Author's Note: This is a story about Jiro & Kaminari. Other various ships or characters may be featured in the future, however. This is a story that takes place sometime after chapter 183 of the My Hero Academia manga. This is a story that using English dub naming conventions. If that isn't to your taste, I apologize! Please read, enjoy, and feel free to comment.
Welcome to U.A. High, the prestigious school that's turned out some of the world's greatest heroes. I'm running toward my dream in these halls, learning to overcome obstacles and bring peace to the hearts of people everywhere.
...Or something like that.
My name is Kyoka, and I'm a first year student here at U.A. I haven't even been enrolled at U.A. for a full year yet, and already I've participated in the sports and culture festivals, passed my final exams, earned my provisional hero license, not to mention fighting real villains and being put in the hospital. In short, even by the harshest standards, my time here has been…totally punk rock.
My quirk is called "Earphone Jack", which I also ended up using as my hero name. Straight to the point, right? I inherited that quirk from my Mom. My earlobes have audio jacks that I can extend or retract. I can plug them into walls, the ground, pretty much anything to pick up even the quietest of sounds and vibrations. I can also use them to transmit and amplify the sound of my heartbeat.
That's right, my heart is my real weapon. As embarrassingly dramatic as that sounds, it's the truth, and not an edgy song lyric. Well, actually, maybe some day it'll be both. My heart is my weapon, my power, my greatest asset. As long as my heart is beating, I can fight, I can save people, I can change the world for the better.
I didn't always think that, though. In fact, during our summer training camp, I was hospitalized by a villain with a gas quirk. If everyone else hadn't acted as quick as they did, I probably would've died. It was hard not to feel helpless after that. I would lie in that hospital bed and think about my quirk. My unremarkable, unflashy quirk. A quirk that's practically useless if I don't have the support gear on my costume. I would think about my classmates, Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, Iida, Momo, even Kaminari…So many people in class 1-A have such powerful, outstanding quirks. They're heavy metal, arena rock, mainstream pop, and I'm barely indie folk in comparison. What right did I have to be in a class alongside them? They fought for their lives, fought for my life, while I was on the ground unconscious.
I became a bit listless after that, even though I wouldn't admit it, not even to Momo or any of my other close friends. Jiro is tough, Jiro is cool. I had a reputation to uphold, after all. The idea of sitting across from someone, trying to spill my guts and sensitive feelings seriously just made me wanna barf––and between Aoyama and Ochaco, our class has enough of that already. I passed the provisional license exam, but again, it was mostly thanks to our class working together as one, rather than any large contribution I made. I was backup vocals. As always.
...That is, until the cultural festival when I, quite literally, took center stage for the first time in my U.A. career. Somehow, someway, I ended up heading up a live concert––singing and playing bass. I didn't want to do it at first. It was embarrassing! Music felt like a useless talent, no, not even a talent, a useless hobby to me. Besides my quirk, my only special skill that made me unique was something that wouldn't help me in a fight, wouldn't keep anyone safe from danger, it was just that––a hobby. Why should I put that on stage? What worth does it really have?
"It's so cool that you're so good with instruments!"
Kaminari shouted at me, uncomfortably close to my face, grinning wide and brightly like the total idiot he is. No, actually, it wasn't a dumb smile. This wasn't the smile of someone who was delighting in their own joke or scheme or quirk.
He was smiling at me...because of me. Kaminari wasn't making fun of me. It was as if he saw all of my shame and embarrassment, the listlessness I had been feeling for months on end and was telling me that it was okay. He saw value in me, in my talents, that he wanted me to see for myself. I know what you're thinking. He's Kaminari! Is he even capable of that level of intelligence and empathy? And...while I would usually agree, sometimes you have to give other people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that was just what I wanted to believe but...something about him seemed so genuine. The way he looked at me reminded me a little bit of All Might. Blond hair, big smile, strong, impassioned voice…
If my earphone jacks had been plugged into something for that long moment that he was smiling at me, practically sparkling with electricity, I think I may have demolished the entire dorm. It wasn't just Kaminari, either. Koda, Momo, Toru, so many people were supporting me.
