Chapter Text
Mina coughed, her throat raw from dehydration and sobs. Her hands kept knocking the camera over, she finally decided to just hold the fucking thing. She tried to inhale through her congested nose before pressing record.
“If you see this, you need to leave . This forest is not safe. The stories were true.” Her voice cut out with another sob. “My friends… are all dead.” Her wet eyes darted around, scanning the trees surrounding her. “I’m not going to be here much longer. We never should have come here. Please, leave this forest and never return.” She closed her eyes. “Do not… stay here. She is real .” Mina spoke in english, fearing her warning wouldn’t be understood. Another sob shook her body as she clutched the camera to her chest. “I’m so sorry… Kirisihima Eijirou, Kaminari Denki, Sero Hanta, Bakugo Katsuki… and Jirou Kyuoka. You all deserved so much better. It’s all my fault…”
~ o ~
Day 1:
October 20/24
- 11:48 am -
“What are we doing here?” Kaminari asked from behind the camera, adjusting the settings as he focused on Mina. She looked up from her seat on the hood of the car, notebook in hand.
“Just living a ghost story!” Mina replied with a sly grin, wiggling her shoulders. Kaminari chuckled, panning over the driveway. The crisp autumn breeze sent a whirlwind of red leaves into the air.
“Oi! Dunce and Ditz, come help load the car!” Bakugo hollered, heaving two camping packs into the car’s trunk. He stood and banged his hand on the car’s roof. “C’mon you’re gonna waste the battery, dude.”
Kaminari scoffed, switching the camera off before rounding the car. “Yeah, yeah, bossman.” He slung his arm around Bakugo, leaning up to whisper in his ear. “You’re bringing Mochi, right?”
Bakugo huffed and caught Kaminari’s eye as he moved from his grasp. “Of course I’m bringing Mochi, she’s not just gonna sit in the fuckin’ Airbnb for three days.” He heaved another large bag of gear into the car. “She’s in the back playing with Ei and the new girl- uh- kid . The new kid.”
“Awesome!” Kaminari clapped his hands quickly before taking off around the small house to the fenced in backyard.
“Or you could help-” Bakugo shouted after him, but the blond had already disappeared behind the fence. “Shit.”
“Fetch it Mochi-Mochi girl!” Kirishima crouched as the American Foxhound trotted back to him, a ragged toy hanging from her jowls. “D’you think she knows she’s in her home land? America?” He asked, looking to Jirou as he threw the toy again.
“Hmm, maybe.” Jirou let out a small chuckle, hands slipping into their hoodie pockets. “Bet she’s gonna be excited to get out into that wilderness.”
Kirishima beamed. A full sentence! Jirou must be warming up to me! “You and me both, Mochi baby,” He cooed as the pup returned, the drool-covered toy being prodded against Kirishima’s leg for another round. He laughed and obliged the creature. His gaze fell back to Jirou, their dark eyemake-up looked purposefully smudged and messy. A perfect embodiment of what Kirishima thought a gender studies/fine art double major would look like. He liked Jirou so far, they had a quiet but quick wit. Even Bakugo seemed to crack up when he caught her- their jokes. Sitting next to someone on a 21 hour flight, you get talking. At least Kirishima did.
“Mochi!! My darling baby!” Kaminari cried as he burst into the backyard. “Look at you! Look at you, beautiful baby Mochi!” He dropped to his knees to meet the dog, cupping her face and rubbing his hands all over her. “Ahh, sucky sucky baby!”
“Good morning sleeping beauty,” Kirishima crossed his arms, grinning as he offered Kaminari the toy they were playing with. He took it, nodding his hello to Jirou before catching Mochi’s eye with the toy.
“Well, you try to wake up early after being stuck in an airport for 32 hours.” Kaminari hurled the toy.
Jirou licked their lips, slowly stepping closer to the guys. “Yeah, that was pretty brutal, canceling the connecting flights. When did you even get here?” They asked, eyes darting to the ground when Kaminari looked their way.
