Hey guys, here with Chapter 4! I'm really sorry about how slow I'm getting these chapters out, but I think I've got a good grasp on where the story's gonna go from here. So if you're enjoying, I hope that you'll bare with me..

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.

Chapter 4 - One Tasty Present

Sunlight crept through the window as the morning atmosphere began to settle in. Ochako let out a small yawn, still feeling the bits of drowsiness in her eyes. She put a spoonful of cereal into her mouth, and kicked her legs as she sat at her table. It was cheap, but pretty tasty. Not like Ochako was ever a picky eater anyway.

Her television was on, but the sound was muffled out as she was deep in thought. She had gotten the news that the kids had very much enjoyed the field day yesterday, and while she was incredibly overjoyed, that wasn't what made her cheeks grow rosier. That wasn't what made her heartbeat quicken. That wasn't what made her toes curl up out of pure excitement, if that's what you would call it.

She looked at the bandages wrapped around her foot, which she could no longer feel any pain. His rough but gentle fingers, his dorkishly scattered freckles, his sweet and calming smile - it all popped into her vision. The guy who lived directly above her.

Why did he make her feel so weird? Why was she so deep in thought about all this?

'It's so...confusing.' She thought to herself, eating more of her cereal.

She shook those thoughts from her head, and decided to focus on something else. She had to admit she felt bad. Afterall, Izuku was always the one helping her - picking her back up when she fell. Literally.

She couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the realization. She clenched her fist with a new determination welling up inside of her.

"That's it! I'm gonna get Izuku a gift!" Ochako exclaimed, excitedly standing up from her chair. However, that wasn't all there was to it. Would it be something bought or something homemade? Expensive or reliable? Ochako already wasn't the wealthiest girl, but she figured she would be able to make something work.

It was a simple task, but it was already getting her giddy. She had always loved watching the smiles on people's faces, ever since she was child. Ochako had seen Izuku smile plenty of times before. But to be able to see him smile because of something from her, with him and only him in mind. She would not miss that opportunity.

Ochako finished her cereal, and put the bowl and spoon in the sink to be washed later. She changed out of her pajamas into some fresh clothes, and threw on a jacket over top. She put on her backpack with her essentials and grabbed her keys before leaving her apartment.

The air was slightly humid as she exited the apartment complex, as it had rained the night before. Droplets of dew were sprinkled onto the grass, and the sun peeked its way from behind the clouds - it's rays nearly causing the water to glisten before Ochako's hazelnut-brown eyes. She smiled as she enjoyed the scenery, and decided on walking to the train station instead of going for a drive.

She had to admit, the walk was peaceful. Granted, there weren't many other people around; which was surprising, but Ochako wasn't complaining. She occasionally hopped into the puddles of different sizes scattered along the sidewalk, splashing the water onto her shoes. She couldn't help but feel like a child.

Arriving at the train station, she rushed onto the train and plopped herself into one of the seats - a light puff of air escaping her mouth. She subconsciously pulled out her phone and fiddled around with it. It was a flip phone - and while it definitely wasn't the most expensive or high-tech, as long as she was able to get in contact with her family and friends, Ochako was satisfied.

Ochako looked to notice that she had received a message not too long. She opened it up to see that it was from one of her long-term best friends, Tsuyu.

Tsuyu: Morning, Ochako. How've you been holding up since yesterday? I'm a little worried. That fall looked really bad.

'Oh, Tsu. So sweet, so caring. You're like the big sister I've always wanted. My guardian angel.' Ochako grinned, her heart softening slightly.

Tsuyu: Maybe you should try to actually look where you're running to next time.

'Orrr, maybe not…'

Ochako: No need to worry, Tsu. I'm totally fine! Thanks to Izuku, I can walk around completely fine now!

Tsuyu: That's a relief. I'm grateful to him.

Ochako's cheeks turned the slightest bit rosier. She stared at the screen in thought, hesitating to write her next message.

Ochako: By the way, I'm actually going out to look for a gift for him now. Can you think of anything you think he might like?

Tsuyu: How should I know?

Ochako stiffened, completely taken aback by how straightforward she was.

Tsuyu: I barely know anything about him. You've spent much more time with Izuku than I have. I'm sure you'll be able to pick up an idea or two.

Tsuyu: But to be honest, I'm certain he'll be satisfied with whatever you get him.

