Hawaii. To see others live a happy life. To see others smiling. That’s all Ochako wanted.

Ochako liked to think of herself as a lot more grounded than she let on though. Those were all fantasies at the end of the day. But now — now she has a new path.

Embarrassingly enough, she still had second thoughts on whether she wanted to go or not even after she was accepted. It was far away too, a 4 hour train ride from her hometown to Shizuoka.

Going meant that she'd be alone. It meant that she would have to spend extra money on an apartment and meals. It meant she had to leave her parents behind without anyone to help them out. If something happened, she’d be helpless.

Click!

Snapped out of her reverie, she heard the keys twist on the doorknob and she quickly skipped out of her room to greet them.

"Mom! Dad!" She exclaimed and went in for a hug for both of them. “I got into UA!”

“Congratulations, Ochako!” said her dad but she noticed that his voice sounded tired.

“I knew you could do it, Ocha…” her mom sounded the same too, and she let go.

"Um," she hesitated and thought, maybe something happened. "How has work been?"

"It's nothing, really, Ochako. Really.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong, dad?” Ochako paused as she made the realization. It wasn’t the first time it happened and it really did take a toll on the company. “Did one of the clients cancel again?”

Her mom nodded at her and her heart sank.

“It’s nothing that we can’t fix.” Both of them smiled at her silently but she noticed that it didn't seem to reach their eyes. It made her own voice falter.

“Is there anything that I can do to help though? If there's anything that needs to be done, I can do it," she said earnestly as she enumerated with her fingers. "The laundry, the dishes, dinner, grocery. Anything.”

"Ochako. You don’t have to do that," her mom replied with a small smile. It was then that Ochako noticed that her eye bags were darker than before.

"I know you mean well, sweetheart," her dad sighed, as he ruffled her hair. "But like I said before, you're spreading yourself too thin. You don’t have to burden yourself with our problems on top of yours."

Ochako pursed her lips and chose not to say anything. Was she spreading herself too thin? Was everything that she was doing too much? She sure didn’t see it that way but under the rare warning gaze of her dad, she didn’t want to protest anymore about it.

“Okay, dad…” She said quietly. Her eyes lost their glimmer and he bent down to hold her by the shoulders.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, Ochako. After all, you’re not the only one who has a surprise.”

“Huh?” Ochako lifted her head and looked at him curiously.

“We get to go to the planetarium again after a street food fest!” Her dad held up three tickets and her face brightened.

Did Ochako hear that right? Not only will she be able to eat street food again after so long but she’ll also be able to see the planetarium again. It felt like a dream come true and she rushed to hug the two of them once again.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You guys are the best…” All you care about is money.

The gratitude in her was genuine but there was a feeling of uneasiness in her stomach. She shook it off.

***

“Actually, Ochako—we already received a phone call from the principal to talk about how you got accepted to UA under a scholarship,” her dad explained, as they rode the bus to the city town square. “Even before he announced it to the students.”

“He really did that?” Ochako exclaimed with amusement.

“Yeah, that’s why we were able to secure tickets for the planetarium event happening tonight.”

“Can I at least use my own money from my part time job?” Ochako asked hopefully.

“Don’t worry, Ochako. We have it covered.” her dad said as he patted her head.

“If you say so…” She shrugged light-heartedly yet Ochako couldn’t shake off the guilt. Her parents had more important things to deal with yet they made more sacrifices for this trip to the town square. She was grateful, she always will be—but she didn’t understand why her parents didn’t allow her to help them.

She snapped out of her thoughts when they made their stop. The family got off the crowded train. The smell of city air and the blinding lights were sensations that she felt so rarely but they brought back some of her fondest memories.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been to the city,” said her dad. “Do you want to roam around on your own?”

“Let’s walk around together first,” Ochako replied. She remembered being invited to a yakiniku place just a few hours ago and thought … meat. Meat sounded really good to eat right now. If there was one thing she rarely got to eat, it was yakiniku. All-you-can-eat restaurants were all the rage these days but it was almost impossible to get a reservation for her family.

She skipped around the town square, eyes bright. There was the hustle and bustle of cityfolk as she surveyed the area, looking for something that would fill her stomach. Ochako then spotted the next best thing.

