It was another typical day at U.A. High, but today, Class 1-A had been assigned an important mission. Izuku sat quietly at his desk, tapping his pen against his notebook. He barely paid attention to the briefing. The mission didn't seem all that difficult, but he was still going—he had to. It wasn't like he could skip out on hero work, even if his mind had drifted to other things lately.
Aizawa stood at the front of the room, his usual stoic expression in place. "This mission requires everyone's focus. It's a recon mission, but it could turn dangerous fast. So stay sharp."
The students nodded in agreement, some more eager than others. Bakugo grunted, already itching for action, while Todoroki remained as quiet as ever. Jiro shot a glance at Izuku, noticing how distant he seemed again, but she didn't say anything. She had started to become curious about him, though he always kept to himself, and lately, it felt like there was something even more off than usual.
The team assembled at the designated location—a rundown part of the city where they were to gather intel on a villain group suspected of plotting an attack. It was mostly recon, but Aizawa made it clear that if things escalated, they had to be ready to fight.
Izuku and his classmates split into smaller groups, and as luck would have it, Izuku ended up with Jiro, Todoroki, and Bakugo. The four of them moved through the city quietly, scoping out the area, following the directions they'd been given. But as they neared the edge of the block, Izuku's mind started to wander again.
He hung back as the group pressed forward, finding a quiet alleyway behind an abandoned building. Jiro glanced back and noticed Izuku had lagged behind. "Deku, you coming?"
He waved her off nonchalantly. "I'll catch up in a minute. Just need to clear my head."
Jiro hesitated, but then nodded. "Alright. Just don't take too long."
Once they were out of sight, Izuku reached into his pocket, pulling out a blunt. He didn't do this often, but every once in a while, it helped him take the edge off. After all, dealing with the pressure of being the next symbol of peace, trying to navigate his own emotions, and the constant expectations—it all weighed on him. Smoking was one of the few things that helped him feel free.
He lit it, taking a deep drag and leaning back against the wall. The world seemed to slow down around him, the tension in his muscles easing, his mind finally starting to quiet. The mission was still at the back of his head, but right now, he wasn't too worried. If something happened, he'd be there. He always was. But right now? This moment was his.
From her position down the street, Jiro couldn't help but feel like something was off. She had noticed Izuku becoming more distant lately, but seeing him like this—so detached, so removed from everything—worried her more than she cared to admit. She admired his strength and skill, but there was a part of him she didn't understand. And for some reason, that made her want to understand him even more.
As Jiro, Todoroki, and Bakugo continued on without him, Izuku finished his blunt and flicked the butt into the alley. He straightened up, adjusted his jacket, and finally made his way back to the group, completely unfazed. He caught up with them in minutes, and no one seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary, except for Jiro, who gave him a brief glance.
"Everything alright?" she asked casually, though her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer.
"Yeah," Izuku replied, shrugging it off. "Just needed a moment."
The rest of the mission went smoothly. They gathered the necessary intel and returned to U.A. without incident, but Jiro couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Izuku than what he let on. His nonchalant attitude, his distance from the rest of the class—it was all starting to make sense, but it left her with more questions than answers.
As the group returned to the school, Jiro stole another glance at Izuku, who seemed as calm and distant as ever. There was something about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. And it made her want to know him even more
