Natsuo had left the very same day Izuku had finally asked for help. The eldest Todoroki brother had reassured them that he'd be back to visit every weekend and next time he'd come with a way to, as he'd phrased it, "Put that bastard behind bars for the rest of his god awful life".

Izuku still wasn't certain as to why he'd let himself ask for help. Maybe it was Natusuo's earnest expression. Maybe it was because he'd promised to help Fuyumi and Shouto too. Or maybe it was because no one had ever offered to help Izuku before. All Izuku knew was that he was tired, and beyond scared. After everything Endeavor had done to him and Shouto (especially most recently) Izuku was ready for it to end, one way or another.

But he could never leave Shouto behind. So there was really only one way.

School started back up all too soon for Izuku, and even though Izuku was healed, his feet felt extremely heavy. Not only was he worried about Shouto, but he was also nervous to go back into a school full of heroes who'd never believed that a fellow hero could harm somebody. And on top of all that, Izuku was also required to go to Principle Nezdu's office that same afternoon to discuss the USJ incident more. So yea, Izuku wasn't very excited.

But then Hitoshi came rushing down the hall and wrapped both him and Shouto in a hug, and Izuku wasn't quite as nervous anymore.

"I heard what happened," The purple teen muttered into Izuku's shoulders, arms still firmly wrapped around the two Todoroki's, "I heard about the attack. Were either of you hurt? Are you okay!? Why didn't you text me?" Oh. Shit. Izuku hadn't even thought to text. He didn't have a phone to do so with, but that still didn't mean he shouldn't have thought about it.

"I-" Izuku started, but was quickly cut off by Shouto

"Father was… worried about what the attack meant and decided that it would be… beneficial for us if we couldn't view the news on the subject. So he took our phones."

"Oh." Hitoshi muttered quietly, eyes shining with a suspicion Izuku couldn't place. But the bell rang and Hitoshi perked up. In his usual drawl he said, "C'mon, let's get to class."

It had been a relief that no one from class 1-C had bothered Izuku about the attack at USJ. It turned out that the UA hadn't released his involvement in the incident, just the hero courses'. The day had actually been progressing relatively normally. But of course, Izuku had to jinx it and lunch was a whole other matter.

It started normally. Izuku sat down next to Shouto, Hitoshi soon followed. They discussed anything and everything and Hitoshi had managed to make both of the Todorokis laugh (which was quickly becoming a constant). Then, three more trays had been set down on their normally empty table.

Izuku looked up in surprise to see the three hero students he'd met on the night of the USJ. "Is it okay if we sit here, kero?" Tsuyu Asui asked, gesturing to herself, Ochako Uraraka, and Tenya Iida. Izuku looked around the table flabbergasted and then pointed to himself.

"Sit. With. Us?" Tsu nodded her head.

"You probably don't remember, but you invited us to sit with you after- well uh you know.." Uraraka added shyly.

"Uhh.." Izuku looked at Shouto and Hitoshi for permission. Shouto just shrugged, and the purple-haired teen simply raised an eyebrow at Izuku, "Sure, I guess."

The six students sat in quiet conversation in which Izuku swiftly explained to Hitoshi how he knew the three hero students and apologized profusely for not asking asking his permission to invite them over to eat lunch with them. Hitoshi reassured Izuku that it was okay, that he was fine, but Izuku wasn't quite sure he believed the teen.

Then, Tsu decided to speak.

"Izuku, I always speak my mind, and I have a question for you if that's okay."

"Uh yea, sure."

"Why were you at the USJ if you're not in the hero course?" Izuku froze up, images of Shigaraki, a portal, and the feeling of falling flashing through his thoughts.

If Izuku had been more aware at the time, he would have noticed Shouto glaring at Asui and Hitoshi silently reaching over to grip the dual-haired boy's hand. He'd also have seen the uncomfortable looks Iida and Uraraka dawned.

"I-I don't want to really answer that."

Asi nodded her head "Of course, sorry Kero." Izuku forced a slight smile, and the topic moved onto more comfortable ground.

Izuku actually found himself enjoying the rest of the lunch period. The hero students were pleasant company and didn't judge him or any of his friends. It was… nice.

The end of the day came for Izuku all too quickly. He'd had a decentish afternoon, but as each hour ticked by, the clock came closer and closer to Izuku's scheduled meeting with Nezu, and Izuku had no idea what to expect.

When class was out, and it was fifteen minutes till his awaiting doom, Izuku was at the door of the principal's office (early, because one should never be late to appointments) with Shouto standing just behind him. Izuku couldn't see his friend's face, but he figured it was probably in an impatient frown.

"Izuku, you just need to open the door." Shouto said calmly.

"I know, but what could Nezu possibly want from me?"

"You need to open the door to find out," Shouto argued calmly.

"But what if it's about...well...about something I don't want to talk about?

"Izuku, open the door," Shouto said, a hint of fondness creeping into his voice.

"But Shouto-" Izuku nervously said.

"Izuku you're stalling." He was totally stalling, "Just here-" Shouto sighed and took Izuku's hand gently in his own. The dual-haired boy leaned over Izuku's shoulder, and the red and green-haired teen felt the other's hot breath on his neck causing a wave of goosebumps to wash over his skin. Shouto gently guided Izuku's hand onto the doorknob. "Now just twist."

Izuku shivered slightly as Shouto whispered the words into his ears, an emotion in his voice the teen didn't quite comprehend.

Without a second thought, Izuku twisted the doorknob and pulled open the door. Shouto backed up and took a seat on the waiting bench just a few feet away. Something like disappointment zinged through Izuku before his previous nerves made themselves known once again.

Swallowing a deep gasp of air, Izuku took one step and then another into the open jaws of a principal. The door shut on its own accord and Izuku felt like a caged animal.

"Hello Izuku Midoriya, what a wonderfully expected surprise!"

Hitoshi was beyond worried and confused. His friends hadn't texted him after a serious encounter with villains, and he'd been hurt. But then he'd asked why and, well, Hitoshi was reaching the end of his rope. He knew he was supposed to let his dads handle the stuff against Endeavor and not get involved, but clearly they weren't moving fast enough because Shouto had been lying to him (and Hitoshi was secretly proud that he could read his friend so well), and Hitoshi needed to know the truth or what was he doing in a heroics school?

So, Hitoshi made the possibly most stupid decision in his life and cornered Shouto in the hall after school while the teen sat alone waiting for Izuku.

"We need to talk."

Yea, this was probably the stupidest thing Hitoshi had ever done.