#IzuOcha Temple 3rd Anniversary Big Bang

[airquietworks]

Lost at the Summit (IzuOcha) (Part 1)

Summary: Ochako and Izuku have just announced their retirement and are ready for their final days as professional heroes. But as Izuku soaks up the spotlight, Ochako finds her retirement largely ignored. She questions whether she truly did enough as a hero. But with some help from unexpected places, Izuku reminds her that her rescues left their mark. 

------------------------- Part 2, Part 3 Chapter 1: Ghost

 “Are you ready for this?”

It was a question that should not have made her falter. Ochako had steeled herself for this moment for weeks. Planning, anticipating, rehearsing for every question that could come. She spent countless hours agonizing over this culmination of everything she was and ever had been. “Nope. Still not.” How could she possibly be ready for the end? For the first death knell? To fall from the stars back to Earth? To leave everything she had worked so hard for? How could she be ready for the death of Uravity? How could she be prepared to watch her own hero fall?

"Are you ready for this?"

It was a question that should not have made her falter. Ochako had steeled herself for this moment for weeks. Planning, anticipating, rehearsing for every question that could come. She spent countless hours agonizing over this culmination of everything she was and ever had been.

"Nope. Still not."

How could she possibly be ready for the end? For the first death knell? To fall from the stars back to Earth? To leave everything she had worked so hard for?

How could she be ready for the death of Uravity? How could she be prepared to watch her own hero fall?

"Me neither," the hero in question, still bearing the name she gave him, replied with a sheepish smile. "But I guess there's nothing more we can do about it. Just have to take the plunge."

He had changed so much over the years, and yet his smile remained the same. At 57, Izuku still looked incredible, his physique holding up impeccably well, despite the odd wrinkle on his face, slightly greying hair, and the many scars across his body beneath that costume. Age was creeping up on him, but he was still Deku, however much he was wearing down.

He was holding up a lot better than she was.

"Guess so," Ochako replied. She breathed out a deep sigh and reached out to grasp his hand. It was weathered, but as always, felt right to hold. "Together then?"

"Together to face the world." He squeezed her hand in reply and put on his trademark heroic smile.

"And everything else," Uravity said with a beaming grin as the two stepped forward, partners through it all.

The rapid clicking of camera shutters as they took the stage with a wave was as bracing as ever. They were far more robust than usual today, the reporters eager to capture the rare joint press conference between the iconic husband-and-wife duo. It was only the second time they had done this; the last one had been 35 years ago when they had announced they were starting their hero agency. That attracted less than half the eyes peering at them now.

They each took one of the prepared seats at the table, emblazoned with their agency's star-filled logo. Aides had everything prepared in advance for them: microphones, water, and a wide berth. Absolutely professional.

"Thank you all for coming," Deku began, his smile unfaltering. "It's wonderful to see you all."

"We're truly grateful for your coverage," Uravity said, meeting the eyes of many of the reporters in the room. "We could not do what we do without you."

Charm the press as much as possible before unleashing the storm. That was the plan.

"It truly is a wonderful time for our world." Izuku picked it up, launching into the buildup to their proper announcement. "We have a time of unparalleled peace. I am proud to be part of an incredible generation of heroes that have helped bring crime to a standstill. I am also supportive of the efforts of our governments to address villainy at the root, and slowly move back from relying on professional heroes."

The next generation might be the last, they both knew. They were okay with that. The cycle of violence needed to stop eventually. They had pushed where they could to help bring about real, societal change.

"It is because of the current state of the world that we feel comfortable doing this," Izuku continued, his face suddenly becoming far stonier.

This was it - her cue. With a deep breath, she uttered the words that would change the world forever.

"We're retiring."

The room shuddered with the energy of the statement. "No!" Someone cried, completely losing composure. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd followed swiftly by the whirring of more camera shutters.

"Now, we know it may be alarming," Deku said with a little more force, his tone shifting to exude calm. "And it won't be right away - we haven't settled on an exact date, but we figure it will be roughly six months. We've given it a lot of thought, and we feel the time is right. We aren't getting any younger, and it's time to leave things to the next generation."

"We've both been able to achieve everything we set out to do when we started." Ochako did her utmost to maintain her composure, but it was difficult as she reflected on everything: fighting villains, saving lives, overcoming it all by Deku's side. The memories of all the battles they fought together flashed rapidly through her mind, culminating at this moment.

She momentarily glanced sidelong at her husband, who was wearing a small smile but doing nothing to hide the tears at the edges of his eyes.

"I'm proud of the legacy we've left behind and all the people we've been able to help," she continued, swallowing back her own tears. "I think we can both comfortably say we can move on without regrets."

She stretched her arms out, leaning slightly back in her chair in an exaggerated motion.

"And finally, get a much-deserved tropical vacation."

That got the desired chuckle out of the room. Throwing out humour to put the media in a good mood; always a good tactic.

"We'll take some questions," Izuku said, causing the room to erupt with pushy reporters desperate to get quotes for their puff pieces.

He pointed to the front row at an older reporter with a thick, white mustache and glasses. "Rupert McGuire, National Hero News. Deku, you've been the number-one hero for so long now - you just surpassed All Might's record two months ago. When he retired, it left a massive void and led to a rise in villainy in our country. How concerned are you that your retirement might do the same?"

"Not at all," Deku replied with ease, maintaining a calm facade. It was always mesmerizing to watch him bat off difficult questions; he had gotten a lot better at it over the years, as he learned to push past his anxieties. "I imagine there might be a villain or two that sees this as an opportunity, but our society is protected by hundreds of incredible heroes, with more bright ones coming. Our country is in very capable hands."

Deku quickly pointed to another reporter, a middle-aged woman in the middle of the crowd.

"Hi, Sakura Ito, Japan Today. Deku, what would you say to the millions of people that look up to you, who are going to be hurt by your retirement?"

"I know it is a tough thing to face. I remember how bad it felt to see All Might get forced into retirement all those years ago." Deku's smile faltered for a moment, the wrinkles under his eyes growing more pronounced at the mention of his fallen idol.

Ochako acted quickly, reaching her hand out to squeeze his over the table. It seemed to snap him back to attention, and his eyes met hers, a grateful smile blossoming again on his face.

"I appreciate everybody who has supported me and cheered me on over these years. But all things must come to an end eventually. You can hang on to your memories of me, but make sure you're getting out there to be the best person you can be. And please, cheer on other heroes, too! I know there are quite a few underappreciated pros out there who could use a few more fans."

Ochako heard approving murmurs in the crowd, a few journalists scribbling into notepads or typing into laptops about the quotes. A telltale sign of a comment well-delivered.

"Hi, a question for Uravity!" A younger woman reporter near the back shouted out when Deku called on her, her short, dark hair frazzled and her glasses eschew. She looked nervous - and forgot to name herself or her station- but Ochako found it oddly endearing. She felt nostalgic for her own younger days, fighting through nerves in her first days as a pro.

"You've said before your husband has been your hero since you were in high school. How do you feel seeing him retire?"

She reeled slightly at the question, the first unexpected one of the bunch. It was a little odd - posing a question to her about him. It also was not something she had given much thought to, so mired in her own retirement and the immediate logistics of it all.

She chanced a glance over at him. He looked at her with a slight grimace, clearly unhappy to have had a question slip through their meticulous preparations.

But Ochako could always improvise in an unexpected situation.

"It's a little hard to think about him retiring. It hasn't completely sunk in yet, to be honest." She smiled gently out to the audience, radiating calm. "I suppose I will miss seeing him out there, doing all the incredible feats of heroism that I always knew he could."

Ochako drew her gaze back to her partner again, whose green eyes were focused intently on her, full of reverence. "But I fell in love with the man behind the costume, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with him, too."

She could practically hear the squeals of fans in the distance at that line, alongside the rapid typing. It was pretty good for something off the cuff, but it was true, too. They had given their lives towards helping the world and their families; now, they could give a little bit more time for themselves.

