Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It starts out with the little things.  It is always the little things.

Jirou is a very observant person.  It likely stems from her love of music-to her, listening to music isn’t just a background activity, it is a talent.  She’s able to single out and analyze every part of a song, to recognize harmonic changes and patterns, to understand how the vocals and bass and rhythm section works together to create something worth more than the sum of its parts.  Initially, she isn't surprised by how much she observes Momo whenever she is around.  After all, Momo is very conventionally attractive, and overall a very captivating personality by normal standards.  After all, she was originally going to be class president.  After all, she scored number one on both the quirk apprehension test and the midterm exam.  After all, everyone thinks very highly of her.

Right?

So, the confusion, for a lack of a better word, kicks in when Jirou realizes she notices everything about Momo.  The fact that her high ponytail is always slightly off center, leaning more towards the left side of her head. How whenever she talks about her quirk, her voice unintentionally switches to a very scholarly tone.  The way her eyes light up whenever she spots Jirou. And so, so much more. But the real question is why? Why is so much of her attention devoted to this girl? Why does she feel unexplainably odd around her, even though she considers her a friend at this point?

Then one day it all makes sense.  Jirou doesn't accept it right away, even though she knows the truth.  No one else in her life has gone through a similar experience that she knows of, and the similar stories she finds online aren't enough to ensure her that she's okay.  It's not the kind of thing she would ever tell anyone; what if she gets rejected, or bullied, or labeled? She tells herself that it's unimportant, especially at this point in her life, when all she really has to worry about is school and hero work.  But it is always lingering in the back of her mind. Especially whenever she's around Momo.

The initial shock wears off soon enough, though, and everything pretty much goes back to normal.  In a way, Jirou feels relieved that she's figured it out sooner than later; at least she won't spend any more days walking around in a frustrated, confused blur.  At the same time, the burden of harboring something so outstanding grows more difficult by the day. She's not a person of many secrets, and this one seems to be the most obvious of them all.  So she spends the next many months enjoying the trials of school and training set before her all the while trying to suppress this all-consuming thing that doesn't really matter.

Up until this point, Jirou has skillfully avoided most conversation regarding her personal love life (besides the few comments about her and Kaminari, which she has instantly struck down), choosing to quickly change the subject or turn the conversation around on the other person.  She really doesn't think it's anyone else's damn business, as a matter of fact, but that doesn't stop the rest of the teenage population from shoving romance down other people's throats. This is no different when Uraraka sends herself flying into the air in embarrassment one night after being accused of being in love.

"No, it's not, it's not..." Uraraka stutters, tumbling in circles by the ceiling.

"Who is it?  Which one? Who is it?" Toru demands.

Jirou smirks (her stomach churns).  "Spill it out. You'll get a lighter sentence if you confess."

If she's being completely honest, leaving the room sounds like a great idea right about now.  The thought of the conversation somehow being directed towards her makes her irrationally nervous, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to investigate Uraraka any further.  Although it couldn't possibly be more obvious as to who Uraraka is obsessed with.

So when Tsuyu and Momo insist that everyone should leave Uraraka alone, Jirou lets out an internal sigh of relief.  Of course Momo, the most civilized and well-intentioned person she knows, would be the one to inadvertently save her.  And there it is again. That feeling, starting in her chest, sinking down into her stomach and settling there uncomfortably until her mind becomes preoccupied with something other than Momo.

She wonders when, or if it will go away.

-----------------------------------------------

Jirou notices over the few weeks of being in the dorms that the common area seems to the be least crowded during Thursday evenings; that being said, most tests during the week land on Friday’s, and most people prefer to study in solitude or with a partner in their own rooms.  She’s already studied plenty for the test and is feeling a little restless, so she grabs her phone and decides a walk will be enough to clear her mind. Something in the back of her mind tells her to ask Momo to join her, but she’s probably the thing she needs to get her mind off of.

As Jirou starts walking past the common room, she notices a single person curled up on one of the couches, writing in a small notebook: Izuku.  He looks extremely focused on whatever he’s writing, possibly muttering to himself quietly, but when he notices Jirou in the room, he looks up and grins widely.  “Hey, Jirou!”

“Yo, Izuku.  What’s up?” Jirou asks.  She debates on whether or not she should keep walking, but a sudden image flashes through her mind.

Todoroki.

And then Momo, because everything seems to remind her of Momo.

Her instincts give in and she takes a seat on the couch opposite of Deku, who sits up from his catlike position.  “Not much,” he says. “Just studying.”

“For the tests tomorrow?” Jirou asks.

“Nah, I already studied for those.  I’m uh, studying quirks and how their heroes use them.  I always try to observe what techniques heroes use manipulate the quirks given to them to their advantage,” he chirps.

“That’s an interesting way to think of quirks, huh.  As separate things controlled by a person,” Jirou says.

Suddenly Izuku turns very red.  “Ah, that’s not what I meant! It’s just that, you know, some quirks, like All for One’s, are able to take other people’s quirks away from them, or are passed down through generations of heroes.  Or villains, in his case,” Izuku sputters, inexplicably embarrassed.

“Oh, okay.  Don’t sweat it,” Jirou says, noticing Izuku’s visible panic.

“So...what are you doing down here?”

“I was gonna take a walk, but I guess talking to you would be just as effective.”

Izuku looks confused.  “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, just thought I’d get out of my room and clear my head.  Anyways, where’s Todoroki?”

Izuku looks even more confused now, and he’s back to being red.  “Um, I don’t know, he’s probably in his room. Why do you ask?” he says.

“Well, it always seems like you guys are together.  You probably know him really well, huh.”