“Hey, it’s yakitori!” Ochako exclaimed.

Ochako lined up with her mom at the yakitori stand for the savory delights. Her dad was elsewhere, looking for takoyaki and dango. As they made it to the front of the line, Ochako fished out her wallet before her mom lowered her hand.

“Remember, Ochako. It’s on us! Use your money for something you really want,” said her mom. All Ochako could do was laugh sheepishly. She didn’t know how to tell them that she wanted extra but her mom saw through it almost immediately.

“I see, so you want a little extra, huh?” Her mom teased and Ochako nodded shyly and the former slung her arm around her shoulder.

“Just listen to your father, alright? I know you care about us and how we shouldn’t be spending it on you—but you’re our daughter. And you got into UA! So I say it’s appropriate that we celebrate, right?”

It was really difficult to protest against her parents. Deep down, she knew that they meant well.

“Right...” Her mom ended up buying her extra skewers. Her dad just came back with a huge box of takoyaki and dango sticks. In retrospect, maybe she shouldn’t have asked her parents how their day was. Ignorance was bliss, right?

For a while, everything seemed normal. Ochako was able to shake off the guilt and she managed to enjoy the good food she had always wanted. They also had huge chocolate crepes, and mochi ice cream for dessert. Yes, maybe she wished they didn’t spend so much but she could let go of that feeling for one night.

“Hey, dad, what if I try finding a mochi maker?” she asked. “I’ll just go to one of the stores nearby and see if there’s one on sale.”

“Well, you’re a big girl, Ochako. You can go off and find something you’d like. Just make sure to call me, alright?” Her dad reminded her as he held his phone.

Ochako clutched her flip phone to her chest and nodded earnestly.

“Don’t worry, I will!”

She walked around the place and saw a store that caught her eye. A big sign that implied they sold desserts and appliances.

“Mochi…” Ochako sprinted to the shop before it got crowded.

“Must … get … mochi … machine!” She declared, as determined as she’ll ever be only to come to an abrupt stop to open the door gently. The bell jingled and it looked exactly as it did from the outside. It looked quite old but its wooden frames were well-maintained. It was lined with vintage paintings and it looked very warm and cozy.

Ochako looked around the place to find baking essentials and different appliances.

“Hello, dear! What would you like to buy?” said an old lady from over the counter. She was short and stout but had a warm smile on her face. Ochako returned the smile. “We don’t normally get customers past this time.”

“Hmm…” Ochako hesitated as her finger tapped her chin. “I’m looking for a mochi maker that’s affordable, and in pink if you have it.”

She almost fainted from joy when she saw the perfect mochi maker in front of her. It was pink and had rabbit ears on the sides. However, Ochako hesitated when she saw the price. It was quite expensive. She looked at her phone pensively. Should she lie about the price and buy it with her own money? Will they find out?

“What’s wrong?” The old lady suddenly showed up beside her.

“Whoa! How did you get there?” Ochako exclaimed and the old lady simply chuckled.

“I’m still quite light on my feet, eh!”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Ochako laughed along.

“I don’t mean to pry but … what is the matter, dear?” the old lady continued and Ochako hesitated again. “Are the desserts not to your liking?”

“It’s uh, nothing, really,” she started. “This mochi maker looks perfect and it’s big enough for me to share . But I am … on a budget…”

The lady looked at her and urged Ochako to continue as the latter hesitated to expound.

“You see, I’m not from the city, so I don’t get to go to places like this often. My parents told me to call if I ever find something interesting but … I can’t help but feel a little guilty, is all. I don't want to waste their money.”

“Hm, I know what you mean,” the old lady replied. “When I was about your age, I experienced the same thing too.”

“Really?” Ochako asked curiously. She figured that it would be impolite to leave so soon. And without buying anything!

“Yes,” said the old lady. “It was difficult to live in a society where I had to beg to stay alive.”

Oh…

“I was shunned just for existing and people would tell me it was my fault for being born.”

“That must have been awful…” Ochako said sympathetically.

“I don’t understand why people think it is so wrong to be free. The way I see it, they must be bitter about being chained. But I chose to open this shop—whether they liked it or not.”

