Izuku Midoriya had faced many challenges in his life. He competed at an extraordinarily difficult school, fought deadly villains, and even survived the many humiliations of dating.

But as he stared between the piles of boxes in the back of the truck and the massive, gray, 20-storey apartment building behind him, he knew nothing had prepared him for this.

Moving day, under a scorching summer sun. Quite possibly one of the greatest foes he had ever faced.

"This is really, really..." the energetic voice of his partner in life, love and heroics sounded from behind him. "Really a lot."

Despite the daunting task, he couldn't help but smile at Ochako Uraraka's surly expression. It was strangely adorable, her rosy cheeks puffing out in a small pout.

"It didn't look like it would be so bad when we were loading this up," Izuku observed, before staring back up at the place that would be their home. "But now…"

"This is what we get for wanting a view," she grumbled, stepping forward to grab onto a box. She scrunched her face up before donning a mask of determination, her eyes burning with sudden intensity. "Alright, let's do it!"

Izuku grinned, her psyched-up energy infectious. "Right!"

With that, the two began the arduous journey of bringing each of their belongings into their apartment at the top floor of the building. Between their two Quirks, they thought better than to spend on movers. It was not the most glamorous home out there, but though they had started earning some money from internships, they wanted to keep things modest.

After a non-eventful elevator ride for their first run, they found themselves in front of their apartment, blocked by a plain, wooden door. Izuku stepped forward, wrestling the key from his pocket while holding a pair of boxes in one arm.

"We're really here, huh?" Ochako said as he twisted the key, unlocking the door. "Our first day in our new home."

"Hard to believe it," he replied, his hand freezing on the door handle. They had already scoped the place out long before this, but stepping into it now seemed far more monumental.

This was his home now. Not his mother's apartment. Not U.A High School. Those tearful goodbyes were behind him now. This is where he would try to become a real, professional hero.

He suddenly felt a warm hand over his frozen one.

"Together then," Ochako suggested brightly, spurring him forward.

Izuku nodded, smiling back, snapped from his thoughts. He always appreciated her little pushes when he needed them. "Together."

They twisted the handle and crossed the threshold to their new lives side-by-side.

Despite some anxiety, Izuku still felt blessed to be moving in with the love of his life. After everything they had endured, he knew it was right to take this step. The thought of getting to be with her was what had given him the strength to make those farewells in the first place.

Besides being on the top floor, their new apartment was humble. A small, open kitchen area overlooked their shared living space, which led out onto a large balcony. A side hall extended out into a basic washroom and two bedrooms. For now, it was an open and empty space, plain as could be.

But that would quickly change throughout the day, as the heroes made their mark.

They both stepped forward at the same time, bumping their boxes into one another. Izuku laughed nervously, Ochako joining him after an awkward beat.

"After you," he suggested, shifting out of the way.

She gave him a smile and a nod before taking a step, the sound ringing around the empty space. "Thanks. Going to be tricky moving stuff in this tight space."

"Yeah. It's a little small." Izuku let the word hang in the air. His mind whirred and he suddenly became nervous, wondering if the honest descriptor might offend. "But small is good! It's cozy. Intimate, even. I love intimate!"

He realized the implications of the phrasing as soon as the rambling words left his mouth. He blushed and sputtered, trying to find something to say to regain his composure. He saw Ochako paused at his words, her cheeks also getting a bit pinker, as she turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"Can we just forget I said that?" Izuku pleaded, smashing his face onto the top of his boxes. They were very close, but innuendo usually still tripped them up.

"Yeah, let's do that," she responded with a bit too much energy, sprinting forward to deposit her boxes in their future bedroom.

With a relieved sigh, Izuku walked forward, shaking his head, trying to calm his frayed nerves. What exactly was his malfunction? Why was he so tense?

Eager to distract himself and calm down, he stared grimly at the boxes in his hands and put all of his focus towards the task of moving.

It was not a simple process. Although he had super strength and she could make things weightless, the sheer volume of items and furniture to bring in was time-consuming. They frequently bumped awkwardly into one another or other people passing by. The summer heat did not help, and they quickly built up a sweat.

Stopping only for a hearty lunch of parent-made bento boxes (which they both shed a few tears over), they worked throughout the entirety of the day to get their belongings inside. They finally got started on unpacking in the early evening, slowly filling the empty rooms with pieces of themselves.

