[He has to admit, this is kind of fun, trying to guess what Ochako wants to tell him through emojis alone. And exciting, too! If she's this happy, then something amazing must have happened!]
[HMMM indeed. What could Ochako be proud of? Izuku can think of a few things, but of course, going back to some of the conversations they've had before--]
ᕙ (° ~ ° ~) ??
[Did she maybe notice herself getting stronger? Izuku knows she was doubting her abilities before...it'd be great if his friend believed in herself a bit more!]
[NO WAY!! He was expecting maybe a confession and a hug, but they kissed, too??! Either way, it means that their feelings are out in the open now and judging by the excited emojis she's been sending him, it had gone as well as he'd thought it would. Izuku couldn't be more thrilled for her!!]
(((o(*゚▽゚*)o))) !!!!!!
[And he makes sure she knows it. Through emojis and exclamation marks, as one does.]
[...this is honestly the perfect opening to escape from the house, and Izuku would be a fool not to take it. Especially when he wants to hear what Uraraka has to say, too.]
[Deku is the curious sort, but this still seems a little strange? Not that she's complaining; she is, after all, always excited to see her friend, and if she doesn't tell someone about what's happened she's probably going to explode from too much pent-up excitement. It's just, you know... something she's definitely thinking about when she rushes downstairs to open the door for him.]
Deku-kun! [She gives him a quick once-over, one eyebrow raising the slightest bit.] Did you run the entire way?
Y-yeah! [Izuku laughs nervously. He probably should have realized how suspicious that would look, but he isn't exactly thinking clearly right now either.]
Um, anyway! I'm here! [Izuku grins at her, shifting from foot to foot.]
[Deku, Deku, Deku. She knows him well enough to instantly recognize that something is up, but she steps to the side and gestures for him to come right inside.]
We can go to my room, unless you need a glass of water. That was a long way to run!
[For storytime. HMM. How long will she have to smile knowingly at him before he cracks...]
[Ochako is determined to get to the bottom of this in a friendly, easygoing manner, even if it takes the rest of the day. So no worries, Deku! Up the stairs they go, and she motions him toward the desk chair as she plops down on the edge of her bed. He might note the, uh, huge stack of gold paper sitting on her nightstand, but it's fine. Doesn't everyone keep a book or two close at hand?]
I don't even know where to start, Deku-kun! I'll just... tell you everything, I guess? It won't take that long...
[She's still smiling, but ah— she tilts her head to the side as she studies him for the briefest of seconds.]
And then maybe you can catch me up on everything that's happened to you!
[You know, she isn't surprised by this at all? It's hard to disguise shiny golden paper, and he's already read the poem, so... oh, well. She heaves the tiniest of sighs.]
They all just showed up one morning? I think this is my reward for not stealing anything during the quest. [A beat, and then:] Th-They're all copies of the poem Okuyasu wrote for me...
[Go ahead, Deku. Pick one up. Halfway across town, Okuyasu is probably screaming.]
All of them? [Wow that's... a lot??? Izuku picks one up from the pile and it sure is that poem he remembers reading some time ago.]
This town's rewards are really something. [Izuku looks torn between amusement and just awe at the number of copies she got. And at how shiny those copies are, dang.] They made the paper all fancy, too.
[She nods, confirming that, yes, every single piece of paper is indeed a copy of Okuyasu's poem. It's not as embarrassing as it was, but there's something creepy about the fact that Mr. F knew just how important the poem is to her. Ugh. But hey, on the plus side— they're pretty!!]
The rewards are pretty crazy, but the punishments are worse.
[Far worse. Even Deku's was... uncomfortable, and she's still not sure what, exactly, it was; the only thing she does know is that she never wants to see her friend like that again. But, uh! Positivity!!]
I'm glad that it's all over, though! Everything is back to normal, so... I guess that I should find something to do with all of that paper?
[Spoiler alert: NOTHING, because Ochako loves her poems.]
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