"I know I'm going to miss Uravity a lot," Deku said suddenly, forcing Ochako to snap back to look at him, his eyes suddenly staring at her with burning energy. "She's been such an incredible hero for so long; it's hard to imagine a world without her helping to lift it. I'm definitely sad she's retiring. But it'll be nice to get away and be together."

She beamed at him, placing a hand over her chest. Leave it to him to surprise her with something so heartfelt, even in a setting such as this. She knew it was going to be tough hearing more of that from people upset about her retirement, but she'd have to get through it.

But questions for her did not come after that. Nearly all of them were for Deku, the press far more interested in the loss of Japan's number-one hero.

"Deku, what is going to happen to your agency?" It was their agency.

"Question for Deku, where are you going to be going on your vacation?" It was their vacation.

"Deku, how have your kids reacted to this?" They were their children.

"Deku, what advice would you give to the aspiring heroes of today?" She could have given that advice, too.

"Uravity, how would you describe your husband's emotions as you've talked about retirement?" Why was she getting asked about him again?

She became bored eventually, sighing and leaning on her hand, not that the crowd before them took any notice. They had expected more questions for Deku, of course, but she did not think it would be this pronounced. By the time they got to the end, she realized the only questions she got had been to get her to talk about him, even if in the context of her feelings. She had never been a hero who cared much for the spotlight, but she had some pride as a professional who had consistently remained in the top-20, often breaking into the top-10 as well.

But it could not be helped. It was hard to shine standing next to a supernova, after all. She always knew that.

"That's all the time we have for today," Deku announced suddenly, snapping her from her melancholy. "But we'll see you around in the months to come. Thank you!"

The two got up in unison, bowing respectfully to their audience before walking backstage, conscious of more whirring camera shudders. They kept up appearances best they could until they were safely away from the prying eyes.

"Well, I guess that went alright," Izuku muttered as they made their way to the back exit of the building, a ride back home awaiting them outside. He glanced towards her as they walked, his lips curling downwards. "How are you feeling?

"I'm just glad it's over with." She groaned, remembering their staring eyes, rarely on her, but still expecting her to uphold a heroic image. "Though I hardly had to do much compared to you. I was starting to feel like I got Toru's invisibility.

He chuckled slightly at that. "I'm sorry about how that turned out. But you did really well when they did ask you a question! And at least we can be a bit more controlled with media appearances from here on out."

"Don't remind me that we'll have to do more of this," she said, giving him a playful bump with her shoulder. "I want at least a 48-hour grace period."

"We can check with our agents. It could be a little hard, though. It may not be possible to escape, with how everyone is going to react."

They stepped outside into the bright day, another swarm of cameras sounding in the distance, though the reporters were held back by a security line.

As they walked towards the sleek, dark vehicle that would carry them away, Izuku stepped in front of her. Under the bright sun, Ochako wondered if the cameras could see her walking in his shadow.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People bathed the city streets in Ochako's favourite shade of green, her husband's face plastered everywhere she looked.

She smiled as she waited in an alley, looking out over a fairly empty sidewalk. Across from her, she could see a simple convenience store with multiple posters hanging in its windows, Deku's green costume prominent, striking a heroic pose for the camera. Such images spread like wildfire throughout the city - both because people wanted to show their appreciation and stores wanted to cash in.

It did her heart good to witness. Deku had no lack of admiration or respect, but she was glad to see the world truly did love him, just like she did. Even as he ascended to number one, there was always a small part of himself nagging, doubting, wondering if he could truly match All Might and inspire people as he did. The near-mourning the city was in over his impending retirement would hopefully disavow him of those lingering fears.

She felt a low buzz in her helmet, indicating it was time to get into action. She stepped forward, projecting loudly.

"Stand aside, everyone; clear the way! Please, stand away from the street; a runaway vehicle is coming this way!" she shouted, stepping onto the very edge of the barren sidewalk.

The few pedestrians in the area responded, moving away from the road, but stopping to gawk at the heroic work about to take place, a few phones coming out of pockets.

"Don't worry; everything is going to be okay!" she shouted, flashing a thumbs-up.

She glanced toward a corner in her heads-up display on her visor, where a low timer was ticking down.

Their estimated time of arrival was five seconds.

A dark van sped through the streets, approaching her, making its way to the end of the city through side roads in an erratic pattern. It carried three bank robbers, fresh off a heist.

Three.

The van blared its horn to get people out of the way. The vehicle was not losing any speed, ready to run anyone down if necessary.

One.

She stepped forward to tag the runaway vehicle with her Quirk, timing it precisely so she could step back and forth very casually, without any substantive risk other than sore fingertips. With her Quirk triggered, the van lost traction on the road, its occupants screaming as it floated upwards, losing speed as the air dragged onto it.

Uravity shot wires out of her two gauntlets, which automatically wrapped their way around the sky-bound vehicle. With a quick jerk, she ended its forward momentum, yanking the van back towards the earth.

She carefully guided the vehicle back towards her, pulling until it was just above the ground. She peeked into the window to see a driver wearing a dark mask shaking, and someone else on the passenger side passed out from the rough jerk of her maneuver.

"Surrender peacefully, and I won't send you flying again," Uravity shouted forcefully, body tense, ready to move if the perpetrators attempted to flee.

"I give, I give!" a deep voice sounded from the driver, hands going up on instinct. The car's wheels kept spinning fruitlessly, stuck in mid-air.

Uravity quickly tapped a button at the side of her ear, communicating with mission control. "Vehicle stopped. Need some support and medical; one of them might have a concussion."

"Police on their way. Nicely done as always, Uravity."

Backup arrived before long, quickly helping her apprehend the villains and secure the stolen goods.

By the time she finished, the area had already cleared, nobody around to cheer her on and appreciate the flawless takedown. That is the way it went sometimes. With so many heroes doing incredible feats every day, the little stuff could get lost beneath the cracks. Every hero she knew had gone through that at some point or another.

Still, the streets felt a little lonely as she walked around and continued her patrol, keeping an eye out, awaiting any word of someone in need. She went largely unnoticed as she made her way around, the very occasional greeting doing little to counter the strange sense of isolation.

These were the last days of Uravity, but that had changed nothing about the world.

"...Deku once again amazed us today by taking down another destructive villain at the north side of the city."

A small crowd had gathered outside an electronics store where televisions in the window were playing the news, framed by more Deku posters. It had become a widespread tactic; even non-electronics stores might stick televisions in their displays, airing whatever snippets of Deku coverage they could to attract people to glance at their wares.

She stopped to watch as her husband stared down a burly, oversized villain. The foe punched downwards, breaking the concrete, tearing off a large chunk of it with his bare hands and throwing it at the statuesque Deku.

The camera could not track what happened next; Deku vanished, there was a blur, and the villain was face down in the ground, completely incapacitated. Deku stood victorious above him.

"He's so cool!" A small child in the crowd next to her shouted, jumping up and down.

"It's a real shame he's retiring so soon. What are we going to do without him?" A senior said from the back, shaking his head, frowning.

"He was the best hero there ever was. Even greater than All Might, I think."

"He's gonna go down in history!"

"I'm just glad no one was hurt," Deku's voice said suddenly, his face centred in the frame, a pleasant smile etched upon it. "It was a good group effort to keep the damage contained."

"Any words for your adoring fans upset about your retirement?" a reporter's voice asked.

"I've been touched by all the well-wishers lately," Deku replied calmly, scratching at his head. "But, I promise you'll all be in good hands!"

"Well, there you have it. The world's greatest hero still saving lives in his final days. Truly, we are watching the end of a legend. Back to you."

Uravity walked away as the crowd cheered, eating it up. She smiled wistfully, her own heart soaring at seeing her hero do so well and be so beloved.

Yes, soon they would reach the end of his legend. The name she had helped give him would be retired and move to the pages of the history books while they lived out their days in peace, hopefully. They would tell his story, and she was thankful for it. He deserved it.