Izuku found himself pulling out a box of framed photographs in their shared bedroom. He was eager to place them somewhere before anything else; they were such a comfort to him as his school days became more difficult, and he felt he needed them now. The world might be hurtling ever forward, but he could take some solace in the preserved moments of the past.

He pulled out one picture featuring their whole class, gathered outside their dorm, beaming towards the camera, their faces filled with joy. It was a lot sillier than the formal class photograph they had taken earlier that day. This was a keepsake for all of them to remember each other by. He smiled down at the photo, fondly recalling the laughter-filled days living at those dorms, where he found the friendship he sorely missed growing up.

Placing it on a bedside table, he pulled out a completely different image of him and Ochako, pressed together with their faces glowing, dressed up in fancy outfits, wearing identical blushes. U.A. had mixed things up with a formal event in their third year. It was a fun evening, even if he was a bit clumsy when it came to dancing and ended up stepping on Ochako's feet. Mina had forced them to take a photo together, and though it had felt awkward at the time, he had come to treasure it.

He still wondered how he had been so fortunate to find his relationship with Ochako. After mutual confession in their third year, their romance had been a breathtaking, chaotic whirlwind. Despite all the hardships they had to endure, they had lived to get to the other side of it, hand-in-hand.

The next photo he pulled out surprised him. He did not remember putting it in a frame, but it was certainly a treasured image. All Might, haggard as ever, beaming towards the camera. Embracing him, dressed up in cap and gown, as he held up his diploma proudly in his scarred hands. Tears flowed freely from both their eyes, the happiness of reaching that point overwhelming them, transforming them into blubbering messes.

It had been the last time he had seen his hero, mentor and father figure in person. They had talked it out, hugged and enjoyed their last hours together. Then All Might pushed Izuku out into the world to face it alone.

"You okay, Izuku? Oh, I love that photo!" The picture's photographer came up behind him, resting her head over his shoulder. "I don't remember seeing this in your room before."

Izuku blinked, suddenly realizing his eyes were watering. He let out a breathy chuckle, rubbing a hand across his leaking eyelids. "Mom must have snuck it in."

"Aww, that's sweet," Ochako cooed, giving him a quick squeeze from the side before stepping back. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm okay," Izuku sniffled, shaking his head to dispel the strange feeling of loss rolling around inside him. "Got a lot to unpack."

He noticed Ochako frown for a moment before she stepped away, turning her back to him. "Well, alright, if you say so. I'm going to go grab a drink. It's way too hot. Let me know if you need a hand with anything in here."

Izuku felt a sudden surge of affection towards his partner giving him some space. He was normally happy to be open with her, but he could not even process his feelings for himself.

He looked around their room, still empty except for the furniture. Eventually, the walls would be plastered with decoration. But for the first time, he knew his bedroom would not feature the visage of All Might at every corner.

Izuku pulled at his chin, pondering the situation. When he thought about it, it was the first time All Might would not be watching over him - not as a symbol, not as a hero, and not as a mentor.

Now, Deku walked alone, ready to begin carving out his own path as a professional.

He sighed, feeling the overbearing heat Ochako mentioned. Suddenly needing to cool down, he trudged out of the room, leaving the memories stowed away.

Izuku returned to their living area. He noticed Ochako was leaning back against the counter in the kitchen, her eyebrows furrowed, looking deep in contemplation as she idly ran her thumb along her phone's screen.

Figuring it alright to leave her to her own devices, he headed out toward the balcony, eager to get some fresh air and time to collect his thoughts.

He took a deep breath as he walked outside, immediately leaning against the railing, feeling relieved as the breeze brushed across his forehead. The sight of Tokyo down below had been a big draw for them when they chose to live here. He appreciated the sights of the urban sprawl beneath him, with its bustling streets and impressive buildings. But the sweltering rays of the sun made the city of his destiny far hazier than he had pictured.

After everything, he was finally here. A hero turning pro. Out in the world in Japan's largest city, the centre of the action. The day was bright. The future should be even brighter.