“Oh, like 9pm I think? I’m not sure, we’ve been through so many time zones, I don’t even remember. Sero’s just left the airport. Fucking scummy, you’d think the school’d pay out enough for each of us to get direct flights.” Kaminari scrunched his nose up. Kirishima slung his arm around his friend’s shoulder.
“You could pout, or think about how our school just funded our friend group to go camping in America for free .” Kirishima grinned, squeezing Kaminari’s shoulders.
“Um! This isn’t a holiday- don’t forget we’re working.” Mina crossed her arms as she and Bakugo joined them in the backyard. “I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears into research for this bitch, we’re taking it seriously.”
“Yeah, I’m not gonna be pulling your slack filming this damn thing. I wanted to make a powerpoint.” Bakugo huffed himself as he sat on the grass, Mochi immediately appearing by his side. She presented him with her toy, nuzzling her face into his side.
“A documentary commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Blair Witch Project- in the very forest the story comes from- is a great idea. The school people thought so, too.” Mina triumphantly put her hands on her hips. “I worked hard to get us here, so the least you can do is help me make a serious attempt on this, okay?”
Kaminari scoffed loudly. “Didn’t you make the uber stop to buy a whole ounce of weed last night, Mina?”
“Can you just- okay ? Thank you.” She rolled her eyes as she pulled out her phone from her pocket. “Oh, sweet! Sero’s basically here.” She bounced on her toes as she quickly typed back. “Ah! I’m getting so excited to get out there! Are we almost loaded?”
Bakugo’s head shot up, a deep scowl on his lips.
“We would be if I had some help. ” He got to his feet, eyes glaring at them.
“Ah, fuck, come on man. I’ll help.” Kirishima laughed, jogging over to him before throwing an arm around Bakugo.
Bakugo let out a sigh and the two fell into step towards the driveway. As they passed through the gate, he lifted his left hand up, flipping them off as he left. “That’s not for you, new kid. I don’t mind you.” He called when they disappeared from view.
Jirou couldn’t help but grin, gradually following the others to the front as well. They hadn’t expected to spend their reading break camping, much less camping on another continent. But, when else would they get an opportunity like this? A free ride to an overseas trip to film a project that actually seemed really cool. Jirou couldn’t pass that up. Immediately after hearing about it, they applied for the Sound Technician position, never actually expecting to get the call. The group seemed so close knit, no way they’d want an outsider like Jirou in on their project. At least, that’s what Jirou got in their head. Anxiety had them flip-flopping for weeks over the decision, right up until the night before they were to fly to Maryland.
The thrill of such an adventure was too much to deny. Comfort zone be damned, Jirou was determined to try their best! Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.
As Jirou walked through the gate, their eyes fell on an Uber idling out front of the house. Mina ran to the road, still bouncing with excitement as a tall man stepped out from the backseat. Sero Hanta. He smiled at everyone before reaching back into the car to fetch his things.
“So, to answer Denki’s incessant texts,” He said as he closed the door, sending an exasperated look over his shoulder to Kaminari. “ No, I did not bring my bong on an overseas camping trip.”
“ Awww , seriously?” Kaminari scrunched up his face, “Well shit dude, what are we even doing here?”
“I love how supportive my friends are of my creative endeavor.” Mina grinned, taking Sero’s duffel bag and carrying it to the hatchback.
Sero chuckled as he joined everyone around the car. Kirishima gave him a quick fist bump before jogging back inside the house for another load.
“You’re Jirou right?” His eyes were warm as he smiled at Jirou. “I’ve heard you play at Akiko’s. I was actually listening to uh, oh what’s it called- oh! Starscape! I was listening to that on the plane.”
“ OH ,” Jirou felt their cheeks heat, caught off guard by the compliment. “Thanks, man.” They gave a small smile, instinctively looking at their feet.
Sero grinned widely, tossing his large pack on the driveway. “You’re pretty good, have you been recording anything new lately?”
“Oh, wow, uh.” Jirou chewed on their lip. “I don’t usually get many questions about my music.” They let out a nervous laugh.
Mina’s head popped up from the trunk.“Woah, wait a sec, you make music?!” She cried, balancing a cooler between her leg and the rear bumper. “How did I not know this?”
