Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A new year meant new beginnings.

It was the beginning of April, and you were about to begin your new life at a new school — U.A. High, to be exact.

Your father, Pro Hero Glacier, had decided it was time for you to train at his alma mater. According to him, “U.A. made me Latin America’s number one hero.” And he wasn’t wrong.

A few years later after graduating from U.A., he decided Japan was safe with All Might and Endeavor, so he moved south and built a career protecting cities in your country. That’s where he met your mother—a quirkless doctor who, in a twist of fate, once saved his life during a mission gone wrong. He fell for her instantly, and after the wedding, he made a promise: to protect her, and the people she called home.

That’s where you came in.

From a young age, it was clear you had inherited your father’s quirk — Cryowave — but with a twist. While he could summon freezing tidal waves from the ambient humidity around him, your power worked differently. You didn’t just summon water — you controlled it. Every drop, every particle that surrounded you.

Whether it was ice, vapor, or liquid, instead of turning it into ice, you could shape water into whatever you needed: whips, shields, blades, even bullets.

It wasn’t just raw power — it was precision.

You called it Hydrokinetic Force.

Since you were a little kid, you’d always admired both of your parents. To you, they were both heroes — just in very different ways. So naturally, it became your dream to be just like them.

When you told them, they were ecstatic —your father maybe a little more than your mother— and he started training you not long after.

You visited his agency regularly, watched how many people he helped, and listened to every story about his days as a student. That’s when he told you about the U.A. High. About how it had made him a better person, a stronger hero. And eventually, to his utter delight, you decided you wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Thanks to your dad’s influence, you got in through recommendations. You only had to take a short practical exam —which you aced— and then an interview. That part was trickier.

Not because you didn’t know Japanese. Your father had made it his mission to teach you from the moment you could speak, always hoping his little girl would someday return to his alma mater. So, yeah, you were basically fluent. But he’d been the only one you ever really practiced with.

You had taken a Japanese course, but it was more to practice your writing. Spanish was the language of the world around you —with friends, with neighbors, with your mom when you didn’t want your dad to understand.

Japanese was just for him, really.

And at home, between the three of you? It had always been English. Your mom said it was the language they fell in love in. And the only other one your dad ever learned, thanks to the English program at the U.A.

So… yeah. You could speak Japanese. Pretty well, actually. But between your mixed grammar and the soft accent that clung to your vowels? You definitely didn’t sound like you were native.

The day finally came. Since your dad couldn’t leave his agency unattended, and your mom didn’t speak much Japanese, the three of you had come to Japan a couple of weeks earlier — just enough time to adjust and get familiar with the place. During the trip, you also got to visit U.A. High — where both you and your dad were welcomed with open arms. But after today, your parents would be flying back home.

It’s not like you would be living alone, though. In your visit to the school, the principal Nezu had filled you in on the “Heights Alliance”, a dorm facility that had been implemented a few years back for students to be 100% in their studies, and also in a way to protect them from any danger. 

So, here you were —outside a building with “1-A Alliance” written above the entrance. You could see plenty of other students outside with their parents, and although you didn’t recognize any faces, they seemed to recognize you — well, your father. Some students were staring at him — others, at you.

You turned to your parents, “I told you to not bring your hero suit, dad.”

Your father smiled proudly, “Why? I am a public figure after all. You should feel proud your dad is this famous.”

You ran your hand through your hair, and turned to your mom, “Mom…” 

She chuckled, brushing his arm playfully. “Okay, that’s enough attention, Mr. Glacier.”

“It’s never enough” He inflated his chest with pure pride. 

You rolled your eyes, laughing softly. You were really going to miss them. 

“When am I gonna see you again?” you asked, your voice softer now, the weight of it all finally sinking in.

“Well, honey…” Your mom reached your hand. “Thankfully, though the school year is different here, you have August free, right?” She turned to your dad.

He nodded, “Yes, and by then, I’m hoping you already have your provisional hero license, so you'll be interning at my agency.” He winked at you as he smiled. 

“I’ll be gone for four months and the first thing you're gonna do is put me to work?” 

He chuckled, “Welcome to the hero world, kid.” 

The doors to the building were opened by Pro Hero Eraser Head, making everyone turn their heads.

“Welcome to the Heights Alliance,” the man said, “I'm Shouta Aizawa, and I’ve been assigned to be your homeroom teacher.” His voice was flat, calm — but something in the way he looked at all of you made it clear: this wasn’t just a school anymore. It was home.

He then explained that from there on, only students were allowed inside the building, so everyone said their goodbyes. 

“I’m really gonna miss you guys” You said, hugging both of your parents.

“We’re gonna miss you too, honey” They broke the hug, and your dad spoke, “But don't forget, whatever you need, we're just a FaceTime call away.” 

Inside the dorms, things moved fast. Aizawa didn’t waste time. “Your rooms are already assigned. Everyone gets their own space with a personal bathroom. Showers are communal and separated by gender. There’s also a laundry room, a kitchen, and a basement storage area. You’ll find your names on the room doors.”

He gave a tired blink. “Unpack. Settle in. Class starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow.”

And with that, he was gone — literally walked away like none of you had questions.

You stood awkwardly near the entrance, eyes scanning the room. A few other students glanced around too, unsure if they should talk or just find their room and disappear.

Someone beside you exhaled dramatically.

“Well,” said a girl with bubblegum-pink hair, “guess we’re all roommates now.”

You turned to her. She grinned and waved.

“I’m Mina. I like dancing, singing, and causing minor chaos.”

You blinked. “...That’s a strong intro.”

“I try.” She nodded at you, smiling. “What about you?”

You hesitated for a beat, then offered your name.

“Ohhh, you’re the one with the water quirk, right? I saw the recommendation rankings. You’re kind of a big deal.”

You shrugged. “Only if you ask my dad.”

Before she could ask more, another voice chimed in —loud, confident, and entirely too smooth for someone who’d just arrived.

“Well, I didn’t see the rankings, but if we’re ranking by looks, she’s definitely on the top.”

You turned with a raised brow. A blond boy was walking towards you like he’d rehearsed it. He smiled at you, electric —both literally and vibe-wise.

Mina’s eyes widened. “…oh. He went there.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s what you’re opening with?”

“What, too soon?” he said, hand to chest in mock offense. “I was going for charming.”

“Try again,” you deadpanned. “With less creep and more effort.”

From behind him, a taller boy with tape elbows whistled quietly. 

Another girl nearby smirked slightly. “She’s not wrong, though.”

Blond boy laughed, “Fine. Kaminari Denki. Electricity quirk. Maybe we could do a little… water and electricity fusion sometime.”