At this, Izuku relaxes a little, smiling.  “Yeah, I do know him really well, probably better than anyone else here.  He was very, ‘Oh, I’m not making friends here, blah blah blah’ for awhile, but he ended up becoming friends with a lot of people without realizing.  For some reason, with me in particular, he’s opened up a lot. Especially after the sports festival. Everything started to make sense with him. We’ve kinda had to work together a lot as heroes, but we’ve also become really good friends outside of that.  I think he-“ Izuku suddenly stops, continuing in a lower tone. “I’m rambling, aren’t I.”

“You could say that,” Jirou laughs.

Izuku sighs and shuts his notebook.  “Sorry about that. I just can’t help myself whenever I’m talking about something I’m passionate about.”

“It’s okay,” Jirou assures him, although his explanation comes across as slightly lovestruck.  Speaking of being lovestruck...

Jirou shifts.  “Okay, so, uh, there’s something I’ve been wondering about him for awhile now.  And I guess it’s really not any of my business, but it involves people I know. If it’s too personal, you don’t have to tell me, although I’ll probably be able to figure it out from your reaction,” she explains.

Izuku looks slightly scared.  “What is it?”

Jirou exhales deeply.  “Does Todoroki like Momo?”

Izuku stares at her blankly, his mouth slightly open.  "He does?" he asks.

"I'm asking you!"  Jirou exclaims, taken aback by his reaction.

"I-I don't know!  He's never even talked about her before!  I don't think he likes her. Unless he's the type to be quiet about his crushes, because he's sure never talked to me about anyone he liked.  It's kinda odd because he seems like the guy who a lot of girls would like, but he never flirts back with any of them. Like, who knows if he even likes g-" and then Izuku stops completely this time.

Jirou's eyes widen.  She doesn't know if she should finish the sentence for him, because she doesn't know what he wants to say.  But something inside her does.

"Girls?" she says softly.

Izuku looks down, a guilty look clouding his green eyes.  "That's probably not a very nice thing of me to say, huh," he says.  "He trusts me more than anyone here, and yet here I am, making assumptions I can't even prove."

"Well, do you think he's gay?" Jirou asks.  And she realizes that this is the first time she's ever talked to another student at U.A. about sexuality.

"I...I don't know.  Like I said, I don't want to assume anything, but there are just a lot of things that would make sense if he is," Izuku admits.

"Hey, hey.  Your intent isn't malicious.  I'd say it's more caring than anything.  And it's not like you care if he's gay, right?" Jirou says.

"No, of course I don't care!  Well, I mean, like, I do care, but not because I think it's bad or anything.  I care because he's my friend and I want him to be happy. I just wish I could...ask him about it without it being nosy or weird."

Jirou thinks for a moment.  "Maybe you should," she says.

Izuku shakes his head furiously.  "What if he gets mad at me? What if I ruin our friendship because he thinks I like him or something?  Even if he is gay, would he think I wouldn't accept him?"

"You're overthinking it, Izuku," Jirou says.  "Todoroki trusts you, right?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then that's all there is to it.  If he's opened up to you, and he looks like a tough nut to crack, he obviously respects you and your opinions a lot.  I think at this point you could mention something along the lines of crushes and just slowly lead up to the topic of sexuality.  Maybe make it about yourself, at first," Jirou suggests.

Izuku smiles.  "You seem like you know a lot about this, huh," he says, an almost longing tone in his voice.

"I guess you could say that.  I'm kinda in a similar situation," Jirou says.

"You think one of your friends is gay too?" Izuku asks.

"No, no," Jirou says, reddening.  "Just, you know, trying to find out more about a friend without seeming invasive, I guess."

"Who?"

Jirou stares at him exasperatedly, and Izuku remembers.  "Oh, yeah! The whole reason why you're talking to me is because, uh, Momo and Todoroki..."

"Yeah," Jirou laughs.  It's kind of funny to think that Izuku opened up to her so much about his best friend, and she can't even admit the glaring truth to him.  She knows that Izuku wouldn't tell anyone (except for maybe Todoroki), but the words refuse to come out. All she wants is for this to not be a big deal, and yet something tells her it will be.  Coming out. Admitting that she has feelings for a classmate. At the end of the day, there's no way for her do all of this successfully without drawing unwanted attention to herself from her classmates, even if it isn't obloquy.  Jirou wants to be known for her musical skills, and for being a strong hero, and for being a hardworking student, not for something that shouldn't entirely define her as a person.

Suddenly it all floods over her at once, and she can't take it anymore.  Something clogs up her throat in the same way it does when she's on the verge of tears, and she knows she has to leave before any tears actually come.  She stands up quickly, grabbing her phone from her back pocket. "I really appreciate it, Izuku. I gotta go now, but see you tomorrow," she says, smiling.

"Oh, bye, Jirou!  Thank you!"

Jirou rushes out of the dormitories.  The time on her phone reads 8:46. Good.  I don't have to be back inside for another hour, she thinks.  The cool night air blows part of her hair in her face, and she swats it aside.  That nervous feeling from before is still there, her heart beating quickly under her chest.  So she turns to the solution for all (well, most) of her problems: music.

One of her favorite things about her quirk is that she's never had to bother with earbuds; although she has had to untangle her own earlobes before, she's never dealt with the terror of losing them like many of her classmates have.  She couldn't possibly imagine not being able to listen to music at any given point in time.

Her brain is too overwhelmed to think of a song, so she goes to the list of all her songs and presses shuffle, turning her phone off.  Static. Then immediately following, dialogue.

They're these terrors, and it’s like
It feels like as if somebody was gripping my
They're theses terrors and it’s like
It feels like as if somebody was gripping my throat

Of course, Jirou thinks, the most emo band in my library.  Not that she's complaining, of course-she could go on for hours about why My Chemical Romance was one of the most revolutionary bands of the early 2000's-it's just funny that this song would play as she's taking a walk at 9 p.m. in an attempt to clear her head.  The piano and guitar kicks in, and her mind becomes absorbed in the music.

