The cafeteria buzzed with lunchtime commotion as Izuku balanced his tray, navigating between tables with casual grace.
Lunch Rush outdid himself again – the katsudon smelled like heaven and death row inmates' last meals combined.
He spotted his classmates huddled around their usual table: Toru's floating uniform waving excitedly, Kirishima's crimson hair spiky as a sea urchin, and Mina's pink skin practically glowing under the cafeteria lights.
"Vice-Prez!" Kaminari called out, sliding over to make room. "We saved you a spot."
"How gracious." Izuku slid into the seat, sandwiched between Toru and Jiro, who immediately scooted an inch away, her earphone jacks curling defensively.
"Don't call him that," Jiro muttered, stabbing her lunch with unnecessary force. "His ego barely fits in the room as is."
"Aw, Compass, you care about the size of my... ego?"
Jiro choked on her water, and Mina burst out laughing.
"I will murder you in your sleep," Jiro whispered, her jacks twitching like angry snakes.
"You'd have to know where I sleep first," Izuku winked. "Is that an invitation?"
"You're insufferable."
"Yet here you are, suffering anyway."
Uraraka giggled nervously, her cheeks pink. "You two are so funny together! Like an old married couple."
"We are NOTHING like that!" Jiro's jacks shot straight up.
"Yeah, I'd be a much better husband," Izuku said, breaking apart his chopsticks. "I'd remember her birthday, for starters."
Toru's uniform shifted closer. "What kind of husband would you be, Midoriya?"
"The absent kind," Jiro muttered.
Kirishima laughed loudly. "Man, Jiro really has it out for you today! What'd you do?"
"Existed, apparently." Izuku took a bite of his katsudon. Perfect. If this hero thing didn't work out, maybe he could beg Lunch Rush for an apprenticeship.
"Congrats on the class rep thing," Kaminari said through a mouthful of noodles. "Though I still think I would've been better."
"You would've electrocuted yourself trying to take attendance," Mina teased.
"Yaoyorozu totally deserves it too though," Uraraka added. "She's so smart and organized!"
On cue, Momo appeared at the edge of their table, lunch tray in hand, looking like she wasn't sure if she belonged.
"Speak of the angel," Izuku called. "Join us, Madam President?"
Momo hesitated, then smiled softly. "Thank you. If there's room?"
"Always room for our fearless leader," Kirishima scooted over, dragging Kaminari with him.
Momo sat, arranging her utensils. "Thank you all for your votes this morning. I was quite surprised by the outcome."
"Why?" Mina asked. "You're literally perfect for the job."
"I simply thought..." Momo's eyes darted to Izuku. "I assumed Midoriya would receive more votes, given his... charisma."
Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Charisma? That's a polite way of saying I talk too much."
"I voted for Yaomomo," Toru announced proudly.
"Wait, what?" Izuku turned to her. "I thought you voted for me."
"Oh! Um..." Toru's gloves twisted together. "I may have exaggerated. But I totally would have if Yaomomo wasn't running!"
"Et tu, Spotlight?"
"Don't be dramatic," Jiro said. "I voted for you."
"That hurts, Compass. Right here." He tapped his chest. "Though you're not entirely wrong."
"I voted for you, Deku!" Uraraka raised her hand like they were in class.
"As did I," Momo said quietly.
The table went silent.
"You voted for me?" Izuku stared at her.
Momo nodded, sipping her tea. "You showed remarkable leadership qualities during our combat exercise. And you remained calm under pressure."
"Huh." Izuku scratched his neck. "Well, I voted for you. I figured you'd be better with the paperwork and rules and all that responsible stuff."
"Wait, you didn't vote for yourself?" Kaminari looked genuinely shocked.
"Why would I? Being vice president is way better." Izuku grinned. "I get all the power and prestige without any of the actual responsibility. If anyone has a problem?" He gestured to Momo. "I can just tell them to ask the president."
"That's..." Momo started, then laughed softly. "Actually quite clever."
"I have my moments." Izuku winked, and to his surprise, Momo's cheeks colored slightly.
"I voted for myself," Kaminari admitted. "No regrets."
"Same!" Kirishima pounded his chest. "A man has to believe in himself!"
"I voted for Tsu," Mina said. "She's the only sane one in our class."
"What about me?" Toru asked.
"Girl, you jumped on Midoriya's back yesterday during combat training."
"That was strategy!"
"Sure it was," Jiro muttered into her drink.
"Speaking of strategy," Izuku turned to Momo. "Any plans for your first day as our glorious leader?"
"Well, I've been considering a structured study group for—"
A piercing alarm cut through the cafeteria, so loud it felt like a physical assault. Red emergency lights began flashing along the walls.
"What the hell?" Kirishima shouted over the noise.
The cafeteria erupted into chaos. Students jumped from their seats, some screaming, others looking around wildly. A third-year slammed into their table as he ran past, sending drinks flying.
"Is it a fire?" Uraraka looked panicked.
"No, it's the intruder alarm," Momo said, her calm voice somehow cutting through the noise. "Level three security breach. Someone has infiltrated the campus."
Izuku stood, his mind shifting into analytical mode. "Infiltrated U.A.? That should be impossible with the security system."
The stampede had already begun. Students pushed toward the exit, shoving and yelling, fear spreading like wildfire.
"We need to maintain order," Momo said, standing beside him. "This is exactly the situation where panic becomes more dangerous than the threat."