Ochako could understand. Izuku had seemed to be the type to not let anyone feel bad about what they get him, so he's always happy with anything they offer. It was considerate of him, but Ochako was gonna give this her all. She felt like she had to.

Ochako: I appreciate the help, Tsu! The train's about to pull into the station. I'll talk to you later.

The brunette put her phone back in her pocket, and waited as the train slowly came to a complete stop. She stepped out and into the bustling city, which was much more occupied than the previous area. Multiple stores and establishments were open, waiting for customers to file in. Ochako took a deep breath and started walking her way forward.

While her conversation with Tsu was enjoyable, it really didn't shine anymore light on what in particular Izuku would like. She held her chin in her hand, scrunching her eyebrows together as she pondered.

'I remember his room being covered with All Might merchandise. Should I get him something related to that?' Her eyes drifted up to see a tall, dark-blue haired man with glasses, looking into the window of a bakery. A sheer look of concentration on his face. Ochako's face lit up as she quickly recognized him.

"Tenya! Hey!" The man in question turned to see the brunette running up to her, his expression quickly going from concentrated, to confused, to smiling.

"Ah, Ochako! Didn't expect to see you here. How are you doing this fine morning?"

"Good! My ankle's as good as new, so I don't have to worry about that anymore." She tapped her foot on the ground to demonstrate.

"But, I'm confused. Shouldn't you be at the cafe?" Ochako asked him.

"I decided to close today in order to incorporate some new menu ideas. Variety is something I think will be vital to our growing as a business." Tenya gazed back into the window. Ochako let out a small "ahhh" of understanding.

"I guess you could say I'm…looking for inspiration!" Tenya shouted, striking a weird pose - gaining the unwanted attention of many bystanders. All Ochako could do was chuckle awkwardly, waiting for the attention to go away.

"Actually, it's good I ran into you! I've been trying to think of a gift for Izuku, but I'm completely drawing a blank. You two have been friends for a long time, right? What kind of gift do you think he'd want?" Ochako asked Tenya, a slight look of concern on her face. He put a finger to his chin as he pondered.

"Hmm, that's a good question."

"Superheroes are Izuku's thing. But, he has so much merchandise that there's a good chance what you get for him, he very well might already own. Unfortunately, I don't think something material would be the best idea." Tenya stated, leaving Ochako with a sour expression on her face.

"So then, what should I do?" Tenya continued to think, until a light bulb flickered on in his head.

"My mom used to tell me that the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Maybe you could try cooking him something." Ochako's face lit up once again. Cooking a meal was plenty possible.

"Oh, that's a great idea! What's his favorite food?" Ochako exclaimed, getting closer to him. Tenya didn't break a sweat, and transformed back into his thinking face.

"I believe it's always been katsudon. His mom used to cook it for him all the time." Katsudon, huh. She's never cooked it before. But, she'd be damned if she wasn't gonna try to make it the best possible. Her eyes filled with fiery determination.

"You're the best! Thanks so much, Tenya! I've gotta get to the grocery store!" The brunette said before running off - leaving a bewildered, but amused Tenya behind.

"Best of luck to you!"

Katsuki violently slurped his noodles, tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead as the sheer spiciness entered into his mouth. Izuku had promised him the ramen if he came to the field day, and Katsuki would be the last one to forget about it.

"Could you not slurp so loud? You're messing up my concentration." Izuku told the spiky-haired man, getting slightly annoyed. Katsuki's eyes twitched in frustration, glaring at him.

"I'll slurp however the hell I want! I put up with your kiddy bullshit, so you're just gonna have to deal with it!" He shouted, then immediately went back to eating - somehow louder this time.

"You should really learn some decent manners at some point in your life." Shoto added from the left side of Izuku, irking Katsuki even more.

"SHUT THE HELL UP, HALF N' HALF! I'M PLENTY MANNERFUL! AND WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN HERE?"

"Wanted soba." Shoto put his hands in a praying position, before beginning to eat his own noodles. Katsuki continued to make a ruckus as Izuku looked around from where the three sat at the bar, noticing occasional glances from various other customers.

'Yeah. They already want us gone..' He sweatdropped, before nervously turning back around. After things calmed down, Izuku decided to open up on what he was thinking about.

"I guess while I have you guys here, I wanna talk to you about something." Shoto and Katsuki's eyes glanced toward him in the middle, silently waiting for him to continue.

"You guys remember Ochako, right?" Katsuki let out a huge laugh, making Izuku flinch slightly in surprise.

