She looked wide eyed at him. Her eyes glanced at his restraints then back to his emerald eyes.

He looked so hopeful, so happy. Uraraka looked at her hands and fiddled with her thumbs.

"I'm not sure about that." She said calmly.

"No harm in it!" He said cheerfully.

"Yes, harm in it." She looked at the wall.

"But I'm okay now! Won't hurt you, a promise is a promise!"

"You've lied to me before..." she felt awkward now.

It was Izuku's turn to look away, "I-I know."

Why did he have to sound so much like his old self?

"I-I just.."

was he opening up to her? Uraraka looked back at him with a smile on her face to let him now that she was listening.

"I don't like people worrying about me" he whispered.

It broke her heart.

"Aw- Deku I-"

"Don't feel bad or anything, it's my fault."

"Deku... have you ever had friends before? like... um, before UA?"

The question took him by such surprise that he reeled back in his chair.

"H-how-" he tried stuttering out.

"I can tell," she said embarrassingly, "you don't let people care about you."

"I.. g-guess not... um.."

"What is it?"

"No one has ever cared about me."  He looked away in shame, like it was his fault.

"What about your mom?"  Uraraka tried not to cry.

"I guess... I think she does.  But would she really care if I didn't come home one day?"

"Deku!  Don't think like that!" Her tears started spilling, "people care about you now!  They really do!  Please stop it.." she fell to her knees.

"And here I am chained up by the people that 'care about me.'" He sounded pained.

"S-Stop," she whimpered, "D-do you care about us?" She whispered.

There was a very, very long silence.

"Yes." He said weakly.

She rose from the ground, and wiped away her tears fiercely.

"D-Deku... that makes me so happy."

Their eyes meet and they both smiled. 

"Do you wanna let me go?" He sounded so very happy, happy, happy. The pain he talked about just moments ago, completely forgotten.

Uraraka smile only grew and she walked over to him.

She was so close.  Coming closer.

Izuku smile rivaled hers, each of them becoming increasingly happier.

He was gonna be set free!

Finally!

She reached him and stood inches away.

She reached her hands out, and let them hover over the restraints on his hands.  She looked down and examined them.

She slowly let her hands fall, not on the restraints, but on top of his hands.  She interlaced their fingers together and he flinched away at the touch.

"w-what are you...?" He looked flustered.

She didn't say a word as she pulled her hands away and let them rest on the restraints.

He smiled at her and said, "T-thank you for doing this."

She traced the buckle of the restraint with her finger and looked back at him.

"Deku..." she spoke.

He suddenly froze as she lifted her hands out and reached them around his shoulders.

She hugged him gently.

He felt her wet tears as they came out in waterfalls against his chest.

"...I'm not dumb, Deku." She whispered into his ear, "you know I can't let you go."

He was shocked into silence.  He actually thought she was going to do it.

A shadow fell over his face and he tried to tug away, but that only made her hold on tighter.

"Maybe, you are dumb." His voice sounded cold and unforgiving.

Her crying stopped for a second, "w-what?"

As soon as she lifted her head to meet face to face with him, he lunged his head forward, head-butting her as hard as he could.

She was out cold.

~

"How's everyone?" Asui asked as she walked into the hospital room.

A few others followed behind her.

Bakugo looked grumpily at her, and Kirishima waved at them.

"Oh Iida and Todoroki! Didn't know you would be here." Yaoyorozu said cheerfully.

Iida was in the corner reading a book, and Todoroki just stared out the window thoughtfully.

"It's very nice to see you." She smiled.

Iida marked his page and waved at her, while Todoroki just meet her eyes and gave a small smile.

"How you guys doing?" Kaminari tried to be happy, but you could tell the weight of what had happened weighed him down.

It weighed them all down.

"Doing better Kami, my wounds are mostly healed!" Kirishima said excitedly.

"What about you BakuBro?" Sero chirped in.

"Shut up, tape dispenser."  He growled.

"Not cool man..." he grumbled.

"But seriously, how are you doing?" Mina asked thoughtfully.

"Fine."

"Do you guys know where Uraraka is?" Asui asked bluntly.

Bakugo, Todoroki, Kirishima and Iida froze.

She should have been back by now.

"She's," Iida gulped, "not back in her hospital room?"

"I think she got discharged because her injuries weren't that bad, so we thought she might have come here."  Yaoyorozu looked questionably at them.

"Not back at the dorms either, Ribbit."

"W-we don't know where she is." Iida's mouth was completely dry.

"That's no good. Mr. Aizawa was looking for her. Something about keeping an eye on those involved in the... the thing." Mina walked over to Bakugo's bed.

Iida and Todoroki exchanged a glance.

She's probably fine.

Right?

"Holy shit!" Mina exclaimed, breaking them out of their thoughts, "look at those scars!" She yelled and pointed at Bakugou's exposed stomach.

Kaminari and Sero rushed over to get a good look, while Asui and Yaoyorozu stayed by the door, a look of worry across both of their faces.

"That's messed up..." Kaminari trailed out.

"Kaminari! Don't say those things!" Yaoyorozu scolded.

"Sorry."

"Not a big deal," Bakugo grumbled, "doesn't even hurt." One thing he hated was admitting his weakness.

"what did Aizawa tell you about it?" Kirishima asked. He looked a little worried.

"He said Midoriya attacked Uraraka while they were training, then you guys came along and you got stabbed by him.  Fucked up.  He said you and Bakugo got the worst but you would be fine.  He didn't tell us more, he looked pretty stressed, I can understand why." Sero explained.

"He also came by awhile ago and told us we could visit him, but you guys couldn't." Mina chimed in, "we didn't think it was... this bad." She grimaced.

"I can't believe... Midoriya would do that."

"He always seemed so happy?"

"Something must be really wrong with him."

"Don't talk about him like that." Todoroki stood up calmly, interrupting them, "please, stop."

"Midoryia just happened to be unlucky.  This isn't his fault, he would never do this." Iida continued for him.

"I just find it so hard to believe-"

"Where is she?" Aizawa suddenly walked into the room angrily, silencing all of them with his presence alone.

"Not in here." Yaoyorozu looked worriedly at him, she was the only one brave enough to
Respond.

Aizawa's eyes meet Bakugo's and Bakugo hurriedly looked away.

Aizawa then looked at Kirishima who did the same.  And Iida. And Todoroki.

Aizawa growled out at them, "What are you hiding?"

It was deathly silent.

"Where is she?" He snarled.

It didn't take long for one of them to crack.  Plus, they were worried.

"She went to see Deku."

Aizawa never rushed out the door faster.