Chapter 4: Heavy Metal Riff, Part I
"So, how's everything looking for tonight? Feeling nervous at all?"
"Ah… well, I'd like to say no, but that'd obviously be a lie." Jiro rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, then took a deep gulp from her cup of coffee before glancing back up to meet Yaoyorozu's eyes. "I mean, everything's planned, the concert tickets are bought, but I have no idea how this is going to go. That's why I wanted to talk to you first."
The café Kyoka had chosen for their meeting was quiet and quaint, with a homey aesthetic and wood-paneled walls and smooth classical music playing over the speakers. Given the current circumstances, it felt a bit more calming than the louder, brasher, indie-rock style haunts that she typically frequented, not to mention that it was much more Momo's speed. Creati was currently cradling her mug of tea in both hands, waiting patiently for it to cool between tentative sips; though her expression showed only worry on her friend's behalf, Jiro knew by her body language that something beyond mere polite concern was bothering her. Just like last time, huh?
"Hmm, so you'd like some advice, then? On how to successfully seduce our target?" Here Yaoyorozu attempted a smile, but Jiro could tell that it was hollow.
"No, not really. Unlike some people in this weird-ass game, don't have any particular intent of sleeping with him- or doing anything particularly intimate, for that matter. I mean, it'll be nice to get to know him better. I don't mind that. But as far as I'm concerned, I'm still doing this for Ochako. My own desires are secondary to hers. Not that what you did is wrong!" Kyoka was quick to add, when she saw Momo's gaze sinking to the table and her expression growing heavy with regret. "I'm insanely proud of you for going out there and getting it! But… I mean… I just want to understand what really happened between you two. If I should be expecting anything…" She trailed off, searching for the right word, then reached out and laid a hand on Yaoyorozu's arm. "Momo, did he… do anything to hurt you?"
"No!" She replied almost instantly, her eyes growing wide with alarm as they rose up to meet Jiro's once again. "No, no, he did nothing of the sort. He was a perfect gentleman the whole evening through. More than perfect…"
"So what happened, then?" Kyoka interjected, keeping her voice as quiet as she could so as not to earn the ire of the café's other patrons, many of whom were tapping away diligently at their laptops, even at five in the afternoon on a Friday. Half a week had passed since their last meeting, and her date with Midoriya was only a few short hours away- after this, she still had to head back to her apartment and change into something that was both concert-appropriate and PG enough not to give Izuku the wrong impression about her intentions, a task she was thoroughly dreading.
"Please," she continued, leaning in across the table so she could convey the urgency in her tone without shouting, "you don't have to lie to me. I've known you for six years, Momo and I don't think either of us has ever kept a secret from the other- so trust me when I say that I can tell when something's wrong. Look, I get it if you can't talk about it with the others, but I promise, you can tell me."
Yaoyorozu gently set her mug back on the table, and cradled her head in both hands. Silence reigned for a long moment, and when she finally spoke, her voice was full to the brim with worry and remorse, the bright red tint of her cheeks visible even through her fingers.
"I… I think I really like him, Kyoka. I don't know what to do."
"…Oh," Jiro breathed a beat later, somehow both relieved and disappointed at once by the simplicity of the answer. "Huh. Well that… sort of complicates things."
"I'm very aware," Momo replied, and suddenly Jiro was incredibly glad that they their table was partially tucked away behind a bookshelf, because Yaoyorozu looked ready to burst into tears at any moment by now. "I… I can't believe myself, Kyoka. I was the one who proposed all this, for Ochako's benefit, but after just a few hours with him, I was more than ready to forget about her entirely and keep him all for myself. I just feel so… so selfish. I didn't think…"
"That you'd fall for him so quickly?" Jiro finished, a sympathetic hint of a grin on her lips. "Momo, if we've learned anything about relationships over the past few years, isn't it that you can't control love?" Setting down her coffee, she wrapped one hand around the taller girl's forearm. "You were trying to do something nice. It isn't your fault that things turned out this way- you couldn't have predicted how well the date would go. Now we just have to decide where to go from here."
"Where I go from here is obvious," Yaoyorozu sighed. "I give the advice to Ochako as we originally planned. I apologize to Izuku for my inappropriate behavior, and ask that he forgive me for-"
"For what? Treating him to the best time he's had in years?" Kyoka raised a skeptical eyebrow, and lowered her voice even further, her eyes flitting around to make sure none of their classmates had just burst in unannounced in the last few minutes. "Look, babe… I love Ochako, I really do. But she's had eight months of him being single to make a move, and she hasn't done it. Why should her interest in him take priority over yours in the first place?"
"Because… because we agreed," Momo protested, her eyes wide with shock at Jiro's implication. "We all agreed that this was all for her benefit! She deserves to be happy with him!"
"That was the pretext, yes. But do you really think that Tsu and Mina are thinking about Uraraka's feelings first when they brag about what they're gonna do with him when it's finally their turn? It seems to me like they've both been thinking about Midoriya for a while now, you just gave them the excuse they needed to act on it. I'm sorry to break it to you, but the moment this became a competition, the concept of helping Ochako went out the window for half the participants."
"Oh god, you're right… I should never have let Mina change things like that. It's my fault no matter which way you look at it." Yaoyorozu sat up straight, as if waking from a daydream, and suddenly her hand darted into her purse, plucking out her phone. "I need to call the whole thing off right now, apologize to everyone for making such a horrendous mistake…"
"No, you don't need to any of that," Kyoka declared, grabbing hold of Momo's hand and guiding it gently back down to the table before she could start typing. "How about this instead- I go on the date with Midoriya tonight as planned, and I put in a good word for you, tell him about how much you'd love to meet up again. I can gauge how he's feeling about you, and report back with up-to-date intel. The two of us are officially taking over this competition, and I'm gonna help make sure that you end up with Deku."