But as he considered all the people below, that anxious, nagging part of his mind chimed in again. Millions were down there, counting on heroes like him. He would have to help them, working harder than he ever had before. This was it. No more time, no more tests, no more room for mistakes. No All Might over his shoulder, his mentor now ready to let him fly under his own strength. Now, he had to try and be the Symbol of Peace on his own. This was the real world. Everything here counted.

The moment engulfed his entire being, his mind getting lost in storming clouds, making it hard to keep calm. He stood on the edge of the world and his destiny. He knew he would need to plunge forward, but taking that step seemed all the more daunting.

"Oh, there you are," a warm voice said from behind him. "Admiring the view?"

In a heartbeat, the spell ended, and Izuku found himself back in the present moment. He was merely a man standing on a balcony, with company approaching.

He did his best to push his melancholy aside and remain unphased by the intrusion. He knew he needed to just enjoy the present and not get too lost in spiralling thoughts.

"Yeah, definitely. The best part of the place," Izuku replied quickly, eyes still staring forward as Ochako slid up next to him. He glanced at her, suddenly feeling smitten as he watched how the wind played with the bangs of her hair.

"It is really nice. But it's still too hot," she complained, wiping sweat from her brow. "I didn't think this is what people meant by housewarming."

Izuku could not help but guffaw at the lame gag which came so suddenly, and she soon joined him. He felt relief, pushing himself fully into the mirth, trying to let it blow the clouds in his mind away.

"Well," he began after a moment. "What did that article about our class say last week? That we were the 'hottest new heroes around?'"

"We're a couple of trailblazers, after all," she replied with a grin, facing him.

"What's the word they used for you? 'Hot-blooded?'"

"Well, they called you a 'blazing meteor.'"

Izuku paused, face scrunching in thought. "Okay, I think I'm out of puns."

"I wish the writers had been," Ochako muttered with a laugh, shaking her head and turning back to the gorgeous skyline.

The conversation fell away for a moment and content silence came upon them. Izuku watched her movements, curious, fascinated to see her thinking. She always could find a way to surprise him, and it made her one of his favourite people to study.

"What's been bothering you today, Izuku?"

The tone in her voice was gentle, but he felt the energy between them shift, the easygoing mirth dissipating as quickly as it came. He groaned, realizing how silly it was to think he could hide anything from her.

"That noticeable, huh?"

"Well, you've always worn your heart on your sleeve. It's not hard to tell."

He sighed, peering out over the edge of the railing to the streets directly below. "I guess it's just weird, being here, you know? After all that time, all that work, to finally be moving and going pro, it's just ... a lot to take in."

"I know what you mean," Ochako nodded. She leaned her cheek into her hand, staring out. "This is really it. Things certainly didn't happen the way I imagined them."

"Me too," Izuku muttered, looking towards the clear sky and picturing his idol. "All Might was always a solitary pillar of hope. I wanted to be just like him. Now, I'll have to prove I can be."

Ochako went quiet at that. She buried herself further into her arm, putting more of her weight over the railing. She murmured something unintelligible in her sleeve before poking her head back out.

"Are you...are you worried?"

Izuku frowned at that, his heart rattling in his chest in answer. He nodded. "I want to do everything I can to live up to him. I guess a part of me is still wondering if I can do it. Wondering how well I'll do now that I won't be seeing him often."

From the side of his vision, he saw her head rise, her focus now intently on him.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

It was a simple enough question to answer. "Always."

"That you're going to do great tomorrow, Deku, and every day after that. Because you're you. You've got this."

"Ochako…" he felt his cheeks flush at the unabashed praise. They were never shy about giving that to one another, but he still felt bashful when he was on the receiving end.

"It's okay that you're feeling a little nervous now." She stood up straighter, facing him head-on, a beautiful fire igniting in her eyes. "But I know the second you're out there and someone needs your help, you'll act without thinking. That's just who you are. That's Deku. Whatever you're up against, I know you'll win in the end."

"I...thank you," he whispered, his eyes starting to water again under her verbal onslaught. He wished he could convey his appreciation better, somehow.

"You know why I wanted to change that name for you, right?"

Izuku froze at the sudden question. It had been such a meaningful point in his life, but they had not talked much about her inadvertently giving him his hero name. It had helped create a powerful bond between them, that did not require words.

His mind flew back to them as school kids; naive, innocent, full of belief. So much had changed since then, yet Deku remained.

