Perhaps a Better Place [A Dadzawa Story]

Rocking: Chapter 50

     "She said all that?" Jiro asks as we whisper to each other in the corner of the changing room.

I nod. "I overheard it all. I'm just glad Ashido was the one she was talking to, I'm scared any of the other girls might have agreed with her."

Jirou zips her shirt up over her tank top and sits down on the bench with me.

"You should talk to Ashido eventually. And maybe Uraraka, too. Uraraka isn't a bad person and I don't want there to be any bad blood between you and any of our classmates."

I give her an unimpressed look.

"I had no control over Iida," she defends, putting her hands up. "Don't look at me like that."

I elbow her in the side and we both laugh, standing and leaving the room together.

In the hall, Uraraka stands against the opposite wall, having a conversation with a girl who's name I don't remember. Frog quirk, though.

Uraraka looks over at me briefly and her gaze lingers for a moment, so I smile and wave. She doesn't catch the bitterness I intended the action to have, and she gives me a little wave back before Jirou and I walk away.

"I'm not gonna survive this school year. I'm slowly making more enemies."

"You've survived the rest of your life. You're doing just fine."

***

     I was somehow forced into a bear hug by Shouji when we all got into the waiting area. Sitting in his lap while wrapped in a cocoon isn't the worst thing in the world, but holy fuck, if it isn't embarrassing.

     But I don't dare complain about it. Because my nerves are calmer now than they've been all day.

     And that's a win.

    Fumikage and Mezo talk with a small group of the other students as I take a few moments to rest my eyes - not sleeping, but preserving energy, although there should be plenty of energy in the scarily-caffeinated energy drink in my pocket.

     But I digress. It is warm in Shouji's arms, and I'm allowed to make excuses for my own benefit.

     "Aw, man! I was totally hoping I could wear my costume!" Ashido's voice.

     "Well, at least everyone will be in uniform. That'll keep things fair, right?" Ojirou.

     "I wonder what they'll have in store for us in the first round," Satou says nervously.

     "No matter what they throw at us, we must persevere," Tokoyami declares dramatically.

     "Right," Shouji says, and I hum my own agreement.

     A door opens and the bane of my existence yells, "Everyone, get your game faces on! We will be entering the arena soon!"

     I silently mock him but stop as I realize everyone has gone silent. Todoroki says, "Midoriya."

     There's a moment of silence, then the other side of the conversation speaks.

     "Hey, Todoroki... What's up?"

     "From an objective standpoint, I think it's fairly clear that I'm stronger than you."

     I just barely hold back a snort of amusement and Shouji pinches my side, making me knee him softly in the stomach.

     "Uh... Yeah," Midoriya responds.

     "However," Todoroki continues, "you've got All Might in your corner helping you out."