The air was buzzing with anticipation.

Class 1-A had just stepped off the bus, the morning sun casting long shadows across the pavement as students from other schools gathered for the provisional license exam. Everyone was tense, focused, sizing each other up. This was more than a test—it was a battlefield of potential.

Izuku stood near the front, his notebook tucked under one arm, eyes wide with nervous energy. He was already muttering to himself, analyzing quirks, calculating strategies, trying to stay calm.

And then it happened.

A tall boy with dark hair and a too-perfect smile stepped forward from the crowd. His uniform was crisp, his posture confident, but something about him felt… off. He reached out suddenly, grabbing Izuku’s hands in his own.

“Midoriya, right?” the boy said, voice smooth. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Izuku blinked, startled, his body stiffening as the boy held his hands a little too long, a little too tightly. The smile didn’t reach his eyes. It was the kind of smile that felt like a trap.

You saw it immediately.

The discomfort in Izuku’s face.

The way his fingers twitched, unsure whether to pull away or stay polite.

The way the others around you—Bakugo, Iida, Uraraka—paused, unsure whether to step in or let it play out.

But you didn’t hesitate.

You stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Izuku’s shoulder and gently pulling him back.

“Sorry,” you said, voice calm but clear. “He doesn’t shake hands with strangers who act like they’re friends.”

The boy raised an eyebrow, still smiling, but there was a flicker of something else—annoyance, maybe. Or surprise.

Izuku looked at you, relief flickering in his eyes.

You didn’t look away.

Because you knew him.

You knew how easily he tried to be polite, even when it made him uncomfortable. You knew how much pressure he was under today. And you weren’t going to let anyone mess with him—not now, not ever.

The boy finally let go, stepping back with a shrug.

“Just trying to be friendly,” he said.

You didn’t answer.

You just stood beside Izuku, close enough for him to feel safe again.

And as the exam began, he glanced at you once more—grateful, grounded, ready.