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"Uraraka!" Iida ran as fast as he could over to his girlfriend.
He was seeing red.
The villain would not get away with this.
Midoriya promised he would catch the villain while Iida went to the hospital.
Iida sat there next to the hospital bed as he took in Uraraka's state.
She was sleeping. Bandages were placed on her round cheeks, shoulder, a small portion of her chest, and forehead. Scratches and bruises scattered all over her arms. He could only imagine what the rest of her body looked like. Battle scars because she refused to just let him handle the situation.
He held back tears as he gently held her hand in his.
For as tough as she had proven to be, she was still small. Uraraka was so tiny compared to him...yet she threw herself in front of him to protect him from the villain's attack.
"You silly young woman..." Iida hiccupped. He stroked the top of her hand with the pad of his thumb. "You shouldn't have done that...You shouldn't have..."
The only response he got was the beeping of the heart monitor. At least she was breathing. Her pulse was where it should be.
There was a knock at the door.
He spun around quickly to find Bakugo leaning up against the doorframe. "She's gonna be fine." The explosive student hero looked only slightly better than Iida was sure he did. The villain wasn't easy to take down. But Iida could assume from Bakugo's presence that the villain must have been captured, otherwise Bakugo would be fighting by Midoriya's side.
"That is what the doctor told me..." Iida replied. He cleared his throat before turning back around so that his attention was on Uraraka. "Her parents are on their way..." A stuttering sigh slowly made its way from between his lips. "She...She didn't have to...I should have...I should be the one in--"
"Oi," Bakugo's hand plopped onto Iida's shoulder.
The course of the years had softened Bakugo just a bit. His aggressive side was still very much present, but he had changed since their first year at UA. Their third year had been putting them through the ringer, this latest mission no different from the rest.
Iida looked up at him with blurry eyes as he waited for Bakugo to finish his thought.
"She's tough. One of the first people to gain my respect after Shitty Hair." Bakugo cocked his head to the side in the direction of the waiting room. "So don't talk about how you should be in her fucking place, got it?" He pulled up the spare chair in the room and swiveled it over to the bottom of Uraraka's bed. "Talkin' like that means you think she can't handle herself. She knew what she was doing. She knew she could handle that blast better than you."
Iida shook his head furiously. "That's a lie! I had more--!"
"The blast would have fucked up your entire body, dumbass!" Bakugo barked, his grip on the hospital bed's bar tightening. "Didn't you see how she maneuvered the debris?!"
Iida thought for a moment...No, no he had not. He had been too focused on watching her dive in front of him to notice her technique. He shamefully shook his head.
"This tough beast of a woman fucking made the shit float before it could do any permanent damage to her. I saw it all happen." Bakugo grunted. "She might not have been able to get all of it from hurting her, but she sure as hell knew what she was doing. Could you have done that?"
Iida was speechless as he heard Bakugo speak so highly of Uraraka.
"No, 'course not." Bakugo took his eyes off Iida and stared at Uraraka's sleeping body. "She saved your ass. If anything, instead of beating yourself up for not moving faster you should be thanking her."
There were a few beats of silence before Uraraka's hand twitched in Iida's grasp.
Iida's heart skipped a beat. "U-Uraraka?" Iida tightened his grip ever so slightly. "M-My starlight?"
"Mmmmnn..." Uraraka's eyes fluttered open. A smile slowly emerged on her lips before a cough rattled out of her mouth. "Ouch..." she groaned.
"Tch," Bakugo stood up from his chair and pushed it to the other side of the room. "Told ya," the blonde hero dug his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the exit of the room. "Good job not dyin', Round Face," Bakugo walked out and into the direction of the waiting room. "I'll tell the others you're awake."
"Ha," Uraraka continued to smile as she adjusted herself on the bed. "He's really come a long way, hasn't he?"
"...Why did you do that?" Iida brought her hand to his lips and gave her a gentle kiss.
"Oh you know why, silly goose," Uraraka smirked before coughing. "I love you...Besides..." she sighed and took her free hand to tap the bandage on her cheek with a slight cringe. "I now get what Bakugo told me he did for Deku back in our first year..."
"Hm?" Iida tilted his head to the side with an arched eyebrow.