She continued to walk, a ghost in the streets as people's attention focused on their descending idol.

Nobody would care much as she ended her hero days. That was fine. She had done everything she wanted to as a hero. She could be content. Her story would stay with her family and friends. She could be okay with that.

Couldn't she?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AN: Written for the IzuOcha Discord Server Big Bang Event. Prompt: "Thank you for always saving me!" Thank you very much to Mal for editing this and for Xylveon for the incredible artwork provided for the fic. You can find it at https://twitter.com/Xylveon700/status/1294469669361840129,  Please leave a like and/or reblog if you enjoyed it ! ^_^

[izuocha-temple]

Wow, what an event! Thanks to all the creators that participated. 💕 We will continue to publish posts submitted throughout the day today, and if you’re late for your submission, you can still submit your contribution right here!

In the meantime, make sure you guys check out the great content and celebrate! ☺️☺️

[airquietworks]

Lost at the Summit (IzuOcha) (Part 3)

Part 1, Part 2

Chapter 3: Story One week later, Ochako found herself alone in a cold bed, groggily awakening on what was supposed to be a lazy Sunday.

Izuku was conspicuously absent, the sheets with barely a trace of warmth from his body's departure. She frowned slightly at that - she liked the rare chance for lazy cuddles in the morning - but didn't think much of it. He must have been preparing breakfast or perhaps dealing with a phone call - which he should not take on a day off, but oft did anyway.

She let herself slide into her bedsheets, struggling to resist the urge to fall back asleep again.

The days were so busy now, conspiring to keep her and her husband apart. A couple of news outlets finally asked her for interviews about retirement, and though she dutifully squeezed them in, they did not get much traction. People were still too preoccupied with Deku's retirement, what that meant for the hero charts, and other news of the day as the world shifted around the fall of the world's greatest.

Ochako had buried herself in her work, intent to live her last days as a hero best she could. She tried her best to ignore people's ignorance of her, focusing on saving lives and helping people. But the days dragged and part of her could not let go of her bitterness. All of a sudden, retirement could not come soon enough.

She decided to start her morning as he usually did - reaching out and grabbing her phone from her bedside table. She idly swiped her fingers across it, checking the news of the day, always with an eye out for anything she should be aware of as a pro.

A glance through her emails yielded something unusual. Her inbox was flooded with messages with similar titles: "thank you," "Thanks, Uravity!" "You rock." It wasn't that uncommon to get an appreciation message from someone she rescued, but the sheer number of them was peculiar.

She opened one.

"Hi! I just wanted to let you know you're my favourite hero, and I absolutely love you. You kick so much butt! I remember seeing you leap into a burning office tower one time and save 20 people. It was so awesome!

I'm so sad you're retiring! =( But I'll keep cheering you on while I still can!"

Ochako grinned at that, her mood lifted by the message of appreciation, even if it was simple. She got them from time to time, but they never failed to make her feel good.

But it was strange. These messages were rarer in her aging years and she could not recall doing anything that would garner this kind of outpouring.

She went through a few more of the emails, all with variations of people sharing their appreciation for her, whether or not she had personally rescued them. Eyebrows furrowing at the strange situation, she checked through her social feeds to see what exactly was going on.

On social media, her mentions were flooded into the thousands, far more than usual. A word caught her attention, causing her eyes to widen.

"#WeLoveUravity" was trending.

It was not a massive trend, but there were still thousands of similar, heartfelt messages - shorter, but no less impactful. Pictures and stories of her throughout the years were being shared. A few noteworthy commentators were even discussing how little coverage she was getting since she made her retirement announcement two weeks ago, and the inherent sexism at play with that.

Ochako fell back into her pillow, trying to make sense of it all. Her heart beat faster, a nervous, excited energy taking hold of her as she watched everything unfold.

The world - at least, a part of it - was finally telling her story.

And Izuku probably had something to do with it. There was no other explanation she could think of.

More than a little perturbed at the idea her husband had somehow manipulated the masses, she got up, not bothering to change, and made a beeline for the kitchen to confront him about it and-

Thank him? Scold him? She was not sure. She loved the words being shared about her, even if it was probably just a passing trend that would fade quickly. But she did not want that to come because Izuku somehow campaigned on her behalf. They supported each other, relied on one another, but only to a point. She wanted her legacy to stand by itself - even if it came up short - instead of sitting on Izuku's broad shoulders.

But as she walked through the kitchen and living area, he was nowhere to be seen. The only traces of him were a few dishes in the sink, a plate of eggs on their dining table and an envelope next to it.

Pouting, she trudged forward towards the message. She opened it up and pulled the paper out, growing frustrated by the surprising morning.

"Dear Uravity,

I wasn't too sure about writing this message. But I saw what was going on and I figured I had to.

You probably don't remember me, and I don't blame you. We met about ten years ago, with a villain raid in the city. I was a new pro hero, fresh out of school. I was overzealous and got myself into a bad situation. I saw my life flash before my eyes as a monstrous villain towered over me. I was sure I was dead, but you knocked her away with one punch and got me to safety.

I'll never forget the care and comfort you showed me, your bright smile somehow making me feel like everything was going to be okay, even in such a calamity. I was about ready to quit right then, but you encouraged me, told me to keep on pushing forward. You were the brightest spot in one of the worst days of my life.

I just wanted to let you know how much that meant to me. I wouldn't be a hero today without you. I've been following you since then, and I'm amazed at what you've been able to accomplish. I was heartbroken when I found out you were retiring, but I understand. You deserve a comfortable life and a happy retirement.

I don't know how to end this, so I guess - thank you. You are my hero.

P.S. I'm not much of an artist, but a lot of people are doing it, so I hope you like the picture.

Sincerely,

Clearway"

The memory was foggy in her mind - she had dealt with a lot of villain-led attacks, and could only vaguely recall this one. But she was touched nonetheless.

She turned over to the next page and gasped at a glorious sketch of her standing atop a roof, still young, posing heroically, looking down on the city below. She was smiling, her short hair billowing slightly in the wind, her confidence radiating in the simple lines.

In her early morning stupor, the image pierced through her heart. It struck her hard to read how much it mattered to someone that she had saved them - a hero, no less. That someone would still remember that, even a decade later.

She took a seat, anchoring herself, trying to find a steady place to keep herself from floating away.

Ochako eagerly consumed the breakfast left for her - perfectly warm, the likely product of Izuku's meticulous planning and knowledge of her sleep cycles - smiling at the simple, sweet gesture.

But as she ate, her mind spun in circles at everything that had greeted her this morning. She ran through the words over and over, a mix of pride, joy, and anxiety swirling around, uncertainty at the centre of it all. Her heart sang with gratitude for the love people were showing her, but her brain refused to stop questioning it.

There were people out there who remembered her, cared about what she had done - she could not deny that. But she always knew that to be true. That ultimately did not mean her legacy carried that much weight in a world filled with heroes who did the same. It did not mean she had helped enough people to make a mark. It did not mean her story would be told beyond the day. It did not mean she could stand on the summit.

But she had to admit their words were making accepting that a lot easier.

The familiar sounds of the front door opening perked her ears up. She got up quickly, moving towards it, eager to tell her partner what was happening and confront him if he had something to do with it.

Izuku wasted little time before marching through the room with a wide grin on his face, wearing a blue hoodie, with an oversized yellow backpack. He nodded towards her despite the confusion she was sure was showing on her face. He walked over to the table, depositing the bag.

"Good morning. Sorry I left early; I had an errand I needed to run," he said sincerely, stepping forward and inclining his head towards her. She put a finger to his lips, stopping his attempt at their usual good-morning kiss.

"Good morning," she managed, though with a sharp edge to her tone. "Do you know what's going on?"

His smile stretched wide again as he disengaged from her finger, gesturing slightly towards the bag. "I do. I went on an early mail run when I saw it. The post office only left a few in our mailbox; there were too many to carry otherwise."

