Izuku couldn't help but flinch and tense up when the alarm was triggered during their lunch a few days later. Some of the other hero and support course students were sitting with him and Kacchan, even though Kacchan still refused to call any of them friends. He instantly reached for Katsuki's arm, holding him still as the alarm blared across the cafeteria, making a lot of the students panic.

"It's okay, it's a false alarm," Izuku told him. They didn't need to know about Aoyama, didn't need to know he was stealing sensitive UA intel. Izuku wasn't supposed to know about it, he was supposed to be an ordinary support course student and he'll make sure the timeline continues the way it should. To deter Jikan and possibly unwanted consequences.

"How do you know that?" Katsuki asked, frowning.

"The press were hoarding the school gate this morning, remember? Some of them must've gotten in," Izuku said, scratching his chin as he tried to come up with a believable excuse. "I mean... There's no way someone else would get into UA, right?"

He could tell Kacchan didn't believe him for a second, but Kirishima had already gotten up and ran over to the nearest window in order to check whether it was true or not.

"He's right! The gate is open, look!" he called out. They weren't the only students who heard, but that didn't mean word of the false alarm spread as fast as Izuku would've liked. Things were seriously spiraling out of control in the hallway...

"We need to calm them down before-" Izuku started, only to get interrupted by an explosion.

"ALL OF YOU EXTRAS SHUT THE FUCK UP! IT'S JUST THE DAMN MEDIA!" Katsuki screamed while unleashing some smaller blasts, successfully earning everyone's attention from atop a table. "SO STOP PANICKING LIKE FUCKING LOSERS AND GET YOUR ASSSES CALMED THE FUCK DOWN OR I'LL BLAST YOU IN A SEAT MYSELF!"

"Geez... You didn't have to be so violent about it..." Kaminari mumbled.

"It adds to his flair," Izuku smiled. "And he did it! Look, people are calming down!"

"You sure have exciting friends, Midoriya," Hatsume laughed. "Mister anger issues got spirit!"

"I don't have anger issues!" Kacchan snapped, marching towards the pink haired girl, only for Izuku to step in between them.

"That was amazing, Kacchan!" Izuku beamed. "You took control of the situation just like that! Like a real hero!"

"Tch. I am a real hero, damn Deku, and don't you forget it," Katsuki stated, jabbing at his chest. He was grinning, though, so Izuku knew he was quite pleased with himself. Normally Tenya would do crowd control but...well, guess this wouldn't affect things too much, right?

//\\
\\//

"You're... You're class president?" Izuku squeaked.

"Don't sound too surprised, asshole," Katsuki scoffed. Kacchan. Class president. Oh my god. Okay, maybe letting him interfere during the alarm had been a mistake. Maybe, because, well, Kacchan would've actually made a decent class president. Most of 1-A would've when given the chance, Izuku was sure. Besides, this could be written off as the chance theory, right? Jikan must take those variations into account! "What? You don't think I can do it?"

"Of course you can! Kacchan is amazing, he can do anything!" Izuku said quickly. "It's just...unexpected, I guess? I didn't think your classmates would nominate you with your, uh, reputation."

"Tch, well, not everyone is happy about it but I don't fucking care," Katsuki huffed, putting his hands in his pockets. "It's all due to that false alarm, anyway. Otherwise I bet ponytail would've gotten first place."

"Oh, did Yaoyorozu become vice-president?" Izuku asked. "Good for her! I honestly think she can be an amazing strategist if she puts her mind to it. So organized, too-"

"You really need to pipe down on your stalking, nerd. It's fucking creepy," Katsuki told him.

"I'm not stalking them! I just-"

He just knew, okay? Izuku knew those things, knew their characteristics and traits and hobbies and little quirks and... They were his friends, had been for several lifetimes. Izuku knew them, probably better than they knew themselves at this point. He couldn't help but want to be involved, to want to talk about them, to them- But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Not if it could break this cursed time loop. Not if him becoming a quirkless nobody meant that the world would be saved.

"You're just not gonna tell me, is that it?" Katsuki finished, getting agitated.

"Kacchan-" Izuku pouted.

"I need to get going," the blonde said, increasing his speed. "We've got training outside of campus today, don't wanna miss the bus."

Izuku's eyes widened. Of course! That was today! He sprinted ahead, blocking Kacchan's path as his childhood friend glared at him.

"Get out of my fucking-"

"The USJ," Izuku interrupted. "You're going to the USJ today, right?"

"...Of fucking course you know about that shit," Katsuki grumbled. "What the hell is it to you?"

"Don't be reckless," Izuku pleaded. "Please, just... Don't go after- I- Please be safe."

How could he possibly warn Kacchan about the attack without telling him he knew about it? When knowing he hadn't informed UA about it? It was too late now, though. He'd already said too much. And he knew Kacchan would have questions for him later. It was too late to turn back now, so maybe-

"The blue haired one, he's dangerous," Izuku said, knowing he'd regret this later. "He doesn't look it, but he is. Stay away from him. Please, that's all I ask Kacchan."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Katsuki asked, pushing him aside. "It's just rescue training... Right?"

He looked over his shoulder at Izuku, who bit his lip while looking down to the ground. Just rescue training... Right... That was all it was supposed to be, anyway.

"Right," Izuku mumbled. "Rescue training... Do... Uhm, do your best, Kacchan."

//\\
\\//

"How?"

Izuku didn't look up to him as Katsuki cornered him in the hallway a few days later. The USJ attack had come and gone, and UA was taking extra safety measures to ensure student safety. And Izuku... Izuku had been avoiding Kacchan, knowing the ash blonde would want some answers.

"The blue haired guy," Katsuki continued. "He was their leader. He seriously injured sensei."