Everyone went silent, waiting for your reaction. 

You raised an eyebrow at the boy, smirking. “Careful. Last guy who tried mixing water and electricity ended up in the ER.”

“Oh shit,” a boy with red hair whispered loudly, eyes wide.

Kaminari blinked as his smile widened.

“I think I’m in love,” he whispered.

You rolled your eyes, “Calm down now, Romeo. You don't even know me.”

“Don't need to,” he said, walking closer to you, “what I do know is that you’re gonna be calling me your boyfriend with that cute accent of yours by the end of the year.” He winked at you.

There was a beat. Just a small one. Enough for half the room to hold their breath.

You couldn’t help the small smirk tugging at your lips. “You can try but,” You said, placing a hand on his chest, “don't say I didn’t warn you when you’re heartbroken.”

And with that, you walked towards your luggage, Mina following you while she chuckled at what just happened.

New country, new school… and apparently, new walking disaster flirting with you already.

This was going to be interesting.

You felt someone bump your arm lightly. “I like you,” Mina whispered. “Please don’t disappear after this interaction.”

And just like that, day one wasn’t even over… and things were already heating up.

After all the awkward meet-and-greets, you finally found your room. Small, clean, kinda basic… but it was yours.

You had unpacked most of your things, though your clothes were still a mess on the bed. Halfway through organizing them into drawers, a faint sound caught your ear. You paused the show you were watching. 

It wasn’t loud, just… consistent . Like a rhythm. A beat. 

You immediately recognized the song, it was Quarterback by Wallows. 

You walked to your door and opened it. The sound was coming from the room beside yours. You saw the door was cracked slightly open. You couldn’t help yourself —curiosity beat manners.

You stepped out quietly and peeked in. A purple haired girl was sitting cross-legged on the floor, back against the bed, nodding softly to the beat of the song playing. 

She didn’t notice you at first — not until you knocked lightly on the doorframe.

“Cool playlist,” you said.

She looked up — startled, then curious. “Oh— uh, thanks,” she said as she smiled softly. “Didn’t realize it was that loud.”

“It wasn’t,” you smiled. “I just have good ears. Also, I love Wallows.”

The girl gave a tiny smile back. “Kyoka Jirou. Sound-based quirk. And closet band geek.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Sound-based?”

She lifted her earlobes — literally — and the headphone jack-like cables caught your eye.
“Ohhh… that’s sick.”

“Comes in handy.” She shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “And you’re the hydro girl, right? Recommendation kid?”

You chuckled. “That obvious?”

“Well, you and Glacier made a bit of an entrance.” She waved at you, gesturing for you to come in. 

You laughed softly, stepping further into the doorway. “Guilty.”

Jirou leaned her head back against the bed, studying you. “You’re not what I expected, though.”

“How so?”

She shrugged. “I thought recommendation kids tended to be kinda uptight. You… made that guy short-circuit in like, two seconds.”

You grinned. “Wasn’t hard.”

A snort came from the hallway.

You both turned.

“Okay, okay,” Mina said, arms full of colorful pillows and what looked like a lava lamp. “Are we doing bonding time without me? That’s literally illegal.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Is that a lamp or an alien egg?”

“It’s both,” she said seriously, walking in and plopping onto Jirou’s bed like it was her own. “Okay, re-introductions. You met Jirou. She’s cool, hates attention, and plays like five instruments.”

“You play five instruments?” You turned to Jirou.

“If you count my voice as an instrument, then I do” She looked down, you could tell she was a bit shy. 

“You sing too?!” You exclaimed, eyes wide. She blushed as you looked at her in admiration. 

Mina turned to Jirou, “And you’ve met Miss Hydro-shut-Kaminari-down, who I now claim as my new best friend,” Mina added, pointing at you. “So now we just need a group name.”

Jirou rolled her eyes but smiled.

You chuckled. “I’m still recovering from the Kaminari thing, let me live.”

“No time,” Mina grinned. “This is dorm life. If we’re not mildly codependent by the end of the week, we’re doing it wrong.”

You looked around the room, at the two girls now sprawled across it like it belonged to all three of you.

And for the first time since arriving in Japan — you felt like you could call this your new home.

After that interaction with what looked like your new friends, you returned to your room to change into something more comfortable. You learned a lot about those two girls, more about Mina than Jirou, though. 

From what you talked and what you could observe, Mina was very, very outgoing. She was the epitome of extrovert. You could also tell she liked drama, gossip, because not even five minutes after she went into Jirou’s room, she was already asking about your life back at home. You didn’t mind, though, she seemed like someone you could trust, and you really liked her. 

Jirou was her complete opposite, though. You could tell she was shy, but she wasn’t naive. She was very smart, and funny. While you talked, she made various sarcastic comments, which made you laugh. Mina and you had peer pressured her into singing something for you, and you discovered that she could, in fact, sing. And she did it amazingly. 

You had just finished unpacking, and like your teacher had suggested, everyone was taking their luggage to the basement. You had brought way more things than your classmates had— after all, this was still their home country, it wasn’t like they were moving overseas, like you. It wasn’t like you had brought everything you owned, since your dad said you could buy whatever else you needed here, but it was still a lot of things. 

You reached for two of your now empty carry-ons, and stacked them on top of your suitcases, got out of your room, and took the elevator to the common room. When you got there, you saw almost all of your classmates already in their comfy clothes, some talking on the couches, some watching something on the TV, others scrolling on their phones. As you walked towards the hallway that led to the basement you could also notice some people in the kitchen, and you decided after you were done with your bags you would go down there for a drink. 

“Need any help, princess?” You heard a voice you recognized.

You turned to face the blond. Of course it was him . Kaminari stood there in a black t-shirt and gray sweats. 

You raised an eyebrow. “Calling me princess isn’t really helping your case, you know.”

“I know,” he grinned. “But I figured it’d make you smile.”

Unfortunately, it did . Just a little, though.

You rolled your eyes, adjusting your grip on the suitcase handles. “I’ve got it.”

He eyed the tower of bags in your hands. “Yeah, sure you do. But also, like, I’m not gonna let you herniate a disc on your first day. So.”

Before you could argue, he stepped in and grabbed two of the heavier cases with ease. “Lead the way, beautiful.”

You blinked at him, “…You’re seriously gonna keep calling me things?”

“Absolutely. Until one sticks.”

You huffed a laugh and started walking toward the basement door, him close behind.

“So, tell me about you” He started. He was really talkative. 

“What do you wanna know, loverboy?” You looked at him, you were now walking side to side. 

He smiled, “Everything.”