"Oh yeah, I remember! She was the girl who busted her ass during that race you two were doing!" It caused Izuku to scrunch his eyebrows slightly, as Katsuki eventually toned down his laughter. Shoto nodded to Izuku, signaling him to go on.

"Well, for some reason, whenever I'm around her I feel...warm. My heartbeat gets faster, my breathing's uneasy.."

"But you've always been nervous around girls. Ever since high school at least." Shoto told Izuku, recalling plenty of examples where Izuku would be stiff as a rock and red as a tomato if a member of the opposite sex got too close to him. Izuku looked at him, a slight glow in his emerald-colored eyes.

"Shoto, this feels different. I don't know how to explain it, but there's something new when I'm around her that I don't feel with any other girl." Shoto let out a soft "hmm", as he took the time to think.

"Izuku. Do you think you might be in lo-"

"UGH, GROSS! I'M TRYING TO EAT OVER HERE! YOU'RE RUINING THE TASTE OF THE RAMEN!" Katsuki yelled in disgust, leaning as far away as he could from the two.

"Impossible. All noodles are delicious." Shoto retorted, with a somewhat cold tone.

Love? Is that what he was about to say? Maybe loaf? Lobster? No no, it was actually what Izuku thought it was. He wasn't sure if his emotions were prepared for that.

"I-I don't k-know, Shoto. L-Let's not jump to c-conclusions here!" Izuku stuttered. His face now completely red, he frantically waved his hands in front of him.

"Luckily, you're not in any rush to figure it out. But, you never know what could happen." Shoto calmly went back to eating his soba. Katsuki chewed on a slice of pork as he stared at the embarrassed Izuku from the corner of his eye. Shoto finished his soba and immediately asked the chef for another serving.

'Something tells me we're gonna be here for a while.' Izuku thought, a soft smile on his face.

Ochako stumbled inside her apartment with two brown bags filled with groceries. She had researched on the ingredients needed to make katsudon, buying the things that she didn't already have in her kitchen. She plopped the bags onto the counter, a puff of air escaping her mouth. Gathering herself together, she took off her jacket and tied an apron around her waist. She put her brown hair into a short, loose ponytail.

"Let's do this. I'm gonna make a katsudon that'll knock his socks off!" Ochako exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air.

The recipe was actually rather simple. She had decided to use four pork chops, pounded and coated with flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. She heated the oil in her pan and placed the pork inside to hear that sweet, satisfying sizzle she loved so much. Once they were fried and crispy, she chopped some onions and tossed them into a pan - and added some stock, soy sauce, mirin, and a pinch of sugar. She cut the cooked pork into slices, and placed it on top of the onions. Then, she beat some eggs and poured them over top of the pork chops to add that extra flavor.

With that step completed, you used her trusted, tiny rice cooker to make some steamed rice. That part was by far the easiest, seeing as she had eaten bowls of plain rice so many times in order to save money. At this point, it was a huge comfort food for her. She took a container and layered everything inside, steamed rice on the bottom and pork and onions on top. She sprinkled some scallions on top of everything to make it look the tiniest bit prettier, and after a total of about 40 minutes, everything was complete.

Ochako whipped a bead of sweat off her forehead, and marvelled at her creation with a satisfied grin on her face. She did regret not saving a little bit so that she could taste test it, but she didn't want to mess up how it looked either. She supposed she was just going to have to trust her gut.

"Now all that's left is to give it to him." Ochako said, before quickly realizing the implications. Giving it to him, which meant seeing him, which meant talking to him.

A blush dusted her cheeks. Why was the idea of a simple conversation making her nervous? It's not like she couldn't talk with him before. She figured she was just being ridiculous, and slapped her cheeks to bring herself back to focus.

As she went back and forth through her apartment getting ready to leave, she found herself continuously stopping to check her hair in the mirror. She went to the bathroom to rinse her face, and even took the time to spray a little perfume from her cabinet. She caught herself in the act and quickly put it away.

"It's not even gonna take that long, Ochako! Just a simple exchange between two perfectly normal people." She let out a sigh and walked back out to the kitchen, where she grabbed the container, and left the apartment. She walked down the hallway and up the single flight of stairs to reach Izuku's floor. She slowly took steps down the hallway, each one bringing her closer to his door.

"Check it, Izuku. Made some banging katsudon for ya." Ochako said quietly to herself, practicing what she was going to say to him. She frantically shook her head.

'No, no. Too much slang..'

