Chapter Text
It all started on a Saturday morning 6 AM as class 1 A are in the dorm eating breakfast bakugo yelling as usual to midoriya for muttering about next week math exam ectoplasm had talked about the other were talking among each other discussing what they will do as then
Mina mouth filled with rice "ya know Kaminari a lot more encouraging to jiro then with any of us."
Kaminari looked up from his bowl then made a face thinking of what to say "..I'm just....building up her confidence a bit more?"
Mina leans forward over the table, grinning way too knowingly “Ohhh, building her confidence, huh? That’s what we’re calling it now?”
Kirishima nearly chokes on his rice. “Bro, that’s kinda obvious!”
Kaminari’s face sparks faintly as he points his chopsticks defensively. “What?! I encourage all of you!”
Jiro, sipping her tea, doesn’t even look at him. “Really? Funny. I don’t remember you cheering that hard when I beat you on the written exam.”
Bakugo scoffs from the end of the table. “He cheers loudest when its ears.”
“I am NOT!” Kaminari protests, electricity crackling slightly.
Sero snickers. “Man, you practically gave her a pep talk before band practice yesterday. You told her she ‘looked cool holding her guitar.’”
Mina gasps dramatically. “You never tell me I look cool holding anything!”
“You don’t hold instruments!” Kaminari shoots back.
“I could!” Mina argues.
Todoroki calmly takes a bite of his food. “Encouragement tailored to the individual can be effective.”
Everyone stares at him.
Midoriya nods thoughtfully. “That’s true! Jiro’s Quirk relies a lot on confidence and expression, so positive reinforcement might help her output and precision—”
Jiro lightly flicks one of her earphone jacks toward Kaminari’s arm. “You’re overthinking it, Deku.”
Uraraka smiles softly. “It’s kinda sweet though.”
Jiro’s cheeks tint pink. “It’s not a big deal.”
Kaminari rubs the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. “I just think she’s really talented, okay?”
Mina slams her hands on the table. “HE ADMITS IT!”
Bakugo groans. “It’s six in the morning. Shut up before I blast something.”
Kirishima laughs. “C’mon, Bakugo, this is manly emotional growth!”
Jiro mutters, trying to hide her smile, “You’re all annoying.”
Kaminari glances at her. “But like… in a supportive way?”
She bumps his shoulder with hers under the table. “Eat your breakfast, Chargebolt.”
Mina wiggles her eyebrows at Sero. “Oh yeah. Definitely just confidence building.”
Then after a beat
Mina "also jiro....he was actually smiling when you beat him in a sparring match....he didn't do that with us"
Jiro "wait wha-"
Mina "yeah he normally never does that he always sulks a bit when you did that he just smiled when you looked away...which is surprising as remember he was on a 9 spar winning streak"
Kaminari freezes mid-bite. “Mina.”
Mina grins, completely unfazed. “What? I’m just stating facts.”
Jiro slowly turns her head toward Kaminari. “You… smiled?”
“I—It was a normal face!” Kaminari blurts out way too fast. A tiny spark pops from his fringe.
Sero leans back in his chair. “Nah, man. I saw it too. You looked proud.”
Kirishima nods enthusiastically. “Super proud! Like, ‘that was awesome’ proud!”
Jiro blinks. “But you lost.”
Bakugo snorts. “He got dropped in under three minutes.”
“HEY! It was four!” Kaminari snaps.
Midoriya adjusts his glasses. “Technically three minutes and forty-two seconds. Jiro adapted really quickly to his movement pattern.”
Jiro looks even more confused. “So… why were you smiling?”
Kaminari scratches his cheek, suddenly avoiding eye contact. “Because it was cool, okay? You’ve been working on your timing and it showed. I didn’t expect that feint with your left jack.”
Mina dramatically clutches her heart. “He noticed the technique improvement.”
Uraraka giggles. “That’s really sweet.”
Jiro’s ears turn pink. “You didn’t have to analyze it that much.”
“Well I wanted to!” Kaminari says, then immediately winces at how loud he was.
Todoroki calmly adds, “Most people dislike losing streaks being broken. Smiling instead suggests he valued your progress more than his record.”
The table goes quiet for half a second.
Mina slowly turns to Kaminari. “Wow. Todoroki just academically confirmed you have a crush.”
“I DO NOT—” Kaminari’s voice cracks.
Jiro lightly taps her earphone jack against his shoulder. “You’re such a dork.”
He glances at her, softer now. “You still beat my nine-win streak. That’s kinda legendary.”
Her lips twitch into a small smile. “Don’t make it weird.”
Kirishima grins. “Too late!”
Bakugo stands up with his tray. “If I hear the word ‘crush’ again this early, I’m detonating the toaster.”
Mina just beams at Jiro. “So… rematch later?”
Jiro smirks. “eh maybe...also still its not like that mina stop pushing”
Kaminari "yeah it was just a confidence booster mina stop making it into a whole thing"
Mina "fineeeeeee but here watch this"
As Mina shows a video...then they realise denki wasn't holding back like a lot but he was very much holding back a bit as they noticed when he managed to out maneuver jiro he would instinctively move his hands sometimes he shocks but noticed 3 times where he just pulled back his hand until jiro faced him again equal ground
Mina props her phone up against the sugar jar. “Okay, pause. Watch his hands.”
The video plays. Kaminari dodges one of Jiro’s attacks, slides to her side his palm lifts, faint sparks ready and then he hesitates.
And On screen, he pulls his hand back just before she turns to face him again.
The room goes quiet.
Mina rewinds. “That’s once.”
She skips ahead. Same thing. He outmaneuvers her, has the angle his fingers twitch with electricity then he steps back instead of firing.
Sero leans in. “That’s… twice.”
Kirishima squints. “There’s no opening there after she turns. He had it before.”
Midoriya’s eyes sharpen. “He reduced output too. See the voltage flicker? That wasn't a full discharge.”
Mina taps the screen again. “And here. Third time. He had her blind spot.”
On video, Kaminari instinctively moves to shock then stops. He resets his stance instead, waiting until Jiro fully faces him.