“That’s broad. I couldn’t possibly summarize 15 years of my life in like five minutes.”

He hummed, “I guess that’s fair” He reached for the door and opened it for you, “After you, angel.” 

You went through and immediately found stairs going down. 

“Let’s start with your backstory. It must be really interesting being the daughter of Glaciar, isn't it?” He continued

“Interesting is short.” You chuckled, remembering your dad. “I don’t know, he’s a great dad. I always visited his agency when I was little. I saw how people looked up to him, and how grateful they were for him, and…” you let out a small sigh, “I think that’s mostly why I’m here” 

You found a wall where everyone had stacked their bags. 

“Hm, I bet it wasn’t easy to leave home,” he placed the bags he was holding on the floor and reached for the ones you were holding. “I mean, from what I heard, Glacier moved there when he found your mom, right?”

You saw as he stacked the bags on top of each other, “Yeah… I hadn’t really left home if it wasn’t for vacation, until now.” You looked up, feeling already nostalgic, “But, this is where my dream is, you know?” 

“By dream you mean me, right?” He chuckled as he said that. 

You raised an eyebrow, still looking at the ceiling. “You’re laughing at what you said?” 

“What can I say, even I find myself funny.”

You glanced his way — and sure enough, he was already looking at you.

“Enough about me, anyway” You smiled at him, “Besides you being a giant flirt, what else can you tell me about you?”

“Hmm, I’d tell you I’m totally a keeper, but you’ve already seen it for yourself.” He said with a smirk.

“Wait, there’s someone like that  in the class?” You jokingly started looking around you, “Where?”

“Oh, come on!” He laughed. You hadn’t heard him laugh, but now that you had, you wanted to hear it more. It was spontaneous, but also captivating. 

“Ok, tell me your favourite song.”

“Hmmm, at the time, it’s probably So Far So Fake by–”

You cut him off, “You know Pierce The Veil?!”

“Who doesn’t?” He raised an eyebrow. 

You nodded. “Fair.” You crossed your arms on your chest, “Is just that, back at home, not everyone listens to that type of music, or anything that’s not in spanish or isn’t pop.” 

“That’s right, you’re like a language nerd! You know, like, three languages, don’t you?”

You rolled your eyes, “First of all, I’m not a nerd. Second, yeah, but only because it’s literally the only way I had to communicate with my parents.”

He started wandering around the basement, “But knowing all of that is sick! I mean, I can barely even manage Japanese, I can’t even picture learning a third language.”

You shrugged, following him with your gaze, “It’s just the way I was raised.”

There was a small pause in the conversation. You both were eyeing the room, finding it kind of comfortable. In the back of the room was something big covered with a white blanket. It caught your eye.

“What do you think that is?” You spoke, looking at it. 

Kaminari looked at you and then followed your gaze, “I guess we’re about to find out.” He smirked at you, walking towards the blanket.

“What if this place is secretly haunted and by lifting the blanket you’re releasing the curse?” You joked. 

He paused. 

“Don’t tell me you actually believe in those things.” You spoke again. 

“Look, superpowers are literally a thing, you mean to tell me curses and ghosts aren’t?” He turned to you.

You laughed softly, “Come on, don’t be a baby.” 

You reached for the blanket, and lifted it. A wave of dust burst into the air, making the two of you cough. 

“Gosh, how long has this thing been covered?” You said, eyes closed in an attempt to avoid the dust.

“I don’t know, but whoever left this here is an idiot.” He said, making you open your eyes to stare at the now revealed drum kit. 

“Do you know how to play?” You asked him.

“Just a little, but I like the guitar more. You?”

“No, I just know how to play the piano, nothing else.”

“Maybe someone else knows and we can be like one of those school bands, you know?” He reached for the blanket to cover the drums again. 

“That would be so cool,” you added, immediately thinking about Jirou. You would definitely tell her about your finding later.

You started walking towards the stairs, “You think these walls are soundproof?” You said looking around.

“Why? Wanna find out?” he said, smirking at you. 

You laughed, “Forget it, Kaminari.” You replied, walking up the stairs.

“You know,” you said once you reached the door, “for someone who leads with pick-up lines, you’re kind of decent.”

He smiled, “ Kind of decent? That’s a new record.”

You got out, waiting for him to get to the hallway, “I just expected you to, I don’t know… flirt and vanish.”

“Yeah, well.” He looked at you, and this time the smile was softer. “I joke around a lot, but I’m not an asshole.”

The hallway fell quiet for a beat.

Then, he nudged your arm gently. “Also, you did kind of roast me in front of half the class, so I figured helping with your bags might earn me back like… five karma points.”

You chuckled. “Four and a half. Tops.”

“I’ll take it.”

You were still smiling when you both walked out of the hallway. And maybe, just maybe , you didn’t mind his company.

Chapter Text

Your first day was going pretty smoothly. You hadn’t noticed at the dorms, but now with everyone together in the classroom, everyone was really loud. Groups were already starting to form, and you were happy with the two or three friends you had already made. 

Aizawa had arranged everyone’s sitting places according to a general pop quiz he had done the first ten minutes of the class. He sat the best grades beside the worst, hoping that the worse would get better with the help of those who had better ones. 

Your grades weren’t the best, thanks to history and language, but you managed to be on the top thanks to English and math. Because of this, Aizawa sat you in the middle of Kaminari and Mina. Great. You had the loudest people in the class next to you, and you had nowhere to escape to. 

“I guess you’re stuck with me, princess.” The blonde beside you spoke with a smirk on his face. 

“Oh my god.” You whined, burying your face in your hands. 

“You’ll let me copy your answers on tests, right, my beautiful and charming new best friend?” Mina asked you with a wide toothy smile. 

Yeah, guess it wasn’t really going that smoothly. 

The bell rang, announcing lunch hour. You stuck with Mina, who basically kidnapped Jirou and made her walk with you to the cafeteria. 

“Oh, by the way, yesterday while Kaminari and I were in the basement, we found some drums down there.”

“Woah, no way,” Jirou looked at you, excited. 

“Do you know how to play?” You asked her. “I asked him too and he told me he just knew the basics, but I don’t know at all.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know either.” She looked down. 

“I could learn and we could be a girl band!” Mina chimed in excitedly. 

“That would be great, but if I’m not mistaken, it takes like a year to learn how to play them.” 

“Oh, hell no, I’m out. I’ll stick to dancing.” She walked faster. Suddenly, she stopped. “Wait, you were alone in the basement with Kaminari?”

“Uh, yeah?” You replied.

She smiled and let out a little scream. “I knew it!” She jumped, “Mark my words, you two are going to be highschool sweethearts.” She said as she skipped down the hallway. 

