The two standing on either side are shorter. For some reason, Katsuki's heart is pounding in his throat. There's a familiarity to the newcomers that he can't quite place. One with blond hair pushed back from his face and the other with his face covered by a mask and a cape. A mask with two spikes angled back over his head in an imitation of All Might's unique hairstyle. Besides the masks (and cape in one case), both of them are in the UA school uniform.
Which means they're both students. Students. The one with the spiky mask turns around, and Katsuki sees the back of his head. He has green hair. There are very few people Katsuki can think of with green hair. The knot in his stomach disappears, instead, he feels like his stomach is simply gone. Izuku. Despite everything, Izuku is standing in the center of USJ with determination and probably All Might's quirk to back him up, and Katsuki has no clue how it happened.
"Izuku!" The yell rips from his throat before he has time to stop it.
The student with the spiky mask flinches, and Katsuki has zero doubt about left in his mind. Why Izuku didn't tell him, he does not know. Of course there are probably reasons, but Katsuki feels betrayal settle in his mind; ugly, dark, and he doesn't want it there. At the same time his heart pounds, because Izuku is there, and there's a sense that maybe everything will go right (and he curses himself for putting the weight of saving the day on Izuku's shoulders again).
With another large blast, the nomu makes an entrance. All Might has his hands full after that. And as much as Katsuki wants to run after Izuku and demand an explanation, he has his hands full with the other villains that are still in the area. He notes that Aizawa is already bleeding from a cut on his face and Thirteen definitely looks worse for the wear. But, all in all, they're better off than last time. Hopefully, the rest of 1-A make it through with minimal injuries again.
The next time he has a second to glance at All Might, he notices that the other two are gone.
When the less-important villains are dealt with. Katsuki is out of breath and nursing several small injuries, not least of which is a nasty cut above his eye. Feeling useless, Katsuki braces himself against a conveniently placed fence. From his place off to the side, he watches All Might's fight. As he watches, he thinks he can see the distinct signs that All Might is weakening. Which means only one thing: Izuku has inherited One for All.
Katsuki grips the rail of the fence tighter, conflicting emotions swirling through his mind. Izuku is more capable of protecting himself, which is a good thing, but he has made himself a target for the villains, which is a very, very bad thing.
All Katsuki can do is watch as All Might struggles against the nomu. He knows he can't help in that fight, and he knows he can't just dive for Shigaraki. By the time All Might wins, Izuku and the blond mystery boy are back, school uniforms worse for the wear and the students in 1-A trailing behind them. Katsuki feels something like worry when he sees that mystery boy is holding Asui in his arms. Something happened that didn't last time. And while that could be a good thing, this time it got someone hurt. (At least it wasn't Izuku).
All Might wins, and Katsuki can see the toll winning took. And his worry turns toward Shigaraki. With a weakened All Might and only two pro heroes who are not combat-focused to stand against them, they would hardly stand a chance. Luckily, it's at that moment that the doors of USJ burst open and back-up arrives. Iida follows a few steps behind them. And something like relief breaks through Katsuki.
The villains leave the same way the came, only leaving the now-useless nomu behind. All Might disappears in a cloud of steam, but the view is quickly blocked. Katsuki runs toward Izuku, protective instinct overruling common sense. Izuku, in turn, reacts in surprise. His mouth, which is visible since the mask covers mostly covers the upper half of his face, opens slightly.
"Kacchan?" He asks, and Katsuki can hear uncertainty and hesitation.
There are a lot of things Katsuki could say in response, but he's never been good with words.
"You're a fucking dumbass, Deku," he says instead.
Izuku inclines his head in what Katsuki assumes to be remorse. "I'm sorry, Kacchan, I'm…" He drops his head to rest on Katsuki's shoulder, and Katsuki is too surprised to move. "I'm sorry," Izuku finishes, his voice hardly more than a breath against Katsuki's skin.
"You damn well better explain later," he mutters, and then pushes Izuku off his shoulder both because anyone in 1-A could see them and because Katsuki has not, in anyway, at all been cured of being in love with Izuku.
Katsuki turns away before Izuku notices, his cheeks burning, and heads back to the rest of the 1-A students. The bus ride back to school is quiet. A few other pro heroes have joined them on the bus to keep anything else from happening. Their teachers along with All Might, Izuku, and mystery boy have disappeared as well.
Katsuki sits glumly with his cheek pressed against the glass, trying not to notice Asui's empty seat.