"But… it just seems so dishonest." Yaoyorozu objected in exactly the way Jiro expected she would, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming with guilt. "To have set all this up only to try and rig it in my own favor… and what happened to putting Ochako's interests first? I thought that's what you were planning on doing tonight?"
"That was before I found out about this little predicament of yours," Kyoka noted, sipping pointedly at her coffee. "Like I said, I love that girl, but you come first. Just think about it, Yaomomo- you made it further with Midoriya in one night than she has in six years, and you weren't even trying to sleep with him! And don't say she hasn't had the opportunity- all it took for you to make that happen was one text and the right chemistry." She sighed a heavy sigh, set down her cup, and clasped Momo's hands between her own, staring into Creati's conflicted eyes. "Look, the hard truth is, maybe Uraraka and Midoriya just aren't meant to work out. But him and you? I saw how happy you looked in those photos. Those were some serious sparks for a first date. You and I have both been burned by love before, but maybe this is your chance to get it right. Do you get what I'm saying here, babe?"
"I… think I understand." Yaoyorozu responded quietly, her cheeks once more a bright red and her mouth wavering somewhere between excitement and dismay. "But… I still don't want to hurt Ochako. If Izuku and I were actually to start dating, what could I possibly tell her?"
"I was thinking about that too. It would be a dick move to leave her high and dry and heartbroken for a third time, I agree- even if it is her own fault, technically speaking. So why don't we set her up with someone else while we're setting you up with Midoriya? I'm sure we can find someone perfect for her out there- let's think about the guys from our old class, for starters. Iida's with Nejire, but Shoji and Koda are still single, right?"
"I… don't know if they're quite her type, based on past experience. Shoji is quite minimalist, and she tends to enjoy being doted on, even if she doesn't readily admit it. Koda's incredibly sweet, on the other hand, but his animals will always come first and foremost in his mind."
"Hmm, you're probably right. That leaves, uh, who else… she gets along pretty well with Aoyama, right?"
"I don't know if she's his type."
"…Very good point." Jiro concurred after a moment's thought, flushing red in embarrassment at the idiocy of her suggestion. "Um… is Yoarashi from Shiketsu single? He's got… passion, right?" Momo's expression hardly provided an encouraging reaction, and for a moment Kyoka was on the verge of conceding defeat, before a sudden possibility presented itself. "Wait! What about that guy from Ketsubutsu, the earthquake dude, the one who looks just like Midoriya?"
"Oh, you mean Shindo? I've run into him a few times at work, we talked just the other week." Retrieving her phone from the table, Yaoyorozu wasted no time opening one of her social media apps and pulling up a photo of the black-haired Izuku doppelganger smiling broadly in front of the castle at Disney Tokyo, his arm wrapped around a vaguely familiar looking girl with sharp, pointed teeth and two tufted blonde ponytails. "As of two days ago, he's still happily dating Tatami- also from Ketsubutsu, if you remember her. The one who can pull her limbs into her body." Momo added the last part when Jiro produced nothing but a blank stare in response, and finally it clicked in Kyoka's mind.
"Ah yeah, that girl. Her quirk always kinda creeped me out, to be totally honest, but whatever. They can keep their loving relationship." She chuckled grimly, mulling briefly over the benefits of remaining single forever before returning to the topic at hand. "Well, aside from him… God, I know we're forgetting someone, right?"
As if on cue, the faint jingle of a bell announced that someone new had entered the café. Facing the door, Kyoka couldn't help but glance up out of instinct as the two new patrons approached the counter- her eyebrows nearly shot through the roof when her gaze settled on Sero and Tokoyami, chatting amicably as they discussed what drinks to order.
"H-hey! Guys, over here!" A lightbulb flashing bright and loud in her head, he shot up from her chair almost instantly, waving them down before they'd even had a chance to talk to the cashier.
"Yo, look who it is!" Hanta called in reply, a wide grin on his face as he made his way toward their table with Fumikage trailing behind. "Fancy meeting you guys here! It's been way too long."
Sero had matured a good deal since his U.A. days, his hair tied up in a neat black ponytail and his ears studded with matching onyx stones. Simply put, Tokoyami was still Tokoyami, dressed in a black leather coat over a black shirt with matching black jeans, with a silver ankh pendant and dark purple scarf hung around his neck. Tsukuyomi the hero had grown rather famous in recent years, though, as had Cellophane, and both of the former 1-A students drew fascinated stares and hushed whispers from the other customers as they pulled up chairs to the girls' modestly sized table.
"It's good to see you two," Tokoyami commented, making his best attempt at a friendly grin. "What a coincidence that we'd find you here- this isn't my usual type of haunt, after all. I was growing worried that Hanta had led us astray…"
"Hey, I read an article that highly recommended this place!" Sero protested with a chuckle, shaking his head. "This food columnist I love said they have amazing desserts here. That true, ladies?"
"Absolutely!" Momo replied eagerly- judging by her joyful, innocent expression, she hadn't picked up on Kyoka's plan yet. "The cheesecake is especially delicious, as is the pistachio tart. It has the most delicious cream filling!"
"Sounds a bit too sweet for me," Tokoyami muttered in reply, casting a suspicious glance at the menu. "I'll probably make do with a black coffee. I trust they have good blends here?"
"I'm more of a tea person myself. Kyoka, what do you think?"
