A silent snow fall slowly drifted down onto the city just beyond the window. Small flakes danced their way upon roofs, gardens, sidewalks and street lamps; silencing the noises of people on their way home from work. Hazel eyes followed a single flake as it descended and found its resting place among the thousands of others. The relaxed ambience was broken when a voice on the TV filled the room.
"Snow on the forecast for the next few days, make sure to dress warm and take it slow driving this week!"
The screen flashed back to a man sitting behind a desk when Ochako shifted her gaze to the screen.
"In Hero News today, the hero 'Deku' who is now being proclaimed as the Hercule of the streets, rescued the lives of 3 citizens today! It all started when a criminal fleeing from a scene of a crime, threw a car with a family still inside towards the police! The hero stepped in and received the car, saving the passengers from harm."
A photo of a man catching a car flashed on the screen. A man decked out in green and black held a car in mid air with muscles close to bursting. Ochako looked at her husband on the TV with wonder. A smile and giggle arose from her as the announcer proclaimed,
"And he did all of these feats with a smile plastered on his face!" as the camera zoomed in on Midoriya displaying a fierce smile, charging his opponent.
A timer rang out somewhere in the kitchen and Ochako was brought back to her spot on the couch. She stood to stretch her arms above her head, a large yawn escaping in the process. A hand slipped to the top of her protruding belly and slowly caressed the spot. She held it there for a moment. Her eyes cast down lovingly and she whispered,
"Let's finish cooking. Dad will be home soon." as she trotted off to the kitchen to relieve the timer of its siren.
She picked up the knife to resume cutting carrots when she heard the front door open. Happiness overtook her like a wild fire as a smile sprang to her lips and she called out,
"Welcome home honey!" Her fingers fed the knife carrots on the board, eyes focused as she heard the door close and footsteps into the living room.
"You were featured on the news again today," the sound of a click emitted and the TV switched off, "People are now calling you the Hercules of the streets!" She let out with a laugh. She listened to his footsteps make their way into the kitchen.
"Now if I wasn't on maternity leave, I don't think you'd be getting all of the recog-" she stopped, her unfinished sentence hung in the air. For Midoriya wrapped his arms around her figure from behind. She listened as silent sobs escape his throat, her eyes wide in worry.
"Deku, what's wrong?" She set the knife down, turning to face him. But he tightened his grip, careful not to squeeze her stomach. He was preventing her from turning. Something was wrong.
"Please….please just stay like this for a moment." He whispered in her ear, his voice on the edge of breaking. She was nervous. Her husband, the very pillar of the hero community and the idol for new emerging heroes, was almost reduced to tears. Ochako knew her husband, very well in-fact. This was unusual even for him.
"Honey, please tell me what happened." She let her eyes fall to the cutting board, waiting for a response. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened, please Izuku."
Nothing in the world moved for a moment. A bated breath begin his response.
"What….what happens if I lose you or the baby?" his voice shook in emotion, "What happens on the day I lose the things most precious t-to me?" His words were whimpers, scared as if he spoke them, they would surely come true. He pulled her into his body and buried his eyes in the back of her shoulder.
"I can't stand to think what happens when that day finally comes."
She didn't move. His frantic attitude and grip at first scared her but now she understood. This wasn't something he did out anger or jealousy. This wasn't an action fueled by lust or by adoration. He was reaching out to her in attempt to save himself.
Midoriya was grasping for something he could cling to while a storm battered away at his thoughts.
He had to embrace her. He had to feel her being alive and safe in his arms because if he didn't, his world would crumble away.
Tension released in her body at the realization. Ochako closed her eyes and her hands found their way to his arms, holding to him, assuring the man she treasured above all else that she was with him.
"Seeing that family almost get hurt today really did a number on you, didn't it?" She quietly whispered.
Only a muffled mmhh sounded from her back. As the snow outside continued to silently drop, the couple stayed in a silent embrace, waiting for the storm to pass.
Ochako brought over a plate of dinner and a cup of tea to the table where Midoriya sat, a blanket draped across his back. His eyes drifted up to his wife who set the plate and mug down in front of him, a modest smile he gave in exchange for the favor. She took a seat on his side at the table and rested her chin in her hand, admiring the man sat in-front of her.