You laughed, “I don’t know about that. I mean, he is cute, but…”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s a good idea either,” Jirou stopped. You followed her gaze only to find Kaminari already talking to some other girl. 

You shrugged and said, “He can’t stay still, can he?”

He must’ve felt you looking, because for a second —just a split one— he turned. Your eyes met. He smiled. Like nothing was out of the ordinary. And then he went right back to talking to the other girl.

Mina looked at you, then at Kaminari, and then at you again, “Meh, I just know you’re gonna be the one to show him new tricks.” 

After lunch, it was training time. You changed into your hero costume, and walked to the outside training space. Aizawa had prepared a few exercises for him to catch up on how everyone controlled their quirk, and what he had to teach each one of his students. 

Everyone was waiting for their turn, and you were kind of nervous, until you heard his voice once again. 

“I would marry you right here on the spot with this outfit on” He said, stepping closer to you, making you face him. 

“Oh, you’re flirting again?” You raised an eyebrow at him. 

“I thought you already knew it, princess.”

You remembered that moment in the cafeteria, “I just thought you had moved kingdoms earlier flirting with your other princesses.” You looked at him with half a smile on your face.

He was amused, “Jealous, aren’t we?” 

“Hmm, I’m afraid that to be jealous, I would have to like you first.” You smiled at him.

“And don’t you already?” 

“Sorry, I don’t fall for players.” 

“We’ll see, princess” 

“You two done flirting?” Kirishima called from across the field, raising an eyebrow.

Kaminari just grinned. You rolled your eyes.

And with that, you walked away. 

The redhead joined the blonde, “So, what’s the deal with you here?”

Kaminari turned to him, “What do you mean?”

Sero joined, “Are you one of those players?”

Bakugou, who was close enough to listen to their conversation, snorted, “To be a player, girls would have to actually give him a chance.”

Kaminari looked at him and whined, “Come on!”

“Looks like someone actually is, though.” Kirishima glanced your way. 

“Is she?” Sero doubted, narrowing his eyes.

“Nah. Not possible. She doesn’t mean it.” Kaminari said as he kept his eyes on you. He sighed. “I’m just looking for the one. That’s it.”

He wasn’t lying. He had been looking for someone who would make him settle down. Someone who would like him, for him. Someone special. And it wasn’t that you weren’t pretty, because you were that and more —he just knew you were way out of his league. You wouldn’t take him seriously. Still, you didn’t seem to care about his attempts to try and get to you, so he could only keep on trying. Always keeping it light in case it didn’t work. 

After training, you were dismissed. Everyone returned to the dorms to shower, eat, and catch up on homework —because teachers were merciless and had already given you a ton of it.

You had just finished showering, towel wrapped around your head, and comfy clothes on. You were taking out your neceser to start your skincare routine. You’d had the chance to meet the other girls in your classroom, but it was pure formalities. You barely knew their names. 

But now you were sharing the washroom with all of them, and you didn’t find it uncomfortable. Of course it was kind of a cultural shock to be sharing the space you shower with more people, but you could get used to it. 

You decided to break the ice, “Does anyone mind if I play some music while I do my skincare?”

“Depends, do you have anything by Sabrina Carpenter on your playlist?” You turned, slightly startled, and met Hagakure’s voice —well, more like the floating towel where her head should be.

“I got you, I literally love her.” you said scrolling on your phone. Good Graces by Sabrina Carpenter started playing.

“Play something by Ariana next!” Mina chimed in from the other sink, brushing through her damp curls. 

You queued Yes, and? “Done. Anyone else?” 

“What do you usually listen to?” Uraraka asked, shyly. “I was hoping you could show us something different, you know?” 

“Yeah, I’m curious too about what you listened to back at home.” Asui supported Uraraka’s idea. 

“Sure, I’ll queue one of my friend’s favourites,” you said as you added la culpa by Alleh & Yorghaki to the queue. “I absolutely love this one.” You said as you set your phone down and opened your neceser. 

“Your skin is really pretty, by the way,” You looked at Yaoyorozu through the mirror, “What do you use?” She asked as she smiled at you softly.

“Just a few things, actually,” You smiled back, “But you don’t need any of this, your skin is already glowing. I feel like if I get close enough to you I could see my reflection”

She laughed, then Jirou joined, “Alright, both of you, skincare routine, now.” 

“No gatekeeping allowed!” Mina exclaimed. “Oh! Is someone into makeup too?”

Almost everyone said they were. The next song started playing. 

“I would love to, but I literally can’t curl my eyelashes for my life!” Uraraka whined.

“I can teach you!” Hagakure offered. “Your eyes would look amazing.” She said, clapping her invisible hands. “I’ve been dying to try glitter liner but I look like a disco ball every time.”

“Don’t tempt me with glitter,” said Mina dramatically. “I will go full Euphoria.”

The group laughed, and just like that, it didn’t feel weird anymore. There was a kind of comfort in seeing everyone without their uniforms, without their quirks, just girls being girls. For once, you weren’t thinking about powers or rankings or how you’d do on the next pop quiz.

Mina grinned. “Okay, wait, we should totally do a makeup night. Like, test each other's products and try crazy looks.”

You felt a little lighter. A little warmer. 

“Okay,” you said, rinsing your hands and looking at them through the mirror. “But if we do a makeup night, I get to do someone’s eyeliner. That’s non-negotiable.”

“Oh, she’s confident,” said Jirou with a smirk.

“Princess and artist,” said Mina with a wink. “Kaminari’s doomed.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. You didn’t know them well yet, but maybe this would be a good place to start.

“Do mine! I don’t know how to work my eye shape” Yaoyorozu asked excitedly. 

“Oh, you will look amazing. Trust me.” You winked at her. 

You kept sharing the moment, laughing and actually setting a date for a girls night. 

la culpa came on, and you turned to Uraraka and Asui. 

“This is the song I was telling you about.” You started dancing, you couldn’t help it, “Basically, this is what a summer trip sounds like.” You smiled, reminiscing of home. 

“Ohhh, I’ve listened to some reguetón songs, and they are catchy!” Mina said as she took your phone, “Wait, what was it called?” 

She changed the song, and Yo perreo sola by Bad Bunny started playing. You smiled. A big smile. You were slowly finding bits and pieces of home. 

“Bad Bunny is a claaasic ,” you said as you danced and sang to the song. “You have to read the lyrics.” You took your phone and looked for a translation.

“That line literally means ‘I twerk alone’?” Jirou asked, amused.

“Basically,” you laughed. “It’s about doing your thing without needing anyone’s approval. A whole anthem.”