"A few…?" she trailed off as he opened the bag to reveal it was overflowing with envelopes, not unlike the one left for her on the table. She went slack-jawed at the sight, quickly reaching out to get a better glimpse of just how many letters they received. There had to be over 100, all seemingly written out, stacked neatly, but clearly crammed within the bag's tight confines.

So many people had sent her a personalized message. She ran her fingers along the envelopes, confirming that they were really there in front of her.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" he said, awe in his voice as he watched her, gauging her reaction. "So many people wanted to let you know what you meant to them."

Ochako turned her head to face him, feeling her eyes getting a little misty. She narrowed her gaze, gauging him carefully. "But how? I don't get it. Did you do something?"

His eyebrows shot up, and he suddenly looked a little nervous, his green eyes looking away. "I...may have made a post on a popular forum. But I promise I didn't say much, and I kept anonymous!"

He got a little flustered, his hands moving with his explanation.

"I was just so frustrated and upset at how sad you were about everything. I wanted to do something - I wasn't sure what. But I just wanted to vent and maybe show you a thread of people who did appreciate you. I just said there wasn't a lot of coverage about you retiring and how sad that was. I guess it got some traction, and people started posting more and somebody I didn't know said they should do fanart, and before I knew what was happening, it went viral."

He took a breath after his rant, gesturing to the letters. "And I don't know how, but somewhere along the way, someone thought it would be nice to do handwritten messages, too. My post may have started it, but I promise I didn't do anything else beyond that. This was because so many people do appreciate what you've done - because you are one of the best."

He stepped forward to grasp both her hands in his, holding them softly, brushing his thumbs over top. "I know that better than anyone."

Her heart stuck in her throat, Ochako struggled to come up with a response. She could feel a smile stretch across her face as she stared up at him, and she was helpless to stop it. The knowledge that somehow, all these people had sincerely wanted to do something for her...a part of her still could not believe it.

"I just...I just don't get it," she murmured. "I haven't done anything to deserve this."

"You've been leaving an impact on people your entire life. You do deserve this - and more."

On instinct, she hugged Izuku, conveying the appreciation that words could not. He embraced her in turn, the two of them holding one another for a moment, basking in the warmth.

His lips pressed a kiss into her hair. "Want to start going through them?" he suggested.

"I think I'd like that." Maybe then, she could banish the doubts, still clawing at the edges of her thoughts.

The two of them moved over to the couch, pressing up against each other, making up for the earlier loss of morning cuddles. Together, they started to read through some of the letters, each one sincere and heartfelt. Izuku took it upon himself to read many of them aloud, giving voice to the sentiments of the people she had saved, helping them ring more powerfully in her ears. They also admired the art together - they had a wide variety of quality, but she appreciated each one, and she resolved to collect them carefully as a keepsake.

A couple of hours passed and they barely put a dent in the messages. They carefully sorted them out, removing the hundreds in the oversized bag, placing them aside for later.

The miraculous letters slowly eroded her defences. The world had left its eyes on her, and she was far more beloved than she would have imagined. Perhaps history would be kind to her, after all.

Still, that irritating, nagging part of her mind knew it might yet be a flash in the pan. Viral trends did not necessarily leave much of a lasting mark. She felt so wonderful about the love of her fans, but how far that ultimately extended was hard to know exactly. Did it really compare to what other heroes were able to do?

Just as they stood up and agreed to take a break, Izuku grabbed her hand again, beaming at her.

"So...I was wondering if you'd be up to take a trip with me."

"Oh? What for?"

He looked strangely giddy, his feet rocking back and forth, a toothy grin plastered across his face.

"Well...I didn't plan for all this. But I did plan for something else. A surprise."

Her spirits buoyed by the lovely morning, she found his giddiness infectious, and she eagerly pumped a fist up to share in his enthusiasm. "Alright, sure! Where are we going?"

Izuku trembled with his excitement. "U.A. High School."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Together, they walked to the place where it all began, Izuku keeping infuriatingly cryptic about his plans. The city streets seemed so much more wondrous now after their morning together, the cloudless day painting it in vibrant light, the busy people she had protected for 35 years going about their lives peacefully; a peace she had protected.

They moved covertly, dressed in baggy, unremarkable clothing, with hoods up to disguise their faces as they made their way to the front gates of the school. It was just as imposing as it was back then, built upon the shoulders of the country's greatest heroes. She had belonged here, but after so many years away, the hallowed grounds had regained their intimidating stature. A part of her wondered about herself in relation to this anyone care that this was the school that had produced her? Would her name be listed amongst its greats?

She tried to clear her head, shaking it thoroughly. It would do her no good to get mired in such thoughts.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" He looked just as in awe of it as she was, even though he visited far more often than she did for guest appearances. "I really miss living here."

"Those were tough times. But a lot of good memories," she said, reminiscing about those wondrous early days.

"The best," he agreed as they arrived at the front gate, closed with a mighty metallic door. Security was still just as tight as ever.

"So...will you tell me now why exactly you wanted to bring us here?" Ochako pleaded, pouting at her husband, desperate to know what surprise had made him so delighted.

"Well, if they're not late, they should be...ah, there they are!"

He gestured towards the corner opposite to where they had arrived. A middle-aged woman with long, red hair and a kind smile walked toward them, carrying a small girl in her arms. The girl was positively adorable, with short hair like the older woman's, rosy cheeks and a bright smile as she looked around at the school, squirming excitedly.

Ochako looked intently at them and then back at Izuku, posing the question with her eyes. The pair of them looked vaguely familiar, and the girl was certainly cute, but she was pretty sure she had never met either of these people.

"Mommy, mommy, who are they! Are they the surprise?!" the girl squealed, pointing at the two heroes as they approached.

"Yes, that's right," the mother replied, her own excitement ringing clearly in her voice. She turned her head to regard Ochako, looking intently at her. "It's so nice to see you both. Thank you so much for this. I didn't imagine this would ever happen."

"Thank you so much for agreeing to my request," Izuku replied with a grin. "Well, Ochako, do you recognize her?"

Ochako regarded the pair again, putting on a gentle smile, but struggling to put names to the faces. The girl stared back at her with wide eyes, tilting her head slightly, studying her.

"Mommy...is that...?"

"Yes, that's right," the woman said with a laugh, kneeling down to let the girl out of her arms, the child practically vibrating with excitement. "That's Uravity."

It was like a volcanic eruption. The young girl - who could not have been older than five based on her size - squealed with delight, jumping slightly in the air, her hair flying about as she hurried over to the named hero.

Ochako chuckled at the sheer delight before her, kneeling down to meet her apparent fan. It was always fun to interact with the little ones. It did her heart good to see somehow, she could still inspire children.

"Hello there," she greeted the girl, pulling her hood down to show more of her face. The girl glomped her knee, staring up at her with wide, chocolate-coloured eyes, beaming ever-so-sweetly. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

The girl giggled suddenly, squeezing at the fabric of her jeans.

"Yours!" she cried out, laughing as if that was the greatest wonder in the world. "Ochako!"

The hero felt as if her heart might burst from the shock and joy that coursed through it. She felt her eyes go wide, her gaze flashing up towards the girl's mother, who had a smile stretching across her entire face.

The realization came through her mind. She looked back to the girl at her knees, beaming up at her. Her memories flashed backwards, 35 years ago, reaching deep into the rubble, pulling a red-haired girl out, consoling her, hoping she could put a smile back on that face.

Haruka Akemi.

The elder Ochako snapped back to the present, looking down at the girl, who suddenly looked so much like the one in her memories. She gulped, struggling to contain the welling emotion of meeting her namesake. "Well, that's a lovely name for a lovely girl."

The girl blushed, her cheeks getting rosier, but the smile never vanished from her face, little dimples popping up in it.

"Wow!" the girl exclaimed. "I love that we have the same name. You're my favourite hero."

Ochako's heart squeezed at the sheer cuteness, her breath coming out in a little gasp, garnering laughter from the other adults present.

