The Emerald Prince

Chapter 46: Two bunnies

"If you're talking about real experience, it has to be you two!"
"What happened?"
"I was so worried for you both!"
"Were you injured?"
"The hero killer!"
"Manual saved you guys from him right?"

It was Monday morning, and Izuku didn't even get a chance to photograph Bakugou's tamed hair before he was completely swamped in concerned and curious teens.

Izuku had known this would happen. That was why he'd arranged to meet with Iida before reaching class, so they could make sure their opinions and stories matched.

The pair nodded firmly to the last question, the rest coming too fast to answer.

"I call bullshit." Bakugou grumbled as he checked his hair had properly proofed back and rifled through the pictures on Kaminari's phone to remove the evidence. He was glaring at Izuku who gave him an innocent who me? expression.

Todoroki nodded in support. Though he actually knew it wasn't the whole story, since when Izuku had been at home over the weekend, he'd explained what he could and hinted what he couldn't to him and Shinsou.

He could guess why Bakugou hadn't been involved... he'd nearly chained the teen to a chair at the thought of how dangerous it had been. Izuku'd never see daylight again if Bakugou knew... when Bakugou knew.

Yaoyorozu spoke up cautiously, "you guys do have a point... Izuku, I can't imagine you needing Manual's help. You're more specialised in combat than he is, and with your quirk..."

Shrugging innocently, Izuku spoke softly to his companion. "Manual is a fine hero and was an honour to work with, wasn't he, Tenya?"
He glanced up at Iida and they smiled at each other slightly.
"He was indeed." Said the other, uncharacteristically gently.

No one missed how they evaded the question.

"So," began Jirou, resolving to change the subject after the palpable tension rise at Izuku and Iidas' new closeness. "What did everyone think of the hero killer?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Izuku confused, settling on Aoyama's desk, since Aizawa wouldn't be here to break up the discussion/interrogation for 10 or so minutes he thought he may as well get comfortable. Iida stood behind him in quiet support.
They'd both firmly acknowledged that he was useless at both acting and lying, so Izuku would be taking the lead.

"When he regained consciousness, he preached to the cameras, mon ami." Said Aoyama, though his eyes were steely with an accusation that Hagakure picked up on.
She spoke up with a slightly threatening undertone, "weren't you there?"
Thinking on the spot - not like he could say he was arranging a date with the head of the league of villains, Izuku scratched his neck bashfully. "I stayed with Tenya and the medics..."
Iida thankfully seemed to have worked on his poker face, he nodded firmly.
Ashido raised an eyebrow and Bakugou snorted but the class had to acknowledge it was a very Izuku thing to do.

Kaminari seemed dazed, rocking his chair back against Kirishima's desk, "the way he spoke and his ideas... he kinda sounded cool, don't you-"

Two things happened at the same time.
Jirou sent one of her lobes to hit him in the stomach.
Izuku raised a hand, to gently push back Iida - who was trembling in barely contained anger. Kaminari joined the dots too late and shut up, Jirou's attack helping.

Izuku took a steadying breath and spoke calmly, at odds with the trembling class president behind him.
"He has an ideology I guess you could admire, Kami." He then leaned forward slightly, piercing the blond with a sharp gaze though his voice remained light. "But please don't forget that he is a murderer. And he did his best to kill me, Tenya and the Pro we interrupted him disembowelling."