"I gave you that name because I thought you needed it. Because you couldn't see yourself clearly. You couldn't see how bright you shone, even back then."

Ochako stroked his cheek, holding him in her palm. He leaned in, his skin tingling at the contact, a pleasant chill making his way down his spine. He watched as her hand wandered down, over his shoulder, his chest and then right over his beating heart.

"I'll be there to remind you of that. Every day we're here together. Every day of my life, if I have to. That you're Deku. That you are the world's greatest hero." Her smile up at him was positively radiant. "And that you can do it."

Izuku's body moved on instinct, hugging her to him as he cried, trying to convey his appreciation with actions after she had taken his breath away. She chuckled beneath him, but melted within the embrace, sighing happily.

He realized despite all the fears that came with great change, he would make it through. Even if he no longer had All Might, his other teachers or the rest of their class with him on a daily basis.

Because he still had a guiding star, brighter than any other in the sky. He would grow and learn from her, as he had since the day they met.

The future was a scary thing. But knowing his hero would be there for him made it seem far less intimidating.

"And, you know, if you wanted to...to be more like All Might, I get it. Maybe we could try and keep some distance out there."

Izuku's eyes flew open at her words, his mind utterly befuddled by the shifting rack of the conversation. "What?"

"Well, we don't have to tell people we're a couple or we're living together. We're not working at the same agencies, either. We could make sure to hide our relationship if it would make you more comfortable. If you still wanted to stand more on your own like All Might, we could-"

"Ochako." He stopped her by disengaging, holding her at arm's length, looking at her downcast gaze. He saw now how his anxieties had spurred some of her own, her old nerves about their relationship coming to the forefront. But she pushed them aside to try and help him. It was so sweet and kind, but he hoped she could be more open with him in time.

"We've talked about this. I'm not having second thoughts about moving in together or being by your side." He stared deeply into her eyes, imploring her to heed him. "My dream to help people, to be a pillar of hope, to become the world's greatest hero - I want to do all of that with you. I never would have made it this far without your help. And I don't know how far I'll make it from this point without you."

"Izuku…" she gulped, her mouth trembling, her eyes shining brilliantly beneath the setting sun.

"We're going to help the world. Bring smiles to people's faces, right?" It was a dream they shared and had discussed so often, it had become deeply ingrained in their memory.

"Rescue people," Ochako continued, getting back into the spirit of it. "Including reckless heroes who need saving."

Izuku chuckled, scratching at the back of his head at the pointed statement. "We have to inspire the next generation, too."

"And make lots of money so our parents never have to worry again!" Ochako exclaimed, bouncing on her feet, never losing sight of her original motivation for heroics.

"And we're going to do it…." Izuku continued, extending his fist toward her.

"Together!" she finished the pronouncement, bumping his fist into his with a flourish. They were friends, lovers, and most importantly, partners. They were Deku and Uravity, an unstoppable, unbreakable duo. They could both lapse in remembering that sometimes, but always found kind ways to remind one another.

"Now, I guess we should get back to unpacking," Izuku suggested, before wiping the moisture from his brow. The intensity of the conversation, though fairly brief, was enough for him to work up an even heavier sweat. "I wish it hadn't been quite so warm today."

"I'd just rather cool down after all that," Ochako grumbled, sticking her head out over the balcony again to absorb more of the breeze. She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on the cool brush of the wind. They flew open suddenly, a wide smile lighting up her face, instantly capturing Izuku's attention. "I have an idea."

"Oh?" he perked up an eyebrow, listening intently. Her bursts of inspiration were always fascinating.

Without a word, she gently tapped herself in a practiced motion, before leaping over the edge of the balcony with ease thanks to her newfound weightlessness.

"Ochako?!" he cried out.

She responded with loud laughter, grasping to the railing from the other side and sticking the rest of her body outward, her hair blowing haplessly around her. "That's way better! Come on Deku!"

She extended a hand out to him, her padded fingertips calling to him. A gateway to freedom and escape.

"I don't know…" Izuku muttered, his eyes reflexively darting across the horizon - only lingering a moment to appreciate how brightly she shone. "What if someone sees us?"

