I'll admit it... This is pure indulgent fluff.
Satellite_Vi from the Izuocha Discord server kindly gave me a prompt they'd thought of, and this had to happen.
I know I said I'd be working on my big projects now, but this was a really welcome short and sweet little interlude to them for me.

It's set in the same aged-up universe as my other fic Saw 'This. Thought Of You' but you don't need to have read that one first~
(I'll recommend it though, because it features even more awkward Izuocha shenanigans.)

Green's Your Color

Izuku placed a nervous hand over his pocket, relief slowing down the racing of his heart when he felt the tiny pouch hidden within. He was torn so violently between wanting to hand it over and never taking it out of its hiding place, that he didn't catch what Ochako said until she repeated his name twice.

"Ah! S-Sorry Ochako, I um..." He stuttered apologetically, snatching his hand away from his pocket as if she might guess what was in there.

"Hmm, you've been kind of distracted today Deku, are you okay?" She tilted her head to one side, her brown eyes shining with concern.

Guilt lanced through him when he realised she had noticed his divided attention. They were supposed to be on a date and he was having an inner battle over a tiny unassuming pouch in his pocket. He hadn't intended for her to notice, or to worry over him.

"Fine!" He lied too quickly.

She seemed unconvinced and narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and he shifted a little in his seat under her gaze, realising once again how terrible he was at lying - even at nineteen years old.

Ochako was wearing a cream coloured blouse over a light pink coloured skirt, with a pair of black combat boots and black fingerless gloves, so she looked even cuter than ever, but still ready to beat up any villain she came across. By pure coincidence they'd matched their outfits well, since he was wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, khaki coloured baggy cargo pants (tucked into his favourite shoes) and a light pink tie. Ochako had laughed at the state of his tie again, but when he'd offered for her to re-tie it for him, she'd smiled affectionately and said, no she wanted to leave it how he always did them.

The café they were sat in was fairly small and homely, with only a handful of tables squeezed into the room, all laid out for two. It was a popular spot for couples. Not that they were officially a couple yet...

Ochako suddenly groaned and hung her head. "Ohh, I just called you Deku again didn't I… Sorry!"

He was so grateful for the change in topic that his words came out in a rush, "You did, but it's no problem, don't feel bad. I didn't even notice! I'm so used to you calling me Deku - I really don't mind... I-I like the way it sounds when you say it." He added shyly, his honesty tumbling out of him before he could stop it.

Ochako brightened back up, a blush lightly dusting her cheeks, and let out a relieved breath, "I'm kind of glad actually. I've been trying hard to remember, but it's such a cute name that I just look at you and think 'Deku'!" She clapped her hands together on the last word.

Izuku felt his heart leap at the sight of her pretty smile and her earnest, kind words, and he waved his hands furiously in the air.

"You- you really think that?" He blurted, wishing he could cope better with his nerves and the emotional punches she gave to his chest. He'd promised himself he would try harder to be able to talk to her more easily and stop getting so worked up (sometimes in more ways than one), but he still didn't seem to be doing a very good job of it.

Ever since they'd reconnected on his birthday, when she'd showed up unexpectedly at his door, he was constantly reminded of how two years spent so deep (too deep, if he was being honest) in his hero work had left him woefully inexperienced at anything romantic. Which was especially concerning because he knew he wanted to ask Ochako out properly more than anything - to be his girlfriend - but he didn't really know the first thing about girls, love, or romantic feelings, he just knew that he couldn't stop thinking about her. And it wasn't just about the latent teenage hormones that had decided to drive him crazy; he knew he loved her.

Izuku didn't realise he'd been staring at her until she glanced up at him, her spoon about to dive into her dessert, and she laughed nervously. "What?" She asked with a smile and a tiny tilt of her head. Her hair bounced whenever she moved.

This was his chance.

So far he'd been nothing but a distracted, flustered mess, but he knew he just needed a bit of courage and he could hand over the little pouch in his pocket and surprise her. If he could fight villains daily, then surely, he could do this. The worst that could happen is that she wouldn't like it... right? They'd already admitted their feelings for each other, but this seemed like something a bit more solid than just saying his feelings out loud. It was more real? Like a true, tangible admission. Deep down he knew she was kind enough to like any gift he gave her, even if she didn't want to officially be his girlfriend, but for some reason that knowledge just didn't make it any easier to do... Izuku took a deep breath, telling himself he was over-thinking things again as usual, and looked up at her across the table.

"Ochako I-"

"Two orders of strawberry shortcake!" A waitress's sing-song voice announced over him, as she placed two decorative dishes on their table. "Please enjoy!" She gave them an efficient smile, bowed, and then whisked away, her skirt twirling in her haste.

"Thank you!" Ochako replied gratefully.

Izuku gripped the table hard, trying to resist smacking his head into his hands; nearly overwhelmed by the moment being interrupted and his indecisive agony being prolonged.

"Sorry, were you about to say something?" Ochako asked him, rummaging in her handbag and completely unaware of his inner turmoil.

"O-Oh- uh- just that I couldn't wait for my cake - and then it arrived!" Izuku stumbled over his words, but he forced an easy smile and laughed, and that seemed to put Ochako at ease.