But for some reason, I spent the entire night staring up at my checkerboard ceiling thinking about the way that Kaminari looked at me. His messy blond hair that I'm sure he thinks is super cool but really looks like he just rolled out of bed. His dim witted golden eyes that are always getting so bright and excited. He's so dumb. He's such a moron. But one way or another, it feels like we always end up looking at each other. I could feel my cheeks getting warm before I finally managed to snap myself out of it. Disgusting, Kyoka. Denki Kaminari? Really?
I pushed down those feelings for the remainder of the build to the culture festival. Even though we had to spend a ton of time together so that I could get him up to speed on the guitar. Even though we'd sit together and he'd listen to me talk about music theory, which, okay, there's no way he could've been interested in that, right? So why did he let me keep talking? Why did he never look bored? He just kept looking at me. Enthusiastically. Like that first time he encouraged me. The look that I couldn't get out of my head.
Then the culture festival came properly, and it was something that I'll never forget. Being on stage in front of all of those smiling, cheering people––giving them my very best...it reminded me why I want to be a hero in the first place. That my heart has a lot more to offer than just sound waves. A hero is someone that can touch the hearts of others––someone that can erase stress and anxiety with their smile, with the sound of their voice. My heart was beating like crazy, and even without my earphone jacks plugged in, I knew that everyone watching could feel it too. It's not about having the quirk of a hero, it's about having the heart of one. Things changed for me that day. In some small way, I felt like I finally caught up to the rest of our class, the other passionate future heroes built on a strong ideology. Finally, I had my own.
ROCK THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE! SHIELD THEM WITH THE SOUND OF YOUR BEATING HEART!
If not for Kaminari's smile, I might not have made it this far, or at least not this easily.
Stupid as it was, embarrassing and honestly, horrifying as it may have been, I needed to tell him.
It was the night of, after the festival had ended and everything was slowly but surely being dismantled. A taller student with wild, dark hair was taking apart that haunted house I had absolutely refused to go inside of. It was that boy Midoriya fought in the first round of the sports festival. The general studies kid. There was really no reason for him to recognize me, but our eyes locked momentarily as he slung an armful of bloody props over his shoulder. Did I do something to piss him off at any point? His eyes seemed empty and cold, as if my very presence, even like, 20 yards away, was aggravating him. I was the first one to look away––there was no way I was going to risk getting on that dude's bad side. I could have sworn he looked bigger than he used to, too. Tougher. Threatening, even. Just a little bit.
"If you're not participating in tear down, you should be off the grounds. Go back to your dorm, Hero Course," the boy's low, nasally voice was startling as he passed in front of me while I had been looking away. I could barely think up a sarcastic yet non-confrontational response before he was already loudly stomping off into the distance.
I figured maybe he was right, though, maybe I should go back to the dorms and get it over with.
I shook my head. There were still a few students milling about outside, but it had gotten just late enough that a hush had fallen over the U.A. campus. It was a beautiful night, and even over this enormous city, the stars were out. I gazed skyward and breathed in deep as I headed towards the 1-A dorms. What a day. I sat down on the steps in front of the dorm's double doors, technically at the dorm so that general studies kid couldn't come growl at me again.
I glanced down at my outfit––a simple, uniform t-shirt and skirt. Even in these frankly plain clothes, I was still feeling kind of like a rock star. I was grateful for the life I had, the friends I had made. Kaminari...No need to be nervous, right? I'm just telling my friend that I appreciate him––real simple! In my clumsy hands, my phone fumbled around as I tried to decide whether or not I should text him to meet me outside, or if I should just go knock on his door in the dorms.
