(Slight spoilers!)

Fuck was Izuku pissed. He wanted to, so desperately with his entire soul, go after her. He felt the burning desire deep in his chest that he knew were his own feelings, and not hers. Begging for him to do something about this. He pleaded his legs, his mouth, anything in him to say something to stop her from spiraling into self-blame for the life she was forced to live.

However, she was gone as fast as the wind that blew harshly against him. Reminding him he failed her once again.

Y/n never chose this.

And the pain he was feeling it's as though it rooted him senseless to the ground, dumbstruck, rendering him speechless. Leaving him immobile like a heavy boulder. He could feel tears form at the corner of his eyes. Was it because of her pain, or his own from being unable to stop her from leaving? It was probably from both. All the work the three of them put into having her see this as something real, and not fabricated like her quirk, went down the drain in a matter of seconds and all because of a couple of words.

All because of the person who broke his heart in the first place.

Izuku was never one to shy away from crying. His mother taught him it was okay for a man to cry too. It helped him navigate through his feelings and what each one meant. The Midoriya's were heavy believers of letting it all out, to cleanse themselves of the hurt and emotional ache. Right now, he wanted to sob for the throbbing ache he felt, the hurt caused on him, and the pain caused to the one he cares for dearly. Ochako could break him all she wanted to, but there was no way in hell, he was going to let her do the same thing to the person he's in love with...

Love...

He's in love with her.

He loves Y/n, and the truth hit him like a ton of bricks.

However, was it too late?

Izuku wanted to laugh hysterically, he loves her, and he let her slip through his fingers just like when they first met. A parallel to sand running down his fingers even though he tried to desperately cling to it. Disappointing her yet again, even though she didn't ask for anything, because she never did. He took deep breaths and pulled at the ends of his curly green forest hair in exasperation, the only movement he could muster at the moment. Of all the times for his love to be revealed.

No, no, no, no, no... He pleaded to himself. I need to get up. I need to stop her before she goes down this negative spiral that has nothing to do with who she really is. I know all too well what that feels like... but first...

"Kacchan... g-go find Y/n." Izuku gritted his teeth, his heart still ached but he would push past it.

He needed to. He felt the pain lessened a little the more distance she put between them, which was a blessing and a curse. Because he knew, the distance will only make her resolve that much harder to get through. Even if he admired how stubborn she was for never giving up in what she believed in, in some instances he hated it too.

Katsuki's vermillion eyes glided towards his rival and best friend. "F-fix, whatever the f-fuck this is..." Unable to form any other words, he breathed in through the pain burning in him as well.

Izuku could have sworn he saw him wipe his eyes with his gloved palm, but he wasn't going to dwell on it now. He knew Katsuki and probably Shouto were as affected on this as well. The four of them were connected in more ways than one. He just hoped if neither him nor Katsuki would get to Y/n. Shouto could reach her somehow before it was too late.

"I-I can take you to her, just tell me where to go. It'll be faster if I carry you." Hanta offered, already knowing how Y/ns location could be trailed like a map through pain only Shouto, Izuku and Katsuki had a direct line to.

He was sure Katsuki was going to deny his help. However, he was utterly surprised when he quickly nodded, accepting help right away with no snarky comments. Not like he could really speak right now. It was taking all his willpower to get up, feeling cold sweats go down his temple and spine from the aching hole he could feel in his heart. It's as though he was getting sick, sucker punched right through his emotional sensors. He was afraid all would come out, would be pained whimpers.

He may not want to have what he called the extras, see him as this weak person, but for Y/n he didn't care right now. He too, knew well, what she would want to do. And there was no way in hell he was going to let her do something as stupid and give up on what they have for a stupid reason like 'doing it for their own good'. Yes, she was stubborn, but so was he. Especially with what he wanted.

Hanta may have felt as though he could not do anything to help her, but he knew it would be different coming from them. Because as weak as they were for her, in turn she was also weak for them.

Without a second to spare, Hanta quickly got Katsuki on his back and taped through the ruined city like a pro. Swinging from each ruined collapsed building with ease. Already having practice of swinging around like Spiderman from the comics he loved to read. Disappearing fast to catch up to the girl they were desperately reaching out to.

Izuku closed his eyes, trying to gather his emotions and words to coincide with one another. He wanted to scream but knew that would not solve anything. He could use his words like a viper to hurt someone if he really wanted to. Just because he was nice and polite didn't mean he didn't know how to render someone useless with just a couple of words. However, he didn't want to do that, he needed to get his point across in a way it would not make matters worse.

It was difficult for him to get on his feet, but in the end, he managed even though it was struggle.

After a moment, and a breeze making his hair whip in the opposite direction. Izuku's emerald eyes glided towards his ex-girlfriends. Eyes cold as ice, making imaginary holes into the girl standing a few feet away from him. He was having such a hard time concentrating with the pain he was feeling, but he had to, for the sake of his relationship with Y/n.

"Why?" His voice was low, stern, and leaving no room to deny him for the answers he was seeking.

Ochako ashamed couldn't look him in the eyes, concentrating a little too hard on her shoes. She felt a shiver go down her spine, already knowing whatever Izuku will say, won't be something she could stomach. It's not the first time, she's gotten him upset. However, this was the first time, she's seen him be this upset for someone else's sake that wasn't her own.