"Oh, it's all good," Jiro replied, leaning in a bit further towards the boys as a conspiratorial grin played about at the edges of her lips. "But drinks and food aside, I have a proposal for you two, if you're willing to hear me out. How do you guys feel about Uraraka?"
Two Hours Later, the Same Evening
Shinjuku Ward, Deku's Hero Agency
"Oh god… what the hell do people even wear to concerts, anyway?!" Midoriya Izuku couldn't help but mutter to himself aloud as he stood in front of his closet's full-length mirror, holding button down shirts in either hand. One was plain grey and the other was blue and covered in an elaborate floral pattern, but after nearly ten minutes of contemplation, he didn't have the faintest idea which one better suited the date he was about to be running late for.
No, wait, he quickly reminded himself, muttering his thoughts under his breath. This isn't a date. Yes, she invited you to a concert, and yes, it's going to be just the two of you, but that doesn't mean anything about what she's expecting! It would be improper to make assumptions!
Izuku's dilemma had begun around three days ago. He'd been mid-workout at his favorite gym when he received yet another text from yet another old U.A. acquaintance- this time, Jiro Kyoka, now better known as Earphone Jack, the Punk Rock Hero. She had done well for herself in the time since her graduation; though she was still working for Gang Orca, she was perhaps the most famous sidekick in the country, with several indie records to her name and her own line of merchandise- her t-shirts, headphones, and hoodies were becoming especially popular among the current generation of pre-teens. Jiro had a fan following that nearly rivaled Midoriya's own in terms of size, though for the most part they tended to care more about her music than about her heroics. So when Kyoka had first texted him, explaining that a friend had bailed and she had an extra ticket to a high-profile downtown concert, Izuku had been beyond excited to see her again. It had been nearly four months since they last crossed paths at work, after all, and almost a year since they'd been together in a casual setting, for Kaminari's last birthday party.
But then he remembered the disastrous end that had occurred the last time he spent an evening alone with a former classmate, and the worrying started anew. Momo hadn't gone so far as to ghost him since their eventful night together as he feared she might, but her texts were cryptic and evasive, dodging the question or changing the subject whenever he tried to ask what had gone wrong, or if she'd like to meet again to talk things over. Eventually, he'd given up trying to decipher the situation entirely. Despite her insistences to the contrary, Deku had resigned himself to the fact that he must have done or said something wrong at some point- she was just too kind to admit it. Now, the prospect of accidentally ruining another friendship with another woman he respected was on the horizon, and he had no idea what to do. In the end he had accepted her invitation- against his better judgement, perhaps- but three days later he was no closer to deciding how he should act, or what he should say. Earlier today he'd texted her and asked where at the venue he should meet her, but aside from that and figuring out a few other trivial details, they'd hardly even talked since agreeing to go together, perhaps partly out of his fear to text her first and seem overbearing.
That's just another sign that this is just an outing as friends, he reassured himself, his inner monologue rapidly turning to pessimism and despair. In fact, I was probably one of her last choices to go with. I bet everyone else is busy tonight, so she had to resort to inviting me if she didn't want to go alone. A frown spreading across his face, he opened one of the half-dozen social media apps on his phone that he checked only once in a blue moon and posted on perhaps annually, if at all. Jiro's story was the first to pop up, updated just an hour ago- he clicked on it out of instinct, and was promptly treated to a group selfie, taken by Kyoka at what looked to be a café. She was front and center, flashing a peace sign and making a heart with her jacks as Sero smiled broadly on her right and Tokoyami brooded aggressively on her left. His heart skipped more than one beat when his eyes drifted to the edge of the photo, where Yaoyorozu was smiling bashfully on the other side of the table.
"Oh," he mumbled aloud, his face flushed red and his eyes wide. Never a huge fan of social media in the first place, he'd been taking special care to avoid Momo's posts over the past few days, mostly in an attempt to move on from whatever happened between them. Izuku had almost convinced himself that he was over it, but the heavy pounding of his heart at the mere sight of her looking happy and fulfilled made it perfectly clear that this wasn't even close to the case.
"Dammit," he muttered softly, closing his phone and screwing shut his eyes. Seems like they're having fun together. She's probably telling them all about how colossally I fucked things up, about what a creep I am. I wouldn't be surprised if Jiro texted to call off the concert any minute now.
The thought had already crossed his mind that Yaoyorozu might warn her friend to be wary of him- the two had shared everything since their days at U.A., so why not this latest development too? Who was to say that Kyoka wouldn't burst out laughing at the sight of him, that this wasn't all some sort of elaborate prank to get back at him for hurting Momo? He shuddered at the thought, and did his best to push it out of his mind, glancing back to the two forgotten shirts that he'd set on a nearby chair. Well, guess I need to pick what I'm wearing to my funeral.
Not a moment after he started towards them, though, his phone began to buzz in his palm- a call, from Uraraka. Some of the heavy weight bearing down on his chest suddenly lifted, and he answered without hesitation, a smile spreading instinctively across his face.
"Hey Ochako, how's it going?"
"Everything's normal over here!" She answered cheerfully; the thrill of hearing her voice through the speakers was just as potent as it had been six years ago. "I saw you in the headlines yesterday! You really nailed that group of Yakuza, huh? Sounds like it was crazy!"
"Ah, it was nothing," he responded earnestly, ambling absentmindedly out of the closet and towards his bedroom's floor-to-ceiling windows as he talked. Though he had a separate apartment, he kept his own set of living quarters here at the agency- they had come in handy countless times after late work nights. "I mean, Lemillion did more than me for sure, he was amazing! And Miruko was brilliant too, did you see her interview afterward? She's hilarious!"
