Jack And Her Green Muse

The Lyricist's Block

"With breaks, right?"

"Um....no, actually. I just.....I might have kinda lost track of time. Sorta."

"Wha...." Jirou was dumbstruck. She never really had any interaction with Izuku despite being in the same class, but she knew enough that he absolutely sucked at lying.

An hour and a half of punches and kicks of that intensity without a single break. Izuku definitely was winded, his shoulders rising and falling with every breath, but he was still standing and looked like he could go on for another half an hour or so. Grabbing the towel hanging on a branch, he replaced it with the sweat-drenched sweatshirt. Wiping whatever sweat his sweatshirt and tanktop failed to absorb, he guzzled about half the contents of a two-liter Nalgene bottle before taking another long breath.

Jirou definitely was no slouch when it came to physical confrontation. She had been in fights before during middle school, and even at UA she managed to survive the assault mounted by the League of Villains during the USJ incident and during the training camp with the Pussy Cats, albeit with backup. But this....this was just beyond anything she had put herself through. The intensity of the aura he exuded was indescribable. Shaking her head in amazement, she emptied her trashcan, but as she got closer to him, she noticed something she failed to from afar. "Midoriya, you're bleeding. And.....wait, have you been crying?"

"Hm? Oww....I was wondering why my legs and k-knuckles were stinging. I guess...I uh, I guess I didn't notice. Plus, it strengthens the bones and skin. If I end up fighting someone like Kirishima, it'll definitely help."

"You didn't answer my question."

"It-don't worry about it, it's nothing. I'm fine. Just――"

"No, come on. Your eyes are red and puffy and you've bloodied your limbs to a goddamn pulp. That's no coincidence."

"It was just a bad dream that's gone on for a while and I couldn't sleep, okay? That's all it is."

"Stop fucking lying. You're no good at it." Jirou growled, the irritation from her lyricist's block taking over. "Now spill. What the hell happened that's got you so worked up?"

"I can't, okay? It's-this....this incident involves more than just me. This isn't something I can just tell anyone without their permission. I could get in trouble. They could get in trouble. I appreciate your concern Jirou, I really do, but this is something that I can't disclose or discuss with you." Izuku then collapsed to the ground, the fatigue finally catching up to him. "Oh, God, no....."

"Well, guess we're going to be here for a while then." Jirou said with a shrug and an evil smirk across her face.

"I just need to rest for fifteen minutes and I'll walk back." Izuku mumbled.

"I doubt you can even crawl with those legs right now. Just tell me and I'll help you up."

"No."

"Alright, fine. See you at class tomorrow. If a raccoon or a possum doesn't give you rabies first."

"Wait, you're seriously going to leave me here?!"

"Like I said. Tell me and I won't have to. Look, I'm not that good at reading people but it doesn't take much to see that your nerves are clearly rattled. We're both trying to be heroes, that's why we're even here at UA. Heroes are supposed to help each other; help me understand so I can help you." Jirou held out her hand. This was a last-ditch effort. If he still says no, then she definitely was going to leave him out here. It was his choice to come out here for this in the first place. He has nobody else to blame.