Chapter Text
Andromeda Gardens, U. S. A. [Sunday, 4:12 a.m.]
Over the past 4 years, Ochako had run through multiple scenarios in her head as to how she’d return home to Musutafu, Japan since her transfer to Washington, D.C. She knew All Might had studied abroad here once in his youth, but in her case, she’d decided to upend her entire life - essentially everything and everyone she’d ever known - to work for a highly classified space program that would pay her more than enough money to give her parents the good life they deserved.
She had once dreamt of becoming a well-loved pro hero, but life tends to fuck around with your dreams and expectations. Especially when your dad contracts kidney cancer and a rookie hero’s salary wouldn’t be enough to cover the medical expenses.
Not to mention Ochako’s own health condition that she’d successfully recovered from - only to the knowledge of a few, select people.
This would exclude her former classmate Hagakure Tooru, who was too busy squealing and screaming through the screen to notice that the usually well-tempered Ochako was starting to get annoyed.
“Can you please get to the point, Tooru-chan?” Ochako resisted the urge to yawn. There was a whole 13 hour difference between them, and she didn’t really appreciate being woken up at 4 in the morning to her normally overexcited friend’s even more overexcited shrilling. “I have to go to work later and I’d like to get my remaining 40 minutes of sleep, thank you.”
“‘Sleep?’” Tooru repeated, incredulous. “Well you won’t be able to go to ‘sleep’ after I show you this - Look!” Something sparkled on her right hand - or what Ochako assumed was her invisible right hand.
“Oh my god is that-” Ochako was at a loss for words.
“Uh huh uh huh!” She could imagine Tooru nodding her head up and down as she continued. “Mashirao proposed! ”
And now both Tooru and Ochako were screaming.
- - -
Musutafu, Japan [Saturday, 3:07 pm]
Kirishima : Bakubro!!
Kirishima : Did you hear the news???
Kirishima: Ugh would it kill you to read your texts these days???
Kirishima : ugh nvm don’t answer that
Kirishima : anyway you’ll hear about it soon
Kirishima : but Ojiro and Hagakure are engaged!
Kirishima : you remember them as the tail dude and invisible girl from our class most likely
Kirishima : and WE are ALL invited to the wedding
Kirishima : so you better be supportive and show up ok?!
Kirishima : and did I mention that WE are ALL invited to the wedding??
Kirishima : ;))))
- - -
Andromeda Gardens, U. S. A. [Sunday, 4:15 a.m.]
After a few more moments of nonsensical shrieking, the former classmates finally calmed down, though they were still giggling through their words and tears.
“How did it happen?” Ochako asked innocently.
“He was so adorable, Ochako-chan!” Tooru held her hand close to her heart, the ring sparkling beautifully in the light. “I just wish I didn’t ruin his surprise, ugh! I was going through his closet when I felt the cute little ring box in one of his blazer’s pockets!”
“Wait- what were you doing in his closet in the first place?!” Ochako didn’t have much experience with relationships - other than the ones that less than a failed blind date and 2 botched crushes that changed her life dramatically in different ways - but she was sure intruding on your partner’s privacy was not recommended.
“I was looking for my jewelry box - you know, the scarlet one not the magenta one - and it wasn’t in my closet so I thought, ‘oh, it must be in his then!’”
“You think he took it so he can get your ring size?” Ochako could imagine the calm and dependable Ojiro Mashirao quietly panicking as he did, the image making her chuckle once again.
“Oh my god, he did Ochako-chan!” Tooru’s chair squeaked as she leaned forward, the phone camera shaking as she kicked her legs in elation. “I confronted him over the phone about it and he rushed home from the store now,” Tooru brandished the ring once more in front of the screen. It was a beautiful sight - a clear crystal on a diamond band in platinum that must’ve cost Mashirao a fortune - and it looked simply ethereal as it appeared to float in midair on Tooru’s invisible body. “I’m an engaged woman!”
“I’m so happy for you, guys,” Ochako wiped a few traitorous tears away. Tooru and Mashirao’s relationship had started at the end of their third year in U. A., when he was one of few the students who defended Tooru against the accusations that she was the traitor, earning the stealth hero’s eternal gratitude - and now, her hand forevermore. “God, you must be smiling so big right now.”