Uraraka squeezed his hand again and pushed herself up into a better sitting position. "My body moved on its own." She took the hand on her bandage and placed it on top of Iida's arm. "I wasn't even thinking when I jumped. I just...found myself flying through the air to save you..."
Despite everything they had been through, a blush still surfaced on her perfect face.
Iida didn't know what he did in a previous life to deserve her, but he's happy the gods gave him this beautiful, intelligent young woman.
"I see..." He didn't feel the tear tracing his cheek until it dripped off his chin. He used his shoulder to remove its residue from his skin before shaking his head. "Well...Th-Thank you..."
"Mmm," Uraraka hummed. "You don't have to thank me, silly," she scanned her body, hands still touching Iida as she did so. "The villain really did a number on me, huh?" She snorted. "I'll definitely be sore for a while..."
"Oh don't you worry," Iida sighed with relief, "I'll take care of you while you recover."
"Iida," Uraraka giggled lightly. "I'm not that banged up."
"Gah!" Iida stood up faster than he meant to started to chop his arms around as he got more and more passionate about her current state, a habit he never got rid of. "You will need to look at yourself in the mirror when this is all done!"
"Oh really?" Uraraka folded her arms with a grunt of discomfort. "Why? Do I look that bad?"
"Yes!" Iida flopped his arms around. "I-I mean, you always look beautiful no matter what state you're in, but that is beside the point!" He thrusted his forefinger in the air. "You need to rest, and I will see it to that you do."
"You will, hm?" He could tell she couldn't stop the giggle even though it caused her discomfort. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts!" she continued to giggle.
"I'm just being me!" Iida crossed his arms over his broad chest. "But very well, I will try my best to prevent you from finding me that humorous."
"Ah ha," Uraraka winked. "Sure, sweetie, sure." With a slight grunt, Uraraka shifted her legs and tapped the bottom of the bed with the heel of her foot. "Okay...You do have a point...Everything does hurt..." She started to blush. "I guess I wouldn't mind you taking care of me...at least for a little bit."
"Oh I'll make sure you are well taken care of, you need not worry about that." Iida grinned.
"Ochako!" A quaking voice said from the doorway. It was Uraraka's mother. "Oh my sweet baby girl," she dashed over to Uraraka with her father beside her.
"How are you feeling, sunshine?" Uraraka's father came and sat next to Uraraka's mom.
"Sh-She is doing well, sir!" Iida moved to the other end of the hospital bed. "She saved me through her heroic actions." He bowed immediately, his blood flushing to his face with embarrassment. The gravity of what her parents must be feeling seeing her like this made his heart start to ache. "Please forgive me, for it was my carelessness that she--"
"Iida," Uraraka waved her hand in his direction while she embraced her mother. "Stop beating yourself up."
Iida looked up to see her mother and father taking turns giving her a hug.
"Yes, Iida," her mother dabbed some of her tears away before walking over to where Iida had been bowing. "You are all trained to take care of others, and that includes yourselves."
Iida bowed again. "Th-Thank you, ma'am!" His blush deepened. "I do not deserve your kind words."
"Young man," came Uraraka's father's voice. "You have stood by our daughter's side since the first day of class. She has said nothing but wonderful things about you," her father continued to hold her. "You have saved her in the past, and I am honestly so grateful for your previous actions." The man gave Uraraka a kiss on her bandaged forehead. "Although I am proud of you, sunshine, for saving him as well."
"Haha, Daaad," Uraraka smiled before a yawn left her. "Mmm, Iida? Would you be okay with me spending time with just my--?"
"Not at all!" Iida quickly bowed again over and over, feeling very much like Midoriya. "I will be in the waiting room with the others."
Iida excused himself and peaked through the blinds as he watched Uraraka's parents talking with her, smiles on their faces as the doctor came into the room to discuss Uraraka's condition.
The young hero sighed as he respected Uraraka's wishes to just be alone with her parents.
The wait in the waiting room was agonizing. Eventually the others started to filter out of the hospital, leaving Iida, Midoriya, Bakugo, Tsu, and Todoroki behind.
"Do you think they'll let her come back to UA?" Midoriya thought aloud.
"I believe so, unless her parents wish to take her back home." Iida answered with a dry voice. "I promised her I'll take care of her when she's back at the dorms."
