Pfft...IF I beat him. I still think Bakugou is way stronger than I am, but I'm at least confident I can HIT him this time. Hopefully...
(CUUUTE... ʕ ˘ڡ˘ ʔっ♨ The bear is cooking his fish!!)
Oh. You're like Sir Nighteye then. That's cool.
[It...always is sort of strained talking about Nighteye. She really, really thought that time would help, and it did a little, but not enough. It's never going to be enough. Not for Ochako, specifically. He was in her arms... Even if she couldn't--...there should have been more she could do. Her tone, even in text, is going to be a bit clipped going forward. Remembering that just made Ochako remember others, all the turmoil going on back home, the chaos, the loss...]
No, they don't. Not really, anyway. We're taught how to deescalate, sure, but mostly because Heroes are never supposed to kill. We have to abide by the laws set by the government just as much as anyone else. I guess I just have way more...experience than others out there. My friends and I learned a lot over time...not necessarily from school.
[Life experience, and some real world wisdom. War is difficult, on everyone, and Ochako and her classmates have seen true hell. Death. Loss. Betrayal. Hurt. And the burden of responsibility. But they've also seen friendship, comradery, courage, and hope through it all, too.]
I didn't think so either. It was something I experienced, not really learned. Anyone can be someone's Hero. Even if they're the worst person ever. It's a matter of perspective.
[Of course Paul notes the shift in tone, precluding any further expansion on friendly fights and hungry bears. He remembers the promise Midoriya asked him to make about not looking into his future, no matter what. The story he only half-told about why, a friendship torn down its center by a grim vision.
Now he has a name. Sir Nighteye.]
Midoriya-kun told me some of the things that have happened in your world. He doesn't like talking about them much. I think sometimes he thinks he doesn't have the right.
[Or he's afraid of what people will make of the knowledge.
(It occurs to Paul, in an odd, unpleasant twist, that they have that idea in common. If they keep the right secrets, they keep people safe.)]
I apologize for bringing up a difficult subject. We don't have to talk about any of that.
I bet a lot of what he tells about Heroes is the glamorous side. All the good, fun, exciting stuff. I still do that, too. But the reality is...it's a lot harder than anyone realizes. We've all been through a lot of really, really scary things. Terrible things that'll stay with us forever, probably. Deku holds onto those types of things way worse than ANYONE I know.
[Bakugou is a very close second, but Izuku is in a league all his own. He uses his failures to fuel his drive forward, and the flames burn so hot they sometimes damage anything and everything around them...until it needs to be contained. It was exactly why he ran away, and their whole class had to go and get him. He was scared, determined to put everything on his shoulders and do it all himself. So no one would worry, so everyone would be safe.
Idiot.]
No, it's alright, please don't apologize. Like I said, it's just difficult to remember...but it's unfortunately something we have to deal with a lot, just by being in the field we're in. It still hurts, but dwelling on it too long stops you from moving forward, you know?
[He'd never discuss Midoriya's vulnerabilities even in passing with most people, but Uraraka already knows them, and better than Paul does.]
It's admirable to want to protect everyone. I wish he'd count himself as part of everyone. The one person he always seems to forget.
But you know, he said something like that to me once, when we first met. Not allowing the past to define what the future will be, moving forward without giving up.
[He says it often, in one way or another, or in his actions, all with his bravely sunny smile.]
It seems like you're lucky to be friends. You can remind each other of that.
Yeah. I really, really hope that after everything...he's learned not to put everything on his shoulders like he used to.
[It remains to be seen, but Ochako trusts Izuku. She has since the start, and that's not going to easily change. If he's determined to change, to let others help him when the burden is too much to bear, then she believes he'll make that change. It just needed all of them to make him see that his life is just as important as everyone he sought to protect.]
You're exactly right Paul-kun. About everything. I'm really, really lucky to have made a friend like Deku. ...Izuku.
Hahaha, I like that idea!! I'm REALLY good at lifting weights, too. ;P
[Ochako can appreciate the serious matter taken in the form of a joke. They're all going through a lot right now - back home and in Trench, too. Izuku needs people like this in his life - those who can support him, don;t try to exactly stop him from doing what he feels in right in his heart, but to mitigate the damage he does to himself and support him when he needs it. Because no matter what, a team of strong people will always, always, be stronger than one person alone.]
Of course, and thank you too, Paul-kun. Please continue taking care of Deku when me and my friends can't, and I'll do the same. I'm sure he's said it already to you, but...he's very lucky to have found someone who care care about him as much as you do, too. I'll see you around then, ne? ♥
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cw: mild-moderate MHA spoilers for season 4+
Hopefully...
