The Serpent in the Garden - [todoshindeku] - Villain Izuku

Chapter Thirteen

   It was sunny on the first day of school. If he was more superstitious, Izuku might have been tentatively inclined to call it a good omen. The sky was refreshingly clear, the air still biting where his scarf didn't reach, but the lack of rain or overcast put a small jump in his step as he made his way to the station.

Just like the day of the exam, he met Shinsou on the train. Unlike that day, however, they both carried an air of excitement with them, even his usually reserved friend unable to keep a smile off his face, and his fingers from tightly gripping the straps of his bag in anticipation. Even the news of how his father had barely come home for the past week didn't seem to lessen his grin. Izuku was glad — his friend's dad pulling a hissy fit wasn't his fault, even if he tended to act like it. If he wasn't trying to keep Satoru Sho in his good graces, he would have sent him a strongly worded text months ago.

As it was, he had been keeping himself to expletive-filled one-star anonymous company reviews. Shinsou seemed to find them extremely funny, which only heightened when his dad had tried tracking down the reviewer only to obviously arrive at a dead end and subsequently had a tantrum in the main foyer.

The trip was short, filled only with short bursts of conversation, both more than content to just bask in the moment. Shinsou gazed out the window behind them, eyes flickering along to the scenery rushing by, teeth gnawing on his bottom lip. Izuku took the moment to let his eyes roam over him. His hair was tied neatly back in a low ponytail; he'd obviously made an effort to be presentable, something he'd never really bothered with before then. It was sweet, watching how much he was putting into UA. This had been his dream for so many years now, and he was finally achieving it — even if Izuku wasn't here for the same reasons he was, even if Izuku was, well, plotting against heroes as a whole, he would never take this away from his friend. His friend had earned his spot as a hero in training, and Izuku would rather throw his entire plan away than come in between that. Shinsou would be the first hero in the new system, the first uncorrupt peacekeeper after the fall, and Izuku couldn't wait.

His friend turned, catching him staring, and raised an eyebrow. But he was smiling, softly, a happy little thing that made it impossible for Izuku not to smile back, shoulders raising in a loose shrug at the unspoken question.

"You're just so cute," he joked, not really a joke. Shinsou made a show of rolling his eyes.

The golden UA gate shone gaudily in the sun, even more pretentious than when Izuku had seen it last. He had to shield his eyes, and wondered briefly if it was technically safe to have a giant pseudo magnifying glass on the archway to a school.

They weren't late, but the hallways were strangely empty as they made their way towards their homeroom. Higher expectations, Izuku guessed. Of course you'd be expected to be earlier than to be on time in such an exemplary school.

Also, the hallways were huge. The windows looking out over the grounds took up the whole wall, and the floor had short white lines in the middle like a road. It felt more like being inside a fancy business skyscraper than a high school, uninviting and daunting.

"Class 1-C... 1-B..." Shinsou muttered under his breath as they passed by doors, muted chatter emanating out from under them. "1-A. Shit, that's a big fucking door."

They halted, looking up at the door. Then further up. Izuku had to agree, that was quite a large door.

"Probably for people like Mt. Lady." He provided, needlessly. "The big question is if we can actually open it."

They could, actually, which should have been obvious in hindsight. It swung open easily, as if it wasn't almost ten feet tall. Izuku peeked inside, and was immediately hit with a barrage of conversation.