Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 39• The Space between the Lines

Monoma paced,his arm still throbbed where it had been hit, but he barely noticed because all his thoughts were currently on Izuku.

He just ran. Right after nearly being choked to death by a villain and now, while heroes buzzed around the scene and the police cordoned off the courtyard like it was some crime drama set, Monoma was being forced to sit there and answer the same question ten different times.

"Can you describe what you saw during the explosion?"

"Did the green-haired boy show signs of aggression?"

"Did he say anything unusual before fleeing?"

"Do you know where he might have gone?"

"Do you people ever listen to yourselves?" Monoma finally snapped, tone sharp, his restraint hanging by a thread.

The officer raised an eyebrow. "We're just trying to understand the situation, son."

Son?! Monoma's eye twitched and his fists clenched. Did he just hear, did that officer call him that? He took one step forward, fully prepared to deliver a sharp and completely earned punch to the man's smug, redundant face-

When a hand gripped his good shoulder.

"Stop," Hitoshi said, voice low and even. "You don't want to make this worse."

Monoma turned, eyes wild with frustration. "He could be hurt! Panicking-bleeding out in some alley while they stand here talking in circles!"

Shinso didn't let go.

"I get it," he said, a rare seriousness in his usually indifferent voice. "I want to find him too. But if you deck a cop, they're going to lock you in an office and bury you in paperwork instead."

Monoma's breathing was heavy. His jaw clenched and finally, he slumped back into the nearest bench, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"He looked terrified, Shinso." Shinso sat beside him, unusually quiet for a moment. "...Yeah," he murmured. "I noticed."

A long silence passed.

The crowd buzzed on. Questions kept coming As police interviewed students, pros gave instructions, and school staff scrambled to maintain some sense of order.

But for Monoma, the noise had long since faded into a low, annoying hum.

He sat on a bench, leg bouncing, shoulder bandaged, heart hammering but Shinso could see how his eyes flicked towards the gate every few seconds.

Suddenly footsteps were heard. They were soft at first but Monoma's quick ears caught those uneven and hesitant rhythm, forcing his head snapped up. And just like he had presumed, there he was.

Izuku.

His uniform was wrinkled, his face pale and streaked from crying, his hair messier than usual, and his eyes still carried that dazed, distant look. But he was safe and he had come back.

Monoma shot to his feet instantly. "Midoriya!"

Izuku flinched a little at the sound of his name but didn't stop. His steps were slow, like each one was a decision he had to make twice.

Monoma didn't wait as he rushed toward him-then stopped just short, eyes scanning him up and down. "You ran off like a scene-stealing drama character," Monoma said softly, voice laced with barely hidden worry. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Izuku opened his mouth. Closed it again then took a shaky inhale before speaking. "I... I had to breathe."

Monoma blinked, seeing the trembling in Izuku's fingers, the slight swelling in his eyes, the bruises on his neck from the villain's grip and something inside him softened.