"Yeah," Uraraka chuckled, "they're both super cool. Your interview was good too, though! But I was meaning to ask you…" Here her voice grew noticeably hesitant, and her tone anxious. "Are you, um… do you have any plans tonight? I heard there's this awesome new bar with an outer-space theme that opened over in Shinjuku, and I'm about to be on assignment for a while with Ryukyu, so this is the only day I'm gonna be free to stop by there for at least a week. I, uh… I know you're super busy, and I would usually ask Hagakure or Asui, but it's Toru's date night with Mashirao, and Tsu said she's still got some work to wrap up. And, um… since it's near your agency, I sort of figured that maybe… we could go?"
"Oh, uh…"
Midoriya frowned, silently cursing the fact that he was already committed. He was always happy to see Ochako when he had the chance- she and Iida had been by his side since the beginning, and he often lamented that Ryukyu and Uravity's agency was so far from his own. As far as he could tell, she'd been keeping just as busy as him if not busier over the last few years, and he was increasingly certain that she'd go pro on her own sometime soon.
"I'm really sorry, but I'm already busy tonight- I'm going to a concert, actually!"
"O-oh, really?" He tone rose once more in excitement. "That's so cool! Just by yourself?"
"No, with Jiro, actually! Apparently it's one of her favorite bands!"
"…Oh!" Came Ochako's response, her voice hitting a sudden high note. "H-how's she doing?"
"Pretty well, I think!" He answered with a wide smile. "She's been killing it lately in the popularity polls, and her newest song was great too. I'll have to ask her tonight to find out for sure, though!"
"You're… a pretty big fan of hers, huh, Deku?"
"I guess you could say that, yeah!" Izuku replied cheerfully, raising one eyebrow in slight confusion. I mean, of course I am, he reflected with a grin. I'm a fan of all of my former classmates!
"Well it's really great that you're getting to see her, then. I hope… I hope you two have fun on your date."
"…Date?"
Oh, wait.
The revelation hit Midoriya all at once- the recollection of how Uraraka had once confessed her feelings to him, combined with the impression that his plans with Kyoka gave. His cheeks once more flushed red and his eyes grew wide, and he nearly dropped the phone from his hands in a panic.
"Wait, Ochako, no! It's not like that!"
"Sure it's not," She countered whimsically, though he couldn't help but notice that there was a strange tone to her voice, like it was forced somehow. "Try not to go too crazy, lovebird."
"No, you've got it wrong, we-"
The dull click of the dial tone announced that Uraraka had hung up before he had a chance to finish his sentence, and Midoriya collapsed to the floor with a groan of despair. Just my luck, he mused, casting a despondent glance to the pile of chaos that was his outfit plan. Girls finally start wanting to hang out with me, and then this happens. I need to call her back and explain, but…
Deku glanced at the time- he had to get moving, or he'd risk running late for the concert. Jiro had pointedly emphasized the fact that the opener was great too, so he'd allotted extra time to make sure he would be early. It was true that he could always fly instead of taking the train if things got too dire, but as of late he'd been trying to cut back on his usage of One For All for personal transportation except when absolutely necessary- his date with Momo had been an exception, of course. 'I think there was a misunderstanding,' he typed out hastily with one hand as he threw on the patterned shirt and grabbed a belt for his khakis with the other. 'I have to go now, but I promise I'll explain later'.
By the time he made his way out door five minutes later, she still hadn't responded. The same was true after thirty minutes, as he stepped off the train and into the chaotic, neon-illuminated bustle of Shinjuku Ward at dusk, but given the chatter of the crowds, calling her again was practically an impossibility. Many of the local businesses had finally let out for the day, and drunken throngs of businessmen in suits were a common sight as Izuku glanced down at the maps app on his phone and did his best not to get horribly lost, as had been known to happen on more than one occasion. The destination in question was a former industrial warehouse that had been converted into a combination bar, club, and concert venue, tucked away on a side street that he'd never ventured down, Not a moment after he turned on to it, the groups of neatly dressed salarymen dissipated, rapidly replaced by a slightly less well kempt crowd. Groups of tattooed youths smoked and drank outside mahjong parlors and convenience stores, though the loud volume of their conversations tended to die down as the country's number three hero passed by, and they stared at him in shock or suspicion. Midoriya felt more self-conscious than ever under their gaze, his prim and preppy outfit sticking out like a sore thumb amid their leather jackets and ripped jeans. More than once he fell into an involuntary fit of coughing when he passed too close to their clouds of cigarette smoke, prompting hysterical laughter on multiple occasions.
Muttering a few words of thankfulness under his breath when his phone finally buzzed with the notification that he'd reached his destination, he looked up at the building in question, then quickly looked back down in confusion. Is this really the right address? The warehouse's exterior looked decrepit and abandoned to say the least, with all its windows either broken, boarded up, or tinted black. There was no visible entrance, or sign of any human activity within, besides a few faint vibrations that could have been coming from anywhere on the block. I must have put it in wrong, he concluded, searching up and down te block. There was practically nothing else open within view, only dim, shuttered apartments and a single tobacco store with a '10 minute break' sign hung up in the window. A few teenagers were chattering down by the nearest corner, and after shooting Jiro a quick text to update her on the situation, Midoriya was in the process of talking himself into asking them for directions when a hand tapped playfully on his shoulder from behind.
"Don't worry, Midoriya you're not lost." Kyoka shot him a bemused grin, holding up her phone with his text still on the screen. "I know it doesn't look like much, but just wait 'til we get inside."
"Wha- how did you…" He looked down at her, dumbfounded, then glanced to either end of the backstreet. "How'd you do that?! I didn't see you coming at all!"
