Artifice

I Think It's Arrogance

Izuku's POV:

"Oh, and Kazue, the principal, has requested your presence."

"Oh shit." I whispered to myself.

I left the room and was immediately overwhelmed by my thoughts. There's no way they knew I had been in the teachers' lounge. There aren't any cameras around that area, or at least I didn't see any.

I had checked thoroughly for anything that could give away that I was there. Unless someone saw me? I mean, the school is full of heroes in training, so it's not completely out of the question that one of them ratted me out. But I checked the hall before I entered and exited the lounge, though.

The hall was silent as I intentionally slowed my steps. I didn't want to face the fact that I might have just ruined the entire plan.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the principals office. I knocked on the door and tried to listen to a response over the sound of my racing pulse.

"Come in." An unusually high tone called out from behind the door.

"You wanted to speak to me?" I asked in the politest tone I could muster.

"Oh, yes. Have a seat, Mr. Kazue." A short, mouse-looking person said.

I was taken aback, seeing that The Principal Nezu was a literal rat. I was about to make a snarky comment but bit my tongue.

"How are you feeling after yesterday? I know your brother came and dropped off your meds, but I wanted to ask you personally." I sat in the chair that sat across from the principal.

Brother? Is that really the best lie they could come up with? Dabi is not my brother. Well... Nevermind.

"I'm doing well. Thank you for your concern." I forced a grin. "I must've been so pumped to start yesterday that taking my meds just slipped my mind." I chuckled. My shoulders dropped, releasing tension that I didn't know was there. I hadn't realized how incredibly scared I was of getting caught.

"That's great to hear." The principal returned the grin. He crawled onto his desk chair and straightened out some papers. "That's all I wanted to ask. Thank you for your time, Kazue."

"Of course." I flashed another smirk. Thank God it's over.

"Oh, and I forgot to ask." Nezu called after Izuku, who was already headed to the door.

"You gotta be shitting me." I growled under my breath. "Yes?" I turned to the principal.

"After the chaos earlier, we did a roll call, and you weren't accounted for. You aren't in trouble, I just want to know where you were."

My muscles tensed back up at the question. "Oh, I was in the restroom. The cafeteria food didn't agree with my stomach." I choked the words out as I tried to mask the stress in my words. At this point, I was nervously shifting my weight back and forth between my feet.

"I see. Alright then, you can return to class now." I let go of the breath I had been holding in. I spun around and walked quickly to the door, afraid he'd ask anything else.

"Finally." I whined as soon as the door shut. That was way too close for comfort. Luckily, it looked like Nezu bought my bullshit.

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3rd POV:

The school day came to an end. Midoriya returned to the bar, completely drained. On the way in, he tore off his jacket, shoes, and socks and left them sprawled in the entryway. Dabi trailed behind him, staring at his phone.