“I love that energy,” Mina said, already trying to mimic your movements. “Wait, show us how you dance it.”

“Oh no,” you said between giggles, “it’s not that deep, I swear. It’s all in the hips.”

“Okay okay, this is gold,” Jirou said, recording a video with her phone. “We need to remember this moment.”

You showed a simple move, swaying your hips to the beat, and Mina immediately joined. Then Hagakure. Then Uraraka, who burst into laughter halfway through.

“Okay wait, I can’t do it, but I can try,” Yaoyorozu said as she stepped forward. She tried her best, arms stiff, making everyone laugh with her—not at her.

You smiled. Hm. Maybe this was a good place to start.

After that little moment in the washroom, everyone finished their skincare and promised to keep skincare time as fun as it was. With that, some girls went out to their rooms, the kitchen, or wherever they had to be. You went up to your room, you had to blowdry your hair and you had forgotten your hairdryer. 

You were nearly finished when you received a text. It was from Mina. 

Hey!

I added myself on your phone earlier lol

Would you please help this poor girl with her homework? 

:(

You had completely forgotten about homework. Since you too had to do it, you agreed.

Ofc

I’m just finishing drying my hair

Mina replied instantly,

I owe you one! 

I’ll wait for you in the common area

You turned off your phone and finished what you were doing, then took your notebook and a pen and headed downstairs.

Mina was already waiting for you in the common area, legs folded on the couch, looking dramatically distressed over an open notebook.

“You’re a lifesaver,” she said when she saw you. “I swear, I read the same question five times and it keeps getting worse.”

You laughed and sat beside her, placing your notebook on the table. “It’s not that bad. Let’s break it down.”

The two of you were just getting into the first question when a trio of voices filled the air from the stairs.

“Dude, I’m starving —I didn’t even finish my rice,” Sero’s voice echoed as he walked in.

“Because you ate half of Kirishima’s meal too!” Kaminari accused.

The three boys walked into the common area… and froze.

Sero tilted his head. “Wait. Do we have homework?”

Mina looked up, pen in hand. “Yup.”

Kirishima blinked. “Like… important homework?”

You gave them a pointed look. “I’m not sure what you consider important, but yeah. It’s due tomorrow.”

“Shit.” Kaminari turned on his heel and sprinted out the room.

Sero followed, almost tripping on the stairs.

Kirishima gave a polite “be right back!” before jogging up the stairs after them.

You and Mina stared at the now empty stairs.

“…They’re so dramatic,” she said.

“Right?” you laughed.

Five minutes later, the boys returned in chaos, arms full of notebooks, snacks, and one single pencil case that had been thrown down the stairs.

Kaminari crashed into the couch beside yours. “Okay. I’m ready. Someone tell me what the assignment even is .”

“You guys didn’t even write it down?” Mina asked, wide-eyed.

Kirishima opened a bag of chips. “Kaminari said he’d remembered it.”

“Which I do!,” the blonde defended, “just… not all of it.”

You rolled your eyes fondly. “Okay. Let’s start from the top.”

What was supposed to be a quick favor turned into a full-blown group study session. Papers sprawled across the table. Mina argued with Sero about a math question. Kirishima offered everyone snacks. Kaminari somehow managed to copy half your page while making jokes.

Somehow, it didn’t bother you.

“Okay,” Kaminari leaned back with a victorious smile. “I might actually pass this.”

“ Thanks to her, ” Mina said, pointing at you. “You should totally be our tutor.”

“I agree,” said Sero. “Do you accept payment in snacks and eternal gratitude?”

You smiled. “Only if you all actually do the work next time.”

Kaminari leaned forward with a lazy grin. “If it means I get to see you explain stuff again, I’ll write extra assignments.”

You threw a pillow at him. He didn’t even duck.

“I hate to break it to you guys, but you’re still missing English.”

The four of them turned to you with the same defeated look.

“Wait, don’t you speak fluent English?”

You looked up. Kaminari was wearing an exaggerated pleading expression. Kirishima and Sero were sitting next to him, and Mina was already taking out her English notes—clearly sensing where this was going.

“Depends,” you said with a half-smile. “Are you gonna copy, or are you actually gonna learn?”

“Can we do both?” Sero asked hopefully.

Kirishima laughed. “Come on, just help us out. We’re not asking for Shakespeare.”

Jirou appeared behind you, holding a glass of water and raising an eyebrow. “Oh god. Are you using the trilingual student to bail you out…?”

“It’s not using,” Mina argued as she sat beside you again. “It’s academic collaboration. ”

You laughed softly. “Fine, fine. What are you working on?”

Kaminari handed you a folded-up worksheet. “We have to translate this, but I don’t know how to say ‘I shocked myself with the microwave’ without sounding like a failed science experiment.”

“Probably because you kinda are one,” Jirou muttered, taking a seat too.

Mina leaned over your shoulder. “See? We need you.”

You sighed, amused, and started quietly reading through the assignment while they all gathered around.

The atmosphere was calm. Comfortable. Familiar—even if it was only your first day.

Minutes passed as you helped them with phrases, corrected their pronunciation, and laughed between translations.

“Okay, your turn,” you said, looking at the blonde. “Try saying this sentence out loud: ‘I shocked myself trying to reheat tamales.’”

He looked at you, determined.

“I shocked myself trying to… reheat… temalis?”

“Tamales,” you corrected, smiling.

He mimicked your tone and threw on his most dramatic accent. “Tamalésss.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

“No, now say it sexy,” Sero joked, nudging his shoulder.

Kaminari turned toward you, resting his weight on one elbow.

“I shocked myself… trying to reheat… tamales,” he said in a deep voice, in Japanese.

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t stop the grin that spread across your face.

“Say it in English, lover boy,” you shot back, matching his tone.

For a split second, the room went quiet. He looked at you like he hadn’t expected you to play along. Like he hadn’t expected you to… respond.

Then he laughed. Low. Genuine.

“If you keep teaching me like this I’m gonna have to marry you”

And there it was again. That spark. The flirtation. 

“To have custody of your three brain cells?”

Everyone laughed at your comment, even you did. He just smiled at you, admiring how fast you could come back. You didn’t say anything else. You just looked at him for a moment… then stood up.

“You leaving already?” Mina asked, pouting.

“Just going to grab some water.”

Before you turned around, you glanced at Kaminari again.

“Try not to shock yourself while I’m gone, alright?”

“Can’t promise that,” he murmured and winked at you.

And even though he was still the same jokester as always… something about the way he looked at you—no posing, no theatrics— made you think that maybe, just maybe, there was something more underneath all that electricity.