"Let's just say I've got a pretty good lay of the area," she replied, flicking a half-finished cigarette into the nearest garbage can before nodding over towards a slightly cracked door on the other side of the street, next to the tobacco shop. Though he'd taken the place for abandoned given its shuttered windows and lack of an exterior sign, dim light was visible from inside through the narrow opening, and faint voices drifted out into the evening air. "Believe it or not, there's a pretty solid little café inside that dump- sort of a local secret."
"Oh! I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long!" He cast a panicked glance down toward the time on his phone- he was six minutes early, but she might have been earlier still.
"Ah, don't sweat it, I was just chilling and grabbing a cup of coffee. Now follow my lead, and don't say anything unless he asks you to."
Before he could so much as voice his confusion, she was walking past him and toward a heavy metal door set into the side of the warehouse, shut tight and covered in graffiti, with no visible means of access from the outside. She knocked confidently, and as they waited for a reply, he had the chance to glance down at her outfit for the first time; Jiro was wearing a beaten and torn yet still stylish jean jacket over a black and red top emblazoned with the band's name and logo, a flaming silver skull surrounded by a rain of blood. Beneath that were short black shorts and matching leggings, the latter of which sported a series of symmetrical cuts along the sides. The cuffs and collar of her jacket were adorned with short silver spikes, and even Kyoka's makeup was a far cry from what she normally wore- she had dark red wings stretching outward from her eyes, and her lipstick was a deep, glossy midnight black.
"You look really cool tonight, Jiro!" As had happened all too often on his previous date, Midoriya suddenly found himself talking without thinking, and had to swiftly come up with a follow-up when she glanced curiously back in his direction. "The spikes are, uh, super hardcore! And your makeup looks good too!"
Kyoka's cheeks flushed faintly red, but he didn't have a chance to hear her reply before a slat on the metal door slid open at eye level, its presence hidden entirely by the graffiti when it wasn't being used. A pair of suspicious eyes gazed out at them, but they quickly grew more at ease when they saw Jiro, and with a dull thunk and steady metallic creak, the door slowly began to open. They were ushered inside by a heavyset, tattooed bouncer who looked like he could give even Deku a run for his money in a contest of raw physical strength- without the aid of One For All, of course. After treating Midoriya to a brief scowl, though, he glanced down at Kyoka and broke into a friendly grin, exchanging a brief hug with the short, skinny young hero- beside him, she looked like little more than a child, but they seemed to be old friends.
"Looks like you brought along someone famous this time, huh, EJ? New boyfriend?"
"Nah," she replied without hesitation, a gesture that greatly relieved Izuku, yet still managed to sting just a bit. "More like a friend from work, I'd say. Don't worry, he's cool- I can vouch for him."
"Whatever you say, boss. They're already setting up inside if you wanna head in."
Jiro gave another beckoning nod to Midoriya, and they quickly plunged into the depths of the old warehouse, winding their way through a cramped, mazelike corridor as all around them the vibrations he'd heard on the street grew louder and louder, until it was clear that it was the rhythmic thumping of electronic bass. EJ for Earphone Jack, huh? So she used to come here with Kaminari, he mused, thinking back to the bouncer's comments. That makes sense, he seems pretty musically inclined too. I'll have to ask him next time I see him which bands he-
"So I take it you've never been to this spot before?" Jiro's voice brought him back to reality, a wry grin spreading across her dark-glossed lips. "You've got 'newbie' written all over you."
"I was starting to feel like I may not have dressed right…" Izuku confided sheepishly, a suspicion that was only confirmed as they emerged together into the cavernous main room. The chamber was divided into two levels, with a stage and dancefloor down below and a bar above. A set of metal catwalks extending out from the bar ringed around the dancefloor and gave a perfect vantage point from which to watch the performance on the lower level. A good number of concertgoers were already mingling about on both floors, and just as the bouncer had mentioned, the band was still setting up on the stage below, going through instrument and equipment checks. As he feared, nearly everyone was dressed as casually as Kyoka or even more so, with an abundance of leather, spikes, and plain graphic tees as opposed to his formal button down. Just as on the street, they all regarded him curiously, watching Deku like he was a lost lamb that had strayed into a den of wolves.
Last time I was underdressed, now I'm overdressed! He felt like screaming out in frustration and exasperation, but managed to contain the feeling- Jiro seemed to notice his distress, however, and gave him a playful punch on the arm.
"Ah, don't worry about them. So what if you look like a total dweeb? As long as you're with me, you'll be just fine. Now come on, let's grab some drinks before this kicks off- we still have a little while before the first set starts."
A few short minutes later, they were seated at a high-top table overlooking the dancefloor below, each sipping at their respective cocktails as they went through the standard motions of small talk and catching up after a few months without contact. The conversation was flowing pleasantly between them, but the same had been true with Yaoyorozu; try as he might, Izuku couldn't shake the thoughts of Momo from his head. So far Kyoka had been acting completely normal, with no hint that this was all some sort of secret revenge ploy. His anxiety must have been visible in his expression and body language, though- a look of concern on her face, she drew silent midsentence and paused a moment before speaking again.
"Hey, Midoriya… are you feeling okay? Is this atmosphere too much for you? Sorry about the joke about you looking like a dweeb, I didn't mean that. If this isn't your scene, then we can-"
"No, no, it's fine! I'm…" Searching desperately for an appropriate excuse, Deku stumbled upon a convenient truth, one that he'd meant to mention to her regardless. "I'm just a bit nervous. It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but… this is actually my first concert."
"For this band?" Jiro sipped at her margarita, her expression confused.
"No, I mean like… ever."