And through it all
How could you cry for me?
Cause I don't feel bad about it
So shut your eyes
Kiss me goodnight
And sleep
Just sleep

The hardest part is letting go of your dreams

Halfway through the song, she unconsciously starts humming along to the melody.  No one else is in sight, so she doesn't bother to lower her voice, and eventually, she's full-on singing the lyrics.

She stops walking at the next chorus, approaching the outskirts of the school's campus, and lets everything clogging her brain go, her powerful voice ringing out in the quiet night sky.  Her throat is slightly sore by the end of it as she strains for air, but she feels 100 times less distraught than she was earlier. Singing rarely fails to help her through the tougher moments, and tonight it has certainly proved itself to be a reliable coping method.

Jirou collapses on her bed thirty minutes later, utterly exhausted, but ultimately in a much better mood than the one she's been stuck in for the past many days.

-----------------------------------------------

The following day, Momo and Jirou are mindlessly chatting after class when Momo goes silent, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"What is it?" Jirou asks.

"I was thinking that we should go to the mall today.  There's this store I've been wanting to visit for a while, but I haven't had anyone to go with.  I'll get you something, if you'd like," Momo says happily.

The mall?  By ourselves?  It sounds like a...

"Date," Jirou whispers to herself.

"Huh?"

"That sounds fun!" Jirou says.  "I don't really have anything to do today, so it's perfect.  What time are we going?"

"How about now?" Momo grins.

"Alrighty," Jirou says.  A wave of excitement floods over her; making last-minute plans, especially with Momo, is something she could certainly get used to.

"I'll go get my things from my room.  Meet me in the common area when you're ready," Momo says, and the two break off to prepare for the outing.

They take the train to the Kiyashi Ward mall, which only takes about ten minutes, and are dropped off right by it.  Jirou suddenly remembers what happened the last time they were there. Even though she didn't see it firsthand, Izuku explained how Tomura explained his hatred for both Stain and Izuku, and could have easily killed him.  She looks at Momo, who seems to remember the same thing.

"I hope nothing like what happened last time happens today," Momo frets.

"Don't worry, it's just the two of us.  I doubt the villains know who we are. It’s not like All Might has taken us under his wing like how he has with Izuku.  And besides," Jirou says, mustering up the best impression of All Might as she can, "I am here!"

Momo bursts out laughing, and Jirou smiles.  It's not something she hears every day, and it fills her with unexplainable warmth and comfort.  While Momo generally comes across as a cheerful person, Jirou knows the difference between her polite and genuine happiness.  She wonders if she's the only one who can tell them apart.

Momo leads them to the store, which proves to be difficult, given the amount of people bustling through the mall.  "It's so crowded," Jirou mutters, and Momo frowns. Someone cuts across Jirou's path, and for a moment she becomes separated from Momo.  This is definitely the worst part about being under 160 centimeters, Jirou decides, squeezing in between several passerby to catch up with Momo again.

"Sorry," Momo says, and Jirou fully realizes how high Momo towers above her.  Jirou flushes and steps behind Momo.

"You're the conductor," Jirou says, placing her hands on Momo's back and pushing her through the crowd.  She spots an opening right in front of the store Momo had mentioned earlier, and yells, "Go, go!" They enter the store just before a large group of people pass by, and Momo sighs in relief.  "Good thing you're so tall," Jirou says flatly. "Otherwise we wouldn't have made it."

"Shortie," Momo replies, and Jirou smacks her arm.

After looking around the store for a bit, in particular the price tags, Jirou realizes she probably should have brought more money.  One skirt in particular catches her eye, and she keeps circling back to it, but it's worth a bit more than she's willing to spend on a skirt she could find a cheaper, but potentially not-as-cute version of elsewhere.  Momo, several articles of clothing in hand, notices this and walks over.

She picks up the skirt, which is black and made of denim material.  The ends are frayed, with several strings hanging off, and silver buttons run up the very front of the skirt.  "This is adorable," Momo says, placing it in front of Momo's waist. "It's just your style."

Jirou smiles.  "And what would that be?" she asks.

"Hmm, I don't know.  I'm not too well versed in fashion, which is why I'm trying to go shopping more.  Although I don't think I could pull of the punk look you can so well," Momo says.

"Nah, you'd look pretty badass in all-black.  I think you're meant to be a goth," Jirou says, and they both laugh.  "I really like this skirt, though. Too bad it's on the expensive side."

"Oh, don't worry about that!  I said I'll buy you something, didn't I?" Momo says, waving her hands in dismissal.

"You don't have to do that!" Jirou exclaims.

"Of course I do.  It's really not a big deal," Momo insisits.  Jirou remembers the size of Momo's house and the ridiculously elegant bed taking up the majority of her room and can't help with agreeing that she has a point.

"Okay, fine.  But I'll pay you back later somehow," Jirou declares.

They check out fifteen minutes later, with Momo buying over ten articles of clothing along with Jirou's skirt.  Jirou pretends not to notice the total, but Momo swipes her credit card with a smile. They head towards the exit, Jirou incessantly thanking Momo, when Jirou hears a conversation from across the store.

"Um, excuse me, sir, what are you doing?"

"Oh, none of your business."

"You can't take the tags off the clothing until after you've bought them.  If you want, you can ask the cashier at checkout to-"

Then a piercing shriek.

Both Jirou and Momo turn in the direction of the exclamation, along with several other people in the store, to see an employee slammed against the wall by a heavily-clothed man.  The employee clutches at the hand closed around his throat, but that is not the most dangerous threat he is facing-the man's other hand appears to be made entirely out of sharp crystal.  Jirou looks at Momo, who has placed the bag by her feet, an angry look in her eyes.