There was an awkward silence in the air. Ochako didn’t expect the old lady to spill specific details about her life. She started to feel uncomfortable about the idea that she believed Ochako was just like her in a way even though their lives couldn’t have been more different.

“Surely, you must know what it’s like to feel so trapped?” the old lady asked her hopefully.

Ochako genuinely pondered on that question. Did she feel trapped? In some ways, maybe. But did she love her parents? Without a doubt.

“All I want is to give back to my parents with my own merit. With all due respect, ma’am, we’ve only just met. My life is completely different from yours and I … don't think it's a fair comparison.”

“Well, is that so? Perhaps I could tell you more about my story over some coffee at the back of the store. I could really use a friend.”

Ochako smiled awkwardly. Maybe she would have taken up the offer if the conversation didn't start to go off in a different direction. She glanced at her phone and looked at it skeptically.

That’s weird, there’s no signal in this store, she thought to herself and backed away slightly when she noticed that the old lady stared at her.

“That's very kind of you, ma'am, but I’ll have to decline. You see, I need to go somewhere. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be … going out now. My parents are probably wondering where I've gone.”

“But what about your mochi maker? Don't you want to buy it?” The old lady asked her, the warm tone in her voice slowly disappearing.

Actually, forget the mochi maker, Ochako, maybe you should run.

And run, she did. Ochako sprinted to the exit of the store as quickly as she could and once she opened the door, the bell jingled and everything went silent.

Ochako slowly closed her eyes and opened them to see a location that she didn't recognize on the way in. The streets were darker. There were lesser people around. She checked her phone to find out that it read 9:30 pm.

“Huh?!”

It made no sense. It was 7:30 when she got there! She was only in the store for a few minutes at best. At least—it felt that way…

Ochako gasped with the realization that she missed the planetarium show and her parents might have been looking for her this entire time. She took a deep breath and tried to think of ways for the situation to make sense but she grasped at straws. The guilt ate her up and the tears slowly fell.

She surveyed her surroundings to see if the old lady could have possibly followed her on the way out but she wasn't there anymore.

Feeling slightly relieved, Ochako tried to call her parents. All she wanted was to let them know she was safe.

“Ochako?!” Her dad’s frantic voice yelled from the other end. “Ochako, can you hear me?!”

“Y-yes, dad I can hear you…” she said, her voice cracked and started to ramble. “I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry that I wasted your time and missed the planetarium show. I don't know where I am anymore, I—”

“Ochako.” Her dad's voice said calmly. “Ochako. It doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is that you are safe. Where are you? What signs can you see?”

Ochako looked around, still disoriented, but luckily, thankfully she saw a sign that led to the street food area.

She frantically rushed towards the sound of the familiar bustling city lights and she tried to suck in the tears the moment she saw her parents talking to the police. Ochako tackled and circled her arms around both of them.

Perhaps it was the familiar warmth or the unfamiliarity of the situation.

Ochako broke down.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I’m so sorry I wandered off! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to text you guys or do anything to make sure I wasn’t hurt or worse—”

“Shh…” Her mom calmed her down as she stroked her hair. “It’s okay, Ochako. It’s gonna be okay.

That night, Ochako was taken to the police station to be interrogated over what she saw. She told them everything, no matter how crazy it sounded.

“Hmm,” the interrogator hummed. “Surprisingly enough, Ms. Uraraka. This is not the first case of your kind. We have been getting reports of incidents similar to this for years.”

“So you don’t think I’m crazy?” Ochako asked.

“I don’t. But they’re very rare and yours is … the third case in the past 20 years. All I can tell you now is to keep your guard up. Perhaps it’s time to continue investigating this case once again…”

***

After they made it back, Ochako was so relieved. What happened a few hours back was unsettling. Unnerving. A strange store that made her lose track of time. An old lady that started to ask personal questions just to keep her in. If her parents weren't able to find her in time, she could have been kidnapped or worse…

To think that she will be moving to Tokyo in a few months saddened her. There were many things that she saw for the first time. Some after a long time. Some she thought she'd never see again. Even with the experience in the appliance store, she was grateful. She always will be grateful for her parents going the extra mile to make her happy.