"Wha… no fucking way." Her eyes bulging with shock and her mouth hanging wide open, she set down her drink and leaned forward over the table. "You're serious? You're not bullshitting me? Not even in middle school or high school?"
"Nope. I mean, I listen to music and all, but I guess the thought just never crossed my mind. Also, with just my mom around and all, I guess I didn't want to worry her. She would probably have insisted on coming with me, to be totally honest."
"Well, uh… maybe it's for the best that she's not here," Jiro replied with a grin, nodding towards a group of newcomers, led by a gaggle of scantily glad women in fishnets, bras, and entirely too tight-fitting shorts, their makeup even more elaborate than Kyoka's and their entire upper bodies covered in paint and glitter. One among their number seemed to recognize Jiro from afar, and Midoriya felt his entire face rapidly growing red as she rushed over to their table, her chest bouncing all the way. Tan and blond-haired, the girl was the definition of a gyaru as far as appearances were concerned, with bright pink lipstick and heavy eyeshadow. She wore a flimsy dress about her waist, but it was almost entirely see-through, and the sight of her ripped, high-hemmed shorts beneath was nearly enough to send blood streaming from Izuku's nose as she leaned over to hug Kyoka and treated him to a view of practically everything up to her panties in the process.
"Oh my god, EJ, it's so good to see you! I had no idea you were coming tonight, we're gonna have so much fun!"
"It's great to see you too, Rumiko! How have things been with the new job?"
"Oh girl, you wouldn't even believe it! I'm having, like, such a good time! The customers are so much better here than back in Chiba, and our boss is way cool too. The other day, he-"
Midsentence, she finally seemed to take notice of Izuku, and batted her false, glittery eyelashes in his direction- he smiled nervously in response, using all of his willpower to keep his eyes from drifting downward out of instinct.
"H-hi, I'm Midoriya."
"You can call me Rumiko!" She giggled in response. "Totes nice to meet you!" Then she leaned in towards Kyoka's ear and began to 'whisper', though even over the beat of the bar's music and the chatter of the crowd, almost everything she said was audible.
"Oh my god, babe, he's sooo much cuter than Sparky. Look at you go, girl, moving on and upgrading too!"
"N-no, it's not like that," Jiro hissed in reply. "He's just a friend!" Then she cupped her hands around Rumiko's ear and lowered her volume even further, to the point where Izuku had no chance of overhearing.
"Ohhh…" The blonde girl said quietly after a moment, then rolled her eyes and pouted before beginning to 'whisper' again. "Well where's the fun in that? You're the one who's here with him now!"
"Uh, guys…" Finally summoning up the courage to speak, Midoriya leaned toward them with an uncertain expression on his face. "Do you two need some time to talk? I could go get another round of drinks if you want."
"Why don't we all go get drinks together?" Jiro proposed suddenly, hopping up from her chair and nodding towards the bar with her cheeks flushed red- or maybe it was just the red neon light of the bar, playing tricks on Izuku's eyes. "I mean, we've gotta make sure he gets drunk, at the very least. It's his first concert."
"Like, of this band?"
"No, like, first ever."
"Oh my god, no wayyy!" Rumiko cried out giddily, her eyes wide with excitement. "We've definitely gotta drink to you taking his concert virginity!" She sent a suggestive wink in Kyoka's direction after that last comment, and Midoriya felt a shiver travel involuntarily up his spine as the taller, curvier girl wrapped both of her arms around one of his and began to physically lead him towards the bar, a wide smile on her face.
"I hope EJ's being gentle, seeing as it's your first time and all. I know she's a bit rough around the edges, so if it gets too bad, just let me know and I'll make sure to take good care of you."
"H-hey!" Jiro protested, her expression baffled- she was definitely blushing now, there was no longer any question about it. "You can't just poach him like that, I was the one who brought him!"
"Oh, so he is your date?" Rumiko's grin grew even more mischievous. "I mean, if that was the case, I'd have to respect it, but if he's just your friend, seems to me like he's up for grabs. Isn't that right, Midoriya?"
"I… uh…" Try as he might to reply, Deku had been largely rendered speechless by the way the girl's glittery chest was pressing up against his arm.
"Look, he agrees! You can see it in his eyes, he's already fallen for me."
"F-Fine! Look, if it makes, you happy, we can say he's my date, for the night. If, uh…" She glanced sheepishly up towards his eyes. "If you're okay with that. I don't wanna put words in your mouth."
"Fine by me," Izuku nodded vigorously as they finally reached their destination, trying his best to ignore the pounding of his heart in his chest and keep a straight face as he hailed the bartender. What the hell is happening right now?
"Hey, can we get… what would you like, guys?"
"Three shots of tequila!" Rumiko cried without hesitation. "Lime and salt too, pretty please!"
So that's the kind of night this is going to be, Midoriya mused as he watched the man pour out three portions that definitely seemed larger than normal to his admittedly unexperienced eyes. During their time together, Mei had typically been too busy with one baby or another to bother with drinking, but when she did, she typically preferred beer or wine. As such, he was too embarrassed to admit to either of the girls that he had practically little to no experience with hard liquors, and he hadn't done a shot of tequila- or of anything stronger than sake, for that matter- since Mina's graduation party three years ago. Before he knew it the two girls already had their salt and lime in position, and Izuku was left fumbling and clueless.
"Uh… it's the lime first, right?"
"Nuh uh, sweetie, first the salt. Here, lemme show you." Just moments after he'd recovered his composure, Deku was thrown into silent distress once more when Rumiko leaned over and took him by the hands, showing him how to pour the salt and ready the lime for afterward; her skin was unbelievably soft compared to Midoriya's scars and calluses, and her nails were long, multicolored, and bedazzled. All the while, Jiro looked on with a mildly peeved expression.