Yeah, Izuku knew. He knew and he wished he could've stopped it. But the USJ... It had always been weird going back there after what happened so early on in this mess of loops and vicious circles. Eraserhead didn't deserve to get hurt, though. No, he deserved all the money and rest in the world for putting up with them for as long as he has.

"You knew that was going to happen," Katsuki hissed, setting off an explosion right next to Izuku's face. God, this reminded him of middle school Kacchan in the worst possible way. "I'll ask you again, one last time. How did you know, Deku?"

"I... I had a hunch," Izuku muttered, still avoiding his eyes. How was he supposed to talk himself out of this? He'd tried to come up with excuses when he was tiptoeing around Kacchan, but none of them sounded too believable. "Overheard some shifty people talking about it while out on an errand for mom. I didn't think they would actually get in but...but I wanted to warn you, just in case."

"And I'm supposed to believe that shit?!" Katsuki yelled, setting off another explosion. Izuku flinched and whimpered, hoping the scared reaction would be enough to make Kacchan tone it down a bit. This Kacchan never bullied him, after all. He had no reason to make Izuku afraid of him. If anything, he needed Izuku by his side in order to become partners in the future. "How did you know about my classmates' quirks on the first day of school?"

"I can't-"

"You can't tell me?" Katsuki asked. "Not good enough, nerd! Try another answer!"

"Please let go of me, Kacchan," Izuku asked, trembling as he screwed his eyes shut. "I wanna... I wanna go. Please."

"You don't get to act like you're-!

"What's going on here?"

Izuku felt Kacchan tense up before backing off. He might've known about Vlad King's usual after school route, since he was in charge of closing down the classrooms in this section of the school. You know, making sure no one lingered or there weren't any uninvited guests hiding somewhere.

"Nothing, sensei. We were just leaving," Katsuki told him through gritted teeth, clearly not happy to be interrupted. No, if Izuku told Vlad King Kacchan had been threatening him, it could end up a stain on his record.

"I forgot my notebook," Izuku said, straightening up his shoulders as he smiled at the pro hero before politely bowing down. "I hope I didn't cause us any trouble."

He heard Katsuki click his tongue, but he knew he'd bow his head just the same.

"Sorry for the inconvenience," he added.

"It's alright," Vlad King said. "I'll let you off the hook this time. Don't let it happen again, alright?"

"Yes sensei," they answered somewhat synchronized before hurrying away. That was a close call. Izuku had never been happier he'd gotten better at lying to authority figures. Not really a skill a hero should be proud of...

"Don't think you're getting away so easily, Deku," Katsuki hissed. "We're not done talking about this."

Izuku figured as much, thinking that Kacchan would drag him off somewhere once they left school grounds, but instead he left him alone. He backed off, but they both knew that didn't mean giving up. Maybe Izuku's scared act had gotten to him, like he planned? Whatever it was, it had bought him some more time to come up with a good lie.

//\\
\\//

"Excited for the sportsfestival?" Izuku asked. Katsuki didn't say anything, ignoring him just like he'd been doing for the last few days. He didn't push Izuku away, didn't threaten him or use his quirk, but he wasn't engaging with him either. No, Izuku was getting the silent treatment. "I bet it's gonna be great! I mean, you'll be great, no doubt. Oh, do you already have a speech planned? I heard the one who finished first in the entrance exam gets to represent the first years."

"Of course you did," Katsuki said. Those were one of the few words he'd spoken to Izuku ever since this silent treatment began, so Izuku instantly shut up in case he wanted to say something else. Katsuki noticed, letting out a long sigh. "Bet you already know what the sportsfest is gonna look like, right?"

"It's randomized every year, so-"

"Don't play dumb with me, Deku," Katsuki snapped. "How many rounds?"

"...Three," Izuku said, knowing it was better to give in than to keep arguing. Kacchan was finally talking to him again! He was not going to let this go to waste by being stubborn about something Kacchan already knew about. "The last round consists of brackets."

"What are my chances, you think?"

"Kacchan is going to win," Izuku said. "You'll easily destroy everyone else."

"How about you?"

"Huh?" Izuku asked, confused. Katsuki rolled his eyes, probably thinking something along the lines of 'this dumb fuck'.

"You've got all this intel and you're not planning on doing anything with it?" Katsuki asked. "Seriously, I thought you were smart, Deku."

"I'm quirkless, Kacchan," Izuku reminded him. "Even if I know what's coming, it's not going to help me win."

No, winning the sportsfestival might not be an option. Not against opponents like Kacchan and Shoto. But maybe... Maybe he could still make it pretty far if he used his head? He hadn't used his quirk at all during his first few times going through this, right? Those timelines seemed to have happened ages ago, but Izuku remembered now- He didn't used to be so dependent on One For All back when he had no control over the quirk. If he prepared accordingly then maybe...

"I can see the gears turning, so don't even try to fool me," Katsuki grinned, tapping the side of Izuku's head. "How about a wager, huh? If you manage to win the sportsfest, I'll back off. If I win, you gotta tell me what's going on with you."

"But- I can never-" Izuku stammered. How was that a fair wager?! Even if things went the same as they went in his first life, he'll never win the brackets! There was no combination of fights in which he was guaranteed to win, no chance that things would line up perfectly, not if Kacchan was competing, too.

"Hah? Giving up already?" Katsuki laughed.

"What? No!" Izuku said, swatting off Kacchan's hands as he tried to mess up his hair even further.

"Then show me what you've got!" Katsuki exclaimed. "Let's see how much that secret of yours is worth."

Izuku gulped. Kacchan's determination was truly something else... But Izuku wouldn't be defeated so easily! He just needed to come up with a suitable plan.