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"I'm sorry, it had a what?" Mashiaro (it's ojiro) said, looking baffled.
"A heating basket." Momo said confidently. "It was useful, on some occasions."
"Heating basket on a bike," Denki chuckled, grabbing a handful of chips from the bowl in front of him. "What the heck?"
"I can see the use of it," Mina said, "but for a kid?"
"Oh." Momo said in surprise. "We're talking about childhood bikes?"
Everyone around the table laughed and said "yes!" in unison, Momo chuckling bashfully.
"Well, I'll just talk about my first bike." She said, "I believe I was 5, and got this wonderful little bike that was white and pink. It was unicorn themed, with rainbow tassels on the handles. It's still in my garage."
"Aww," Mina cooed, "that's so cute."
Yes they were swapping bike stories. It started from when Denki showed them his graze on his elbows because he fell off his cousin's bike over the weekend and stated that it had been a while since he rode one. That lead to him telling the story of his first ever bike, which had training wheels and was Bumblebee themed. Then Izuku told his, then Tenya, even Katsuki shared a little.
"Uraraka?" Denki said.
All eyes were turned to the brunette, their attention sitting lazily as Ochako thought of an answer. She split open the pistachio in her hand, discarding the shells in the shell bowl next to Denkis chips bowl and bringing the nut to her mouth.
"My first bike.." she pondered outloud, popping the nut in her mouth.
"Do you remember your first bike?" Momo asked.
"Hmm," Ochako thought, chewing. "Yes, I do."
"What did it look like?" Denki asked, again grabbing some chips from the bowl.
"Was it like mine?" Mina asked excitedly and Ochako remembered her describing her pink and purple bike a few minutes ago. "The one my parents got me was also very popular among little girls at the time - what if we got the same one? Oh my gosh that'd be so funny."
Ochako shook her head. "My parents didn't buy me my first bike," she said, "we found it behind my grandma's house."
Momo frowned as Katsuki looked at her. "Behind your grandma's house?"
"Oh?" Izuku leaned forward. "An old relatives?"
"It must've been one of my uncles old ones." Ochako said and smiled widely as she began to remember the day she and her cousin found it behind the shed. "It was a blue bmx bike, but it was actually in good shape. But get this: it had no seat."
"Blue bmx?"
"No seat?"
Ochako nodded and Katsuku clicked his tongue. "Then how'd ya ride it? That's stupid." He asked.
"I just didn't sit down. You know, when you stand and ride a bike, I just did that."
"Well that's kind of unfair.." Momo said with a sympathetic face. "Your first bike and it had no seat. Your parents couldn't buy you a proper one?"
"Well, it wasn't like that forever." Ochako reassured, willfully ignoring how Denki and Izuku shot Momo a weird look. "My Grandma's brother went and bought a seat and put it on for me. A pink seat, mind you."
"Haha I love it!" Mina laughed. "A blue bike with a pink seat!"
"Oh I'm sorry Uraraka.." Tenya said to her and she frowned.
"Sorry for what?"
"It was your first bike and its colours were mismatched."
Ochako looked at him funny but quickly masked it with an innocent look. "Oh no, it was great. Other neighbourhood kids loved it, y'know." She sighed mournfully, propping her head up on he hand. "I miss that bike." Memories of her child self speeding through the inside streets flashed through her mind, adding to her nostalgia.
"A trashy bike from behind your grandma's house?" Katsuki scoffed and Ochako gave him a pointed look, feeling somewhat small.
"What happened to it?" Izuku asked, getting her attention to distract her.
"I don't know.." she answered, "I think I just stopped riding it and never got back on again. It was a good bike though; fast, sturdy, it was cool as hell. I did get another bike eventually though, in middle school. My parents got me a nice purple mountain bike."
"Aww, that sounds sweet." Momo said, "That your parents were able to get one eventually." Ochako again ignored the weird look Denki and Izuku shot at her.
Ochako nodded. "Well yeah, though the bike we found behind my grandma's house was amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
"A trash bike." Katsuki added with his humorous tone, but Ochako gave him a cold look, still accompanied by her innocent smile.
"Sometimes parents can't afford everything, like a first bike. Some people live different lives, y'know." At the last part Ochako ran her eyes over to Momo and Tenya, but quickly looked away.
With a sigh, she stood, glancing at the clock on the wall. She looked at Denki and Mina. "We should start getting ready if we wanna catch that movie."
"Ooh," Mina stood quickly, Momo looking away from them as Katsuki tongued the inside of his cheek. "We should, come on Uraraka, I have this shirt I want to lend you."
Mina rounded the table and hooked her arm through Ochako's, leading her away.
***
Izuku also wanted to catch the movie with the three, tagging along. Mina had gone to the bathroom when they got there, so the other three got their tickets and food first and were now sitting to the side, waiting for her.
After talking about whatever, Denki turned to Ochako.
"Hey," he said, "You good? After that bike talk I mean." He asked.
Ochako frowned at him while Izuku perked up, wanting to talk about it too. "What do you mean?" She asked.
"Just.." Denki started, sounding hesitant and glancing to see where Mina was. "I don't like the way Momo was talking to you." He held up his hands quickly in defense. "Look, I love Momo. I love her so much, but she sounded kinda snobby."
Ochakos eyes went wide and Denki looked at Izuku, who gave Denki a pained look but he agreed regardless. "She kinda did." He mumbled loud enough for them to hear.
"Even Iida. These rich kids, man," Denki said with a shake of his head and Ochako laughed.
"Guys it's fine, I'm sure Momo couldn't help it. She means well."
"We know," Izuku said, "but are you okay?"
Ochako gave Izuku a sweet look. "Oh Deku, I'm fine."
"You know I didn't grow up with money," Denki said, "we had to save a lot and I didn't have much bought for me as a kid. So I've had a lot of 'blue bikes from behind grandmas house' too y'know? I'm just saying, I know she's our friend, but I felt offended and kinda undermined by her, and it's okay if you did too."
"Yeah.." Izuku agreed.
"You guys are sweet." Ochako said lovingly. "And yes, I was offended and shit, but I kept it discreet. Momo and I are friends, we can't help the homes we came from."
"So," Izuku said, "you're okay?"
"Of course. Plus, I'm a hero in training. I'll be rich one day." They all laughed before Ochako quickly added, "but I'll help the financially unfortunate ofcourse."
Denki and Izuku made noises of praise just as Mina stomped over to them with popcorn and a drink.
"Jesus Christ." She grumbled, "the guys in front of me bought like 77 buckets of popcorn, that has to be illegal or something. I hope they're not seeing the same movie we are."
They in fact were seeing the same movie as them.