"We should do something," Jirou whispers, and Momo nods in agreement.  "I can try to restrain him while you think of something you can make to disable him."

"Okay.  Be careful," Momo says, not bothering to be quiet, because the store has grown loud with clamoring of nervous customers.

Jirou sneaks behind a clothing rack close to the man, pushing past people flooding in the opposite direction.  "Please don't hurt me!" the employee begs, growing red from lack of oxygen. Jirou sends her earjacks flying at the man, wrapping around each of his arms and pulling tightly.  The man gasps in pain and lets go of the employee, who runs off frantically. Jirou squeezes into his arms as deep as she can, trying to cut off circulation on the arm with the crystalline hand.  The man yells, jerking his arm away. The sudden movement sends Jirou stumbling forward; she doesn't have enough time to extend her earlobes any further before he sends his hand slamming down on one of her earlobes.

His hand leaves a good gash across Jirou's earlobe, and she cries out in pain along with the realization that his hand is made of pure diamond.  Blood wells up around the wound and begins running down her earlobe, which she retracts quickly, cursing. She feels panic rising in her chest as the man notices his that only one of his hands is restricted.  He brings his arm back to swipe at her other ear when Momo screams "Jirou!" from across the store, distracting both of them. Jirou sees her hurl something at the man, which he doges by a centimeter. Momo rushes towards him wielding a staff in her right hand, her other hand positioned behind her back, but before she can reach him, the man grabs Jirou's earlobe and yanks her towards him, putting her in a headlock before she can react.

"I'll kill her!" the man yells, and Jirou feels his sharp hand press against her throat.  She digs her heel into the top of his foot, but he doesn't move.

"Stop!" Momo shrieks, winding the arm holding the staff back.

"Momo, don't!" Jirou yells back.  "He'll do it! Just save yourself!"

Thwap.

Jirou feels a rush of air pass right by her head, and immediately afterwards, the man's grip on her loosen.  She looks up to see the blank stare on his face, and right below it, a dart lodged in his neck. She wriggles out of his grasp before he collapses to the floor.  Jirou stares at him in utter disbelief before looking back at Momo, holding a tranquilizer gun in her left hand. Jirou rushes over to Momo, who grabs the bag off the floor and shoves the gun inside it.

"Momo, I-"

"Let's get out of here before security comes.  I don't want us to be involved in this," Momo says, and Jirou nods frantically.  Both of them are too frazzled to speak as they run out of the store and to the train station, and neither one of them says a word until they are seated on the train.  Jirou looks at Momo, and before she can say anything, Momo hugs her tightly, letting out a long sigh. Jirou hugs her back, feeling her nerves settle down slightly.

"Thank you for saving me," Jirou.  "I could have died back there if it wasn't for you."

"Of course, I had to," Momo says.  Then her eyes flick downwards, noticing Jirou's bloody ear.

"Oh, shit, I forgot about that," Jirou says, grabbing her ear, wincing in pain at the touch.

"Oh, God.  I can't believe he did that to you," Momo gasps, and she reaches a hand under her shirt.  Jirou watches as she pulls out a roll of gauze from underneath it. She looks at Momo's eyes as she wraps the gauze around the wound.

"Thanks," Jirou says weakly.

"Don't beat yourself up," Momo says, and Jirou laughs softly.  But that's what I'm best at, she thinks.

"Sorry I ruined our little shopping trip," Jirou says.

"Oh, stop!  It wasn't your fault.  At least now I know to never go to Kiyashi again."

"Yeah, good thing you spent your retirement savings at that store.  It's probably the last time you'll ever step foot in it."

"Jirou!"

-----------------------------------------------

They manage to get back to U.A. without drawing too much attention to themselves.  Momo quickly explains how they went shopping, refusing to elaborate beyond the fact that someone tried to rob the store and that they escaped safely.

"Jesus, Jirou, what happened to your ear?" Kaminari says, noticing the bandage.

"Oh, nothing.  I fell when I was running out of the store and cut it on a clothing rack," she lies.

"Is it okay?"

"It's okay enough to stab you," Jirou deadpans, and Kaminari backs off.

The girls sneak back to their rooms among all the commotion, stopping at Jirou's room first.  Momo gives her the skirt and yawns, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

"How about we never talk about what happened tonight?" Jirou says.

"Agreed," Momo says, and they both grin.

"I had a good time anyways.  Let's fight crime together again some time, huh?" Jirou suggests jokingly.

"That's what heroes do," Momo smiles.

Chapter Text

As Jirou and Momo walk to class together on Monday, Momo updates her on the mall incident.

“The man was a known robber convicted of theft three times previously.  He was on the run from local police when he tried to rob the store, and the police came right after we left.  He’s in confinement now. Apparently his quirk allows him to rearrange the carbon atoms in his body to turn parts of them into new substances like diamond, which is what his hand was made out of back there,” Momo explains.

“Holy shit,”  Jirou says, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself.  “He really could have fucked me up, huh.”

“Hey, we both made it out of there alive, with new clothes, so I’d say it was a success,” Momo says.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Jirou is the first person to leave class that day.  She doesn’t really feel shaken by the incident, but her stomach is screaming at her to go to the bathroom.  When she gets to the cafeteria, the seat usually taken up by Momo is vacant. She scans the lunch line for Momo, but she is nowhere to be found.

She sits next to Kaminari, who is happily chatting with Sero and Mina.  “Have you guys seen Momo?”

“Nah, we left before her.  She probably went to the bathroom or something,” Mina chirps.