"Shouldn't you be celebrating, mosh queen?" Tragically, my decision was made for me as his familiar voice, booming with enthusiasm came crashing through the dorm front doors. It took maybe two seconds before Kaminari was taking a seat next to me, and I scooted away from him reflexively. Too close dude, c'mon.
"Oh shut up, Kaminari." I sneered my usual sneer. Did he not realize I was about to actually show him kindness? Yeesh.
"You missed out on the haunted house, it was totally gnarly. Blood and guts everywhere, zombies, undead nurses with gigantic knives and syringes––"
"Okay okay! You don't need to paint me a picture, idiot!" I cut him off by smashing the palm of my hand into his face.
"Jiro!" He cackled, even with my hand on his face, foiling the Shut Stupid Kaminari Up plan that I had worked so hard on. "That's right, I forgot you were such a scaredy cat!" His fingers wiggled obnoxiously in my direction, and I had to fight the urge to snap every single one of them.
"I am not," I wiped my hand away from his face. "I just don't see the point in trying to freak myself out, or whatever the appeal of that stuff is supposed to be."
"You can't fool me! I heard you were screaming bloody murder during the test of courage at the training ca––" For the second time in three sentences, he stopped mid-way through; this time, not because of my hand smacking his face, but the glare that I shot him instead.
Here I was, ready to tell him that the way he treated me and the things that he said to me had such an effect on me that they helped me to rediscover my passion for being a hero and he brings that up. It was stupid to think of him like that. He'd always be a tone-deaf moron with no subtly, tact, or regard for other people's feelings. I wanted to jab my earphone jack into his shoulder, but even that he didn't deserve.
"...Sorry. For a second, I forgot what happened to you."
"Kaminari not thinking before he opens his dumb mouth? What a surprise."
"I said I was sorry! I...yeah, no, there's no good way to spin that. My bad, Jiro."
I rolled my eyes so hard that it hurt, "whatever, Kaminari."
I considered a few different things, sitting there silently about two feet away from him as the air seemed to get colder by the moment. Maybe I spontaneously developed a second quirk? Should I storm off? Cause a scene? Yeah, the last thing I need is some U.A. gossip column coming out about the lover's spat between me and Denki-Freaking-Kaminari. Kyoka Jiro, the Cold Shoulder Hero it was.
"So much has happened since we started attending U.A., it's easy to lose track of things." Ready for another excuse, I folded and tensed my arms, only to hear Kaminari's voice start to soften––suddenly, he sounded like a completely different person. "You were in real trouble back then. Everyone was so worried about you and Hagakure. It took you both a while to come back to us, so they wouldn't let us visit you until way later. Believe me, I tried to see you a few times only for the nurses to knock me in the arm and tell me 'the best thing you can do for that poor girl is let her rest'."
"...You did not," I managed to mutter, suddenly overcome with the need to twirl my earphone jack around my finger.
"I did! You can ask the hospital staff––or Kirishima, he was there too, he saw it!" He moved closer, turning his head in front of me so that he could meet my eyes which wanted to look anywhere but at him. He didn't just sound like a different person, he looked like one too. If Kaminari's quirk turns him into a moron, then whatever he did just then turned him into the opposite. Sharp, golden eyes looking uncomfortably deep into me. I fidgeted further away from him, because what do I even say to that? The answer is nothing. The answer is mumble and awkwardly dig my shoe into the ground as I wait to for Mr. Aizawa to come erase whatever quirk is making Kaminari act like this.
That didn't happen though, and we again sat silently for what felt like forever; the breeze becoming colder still, the hair on my arms started to stand up.
"I know I can be kind of a jackass, but you're my classmate, and my friend. I'm glad that you were okay, Jiro. If something worse had happened to you, I…Well, you know," the volume of his voice fluctuated, and...were his hands shaking slightly? I couldn't tell. Did he actually feel bad? "Today was a lot of fun. The most fun I've had at since I got to U.A. Hell, maybe even before that. And..you know what? It's all because of you and your hard work Jiro. What I'm saying is...you're totally awesome!"
