Chapter Text
Jirou was definitely not in the right head space today. She wasn’t even playing her part during band practice. It got to the point that even Tokoyami’s shadow started to snap.
”What’s the meaning of this jacks?!” Bakugo yelled, his hair puffing with sparks flying out of his hair. He had an excuse to yell, he did make a throw-away comment about how his Quirk deafened him in a way. Jirou was the only one who bothered to take his comment seriously besides Deku. Even then Deku would usually say that Bakugo was just loud in general.
”Where did that nickname come from?” Denki asked with a snicker.
”Since you had your Quirk dummy!” The spiky haired drummer shouted.
”Since I was four?”
”Whatever!”
”Alright..?”
”Sorry… Can’t think straight right now…” Jirou mumbled, running a hand through her purple hair.
Tokoyami’s shadow turned and whispered something to the bird-head. He gasped before excusing himself. He had forgotten to finish his math homework which was due soon. So band practice, thankfully, ended earlier. “I’m so terribly sorry I have to leave so soon.”
”No problem dude!” Denki grinned. “It’s nearly dinner time anyways so we might as well head down right?”
Bakugo got off his drumset muttering about stuff as he left Jirou’s room. Denki shrugged as he left, though he noticed Jirou going to her desk. “You guys go first… I have some stuff to do.” The purple-haired girl mumbled. Denki raised an eyebrow before Jirou assured she was fine.
///
Instant ramen. Again. It wasn’t that Denki didn’t like instant ramen, he just was getting… bored of it. Maybe it was just him being a greedy pig for wanting more food. He did have a fried egg on top which made him happy. He was a simple guy with simple likes after all.
”Oi charger! Where did you keep the kettle?!” Bakugo yelled, grabbing Denki by the collar.
”It’s under in the cabinet. Chill my dude.” Denki chuckled nonchalantly.
Bakugo scoffed as he roughly let go of Denki. Kirishima snickered as he watched Bakugo find the kettle exactly where Denki said it was, much to the explosive student’s dismay. Most of the other students were at the dining area eating the dinners they had prepped up for themselves. The Baku-Squad, as Mina and Denki so proudly named, often resorted to eating in the living space.
”Hey, where’s Jirou?” Kirishima asked. “Haven’t seen her all day since class.”
Denki tapped his chopsticks on the ramen cup. “She should be in her room. She hasn’t left has she?”
Bakugo, who came back with a bowl of his cheap version of mapu tofu, sat down next to Kirishima. “If ya ask me, she’s being weird.”
”What’s that supposed to mean?” Denki asked, a bit startled at Bakugo’s bluntness.
”Band practice. She didn’t even play her part!” Bakugo exclaimed, taking another mouthful of his food. “Then again…” Bakugo seemed to be lost in thought for a split second before shaking his head. “She’s being weird.” He mumbled at the end.
”I’ll go check on her.” Denki huffed as he set his ramen cup onto the table.
”Yea go dude! Be a manly man!” Kirishima gave a toothy grin to encourage Denki, though the blonde didn’t really catch it. What he did catch was Bakugo slapping the back of the red-head’s head.
///
“Hey Jirou?” Denki popped his head through the door to see Jirou curled up on her bed, swaddled in her comforter. This immediately made Denki worried as he hurried to Jirou’s side. “Hey, are you alright?”
”Go away…” Jirou mumbled, her hands covering her ears.
Denki shook his head. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong!”
He was ready to get Jirou’s earphone jack plugged into his head, as that was her usual thing to chase Denki off. When she did that though, only she reacted. Her earphone jack plugged to Denki’s neck and released a shockwave only she felt. She quickly withdrew her earphone jack away from Denki’s head, whimpered from the sudden shockwave.
”What the… what just happened?” Denki asked, stunned at how he didn’t react.
”Stop talking…” Jirou grumbled, tears welling in her eyes as she pressed her hands to her ears more.
”Is it your Quirk..?” Denki asked after a moment of silence. He slowly coaxed Jirou to sit up, though still swaddled in her comforter. “Can I… help?”
Jirou let out a reluctant sigh as she slowly removed her hands from her ears. Denki sucked in a breath. “Jirou we gotta get you to the smooching nurse now! Your ears are bleeding!”
”No… I can’t.” Jirou mumbled, subtly turning her back to the other.
”Why not?” Denki asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy.
”Because she won’t know about this…” Jirou mumbled, twirling her earphone jack between her fingers.
”She would definitely know what this is!” Denki exclaimed, taking Jirou’s hands into his. She locked eye contact with him before immediately pulling away, cheeks flushed red. “If this is affecting you this badly, I’m going to annoy you until you let me take care of you.” Denki gave a silly pout, sparks popping out of his hair.
Jirou let a soft giggle escape her lips, causing Denki to blush this time. She sighed, looking down at her lap. “Fine… but it’s so loud outside. Everything I hear hurts. Even talking right now hurts.” She spoke in a whisper.
Denki could feel his heart aching seeing Jirou this… hurt? Vulnerable? He wasn’t the best with feelings or explaining for that matter. He looked around before grabbing a set of black headphones on Jirou’s desk. “These are noise-canceling right?”
”Yea..?” Jirou mumbled with a slow nod, unsure of where this was going.
Denki’s face beamed with a smile. “Wear these! At least this would help muffle out some noise.”
”But those are so uncomfy.” Jirou whined. “And wouldn’t the others question about it too?”
”They would understand! It’s not like they would bully you!” Denki grinned as he gently slid the headphones on Jirou’s head. “And if you really don’t want to wear these, we can always go to the Support Department to get that pink-haired girl to help!”
Jirou’s face burned red once again before looking away from the blonde. “Where did those brain-cells come from?”
Denki chuckled. “Being around you I guess?”
Jirou squeaked and turned beet-red, though Denki just looked at her innocently. He slowly got off Jirou’s bed and held a hand out for Jirou. She hesitantly took it and got off. She staggered around a bit, leaning on Denki for support. Now that she realized, she was very cold and Denki was very warm. She hummed softly as she unconsciously huddled closer to Denki’s chest.
”You good?” Denki asked, raising an eyebrow as he slung an arm around her shoulders.
”You’re just warm.” Jirou mumbled, her eyes half-lidded. Denki chuckled as the two left Jirou’s room. Before they went down the stairs, Jirou stopped the blonde. “Can you… can you not tell anyone about this? I… I don’t want them to know about this.”
”About us or about your ears?”
”You know what I mean.”
”Alright fine, I promise to keep it under lock and key.” Denki grinned as he zipped his lips up with his fingers. Jirou rolled her eyes before adjusting her headphones and going downstairs with Denki.