Author's note: Hey everyone !
So, here is a transition chapter I guess. I'm closing in with the anime, and since I'm not reading the manga, I have to figure out what to do. Maybe I'll take some freedom, since I still have some moments in mind.
I wanted to do something about the internship and the distance that it implied. What wasn't planned was the Christmas thingy, but I like when my own story surprise me!
A lot of music played in my head while typing this. The song Kami is singing to Jirou on the phone is the second ending of FMA Brotherhood, "Let it out" by Miho Fukuhara
I hope you'll enjoy this, and I hope I'll be able to post the next chapter next weekend. Take care !
He did it… again. Running before thinking.
She sighed inwardly as she watched him trapped in Ibara's vines. She remembered the sports festival, and it felt like history was repeating itself.
She followed closely the rest of the fight, wondering how her classmates would react, as Ibara released her vine sphere. A surprised gasp ran through the crowd of students, Ibara falling under Shinso's brainwash, freeing Denki in the process
"Dunce Face had a plan in the end...", commented Bakugou, a light smirk on his face.
Kyoka felt a surge of pride as her eyes rested intently on the screen, watching the great teamwork of her friends, Shinso's ability shining through.
That idiot… Always working to make the others stand out.
She smiled, her eyes never leaving him when he appeared on the screen.
The class welcomed the winning team with cheers after the debriefing with Aizawa-sensei, commenting every action, Midoriya praising Kaminari and Tsu both for their tactical insight. Kyoka came closer to the team, eyeing the electric hero animatedly talking with Eijirou.
"Man… I was totally useless", said Red Riot with a frustrated sigh.
"Don't sweat it bro, we gotta get used to not being able to do everything. We had a bad match-up, it happens", replied Denki while patting him gently on the back. "At least, you didn't get scolded!"
"Yeah, but you kinda earned it, Kami. Even if your plan was great, that was a tad too reckless. You're playing the bait too often."
Denki could feel the innuendo in Kirishima's tone, and shrugged: his friend was right, but he really felt that was the only way to get through. It wasn't like he WANTED to be the sacrificial pawn, but when things got serious, you had no choice but to give everything you have, right?
"I know I'm always putting the others before myself, but I swear I wasn't trying to do something rash. I really think that there wasn't anything else to do. But it is true that we could have done something for you to create an opening, if I had taken it more seriously right form the start."
"Yeah, I guess. Anyway, let's get better together!", Eijirou enthusiastically said, as they fist bumped.
Shinso stood apart of the group, silent. He felt conflicted about the whole match, like he hadn't met the expectation he set for himself. What hurt the most is that he wouldn't have been able to do anything if those two hadn't devised the plan. So much for someone who brashly announced that he wasn't here to make friends...
Jirou slowly made her way to him, taking in his brooding face. He really had potential, even if his Quirk wasn't a clearly offensive one.
"Hey, Grats on your win, you did a good match", she said casually.
He nodded, unsure on how to react to the compliment. His eyes flicked to Kaminari, the friendly words he said still running in his head.
"Thanks.. I guess..."
"We all have room for improvement, don't be too hard on yourself. If you had seen him during his first fights, you wouldn't feel the need to compare, trust me!", she snickered as she pointed to the blond boy who was pumping his fist in the air while talking to Kirishima, reliving the USJ attack in her head.
Hitoshi watched as the purple haired girl gave a thumbs up to Kaminari, while he answered with one of his own, a bright smile on his face.
"Anyway, I know you're not here to make friends with anyone, and I can understand that, with our future as heroes. Just here to warn you that you don't really choose how things will unfold in the end, and we've got severe case of overly friendly people in our class... And you seemed to have catch the eye of quite a specimen", she chuckled as she ran at a tranquil pace to talk to Denki.
The lavender-haired aspiring hero sighed... That 1-A class was really a bunch of weirdos.
...
The weeks went as a blur, and December came so quickly that the cultural festival felt like yesterday for him. The internship was nearing, and the fact that he'd be with others UA students with the Lurkers brought him some peace of mind, especially since Sero'd be here. He knew that he could easily let his dark feelings surface in stressful situations.