“ I am,” Tooru sniffed. Happy tears, Ochako thought to herself. She was crying happy tears too. Crap, Ochako took a deep breath, I might wake her up! Get it together! “You know what would make me smile even bigger, though? Having you attend as one of my bridesmaids!”
The smile slipped off Ochako’s face. “What?”
“Ochako-chan, please!” She didn’t need to visualize it - Ochako knew Tooru was pouting right now. “It’s been years! We miss you! Please come home already!”
“Tooru, you know I can’t-” Ochako mentally prepared the speech she’d always offered to anyone who’d ask her when she’d return to Japan. “I still have so much left to do-”
“At least on my own damn wedding you can take a break!” Tooru pleaded, her voice cracking at the last word. “I want all of us girls there! It wouldn’t be be complete without the whole class!”
“Tooru, I-” Ochako’s heart was aching painfully in her chest. Deep down, she really did want to take Tooru’s offer - but she couldn’t. Not now, and not for the longest time maybe. Until at least everyone forgot who she was - and who she was supposed to be. “The project’s almost-
“Screw the project!” Tooru slammed a hand against her kitchen countertop. “ Ow! ”
“Tooru, are you okay?” Ochako leaned closer to the screen to take a closer look, though it was futile.
“Not until you’re here, dammit!” The invisible girl lifted her ring-clad hand closer to her face. “Oh thank god, nothing’s damaged.”
“Tooru, please-” Ochako began. She sensed a fight was coming - she knew that all too well from her many personal experiences - and she did not want this to happen while the sun had still yet to shine in her part of the globe. “Listen! I am so, so happy for you two-”
“Well if you really are happy then you’d be booking a flight right now!” Tooru interrupted. “I need you here at least two weeks before the wedding! Dress fittings, food testings, dress rehearsals - I need yours and everyone’s input on what’s gonna go happen on my special day!”
“C-can I just email you?” Ochako suggested, hopeless but still desperate.
“No!” Tooru deadpanned. “In fact, this wedding ain’t happening until you set foot on Japanese soil!”
“Tooru, no!” Ochako yelled. “You can’t hold your own wedding hostage! Especially not for-”
“I can and I will!” Tooru challenged. “How long do you have left for your top secret space project there anyway? Less than a month, right? What reason do you have to stay there after it’s over?”
Plenty of reasons, Ochako thought, anxious. Especially one major one...
“CANNON BLAST!” Her bedroom door burst open with a literal bang! “NOBODY MOVE!”
“Ochako-chan, what’s going on?” Tooru’s worried voice filled the sudden silence. “Is there somebody there with you?”
“Tooru, I have to go,” Ochako’s finger hovered over the end call button. “Let’s talk again later!”
“Wait, you can’t just-” She tapped the red icon without waiting for Tooru.
Ochako turned to the 3-year old child - soon turning 4 in just a few weeks - now standing in front of her with a sheepish grin. “And just what do you think you’re doing?”
“Well, I heard you screaming and someone else screaming besides you and I heard the word hostage and I thought,” Uraraka Kamiko stopped rambling to take a deep breath. And continued, “that you were in trouble and someone was trying to hurt you even though it’s impossible for anyone to get in the apartment and that this must be a really scary mean bad guy so I thought-” Kamiko’s palms crackled with nervous energy, “that you could use-”
“A hero?” Ochako quirked an eyebrow. She’d seen her own mother give her the same look whenever she got caught doing something she shouldn’t be doing, so she supposed this was ironic justice in the end. “And just what did I tell you about using your quirk in here?”
“That I shouldn’t use it,” Kamiko whined pitifully. The hoodie of her Deku onesie flopped backwards, exposing her ash blonde hair. She looked at Ochako with tear-filled red eyes. “ But Mooooom-”
“But nothing!” Ochako snapped. Later, she’d regret her harsh tone, but now it was simply too early to deal with her daughter’s explosive quirk. Just like her father…
A strangled sound escaped her throat as she came to a terrifying realization.
Tooru, she hastily typed into her phone, when you say everyone’s invited, you don’t mean everyone right?
- - -
Musutafu, Japan [Saturday, 4:13 pm]
Kirishima : and did I mention that WE are ALL invited to the wedding??
Kirishima : ;))))
Bakugou: When’s the fucking date?