She smiled at Jirou, her big eyes staring deep at them. Jirou felt a strange shiver run up their spine, but forced their words out. “Yeah, yeah a little bit.”
“Remember that song I played at the sesh last week?” Sero grinned, crossing his arms. Mina nodded quickly.
“Uh definitely! The drop fucking ripped!” She followed Sero’s eye to Jirou, her smiling growing. “That was yours?! Jirou! You’re, like, really good.”
Jirou thought their heart was going to explode right there in the driveway. “Well, thank you.” They let out another nervous laugh, clutching their fidget cube in their hoodie pocket. “Damn guys, I-I appreciate that, really.”
Sero gently placed a hand on their shoulder. “Of course, dude-pal, uh, do you mind if I use dude?” He asked, looking down at them. “Are you comfy with that?”
“I-yeah, dude’s totally fine.” Jirou glanced between them. “Wow, it’s… just kinda new having people asking about stuff like that. Thanks.”
Jirou’s gaze fell back to their feet as a sheepish blush warmed their face.
Mina grinned, leaning forward on the balancing cooler. “Oh, hun, of course! You’re part of the gang. This stuff is just as important to us as it is to you.”
“Yeah! Please tell us if we mess up.” Sero added, giving a light squeeze to Jirou’s shoulders. “We’re still learning all this stuff.”
Jirou felt another small chuckle escape. This was not what I expected.
“Well, thanks, guys. Again.” They looked down with a big smile, their black nails picking at their hoodie. Mina locked eyes with Sero, sharing a big grin before returning to Bakugo’s ridiculous Tetris game in the trunk.
“Sero! What the hell is this?!” Kaminari hollered from inside the car. The three turned to see him holding one of Sero’s bags open, lifting a small beaker-like glass up to the closed window. “You said you didn’t bring your bong, you liar.”
“I didn’t,” Sero scoffed. “ That is my bubbler . Big difference, dude.” Sero crossed his arms. Kaminari groaned and rolled his eyes.
“Jesus, the fuck is a bubbler ?” He looked at the glass. “This is a bong, dude.”
“Bongs don’t have chokes, dumbass. Bubbler’s have a choke.” Sero opened the car door, taking the bubbler to show Kaminari.
“This is just a bong, dude.”
“Denk, we’ve been over this man, there’s a difference-”
Mina gave Jirou a knowing look and took their arm. “This happens often.” She rolled her eyes, chuckling as she walked Jirou around the car, leaving the boys to bicker. “You’ll learn to tune it out.”
“Pinky, is the car full?” Bakugo’s voice called loudly from inside the house. “I’m empty in here.”
“Yep!” Mina called back, her smile growing. She jumped from foot to foot. “Oh Jirou, I’m so pumped . Come on, you can take first dibs on seat location.”
Within the next five minutes, the gang had locked up and piled into the rental hatchback. Bakugo insisted on driving, his English being the best for navigating. Beside him, Kirishima took the passenger seat, almost immediately snoring as the car hit the highway. By his feet, Mochi did the same.
Jirou found comfort in the window seat despite being sardined in the back bench seat with Kaminari and Sero. Mina found similar solace in her window seat, not too displeased to be pressed so close to Sero. Jirou quietly chuckled when they caught Mina resting her head on his shoulder. The energy in the car gave them a wave of confidence. The sensation of Kaminari moving around so close in their personal space wasn’t entirely horrible.
“Okay, I kinda don’t have access to my seat belt,” Kaminari announced. “So uh, don’t crash.”
Bakugo’s eyes peered back through the rear-view mirror.
“Don’t tempt me with a good time, Dunce.” He said dryly. Jirou caught his grin in the side mirror.
“Okay, surface tension don’t fail me now.” Kaminari said under his breath. Jirou covered their mouth as a laugh bubbled in their throat. They smile out the window, letting their eyes relax as the trees blurred past.
In all of America, Maryland wasn’t exactly first on their list of states to explore, but the closer they got to the forest, the autumn scenery was undeniably beautiful.
Am I… actually excited?
Jirou laughed inwardly at themself. I think I am.