The clip ends with Jiro landing the finishing move.
Silence.
Bakugo clicks his tongue. “Idiot.”
Kaminari stiffens. “I wasn’t throwing it!”
“No,” Bakugo says bluntly. “You weren’t fighting to win.”
Jiro stares at the frozen frame on the screen. “…You pulled back.”
Kaminari runs a hand through his hair. “It wasn’t like that.”
Todoroki speaks evenly. “You avoided striking her when she couldn’t respond.”
“That’s basic fairness,” Kaminari mutters.
Midoriya tilts his head. “In a competitive spar? You usually capitalize on blind spots immediately.”
Mina slowly turns to him with wide eyes. “You even waited for her to face you again.”
Uraraka smiles softly. “You wanted it to be even.”
Jiro looks from the phone to Kaminari. “You didn’t want to win like that.”
He exhales, shoulders dropping. “You’ve been working hard. I didn’t want it to feel cheap. If you beat me, I wanted it to be straight up.”
Kirishima grins. “That’s actually really manly.”
Bakugo scoffs again, but there’s less bite to it. “You better not pull that in a real fight.”
“I wouldn’t,” Kaminari says quickly. “This was training.”
Jiro steps closer, arms crossed but not defensive. “You know I wouldn’t have cared, right? A win’s a win.”
“I know,” he replies. “But I would’ve.”
There’s a beat of quiet.
Mina presses her lips together, trying not to squeal. “So he protected your pride and your growth at the same time.”
“I was not protecting her pride!” Kaminari protests, sparking faintly.
Jiro’s expression softens, just slightly. “You trusted me to face you head-on.”
He shrugs, suddenly shy. “Yeah. You can handle it.”
She nudges his arm with her elbow. “Next time, don’t hold back.”
A small grin spreads across his face as both of their competitive sides began to emerge “Next time, don’t give me the chance.”
Bakugo grabs his mug. “Finally. Something useful came out of this stupid video.”
Mina scrolls again. “Okay lets see other sparring defeats denki got for refrance… last time he lost before Jiro was…”
Midoriya leans over her shoulder. “Uraraka.”
They play it.
On screen, Ochako is breathing hard, uniform scuffed, clearly exhausted. Kaminari moves fast no hesitation. He dodges her floating debris, fakes a discharge to make her flinch
Then he springs upward, feint turning into a clean jump kicked her in the stomach which knocked her back a bit obviously. She barely recovers her footing.
The room stiffens.
“He didn’t hesitate there,” Sero mutters.
The clip continues. Ochako manages to get close, trying to tag him, but he pivots sharply and releases a controlled shock that forces her to drop, smoke flickering off the ground near her boots.
Uraraka rubs the back of her neck, laughing awkwardly. “Yeah… that one was rough.”
On screen, she’s clearly hanging on by willpower alone before landing her final counter and winning by the narrowest margin.
The video ends.
Silence.
Mina slowly lowers the phone. “That is… not the same energy.”
Kirishima blinks. “He went into full competitive mode.”
Bakugo smirks slightly. “That’s how he normally fights.”
Midoriya nods. “He pressured her constantly. No resetting. No waiting.”
Todoroki adds calmly, “He forced mistakes.”
Jiro’s eyes flick back to Kaminari. “You didn’t fake me out like that.”
Kaminari crosses his arms. “You don’t fall for that kind of bait.”
Midoriya immediately responds, “She probably would have if you layered it with movement the way you did here.”
Kaminari goes quiet.
Uraraka smiles sheepishly. “I thought I was going to lose, honestly. He didn’t give me space to breathe.”
Mina looks between the two videos on her phone. “With Jiro, he steps back. With Ochako, he steps in.”
Sero whistles softly. “That’s kinda obvious.”
Jiro studies Kaminari carefully. “You kicked her.”
“It was a spar,” he says quickly. “Controlled.”
“It was effective,” Bakugo corrects.
Kaminari sighs. “Look, Uraraka fights close-range once she commits. If I give her space, she controls the field. So I don’t.”
Uraraka nods. “He adapted really fast.”
Todoroki glances at Jiro. “Against you, he prioritized balance over advantage.”
Jiro folds her arms, but there’s no irritation in it. “…So I get the ‘fair and square’ treatment.”
Kaminari scratches his cheek. “You hate cheap shots.”
She pauses. “I do.”
Mina grins slowly. “He studies you.”
“I study everyone!” Kaminari yelps.
Midoriya raises a finger. “Not equally.”
Kaminari groans, face flushing.
Bakugo heads for the sink. “Just don’t get soft.”
Kirishima claps Kaminari on the back. “Man’s got layers.”
Uraraka smiles warmly at Jiro. “Guess he respects your fighting style.”
Jiro looks at Kaminari for a long second. “…Next time, remember don’t treat me differently.”
He meets her eyes, expression steadier now. “Then don’t expect me to go easy.”
A small smirk curves her lips. “I wouldn't dream of it.”
As then a second
Kaminari shifts in his seat, trying to look casual and failing. “Also… I was happy because I like seeing you smile. And for you it was kinda a… confidence booster.”
The table goes dead silent.
Mina’s jaw drops.
Sero slowly lowers his cup. “He said that out loud.”
Jiro blinks. “…You what?”
Kaminari rubs the back of his neck, cheeks pink. “You were on a rough streak, okay? Five losses in a row. You were getting in your own head.”
Midoriya nods quietly. “You were hesitating more before committing to close-range engagement.”
Jiro exhales through her nose. “…Yeah. I was.”
Kirishima snaps his fingers. “And you were on nine straight wins, dude.”
“Eight,” Kaminari mutters automatically.
“Nine,” Bakugo corrects flatly.
Mina points dramatically between them. “So let me get this straight. You, Mr. Nine-Game Streak, were smiling after losing to someone who’d lost five in a row?”
Kaminari shrugs, trying to play it off. “It was a good turnaround.”
Todoroki speaks evenly. “Statistically, that shift would have significantly improved her morale.”
