Jack And Her Green Muse

Breve Pause

Having cried her eyes out as much as she could, Jirou spent the rest of that day at Izuku's room for a second time (her last "explorations" with the blindfold came to a close just past midnight). Turning on a playlist which softly played a Bill Evans album, they both reflected on the encounter with Uraraka.

Izuku couldn't have felt more at a loss as to his next plan of action. A friend that had been there for him since before day one at UA was now.....distant. Hurt. And he was partially responsible. Now he really was going to have to explain everything, maybe even as early as the next school day.

As Mika had told Jirou, it did not go well. Of course it didn't, she asked Izuku to be her boyfriend without consulting her on the matter, neglecting to tell her being too drunk on happiness. Like the unspoken, colloquially known "Bro Code," what she did was tantamount to treachery of the highest order amongst girls. She had apologized as sincerely as she could for doing so, but the guilt continued to persist like echoes, making her shift around in unease, clicking her jacks together even more frequently than usual.

The couple sat on the bed leaning into each other's backs while intertwining their fingers. For the longest time, the comfort of company contended with the cloud of guilt hanging above them. Outside, however, the sun shone in a cloudless, immaculately azure sky as if to mock them. They remained in silence for the longest time except for when they took turns breathing in and sighing heavily.

Izuku finally broke the silence as he leaned his head back. "Kyoka?"

"Hmm?"

"I know saying this won't do much, but.....you did what you could do for damage control. I mean, your mom....is right. It may not feel like it, and it doesn't yet to me but...."

"Yeah. I know, I know. I'm the one that acted first, yada-yada-yada. I heard you the first time. But it's just....I still feel like shit. Even after learning that Todoroki quoted Kung Fu Panda to give you advice."

"The more you learn, right?" Izuku chuckled softly as he tightened his grip on Jirou's hand. "But I understand how hard it can be. Letting go of the past as something unchangeable. Especially with, you know. People."

"Like with you....and Bakugou." She felt Izuku stiffen through her hand upon hearing that name.

"Yeah. We have a.....rather colorful history, to say the least."

Jirou's lips curved into a smile as she felt his lips on her knuckles for a few seconds. "Gross understatement of the century, nerd boy. I mean....when I first wanted to become a hero, I was in half way through my first year in middle school when I decided my career path. It took me over a year to come out to my parents that I wasn't going to the music industry and I was scared shitless. I broke down crying in front of them."

"They let you do what you wanted to though. Or else you wouldn't be here."

"Mm. I was so relieved, but I felt so stupid that I worried so much about it. They told me I could do what I like, just like they do what they do because they like doing it; that it wasn't their place to judge me for doing the same. I liked the idea of doing it, it looked cool, and I wanted to be good at it. That's all I really had and according to them all I needed. For the beginning, at least."

"Sounds like you have great, open-minded parents. As expected from a family of artists."

"Shut up." Kyoka lightly elbowed him in the side, but kissed Izuku's scarred knuckles immediately after that as she subtly glowed with pride. "That was my dad. My mom said that music and hero work share the same principle in terms that you think hard about what you can bring to people with what you do."