‘ et tu, brute?  ’

━━━━━

The palatable smell of the curry dish wafts throughout the expanse of the cafeteria and Yuko relishes in the smell. Lunch time was all moans of pleasure and wide smiles enjoying the euphoric bliss of the food.

"Hey Shouto," she began with that smile of hers, always an appropriate beginner to numerous conversations. "You up for some dessert?"

"Dessert?" he asked and chewed on another piece of vegetable, a potato. "Lunch Rush didn't provide dessert."

A cat-like grin was the only response to his comment and Yuko soon runmaged through the contents of a miniscule canister she brought. Out came a box of what seemed to be something, embellished with cut out paper clouds pasted on top of the baby blue surface of the box.

"What's that?" Shouto asked, gesturing to the box and Yuko let out another grin as she unlatched the edges of the box to reveal the content.

With a sheen that looked as if it might reflect even the iridescence of the sun, golden caramel and underneath a succulent canary layer partnered with box shaped jellies that looked like jewels.

"A pudding," she answered and pushed the box forward. "I heard somewhere that friends shared food and stuff and sweets and I would have given Uraraka or Katsuki, but Uraraka likes mochi so I'll make that for her and Katsuki has a thing for spicy food."

"You like cold food, right?" she asked. "I figured you'd like it."

Wordlessly, he used his spoon to cut a layer and savored the sweet taste. Although the euphoric bliss from the taste of sweets was something that required universal appreciation, Yuko knew that Shouto would not admit it anytime soon. So instead of gloating in glee with the possibility of pushing her friend away, Yuko bit her own emotions away and merely pasted her lips together in a tight smile that would have sent anyone scurrying away.

She was content with the small smile that he made after he took the first taste, the edges of his lips curved upwards. A scene to behold and in that moment, Yuko didn't want to share it with anyone, like a greedy thief that found the most breathtaking of treasures.

But then something dampened her mood like a rain cloud amidst the summer sunshine, when he lightly pushed the box away and looked at her with a blank expression on her face.

"Jeez," she said and made sure to avert her eyes from him. "If you didn't like it, you should have just told me."

"Yuko," he said as if ignoring her whimsical comment. She did not like this. At all. "Is something wrong?"

She almost stood up from her seat, incredulous. "Why would you ask me that?"

His expression remained hardened but there was something, something she didn't miss. A brief look of suspicion, concern and then guilt. Guilt?

He was guilty? Of what?

"Yuko, it's just that I've been going back to the Noodle House- the one where you worked in and it's been a week and I haven't seen you once. The boss told me you've stopped going to work and they're- your colleagues- are worried."

"Oh..." she said.

"You're one of the most hardworking people I know, well except for class matters," he said. "And if anything, you're frugal so why would you make a pudding which requires money when you've stopped attending your job."

Despite the seriousness in Shouto's voice, her face remains a cool orb under the glace surface of the cherry sun. She remains amused, lighthearted even, even her response came as honey and buttermilk with cherries on top glazed with caramel and oozing of saccharine.

"A relative came," she said and leaned back on the backrest of the chair. "Gave me some cash to support me. My job is irrelevant now."

"I thought you only had your mother," he said and that expression earlier hardened to suspicion. And then he added in a low tone, "And she was at that nursing home."

Embarrassment and exasperation flashed on her face and her once dulcet grin turned to ice cold. "What are you trying to imply, Shouto?" Her clenched fists were shaking. She hated being reminded of her mother, her actions which led her to abandon her mother.

"I didn't mean anything by it," he defended.

"But you are trying to imply something here and whatever that is, it must be something serious because you're picking on my scabs here!" she raised her voice and mercifully amidst the cafeteria chatter, it didn't stand out too much. "I trusted you with these things, but I didn't mean for you to use them against me."

"Yuko..."

She shook her head. The rational part of her was begging her to let it go, to answer his queries because the sunshine inside her was dying and it would rot if she continued to feed it with toxic rage.

"The relative was from my father's side," she said. "Saw me in the Noodle House, fucking recognized me because I had my father's features. Told me he'll help me make my life become easier." And that rage disappeared when she saw that he was believing, trusting.

Yuko's palms moved to his and cornflower eyes meet bicolored ones. "Trust me Shouto," she said. "Nothing illegal's happening. At least not yet"- he gave her a pointed look at this point and she stuck a tongue out- "I'm kidding, but really, nothing's wrong. No need for you to go all bad cop on me."