(CUUUTE...
ʕ ˘ڡ˘ ʔっ♨
The bear is cooking his fish!!)
Oh.
You're like Sir Nighteye then.
That's cool.
[It...always is sort of strained talking about Nighteye. She really, really thought that time would help, and it did a little, but not enough. It's never going to be enough. Not for Ochako, specifically. He was in her arms... Even if she couldn't--...there should have been more she could do. Her tone, even in text, is going to be a bit clipped going forward. Remembering that just made Ochako remember others, all the turmoil going on back home, the chaos, the loss...]
No, they don't. Not really, anyway.
We're taught how to deescalate, sure, but mostly because Heroes are never supposed to kill. We have to abide by the laws set by the government just as much as anyone else.
I guess I just have way more...experience than others out there.
My friends and I learned a lot over time...not necessarily from school.
[Life experience, and some real world wisdom. War is difficult, on everyone, and Ochako and her classmates have seen true hell. Death. Loss. Betrayal. Hurt. And the burden of responsibility. But they've also seen friendship, comradery, courage, and hope through it all, too.]
I didn't think so either.
It was something I experienced, not really learned.
Anyone can be someone's Hero. Even if they're the worst person ever.
It's a matter of perspective.
no subject
Now he has a name. Sir Nighteye.]
Midoriya-kun told me some of the things that have happened in your world. He doesn't like talking about them much. I think sometimes he thinks he doesn't have the right.
[Or he's afraid of what people will make of the knowledge.
(It occurs to Paul, in an odd, unpleasant twist, that they have that idea in common. If they keep the right secrets, they keep people safe.)]
I apologize for bringing up a difficult subject. We don't have to talk about any of that.
no subject
I bet a lot of what he tells about Heroes is the glamorous side. All the good, fun, exciting stuff.
I still do that, too.
But the reality is...it's a lot harder than anyone realizes. We've all been through a lot of really, really scary things. Terrible things that'll stay with us forever, probably.
Deku holds onto those types of things way worse than ANYONE I know.
[Bakugou is a very close second, but Izuku is in a league all his own. He uses his failures to fuel his drive forward, and the flames burn so hot they sometimes damage anything and everything around them...until it needs to be contained. It was exactly why he ran away, and their whole class had to go and get him. He was scared, determined to put everything on his shoulders and do it all himself. So no one would worry, so everyone would be safe.
Idiot.]
No, it's alright, please don't apologize.
Like I said, it's just difficult to remember...but it's unfortunately something we have to deal with a lot, just by being in the field we're in.
It still hurts, but dwelling on it too long stops you from moving forward, you know?
no subject
[He'd never discuss Midoriya's vulnerabilities even in passing with most people, but Uraraka already knows them, and better than Paul does.]
It's admirable to want to protect everyone. I wish he'd count himself as part of everyone. The one person he always seems to forget.
But you know, he said something like that to me once, when we first met. Not allowing the past to define what the future will be, moving forward without giving up.
[He says it often, in one way or another, or in his actions, all with his bravely sunny smile.]
It seems like you're lucky to be friends. You can remind each other of that.
no subject
I really, really hope that after everything...he's learned not to put everything on his shoulders like he used to.
[It remains to be seen, but Ochako trusts Izuku. She has since the start, and that's not going to easily change. If he's determined to change, to let others help him when the burden is too much to bear, then she believes he'll make that change. It just needed all of them to make him see that his life is just as important as everyone he sought to protect.]
You're exactly right Paul-kun.
About everything.
I'm really, really lucky to have made a friend like Deku.
...Izuku.
no subject
If either of us see him putting too much on his shoulders, we knock it off. We should be able to cover him from most angles.
[Delivered like a joke, but meant seriously. He's relieved to know that he isn't the only one who is looking out for Midoriya (Izuku) in this way.]
You've given me a lot to think about. Thank you for that.
You're right about a lot of things too.
gonna wrap this up here!!
I'm REALLY good at lifting weights, too. ;P
[Ochako can appreciate the serious matter taken in the form of a joke. They're all going through a lot right now - back home and in Trench, too. Izuku needs people like this in his life - those who can support him, don;t try to exactly stop him from doing what he feels in right in his heart, but to mitigate the damage he does to himself and support him when he needs it. Because no matter what, a team of strong people will always, always, be stronger than one person alone.]
Of course, and thank you too, Paul-kun.
Please continue taking care of Deku when me and my friends can't, and I'll do the same.
I'm sure he's said it already to you, but...he's very lucky to have found someone who care care about him as much as you do, too.
I'll see you around then, ne? ♥