She entered her room after her nightly routine and plopped down on the futon.

I wonder what I'll dream about, she thought to herself. Maybe her dreams will be kinder to her than reality this time. It was how she always coped with the weight of it after all.

Ochako thought back to the old lady that compared herself to her. They couldn't have been more different. Ochako was blessed. Reminding herself of that was enough for her to drift off to sleep.

While it was kind to her, Dreamland seemed to have a different plan tonight.

There was always a soft pink haze that surrounded her dreams but this time, things felt a little more vivid. She looked around and noticed that she was in a car in the backseat. Ochako couldn’t see the face of her vessel for the night but she could see the ankle length dress and ring on her … wrinkly fingers? Okay, that was a little weird.

“Gramma, we’re already here,” said someone from the passenger seat as she turned around. The woman was beautiful. In a way, she looked like her own mother but without the tired look. She had a warm smile but Ochako saw a shift in her face before she turned away.

Not being able to control her actions, all Ochako could do was mutter out a weak thank you in return. The car came to a stop and she stepped out awkwardly. Why were her legs so wobbly? The driver seemed to notice and took her by the arm to help her sit on a wheelchair.

As she rubbed her eyes from the mist, she could see where they were.

It was a cemetery. The smell of rain and the thick fog as it cloaked the weathered gravestones was unmistakable. She looked up to the woman, who gripped the handles of the wheelchair tightly as Ochako was guided to the entrance.

It was strange, really. Ochako could see things vividly, she could think about what she saw but she couldn't control her actions. Most of her dreams were happy so why was she walking alongside a woman to a misty cemetery on a gloomy day?

Soon, the woman came to a stop and there they were as they looked down at a gravestone. Ochako couldn't make out the name but the cracks on its surface and the engravings have faded over time.

“You told me you wanted to come here again. It’s been over 70 years now, but …” she looked down at Ochako sympathetically. “I know it still hurts.”

"It feels like yesterday. We wanted to go on so many adventures together," she spoke without any control of herself. "My most beloved. I hope he's happy in heaven.”

“It must be wonderful to love someone so deeply and so freely.”

Ochako woke up with tears in her eyes that night. She was back in her room. It was completely dark out.

“Oh, that was terrible,” she mumbled to herself as she rubbed her eyes to stop the crying.

The dream felt so real. Like nothing she ever felt before. It was like she was living through the eyes of another person. Another distant reality. But that’s not how dreams worked, right? Dreams are the wishes of the heart and Ochako knew she didn’t want to be an old lady visiting a grave.

Stop overthinking it, Ochako. She told herself. It was just a dream, it wasn’t real. You can dream about better things soon.

Ochako tried her best to fall asleep again. She twisted and turned on the old worn out futon that she had since she was a kid but it was no use. The moment she closed her eyes, she could only see the dream she woke up from.

Unable to sleep, Ochako left her bed to go out and sit on the balcony of her room.

She loved starry nights like this. They lived in a part of the prefecture full of lights so she could only see the stars twinkling when the rest of the town was asleep. She craned her head up to look for her favorite star.

Polaris. It’s always there. In the same position as it was. She liked to think that even if the rest of the world kept moving and even though she’d have to keep moving too, the north star will be where it’s always been.

She sighed and the tears from her dream slowly dried. Ochako's mind was at peace once again.

Until she checked the time and the realization that she was sleep deprived hit her.

***

“Ochako,” her mom called out as she was washing the dishes. “Did you sleep well?”

Crap, she noticed! Ochako laughed nervously and dismissed the comment as smoothly as she could. “Oh, I — uh, I just stayed up late watching movies!”

Her mom looked at her, unconvinced and she gulped. She never even tried to hint about having a nightmare.

“Hmm, you must be tired from what happened last night then.”

“Yeah! Yeah that's true…” Ochako had her hands behind her back. To tell the truth, she was still shaken by the dreams. And that old lady. It felt like there were eyes that loomed over her wherever she went—the eyes of that old lady.

Ochako reasoned with herself that her guard was up and that in time, the feeling would fade away.

She couldn’t have been more wrong as she experienced the same dream when night fell.

And the night after that.

…And the night after that.