He held her hand too. They felt warm against each other. Friends, forever and ever she hoped. To dandelion fluffs floating in midair, to ice cold stars burning a streak across the sky, fallen eyelashes against ruddy butterscotch cheeks. She hoped and hoped.

"I'm just worried," he said. "It's not like you for be so secretive. I just don't like troublesome secrets between us."

"Jeez," she said. "Guess I'll have to come out and tell you I'm having an affair with your brother."

He gave her that look again and Yuko didn't even recoil. "You don't even know a single one of my brothers," he deadpanned.

"For now," she said and gave him her version of a seductive wink. He almost laughed at how ludicrous she appeared, but he composed himself.

"Please don't go after one of them," he said.

A shrug was her only sort of response. "I can't say, I'm a woman of mysteries, you know."

When he didn't respond to that jibe and instead, just blatantly stared at her, Yuko puffed her cheeks. "You were supposed to say, 'ah I'm powerless against your enigma, oh mysterious and inscrutable Yuko!' and then praise me more or something."

He didn't blink at all, even when he said, "You're not really mysterious."

That was like an arrow piercing through her lungs and she was choking, choking and heaving her chest for air. "The fact that you just said that and not to be mean at all is worse," she said, clutching her chest.

He didn't respond again. She could never really force Shouto to be talkative, he was a man of few words after all and she had to be a hypocrite to admit that it didn't make him look cool.

"You're so mean," she said and turned away and when he gave her a poke on the shoulder to garner her attention, she was all, "What?" with matching crossed arms over chest.

"The pudding's tasty," he said. "I'm going to eat it if you don't mind."

Instantly, she was torn between becoming the whining, sullen friend or that one person who always aimed to please. Unsurprisingly, the latter triumphed and she urged him to eat it, enjoying the feel of the compliment ringing on her ears.

"And Yuko," Shouto said in between spoonfuls of the pudding. "I'm sorry about bringing up the one with your mom."

"It's okay." It really was. "I trust you anyways."

"Thanks," he replied. "And if it's any consolation, I was just overwhelmed with worry earlier and I really, genuinely trust you too."

He shouldn't have.

━×━

Later that day, when the sun hung high on the sky, scorching and majestic like a golden crown blazing across azure skies and chalk white clouds, literary discussions were conducted. Present Mic had the chairs and desks separated into two parts, ten students standing on each and Iida on the middle as a sort of intermeditating entity.

"Huddle among yourselves, please," Iida said, doing the Iida chopping motion with his hand as he surveyed the two groups with a hawk like gaze. "And since this is a debate, let's make sure to conduct it with the best of our abilities!"

"Thank you, Iida!" Present Mic called from the front of the classroom, legs propped on the table as he leaned back against the chair. It was a wonder Iida hadn't chastised him yet. "Now, since everyone's all huddled up. You choose three representatives to carry the debate on."

He turned to Iida, shades still on. "Iida, kindly announce the topic!"

"Yes, teacher!" the blue haired Class President responds and clasps two palms to garner the attention of the rest of the class. "Today, everyone, we will be discussing one of the most famous betrayals, so to speak, in history. In battles, between heroes and villains, it cannot be helped that some villains are both deceptive and charismatic. They will twist facts and that is why, we, as future heroes under the tutelage of pro heroes which-"

"Iida, I think this is beginning to sound unnecessary," Present Mic began to protest, but the earnest Class Rep was already on an endless roll so he merely sighed and sat back on his seat.

"Which pass their knowledge unto us with strength and determination. Furthermore, as U.A. is the best of the best, we must conduct necessary measures befitting the best of the best so being drawn to the dark side with charisma and persuasion, we will not succumb to such means."

Yuko sighed, but kept a smile on her face. Unlike most of the populace in the classroom, she felt as if it was all right for Iida to speak of such matters. There was nothing wrong with what he was saying after all, and after the Stain incident in which aspiring heroes were finding the said villain cool, this was needed.

"This betrayal has also spurred the famous line, Et tu, Brute? meaning," he paused for a while and turned to Kaminari with the same waving motion with his arms. "Kaminari-kun, you must listen!"

"Et tu, Brute? meaning Thou too, Brutus? which displayed the feelings of surprise Julius Caesar felt at the realization one of his closest confidantes were one of the plotters of his inevitable doom."