“Thank you, Todoroki,” Mina says. “For the clinical confirmation.”
Jiro looks down at the table for a second. “…I didn’t know you noticed that.”
“I notice stuff,” Kaminari mumbles.
Midoriya smiles softly. “You were watching her matches closely.”
Kaminari’s ears redden. “I watch everyone!”
Bakugo snorts. “You don’t smile when I win.”
“That’s because you yell at me!” Kaminari fires back.
A tiny laugh escapes Jiro before she can stop it.
Everyone notices.
Kaminari glances at her, and there’s that same small smile Mina caught in the video.
“…See?” he says quietly. “That.”
Jiro’s face warms. “You’re such an idiot.”
“Probably,” he admits. “But you looked way more confident after that match. You weren’t second-guessing your moves in the next one.”
Midoriya nods. “Your reaction time improved by almost half a second.”
Sero leans back with a grin. “Man threw away his streak for character development.”
“I did not throw it away!” Kaminari protests. “She earned that win.”
Jiro looks up at him, more serious now. “Next time, I don’t want it because you’re thinking about my morale.”
He meets her gaze. “Good. Then beat me when I’m trying.”
A small, determined spark flickers between them—not electricity, just competitive tension.
Mina clasps her hands dramatically. “Rivalry arc activated.”
Bakugo mutters, “Finally something useful.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As after breakfast they went to the combat field to well spar as most of class 1 A followed as eh why not The training field is still quiet that early in the morning, the air cool and a little misty from the night before.
Jiro rolls her shoulders once, earphone jacks swinging lightly. “remember no holding back.”
Kaminari cracks his knuckles, small sparks dancing between his fingers. His expression isn’t sheepish this time. It’s focused. “No holding back.”
Mina, Sero, Kirishima, Midoriya, and even Bakugo trail out a few minutes later, claiming they “just happened to be outside.”
“Totally random,” Sero mutters, already watching intently.
Jiro moves first.
She snaps one jack into the ground, sending a vibration across the surface to throw off his footing.
Kaminari reacts instantly short burst at his feet to propel himself sideways instead of back. He doesn’t give her distance.
“Whoa,” Kirishima breathes. “He’s already in.”
Jiro pivots, swinging her other jack toward his arm, but Kaminari flicks a quick, low-voltage spark near her line of sight—not to hit, just to force a blink.
She narrows her eyes instead of flinching.
“Nice try,” she mutters.
He closes the gap anyway.
Jiro plants both jacks into the ground amplified vibration pulses outward.
Kaminari stumbles half a step but instead of retreating, he pushes forward through it.
Midoriya grips the fence. “He’s not resetting!”
Kaminari feints high electricity crackles in his palm like he’s about to discharge
Jiro shifts to counter
and he cuts the angle instead, sweeping low to break her balance.
She hops back just in time, barely avoiding it.
They separate for half a second, both breathing a little heavier.
Then he moves again. No pause.
Short bursts of electricity snap against the ground around her feet, forcing micro-adjustments. Not enough to overload—just enough to crowd her rhythm.
Jiro grits her teeth. “You’re annoying.”
“That’s the idea.”
He darts in.
This time she anticipates the distraction spark. When it flashes, she closes her eyes on purpose and fires a precise sound pulse toward where she heard his step.
It catches his shoulder and throws him sideways.
“Nice!” Mina yells.
Kaminari rolls, recovers fast, and springs back up. No smile—just sharp focus.
He lunges again.
Jiro waits
waits
Then at the last second she sends a concentrated vibration through the ground directly under him.
He missteps.
She steps in close and snaps one jack against his side with a controlled burst.
The hit lands clean.
There’s a brief crackle of electricity as his Quirk flickers—then stops.
Silence.
They both freeze for a second.
Bakugo clicks his tongue. “Clean.”
Kirishima pumps a fist. “That was awesome!”
Kaminari exhales, then laughs under his breath. Not sheepish. Not soft.
“Okay,” he admits. “That was legit.”
Jiro pulls her jacks back, breathing hard but steady. “You didn’t hold back.”
“Nope.”
She gives him a small, satisfied smile. “Good.”
He grins back, competitive spark still in his eyes. “Best two out of three?”
She tilts her head. “You’re on.”
Behind them, Mina clutches Sero’s sleeve. “This is way better than breakfast.”
As Kaminari drops back onto the ground after the match ended, one arm thrown over his eyes at first.
Then he pulls it down and drapes a cloth loosely over his mouth, shoulders shaking.
He’s laughing.
Not frustrated. Not embarrassed.
Just… laughing.
“Dude?” Sero blinks.
Kirishima tilts his head. “You good?”
Kaminari doesn’t answer right away. He just exhales through the cloth, adrenaline still buzzing through him, faint sparks popping harmlessly around his fingertips.
Jiro steps a little closer. “Did I hit you too hard?”
He shakes his head, still half-laughing. “No. That was—” he inhales sharply, energy still high, “—that was awesome.”
Mina squints. “Why are you covering your face?”
Bakugo scoffs. “Because he’s an idiot.”
But Jiro notices.
The cloth hides his mouth, sure but not his eyes.
They’re bright. Wide. Not with shock.
With admiration.
He looks up at her like she just did something incredible.
Like he’s proud.
Like he’s impressed.
Like he can’t believe how far she’s come.
Midoriya softens. “Adrenaline spike. He’s processing the intensity.”
Todoroki nods slightly. “He appears… pleased.”
Kaminari finally lowers the cloth just enough to speak clearly. “You pushed through every setup. Even the blink bait.”
Jiro crosses her arms, trying to stay composed. “You were predictable.”
He grins under the fabric. “No, I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
He laughs again, shaking his head.
The others exchange looks.
Mina leans toward Uraraka and whispers, “That is not the face of someone upset about losing.”
Uraraka smiles knowingly. “He looks happy.”
Jiro kneels down slightly so she’s in his line of sight.
“…You’re smiling.”
He doesn’t deny it.
“Yeah.”
There’s no teasing in it this time. No flustered sparks.
Just honest admiration.