"Are you better now?"
"Yeah… Yeah I think I am." He looked into her eyes. Ochako knew they could never betray her. Behind the rugged muscles, the scarred arms, the bedazzling smile, his eyes reflected his true feelings he kept lock away while fighting. Alluring green eyes stared back into hers. They were scared. They saw something that dragged out a deep fear in him. He broke off eye contact and looked down at his plate.
"Seeing how close that family came to being killed, it…. it was just unnerving. To think someone could just nonchalantly use them as a means of escape, what if it happened to you?" Worry and panic fell over his face again. His eyes went out of focus as thoughts wrestled one another in his head.
A hand wrapped around his wrist and tugged it forward. Ochako took his hand and placed it on the bump that was her stomach. Midoriya started to speak but didn't find words to protest or question. He laid his hand there, quiet and listening to the breath of his young wife. But then something under his palm kicked. It was the tiniest of kicks, but his unborn baby just kicked him. Wonder and excitement replaced any earlier tension on his face.
"We're not going anywhere. Not as long as we have our hero to protect us."
He continued looking down at her stomach, simply amazed that a new member of their family was so near.
"You know, you're not the only one who worries about the future of this family." she began, her quiet and sweet voice assuring him, "I constantly ask myself 'Am I going to be a good parent? Am I going to be able to protect this child if danger arises?'"
Midoriya looked up, but she was still gazing down at her belly with a smile.
"Being a hero means we put our life's at risk every time we walk out the door. I'll be honest, I was scared when I first thought about having a kid while criminals and villains still run rampant. But then I realized something."
She looked up and met his eyes. Just like she did many years ago, when she met him in-front of the exam center, she smiled.
"We are both going to love and protect this kid no matter what Deku. We are going to be the best hero parents that even All Might will be put to shame." She added laughing. He smiled.
They both were looking at the spot his hand laid now. Ochako placed her hand on top of her husband's.
"And besides, both me and her have nothing to worry about when we have the number one hero making us breakfast and helping with chores around th-"
"What did you just say?" Midoriya froze with the question. His hand definitely flinched on her stomach. She repeated.
"I was just thinking when the baby is born, you could take up doing most of the cho-"
"Did…. did you say we were having a girl?"
It was Ochako who now froze. Her eyes went wide as just realized she let slip a surprise. A very large secret. But there was no hiding it from him now.
"...The doctor asked me if I wanted to know a week ago and.. And I-I just couldn't help myself Deku! I-I promise I was going to tell you this week when Momo and Todoroki came to visit b-b-but I just had to kno-"
She was cut off again. Midoriya shortened the distance between them in a heartbeat and wrapped her in a hug again.
"I'm.. I'm going to have a daughter?!" He all but shouted. Tears filled his eyes for the second time tonight. Tears sprang to hers as she wrapped her arms around him in return.
"Yes, and she is going to love you Deku. I don't see anyone else being a better dad than you." She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, his wild heartbeat filled her ears.
"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I was trying to find a proper time to surprise you." She breathed into his clothes.
A hand drew her chin up from his chest and her lips were met with his. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed into him, selfishly wanting more of him.
His lips parted as tears still found their way down his cheeks.
"I'm so happy. I am so so happy," he looked into her eyes, now spilling over with her own tears, "I can't believe we're going to be parents. PARENTS! To a little girl Ochako! Like we made this!" He pointed down to her stomach while exclaiming. His smile and laugh were infectious. Her tears were accompanied by laughter as Deku continued to shout and run his hands through his hair flabbergasted. She looked away to wipe her own eyes to clear the tears away.
The sun finally met with the horizon somewhere behind the clouds and the snow continued to descend. For a fraction of a second, Ochako felt she had an out of body experience. There she was, watching the soon to be parents cry and laugh together on the floor of their apartment. They were happy, maybe the happiest people in the world in that moment. She again looked down at her belly, feeling another small kick in the process. She whispered one thought in her mind as she closed her eyes.
Hurry up and get here, me and dad can't wait to meet you.
-The End-