"Was it not enough when you broke my heart?" His voice was soft and low. "Did you really have to say all those things to break hers too." He clenched his palms, reaching for some sort of feeling to ground himself and not overdo it. "Knowing nothing of what's going on? Do you even know how much she hates her quirk and herself because of every reason you pointed out?" His voice cracked with agony.

Did no one else pay attention to how Y/n faked a smile, when anyone asked of her quirk? Were him, Shouto and Katsuki the only observant ones in their class group, or were they only observant because they had a direct line to her emotions?

God, he hoped that wasn't the case, he would never want to be as clueless as the rest of them.

"What makes you think that she's a villain Ochako. She's far from it."

Ochako's hands trembled from hearing the torment he was in, the pain she caused all of them. She wanted to reach out to him and help him like she's done plenty of times in the past. But that wasn't her job anymore, she didn't feel worthy of helping him with the burden he always carries on his shoulders. Besides, it was partly her fault.

Y/n was the person who inflicted the pain, but Ochako was the one who lit the match in all of them. She could see the hurt in Y/ns eyes, when she questioned her, and how her words affected the h/c haired girl. Even if Ochako still didn't understand their connection, she could understand that much.

Whatever emotional pain Y/n felt, they did too. She was the one to blame for today's events, not her h/c haired classmate.

With a quivering voice, she whispered. "I'm sorry, I-I just-"

Izuku shook his head as tears finally broke down the dam – which held them back. A pained halfheartedly laugh interrupting her. "You're apologizing to the wrong person." He bit his bottom lip to stop a sob from escaping. He was in so much pain, he wanted to topple over. "You know she's done nothing but be nice to you, and all you've done is push her attempts away." He bit the inside of his cheek, taking in shuddering breaths. "Push everyone away for that matter. I don't even know who you are anymore." He whispered. "The Ochako I knew would never stoop this low to hurt someone else."

"It was never my intention to hurt her... To hurt you and them..." She tried to plea her case. "I've just never seen you all like this..." she motioned her hands to the pain she could clearly see on him. "No matter where we stand, it pains me to see you hurt. We may not be together, but it doesn't mean I still don't worry for you Izuku. You're my friend, and so is Todoroki and Bakugou." Taking a moment, she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Look at your jaw? Bakugou hit you because she ordered him to. And the way Bakugou was writhing in pain on the floor. I've only seen him act that way once before in class, and so had you. Now, I know why you two were in so much pain back then. I'm guessing Todoroki had been too." Ochako tried to explain herself.

Izuku's patience was running thin, why was she being so hardheaded, why did she not understand?

"You don't know anything. Don't assume she's a bad person because of what you see. When have you ever judged someone like you've done to her?! Because this is the first, I've seen you ever do this to someone." His voice was gaining volume without his consent. He was so upset at her. But nevertheless, someone had to think rationally here. To calm down he took big gulps of air. Still, that only made little of a difference. "She can't control it. She's never once hurt me on purpose... If she could, she would rather put herself in the crossline of fire than let us go through this. She would do that for anyone. Even you..."

Ochako only stared at him, both parties upset of how much the gap kept on growing between them. No words or actions could be said or done to fix this. It'll only trigger them in the end. There was nothing that could be done if neither tried to see past their own reasons. Try to understand one another.

That seed of doubt was growing into a fine tree of suspicion and deception. Even though there was no reason for it.

In desperation, Izuku tried to reach for her one more time. "Even if she's our age her quirk is erupting for the first time. What makes you think, she had all her life like us to train it? It's only been a couple of months. She was in a cage quirkless up until now Ochako! You should know this! You were there to save her too!"

Ochako's eyebrows furrowed, his comment pulling at her heartstrings. He was right, she knew he was right. She prided herself in being part of that rescue, because she helped not just Y/n, but everyone else stuck in that place. Even a little boy, not that much older than Eri.

However, that seed was planted in too deep to be dug out just by words now.

Izuku seeing she wasn't going to listen to him, scoffed. "And don't give me that bullshit of 'caring for me' when all you've done is ignore me. You made your choice, and you've been very clear of wanting to stay away from me. Now deal with the consequences. But let me make one thing clear to you Uraraka." She flinched from the use of her last name, like an invisible slap to the face. "You so much as pull something like this ever again, and I'll make you regret it." Izuku's voice boomed from the anger he was feeling. The anger that boiled and was getting harder to control. His heart filling with venom, growing the more he stayed here and not chase after his girl.

His peace and serenity. His security.

"You're threatening me now? Don't you see how poisoned you've turned out to be since you met her?" Ochako's eyes burned with defiance. She wasn't wrong to try and protect them and the one she loves, it was difficult to agree who was in the wrong and right here, because both sides had valid points.

Though it was agreeable they were going about it in the wrong way.

"I am not poisoned... God, you sound like my mom! For once, I'm happy is that not enough for the both of you? Her love did not poison me, it saved me. From the hurt you caused. From the hurt everyone around me caused... Don't assume something's wrong with me if you don't get the bigger picture or if it's because I'm acting differently... You just never saw this part of me since we never got that close..." The rational part of Izuku knew that comment was going a little too far.