“Okay,” Jirou says, her brow furrowing.  Momo definitely wasn’t in the bathroom just now.  She spends the rest of the day occupied with schoolwork, and barely notices Momo in the rest of her classes.  Her brain is in full school-mode, and decides to make use of it by studying from the time she gets back to her room until the evening.

Bzz.

Jirou’s heads snaps up from the homework she’s nearly finished with when her phone vibrates with a text message.   She lets out a long sigh, relieved to take a break from working for the past three hours, albeit how small it might be.  Her heart convulses when she sees that it’s from Momo.

momo: Hey, can I come over?

Jirou unlocks her phone and smashes a reply.

jirou: yeah ofc!!

She sets her phone facedown on the desk and lets out a slow, shaky breath.  The only time other people have been in her room is when her class had the room contest, and even then, she had been rather embarrassed.  Jirou likes her room, of course, but she worries that most other people would find it overwhelmingly dark.

Any attempts to continue her homework are fruitless; Momo is going to get there any second now.  The thought of her and Momo alone, in her room, makes her unnecessarily nervous. The sound of light knocking startles Jirou out of her daze, and she gets out of her chair to open the door.

“Yo, what’s up?”

Momo lets out a small smile in response.  She’s wearing a loose black sweater and and sweatpants, her ponytail slightly lower than usual.  “Sorry, my room’s kinda messy right now,” Jirou says, although that’s a complete lie. She prefers to have a lot of stuff in her room, with various instruments and band posters covering the walls.

“No, it’s fine.  I like it,” Momo says, sitting down on Jirou’s bed.  Jirou grins back, but notices that Momo’s voice sounds unusually quiet.  She sits back in her chair without inquiring any further.

“I’m gonna finish my homework but you can still talk to me or whatever.  If you just wanna chill that’s fine,” Jirou says. Momo doesn’t say anything back for a little while.  Jirou’s stomach starts to churn with worry. She turns around to see Momo staring at her hands, a startlingly upset expression on her face.  Jirou’s movement doesn’t initiate any kind of reaction, so she gets up and sits gingerly on the bed next to her.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jirou asks softly.

Momo breaks down.

Her eyes instantly well with tears, her face red and splotchy.  Jirou doesn’t know how she missed it before, but her eyes are already puffy, clearly from crying earlier that day.  Her throat closes up as Momo lets out a loud sob, burying her face in her hands. Momo heaves uncontrollably, gasping for breath and trembling.

Oh shit, what do I do?

Jirou gives her a knowing look, and without hesitation, Momo leans into her.  Jirou wraps her arms around the other girl and feels hands clutching at her back.  Momo’s head burrows into the crook of Jirou’s neck, tears running along her collarbone.  She reaches a hand up uncertainly before placing it on the back of Momo’s head and burying it in her hair, gently stroking the girl’s soft ponytail.  Another hand slides along Momo’s back over the subtle ribs of her sweater over and over again. A few minutes of silence pass, neither one of the girls saying a word until Momo lets out a long sigh and pulls away, her gaze fixated on Jirou’s knees.

Jirou’s hands linger on Momo’s shoulders for a few seconds, uncertain of what they should be doing.   When she breaks off the contact, Momo finally speaks.

“He touched me.”

Jirou’s head spins.  

She’s certainly misheard her; she isn’t thinking straight.  The deafening silence doesn’t explain how or why she can’t understand what Momo is saying, yet her brain fails to process what she’s hearing.

“What?  Someone touched you?”

“Yeah.  Mineta…he grabbed my butt when I was leaving class.  I couldn’t say anything because a bunch of people were there, but none of them saw.  I was too scared to do anything. I should have.”

Jirou stares at her in silence, consumed with horror and unexplainable guilt.  Then it’s replaced by rage. The pure kind of rage that makes her whole body tremble.

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” she spits.

“Jirou, I really don’t think that’s the solution-“

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” Jirou shouts, shooting up off her bed, swaying in anger.  “Who the fuck does he think he is!  He’ll be lucky if he doesn’t end up in the hospital for the shit he did to you.  I swear to God, Momo, I am going to end him!”

“Jirou, please!” Momo protests, but Jirou is already pulling on her boots.  She practically runs down the hallway in her rush to the boys dormitories, absolutely fuming.  She’s certain that she’s never been more bloodthirsty in her entire life than in this moment; she can imagine how good it would feel to kick the shit out of that pipsqueak.  As she nears the end of the hall, she lightens her tread, arriving at Mineta’s door silently. She leans against his door, sticking one of her earphone jacks through the wood.  Nothing. This means there’s only one other place he could be, the place she should have gone to initially.

Nearly half the class is in the common room, chatting amongst themselves or studying.  Jirou spots him right away. He’s talking with Kaminari and Sero, although it seems like he’s just listening to their conversation.  As she storms over to him, a few people look her way, wary of the fury radiating from her being.

“Mineta!” she screams, the whole common room falling silent at her voice.  Mineta’s eyes widen in shock, Kaminari and Sero stepping back. Jirou is practically shaking in anger, her eyes dark and piercing.

“What?” he says, a mixture of confusion and fear in his eyes.  She has no idea as to how he could possibly come up with an excuse for molesting Momo, and the thought of it enrages her.

“You know fucking what!” she yells.  “You grabbed Momo’s ass and thought you could get away with it!”

“What are you talking about?” he says.  Several students look confused. A few look shocked. A few look angry.

“Don’t fuck with me!  Momo told me everything, you piece of shit.  I don’t know what the fuck you were thinking, or why the fuck you would do that.”

Mineta sighs.  “Ah, I guess she would tell you, huh.  Well, I wanted to know what her ass felt like, and she didn’t object.  It’s not that complicated,” he explains sheepishly. Sero’s mouth is open in shock.