"We're on the top floor," Ochako noted, staring up at the open path to the sky. "We'll get high enough to avoid that. Come on, it'll be fine. Just for a little while?"

It was difficult to resist her beckoning grin. He was reminded of how often she had pulled him forward, helping him break out of his social shell as one of his first true friends.

"Alright, you win." Izuku grabbed her hand, letting her trigger her Quirk, delighting in the exuberance of her victorious cry. She pulled him over the ledge and kicked their weightless selves off, letting the rush of the wind surround them.

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief as the air brushed over his warm skin, instantly soothing it. The skyline below was even more beautiful as they began to rise higher, giving a better view of the sun starting to crest the horizon, bathing the cityscape in a pleasant orange glow.

"This is so much better." Ochako giggled as she lifted the two of them towards the roof, giddy as the wind started to blow them about. As the breeze picked up, Izuku motioned for her to release him from weightlessness, triggering his own float Quirk to better stabilize them. His power was usually more draining than hers, but he wanted to be cautious and keep better control in the air.

But Ochako used it to her advantage, grabbing onto him tightly to anchor her weightless body, unabashed in pressing herself into him. She let out a shuddered breath, pushing her head onto his shoulder. Izuku responded in kind, holding her close, letting his eyes fall closed, content to float aimlessly. It felt wonderful to hold her.

Times like this were too rare. For just a moment, their worries about the world below faded away, and it was just them. Not Deku and Uravity. Izuku and Ochako. Two people in love.

Suddenly, he could feel her fingertips shove something deeply into his left ear, disrupting the tranquil moment. He opened his eyes quickly, startled by the intrusion. Her gaze was mirthful, a devious little grin plastered on her face. He noticed a long, white cord sticking between them, one end leading up into her right ear, the remainder plunging into the pocket of her jeans.

Then the music started.

The song was bubbly and up-tempo, some top pop number he had heard out on the streets patrolling a few times. Izuku blinked rapidly, his analytical mind short-circuiting as he struggled to put the pieces together.

"Dance with me?" Ochako asked, beaming up at him from beneath her eyelashes. She was irresistible.

He gulped, his heart beating fast, a powerful warmth overtaking his cheeks. In complete awe, he could only manage a question: "You planned this?"

"I thought it would be nice to do something memorable for the first night at our new home. Getting away from the heat was just an upside." She spun herself around in the air in a show of flair, keeping within his arm's reach. "And I realized we had never had much fun together in the sky like this."

That was true enough. Floating was for travelling to scenes faster or getting an advantage over villains, not playtime. They had honed their Quirks to serve society; anything else was secondary.

But as the sun finally crested the horizon, bathing Ochako in a glorious, almost ethereal glow, Izuku realized he wanted this as much as she did.

Surprising his partner, he grabbed onto her hands, swinging her in close, enjoying the little squeak she let out at the movement.

"I'd love to," he replied sincerely, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Thank you. This was a great idea."

She twisted herself around, pressing her back against his chest, pushing them towards the building.

"I'm glad. I really didn't know how well my plan would work," she whispered honestly in his ear, voice faint amidst the wind. "Just remember to watch your step this time."

Izuku chuckled, smiling from ear-to-ear. "At least it won't hurt if I step on your feet up here."

"You better not anyway!"

The two moved together in the darkening sky, their bodies flowing with the freedom of flight. They improvised their dance, lacking any cohesion, but so long as they could be close to one another, neither of them cared. Their worries seemed so far away now, the weight on their hearts lifted.

As night fell and they became bathed in the star's light, they came even closer, locking themselves in an embrace. They twirled slowly together, the music getting replaced by each other's breaths and heartbeats. Izuku was sure the starlit city was beautiful, but he had eyes only for her.

On top of the world, the heavens shining down on them, Izuku and Ochako found peace.

They both knew: when they returned to the earth, they would overcome, so long as they were together.

Written for the IzuOcha Temple Discord Server Summer Writing Contest. Prompt: Keep Your Cool. Thank you to the organizers for putting this on and motivating me to write.

This one went through quite a lot of changes; it was 6,800 words at one point before an overhaul. I may have more to add to this later.

Sorry it has been a while since my last fic! Writing blocks abound these days.

But I hope you enjoyed this one! ^_^ Please leave a review and a favourite if you did!