“You’re strong,” he says simply. “And you’re not hesitating anymore.”
Her ears warm faintly, but she holds his gaze.
“You fought me like I asked.”
He nods once. “And you beat me anyway.”
Bakugo turns away with a grunt. “Tch. Good.”
Kirishima grins. “Man, this is intense.”
Kaminari finally sits up, pulling the cloth fully away. The smile’s still there, but steady.
“Again,” he says.
Jiro smirks.
“Try to keep up.”
As they reset the match again.
This time, Kaminari’s stance shifts slightly. Lower. More grounded.
Jiro notices immediately. “You changed something.”
He just grins. “Maybe.”
The match starts.
Instead of rushing straight in, Kaminari pushes off to the side—hard. A sharp burst at his feet launches him diagonally, not forward.
Jiro tracks him but he doesn’t stay in one lane.
A quick snap of electricity to her left forces her to pivot. Before she can fully commit, there’s a second burst to her right—not strong, just disruptive.
“He’s rotating,” Midoriya says quickly from the sidelines. “He’s forcing her to turn constantly!”
Kaminari keeps moving. Never directly in front of her for more than a second. Pressure from different angles. Sparks cracking against the ground, against nearby obstacles, just enough to keep her adjusting.
Jiro fires a vibration pulse
but he’s already shifted again.
“From all sides…” she mutters, realizing too late.
He closes in during one of her turns, catching the half-second where her balance isn’t set.
A controlled discharge snaps against her guard—not full power, but decisive.
The match ends.
There’s a brief stillness.
Jiro drops back to a seated position, breathing hard, staring at the ground as she processes it.
Kirishima exhales. “That was fast.”
Sero rubs the back of his neck. “That rotation pressure’s nasty.”
Bakugo smirks faintly. “Finally using mobility right.”
Kaminari walks over, no cocky strut. No teasing.
Just a bright, steady smile.
He offers his hand.
Jiro looks up at him.
He’s not gloating.
He looks… excited. Impressed. Like he just experienced something fun.
“That adjustment you made in round two?” he says. “If I stayed linear, you would’ve countered it again.”
She studies his face for a second, then takes his hand.
He pulls her up easily.
“You adapted,” she says.
“So did you,” he replies. “I had to.”
There’s no smugness in it—just mutual acknowledgment.
She brushes a bit of dust off her sleeve. “The side pressure was smart.”
“You were reading my rhythm too well,” he admits. “Had to scramble it.”
Mina is practically vibrating. “They’re evolving in real time.”
Midoriya nods enthusiastically. “They’re forcing each other to improve.”
Jiro glances at Kaminari again. He’s still smiling—not the soft, hidden one from earlier.
This one’s competitive. Bright. Alive.
“…Best out of five,” she says.
His grin sharpens.
“You’re on.”
And this time, when they step back into position Currently it’s tied 1–1.
They don’t stop and time for lightning round recap (get it? Yeah it's terrible pun I'll shut up)
Round three starts fast Kaminari already warmed up now. The side-pressure tactic returns, cleaner this time. He chains short bursts with sharper footwork, forcing Jiro to pivot repeatedly until he catches her mid-transition.
2–1.
Round four is tighter. Jiro adapts, planting controlled vibration pulses to limit his angles. For a moment it looks like she’s cornered him
but he spikes his tempo suddenly, adrenaline clearly kicking in. His movements get looser, faster, more instinctive. He fakes high, cuts low, controlled shock to finish.
3–1.
“Okay, he’s in the zone now,” Sero mutters.
Midoriya nods rapidly. “His reaction speed increased again. He’s not thinking as much—he’s flowing.”
Jiro wipes sweat from her cheek before round five. She’s breathing heavier, but her eyes are sharper now. Watching. Calculating.
The match starts.
This time, she doesn’t let him build momentum.
Before he can escalate tempo, she drives the engagement immediately rapid-fire vibration pulses to disrupt his footing early. No time to ramp up. No time to settle.
Kaminari grins as he dodges—he’s starting to heat up
but she cuts him off with a perfectly timed close-range burst when he attempts the rotation pressure.
It barely lands.
Barely.
But it’s enough.
Silence.
Then Kirishima explodes. “THAT WAS CLOSE!”
Score: 3–2.
Jiro bends forward, hands on her knees, catching her breath. “Barely.”
Kaminari laughs, energized, chest rising fast. “You didn’t let me build it.”
Midoriya adjusts his glasses. “That’s it. He needs adrenaline to hit peak performance. The first round, he wasn’t fully activated yet.”
Mina points dramatically. “That’s why Jiro won the first one easier!”
Todoroki nods. “His intensity scales with engagement time.”
Bakugo huffs. “He fights better once he’s fired up. Before that, he’s slower.”
Sero crosses his arms. “So the key is jumping him before he gets comfortable.”
Kaminari flops back onto the ground again, laughing breathlessly. “Wow. I feel called out.”
Jiro straightens, looking down at him. “So if I keep you from getting that adrenaline spike…”
He grins up at her. “Then you’ve got better odds.”
She smirks slightly. “Good to know.”
He sits up, still buzzing with energy. “But once I’m there?”
She raises an eyebrow. “I noticed.”
There’s no frustration in her tone. Just acknowledgement.
Mina clasps her hands. “They’re literally analyzing each other mid-morning.”
Midoriya smiles softly. “They’re accelerating each other’s growth.”
Kaminari stands and offers his hand again, this time a little steadier.
Jiro takes it.
“Three–two,” he says.
“For now,” she replies.
And the competitive spark between them feels sharper than ever, no teasing, no holding back.
Just two classmates steadily figuring each other out. They're still standing a little too close after that last round.
Both breathing hard.
Both staring.
Not angry just locked in on each other
Competitive.
“You hesitated on that third rotation,” Jiro says, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Kaminari scoffs. “You flinched on my first feint.”
“I did not.” jiro replied back
“You absolutely did.” Kaminari says still staring
Bakugo folds his arms. “Are they gonna fight again or stare creepily still?”
Mina is gripping Sero’s sleeve. “This tension is unreal.”