Your phone buzzed. It was already night time, and everyone had returned to their own rooms to get some sleep. 

Hey

Thanks for the help

You really saved my ass

It’s your prince, btw

Of course it was him. You replied. 

My prince Hawks?! 

He replied,

Ha, ha, funny

You saved his number, and replied.

How did you get my number, anyway?

Do I have a stalker now?

You waited for his reply.

Mina gave me your number ;) 

Thank her for the funniest texts you’re gonna get now 

You smiled at your phone before typing.

Oh god

Goodnight, Kaminari

You didn’t know it, but the blonde was also smiling.

Night, princess

Chapter Text

A few days went by since that first day, and it was finally Friday. Your first week had gone by faster than you thought it would. It had been a good week, overall. Everything was calm—your classes ran their course, training was hard but enjoyable, and nights at the Alliance were cool and started to feel familiar.

It was already noon, which meant it was training time.

You were slowly getting used to the routine: change into your hero suit, fill your water bottle, stretch, and mentally prepare for whatever insane activity Aizawa had in store for the day. That man had a talent for pushing everyone to the edge of exhaustion without raising his voice once.

As you made your way to the training grounds, Mina caught up to you, already in full gear.

“Okay but—hear me out,” she began, breathless. “If we survive today’s training, we do something fun tonight. Like, no excuses. It’s Friday.”

“Define fun,” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know yet. Something chaotic. Something therapeutic. We’ll see what the vibes say.”

You laughed as the two of you arrived at the rest of the class, already warming up. Kaminari was tossing sparks between his fingers, Kirishima was doing pushups with Sero sitting on his back, and Jirou was half-stretching, half-sleeping on a bench.

Aizawa showed up a few minutes later, clipboard in hand and sleep-deprived glare fully charged. “Team drills today,” he said simply. “Three rounds. Mixed quirks. You’ll switch partners each round. Let’s see if you can improvise.”

Kaminari turned to you with a grin. “Guess we’ll find out how well we sync , princess.”

You rolled your eyes, already regretting everything.

Aizawa started mixing people to create the duos. “First round: Uraraka with Bakugou, Asui with Kirishima, Kaminari with Jirou, and Y/n with Sero.”

You turned to look at Sero, who gave you a grin and a peace sign.

“Well, at least you’re chill,” you muttered.

Sero stretched his shoulders. “Oh, I am. Just don’t expect me to hold back.”

The first round was straightforward: one team had to defend a flag while the other team tried to steal it, all while navigating an obstacle course that was definitely not up to safety standards. Aizawa watched from above like a disappointed crow.

You and Sero moved well together—your water-based quirk helping to block incoming attacks while he used his tape to swing and disarm. You almost managed to grab the flag until Bakugou exploded halfway across the field and reset the entire match.

“HEY!” Sero yelled, dodging a smoke cloud.

“Life isn’t fair!” Bakugou shouted back.

You coughed and waved the smoke away. “Does he ever chill?”

“Don’t think so,” Sero replied, still grinning.

After the first round ended in chaos, Aizawa didn’t even blink. “Next.”

“Round two: Mina with Iida, Sero with Yaoyorozu, Bakugou with Asui, and, Y/n with Kirishima.”

“Hey!” Kirishima jogged toward you, already beaming. “Ready to wreck stuff?”

You couldn’t help but smile. “Always.”

This round focused on power coordination. You had to destroy a series of thick training dummies while keeping your partner safe from counterattacks. Kirishima’s hardening made him the perfect tank while you focused on ranged precision—launching blasts of pressurized water that knocked over dummy after dummy.

“You’re scary good,” Kirishima panted after the final target.

“You’re the one blocking explosions with your face,” you laughed.

Aizawa blew his whistle. “Final round.”

You wiped sweat off your forehead and looked around.

“Jirou with Sero. Mina with Uraraka. Kirishima with Yaoyorozu. And Y/n,” You already knew. You felt it. “…with Kaminari.”

You glanced toward him. He was already walking toward you, smiling like he’d just won the lottery.

“Princess,” he said, offering a dramatic bow. “Our destiny awaits.”

You groaned. “Please don’t fry me.”

“No promises.”

This round was all about precision and timing. You had to neutralize floating drones that flew around unpredictably—if you missed, the drone fired back. You’d have to combine quirks without frying the entire field.

“Let me know when you're about to hit,” you said as you both got into position.

He smirked. “I was hoping you’d say that.” You tried to hide the smile tugging at your lips. 

The first drone zipped toward you and Kaminari blasted it midair. You moved in sync—his lightning stunning the targets just enough for you to trap them in orbs of water and bring them down cleanly. One after another, drone after drone, your timing sharpened.

“You’re really good at this,” you told him in between hits.

He gave you a cocky grin, “Yeah? Keep saying that. I’ll start thinking you like me.”

You rolled your eyes, focusing on the next target. But the truth was… the rhythm felt right. Natural. Like this wasn’t your first time doing this together. Like you trusted him.

The pace of the last exercise quickened, making you stop talking and concentrating fully on training. When it was finally over, Aizawa was writing down some things on the notebook he kept, while everyone was still alert. 

“That’s it for today,” He finally said, “Go shower, eat, rest. I would suggest you organize yourselves to have duties at the dorms. Dinner, cleaning, etc. It’ll make your lives easier.” He said, and with that, he started going back to the building, “Have a great weekend.”

Everyone sighed, some dropping to the ground as if they were melting. You placed your hands on your knees, breathing heavily. Kaminari dropped by your side, looking at you.

“That was kinda hot” He said with a smirk on his face.

“What– The training?” You asked, looking at him with an arched brow.

“Not really,” He replied shamelessly. 

You kicked him playfully, but couldn’t help the heat rising to your cheeks, “You’re ridiculous.”

After everyone had returned to the Alliance, they went straight to shower. Everything was chill for a moment, until it was skincare time again. It had become a routine for the girls to listen to music while finishing up, and this afternoon wasn’t different. 

They were all laughing and singing, some even dancing, even after they were done with their routines, they all stayed at the washrooms. It was fun being with the girls. 

After three songs, Mina turned to you, looking like she’d had the best idea she had ever had, “Remember how I said we should do something fun tonight?” 

You turned to her, already suspecting what was about to go down, the girls looked at her expectantly, “Yeah?”

“What about a karaoke night?!” She turned to look at the girls. 

They all agreed with her, because why not —they were already doing something similar in the washrooms, so why not bring the energy over to the common area?

“Do we even have a karaoke machine?” Yaoyorozu asked, “I could definitely make some microphones right now.”