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, but good luck getting anyone to listen right now."
Jiro suddenly grabbed his arm, her expression intense. "Wait. Something's weird."
"Besides the alarm and the screaming?"
"I can hear... it doesn't sound like an attack." Her jacks extended, pressing against the wall. "It sounds like... reporters? A lot of them."
"Reporters?" Momo frowned. "Why would—"
"All Might," Izuku realized. "They've been camped outside since yesterday when the news broke that he's teaching here."
"So this is just media?" Kirishima asked.
"Maybe, but everyone's still freaking out," Izuku pointed to the growing crush of bodies at the exit. Someone was going to get hurt if this continued.
"We need height," he muttered, scanning the room. His eyes landed on the exit sign above the door. "Iida could—"
But Iida was already trapped in the crowd, his normally commanding presence lost in the sea of panicked students.
"I'll handle it," Momo said, her hand already glowing as she created a megaphone. "I just need to get above everyone."
Izuku looked at her, then at the crowd, calculating distances and angles. "I can get you up there."
"What do you—"
Without waiting for her to finish, Izuku placed his hands on Momo's waist and lifted her straight up, boosting her above the crowd in one smooth motion. She gasped in surprise but quickly steadied herself.
"Sorry for the grab," Izuku said, holding her securely. "Desperate times."
Momo nodded, then raised the megaphone to her lips.
"EVERYONE STOP!" Her amplified voice cut through the chaos. "THE SECURITY BREACH IS ONLY THE MEDIA. THERE IS NO DANGER. PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR SEATS IN AN ORDERLY FASHION."
The crowd slowed, heads turning toward her voice.
"REPEAT: THERE IS NO DANGER. THE ALARM WAS TRIGGERED BY REPORTERS TRESPASSING ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. PLEASE CALM YOURSELVES AND BEHAVE LIKE U.A. STUDENTS."
The effect was immediate. The panic receded like a wave pulling back from shore, replaced by embarrassed murmurs and nervous laughter. Students began returning to their tables, some checking their phones for news alerts.
Izuku lowered Momo gently to the ground. "Nice work, Madam President."
She smoothed her skirt, her composure perfect despite the fading alarm. "Thank you for the lift. That was... quite effective."
"Just doing my vice-presidential duty." He grinned. "See? I told you you'd be better at this than me. I would've just yelled 'shut up, it's just paparazzi' and probably started another panic."
"I don't believe that's true," Momo said, looking at him thoughtfully. "You're more capable than you let on."
"Careful with the compliments. I might start thinking you like me."
Before Momo could respond, Jiro appeared beside them, her expression serious. "Reporters shouldn't be able to get through the main gate. That barrier is supposed to be practically indestructible."
Izuku frowned. "You're right. Either security is slacking, or..."
"Or someone helped them get in," Momo finished.
The three exchanged concerned glances as the alarm finally silenced, leaving an uneasy quiet in its wake.
"Look," Kaminari pointed to his phone. "It's already on the news. 'Media Breaks Into U.A. Seeking All Might.'"
"Great," Izuku sighed. "Just what we need. More attention."
"You love attention," Jiro pointed out.
"I love positive attention. This is just annoying."
Toru bounced up to them, her empty sleeves waving. "That was so cool, Yaomomo! You were like a real pro hero up there!"
"Yeah," Kirishima agreed, rejoining them with Mina and Uraraka. "Super manly leadership!"
Momo blushed slightly. "I simply did what was necessary."
"And you," Uraraka poked Izuku's arm, "lifting her up like that! You made it look so easy!"
"Ten years of training makes most things look easy," he shrugged, though he couldn't help the small smirk that formed.
"Show-off," Jiro muttered.
"You know you love it."
"I know no such thing."
As they returned to their table, their food now cold, Izuku caught Momo watching him with that same thoughtful expression. When their eyes met, she didn't look away.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied. "I'm just... reassessing a few things."
"About me?"
"Perhaps." She gathered her tray. "I believe I'll see you in class, Vice President Midoriya."
As she walked away, Izuku felt the strangest sense that he'd just passed some kind of test he hadn't known he was taking.
"Dude," Kaminari whispered, elbowing him. "Was Yaoyorozu just... checking you out?"
"Don't be stupid," Jiro snapped, her jacks coiling tightly. "She was probably just thanking him for the help."
"With her eyes?" Mina waggled her eyebrows.
"You people are impossible," Jiro stood abruptly. "I'm going back to class."
As she stomped away, Toru sighed dramatically. "And then there were five."
"Four," Uraraka corrected. "I should go too. I want to check on Iida. He looked pretty stressed during the alarm."
As she left, Kirishima shook his head. "Man, Midoriya. How do you do it? The girls in our class are either running toward you or away from you, but they're all definitely running."
Izuku watched the three retreating figures—Momo with her perfect posture, Jiro with her angry stomp, and Uraraka with her bouncy step.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said innocently.
"Sure you don't," Mina laughed. "Mr. Class Vice President, sir."
Toru's uniform shifted closer to him. "So... about those study sessions Yaomomo mentioned..."
Izuku smiled. Vice president wasn't such a bad gig after all.
But as he listened to his classmates chat, he couldn't shake the nagging thought about the security breach. U.A.'s barriers weren't something ordinary reporters could breach.
Something wasn't right. And if there was one thing Hano had drilled into him for ten years…
It was to trust his instincts.