"Hiya, Izu! Hope you love it as much as I loved making it for you!" She ended her statement with a wink.

'Ugh, no. Too peppy..'

By the time she had finished that thought, she was already standing in front of the door. She took a deep breath, and lightly knocked on the door. Her heart was going a mile a minute, her feet getting antsy as she waited for the door to open. Any moment now, he would be standing in front of her with that criminally, adorable smile of his.

…

Any moment now.

But, nothing happened. Ochako knocked again, a little louder this time. Nobody ever came to the door. She was both relieved and disappointed that she didn't get to see him. Out of curiosity, she went to turn the handle - and to her surprise, the door opened. She took one step into the familiar looking, All Might-themed living room. It was weird recalling that the first time she'd ever seen this room wasn't because she had chosen to.

"Hello? Izuku?" She called out, hesitantly waiting for a response. As she suspected, no one answered her. She walked into the kitchen, placing the container on the counter. She had found a pen and a spare napkin, which she figured would work well enough, to leave him a note. Leaving it on top of the container, she left and closed the door to his apartment.

'There was nothing to worry about. I guess he'll eat it whenever he gets back.' She thought, making her way back down to her room.

After picking up Eri from his mother, Izuku and his daughter walked down the hallway towards his apartment. The rest of the ramen trip hadn't been too eventful. Katsuki seemed satisfied and that's pretty much all that mattered.

He opened the door and the little girl rushed inside, giggling as she made her bunny toy fly through the air. Izuku smiled as he watched her, softly closing the door behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a large red container sitting in the kitchen. Confused, he walked over and noticed a napkin with writing on top of it. He picked it up to get a closer look.

Hey, Izuku. I just wanted to make you a little something to show my appreciation for everything you've done for me. It really means a lot to me, so I hope you enjoy! Tenya told me it was your favorite.

From, Ochako 3

"She made something..for me." He said quietly, his cheeks slowly flushing with red. His eyes transferred from the note down to the container. He took the lid off and the steam began to rise off of it. The mouthwatering aroma entered his nostrils, as he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

"K-K-KATSUDON!?" Izuku stuttered, a little louder than he had expected. Eri looked over towards her father in confusion. He quickly whipped the drool from his mouth, and composed himself as he recollected on the sheer generosity Ochako had possessed. He turned to smile at Eri, who was already looking at him.

"Well Eri, you hungry?"

Ochako curled up onto her couch watching television. Since she didn't have anything else to do, she had changed into a plain t-shirt and shorts to be as comfortable as possible. She was snapped out of her state of relaxation however when she heard a knock on her door. She groaned slightly, not mentally prepared for company at the moment. Hopefully, it was just someone arriving at the wrong room. She rolled off the couch and made her way to the door.

"Who is it?" Ochako called to the person on the other side.

"It's Izuku."

SERIOUSLY!?

Ochako panicked slightly, frantically trying to straighten out her hair in a way that didn't make her look like she had slept for 16 hours. She gained her composure and opened the door to see both Izuku and Eri innocently standing in front of her. She noticed Izuku carrying the container of katsudon in his hands.

"Hi, Miss Chako!" Eri greeted her with a bright smile, causing the brunette to wave at the little girl in response.

"Firstly, I wanna thank you. You didn't have to do this for me y'know." Izuku said, Ochako almost chuckling at his selflessness.

"Well, I felt like I had to do something. But, why'd you bring it back to me?" Ochako started to get nervous. Did he not like it?

"About that. I-I, or we, wanted to s-share it with you." Ochako's cheeks darkened slightly as she noticed his soft, innocent smile.

"But, Izuku! This whole thing is supposed to be about you!"

"I suppose so. But if that's the case, then it would make me happier if I could share it with you. A-and Eri of course." The last line making the little girl smile even brighter.

He was too sweet for his own good. Ochako smiled softly, as she had no choice but to give in. She welcomed the both of them inside, and Izuku set the container on the small dining table. Eri climbed onto one of the seats, and Ochako went to go get bowls and chopsticks for the three of them.

"I haven't even tasted it. So, it might not even be good for all we know." Ochako said jokingly, resulting in a soft chuckle from Izuku that made her heart skip a beat.

"It looks and smells delicious to me. I'm sure it'll taste amazing too." Izuku scooped some into the bowl for Eri, and then into his own. Ochako followed directly after him. The three put their hands into a praying position.

