Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 8. Resolve.

Izuku stood outside the principal's office, nervously fidgeting as he waited for Monoma to be dismissed. The day had taken a sharp turn for the worse, and Izuku was very worried . He knew Monoma was in trouble, and after the way Bakugo had acted, he couldn't help but feel responsible somehow. Maybe if he weren't friends with the real blonde then Bakugo would not have targeted Monoma that much.

Finally, after what could only be described as an eternity, the door of the outer room opened, and Monoma stepped out.

Bakugo and Mr.Nishimura followed behind him, the former still glaring with fury the moment he saw the two.

Izuku quickly moved over to his friend, offering a small smile. "Monoma, are you okay?"

Monoma glanced at him, giving a weak nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Izuku wasn't convinced, but before he could say more, Bakugo's sharp, angry stare caught his eye. The ash blond was seething, his fists clenched at his sides, and there was no mistaking the promise of trouble in his gaze.

Izuku's stomach twisted with unease. He knew Bakugo well enough to recognize that this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

"I can stay and help you, you know?" Izuku offered hesitantly, his concern for his friend outweighing his fear of Bakugo. "With the punishment, whatever it is."

Monoma immediately shook his head, not liking the idea. "No. Don't. I don't want you here if things get worse." His eyes flicked to Bakugo, who was still shooting daggers at them from a distance. "If you stay, he's going to make sure you get caught in the middle of this, and I'm not letting that happen."

Izuku bit his lip, torn between wanting to help and knowing Monoma was right. Bakugo wasn't the type to let things go easily, and the last thing Izuku wanted was to make things worse for both of them.

"Okay," Izuku finally agreed. "But be careful, Monoma. Please."

"I will, don't worry so much about me. Just go home for now, Izuku. We'll catch up later."

Izuku turned to leave, but his heart was still racing. He didn't want to walk home alone, especially not with the lingering fear of Bakugo or one of his many minions finding him later.

His mind filled with uneasy thoughts, and Monoma, noticing the way Izuku's hands trembled, felt a pang of guilt but before he could say anything,a familiar voice cut through.

"I'll walk him home."

Izuku turned to see Hitoshi Shinso approaching, his hands casually shoved into his pockets. The purple-haired boy looked as calm as ever, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that showed he was paying attention to everything happening around him.

Monoma frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing with doubt. He had seen Shinso watching them from a distance earlier, and while he didn't distrust the guy he wasn't sure if Shinso walking Izuku home was the best idea.

But then what other option did he have. The real blonde glanced at Bakugo again, who was still glaring at them like a ticking time bomb and Monoma sighed, realizing that it might be the safest option for his friend to go with the insomniac boy.

"You sure about that?" Monoma asked, his voice low, his gaze flicking between Shinso and Izuku.

Shinso shrugged with an indifferent expression. "Yeah. I've got nothing better to do. Besides, Bakugo doesn't seem like the type to let things go. Might as well make sure your friend gets home without any trouble."

Izuku blinked, surprised by Shinso's offer. He hadn't expected him to get involved, but the relief in his chest was undeniable. "Thank you," he said quietly, grateful for the unexpected kindness.