“Yes!” Hagakure chimed in, “We could just use the TV and play music on YouTube, right?”

You all started walking out of the washrooms, heading towards the common area, which was surprisingly empty.

“We need snacks, what are we craving?” Uraraka asked, heading towards the kitchen. 

“Ugh, I would kill for some chips and sour gummies, do we have any?” You asked. 

Asui followed Uraraka to the kitchen, and looked through the cabinets, “We actually do!”

While they brought snacks and drinks, Mina and Hagakure started setting up the TV, and Yaoyorozu audio checked the microphones she had just created. 

You plopped down on the couch, next to Jirou. “Alright, what’s the theme?”

“No theme! Just pure chaos!” Mina replied, smiling wide. 

You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift started playing on the TV. You all sang along to this first song, since no one really wanted to sing alone. While all of the girls were singing their hearts out, some of the boys heard all of the noise, and decided to go see what was going on. 

Iida was the first one to go into the common room, trying to explain something about resting and bedtime, but he ended up joining with My Way by Frank Sinatra. Everyone watched as he, actually, wasn’t out of tune. When the final part came, the girls were singing along with him. 

“I wanna go next!” Uraraka said, “Play Alcohol-Free by Twice!” 

You didn’t listen to much K-pop, but you recognized the song. 

“Hagakure, I know you like this one!” She said, handing one mic to her. 

They both sang together, and everyone was dancing. 

“Are you all having a party without us?” Sero, Kaminari and Kirishima came in, the last one basically dragging Bakugou with him. 

“You’re invited to join, but you have to sing!” Mina said. 

“I’m out” Bakugou scoffed, but Kirishima was quick to take him by the collar of his hoodie.

“Nope, you’re having fun tonight.” 

And like that, every single one of your classmates joined. You got to listen to almost everyone sing, even Koda, who had a surprisingly sweet voice. 

“Ok, who’s ready for a show?” Mina said, turning to look at you, you stared, “You. Me. Britney Spears.” 

You chuckled, you had a thing for 2000’s music. Mina had caught on that and used it to trap you, and it worked. 

“Fine, but I choose the song,” You stood up. 

You scrolled through your phone while Asui, Hagakure and Momo finished singing their song. You found it, and waited for your turn to play the song. 

Womanizer started playing on the TV, and you started singing. It was a very upbeat song, and since no one had expected it, the girls screamed at it when they heard it. Mina took her mic and handed you the other one, and you started singing. 

Mina sang the next verse, and then you sang the pre-chorus together. 

You felt someone staring at you, and you already knew who it was. Only his gaze was this heavy. You turned to him, still singing the chorus, and there he was. Leaning lazily on the couch, looking directly at you. 

You averted his gaze, and continued with the song. The next verse was Mina’s, and then it was your turn to sing again. You were trying to keep yourself busy by interacting with your duet, but you kept glancing his way. 

You shrugged it off when the next chorus came. But you still felt it, his eyes on you. Your heart raced a little—but it was probably just the music. The moment. Yeah.

When the bridge started you turned to him—but his eyes were so deep, so daring, you had to turn away from them. 

But your heart didn’t quite slow down.

Soon, the song was over, and the next people were up, singing to Umbrella by Rihanna. 

Mina plopped down on the couch, and you ran a hand through your hair. You could feel your cheeks getting hotter, so you went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water.

And even there, you still felt it. You glanced his way, and you weren’t wrong. He still had his eyes on you. Quickly after, he averted your gaze, to say something to Sero who was sitting beside him. 

You finished your glass of water, and returned to the living, where Mina was scrolling through her phone. You sat down next to her, head on her shoulder. 

“I saw that.” You could feel her grinning. 

“Shut up,” You replied fast, “It was nothing.”

“Sure, princess.” She teased.

“You know who I haven’t heard sing at all?” You lifted your head, taking out your phone to scroll through your playlist. 

“Hm?” She replied, looking at you. You just nodded in Jirou’s direction, who was painfully quiet. “Oh, yeah. I don’t know why she’s so shy, if I had her voice I would never shut up.”

“You already don’t,” You said, she stuck out her tongue at you. You then showed her something on your phone. 

“Oh, hell yeah.” 

“We’re next!” You called, song ready on the queue. You saw as Mina yanked Jirou off the couch, forcing her to stand up. 

Mina shoved a mic in her hands, and spoke, “You’re Jessie J, I’m Nicki, and she’s Ari.”

“Wait, what—” She was cut off by the sound of the music, and immediately started singing. It was Bang Bang.

She was shy at first, everyone watched as she sang with the incredible voice she possessed. 

You felt those eyes on you again, and this time, you decided it wasn’t time to get flustered—you weren’t going to give him what he was looking for. It was a game after all, right? 

Your part came in, and you turned to your friends, singing as you playfully interacted with them—glancing at him from time to time, just to check if he was still staring. You weren’t gonna give him all your attention, though, so you didn’t even make eye contact—you just enjoyed the song. 

You sang along with Jirou on the chorus, surprised to see her more confident. Mina’s part came up, and though she stumbled through some lyrics, she got most of them right. 

The last bit of the song was just you and your girlfriends having fun. 

When the song was over, you three sat down, giggling at what had just happened. 

“Could you guys please tell her she’s got the voice of a goddess?” You turned to Sero, Kirishima, and Kaminari, who were sitting on the couch next to yours. 

“Shut up,” Jirou said, looking to the side. 

“She’s right though,” Sero added.

“Yeah, you’ve got a great voice,” Kirishima said. 

“Thanks?” You could see your friend slightly blushing. “I’m gonna get some water,” And she got up and started walking towards the kitchen. 

Kaminari saw the free spot next to you, and took his chance, placing his arm around your shoulders. 

“You’re also not bad, princess,” He smiled at you. 

“Come on, you’re just saying whatever now,” You laughed. 

The truth was, you weren’t a singer. You loved to sing, of course, but you were nowhere near good. It wasn’t that you had a bad voice—you could sing on key, but that was it. Maybe if you had trained you could've been better.   

“I’m being honest!” Kaminari continued, “You definitely have a pretty voice. You did not do bad, at all.” 

Mina joined, “Am I the only one who can't sing for her life?” She whined. You chuckled.

You turned to the blonde beside you, “What about you? Do you sing?”

He shrugged, “You’ll have to find out.” 

You scrolled down your liked songs once again, you found Just My Type by The Vamps, and showed him your screen, “Do you know this one?”

“Are you asking me to sing?”

“I am.”

“Only if you sing it with me,” He smiled.

“Deal,” You stood up. It looked like you were going to wake up with a sore throat the next morning. 