"Thank you very much," she responded, glancing back towards Akemi. "Hey, would it be alright if I held you?"

"Yeah!" The girl cheered, suddenly trying to scramble up into her hero's lap.

Said hero looked up to Akemi for permission, who provided a quick, affirming nod.

Ochako lifted the girl up, grinning as she yelled in delight, her arms reaching up towards the sky. She hardly weighed anything, even without activating her quirk.

"Yaa!" the girl cheered, giggling as Ochako lifted her up and down a few times. Ochako laughed with her, the child's mirth infectious, her heart soaring at the sheer joy of the moment.

But suddenly, she felt a strange tugging at her neckline. Curious, she looked down to see her clothes pulling away from her body slightly toward the girl she was holding.

"Watch your Quirk now, dear," Akemi said. Ochako looked up to see the woman moving ever so slightly towards the pair, without moving her feet, pulled by some unseen force.

"Oh, sorry!" the girl cried out, slightly panicked, the smile running away from her face. She took a deep breath, calming herself down.

Ochako noticed her clothes fall back to normal, the force gone.

"Is that...her Quirk?" Izuku said slowly, putting his hand on his wrinkled chin. She noticed his eyes lighting up, as it often did when an exciting new Quirk appeared before him.

"It is. We're not entirely sure about it since she got it last month, but we suspect,, based on my Quirk, she is increasing her gravitational force to pull things in." Akemi frowned, walking up to stroke at her daughter's hair. The girl had suddenly lost all her excitement, the colour drained from her face.

"Wow, that's quite a power," Izuku chimed in, studying the girl intently.

"It is. But we're a little worried about the risks if it gets too powerful. So we're playing it safe until she's a little bit older."

"I want to be a hero like you…" the young Ochako said suddenly, looking away from everyone. She was suddenly on the verge of tears. "But I don't know if I can with this."

"Ochako…" the girl's mother replied, her eyes widening, apparently startled by the sad comment.

Without thinking, Uravity took action.

"Hey. You know, when I was a little girl, people were worried about what I could do with my Quirk, too," she said, causing her younger counterpart to pull her head up.

"Really?"

"Yeah! People were always saying I needed to be careful or I might really hurt someone." She could remember once sending her father a little too high into the air, leading to him getting a sprained ankle. "So I had to watch out for a little while. But eventually, I got a little older and had enough control to really work with it."

The girl sniffled slightly. "Could I do that?"

"I know you can do it. Just listen to your mom and keep working hard. Reach as high as you can. If you can stay positive and work at it, I'm sure you could be a hero, if that's what you want to do."

The girl's face lit up brighter than the sun, bringing a matching smile onto her namesake. "I do! I will!"

Ochako held up a fist, letting it slowly approach the girl. "Then I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do as the next hero named Ochako!"

The girl slowly mimicked her hero, bringing her tiny fist into her counterpart's one. She held it there for a moment, before bringing it back in, beaming all the while. The torch was passed.

The hero handed the girl back to her mother, spirits buoyed, heart warmed to have helped make such wonder in a child so small.

"I wanted to thank you for everything you did back then," Akemi said, her smile as beautiful as her daughter's. "What you said to me...I never really got to thank you properly, but it was what I needed to hear. I don't know if I could have gotten through everything without it. I never stopped looking up to you after that. I even run a fan site - I was just a little nervous about trying to meet you in person again."

Ochako beamed at the woman, her eyes getting wet as the words left their mark. What she did back then did matter. It was not for nothing. She had made a difference, even if it seemed so small looking back.

"Aww, you didn't have to be afraid. I would have been happy to meet you at any time." She looked towards the small girl who bore her name. "Thank you for this. For her. I'm just...I'm honoured."

"There wasn't anyone more inspiring we could think of to name her after. And neither of us would be here today without you." The girl in question gave a toothy grin and thumbs up at her idol. "And she's loved you ever since she found out about it."

Ochako took a breath, struggling to maintain some composure. Seeing the happy family that her work had helped create made her feel more pride than just about anything, besides her own family.

"Mommy, why is she crying?"

The hero touched her cheek. Oh. She was. She supposed it could not be helped.

"I'm just...very happy," the hero replied, making sure to show it in her smile.

It was difficult to describe the overwhelming, surging emotions within her. Here was solid proof of her mark on the world, something impossible to fathom before this moment. Surrounded by such love, she felt eager to give some of it back out.

"Would it be alright if I gave you two a hug?"

The blush returned to Akemi's face. She buried it in her daughter's hair, but she opened up her free right arm. Her daughter reached out eagerly, tiny arms stretching forward.

Ochako stepped forward and embraced the two of them, hugging them close, though taking care not to crush her namesake. Akemi let out a little gasp, seemingly struck by being embraced by her hero, while the younger Ochako latched around her neck.

The hero felt warmed to the very core of her being, holding a small part of a much greater legacy. She had made a difference, and she was holding it. Right now, these two people were the world to her.

"Thank you," the hero whispered her heart into Akemi's ear.

"Thank you for saving me," was all the woman could manage in reply.

After a couple of autographs and a promise to keep in touch, the couplings waved farewell to one another.

The hero promised herself, right then and there, she would watch the girl grow.

"I can't believe you found her after all these years."

"It took a little doing, but it was worth it." Izuku's answering grin was just as wonderful as it was on the day they first met.

She took the time to hug him from the side, digging her head into his chest. "You're incredible, you know that?"

"I couldn't be without you," he whispered into her hair. "You set a pretty good example."

"Oh, hush." She disentangled herself from him, face aflame, touched beyond words but getting a little embarrassed at the avalanche of compliments the day had brought. "So, shall we head back home?"

"Well...I had one more thing in mind." He walked over to the towering gate, pulling a card out from his pocket and flashing it at a scanner at the side of the door.

Ochako jumped slightly as the doors slowly opened, revealing the campus and school beyond. She stared wide-eyed at the familiar pathway, where she had begun her real journey to becoming a hero.

"How did you…?"

"Retiring comes with some perks. Called in a favour or two," Izuku said, tucking the card back in and adjusting his yellow backpack slightly. "Come on, let's go!"

With a surprising amount of exuberance, Izuku forged ahead, laughing as they returned to the grounds of their youth. Ochako followed him, joining in, eager to see just what more he had in store.

Staring at the school ahead now, it did not seem quite so imposing. The familiar path, lined with the busts of heroes, was significant, but she could walk it just as well as she did when she first came here.

This was a place bathed in legacy, but she was a part of that, just as much as the incredible heroes who had come before her. After meeting her young namesake, she did not doubt that now. Whether or not the world recognized it, she had made a difference, and there was plenty of living proof.

She realized how lost she had gotten. What was important to her was helping people - and heroes - in pain, people who needed you. She had done that thousands of times. That mattered. It was enough.

"I wanted to be here for this," Izuku suddenly called out, snapping her from her thoughts. He surged forward quickly, a few steps ahead of her. "The place where we-EEEEEEEEEE!"

Ochako reacted on instinct, sprinting ahead and tapping her hand onto the backpack of her descending husband. She did not see exactly how he had managed to trip, but even he would suffer from a faceplant into the hard ground.

Her reflexes were still quick enough, though he came pretty close to tasting brick. He stopped awkwardly in the air, body hanging horizontally without its gravity.

A rush of nostalgia hit Ochako with full force. Her mind went back more than 40 years, when she reached out to save the boy who would come to save the country - and her. She had acted on instinct back then too, not wanting to let people get hurt when she could make a difference, even if preventing a fall was trivial.

Silence hung in the air between them, the realization hitting them both at the same time.

She started snickering at him. Uproarious laughter followed quickly.

"I...can...not..believe!" Ochako paused between words, struggling to breathe, keeling over slightly. "That you would fall here again!"

After forty years of heroics, standing at the pinnacle, the world's greatest hero was still felled by his own two feet. Some things never changed.