"Tch," Bakugo snorted. "She can take care of herself."
"Iida just wants to make sure she's okay, Kacchan," Midoriya tapped his chin. "I did the same for you when--"
"Whatever," Bakugo cut Midoriya off before staring at the clock.
"How much longer do you think they'll be?" Todoroki asked.
"She will be coming back to UA later tonight." That was Aizawa's voice.
"Aizawa-Sensei!" Iida shot up to his feet and bowed. "Thank you for answering our question."
"Yes, yes," the teacher yawned. "She will need rest, so she'll be missing a few days of class while she is out of the hospital." He turned to Iida. "I am assuming the two of you already made arrangements to keep her caught up with class?"
"Yes, Sensei!" Iida nodded with another bow. "It is my honor to--!"
"Alright, thank you, Iida," Aizawa nodded. "I'll take her back to the dorms. You all should be back on your--"
"I'm sorry, Sensei," Midoriya and Todoroki shot up to stand as well. "But you should know us well enough by now to know that we will not leave here without her."
For a moment it looked like Aizawa was going to argue, but then the words stopped before they could come out and instead, he nodded and took a seat. "Very well, someone go get me a coffee while we wait."
Midoriya was quick to comply while Iida and the others sat down.
Hours passed and soon they were all back at UA. While Bakugo, Midoriya, Todoroki, and Tsu walked back to their respective quarters, Iida lingered behind as he helped Uraraka hobble her way back to her room.
"Really, Iida," Uraraka smiled with her arm arched over Iida's shoulder. "You don't have to watch over me like this."
"Oh but I do," Iida returned her smile. "I know you, my dear. And you will not put yourself first if I do not watch over you."
Uraraka managed a shrug as she unlocked the door to her room. "You're lucky I'm too tired to fight you on that one."
The couple made their way into her space. "Is there anything I can do for you while I'm here?" Iida looked around her room. "I could clean up a bit if that would help."
"Are you suggesting my room is messy, Iida?" Uraraka arched a teasing eyebrow before walking over to her dresser. "Um, actually...Would you mind...? Um..."
Iida watched as she hesitantly picked up some pajamas and set them on her bed. She was nibbling on her lip with a flush brushed over her beautiful cheeks.
"Would I mind what, my starlight?" Iida walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, gently pulling her into his chest. She smelled like the hospital, but he was sure they all did. "Your wish is my command."
"Well..." she brought her hand up to stroke his arm. "Would you mind staying the night tonight?" She craned her neck back with a cringe on her face to see Iida's reaction. "I know how you are about the rules and technically we shouldn't have a sleepover, but--"
"Say no more," Iida smiled. "Do you mind if I get changed into clean clothes first? Then I'll be back and I'll make sure you feel safe tonight."
Uraraka started to cry. A smile was still on her lips, so she must have been grateful for his response.
He knew it. She had been putting up a strong front for her parents and classmates. Iida was grateful that she felt like she could show this side of herself to him when no one else was around.
Uraraka nodded quietly. "Y-Yes please..."
Iida kissed her temple before walking out the door. "You’re safe now…I'll be back in a few minutes."
"I-I'll be waiting." Uraraka sniffled.
Iida dashed to his room. Everyone else was either asleep or were talking quietly in the common room. He tried his hardest to change as fast as he could.
He had made sure her door was unlocked so she wouldn't have to get out of bed again to let him in.
"Alright, starlight," Iida whispered with a knock at her door. "I'm coming in now." The lights were off when he entered and closed the door with a gentle click to lock it shut. "Would you like me to...? Oh...Hmmm..."
Tiny streaks of moonlight seeped through the blinds of her room, painting beautiful white beams on her sleeping face. She looked so tired and comfy in her pink pajamas, the sheet to her bed only covering half of her body. Soft snores could be heard from where he was standing.
A sweet smile spread across Iida's face as he patted his feet over to her bed. He gently crawled in and curled himself like a crescent moon for her to feel safe.
She let out a tiny hum as she turned to face him. Her eyes were still closed, her lips slightly parted as a puff of air blew against his chest. She was still sleeping.
"You really are something else," Iida whispered into her hair. “I love you so much…” he pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he slowly pulled up the bed sheets to keep her warm. “Have sweet dreams, my dear…”