“Dude, you can’t just do that,” he says.  

“Oh, my god.  I’m not even surprised, but you took it way too fucking far this time,” Kaminari snaps.

“Oh, come on, guys.  You would have done the same thing if someone as hot as Momo was just standing right in front of you.  She was basically asking for it,” Mineta protests.

That’s when Jirou socks him in the cheek.

Her fist collides with his jaw with a loud CRACK, knuckles meeting teeth in a flurry of movement.  The impact sends him flying to the floor as he cries out in pain, throwing his arms out in front of him in an attempt to break his fall.  A stream of blood trickles from his gaping mouth and he wipes it away hastily, backing away from Jirou. “Fuck you,” she spits, her voice saturated with contempt and malice.  She cracks her knuckles menacingly before striding out of the common room.

Her heart is still pounding on the way back to her room, her footsteps barely audible over the screaming inside her head.  When she gets back to her room, Momo is curled up on her bed. She sits up at the sound of the door handle turning and rubs her eyes as Jirou steps inside, joining her on the bed.  She kicks her boots off before swinging her legs up next to her body.

“What did you do to him?” Momo asks, tinged with worry.

“He got what he deserved,” Jirou says hoarsely, her throat sore from yelling.  In the dim light radiating from her desk lamp, she stares at her right hand, still aching from the punch.  Her knuckles look slightly bruised, and before she can turn her hand over, Momo gasps, grabbing it with both of hers.  Her fingers press into Jirou’s knuckles, who flinches at the sudden pain.

“Jirou...” Momo says exasperatedly.

“I’m fine!” Jirou protests, trying to pull her hand away, but Momo holds on tighter.  Her face as she stares at Jirou’s hand is unreadable. Her long black hair is draped over her shoulder, resting gently on the soft curve of her chest.   Even after crying for God knows how long, she looks so beautiful, Jirou thinks.  She wriggles her hand free from the other girls’ grasp and sets it down on her lap.  Neither of the girls say anything for a moment before Momo opens her mouth, as if to speak, closing it just as quickly.

“What?” Jirou says.

“Nothing.  Just-thank you.”  

Silence.  Again.

“Hey, can I sleep in here?  I’d feel a lot safer. I doubt Mineta will go anywhere near you for awhile,” she asks.

Jirou blinks dumbly.  Yes, yes, of course, anything, you could sleep here forever, if you want.  And yet a small flicker of panic shoots through her brain, telling her that something is going to go terribly wrong, that she’ll mess something up, that Momo isn’t going to like her anymore-

“Yeah, sure,” is what comes out of her mouth.

Momo lays down while Jirou gets up to turn off the light and change into pajamas.  The bed is already warm from her being on it previously, and when Jirou gets under the covers, she sighs in relief.  A break from the freezer that is her room is always welcome. Her bed is big enough for two people, and yet she finds that they’re taking up enough space combined for only one.  Momo exhales, and Jirou feels a soft puff of air tickle the top of her forehead.

“Hey, can I hug you again?” Momo asks.

“Yeah,” Jirou breathes.

Jirou feels a hand slide over her side and settle over her back, and she instantly burrows her head into Momo’s chest.  Their bodies shift, Jirou settling deeper onto Momo and Momo nudging a leg in between Jirou’s knees. The touch is indescribably comforting; Jirou is sure that she’s never felt more secure in her entire life.  Momo’s body is warm and soft, and she can feel her curves pressed up against her own slender frame. Jirou decides this is the best thing that has ever happened to her, that this is the best feeling she’s ever felt, that there’s so much more she wants to do but so much uncertainty that accompanies it, that there is so much she isn’t saying but feels so strongly, that she wants to stay like this forever.

“This feels good,” Momo whispers, and Jirou can feel her heart do backflips underneath her ribcage.  Although she’s sure at this proximity Momo would be able to feel it. Can she feel it? Would she understand why?  Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion engulfs her. Seeing Momo so shaken was draining enough, and expelling all that anger was enough to put her to sleep on its own.  Jirou yawns softly. She feels Momo tighten her grip around her, and it is the most comforting feeling in the world. I wanna stay like this forever.

Jirou falls asleep certain that she will never look at Momo the same way again.

———————————————————

Beep.  Beep. Beep.

Jirou’s alarm jolts her awake all too harshly.  She’s very well used to its routine buzzing, and yet she always seems surprised by it.  The blissful state of sleeping fades from her body as she becomes more awake by the second.  But something else feels rather nice.

She vaguely remembers the events of last night upon the sudden realization that she isn’t alone-she is very not alone.  Her head is still tucked under Momo’s jawline, which now shifts over her mussed hair.  She carefully slides her body out from underneath the other girls to shut off the alarm by her bed before standing up unsteadily.  6:01, it reads. From her bed, Momo sits up slowly, rubbing her eyes.

“Good morning,” Jirou says.  Momo smiles softly in response.  Her hair is tousled and slightly wavy, and Jirou is sure it’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen.  She sits back down on the bed next to her and Momo sighs, leaning her head into Jirou’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to leave your bed,” Momo says groggily.  Jirou laughs, still not used to all this contact. Not from anyone, and especially not from Momo.  Not that she’s complaining, of course. They stay like that for a few seconds, soaking in the peace and comfort.  It seems like being in each other's presence is growing increasingly homely.

“Come on, we gotta go to class,” Jirou teases, imitating Momo’s voice to the best of her ability.  Usually, it’s the other way around, with Momo begging Jirou to get out of bed at least 10 minutes before the late bell rings.  Momo sighs in defeat and gets up. They both stand still for a moment, unsure of what to do next.

“I’m gonna go back to my room to get ready.”

