The Emerald Prince

Chapter 97: Thumb Trick

Something had happened.

That was what Izuku realised immediately on rejoining the class in the middle of their Modern Art lesson. He was late because of Nezu.
Even though he wasn't prepared to activate the guy's quirk until he was in a controlled environment...if well ever, the principal hadn't been able to resist talking to him for a few hours, and enjoying conversing with someone who could nearly match his speed of thought.
Izuku had enjoyed it too, they had similar dark senses of humour, and he'd had a part in the plans for next year's entrance exam before he could blink.

But now he was back in the world of sanity - apart from Midnight's outfit - and the way the class looked, or tried not to look at him made his stomach drop like a stone.
Did they think he'd got into trouble?
That he was spy?
Why were half the class staring at him, and the other half looking at anything but?
Had they been talking about him?
Wondering about his past?
Had he given himself away?
What part had he given away?
Jeez he was keeping too many secrets.

No... Kaachan and Toshi would be angrier if they'd wondered about his past.
They were uncomfortable so maybe they'd been speculating about him and Hawks? That made sense.

He discarded the thoughts and with them the panic as best he could, nodding politely to Midnight and taking his seat.

———

"Izuku, what did the principal want to talk to you about?" Jirou was the first to ask, eyeing him sharply.

Classes ended at lunch time so everyone could return home to collect their belongings and move into the dorms. The greenette had helped everyone unpack, and was thankfully busy trying to get Yaoyorozu's bed into her room when Bakugou and Hiniyuki finally managed to corner Shinsou and question him over the room plan... they weren't happy he was next door to Izuku and they were three floors away.

Eventually though, everyone had unpacked, settled and had collapsed in the common room to recover.... and it seemed, interrogate Izuku.

"He wanted the details of how I rescued Eri." He replied smoothly from his corner of the sofa beside Tokoyami. He was good at lying and he'd planned out his excuse in detail.
Izuku couldn't resist a small smile when Asui called him out, his fellow greenette was such a smart bean. "Then why wasn't Bakugou called, kero?"
"Because he thought I could give him the details more clearly." The greenette grinned, and Bakugou scowled.

"Can you finally give us the details?" Pressed Sero hopeful. No one questioned Izuku's explanation of Bakugou.

Izuku sat up a little, and his thigh brushed Tokoyami's slightly in doing so, making the teen flush. "I met Kaachan on a walk, Eri found us and asked us to rescue her. She showed signs of abuse. The man who came after her lied about being her father and was justifiably suspicious enough for me not to return Eri. I deactivated his quirk and Kaachan and I ran for it."
Bakugou nodded in confirmation. "Fucking evil git."

"Do you know who she is?" Asked Momo with genuine concern.
Izuku smiled softly, looking at his hands in his lap and speaking firmly. "She's my sister."

Aizawa chose to return Eri at that quiet moment, and she bounced into his arms as he father disappeared to make a coffee. "Nii-san!"
"Hey Eri, how was your day?" He asked, brushing the hair out her eyes, and hugging her affectionately.
She grinned, "it was awesome, the big doggy and Yamayama were super nice! And Kouta-kun and Shizu-kun are so cool, Nii! Kouta can separate his thumb from his hand and put it back!"

So Hound dog befriended her well... as did Hizashi. But... thumb separation?

Izuku stared at Eri in complete confusion, "but his quirk can't separate body parts!"
The class stared, and Eri - as oblivious as her brother - nodded earnestly back at his, "I know! It was magic!"