"Thank you for the food!" They all said in unison for getting ready to take the first bite. Ochako watched Izuku grab both a slice of pork and some rice with his chopsticks, and toss it into his mouth.

'Down the hatch.' Ochako thought before eating some from her own bowl.

The pork was crispy and succulent, its warmth filling her body as soon as it hit her tongue. The soft, fluffiness of the rice was a soothing contrast that complimented the pork perfectly. She could taste everything. The soy sauce, the mirin, the onions. The kick of the egg was the finishing touch, as she swallowed with pure bliss.

"Ochako..this is absolutely amazing." The brunette looked up to see neverending tears falling from his eyes. His cheeks puffy and red as he slowly ate more and more. She felt a special pride in hearing him say that.

"Yummy, yummy!" Even Eri was enjoying it, although she had scraped away the onions and scallions. Either way, Ochako saw it as a complete win.

"This is actually pretty good! Not too bad, Ochako!" She proudly shouted, giving herself a pat on the back.

"You're not giving yourself enough credit, Ochako. This is restaurant-quality! Man, I would eat this everyday if I could!" Izuku continued to praise her, making the brunette blush even more. At this point, it was hard to tell if she was floating or not.

It didn't take long for the container to be empty, and as per Eri's suggestion - the three decided to watch a movie in the living room. Ochako didn't have much of a selection, but they settled on watching something called "My Neighbor Totoro". Eri had somehow persuaded her way into having the couch to herself, so Ochako and Izuku sat on the floor with their backs leaned against it. Of course Ochako had seen the movie before, but both Eri and Izuku hadn't. It was funny to see the difference in reaction - with Eri spewing about how cute and cuddly everything looked, and Izuku nerding out about how Totoro constantly reminded him of the BMI Hero: Fat Gum comics.

"Hey Daddy, do you think that Deku and Totoro would be friends?" Eri asked her father as she played with the green bunny plushie.

"Of course! They'd be best friends!" Izuku gave her a big smile, causing the little girl to giggle in delight. Ochako smiled at the girl as well.

"By the way, where did the name Deku come from? Do you know?" Ochako asked, looking towards Izuku. He gave her a soft smile.

"It's actually my nickname. Well, to one person at least."

"Woah, seriously!?" Izuku responded with a light nod.

"To be honest, I actually used to hate it. It was a way to make fun of me and make me feel like a wimp. By the time I had adopted Eri, I had gotten over it. That bunny was the first gift I had ever got her, and she named it 'Deku'. It's done so much for her and I rarely see her without it now. In a way..it made me feel kinda proud." Ochako gazed at him as he talked, the last part bringing a smile to her face.

"I guess you could say 'Deku' is the name of a hero. Plus, I think it sounds kinda cute!" Ochako said, pumping her fist up slightly. There was a comfortable silence for a second, the voices coming from the movie echoing around them.

"Hey...do you mind if I call you Deku from now on? It could be like my nickname for you too! T-that is if you're okay with it.." Izuku's freckled cheeks dusted red as he looked away, scratching the back of his head.

"S-sure! I-I don't mind at all!" Ochako smiled warmly as she pulled her knees closer towards her chest.

"Then there'd be two Dekus, right Eri?" Izuku said to his daughter as he looked up onto the couch. To his surprise, Eri snored softly as she cuddled with the plushie in her arms.

"Looks like someone fell asleep. I guess that means it's time to head back." Izuku stood up, grinning sadly. Ochako stood up too, watching the little girl gently get picked up and held in her father's arms. Izuku and Ochako walked towards the door and Ochako opened it for him.

"Thanks again for letting us spend some time here. And of course, thanks for the delicious food as well." Izuku spoke softly to her, careful to not wake up Eri.

"No problem at all. I really enjoyed spending time with you guys." Izuku took a single step before turning back to her.

"See you later, Ochako."

"See you later. Deku." Heat rose to his cheeks again, and he couldn't keep his smile under control. He walked down the hallway and Ochako slowly closed the door. The weight she was feeling was finally removed, and her back slid the door as she held her cheeks in her hands.

As Izuku walked further down the hallway, he began to hear light giggles close to his ear, and felt Eri slightly trembling in his arms.

"Daddy likes Miss Chako. Daddy likes Miss Chako." Eri quietly sang, teasing her already embarrassed father.

"Were you faking being asleep this whole time?" His only response was a light sigh as she relaxed her head back onto his shoulder. Izuku chuckled as he caressed her head in his hand.

Maybe he did.