His closest friends wouldn't be near him, having their own internship to deal with. So if an "emergency" came up, he'd have to deal with it alone or reach them by phone. He promised to Kirishima and Jirou to actually talk to them if anything happened, and he was dead set on keeping it.
His mind flashed to an evening he spent with her recently, playing music and creating silly songs, engulfing sweets and laughing endlessly. It was getting harder to keep his feelings in check, their friendship getting more and more comfortable and natural. She felt so at ease with him that he surprised himself hoping that there was a chance.
Still, he didn't feel out of his messed-up way of thinking enough to risk anything.
But he couldn't resist showing her how she mattered to him, more so with Christmas around the corner. Class 1-A had planned a party with a secret gift exchange, but he wanted... he NEEDED to give her something special.
He focused on his task, adding a little more pressure on the black pencil to deepen the shadow on the guitar, highlighting the reflect on her hair, outlining further her slim silhouette in the Class 1-A band outfit. He couldn't do justice to her smile, but the portrait turned out to be quite good. He scribbled some words behind hit and put it aside to wrap it later.
Now, the only missing was a way to give her without attracting unwanted attention...
...
She sang in a low voice, browsing her playlist, looking for THE right song to add on the newest one she was creating.
The Pikachu playlist, as she named it, was her personal gift for him for the upcoming Christmas. She already chose the one she'll use for the gift exchange, but she wanted to do something special for him. Nothing near a confession of how she truly felt for him, just a little thing to support him during the internship.
She was worried, the distance between them during this time enhancing the risk of him doing something stupid, thinking something stupid.
So, she compiled every thing that made her think of him (of them), from metal classics to anime and Disney songs, to funky tracks to rock bangers.
After all, music was her turf, her way of sorting her emotions: he made her laugh, made her angry, made her nervous, made her feel alive. Since she realized that she liked him, the fear slowly ebbed away, thanks to the numerous talks she had with Momo. She wasn't ready to confess anything, nor to admit it loud to other people than her closest friend.
But the sense of normalcy when she was with him, the easy collusion they shared, all the tingling running through her veins when he just smiled… There was no use to deny it, she knew it. She opted for the easiest solution for now, basking in everything their relationship offered, without hindering their mutual goal: becoming heroes. She also knew that it was only a temporary solution…
She sighed, replaying their latest meeting: she had a severe case of ribs soreness with the amount of laughter they had, and a blush fit as her head fell on his lap as she tumbled on the floor, trying to regain her breath and calm her laughing fit. The look they exchanged at that time sent shivers throughout all of her limbs, the warmth she read in his golden orbs radiating even now in every fiber of her body. She had extended her open palm to his face, fighting the urge to cradle his cheek, to feel his skin against hers…
She had flicked his forehead instead, initiating an attempt at retaliation he failed to land. Since then, she asked herself how to contain these impulse, how to avoid making things awkward. Well, maybe their time apart will help with that...
The fingers that were hovering on a particular song retreated slowly.
...
The party was nearing its end, and it was a blast, Eri's appearance as Santa being the cherry on top. They had fun with the gift exchange, their bellies full with Sato's cakes, silly dancing and Mario Kart's games occupying the common room space.
Kaminari took his chance as everyone was busy, and rode the elevator to his floor, sneaking in the girl's wing after fetching the small package hidden in a red bag. The idea was quite simple: putting the bag on Jirou's door handle without being seen, and avoid seeing any kind of reaction from her. He didn't know what kind of reaction to expect from her, so he chose the easiest way around. Once the bag was settled, he headed back, coming down by the stairs to avoid seeing anyone.
A few minutes later, the elevator opened, displaying a frustrated Kyoka mumbling about her ruined shirt.
She cocked her head to the side as the sight of a red bag hanging from her handle. as she took the bag, surprise written all over her face. She delicately took the package, looking for a hint about the sender. She unwrapped it slowly, gasping as she saw the drawing of her on stage, a smile she couldn't really imagine on her face, singing.
No need to search for the artist, there was only one person able to do that kind of portrait. Her heart raced, her free hand clenched on her chest. She felt like crying, the care and dedication he put on this gift so vibrant that she felt as cared for. She turned the painting, to see a message scribbled in his messy handwriting.
To the Queen of Rock: I'm so glad that you're in my life, rocking my world. D.K.