"You two ready?"
"We are now!" The gyaru chimed cheerfully, raising her shot glass in the air. "To Midoriya popping his concert cherry!"
"How about we… use a different toast," Kyoka mumbled, casting a frantic glance for help in Izuku's direction.
"To making new friends!" Midoriya blurted out, at a loss for anything else to say. Thankfully, the girls repeated the toast without hesitation, then licked their salt and downed their tequila in unison. Kyoka and Rumiko both bit down on their lime afterward without any problems, but Izuku managed to fumble his at the last moment, reeling in shock at the strength of the alcohol. Moments later, he was leaned over and coughing in his stool, lime juice dripping through his fingers and onto the floor- in his haste to catch the falling slice of fruit, he'd accidentally activated a miniscule portion of One For All and crushed it to oblivion in his fist. Behind him, both of the girls were laughing, but he'd kept the tequila down- that was the important part.
"Can we maybe a beer next? Something light? Or water, let's do a shot of water."
"Aww, he's like a baby! That's cute." Rumiko blew a kiss in Izuku's direction, then turned to Kyoka and nodded. Jiro in turn looked back to the bartender, her expression resigned.
"How about a round of vodka shots this time, Hiro?"
"Coming up, EJ."
Oh, no.
Three more shots and one round of beers later, the first set was ready, and Midoriya was thoroughly feeling the effects of his celebratory alcohol- it was a pleasant buzz to say the least, perhaps even verging on tipsiness. The same seemed to ring true for both the girls, but that didn't stop them from branding him a lightweight when he tripped on his way back from the bathroom and nearly fell on top of a table full of other concertgoers. He managed to signal for the bartender for a glass of water and gulp it down within the span of a few seconds while they were busy looking down at the dancefloor, but not long afterward he found himself being pulled over toward the balcony by an even bubblier than usual Rumiko.
"C'mon, c'mon, you're gonna miss it!"
"She's right," remarked Jiro, her cheeks now permanently flushed red from the drinks. "Can't have you screwing up your first time, can we?"
Not a moment later, the lights began to dim, and the room quieted down all at once. The steady beat of a drum and the strumming notes of an electric guitar filled the air, and beside him Kyoka leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"The first set is an old 70's rock cover band- Aerosmith, KISS, Led Zeppelin, that sort of thing. I dig them, personally. I started working with Gang Orca after we met at one of their concerts a while back."
"Oh, really? He's a big rock fan too, huh?" Midoriya turned his head to look her in the eye, but severely underestimated how close her face was- their foreheads promptly smacked together, and their noses briefly brushed across each other before they both withdrew out of reflex, wide-eyed.
"S-sorry!"
"You're fine," she quickly replied, her gaze averted downward. "Now shut up and listen, they're playing 'Kashmir'- this is one of my favorite Zepp songs."
Izuku happily did as he was told, through one song and then the next- his own playlist and music taste was admittedly rather limited, so he was glad for the opportunity to hear something new for a change. The moment the third song began, though, the room erupted in loud cheers, and both Rumiko and Kyoka suddenly grew visibly excited.
"Come on," the taller girl called, starting towards the stairs and gesturing eagerly for them to follow. "Let's go dance!"
"This is 'Dream On'," Jiro explained when she saw Midoriya's look of confusion, as if that should make things obvious. "Come on, you can't tell me you've never heard 'Dream On'."
"Uh, well…"
"You're hopeless, I swear." A hint of a grin on her face, she took him by the hand and nodded towards the stairs. "Come on, that just means we definitely have to go down there."
Izuku nodded and smiled back, feeling a slight swell of confidence from the alcohol, not to mention the sheer energy of the room
"Alright, sounds good. Lead the way, 'EJ'."
"Shut up," she snapped back, her grin only widening as they plunged down after Rumiko, the volume and vibrations rapidly growing louder, reverberating through the metal. When they finally reached the bottom and started out onto the dancefloor, the noise from the speakers plus the shouts of the crowd had grown nearly deafening, though thankfully Jiro wasted no time reaching into her jacket pocket and producing two pairs of earplugs. She handed Midoriya his, then typed out a message on her phone- it was practically impossible to talk to each other on this level.
'Thought you might have needed them,' the message read, 'glad I brought a spare set. If this is too much, just let me know'
Once he put the plugs in, the noise level was cut at least in half, falling to a pleasantly loud but still survivable level- feeling more energized by the crowd than ever, he gave her a thumbs up and nodded eagerly. Without hesitation, they dived into the mass of people and began to move toward the middle of the room, their hands still clasped together as they weaved in and out of the pulsing throngs of concert-goers. Adrenaline was racing through Izuku's veins, and when Kyoka tripped over someone's foot and nearly wiped out on the floor, he ducked in caught her bridal-style, and swept her back up onto her feet all in one fluid motion.
"I think it's safe to say you win in the lightweight category," he said wryly, before he realized she couldn't hear him- instead, all he could see of her reaction was a look of shock followed by a nervous smile. Oh shit, what if that was too much? He could feel himself sobering up by the second, as once more he promptly began to analyze the situation from every angle. Did I just make her uncomfortable? Maybe she wasn't okay with that amount of physical contact. He had no time to ponder the question further, though, as the song grew nearer to its climax, and Jiro turned around to join the cheers. He quickly did the same, glancing around for a moment to confirm that Rumiko seemed to have rejoined the group of girls she arrived with. Thankfully, the more he listened the music, the more his worries faded away again, replaced by pure, concentrated energy and enthusiasm. Though he was just hearing the song for the first time, he'd listened well enough to sing the final chorus together with the rest of the room, and joined Jiro in pumping his fist in the air at the end with a laugh.
