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“Monoma,” Izuku starts hesitantly, twisting his fingers together until they hurt and he remembers to reach in his pocket and pull out the tangle Yamada-sensei gifted him. “I — um, I saw something during the Sports Festival that worried me. Um, about you.”
Monoma looks at him funny, eyes narrowed. “I can’t think of anything out of the ordinary that happened.”
So it’s normal. That just makes Izuku angry.
“So it’s just normal, then, for someone to hit you over the head hard enough to knock you out, then sit your unconscious body off to the side like knocking someone out can’t have serious repercussions?” Izuku’s talking fast, loud, and he’s not twisting his fingers in anxiety anymore; instead, he’s switched to furious back and forth pacing. “They could really hurt you, Monoma! They could kill you!”
“That doesn’t seem likely, Midori—”
“So you’re okay with it, then?” Izuku asks, and his voice is a little more soft. It’s not because he’s anymore calm. Not at all.
Monoma’s gaze darts away. “Well, of course not, but there’s no need to start issues in the class over something so small.”
“Who is doing it?” Izuku demands, moving so that he can meet Monoma’s gaze. “I’ll handle it if you don’t want to be the one that’s responsible for that.”
Monoma doesn’t say anything. Izuku waits patiently, and he too says nothing. He’ll wait, as long as it takes, but this stops today. If he has to involve Nedzu himself, then so be it. He’ll personally march to Nedzu’s office and start a war if that’s what it takes, but first — Izuku’s prepared to be the annoying Quirkless bitch again, just like old times, just like Aldera.
He knows people will hate him for starting something with someone Quirked, but Izuku won’t hesitate to step in for his friends, even if they’ve only been friends for a few days.
Really, Izuku would do this if they weren’t friends at all.
“It’s Kendou, the one with the hands Quirk and the orange hair,” Monoma says suddenly, not meeting Izuku’s eye.
Izuku smiles. “Don’t worry. It’s just going to be a friendly talk — it’s up to her if it stays that way.”
———
At lunch the next day, Izuku goes straight after Kendou’s table. Hitoshi and Shouto are already aware of what Izuku’s about to do. Hitoshi’s been passed Izuku’s bento, and already waits at their table for their group to gather. Monoma, who normally doesn’t sit at their table, sits a few seats away from Hitoshi.
Kendou faces away from Izuku at the moment, but Izuku forces all his nerves down, and doesn’t hesitate to tap her on the shoulder. She turns around to face him, and Izuku steels his nerves for the final time. For Monoma, he reminds himself. He can do this.
He’s that Quirkless pushy bitch who sticks his nose where it doesn’t belong.
“Are you Kendou?” He asks, and when she confirms it, he says, “Did you know that knocking someone unconscious is dangerous? Every time you knock Monoma unconscious, you’re causing brain damage that needs medical treatment.”
She blinks rapidly, clearly unsure of how to respond and surprised by the unexpected topic, then glances over to Izuku’s usual lunch table, where Monoma sits, curled slightly in on himself. A silver-haired boy shoulders one of his classmates out of his way, face twisted in a scowl.
“Who do you think you are to talk to Kendou like that?” He demands, hands raised in fists, clearly prepared to fight. “Kendou’s Class 1-B’s big sister, and she takes care of us!”
“Hitting one of you is not taking care of you, and if you think it is, then shame on you, too,” Izuku responds coldly. “As for who I am, I’m Monoma’s friend, and I’m not going to watch him get abused just because he’s mouthy sometimes. You’re not taking care of him, so I will.”
The members of Class 1-B that can hear him get up in an uproar at that. Kendou is still watching Monoma, and her expression has turned to concern. Izuku has hope that maybe, just maybe she’ll stop hitting his friend.
“Abuse? You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!” A kid with spiky black hair Izuku remembers from the first round of the one on ones in Sports Festival. He’s in his notebook. “She’s sticking up for 1-A! You should be fucking grateful since you’re probably going there!”
“Grateful that she’s going around assaulting my fellow classmates? That’s insulting.” Izuku snarls. “Anyway, clearly, you all aren’t interested in listening to reason. Maybe you should do some research. Talk to Recovery Girl, or look it up online. But if it doesn’t stop, I’m going to a teacher about it. There are cameras all over the school. They’ll pull the films, and there’ll be repercussions. Maybe there should be an empty seat in Class 1-B, too.”
There’s another uproar at that, but Izuku ignores it, walking away, confident that the situation is handled, one way or another.