Jirou nods, although every part of her wishes Momo would stay.  When did she become so dependent on the other girl? As Momo nears the door, she turns to face Jirou.  “Meet me at my room when you’re ready?”

“Okay,” Jirou says.  Momo shuts the door.

I’m totally fucked.  Totally, totally fucked .

On the way to class, they make small talk.  Neither one of them has mentioned the events of the previous night until Jirou remembers something.

"Aw, shit, I didn't finish my homework last night," Jirou realizes, her eyes widening.

Momo turns red.  "It was because of me, wasn't it," she says dimly.

"Shut up!  It wasn't your fault.  Besides, I'm almost done with it anyways; I doubt Aizawa-sensei will notice," Jirou says, lightly tapping Momo on the arm.  She doesn't seem any more comforted, and Jirou frowns.

“Hey, Momo.  Nothing last night was your fault.  You know that, right?” Jirou says.

“I should have defended myself.  I could have, but I-“

“It wasn’t your fault,” Jirou says.  “It was Mineta’s. There was nothing you could have done to prevent him from doing it in the first place.  He’s just a piece of shit, and you don’t deserve any of what happened, okay?”

Momo nods.  They walk into classroom 1-A.

Jirou immediately scans the room for Mineta.  He doesn’t seem to be there yet. She remembers with malice that he sits in front of Momo. Jirou throws Momo an apologetic glance, but she seems much less scared than before.  As Jirou finds her seat, she realizes that most of the students are staring at her. Oh, yeah.  I beat the shit out of Mineta in front of them all, huh.  Her face turns slightly red as she sits down.

“Hey.”

Jirou looks behind her to see Sero with a big grin on his face.  “You were pretty badass last night,” he says.

Jirou snorts.  “I was just doing what any of us would have done,” she protests, shaking her hands in denial.  “But thanks.” Next to him, Kirishima gives her a big thumbs up. She smiles and turns back around.

Soon enough, the whole class has filed into the room.  The bell rings as Aizawa shuffles in drearily. She must have not noticed Mineta come in-and probably for the best.  There is noticeable tension in the room between Mineta and everyone else, along with some confusion among the people who didn’t witness the fight or haven’t heard about it yet.  The silence catches Aizawa off guard.

“Are you guys asleep or something?” he asks.

“That’s funny coming from you,” Bakugou huffs, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.  Kaminari chuckles.

Aizawa shrugs and lays down on the floor.  “You guys know what to do,” he says before shutting his eyes and rolling over to face the wall.

Eventually, the students start talking and everything goes back to normal.  Jirou and Kaminari mindlessly chat until the homeroom bell rings. Momo quickly leaves the room, hugging the walls furthest away from Mineta.  Many people follow her lead, choosing to leave before anything gets uncomfortable. Kaminari shoots an irritated glance at Mineta before standing up and swinging his backpack around his left shoulder.  “We should get going,” he says, implication heavy in his voice.

Jirou nods in agreement, but before she’s out of the classroom, she hears Mineta’s meek voice.

“Hey, Bakugou, did you do the homework for heroics last night?  I-“

“Sorry.  I don’t talk to fucking assrags like you,” Bakugou growls.

Kaminari snorts loudly, covering his mouth with his hand.  Jirou smacks his shoulder as they all walk out of the classroom, and as soon as they do, she bursts out laughing along with Kaminari.

“What?” Bakugou huffs.  “That wasn’t that funny.”

“Well, you see, most people don’t talk that way all the time, so when someone does, it’s really funny,” Kaminari says between breaths.

“What does assrag even mean?” Jirou cackles.

“It means assrag!” Bakugou yells, sending them into another fit of laughter.  Jirou almost forgets about how angry she is with Mineta. Almost.

———————————————————

A few weeks pass by, Jirou somehow managing not to crush Mineta to a pulp every time she sees him, and also managing to spend a majority of her time at school and in the dorms with Momo.  They do their homework together nearly every day, whether in one of their rooms or in the common area, among other things. Jirou doesn’t neglect her other friends, though, and is alone with Kaminari one slow evening while Momo is in the shower.  Their casual chit chat about school eventually transitions to their current living conditions.

“So…what do you think about Heights Alliance overall?  I’m still not really used to not living in my own home,” Jirou confesses.

“Why, you don’t wanna live here anymore?” Kaminari asks.

"Nah, I really like the dorms.  I get to see my friends a lot more than I used to.  Hell, you practically lived on the other side of town from me."

"Yeah, same!  Now all the bros can hang out whenever they want without having to actually make plans," he grins.  "Hey, I see you with Momo a lot. I guess I never really saw her as the type of person you'd want to be friends with."

He finally noticed, huh.  Her heart is pounding, the quick thumps living in her head.  She can't keep going on like this for much longer. The logical voice in her head tells her that there is no risk or reason to not do this, and that is sure as hell has been long enough.  She exhales shakily. "Hey, Kami?" Her voice sounds oddly serious for the conversation they were just having, and Kaminari gives her a confused look.

"I like her."

“Momo?”

“Yeah,” Jirou says quietly.   I can’t believe I’m doing this, I can’t believe I’m doing this-

"Well, I sure hope you do, considering how much time you guys spend together."

Jirou sighs.  "No, Kami. I like her.  Like, like her. I..." She stumbles over her words, reddening.  "I have a crush on her."

“You’re gay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Jirou says, almost inaudibly.

Kaminari is quiet for a few moments.  Jirou keeps her gaze on her feet, refusing to look up.  It feels so good to finally say that out loud, Jirou thinks, but the silence following it is slightly alarming.  Then, out of nowhere, Kaminari engulfs Jirou in a hug. She's so surprised that for a moment, she just sits there, but she eventually reaches her arms up to return the gesture.  Kaminari squeezes her a little tighter before letting go, and he plants his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Hey.  You know I love you, right?  And that nothing would ever change that?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Nothing."  The look in his eyes is intense enough for Jirou to believe him.