However, once he started, he couldn't stop. He didn't want to hurt her, he still cared for Ochako. Nevertheless, he had to make himself one hundred percent explicit when it came to his relationship with Y/n. It wasn't just a fling, or a rebound like his mom and Ochako thought. He cared for her, and he knew for a fact she felt the same for him, because she always showed him. They grew so close together, it baffled him how it happened in so little time.

Then again, time never mattered when falling in love or connecting with someone. The heart was fickle that way.

"I'm not going to explain myself to you any further. It's pointless to speak with someone who won't even try to understand. It's like arguing with a wall." He spat and regretted it instantly, when Ochako closed her eyes, and tears slid down her cheeks. Sighing heavily, knowing his snarky remarks would only get worse if he kept going. Still, he had to say one more thing before ending whatever this was. "When she is ready to speak of her quirk and what happened to her then she will, but you keep your filthy mouth shut when it comes to her or so help me God, you'll truly see what I'm capable of when you hurt someone I care for."

Izuku borderline livid, let his green electricity spasm out of him from the rage he felt. His body temperature rising and feeling as though he was on fire, he had to get away and go after the one he promised to be there for. He didn't want to be cruel, even though a little bit slipped out and this conversation with Ochako was probably making the gap which grew between them since their break-up, worse.

Maybe if they talked to each other and tried to reconcile as friends again, none of this would have happened. He would've understood Ochako was only questioning them because she truly cared, not because she was jealous or wanted to hurt anyone. But because she was genuinely looking out for her classmates, like she's done all these years they been together. Ochako wasn't a bad person, she didn't have ill intentions. She just didn't know how to reach out to anyone anymore.

If they had been friends again, maybe, she would've understood how the h/c haired girl became someone important to him. That without her, he felt as though he couldn't breathe. It was a different form of love than what he had with Ochako. Even if it would have taken her time to adjust, Ochako would have eventually moved on too.

They should have had this conversation without rush and in a calmer setting.

However, unfortunately, they didn't give each other the time of day to start the healing process as friends. Both were at fault for that part.

And Izuku felt his true intentions and love towards the h/c haired girl in his bones, which is why he defended it with brutal honesty. His feelings have nothing to do with the quirk Y/n has. Because even if the three young men were connected to her by it, it was not the reason why they stayed. They had the option to ignore her or stay only the minimum in her presence. She also could have stopped using her telepathic quirk until they knew the effects of being connected were completely gone.

Still, that wouldn't have mattered.

He was serious when he had the heartfelt talk with Y/n in her bedroom. Izuku has always had a hard time speaking with girls, but with her, it was so easy and his flirting and mischievous side finally found a companion. Everyone always saw him as this sweet boy with no backbone, but that was far from it. No one even tried to see past his exterior shell, not even Ochako.

He didn't want to hurt her anymore, because he would never want that in a million years. No matter the pain she caused him, he will always care for her, maybe not in a romantic way anymore, because he moved on. However, she was still his friend even if now they were at a crossroads. She will forever be his first love. And when he saw her eyes water, from being told the cold hard truth and knowing she messed up too, he knew they needed space from each other.

Maybe later they could have a talk after they've both calmed down. Now it would be him, to run away, but not run away from her.

Run to his future.

Letting blackwhip from his hand out, though weak, come to life. He latched on to the closest building and without another word propelled himself forward just like Hanta did. Leaping up into the air, and not sparing a second glance, all that was left was the smell of his pine cologne and echoes of the rushing wind his quirk created.

"Izuku!?" Ochako called out in a broken voice.

She hadn't meant for any of this to happen. She should have phrased her questions and doubts in her brain first before spilling them out like a tipped over can of worms. However, once a word escaped, everything else just tumbled out like vomit. She hated to be accused as the wrong doer here, that was not her intention at all. She truly did want what was best for all of them.

Maybe she shouldn't have listened to her 'friend's advice' in the bus. Maybe she should have befriended Y/n to get to know her, on her own terms, and not by second handed negative comments. Maybe she should have given Y/n the chance to open-up and tell her what's truly been going on.

Maybe then... all of this could have been avoided.

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Y/n felt like her chest was on fire, heart aching from leaving them behind. But this was for the best right?

She kept telling herself she was doing this for them, even if her heart begged her to go back and to listen to them. To listen to reason, because right now she didn't have any. She felt as though she needed to get away from them before she made any more damage. She needed to find a way to break their connection so they could be their own person and make their own decisions. Even if there was a slight chance that their decisions have been altered because of her, she didn't want that for them.

If what Ochako said was true and they were with her by force because of her quirk, then breaking the connection would confirm or deny it wouldn't it? There would be no harm done if they finally snapped out of the trance, she had them in for so long...

The whole in her chest, made her feel as though she was dying. Breathing became an issue ever since she left. She wanted to sob and curse at the world for doing this to her. Why was her life like this? Why was she taken from her town in Mexico? Why did they force her into experiments that only caused mayhem?

And why, oh why, did she have to lose so many people she cared for in the process.