"I swear...I swear I didn't mean to!" he responded, legs kicking in the air slightly as the laughter wracked through him. She noticed a blush starting to come to his cheeks, a little embarrassment peeking through the mirth. "Gosh, I planned to be more...together this time. I couldn't say a word to you when we..."

His face scrunched up suddenly. Just as she prepared to release him, he turned in mid-air, reaching his hand out to pause her.

"Wait! Uh, can you just hold me here for a bit?" he asked, reaching around himself to take his backpack off his shoulders.

Confused but curious, she nodded, staring intently at her partner as she tried to make out what he was up to.

With a shaky hand, he pulled out a small envelope from the bag, reaching out to hand it to her, still hanging awkwardly in midair.

"One...one last letter," he muttered, tripping over the words as he had with his feet. His nerves were evident, but she could not understand what he had to be nervous about. "From your biggest fan of all."

She had a hard time processing the image before her. Izuku, reaching up, letter in hand, hanging awkwardly, his gravity stolen by her hands. Blushing like a schoolboy, a nervous little grin on his face. She did as he asked, taking the envelope and regarding it carefully, curious as to its contents.

Izuku took a deep breath as she opened it up. "I just wanted to bring you here to remind you. About the very first time you saved me...and I guess the latest time, too."

He held up his yellow backpack, a toothy grin coming upon his face. "I even tried to look the part best I could!"

"Izuku…" she was astonished at just how far he had gone to make her feel better. She felt a surge of affection toward him, even before she read whatever was in this letter.

It was strange, thinking of this place as the first time she had saved someone. It had hardly seemed like anything at the time. Little did she know how that simple gesture would intertwine their destinies forevermore.

He finally flipped himself back upright, well accustomed to moving without gravity. She quickly tapped her fingers together, releasing him. He was suddenly right in front of her, eagerly gauging her reactions.

"Well...whenever you want to," Izuku said, inclining his head ever-so-slightly towards the message she held in her hand.

The envelope contained two pieces of paper, folded carefully together. She opened up the pages, her eyes met with his untidy scrawl. It could be difficult to read - he had developed his handwriting more for speed than legibility - but she had long since grown accustomed to it.

"To the world's greatest hero,

Hello! My name is Izuku Midoriya, and I have been a fan of yours since I was 16 - about 40 years. I might actually be your oldest fan!"

She let out a chuckle at that, Izuku joining in. I was always struck by just how determined you were - and how brightly you smiled. Even when you faced setbacks, you kept maintaining this incredible aura. It must have been hard on you. I wanted to help you, but I also knew it was something a hero had to do; reassure others even in the darkest of moments.

Being back here, Ochako could remember her first Sports Festival, and how brutal that setback had been. It was tough putting on a brave face. She put on a false smile too often back then, but it was a skill that could come in handy.

I've watched you every step of the way, and it was incredible seeing how fast you grew. How strong, how kind, how heroic you were. It drove me to want to be better. I know I would not have been the hero I am today without you.

You may not realize it, but I owe so much to you. At that entrance exam at U.A., there is no chance I would have made it without you. You saved me that day, and you've had a knack for doing that ever since.

She smiled at the memory of their exam together, even if it was fraught. From day one, they had managed to pull each other out of the fire often.

When I've fallen, you've lifted me up. When I doubted whether I could do it, you gave me a name that always meant I could. I've watched you blossom into an absolutely incredible professional. You inspire and help so many people. You are ridiculously kickass.

She snorted at that one.

My favourite moment of yours was your fight against the Renegades. The way you alternated your Quirk so smoothly and took out so many of them at once is - well, you know the rest.

"Nerd," she teased, garnering another chuckle from him.

You are the world to me. Everything we've built together, accomplished together - I'll make sure no one ever forgets it. You helped me tell my story - you helped make sure my story even exists. I will make sure they know yours.

I've left something to remind you of just how far you've come. The world may not recognize it, but I know we stand at the summit together. And I never would have made it here without you.

Thank you for always saving me!

Your number one fan, Izuku Midoriya

"Izuku...I…" her throat clogged up, rendering her speechless. Standing here, she could fully remember the incredible story she had helped create. How could she have doubted she had not left her mark, when the truth stood there before her, his eyes bright, standing at the top of the world, her right by his side?

Her story would be told. Their story. Together, in everything. She could see it now.

"Hang on. You should see the fan art first." Izuku looked sideways, blushing, adjusting himself away ever so slightly. "...Maybe even the first one?"

Startled, Ochako turned the page over, gasping at the sketch of herself. It was a little worn, clearly done with a basic pencil on an aged piece of paper. But it was surprisingly detailed around her face - far more than some of his older sketches. The descriptions highlighted her various costume features and abilities. She noticed a few crossed words like "cute" and "incredible," the page bearing the first signs of his love for her.

"It's the first sketch I ever drew of you. I usually cycle through these pretty fast, updating things. But I wanted to keep that one, even back then. When I first drew it, I realized I went too far and put it away. But I never wanted to get rid of it. Eventually, I realized it might make a nice retirement gift."

She reflected on the old sketch of herself - young, naive, courageous, simple. She drew a hand across the worn page, a gateway to the past, thinking upon how the image of her had changed, how much more she had done since then.

"Thank you, Izuku. It means so much to me." She stared up at him, his green irises shining down at her, the same passionate flame still there within them, even if they were now surrounded by more wrinkled flesh. "And thank you for saving me. Now, and always."

He grabbed onto her shoulders; she could feel the strength still so present in his arms despite how worn they had become. They beamed at one another, as best friends, partners, and everything to one another.

"This is where our journey together began," he stated simply. "Where our story began. And this is where the rest of our lives will, too."

She placed a hand over the top of his, holding it to her, staring fiercely back at him. "We got some adventures left in us after all, right?"

"The best is yet to come."

She acted then, grabbing onto the neck of his sweater and pulling him in for a deep kiss, her heart igniting at the contact, as surely as always.

They pulled away, the passion of the fleeting moment staining both their cheeks, suddenly sheepish about such a brazen public display of affection. Fortunately, nobody was around to witness it.

Ochako carefully put the letter and drawing back in the envelope and tucked it away in a pocket, turning back to the path where she had begun her journey, leading toward the gate out to the rest of the world.

She held out her hand for him, and he took it, intertwining their scarred flesh together.

They walked out towards the sunlight, the rest of their story left to tell.

----------------------------------------------------

AN:  Written for the IzuOcha Temple Discord Server Big Bang Event. Prompt: "Thank you for always saving me!" Thank you very much to Mal for editing this and for Xylveon for the incredible artwork provided for the fic. You can also find it at https://twitter.com/Xylveon700/status/1294469669361840129. Please show Xylveon some appreciation! Thank you to the organizers for putting this on, it was truly wonderful to be part of.  Please leave a like and/or reblog if you enjoyed it ! ^_^

[airquietworks]

Lost at the Summit (IzuOcha) (Part 2)

Part 1, Part 3

Chapter Two: Memory

One life.

She wanted to save at least one life today.

"You should probably take a break," a voice in her helmet said.

No. She could not. Not when every precious second could make the difference between life or death. Not when she could still move and tear through the rubble in search of a still-breathing body.

The community centre's collapse - courtesy of a rampaging villain - was catastrophic. It happened too fast and too sudden for heroes to respond. What had started as a rescue mission had quickly devolved into corpse retrieval.

Uravity lifted another piece of the collapsed structure out of the way, moving deeper into the rubble.

It was her first week as a full-blown professional, officially under Ryukyu's agency. It was exhilarating to reach this point. Her dreams were finally coming true, and she eagerly awaited her first big payday to start saving for her parents. The work had been light to start, but she was content with that, knowing her time would come soon enough.

But things escalated far faster than anticipated. Already, they were counting on her. She had seen grim scenes in her high school days, but this was something else entirely.

It frustrated her to no end - to be unable to help these poor, lost souls. To lack the power to have saved their lives.

