Before Graduation

Strategy

Lying on her bed, curled up in fluffy blankets, sat the brunette, who thought back to when she decided to tell Izuku how she really felt. It dawned upon her; she's never done this before and was completely, utterly scared for her life. No villain could compare to how terrifying confessing her feelings would be. The thought of it shook the girl to her core. 

As she whined about it in her head, a knock had sounded from her door. Getting up and opening it, revealed the last person she wanted to see.

"Deku-kun. What are you doing here?" she asked and he showed her the books in his hand.

"I promised to help you study, remember?"

Ochako had clearly forgotten and quickly let him in before trying to clear up the unnecessary things on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot. I had so many things on my mind," she apologized while grabbing her study notes out of her school bag. She did remember asking him, but she didn't really need to study. Uraraka had told the girls about what happened with Bakugo and they all tried helping to strategize a plan. Izuku and Ochako were already best friends but they wanted to help them get even closer. Usually study sessions included Iida but the girls made sure that he'd be too busy to study. She had almost forgotten her friends' hard work.

Notifications 'dinged' from her phone and as she expected, it was Mina and Hagakure. They had sent pictures of what they were getting Iida to do. It looked like they were at a convenience store.

"What are you struggling with most? We can start there,"Izuku suggested, completely oblivious to everything. She was hesitant on whether to tell him the truth or actually study. 

She chose the latter.

After an hour of straight studying, Ochako decided to end it there and tell him that she was all right to study on her own.

"Are you sure?" he asked and she waved him off saying she didn't need much.

"Thanks though, I didn't want to take up all your time. I'm sure you have other things to do," she replied while packing her books away.

"Not today, do you have stuff to do?" he asked and she shook her head.

They sat next to each other in front of the bed, on the floor. The little table in front of them.

"Then I guess we can hang out," he said and let his head drop onto her lap. Ochako froze in her spot before she looked down at him. He's eyes were closed and she chose to admire his face; his four unusually dark freckles on each cheek and lighter ones around them; his face clean of pimples or any sign of acne. 

"Deku-kun?" she called out and he hummed, still not opening his eyes. Ochako stayed quiet for a few seconds, not really sure why she called out to him. She just wandered if he was asleep.

 After Izuku realized she wasn't going to say anything, he rested. He'd been training non stop with All Might and he was exhausted. Even after the war he hadn't learnt to control everything at 100%. Having to control multiple quirks at a time was taking a toll on his health and body. Although he didn't mind all that much, still wanting to be the number one hero after all. He needed to work hard.

That said, slow audible breathing came from Izuku. He's sleeping, she mumbled. She wasn't sure what to do and just closed her eyes as well. She reached for the throw over blanket on her bed and covered Izuku with it. Looking down at him, she sighed. 

After repeating his name a few times, she knew he was deep in his sleep. She then ran her hands through his hair. She embarrassingly always wanted to know what it felt like, and was very pleased at how soft it was. She gave him a little head massage and stared at him lovingly, wondering if this was what things would be like if they were together.

"I'm in love with you Deku-kun," she stated. 

~~

An hour went by and she was still massaging his skelp. She stopped when her hand started to ache but a bigger hand stopped hers from leaving his head.

"I liked the massage," Izuku said with a groggy voice. Ochako had to mentally admit that it was sexy as hell. She'd love to wake up to that.

Using her other hand, the greenet sighed in approval.

"Still tired?" she questioned and he hummed. He does look exhausted, she thought.

"Wouldn't you prefer sleeping on a bed," she said and he sighed. Sitting up, he faced her with a fatigued expression, the blanket falling from his shoulders to his hips.

"I don't feel like walking to my room," he yawned. 

"Then stay here. I'll find something to do," she replied and he nodded. He stood up and stretched, his shirt lifting up, exposing his well defined abs. Ochako looked away in embarrassment. Izuku didn't notice this and fell face first onto her bed. He took a deep breath in, her scent invading his nostrils. He sighed in content. She smells nice, he thought. Ochako picked up the blanket and threw it over him, but before the blanket could fall on the boy, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down beside him. The blanket then fell on the pair gracefully.

He pulled her back towards his chest, hands circling around her abdomen. He snuggled his face in her hair and released a calming breath. His breath warming Ochako's neck, making her tense.

What's going on?! Ochako was too slow to register what happened and only took in everything once his grip around her tightened.

"D-Deku-"

"Sleep...please," he cut her off. He knew this was different from what they usually did. He knew their limits as best friends, but recently his been feeling off. Ever since that sparring match with Bakugo. He's been feeling...protective? He wasn't sure why he was feeling what he was, but he also didn't care. 

Silence enveloped the room. Izuku had fallen asleep rather quickly, leaving Ochako with her mini heart attack. She didn't know what to do; the gravity girl couldn't handle this crush anymore. She'd have to tell him soon; best friends don't sleep like this, it was an intimate position. 

Ochako couldn't do anything about the situation, she'd enjoy it for now and worry about the consequences later.

 After all, this might be a once in a life time thing if he had to reject.