Jiro steps half a pace closer. “If you didn’t need five seconds to warm up, that score would look different.”
Kaminari grins. “If you didn’t rush me early, you’d be down worse.”
They stare at each other another second and then Jiro’s serious expression cracks first.
A small snort escapes her.
Kaminari sees it and immediately loses it.
They both burst out laughing at the same time.
The tension just evaporates.
“You looked so intense,” Jiro says between laughs.
“You were glaring at me like I stole your headphones!” Kaminari shoots back.
“I don’t even glare like that!” she said still laughing
“You absolutely do!” Kaminari said quickly
He lightly pokes her forehead.
She swats his hand away and flicks one of her earphone jacks against his shoulder. “Don’t get cocky just because you’re ahead.”
“Oh? Says the one who barely survived that last round.” Kaminari shot back
“I won it.” jiro said while raising a eyebrow
“Barely.” Kaminari said raising his hands
“You still lost.” jiro continued
He clutches his chest dramatically. “Wow. No mercy.”
Class 1-A collectively relaxes.
Kirishima grins. “That’s way healthier than brooding.”
Uraraka smiles warmly. “They look like they’re having fun.”
Sero nods. “Competitive but not weird about it.”
Midoriya watches thoughtfully. “They push each other without resentment. That’s rare.”
Mina wipes fake tears. “From analyzing crush footage at breakfast to mutual combat respect by 8 a.m. What a journey.”
“Shut up,” Kaminari and Jiro say at the same time.
They pause.
Then glance at each other.
Then laugh again.
Bakugo turns away with a small scoff. “Idiots.”
But there’s no real bite to it.
Jiro bumps Kaminari’s shoulder one more time. “Three–two doesn’t mean you’re better.”
Kaminari grins. “It means I’m ahead.”
“For now.”
“For now,” he agrees.
And instead of tension, there’s just that bright, competitive energy between them equal parts challenge and genuine enjoyment after a few minutes There’s still a bit of competitive heat in the air but it fades fast (I don't know much about music so I needed to do some Googling to find how the conversation would work also don't make fun of me if its not accurate i only read about music and phrases for 30 minutes)
Jiro stretches her arms behind her head. “You know what that rotation thing reminded me of?”
Kaminari tilts his head. “What?”
“The live version of that punk set I showed you last month. The one where the guitarist kept switching sides of the stage.” jiro says
His eyes light up immediately. “Oh! The underground Tokyo band? The one with the messy red lighting and the crowd basically crashing into each other?”
Jiro points at him. “Yes! That one.”
Mina blinks. “Wait, how does he know that instantly?”
Jiro’s already animated, hands moving as she talks. “Their rhythm changes mid-song are chaotic on purpose. It throws you off balance. That’s kinda what you were doing just now.”
Kaminari nods. “Yeah, but theirs works because the drummer keeps a steady backbeat. Without that, it’d just feel random.”
Jiro pauses mid-gesture.
“…Exactly.”
Midoriya whispers to Uraraka, “He followed that perfectly.”
Uraraka smiles. “He’s been listening.”
Jiro continues, more energized now. “That’s what I like about punk though. It’s messy but intentional. It’s not polished like pop it's raw.”
Kaminari shrugs casually. “You like when it feels real. Not manufactured.”
She looks at him for a second, slightly surprised but pleased. “Yeah.”
Sero leans toward Mina. “When did he get this knowledgeable?”
Mina whispers back, “well they are close friends and always hang out with each other.”
Jiro keeps going, clearly passionate now. “People think it’s just loud, but it’s structured chaos. You can’t fake that energy.”
Kaminari grins. “Same with sparring. If you’re just loud and flashy, you burn out. You need rhythm.”
She snorts lightly. “Did you just compare punk music to combat?”
“Maybe.” kaminari sheepishly admitted
“That’s so dumb.” jiro says snarkly
“But accurate.” kaminari says confidently
She considers it. “…A little.”
Bakugo rolls his eyes. “They switched topics in five seconds.”
Kirishima laughs. “That’s friendship, man.”
Jiro is fully in it now. “Anyway, their bassist? Insane stamina. Three-hour set and didn’t slow down once.”
Kaminari nods. “You said that’s why you respect them. Consistency.”
She raises a brow. “You remember that?”
“You’ve mentioned it like four times.” kaminari says nodding
She crosses her arms but she’s smiling. “It’s important.”
“I know,” he replies easily.
Class 1-A just watches.
The competitive edge from minutes ago is completely gone.
Now it’s just two close friends standing a little too close, casually talking about music like the spar never happened.
Mina sighs dramatically. “From rivals to music nerds in under ten minutes.”
Todoroki observes calmly, “They transition naturally.”
Midoriya smiles. “They’re comfortable.”
Jiro gestures animatedly again. “Next time there’s a live show like that, I’m dragging you.”
Kaminari grins. “You already do.”
“And you complain every time.”
“I complain about the crowd. Not the music.”
She smirks. “Sure.”
As the class began to walk
Jiro walks with her hands loosely in her jacket pockets, earphone jacks swaying with each step. “You only liked that set because the guitarist smashed his amp at the end.”
Kaminari walks beside her, stretching one arm over his head. “Okay, that was cool though.”
“It was dramatic,” she corrects. “Not the same thing.”
“It was both.” She shot back snarkly
They’re heading from the dorms toward the larger training grounds now, the rest of Class 1-A trailing behind in small clusters. The early morning chill has burned off, replaced by that crisp late-morning brightness that makes everything feel sharper.
Mina walks backwards in front of them for a few steps, grinning. “You two are still talking about that band?”
Jiro shrugs. “It’s a good band.”
Kaminari nods. “She’s right. Their drummer’s tempo control is insane.”
Mina slowly pivots to walk forward again. “He knows the specifics. I repeat: he knows the specifics.”
Sero chuckles. “He’s been educated.”
Midoriya, walking beside Iida, smiles faintly. “It’s nice when people take interest in each other’s passions.”
