A surprise second chapter ! I really wanted to get this out for valentines day, but I got busy and actually it kind of worked out for the best since I worked it into the plot better aha. I had fun writing this sheer amount of fluff. I feel like this was on a whole other fluff level even for me (?!). Hope you enjoy it!

Pink's My Color

The little café looked just as pretty as last time, even a whole year later. Ochako could hardly believe that it wasn't still Valentines Day, with all the hearts and pinks decorating the place. She looked around with interest, noting the many couples sat at the surrounding tables, possibly celebrating the holiday the day after like they were. Or will be. Once Deku arrived.

Ochako reached up and twined a section of her long bangs around a finger, looping it around and around as her foot bounced up and down beneath the table. She took another gulp of water and reached over to refill her glass from the big pitcher, but only a dribble came out when she tipped it. A passing waitress gave her a sympathetic smile and took it away, swiftly replacing it with a full one. At the realisation that she'd drank the whole thing Ochako reconsidered pouring herself another glass.

She glanced at her phone. Still no message.

The cold trickle of fear that she'd been trying to ignore began to filter back into her veins, and she wished that she could just know if he was okay. Ochako sighed and her attention caught on a couple of waitresses nearby, leaning to each other's ears and glancing over at her. She felt her cheeks heat up as her eyebrows drew together sharply.

Deku will be here, she thought furiously.

The bell above the door jangled wildly and Ochako looked up with hope, just as she'd done every other time it had opened, and barely had time to prepare herself before she was pulled into a tight embrace with a squeak.

"I'm - so - sorry - Ochako." Deku's voice was punctuated with heavy breathing, his chest heaving beneath hers.

"D-Deku!?" she yelped, alarmed, squeezing him tight like she was afraid he'd drop down if she didn't hold him up. "What's- Wait, you're freezing!"

He laughed breathlessly beside her ear, making her shiver as his laughter tickled the skin there. She gasped as he pulled her back; his forehead was shining with sweat, his cheeks were red and blotchy, and his hair was windswept and even messier than usual. But Deku's eyes were bright and nearly glowing with the lingering effects of using his quirk. They searched her face, though she wasn't sure what he was looking for, then locked onto her own eyes, and she could see a shadow of anxiety in his expression, even as he lifted his scarred hand to cup her cheek.

"I-" he began, breath slowly returning to normal, but cut off as a loud cough came from a nearby customer.

They both sprang apart with the realisation that the whole café was staring at them, everyone having momentarily gone silent as they made a scene, and practically fell into their seats. Ochako bowed her head down and bit her lip, though her relief that he was okay and here overrode most of the embarrassment she would normally feel. She glanced around, but the other customers were back into their own dates now, and the staff had continued to do their jobs. By the time she looked back to Deku his skin and breathing were nearly back to normal, but there was nothing to be done about his hair until she could attack it with a brush after their lunch. He was smiling, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, and there was still something guarded shadowing his expression.

Ochako gave a little laugh that she couldn't quite contain, relief and love bubbling out of her. He didn't appear to be hurt, but what on earth had happened to him? She was about to ask when he spoke first, his words coming out in a rush.

"I-I really am sorry I'm late Ochako."

"It's okay, Deku - really - I'm just glad you made it at all!" She didn't want to admit how worried she'd been - not about their date, or that he wouldn't show up - but that something terrible would have happened to him while she hadn't been there to help or protect him.

"I'm so late I was... um... I was worried that you might have left... thinking I might not be coming." His voice was sad and hesitant, his gaze flicking away from hers.

Oh, that's what he'd been concerned about...

He thought that she would be mad? Upset?

Ochako shook her head wildly. "No. Never. Deku, I knew that if you weren't here it was for a good reason. I was... I-I was starting to get worried," she finally admitted.

"Sorry," he repeated, flashing her a smile as his own worries lifted, like the sun breaking through the clouds on a rainy day, though the red in his cheeks returned. "But it's kind of a long story," he laughed. "Getting back here was a struggle. There was a villain incident at the train station, so they cancelled all the trains back to the city. I tried to get a taxi, but they weren't going to get me here in time. So... I took a Deku-Style shortcut." He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You ran back here? From there?" she yelped.

Dekus blush deepend as he reached over to her hands and entwined their fingers together. "I w-wanted to come back to you."

Ochako felt her own cheeks heat up, and only a little, "Oh," squeaked out of her in reply. Her heart skipped at his earnest, heartfelt words. And he'd ran so far! Just to be with her...

"I felt so bad that I had to spend Valentine's away from you, Ochako." He looked pointedly around at the café and then nodded at their clasped hands. "I wish we could have done this yesterday."

"Well we're doing it now, and that's enough for me. We're Heroes, right? It's our job, our duty! The agency had to send you far away because they needed you, so you had to go," she declared, squeezing his hands.

He nodded, all traces of his worry disappearing, a proud and happy smile pinching up the corners of his mouth. Being a hero had been his dream, she didn't want him to ever feel like she resented it. She knew that them both being heroes was going to make having a relationship tricky, but they'd find a way to make it work in their own way, she just knew it.

She continued in a small voice, "I'm just glad you came back. It was so... it was so hard to be here while you were there."

Usually they worked together, or at least Deku stayed in the city. But this time he'd been gone for three whole days and she hadn't been able to stay in touch with him much. She'd found herself pacing her living room more than once, browsing the latest news, clutching the necklace he'd given her tightly to her chest, hoping to find updates on how he was doing.

Ochako pushed those stressful memories out of her mind, and smiled, letting her joy to see him light up her face. "I know we said that we weren't going to get each other presents for our first Valentine's, but..."

Deku's eyes widened. "Hey, that's not fair, you can't go back on the 'let's not get each other gifts' thing!"

"Too late," she said, sticking out her tongue.

Ochako released one of Deku's hands, unclasped her necklace, and pressed her fingerpads to the green heart, letting it float gently between them. He tilted his head with curiosity. After a moment Ochako reached into her purse and touched another piece of jewellery with her fingerpads, letting it float up to join the first. A heart shaped piece of pink quartz on a black leather cord danced in the air with its green twin. Deku's eyes lit up and he let out an impressed breath.

Pride and embarrassment always swirled in her chest whenever she realised how impressed Deku was of her quirk.

A gentle poke sent the pink heart floating towards him and he reached out to cup it in his hands gently as Ochako released her quirk's effects, catching the green heart in her own hand.

He ran a thumb over its smooth pink surface.

"Y-You don't have to wear it, obviously, but I thought you could maybe, put it in your pocket or tie it to something?" She shifted nervously. "Whenever we're apart I have this reminder of you that I keep close and it feels like you're still there with me somehow, but I feel so helpless to you. So, I thought, if green's your colour, then pink is mine- and this way you can keep me with you wherever you go too," she finished rapidly.

Deku's eyes were shining with unshed tears while he unclasped the necklace and put it straight on in one fluid movement. "I love it," he said in a watery voice, giving it one last look before he tucked it under his shirt. "I'll wear it under my hero costume too, so you'll always be close to my heart." His voice cracked and a tear escaped him that he wiped away furiously.

Ochako giggled, cheeks burning, her chest full of love at her caring, loving and perfect boyfriend who was also an aspiring pro-hero and kind of a cry-baby.

She wiped away her own tears too.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Deku. Love you."

"Happy Valentine's Ochako. L-Love you too," he hiccupped.