Without realizing it, I was clutching his shirt in my hand, earphone jacks ready to to attack. I don't want to think of how red my face was, but by how quickly my heart was pumping blood...it was probably the same shade as Kirishima's hair.
"Who the hell are you?" I barked at him, still not quite realizing what I was even doing. Or saying. Or thinking. Or feeling.
"H-Huh?"
"There's no way the Kaminari I know would say this kind of stuff. You're an imposter using some kind of quirk, right? Right!?" I shook him violently in what I now recognize to be a pretty pathetic attempt at rejecting reality.
"...No? I'm not just an idiot with a cool electric quirk, y'know! I have feelings! I can...I can care about people! Honest! Everything I said, I meant it! You're a really cool friend!"
Pursing my lips, I let him go and dropped my attack lobes. I think I may have been able to squeak out a soft "thanks," but it may have been inaudible. He smiled at me and nudged my arm. I didn't take a good look, because I knew what kind of smile it was. The smile that made my heart thump, the smile that kept me up at night. The worst.
"What were you doing out here by yourself, anyway?" My throat betrayed me with the loudest gulping noise I could have possibly made–-it's as if he knew exactly where to take the conversation. Serving me up my own confession. Wait, confession!? It wasn't a confession at all! It just...felt like it. The adrenaline from the culture festival, the air, the stars, the quiet, dimly lit atmosphere...Disgustingly picture perfect. I quietly reminded myself that I will never take part in something so sickeningly shoujo again as long as I live. Especially not with Denki-Freaking-Kaminari.
"Looking for you," I mumbled
"What's that now?" I could feel his bright smile turn into an egotistical smirk. Once a Kaminari, always a Kaminari.
"Don't make me say it again, dumbass."
"What did you need with me? Wanted to compliment me on my radical guitar riffs today? You don't have to, I've already gotten plenty of––"
"It's not that––I mean, yes, you did a good job, but…" I wondered in that moment if I would ever have the strength to look Kaminari in the eyes again. Eye contact is kind of an issue for me lately, huh? What I must have looked like...a nervous, blushing mess––a girl who has no idea how to actually talk about her feelings. I just performed on stage for hundreds, but somehow I was still so damn shy. Maybe I was just used to being guarded? Hell, I still am.
"I wanted to thank you," I finished after the long pause.
"Thank me? Wait, you wanted to thank me before I said all of that nice stuff just now? Man, I must be on some kinda roll, huh Jiro?"
I palmed my own face, then running my hand through my hair in exasperation.
"Don't make me take it back, Kaminari."
"Then spill! Spill your gratefulness to me. It's touchy feely time!"
Ignoring that last sentence, I cleared my throat quietly, "for what you said, when we were...No, not just what you said, um…" I fumbled over my words for a while. I'm not sure for how long, just sure about how long it felt.
FOREVER. I must have lost and re-established eye contact with him at least fourteen times. I still wonder about what he thought of me at that moment. How badly I wanted to tap my earphone jacks together, but that would just make me look ten times more pathetic than I already did.
"You were supportive of me. You helped me realize that maybe I wasn't taking my skills seriously enough––what I have to offer, I mean. You supported me from the start. I...It meant a lot. So...before I go back to laughing at you and making fun of you for acting like a moron and failing practically every test that gets put in front of you…
I wanted you to know that I'm glad you're my friend. You're a cool friend too, Kaminari."
"I'm glad you're my friend too, Jiro. Today is a day that I'll never forget! No matter how much I shock myself silly." That smile again. That smile that makes its own sparks. This time, I couldn't look anywhere but at it.
Before I knew it, I was smiling too. Grinning. Playfully shoving his shoulder.
"Yaaaay," I did my best imitation of his short-circuited self's catchphrase. A pretty damn good one, if I might add.
"Hey! Jiro!"
For the rest of the night we laughed and smiled, blissfully unaware of how much things were about to change.