The Serpent in the Garden - [todoshindeku] - Villain Izuku

Chapter Fifteen

A/N

half chapter half notes my guys (don't worry they're funny, i think)

The general store smelled as old and musty as it always did. The bell above the door chinked as Izuku stepped inside, and Hanako looked up from where she'd been lazily scrolling through her phone. Her face lit up when she saw him, cheeky grin widening as he stepped up to the counter.

"Long time no see, Izuku-kun." She said, already reaching behind the counter for the be back soon sign.

"Yeah." He reached up to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was sort of busy... tell you about it over ice cream?"

She snorted. "Of course. You're not leaving until you explain why you ghosted me for weeks."

Izuku winced. In all the excitement over the past week, Izuku had completely forgotten to drop by the general store. Hanako would most likely be wondering what had happened to him. It wasn't as if he saw her regularly, but over two weeks of radio silence was unusual even for him.

Hanako propped the sign up against the cash register and ushered Izuku into the back room. She rooted around in the large freezer crate by the door before pulling out two slightly squished packets of coolish. She tossed one to Izuku, who caught it and hissed when the freezing surface hit his skin.

They traipsed outside to their usual spot, clambering up onto the dumpster and getting comfy with their backs against the chain-link fence. Once Izuku was settled down beside her, Hanako screwed opened her ice cream and eyed him expectantly.

"Spill."

Izuku shrugged. "I got into UA."

His friend choked. "What?"

"I got into UA." Izuku repeated.

"Like, the general course?"

Izuku smirked. "The hero course."

Hanako choked once again, a bit of food getting stuck in her throat and Izuku waited patiently while she hacked for a minute. She recovered and immediately threw her hands in the air in bewilderment."But you're quirkless!"

Izuku gazed down at the ice cream in his hand. It was already half-melted, sagging pitifully to the left.

"Ironic, isn't it? Listen, after this is all over, I'll explain everything if you want. Not right now, though."

His friend eyed him sceptically. "Why you suddenly being all mysterious like?"

Izuku sniggered. "I said I'd explain, just not now."

Hanako sighed, then paused, glancing over at him warily. "Wait. After what is all over?"

"School, obviously." Izuku lied easily, scoffing at her expression. "What did you think I meant?"

She shook her head, turning back to her ice cream and squeezing a generous amount into her mouth. "Nothing, never mind. For a second I thought... no, forget I said anything."

Now that wasn't weird at all.

"Alright. If you say so."

"Damn." She murmured. "But UA? You're living the dream, man. Good for you." She reached over and pushed him amicably. "I'd give anything to be just a few years younger again. Wish I had tried to go to UA, even if it was just the general courses." She sighed. "Maybe then I'd actually be out there, instead of studying a degree I'll probably drop out of and working at my fathers corner store." She smiled self deprecatingly, and Izuku quickly changed the subject.