Shoto and Ezra lost their footing. Shoto quickly recovered his phone and hit send before anything else could happen, and Ezra propped himself up on his elbows, adjusting his cap and assessing the scene.
Shoto straightened and Ezra extended his hand for help up. As expected, he was ignored.
"What was that?" Shoto asked expectantly.
"You're pretty demanding for someone who doesn't need me." Getting up on his own, Ezra realized too late that he had sprained his ankle. He bit down a groan as he resumed watch for Izuku. Where-?!
Alarmed, he spun to alert Shoto, who had just reached beside him to look as well. Fumbling into Shoto's reluctant arms, Ezra's eyes widened as they focused on Izuku. "Why-?!"
Shoto turned, barely pausing a beat before dropping Ezra cold. Quickly closing the gap between them, Shoto hugged Izuku tight, his words vibrating through Izuku's neck and body. "I figured you wouldn't stay put, but let's get out of here first."
"You were safer with your quirkless buds!" Ezra's voice came from the ground still.
Izuku clenched his jaw, not really knowing what, if anything, he wanted to say to Ezra.
Ezra read as much, and offered to fill him in quickly. "There are four men here, well, I don't know how many now that they've gone and set off one of their own traps.. I don't know them personally but I've seen them around. They've come to finish the job that I.. didn't."
Izuku opened his mouth but nothing came out.
The cocky jokester facade Ezra held with Shoto crumbled as he continued to read Izuku. Pained, he responded "I followed them here to help protect you, I swear."
When Izuku didn't so much as blink, Ezra pushed on.
"I don't know if they know I'm here but they seem to be waiting on commands.. and now that you've separated yourself from that house, I imagine they'll be on you, us, in no time." He scanned around. "Let me help."
Izuku took a step back. "I told my friends to go inside and to stay safe with the others. A couple are ready as backup but I rather n-"
"Not, what?" Katsuki asked as he announced his arrival.
Without turning, Izuku sighed. "..Not that they listen." He dropped a hand in resignation.
Katsuki and Eijiro stood their ground as Ezra plopped down in defeat. What good am I now?
Izuku turned slowly, when he had rushed his friends inside and started to explain things to the others, two were unaccounted for until they had uncomfortably shown up. Training his face to seem friendly towards Eijiro, he aimed his 'Thank you for coming' more towards him.
"So who's this guy?" Katsuki rolled his shoulders to loosen up.
Izuku was at a loss for explanation. Where do I start? He noticed Shoto shift ever so slightly to block Ezra from the others. Huh, this helped Izuku settle with "He's.. an ally, for now."
Ezra had to learn Japanese and paid extra mind to words such as enemy and ally. He perked up just in time to peep a disgusted blonde, and his contrast, a pleasant looking red head. He watched Shoto watch Eijiro watch Katsuki watch Izuku. And laughed, hard.
Izuku looked on with instant regret.
Hahahahahahaha, Ezra mock-removed a tear. "You all? Really?" He pointed to them in turn. Hahaha. This train.
***