Iida adjusts his glasses. “Speaking of passions, I propose structured quirk training today. Focused drills. Controlled conditions.”
Bakugo groans. “We just watched those two sparred for like an hour.”
“And you’ll get stronger for it,” Iida insists.
Kirishima pumps a fist. “I’m in!”
Jiro glances sideways at Kaminari. “Structured drills, huh?”
He grins. “Guess we’ll see if your ‘structured chaos’ works outside music.”
She nudges his shoulder lightly. “Don’t push it.”
They reach the training field. It’s wide, segmented with reinforced surfaces and modular obstacles for controlled quirk practice.
Midoriya claps his hands together. “Okay! Maybe we split into pairs to refine specific weaknesses? Like reaction timing, mobility, output control—”
Bakugo is already heading to one side. “Don’t need a lecture.”
Within minutes, the field fills with movement. Tape whips through the air from Sero’s corner. Kirishima slams into reinforced blocks to test durability. Todoroki runs temperature modulation drills at controlled levels. Uraraka practices fine-tuned levitation timing with floating targets.
Jiro and Kaminari end up naturally paired again.
“Mobility and sensory pressure?” Kaminari suggests.
“Fine,” Jiro replies. “But no fake-out nonsense.”
He smirks. “That’s my whole thing now.”
They start slow. Controlled exchanges. Short bursts. Measured pulses of vibration. Measured discharges of electricity. Unlike the earlier spar, this isn’t about winning—it’s about repetition.
“Your left flank’s still slower,” Kaminari notes during one pass.
“Because you keep baiting right,” she fires back, adjusting her stance.
He nods. “Fair.”
They increase intensity gradually.
Jiro plants one jack into the ground, sending a calibrated pulse not full power, just enough to test recoil control. Kaminari responds with a short electrical burst at his feet to counterbalance, sliding rather than jumping.
“Better,” she says.
“You too,” he replies.
Across the field, Mina is absolutely watching.
“This,” she whispers to Uraraka, “is what a slow burn looks like.”
Uraraka giggles softly. “You’ve been saying that for months.”
“And I’m correct.” she says
Back in their section, Kaminari tries a new angle low arc discharge meant to skim along the ground toward her boots.
Jiro reacts quickly, but she overcompensates.
The vibration pulse she fires in response hits the reinforced floor at the wrong angle.
There’s a sharp crack of sound and the recoil launches her backward.
“Kyo—!” Kaminari starts.
She’s airborne for a split second, thrown off balance. Instinctively, she throws her hands out to catch herself.
She hits the ground with a rough slide.
There’s a brief, stunned quiet.
Jiro sits up immediately, jaw tight. “I’m fine.”
But she winces as she tries to push herself upright.
Kaminari is at her side in seconds.
“Don’t move yet,” he says quickly, kneeling beside her. The playful edge from earlier is completely gone.
“I said I’m fine,” she mutters.
“You just knocked yourself back three meters.”
She flexes her right hand experimentally.
Pain shoots up her wrist.
Her expression flickers.
Kaminari notices immediately.
“…That’s not fine.”
The rest of the class begins to drift closer, concern replacing curiosity.
Midoriya kneels on her other side. “It looked like recoil displacement. You didn’t stabilize before discharge.”
“I know what I did,” Jiro says, a little annoyed mostly at herself.
Kaminari gently reaches for her wrist. “Can I?”
She hesitates half a second then nods.
He’s careful. Way more careful than usual.
He turns her hand slightly, testing range of motion without forcing it.
“Does this hurt?”
“A little.”
“What about this?”
She inhales sharply. “Okay, yeah.”
He immediately stops. “Small sprain,” he says, glancing toward Midoriya.
Midoriya nods. “Most likely. You tried to break your fall with full weight on extension.”
Mina folds her arms, whispering to Sero, “He’s fussing.”
“He’s absolutely fussing,” Sero replies.
Kaminari looks up. “Can someone grab an ice pack?”
“I’ll get it!” Uraraka says, already jogging toward the equipment area.
Jiro watches him for a moment.
“You don’t have to hover,” she says quietly.
“I’m not hovering.”
“You’re hovering.”
He pauses.
“…Okay, maybe a little.”
But he doesn’t move away.
Instead, he adjusts his position so he’s half-blocking the sun from her eyes.
“Does it feel unstable?” he asks.
“No.”
“Any numbness?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She studies his face.
He looks genuinely worried.
Not dramatic. Not exaggerated.
Just… focused on her.
“I’ve had worse,” she says.
“I know,” he replies. “Still.”
Uraraka returns with an ice pack, and Kaminari takes it, carefully placing it against her wrist.
“Hold that there,” he says softly.
She does.
Mina watches from a few feet away, hands clasped under her chin.
“I’m telling you,” she whispers to no one in particular. “This is a slow burn.”
Bakugo rolls his eyes. “It’s an injury.”
“It’s concern,” Mina insists.
Todoroki observes quietly, “He altered his demeanor immediately.”
Kirishima nods. “He went full protective mode.”
Jiro shifts slightly, testing her balance. “I can stand.”
Kaminari looks skeptical. “Slowly.”
“I wasn’t planning on backflipping.” jiro sarcastically replied
“Good.” kaminari leaning into the sarcasm
He offers his hand again steady, not teasing this time.
She takes it, rising carefully. She sways slightly.
His other hand instinctively moves to her shoulder to steady her.
She notices.
So does Mina.
Jiro regains balance and steps back a fraction. “I’m okay.”
“Sit out for a bit,” Kaminari says.
“You don’t get to bench me.”
“It’s not benching. It’s not making it worse.”
She opens her mouth to argue but then flexes her wrist again and winces.
“…Fine. Five minutes.”
“Ten.”
“Five.”
He sighs. “Eight.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible.”
“And you just launched yourself like a human firework.”
A reluctant huff of laughter escapes her.
The tension breaks slightly.
They move to sit near the edge of the training area. Kaminari stays beside her instead of rejoining drills.
“You can go train,” she says.
“I will. In a minute.”
“You don’t have to babysit.”
“I’m not.”