A silly smiley face served the purpose of a sign.
"You have no idea how much I feel the same, Pikachu…". She entered her room, storing carefully her new treasure, waiting for the day she could eventually frame it and expose it proudly.
...
He let himself fall face first on the bed of the room the Lurkers gave him. Today had been a hard day, the patrol challenging his self-confidence since his quirk wasn't easily usable in crowded area. They had stopped a robbery, Sero and Mineta being the key to their success, blocking the villain retreat with Ibara's support.
They were then confronted to the aggression of a woman, learning to deal with traumatized victims. Just imagining Jirou or one of their female classmate in this situation made his stomach churn. He tried his best to be reassuring, and the victim seemed to be calmer when the police took over.
Mt Lady trained them after the patrol, focusing on the teamwork and the synergy of their quirks. They also had to write a small report about their work on the field, and he felt a pang of frustration as he realized he couldn't do a thing against the villains. His limitations hurt, even if he tried to put the self-depreciation aside.
He turned around, groaning, and put his phone out to launch the Pikachu playlist, breathing slowly. It had become a daily routine, to listen to the songs Jirou had chosen for him: he could see all their fun moments replay in his mind. Along with the breathing, he felt a tiny bit better: maybe he could ask for one of the Lurkers for advice about this problem.
His phone suddenly rang, making him jump on the bed. The screen displayed Jirou's name, and a smile instantly formed on his lips. He picked up quickly with a "Hey there Rock Queen!", but his greeting was first met with silence, before a light sniffling echoed through the speaker;
"Hey, Jirou, you okay?"
"Hey Kami...Sorry to disturb you but…", she exhaled, holed up in her room at Gang Orca's agency. Curled up, her back against the headboard, her knees against her chest, she was holding back her tears.
"Don't worry. What happened?", he whispered with a hint of tenderness. It wasn't the time to let the worry go out, she obviously needed an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on. He hated to be this far from her.
"I… need… help…", she sniffled, trying to regain a sense of calm. Her feelings overflowed, as the images of the day played again and again in her mind, not letting her be her usual level-headed self.
"I got you, I'm here. Take a deep breath, and exhale very slowly." He then hummed a soft tone, one of the songs on the playlist who had a soft and soothing melody played on an acoustic guitar. It reminded him of the day when she found him on the UA campus: he would not let her drown.
Kyoka followed his lead, lulling herself with the sound of his voice, evening her air intake. A few minutes later, she let out a small "I'm ready to talk", and took a last breathing.
"We were on patrol this afternoon, and Gang Orca had a call about a rescue mission after a building collapse due to an explosion." Nothing that unusual here, she recalled thinking: after all, it would be their daily routine in a very few years.
"Villan attack or accident?", Denki asked, his voice still grave and low.
"Villain attack. It was the building of a huge company who supplies several agencies with computers and intelligence gathering gear. It was located downtown, near a mall and a preschool."
He refrained a gasp, picturing the kind of situation she seemed to have been. He managed to hum his understanding of the situation, waiting for her to continue. On the other side of the line, she was bracing herself for the difficult part, flashes of a burnt scent invading her nostrils and pieces of concrete stained in red ghosting behind her eyelids.
"We… anyway, it was already too late when we arrived on the scene, we were just here to help finding injured people… but…", she let out a shuddering sigh, her voice cracking, "I felt so powerless… I should… I should have been able to do something…"
"I'm sure you did something. You found survivors, right?", he whispered in a hushed tone, knowing oh too well why she felt like that.
"Yeah, I've located some kids trapped under the rubble with their teacher. They were alive but one of the girls was badly injured…She's been brought to the hospital but I…I….…"
She stopped, her voice failing her, a burst of tears and painful sobs taking over. He let her cry, whispering soft words slowly, to remind her that he was here. There wasn't anything else to do but let the pain out of the system, so he embraced that reality, doing his best to make her feel safe. He was singing in his deepest voice "let it all out….", sharing her sadness to an extent. He couldn't shoulder her burden, but as a fellow hero trainee, he could understand it at least a little.
A few minutes later, she felt her breathing return again, soothed by the lyrics and his warm voice. She felt a strange strength surge out of nowhere, making her blurt the words she struggled with since the beginning of their phone call.