“It feels weird to finally say that out loud, huh," she admits.  "But kind of relieving. I haven't told anyone. Well, I haven't really trusted anyone enough to tell them, and it's not like I could tell Momo."

"Wait, so I'm the first person you've come out to?" Kaminari says, shocked.  Jirou doesn't know why he's so surprised, considering that he was the first person she really became friends with at U.A., and for a second, she is honestly convinced he might cry.

"Yeah.  Do you want a medal or something?" Jirou asks, slightly harsher than she intended.  He doesn't respond right away.

Then Kaminari laughs.  "Oh my god, no wonder you beat the shit out of Mineta," he snorts.  Jirou grins. “I would have, too, if he even looked at someone I liked."

“Hey, be honest with me for a second.  Did you suspect this? Like, are you not surprised?” Jirou asks.

Kaminari thinks about this for a moment.  “Honestly, I didn’t assume anything. I could definitely tell that you didn’t like me in that way, despite everyone teasing us about it, but I guess it makes sense.  It probably will make more sense later,” he says.

"You know, I almost told Izuku," she admits.

"What?  Why Izuku?" Kaminari asks, false heartbreak in his voice.

"Oh, shut up.  It just seemed like the right moment, and to be honest, I've needed to get it out for a while."  Jirou's voice softens towards the end of the sentence.

Kaminari looks down guiltily, and it catches Jirou off guard.  She's never seen him more serious. "I'm sorry I didn't pick up on it sooner."

"It's not your fault, Kami.  I was trying to hide it, anyways," Jirou assures him.  "I haven't been open about myself at all lately. But I think I'm finally more okay with myself."

"You don't have to hide it from anyone, Kyouka.  And if anyone does anything to you, I'll beat their ass," Kami says with a grin, and Jirou knows he's back to normal.  Her heart warms at the sound of her first name. He’s never addressed her by that before.

"Do you like anyone?" Jirou asks.  It's an odd question for her to be asking, but in that moment, she knows that their friendship has reached a new level of trust and familiarity.

"Nah, I don't think so, but I'll let you know when I do," he says with a wink.

"I really don't deserve you, Kami," she says.

"I know you don’t.”

———————————————————

In class the next day, Jirou is zoning out, her gaze fixed on something before light buzzing on her phone snaps her out of it.  It’s from Kami.

kami: you're staring at her. like turned all the way around

Jirou realizes with horror that she's been staring at Momo for the past twenty seconds while Kami has been trying to get her attention.

She sends him the middle finger emoji.

kami: haha gayyy

jirou: SHUT UP I WILL CLOCK YOU

kami: ok ok :((((

jirou: just kidding

jirou: but seriously don't out me as being a hopeless romantic, i've got a reputation to keep

kami: of what, being a stone cold bitch

jirou: exactly.

Aizawa-sensei walks in groggily and they both shove their phones in their pockets.

———————————————————

Later that day, Momo is reading from her English textbook on Jirou’s bed.  It feels comforting to know that Momo isn’t traumatized this time. Jirou feels herself zoning out, and says the first thing that comes to her mind.  Well, the first thing after Momo looks really cute with her glasses on .

“You know, Momo, you’re the most functional friend I have.”

Momo sits up, closing her book partly.  “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, you’re just so…put together compared to everyone else.  And like, we work really well together. Quirks aside.”

“That’s very nice, Jirou.  I still don’t really know what you mean,” Momo says, although Jirou can tell she just wants an explanation.

Jirou sighs.  “I mean, look at Kami.  I love that kid, but he’s sort of a mess.  And he’s always hanging out with the Bakusquad.  I’m pretty sure they all lose brain cells whenever they spend time together.  When I’m around him, I can fuck around and be dumb, but sometimes I feel like I have to put up a front.  I just feel so... myself around you.  Like I know you would never judge me, and you listen to all the dumb shit I have to say, including the musical stuff you don’t understand.  And when the dumb things that shouldn’t make me nervous do, you tell me that I’m allowed to be. And even when we’re not really doing anything together, like right now, I feel so comfortable.”

Momo stares back.  “Sorry, that was really cheesy, huh,” Jirou says sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.”

“No, no!” Momo protests, waving her hands in dismissal.  “I just didn’t know that those things were so important to you.  I assumed everyone listened to you as much as I do. Although Kaminari can be a bit of an airhead, I suppose,” Momo admits.

“He’s still a great friend though, don’t get me wrong.  He probably knows me better than anyone else here besides you, of course,” Jirou says.

At this, Momo looks genuinely shocked.  “Really?”

“Well, duh.  We’re always together.”

Momo doesn’t respond right away.  Jirou feels her stomach churn. Did I say something wrong?

“Sorry, that’s just…that makes me so happy.  It caught me off guard a little. I’m really glad we’re friends, Jirou.  I mean it,” Momo says, and for a moment, Jirou thinks she might cry. What is up with my friends crying over me lately?   It takes all of her willpower to not stand up from her desk and tackle Momo in a hug.

“Me too,” Jirou says, and Momo gives her the biggest, most genuine smile she’s ever seen in her whole life.  A wave of joy passes through her whole body.

“I feel the same way, Jirou.  About feeling more comfortable around you than anyone else,” Momo says, and Jirou decides to go for something.

“You know, Momo, you can, um.  Call me Kyouka if you want. Sometimes it feels kinda weird to be called by my last name by someone so close to me.”

“Oh, of course, Jirou.  I mean Kyouka,” Momo beams.

This time, her heart positively implodes.

Chapter Text

Surely, Jirou can’t be the only person Momo is so touchy with.