She gives him a look.
“…Okay,” he admits. “Maybe a little.”
She shakes her head, but there’s no irritation in it.
The ice pack rests against her wrist. He keeps glancing at it like he expects it to move.
After a few seconds, she says, “You were rotating too wide on that last arc.”
He blinks. “We’re doing feedback right now?”
“Yes.”
He exhales a small laugh. “You just sprained your wrist.”
“And you were overcommitting.”
He smirks faintly. “You noticed?”
“Obviously.”
“Good.”
There’s a pause.
Then, quieter:
“Don’t scare me like that.”
She looks at him.
“…It was three meters.”
“You don’t usually miscalculate recoil.”
She softens slightly. “Guess I got caught up.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Me too.”
They sit there for a moment in comfortable quiet, the noise of the rest of the class training filling the background.
Mina leans against Sero dramatically. “I’m witnessing character development in real time.”
Sero pats her shoulder. “You really are.”
Midoriya glances over, smiling faintly. “They balance each other.”
Iida, ever practical, calls out, “Jiro! Ensure proper stabilization before discharge next time!”
She lifts her uninjured hand in acknowledgment.
Kaminari looks at her wrist again. “Still hurts?”
“A little.” she says wincing a bit
“If it’s still sore tonight, we’ll get Recovery Girl to check it.” kamanari says in a bit concerned voice
“We?” jiro said raising a eyebrow
“Yes, we.” kaminari insisted
She huffs softly. “You’re not my manager.”
“No,” he says lightly. “Just your training partner.”
She glances at him sideways.
“…Thanks.”
He shrugs, but there’s a small smile there. “Don’t mention it"
But The ice does its job.
After about ten minutes and Kaminari insisting on checking her wrist twice more Jiro flexes her fingers carefully.
“It’s manageable,” she says.
Kaminari narrows his eyes. “Define manageable.”
“It still feels sprained,” she admits. “But my Quirk uses my earjacks, not my arm. I just shouldn’t put weight on it.”
Midoriya nods from nearby. “As long as you avoid impact and brace carefully, you should be able to continue light-output drills.”
Iida points decisively. “Controlled exercises only!”
Bakugo scoffs. “If she says she’s fine, she’s fine.”
Jiro stands slowly. This time she doesn’t wobble.
Kaminari rises with her automatically. “Don’t catch yourself with that hand again.”
“I wasn’t planning to launch myself twice.”she said sarcastically
“Good.” kaminari says leaning into it
She rolls her shoulders, testing her range. Her wrist twinges, but it’s stable.
“See?” she says. “Functional.”
He crosses his arms. “You’re not doing high recoil pulses.”
“Wasn’t planning to.”
“And no ground slams.”
“That wasn’t even intentional.”
“Still counts.”
She looks at him flatly. “Are you done?”
“…Almost.” he says
She sighs but there’s a faint smile tugging at her lips.
They return to their section of the training field, but this time Jiro adjusts her stance. Less dynamic footwork. More planted positioning. Precision over power.
“Okay,” she says. “Mid-range sensory drills. You apply pressure, I respond.”
“Light pressure,” Kaminari corrects.
“Controlled pressure.”
He nods.
They start again.
Kaminari sends short, low-voltage bursts across the ground not enough to destabilize, just enough to test her reaction. Jiro plants one jack carefully and releases measured sound waves that ripple outward without heavy recoil.
No dramatic launches this time.
Just refinement.
“She adjusted her center of gravity,” Midoriya observes quietly.
Todoroki nods. “She’s compensating.”
Kirishima grins. “Still going even after that knockback. That’s tough.”
Mina watches with sparkling eyes. “And he’s hovering at a two-meter radius the entire time.”
It’s true.
Kaminari keeps close. Not interfering but positioned so he can reach her quickly if something goes wrong.
Jiro notices.
“You don’t have to shadow me,” she says while deflecting a light arc of electricity with a vibration pulse.
“I’m not shadowing.”
“You’re absolutely shadowing.”
He shrugs. “Strategic positioning.”
She snorts. “Sure.”
He increases tempo slightly testing her.
She responds cleanly. No hesitation. No overextension.
After a few exchanges, she lands a precise pulse that forces him to step back.
He grins. “There it is.”
“Told you,” she replies.
They continue for another half hour, scaling intensity carefully. Jiro avoids putting pressure on her wrist, relying more on timing and placement than force. Kaminari adapts to her limitations without making it obvious.
At one point she slips slightly on a pivot and he’s there instantly, steadying her elbow without thinking.
She catches herself this time with her good hand.
They both freeze for half a second.
“I had it,” she says.
“I know.”
But he doesn’t move his hand right away.
Then he realizes and steps back, clearing his throat. “Just checking.”
Mina makes a tiny squeaking noise from the sidelines.
Sero pats her shoulder again. “You’re going to explode.”
“I’m invested,” she whispers fiercely.
Eventually Iida calls for a cooldown.
“Excellent effort, everyone! Hydrate and assess for strain!”
Jiro pulls her jacks back in, exhaling slowly. Her wrist throbs faintly, but it’s no worse than before.
Kaminari eyes it. “Scale of one to ten?”
“Four.”
“Be honest.”
“Four and a half.”
He nods. “We’re still getting it checked later.”
She starts to argue
Then sees his expression.
He’s not being dramatic.
Just steady.
“…Fine,” she relents.
They start walking back toward the dorms with the rest of the class.
Jiro keeps her hands loosely in her jacket pockets again, careful with the sprained wrist.
“You adjusted fast,” Kaminari says.
“So did you.” jiro responded
“You didn’t let it slow you down.” kaminari shot back
“It’s not that bad.” jiro says rolling her eyes a bit
“Still.” kaminari says insisting
She glances at him. “You hovered the entire time.”
“I did not.” kaminari says a bit defensively
“You did.” she says amused
“…Okay, maybe a little.” kaminari sheepishly admit
She smirks faintly. “You’re obvious.”
“And you’re reckless.” he says trying to justifiy it?