It was always the same scenario. She was living through the eyes of an old lady that would visit someone’s grave. The name engraved on the tombstone was never shown but Ochako could feel a difference in each dream with what she could see from the waist down. The time of day and the silence of whoever led her there.

Dreams were once one of Ochako’s favorite things about life but soon enough, she was scared of falling asleep. She wouldn't call it nightmarish, but it elicited emotions that Ochako didn’t want to feel. The thing is, Ochako didn’t like to feel things deeply to begin with. There wasn't a reason for her to feel negative emotions because she was already so blessed.

So why did the tears keep falling?

***

This was the worst one yet. The worst nightmare she has ever had.

No other vivid dream could compare to the suffocating feeling this one came with. Except … this didn't feel like a dream at all. This pain felt oh so real. Ochako was in a dark room. She could hear the sound of a heart monitor with a beat that was slowing down. She frantically tried to look around but she could no longer move her head. All she could see was a ceiling fan. That was when she noticed that there was something that supported her breathing as several machines were strapped to her body.

What is this? She panicked. Where am I? Am I dying?

It’s like she was drowning with no way of coming up to the surface. Her body slowly stiffened and her eyes started to blur.

Just then, someone held her hand.

She looked up to see a silhouette of someone that she didn’t recognize.

"Hey," he started and Ochako looked at them with beady eyes. "It's me."

Ochako couldn't speak. She could only let out a weak nod of acknowledgement.

“It’s going to be alright. Breathe out, Ochako. We’ll see each other again. Don’t you worry.”

The impact from the train’s sudden stop woke Ochako up. They left in the morning but the sky was already dark. How long has it been since they’ve traveled and made stops? She sat up straighter and rubbed her eyes, only to feel an overwhelming amount of tears. Ochako gasped and wiped them away in a panic. She really hoped her parents wouldn’t notice.

She turned around to see that her parents just woke up too. Her dad rubbed her eyes and greeted her good morning.

“Ochako, it’s time to grab your bags,” said her mom. “Today is the day!”

The Uraraka family made their way off the cramped and crowded train.

Ochako rubbed her eyes to get rid of any excess tears and she feigned that it was because of how in awe she was of Tokyo.

“There’s so many people!” She looked up and saw a huge building with two divisions. Blue windows covering every inch as far as she could see.

So that must be UA.

“C’mon, Ochako, the apartment isn’t very far away from here. It’s only walking distance from UA University.”

And true enough, it really wasn’t. It was a humble place with at least four stories. They made her way up to the third floor of the building and stopped at A-401.

"So this is the room you will be staying in, Ochako,” her dad said as she opened the door.

The auburn haired girl glanced around at the place. It was quite small with a couch for three, a kitchenette, a tiny bathroom, all the things that a seventeen year old girl like herself would be terrified to use on her own.

But hey, this was what she wanted after all.

It wasn’t as nice as the one at home but it sure felt that way. Her parents weren't able to afford stationery so something she would do is daydream of all the cute designs to customize her space with. She even brought some of the smaller dioramas she made at home to decorate the place with.

“Hey, Ochako,” her mom started. “Were you able to check the balcony?”

“The balcony…?” Ochako walked into the room she will be sleeping in and was shocked to see a balcony just like the one she had at home. Better yet, it overlooked UA University and the rest of the city.

"I know it's not much, Ochako but I hope that it will be good enough for you to live in while you go to school—"

"Thank you..." she hugged her parents tightly. They may not be vocal about it but Ochako already knew that her parents didn’t want her to go.

"I promise, Ochako. One day we will have enough money to buy you all the things that you deserve to have."

"No, dad," she replied. "You've got it all wrong. I’ll make the most of my stay in UA so I can be the best engineer the company will have!" She punched the air enthusiastically.

After that, the look in her eyes changed as she smiled at them sentimentally.

"One day, you two will rest easy knowing that your daughter is there to give back to you. And I won't ever let anything get in the way of my dream."

She gave the two of them one last tight hug as she squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what would happen if she didn’t. “See you in July!”

TO BE CONTINUED...

#writers on tumblr #fanfic #my hero academia #izuku midoriya #ao3 #ochako uraraka #izuocha #deku #mha deku #mha #mha au

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