"In relation," Iida said. "This intellectual Oxford Oregon style of debate in which six members of the class will partake in will tackle said betrayal of Brutus. One side, affirmative will spur the idea that Brutus and his compatriots were patriots for they prevented Caesar from becoming a rex (dictator), and the other will push the idea that they were traitors just as some textbooks has decreed for they killed their leader with only baseless conjectures and hunger for power as motivation."

"Fifteen minutes will be given to both sides in preparation and the affirmative or negative side will be determined by a toss coin to save time and ensure unbiased choices."

Iida raised his arm and caught the coin Momo had tossed him, something antique and expensive the ravenette had explained.

"Yaoyorozu's group, what will you choose?" Iida asked and Momo turned to the rest of them for an answer. Ultimately, it was Tsuyu who came up with a response and said, "Heads."

The rest of the group, along with Yuko agreed with the Frog Girl. She was both a kind and reasonable personage in the classroom so there was no problem with her choices. She was also ranked sixth in Academics so there was that.

"That leaves Midoriya's group for Tails. I shall begin the toss coin and the result shall be irrevocable. Once the results are announced, the fifteen minutes given to research will begin."

He tossed the coin up in the air and as it sailed, Yuko's group decided that they would choose the affirmative side in case it showed Heads.

Ultimately, it showed Tails, and Bakugou was quick to decide that they were choosing the negative side stating that traitors were shit.

It bode well with Shouto and Izuku so that was that and they were quick to research on the facts. Momo took the facts to consideration and chose the three representatives of their group since she was the one everyone was sure to win. She chose Tsuyu, seeing as the Frog Girl was closest to the top and Yuko since Kouda was the only closest one and he had confidence issues.

Yuko wore confidence like a second skin and since she was ranked thirteenth (End of Terms ranking), she was the nearest ranked to Kouda.

And so the debate ensued. It turned out to be a Boys versus Girls event. With Shouto up first against Tsuyu (ranked fifth and sixth, respectively), Katsuki versus Yuko (third and thirteenth, God save the latter's soul), and finally Midoriya and Momo (first and fourth and her teammates were confident with Momo's skill but with Midoriya's ramblings, it would turn out interesting).

"Sensei," Yuko called and raised a hand as the opposing sides faced each other. "This is an intellectual debate so obviously, curse words will guarantee deductions!"

"Of course, listener!" the man replied and immediately, Midoriya's head turned to Yuko's, emeralds wide and incredulous.

"This is bad!" Midoriya announced. "K-Kacchan, swap with me. I'll go up against Yuko-san!"

A devious smile covered the expanse of Yuko's face. She may not be the brightest mind in this classroom but she was natural trickster, blessed by Hermes- God of tricksters himself and it ws Katsuki who taught her to use every weapon in her arsenal. In fact, Midoriya's response only helped improve her plan.

"Lookie Katsuki," Yuko said with a Yuko-esque grin. "Izuku, the future top hero may or may not be implying that you can't take me on."

"Shut up, damn Deku!" the blond yelled and then turned to Yuko. "Who said I can't take you on? You still haven't paid for what you did last week, damn woman. I'll debate the shit out of you until you're a puddle of blood!"

Cornflower eyes were still alight with pallid mischief and another grin was her only reply. That'd piss him off even more, she thought as she took in his entire fed up form.

"Don't be swayed by it, Bakugou," Shouto commanded. "She's just trying to rile you up. Focus, the debate's going to begin."

Scoffing at him, Yuko decided it was enough and focused on the debate again.

It was going to be heated and so it was, full of deep words and facts. The debaters were doing amazing and when it was Yuko's turn, she managed to recite her stand with conviction and displayed confidence about some opinions that made them sound like facts.

Unfortunately, when Katsuki begun firing his questions, he caught on to some opinions and asked her to clarify. True to her furtive self, Yuko managed to talk her way around some questions and burn the time, so by the time Katsuki had shot six or seven curse words, the query ended with no unanswered questions from her side.

"Betrayal is betrayal," Katsuki said when it was time for him to defend his stand. True to his third rank and although some people might miss it given his delinquent like behaviour, Katsuki was intelligent.

He presented the facts calmly, almost coolly and well attractively. And then his words turned to weapons like arrows and lances and spears and it struck her and she was being assaulted.

"In our world where heroes and villains thrive, light and dark, betrayal is an act of villainy, an act of the coward and any means of justifying said betrayal should just fall on deaf ears because it is an undeniable treachery and doing it..."

Yuko finished for him, whispering under her breath, unknowing of the trembling fist beside her grey uniform skirt. "And simply doing it means that you're a villain."

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