As the band moved onto the next rock ballad, though, he felt Jiro inching closer to him from the side, and glanced over to find two mohawked and leather-clad men who looked to be around their age make steady advances towards her- one leaned in and tried to say something in her ear as he watched, while the other maneuvered in front of her and tried to grab her hands and start dancing. Before Kyoka could even twist her head in his direction, Izuku was already moving, grabbing her shoulder with one hand and her side with the other; he steered her away from the two intruders as gently as possible, then stepped up toward them. Thanks to his growth spurt towards the end of high school, he towered over both of them by a good several inches, and to say that his physique was leaner and more muscular was a grave understatement.
"She's with me," he declared simply, before realizing once more that his voice was practically inaudible- his expression must have conveyed the message for him, though, because they quickly scattered back into the crowd without protest.
'Thanks for that,' read the note on Jiro's phone when he turned back around- he merely grinned and gave her a thumbs up in response, then felt his heart skip a beat when she laughed at that, the contours of her face and details of her makeup suddenly and brilliantly illuminated under one of the neon strobe lights sweeping back and forth across the dancefloor. A voice at the back of mind screamed out that it was happening all over again, but the room was loud, and it was all too easy to ignore it. He nudged a bit closer to her still, an act made all the more convenient by how tightly the crowd was pressing in, and noticed that she had begun to type something else.
'They're like sharks, I swear. There'll probably be more.' Then a long pause while she typed the next message- the song had ended, and aside from the chatter of the crowd, the volume had died down greatly. All the same, though, she still resorted to a note rather than speaking, the expression on her face hidden as she kept her eyes locked downward on the screen. 'Do you think you could pretend to be my boyfriend? Just for a little while.'
An hour ago, that question might have prompted Izuku to freeze, panic, even shut down entirely. But right now, instead of doing any of that, he nodded, and leaned in close to her instead of pulling out his own phone.
"What do you need me to do?" He asked into Jiro's ear, and even in the dim light he could see it go red.
"Just… uh… dance with me, I guess," she responded hesitantly, once again averting her eyes from his. On cue, a new song was slowly starting up in the background, a hit from KISS that even Midoriya recognized almost instantly.
"I was made for lovin' you baby, you were made for lovin' me… And I can't get enough of you, baby, can you get enough of me?"
Already suggestive enough on their own, the lyrics took on an entirely new character in light of their current situation; the press of the crowd meant there was no shying away now, though. Kyoka turned to Izuku, and without a moment wasted in hesitation, he took her hands in his own and began his best attempt at dancing back and forth across the limited space they had to work with, his courage multiplied tenfold by a combination of the shots and the hundreds of other people dancing around him. He was improvising moves left and right, and for the most part hadn't the faintest clue what he was doing, but none of that mattered right now.
"Tonight, I wanna see it in your eyes… feel the magic, there's something that drives me wild."
Jiro replied just as eagerly, a broad smile growing across her face as she matched his movements; on the next chorus, she even began to mouth the lyrics, pointing at him with her free hand as he led her into a twirl.
"I was made for lovin' you baby, you were made for lovin' me… and I can give it all to you, baby, can you give it all to me?"
He quickly began to mimic her, and by the time the next verse rolled around, they were locked arm in arm, singing the lyrics into each other's faces with giddy, gleeful expressions. By the time the song ended, their noses were just a hair's width apart, and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheeks, count the beads of sweat on her brow. The first set was over, the band was slowly moving offstage, and the air on the dancefloor had grown still. A hundred people were moving all around them, towards the bathrooms or bar or to the exit to smoke during the intermission, but he didn't see any of them- just her. Despite a hundred voices at the back of his head telling him not to, Izuku was in the process of steeling himself to lean in and kiss her when her expression suddenly darkened of its own accord, and she looked away, nodding towards the stairs.
"Let's, ah… let's go get another drink or something. I need to walk around a little."
"Oh… okay. Yeah, sure, let's go!" Perking up so as not to seem too disappointed with the sudden change of pace, Midoriya followed her back up to the bar with a nervous smile on his face, and sufficed for another beer while she ordered a whisky on the rocks. Soon enough, they ended up back at the same stretch of balcony where they'd been before, sipping at their respective drinks amid an increasingly uncomfortable silence. For the second time in the span of just a few short minutes, Izuku found himself wondering whether he'd done something horribly wrong to spur the shift in the night's tone. A dozen possibilities flashed across his mind: complications with Kaminari, his poor dance moves, his complete lack of musical knowledge, some small comment he'd made, even bad breath or body odor- he found himself sniffing to check the last two just before Jiro finally spoke up again.
"Hey uh… I don't know to put this in a way that's not gonna be awkward, but I need to ask you something, Izuku. I've been meaning to all night, actually... I just kept chickening out."
All thoughts of sweat and deodorant rapidly forgotten, Midoriya snapped his head back in her direction in an instant, meeting her uneasy gaze with eyes both shocked and hopeful. Everything about what she'd just said sounded like the beginning of something interesting, and he could only brace himself in anticipation as she opened her mouth to speak again, his heart pounding like a drum.
"So... how do you feel about Momo?"
And we're back once more! Turns out, this date is so long that I have to cut it in two- I hope this was a suitable enough cliffhanger to keep the suspense going until next time! How do you think the date is going to end up by the end of the night? Is Jiro and Momo's strategy fair? And can we pour one out for pour Ochako? It breaks my heart to have to keep doing this to her.
As always let me know what you think, no matter how trivial, and tell me what you want to see next time. for the conclusion of the date!