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Izuku takes in a deep breath through his nose, holding the air inside of his lung until they feel like they're going to burst. He lets the air go, then, like a hostage that outstayed their usefulness, and focuses on the sight in front of him.
He watches Monoma where he kneels on the ground, forehead pressed against the ground. There's a small package of mochi resting in front of him, an offering to buy Izuku's forgiveness. He's just finished a very poetic speech about the value of moving on and the detrimental way in which holding a grudge might end up souring one's entire life.
It was a very good speech; Izuku is going to ask him for a transcript later. There was no way it was all said off the cuff, not when Monoma had known to be prepared with the mochi.
He had come into their meeting prepared to betray Izuku. He brought not only a bribe along, but had an apology speech prepared. Instead of doing the logical thing and not betraying him in the first place.
Izuku lets the silence stretch between them for a moment later, pulling taunt, until he finally breaks it with a sigh.
"I can't forgive you for what you did," he tells Monoma.
The words have the exact impact he intends them to have. He's been stabbed directly into his heart, today. It was time to make Monoma feel the same.
"Please," Monoma straightens, his face twisted into his best attempt at making a puppy face. It's some ways off from being effective. "You understand why I had to do that- I know you do! If it weren't you, I would have had to take the fall, and we both know it would have defeated me the way it won't even phase you!"
Keeping his face stoney, Izuku shakes his head. "It's still a betrayal of the highest order."
"I had no choice!"
"And I am left with no choice but to seek the appropriate compensation."
Monoma nods, his head bobbing up and down like one of those trinkets people like to keep in their cars. Izuku makes a note to commission Yaomomo for a few such toys; They would look cute on the windowsil of the dorm.
"Anything you wish!"
Izuku rolls his shoulders, stretching the muscles of his neck before bending to pick up the mochi. He leaves to put it in the fridge, for now, fully intending to eat it while watching his favourite All Might documentary later that night.
By the time he returns to the table, Monoma's shifted into a stiff seiza, fists balled on top of his knees anxiously.
"I am not cruel," Izuku tells him. "I think we can still be friends."
Monoma's deep sigh of relief is a bit too theatrical, even for him, and Izuku can't help but roll his eyes fondly.
"But for the rest of the day — not just this single game, the whole day — you will place down whichever card I tell you to."
Now that has an even stronger effect on the other boy, tension leaving him in one giant wave. "If course," he says, almost breathlessly. "As you wish!"
With a final nod and a firm handshake to cement the deal, Izuku returns his attention to the table and picks up his three cards, along with the twenty six new ones that Uraraka had very helpfully counted out for him. He double-checks the number; Not because he doesn't trust Uraraka's count, but that he doesn't trust her opportunism when it comes to cheating. One betrayal is enough for him, thank you.
"What a banquet of darkness," Tokoyama shakes his head from behind his own fan of cards. "You two are such dramatic individuals."
"I think it's the perfect amount of dramatics," Izuku counters, looking through his new inventory. "The situation warranted nothing less."
Tokoyami inclines his head in acquiescence. Izuku grins sharply, finding exactly what he had hoped to gain, and slaps a +4 card on top of the deck.
Uraraka, who is sitting right next to him — and is also the person who had started the last disastrous chain of pluses — sighs deeply.
And counters.