“I am not.” she says tilting her head a bit amused
“You launched yourself into the air.” kaminari proudly answers back
“That was one time.” she says
He laughs under his breath.
They fall into step beside each other again, the earlier competitiveness replaced with something quieter.
Mina lags behind with Uraraka, whispering dramatically, “From rivals to training partners to concerned caretaker. This is peak slow burn.”
Uraraka smiles warmly. “They just care about each other.”
Ahead of them, Jiro nudges Kaminari lightly with her shoulder, careful not to jar her wrist.
“Next time,” she says, “I’m winning the full set.”
He grins sideways at her. “Next time, don’t sprain anything.”
“Next time, don’t hover.”
“No promises.”
She rolls her eyes but she’s smiling.
.
And even with her wrist still faintly aching, she keeps walking beside him like it’s the most natural thing in the world but also doesnt think anything of it they both think its normal best friend behavior
By the time they get back inside, the class naturally splits off.
Bakugo disappears toward the showers without a word. Kirishima follows, still talking about impact angles. Iida heads off to write down structured improvements from the session. Mina lingers for a second, eyes darting between Jiro and Kaminari
but when Jiro says, “I’m heading to my room,” Kaminari casually replies, “Oh, I’ll grab my amp,” and that’s apparently explanation enough.
Mina makes a silent squeal and retreats down the opposite hallway.
A few minutes later, they’re in Jiro’s room.
It’s familiar territory for him. Posters on the walls. Cables neatly coiled in one corner. Her guitar resting on its stand. A small keyboard by the desk. The faint scent of dust and wood and something metallic from the strings.
Jiro sits cross-legged on the floor, careful with her wrist as she adjusts a cable with her good hand. “If you mess with my settings again, I’m kicking you out.”
“I touched one knob one time.” He says holding his chest likes hes wounded
“You cranked the gain.” jiro says flatly
“It sounded cool!” kaminari insisted
“It sounded like a dying robot.” she says amused
He grins, dropping onto the floor across from her. “Agree to disagree.”
She plugs in smoothly, testing a few notes. Even with the slight wrist sprain, she compensates easily, most of her control coming from finger precision and her earphone jacks when needed.
He watches her hands for a second.
“Are you sure that doesn’t hurt?” he asks.
She doesn’t look up. “It’s fine. Stop asking.”
“Okay, okay.” he says raising his hands
She plays a short riff sharp, fast, controlled.
He perks up. “Oh, that one. That’s from the band you were talking about earlier, right?”
She nods. “Yeah. The second track from their live set.”
“The one where the tempo shifts halfway through.” kaminari says Recognizing it
She glances at him, faintly impressed. “You remember that?”
“I listen.” he said
She hums softly, adjusting the rhythm. “Sing the backing vocal.”
He immediately recoils. “Why me?”
“Because you’re here.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“It absolutely is.”
She starts playing again, louder this time.
He hesitates then jumps in.
Off-key.
Very off-key.
Jiro freezes mid-strum.
“…Oh my god.”
“I’m not that bad!”
“You are exactly that bad.”
He keeps going anyway, dramatically overcommitting to a note that absolutely does not exist in the song.
She stares at him for two seconds and then bursts out laughing.
Not a polite giggle.
Not a small chuckle.
Full, unfiltered laughter.
Her head tips back slightly, shoulders shaking, eyes squeezed shut.
Kaminari stops singing mid-note.
For a second, he just looks at her.
He’s heard her laugh before. Of course he has.
But like this? Unrestrained?
It hits differently.
It’s bright.
Lighter than when she smirks during sparring. Warmer than her dry sarcasm.
It fills the room.
She wipes at the corner of her eye with her good hand. “That was....wow. That was painful.”
“I was experimenting!” He protests weakly.
“With what? New forms of suffering?”
She laughs again.
And he feels something twist in his chest.
Not sharp. Not dramatic.
Just… noticeable.
He realizes he likes that sound.
A little too much.
The way her eyes crinkle at the edges. The way she leans forward when she can’t contain it. The way it doesn’t sound guarded.
He feels his ears warm slightly.
She’s still laughing.
And he’s just staring.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks once she catches her breath.
He blinks quickly. “Like what?”
“Like you just discovered fire.”
“I did not.”
She narrows her eyes suspiciously.
He shrugs, forcing a grin. “You’re mean, you know that?”
“You deserved that.”
He rubs the back of his neck, still smiling but quieter now.
She starts playing again, softer this time. “Okay, try again. But lower. Way lower.”
He salutes dramatically. “Yes, ma’am.”
He sings again.
Still bad.
She snorts.
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“No!”
“Yes, you are.”
“Maybe a little.”
She shakes her head, smiling despite herself.
He watches her again more subtly this time.
The way she leans into the rhythm. The way her foot taps unconsciously. The way she forgets everything else when she’s playing.
Earlier today, she’d been intense. Competitive. Focused.
Now she’s relaxed. Comfortable.
Because it’s just music And just him.
He swallows that thought quickly.
Don’t make it weird.
She finishes the riff and looks up. “You’re off-beat on the second line.”
“I’m not off-beat.”
“You’re absolutely off-beat.”
“Prove it.”
She reaches over and taps his knee in time with the rhythm. “One, two, three see? You’re early.”
He watches her hand tapping against his leg for half a second longer than necessary.
“…Oh.”
“Exactly.”
She doesn’t notice the slight pause.
He clears his throat. “Okay, okay. Run it again.”
They do.
He focuses harder this time. Less dramatic. Slightly more accurate.
She nods approvingly. “Better.”
“See? Hidden talent.”
“Let’s not go that far.”
He laughs.
And she smiles.
There it is again that light expression she doesn’t always show in front of everyone else.
He feels that same small twist in his chest.
He likes that he can make her laugh.
He likes that she lets him hear it.
But instead of saying anything because saying anything would absolutely make it weird he just leans back on his hands and nods toward her guitar.
“Again?”
She smirks. “Try to keep up.”
And as she starts playing, he joins in still imperfect, still a little chaotic but grinning the entire time.
Keeping that realization quietly to himself.