She dug through, even as her hands started to bleed. She breathed hard, refusing to stop. The shouts of her fellow rescuers had long since faded as she got deeper in, parting the rubble in her wake.

She could not give up. He never would.

As she walked through a collapsed hallway, shifting broken pieces of the building with every step, she heard it - a breath.

Uravity turned around, eyes scanning, desperately searching for the first sign of life she had heard from the ruins today. Nothing was apparent but more rubble, but she did not falter. She kept her senses sharp, desperately seeking out a life she could save.

She heard the breath again and saw where it came from this time - a steel locker peeking out from beneath a massive pile of rubble, collapsed on, but only somewhat crushed. With desperation, Uravity got to work, lifting debris out of the way, tapping as much of it as she could, floating herself up in the air to grab onto more and ensure it would not fall when she pulled the locker out.

"Hello! Is anyone in there? We're here to rescue you!" she called out unevenly, her exhaustion leaking into her voice.

She heard a soft gasp from the locker, the life signalling again. Her heart renewed, she pushed herself back towards the ground, scrutinizing the locker as the rubble floated around her.

The locker had collapsed like a pop can, the door nearly breaking along an opening on the left side. From it, she could see a head of red hair, though the metal obscured the rest of the person.

"I'm a hero, and I'm going to try and get you out of there. Can you tell me if you're injured?" she asked, her training coming to the fore, allowing her to regain some of her composure. She had to be strong for this terrified person.

"...Not hurt," a soft murmur responded.

Uravity let out a sigh of relief, before taking another breath to steel herself. She put a smile on her face, shifting her tone to be as reassuring as she could.

"I'm glad. I'm going to try opening this broken door. Do you think you can shift away from it? As much as you can. Tell me right away if something is wrong."

The person whimpered. "Okay."

"Don't worry. We're going to get you out of there. You'll be alright." She tapped a button on the side of her helmet, sending an electronic beacon for her location. She touched her ear to communicate. "Found someone here. Getting them out. Requesting backup." She could not know how long it might take considering how deep she had gone in solo, but she could keep busy in the meanwhile.

Uravity grabbed onto a broken part of the door; it was rough to hold, but she hardly minded. She tugged, testing its weight, surprised by its give. She pulled hard, careful not to trigger her quirk. The mangled door resisted her, but she would not be stopped; it gave way to her strength.

A small girl sat curled up, her face buried into her knees, wearing a bright-red athletic shirt. She gasped again when the door popped open, her body shaking in fear.

Uravity felt a powerful surge of relief at finding this girl. So many lives were lost - so many people she was powerless to do anything to help. Here, at least, was someone she could help.

"Hello there!" She said it as brightly as she could manage, radiating as much warmth as she could for the girl enshrouded in cold and shadow. "I'm Uravity, and I'm here to rescue you! What's your name?"

The girl did not look up, still quivering, but she whispered a response. "Haruka Akemi."

"That's a lovely name. Now, do you think you can move? We should get you out of there."

"...You can't," the girl murmured in reply.

Uravity blinked. "Come again?"

"You can't. Save me. I'm cursed," the girl said, letting out a guttural sob that broke Uravity's heart. "My dad tried to save me. He couldn't. Now he's gone."

Uravity frowned, knowing it would be difficult to console her, given the almost assured death of her father.

She suddenly felt bile rising in her throat, instinctively covering her mouth, her Quirk straining from overuse. She had been going hard all day. She could not hold this that much longer.

She took a deep breath, summoning the last bit of her strength and courage to push on.

"Hey. Look at me."

Mercifully, the simple instruction garnered a reaction, as the small girl peeked her brown eyes over her knees, staring at the hero.

Uravity could not be sure of what she looked like, but she did her best to exude calm. She knew she could not be breezy anymore.

"I know it's hard right now. Sometimes, it feels like it's impossible to keep going. Like the people we care about are too far away," Uravity reached her hand out, swallowing hard as she felt another surge of queasiness. "But we have to. For ourselves and for the people we love. Because the people we care for are cheering us on, no matter how far away they might seem. We have to try and help them if we can. And I know wherever your father is, he would not want you to give up. He would want you to keep going."

She edged her hand closer as an offering.

"So let's keep walking together. I promise we'll get you all the help you need. Let's get you safe, and I'll be right there with you."

Uravity could not see all of Akemi's expression, but her eyes widened, looking glossy beneath the veil of her tears. Her small hand reached out, shaking, but eventually found purchase against Uravity's own.

"Thank you," the hero said with a grin, gently tugging at the soft hand in her grasp. To her surprise, the girl did not budge in the slightest. Another, slightly harder tug did not yield a better result.

"Can't move," Akemi whispered, burying her face into her lap again. "My Quirk. I'm too heavy."

A Quirk that makes her heavier? Uravity thought, eyebrows furrowing at the implications, but she had no time to waste. Despite how hard she had already strained her ability - and the queasiness she was struggling to keep at bay - she wrapped her fingers around the girl's hand, activating her Quirk and pulling the girl forward.

This time, she found success, quickly yoinking her charge out of the locker. Before Akemi could react, Uravity surged forward to grab hold of her, holding her tightly, before jumping backwards out of the way of the rubble.

She sprinted away from the floating debris, gently depositing the shocked girl on the ground. She released her Quirk, letting the rubble crash downwards, while she fell onto her knees and panted in relief.

"You...I...how…?"

Uravity's head flew forward to look at Akemi, concerned she may have been a little rough with the rescue maneuver. The girl's face was uncovered now, her cute features marred by shock and tear-stained eyes.

Summoning one more toothy smile, Uravity flashed her a thumbs up, showing the source of her Quirk on the appendage.

"I can make anything lighter than air," she explained. "No trouble at all. Thank you for being so brave through that!"

Akemi's eyes shined brightly, but more tears rolled down them, her lips trembling as the weight of everything fell upon her. Uravity leapt into action once more, embracing the child and holding her, finding it necessary to trigger her Quirk again to move the girl.

"Anytime I get upset, I...I...don't budge…"

"Shh, it's okay; it's not your fault. I'm here."

"Everything's so...so..." the girl sobbed into Uravity's arms, safe and sound.

"You're going to be alright, in time. I promise. I'll make sure of it."

Uravity felt a tear of her own fall, so happy to have saved a life - and wanting to make sure it stayed that way.

Help arrived before long. Uravity had to stay with Akemi to take her to to the medical tent as the only person who could lift her. Not even the strength Quirks seemed to work on the girl, who appeared to increase the force of gravity on herself. Fortunately, Akemi was miraculously uninjured, her locker shelter protecting her, steady under the weight of the Quirk.

Eventually, Ochako found herself sitting next to her in the infirmary, thoroughly spent for the day. They stayed on the ground as Akemi's Quirk made a bed impossible, though they hoped that might stop once they coaxed her to sleep. The girl leaned on the hero, sighing, her eyes getting droopier.

"Will I really be okay?" the girl asked, the terror of everything still weighing her down. They had not found her father's body yet, but unravelling the subsequent trauma was not something Ochako was really in a position to do. She had no control over where this child ended up.

"You will be. But it won't be easy." Ochako smiled down at her, gently stroking the top of her head. "You may have some bad days ahead, and that's okay. You'll have plenty of people watching out for you. Just keep moving forward. Never give up - that's the most important thing."

"I'm just a burden, though," the girl murmured, closing her eyes to the world. "My Quirk keeps getting in the way. I just wish it would stop."

"Your Quirk is a gift. You gotta figure out how to use it." Ochako idly looked at her free left hand and the prominent pads at her fingertips. "My Quirk used to cause trouble for me, too. You've just got to work at it, as hard as you can. You'll learn to control it."

The little girl was quiet for a moment. But eventually, she let out a response: "...thank you. I'll try it."

"That's all anyone can ask for."

"Uravity...hero…" Akemi whispered, her voice growing fainter.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Ochako whispered back. "I still wish I could do more."

"Mmm..." the girl mumbled as sleep overtook her. "...The greatest."