She finally pulled her phone out of her bag triumphantly (with a little 'Aha!') and flipped it on its side to take a picture of her cake. Even Izuku had to admit that it was impressive to look at; two heart shaped golden cakey layers with a thick division of cream and fresh strawberries between them, more cream and strawberries on top, and a little heart shaped cookie on the side. Even the plates they sat on were heart shaped. He had worried that this café might be a little overboard on the cheesy stuff, but Ochako looked so impressed with everything that he was glad he'd chosen to have their date there after all.

"It's so cute! Right, Deku?" She chirped.

Not as cute as you.

"Yeah… It's…"

Not. As. Cute. As. You.

His mind yelled at him to say it, but his heart galloped in his chest and his throat tightened until he was sure that any words that came out would just be a strangled screech.

Why wasn't he any good at this?!

Izuku decided to take a different approach, knowing it was the only way to overcome his obstacles. Even if that obstacle was simply his own inability to flirt with the girl he wanted to be his girlfriend... He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants, then reached over and grasped her hands, even though they were still gripping her phone, and locked his gaze with hers.

"The very cutest." He stated with as much feeling as he could put into words, hands tight around hers, hoping she would understand.

He wasn't talking about the cake.

Ochako blushed hard as she understood what he meant; the redness blooming strongly across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, and her hands tugged against his slightly as if she was fighting the impulse to hide behind them. He knew that feeling.

"Th-Th-That's..." She squeaked, as unused to his flirting as he was.

Izuku felt boldened by his ability to make her flustered, so he finally reached into his pocket and pulled out the little pink pouch he'd hidden in there that morning, his heart thudding wildly in his chest.

"I wanted to give you this as soon as we met up, but now is better than never, right?" He smiled through his nerves. Taking a small breath and remembering his hero training, Izuku channelled the confidence he felt during his work and when he was using his quirk, to open up Ochako's hands from where they still hovered over the middle of the table, and he gently removed her phone from them and placed the pouch in her upturned palms.

She looked up at him almost with confusion, her blush still darkening her cheeks, but curiosity lighted her eyes.

"Open it," Izuku encouraged with a nervous chuckle, even though he felt a little bit sick from the tightness of his chest.

Ochako pinched her fingers inside and gently pulled out a thin black cord with a solid piece of dark green jade at the end, cut and polished into the shape of a heart. She gasped and pulled it closer to her, moving it in the light and running a finger pad over the smooth stone.

"It's so pretty!" She enthused. "Oh, thank you so much! Gods it must have been so expensive, you shouldn't have spent all that money on me. It's so lovely," she gushed, flashing the brightest smile at him she had. "The colour reminds me of you."

Izuku felt his heart hammer faster. "W-Well, actually, I... That's why I bought it."

"Hm?"

"It's a- a metaphor. It's," he swallowed down his nerves, "it's my colour and it's a heart, right? So..."

Izuku reached over the table again and enfolded her hands and the necklace in his.

"It's like it's my heart. So that means you'll always have it with you." He continued softly, while her eyes widened. "You've always had it. And you always will, if you want it?" He added in a slightly smaller voice, uncertainty creeping in. "Would you go out with me, Ochako? Uh- properly I mean, not just 'out' on dates and things- like as my girlfriend."

Oh, no. He was losing it. Where had his confidence gone?

Ochako blinked, her gaze darting between their hands and his green, green eyes, then she finally squeaked an "Eh?" and her palms snatched away from him this time, flying up to slam onto her red cheeks with an audible slapping sound.

Izuku panicked when she began to lift from her seat.

He stood up so fast that his chair clattered backwards to the floor, but he reached out and gripped the bottom of her blouse, his thumb brushing against the soft skin of her stomach, and he pulled her gently down. The noise and his touch snapped her attention to the accidental use of her quirk and her lack of gravity, and she touched her finger pads together quickly, dropping the remaining few inches back into her seat.

They both let out a breath.

A waitress began to approach them in concern, but Izuku flashed her an apologetic smile as he straightened his chair and sat down, while Ochako hid her face even deeper in her hands, making sure to poke her pinky finger outwards from touching her skin. The waitress gave a little giggle as she left them to it.

"How?" Ochako's muffled voice finally said, spoken through the hands that were still covering her face.

"How?" Izuku repeated in confusion, while his nerves settled into a cold pool of dread at the bottom of his stomach.

Ochako finally let her hands fall away and Izuku felt a jolt of something sweet and raw and loving stab through his chest. Tears were shining in her eyes, and she wore the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen on her; it made her cheeks pull up into a roundness that made her eyes half close. A blush still heavily stained the skin there, but it just added to her cuteness. She looked down at the necklace she held delicately and ran a thumb over its smooth surface again.

"How do you think of these things?" She clarified, her voice thick with emotion.

Izuku laughed nervously in response, still concerned that she'd not replied to his question.

She nodded her head rapidly. "Of- Of course I'll be your girlfriend, Deku! I-" Ochako nearly yelled, getting cut off by Izuku abandoning his chair again and crossing around the table to lift her from her seat and into his arms.

One of the customers whistled.

She laughed with total glee and returned the tight embrace, nuzzling her nose into his shoulder.

"But only if you'll be my boyfriend?" She offered playfully.

"I'll be the best!" He promised, desperately trying to hide his tears from his new girlfriend.

(He was sure she knew he'd be crying anyway.)

"I'll keep your heart safe with me always."