"Someone died in my arms. I… was too late to pinpoint his location."
Kaminari's breath hitched visibly this time. Okay, that was kind of the worst thing a hero could witness, trainee or not. She was strong-minded but she was still a 16 years old girl after all. His heart clenched, and he was just imagining how she must have felt. How bad had it been for her? His mind was racing, as she went on, letting every thought out.
"He was… a young salary man, mid twenties I'd say. He had been stuck under a metal girder that supported the ceiling. He… he was coughing blood, so much blood. I think that his lungs were crushed or pierced, since I saw some metal spikes coming from the concrete underneath him. I immediately called Gang Orca, but… as I... was monitoring his heartbeat and looking for the best way to extract him when backup came...it… it stopped. Suddenly…Just like that…"
She could still hear the fragile sound abruptly morphing in a deafening silence, freezing her on the spot. The reinforcements were on the scene two minutes later, and they were the one bringing her out of her trance, asking questions. She told them everything she saw and did, before Gang Orca told her that she did great and that she should rest for now.
Denki's warm voice interrupted her trip to memory lane, anchoring her to the reality of the dark room softly illuminated by the glow of the ending dusk.
"Hey, you did everything you could Ji. You did everything you were supposed to do."
"I know, really, I know. Everyone told me the same thing. But…"
"You got that nagging voice who said that it wasn't enough."
She sighed. That's why he was the one she called. He was the only one who could empathize with her the most. Sure, Momo would have said the same thing, would have comforted her, and helped her back on her feet. But Kaminari knew how it felt like to have this voice screaming how useless you are, and he grew out of this, got stronger.
She felt like he was the only one who could understand her, so she didn't think twice before calling him, because she knew he was the only person she needed to get through this.
"Yeah… I… I can't help myself. I try to shun it, to silence it. It is no use."
"It is because you're fighting it. It will always come back until you acknowledge that you are feeling like that, at this moment", he explained, her feelings mirroring the ones he felt earlier.
"But I can't stay like this!"
"You won't stay like this. For sure.", he said with such a confident tone that Kyoka almost believed him.
"How can you be so sure?", she said in a breath, her voice wavering a bit.
"Because you're you, and you're a goddamn great heroine. You'll find a way to get on your feet. But it doesn't mean you have to rush it: give you time to grieve and allow yourself to feel sad, okay?"
She let out a deep sigh… He was right, she knew it. The voice in her head was faint, but still there, making her doubt him.
"Easier said than done, I know", he said, like he had read her mind, felt her indecisiveness.
"How do you do that? I mean, it's like you read my mind even though we're just talking on the phone."
"'Y'a know, been there, felt that, tried some things to get better," he lightly chuckled," but I'm not you, and you're not me. What worked for me maybe won't do any good for you, but the starting point is the same: you can't be always at your best, and you have to embrace the good and bad things."
"Hay hay sensei!", she said with a lighter tone. She felt a bit better: maybe she could seek Gang Orca's help to try and cope with this trauma.
"I like the sound of that, for once, I'm the one giving advice… Even if I almost didn't followed them this afternoon!", he sheepishly laughed.
"How so?"
"I.. almost thought of myself as useless… I couldn't do much today, except trying to reassure a woman we saved from an assault. I got angry, because it could have been any of you girls, and I just felt empty at the idea that if it was to happen, maybe…"
She smiled, drying the remnant of her tears. That guy was just too much, and he failed every time to see how precious his help could be; how he didn't need to have flashy moves or brute strength to be a real hero.
"Hey, we girls are heroes too. I don't say it would never happen, but in the worst case, we'll get up again, kick some ass, and be supported by y'all along the way. And for one thing, you did something great today: you were there for me."
He smiled, relieved to feel in her voice that she was indeed better. The words Kamui Woods told him after their training session came to his mind: he had been too down on the slope to accept them at the time.
What makes a hero is the care they show for people. In that sense, there is not much we can teach you, Chargebolt.
"I know. I'm here anytime for you, Ji. And thanks again for the playlist, it rocks!"
They spoke for a long time this evening, wrapped in their own bubble, oblivious to the night settling in the sky and the darkness of their respective room, far and yet so close to each other.