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Ochako's eyes flew open as she sprung upward, breathing hard as the remnants of the vivid dream clutched at her mind. She could feel sweat at her forehead, the intensity of the visions affecting her in reality.

The dream started to recede, like waves retreating from the shore. She struggled to chase them, wanting to hold onto the fleeting visions.

She remembered her encounter with Akemi back when she had started out as a hero. She struggled to piece together her memory with how hazy it had appeared in her dream, where the background could go fuzzy, and her thoughts were muddled. Why had her mind summoned that memory - and why was it affecting her so?

Ochako breathed deeply, trying to steady her racing heart. She looked around their dark room, her eyes falling upon Izuku in their shared bed. He was still fast asleep, his weathered face at peace beneath the covers. A loose arm stretched at his right side as if reaching toward her, wanting to pull her in.

As always, she smiled at the sight. She carefully edged out of bed, hoping not to disturb him and his rare chance to get a full night's sleep. She knew she did not have long - neither of them slept well anymore without the other there - but she desperately needed water and a chance to clear her mind.

She put on a robe and quickly journeyed to the washroom in their spacious home, a luxury they had long since been able to afford.

The water she splashed onto her face from the sink was bracing, a cold slap releasing her fully from her dream. She panted as she let herself feel the water against her skin, clearing her mind of all other things for just a moment.

The reflection in her mirror looked tired, worn bags under her eyes sagging much more than in her heyday. Time ravaged her image. She poked at her rosy cheeks, the odd wrinkle starting to creep through them. She smiled at herself, finding in that a trace of the hero she once was, though no one would ever mistake her for being in her prime. That Ochako had come and gone, for whatever she was worth.

The aging hero did her utmost to keep her steps light as she walked out onto the terrace in front of their home, peering out into the night sky, the stars sadly blocked by the nearby city's light pollution. She sighed, sitting down, her legs hanging over the edge towards the ground. At the moment, her heart yearned for the stars only the country could provide, something she was looking forward to exploring come retirement.

Her mind began to replay what she could remember from her dreams and her faded memory. It had been so long since she had thought about Haruka Akemi, the first person she had ever saved as a professional. She could remember staying with the girl for a little while, sharing more heartfelt words the next day before authorities whisked the girl away to stay with distant relatives after the death of her father. It was a sad situation, and Ochako had wondered at the time whether she had done enough. But a hero's life left little time to dwell on such things.

It was just another part of her story that had faded into nothingness.

She frowned, idly staring down at her weathered hands. Why had her dreams conjured that memory? And why was it bothering her this much?

Deep in her heart, she knew the answer.

"Need someone…" a wide yawn punctuated the sentence. "To talk to?"

Ochako jumped slightly at the entrance of her husband, who stepped forward and sat down next to her. She internally cursed herself for losing track of time; she had fully intended to be back in bed before he missed her.

"Sorry about that. Just had a weird dream," Ochako said, brushing it off. "It's late, and we have work tomorrow. We should-"

"Talk to me about it," Izuku interrupted her, quickly grabbing hold of her hand to keep her in place. "It's okay. I want to know if something is bothering you."

He gave her a gentle smile that made her walls immediately crumble; it was a talent he had picked up over time.

She groaned, closing her eyes; she knew she could still end the conversation, but it would do her little good. Besides, they had precious few chances in recent weeks to talk, given all his media appearances. Even though they slept together most nights, they had little time together otherwise. She often found herself missing her best friend and confidant.

Ochako told him about the dream and how it disturbed her. About how strange it was to think back on something that happened so long ago. About how it reminded her of her powerlessness, but also her determination. About how the memory was so muddied in her mind.

"That's a lot to take in," Izuku replied, stroking at his chin in thought. "Well, have you had anything else that's been making you feel weird lately? Something else that's been bothering you in reality that might be linked to that memory?"

She frowned at that, biting her lip, tempted to end the conversation there. She had an answer, but it was uncomfortable, and she was unsure how much she was up to share tonight.

But once glance at his kind eyes was enough to move her; she knew she could not hide those feelings from him. With a deep breath, she released the question that tormented her, day after day.

"Was I a good enough hero?"

Her question hung in the air for a long moment, a poisonous, sinister little thing. It was a question that would not be judged not by their eyes, but history's. With her best days behind her, she had little control over what the world saw of her.

"Of course you were. Why would you ever doubt that?"

She expected such an answer from him. Even if she could not agree, the words were still honey to her ears; a part of her longed to submit to them, to find peace in the praise her partner could provide.

But she could not bring herself to.

"Because I can't control what the world sees in me. I never cared to." She opened her eyes to look at him, a deep frown now marring his face. The wrinkles beginning to appear across him made such unhappiness even more unpleasant.

"Ochako...if this is about the press conference, I wouldn't worry. They were ridiculous, but that doesn't mean much."

"It's about more than that, Izuku," she said, standing up, suddenly restless. "There really hasn't been any reaction to my retirement out there. I never did it for the glory - but it makes me wonder whether I left much of a difference at all. Maybe I achieved less than I realized. Maybe I helped less people than I hoped for. My limits weren't boundless - and maybe I wasn't good enough to make that much of a mark. Perhaps my story won't get told."

She stared up at the starless sky, with only faint glimmers of light able to make an imprint on the sea of inky darkness. If she squinted hard, she could just make out the north star, still able to shine through despite it all.

"Ochako…"

"I spent my whole career trying to do the best I could. You inspired me towards that. But the truth is, it wasn't enough to make much of a dent. I didn't help enough people for that. I knew everyone in our class would someday be eclipsed by your shadow. But you shone far brighter than any of us could have imagined."

She turned back towards him, the hero standing alone atop the summit. His face looked pained now, the creases in it prominent, but his mouth remained firmly sealed.

"It's not your fault, not really. I'm proud of everything you accomplished, and I'm happy you're getting celebrated. You deserve it. I guess I just hoped people would care that I'm retiring, too. More than I realized."

Before she could react, he stood up and grasped her hand in his, squeezing softly, his palm warm. She snapped her head upward to look into his eyes. They were burning, filled with a familiar intensity.

"You shouldn't sell what you've been able to accomplish short," Izuku said, voice steady and comforting, without a trace of doubt. "You've saved so many people, Ochako - including me, more times than I can count. All of that matters. You are one of the greatest heroes the world's ever known. Of course people are upset about you retiring."

She gave him a gentle smile, her heart-stirring at his kindness. Even now, his unabashed praise and awe at her made her feel warm inside.

But she already knew he held her in high regard. He lived with her, watched her rise like no one else. He could not exactly give an unbiased perspective - nor could his perspective control who wrote their story.

On an impulse, she reached over to kiss his wrinkled cheek, delighting in the blush that stretched across his face afterward. Even now, they could still catch one another off-guard like that.

"Thanks, Izuku. I appreciate it. But it's not going to change what happens out there. What they think of me." She turned her head over to the front door and the world beyond it, filled with eyes that judged them both. "All I can really do is move on and live with it."

She stood up and stretched, letting out a yawn as her own exhaustion caught up with her. "Thank you for listening. I feel better, but I think I'm ready to go back to bed now. Coming?"

Izuku did not move right away, his eyes drawn to the horizon where she had motioned earlier. "In a minute. You go on ahead, I'll be in before you know it."

She raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question it for the moment, the quiet allure of bed a little too strong to resist. "Alright, well let me know if you need anything. Don't take too long. Good night."

"Good night!"

As she turned away, she wondered if she had offended him somehow with her self-doubt. With even more to ruminate over, she ventured to bed and the likely uneasy sleep that would follow. ----------------------- AN: Written for the IzuOcha Discord Server Big Bang Event. Prompt: "Thank you for always saving me!"

Thank you very much to Mal for editing this and to Xylveon for the incredible artwork provided for the fic. You can find it at https://twitter.com/Xylveon700/status/1294469669361840129. Please leave a like and/or reblog if you enjoyed it! ^_^