You played the song, and everyone watched expectantly. 

“You ready for a show?” You asked the blonde.

“Are you?”

And then you started singing. You motioned him to take turns with the lines. He understood and sang right after your line finished. He had kind of a raspy voice, but he wasn’t bad—he was actually really good. 

You continued singing, him acting like he was singing the song to you, and you acting like you were turning him down. The whole class was amused as you basically put on a show. 

When the bridge came in, it was your turn to sing. You were done with your half, and he sang the other half with his eyes locked into yours. You sang the last pre-chorus together, and your voices actually sounded really good together. 

You two finished the rest of the song, taking turns singing the last lyrics. Your eyes were still on his, and you felt it again. Your heart racing. But you dismissed it again.

You plopped on the couch again, “I think that’s the last one for me tonight.” 

“So, how did you like it?” Kaminari sat next to you, leaning his head on his arm that was resting on the back of the couch. 

“You’re… not bad,” You said, smirking. 

“Did you fall hopelessly in love with me?” He asked, raising his eyebrows. 

You rolled your eyes, “Not yet. Told you, I don’t fall for players.”

“And I told you, we’ll see.” He winked at you. 

This was starting to get fun. 

The night eventually started winding down.

Some people were still singing, others had dozed off on the couches or slipped away to their rooms one by one. You had migrated back to your spot on the sofa, this time with a blanket over your shoulders and a mug of tea in your hands that Yaoyorozu had kindly made for everyone. Your voice felt a little scratchy, your cheeks were still flushed from all the laughing, and the room had that cozy, half-asleep energy that only came after a long, loud night.

You were scrolling through your phone when Kaminari dropped down beside you again, his hair slightly messy from lying upside down over the armrest just a minute ago.

“Hey,” he said, nudging you with his shoulder. “So… that duet was kinda iconic.”

You glanced at him, trying not to smile too much. “You mean your dramatic serenade?”

“Hey, I commit to the bit,” he said, smirking. “Plus, you were into it.”

You rolled your eyes. “You were looking at me like I was a music video.”

He didn’t deny it. Just sipped from his drink, then said, “You looked like you were having fun.”

“I was,” you said quietly. And it surprised you how honest that sounded.

There was a small silence between you. Not awkward—just… still.

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it,” he said after a moment.

“What, karaoke?”

“No. Sing with me.” He looked at you, not teasing this time. “You could’ve said no.”

You shrugged. “You asked nicely.”

He smiled at that. Not the usual cheeky grin—just a soft, crooked smile, like he was storing that answer somewhere in the back of his mind. Like it meant something. You didn’t say anything else. Just took another sip from your mug and pulled the blanket tighter around you. It was quiet now. Just a slow song playing faintly from the speakers, and a few sleepy giggles coming from the other side of the room.

You glanced at him again. He was still looking at you. 

You blinked, shook your head softly, and looked down at your mug. Okay. Time for bed.

“Goodnight, Kaminari.”

“’Night, princess.”

You stood up and headed toward the stairs, not looking back.

But you felt it. Still.

His eyes on you.

Chapter Text

It was now Sunday noon. None of your classmates had gone out this first weekend—everyone was still too curious about being roommates to actually make plans outside. Iida had taken full advantage of that, and with Momo’s help, they came up with a system to assign weekly duties —just like Aizawa had suggested.

They wrote everyone’s names on small pieces of paper, folded them, and tossed them into a bowl. Then, on a whiteboard, they listed every chore for the week. It wasn’t a long list: just dinner prep and cleaning up after dinner, since everyone had their own routines for breakfast, and lunch was served at school. Two names were drawn per chore per weekday, leaving them with a complete duty schedule.

Sundays, however, were declared “Group Cleaning Days.” That meant everyone had to help tidy up the shared spaces: the common area, the hallways, and the washrooms.

“Wait, but how do we divide who does what?” Mina asked, sitting cross-legged on the couch with a cup of juice in hand.

“Do you want to do it by affinity?” Iida adjusted his glasses. You could almost see his brain calculating. “We could assign eight people to hallway duty —one duo per floor— and the remaining students can be split into three groups of four. Each group can handle either the girls or boys washrooms, or the common area.”

“We call dibs on the common room!” Mina shouted, taking your and Jirou’s hand.

Pairs and groups started forming, and everyone was calling on the activities they wanted to take charge of. 

“We're missing one person though.” You looked at your friends.

“It has to be a boy” Jirou added, “By default, the other girls have to clean the girl's washroom, so…”

You looked around the room. Iida, Midoriya, Todoroki and Shoji were in charge of the boy’s washrooms. Kaminari was already paired with Sero. And before he could pick anyone, Mina was already calling his name.

“Kirishima! You’re with us! No excuses!” She said. Kirishima blinked, not even processing what was happening before Mina was already dragging him by the sleeve like it was her life’s mission.

“Whoa—okay! What did I just sign up for?” he asked, grinning, while you and Jirou tried to hold back your laughter.

“The common room,” Jirou replied. “Lucky you.”

Mina let go of his arm and handed him a rag and a bottle of disinfectant like they were sacred tools. “We’re gonna make this place shine.”

“Let’s make it squeaky clean.”

“You’re gonna regret saying that when we get to the corners,” you joked, pointing to the base of the couch.

“Oh no. Dust bunnies. My only weakness.”

Jirou rolled her eyes, but she was already smiling.

While the other groups scattered —some already wearing gloves, others protesting from the hallway— you got to work. Mina was in charge of the cleaning playlist, which of course started with a mix of throwbacks and chaotic pop.

Kirishima knelt to help you move the couch, and you braced yourself at the other end.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Always.”

With a dramatic countdown, you pushed together, and almost immediately, an empty water bottle and a fossilized noodle rolled out from underneath.

“Gross,” Jirou said from the corner, sweeping.

“Truly horrifying,” you said. “Kirishima, pick it up.”

“Huh? Why me?”

“Manly spirit, remember?” Mina grinned as she wiped down the windows.

Kirishima sighed dramatically before picking up the mummified noodle between two fingers. “For honor.”

You all gagged as he picked it up, but also laughed at the disgusted face he made. 

A familiar intro started playing, and you immediately recognized it. We found love by Rihanna. 

“No way, this one’s a classic,” you said, swaying a little to the beat.

Mina gasped. “Wait—Jirou, sing it. Please.”

Jirou, who was still sitting cross-legged by the shelf with her rag in her hand, rolled her eyes but smiled. “You guys are relentless.”

“Come on,” you added, nudging her with your foot. “Don’t act like you weren’t humming along two seconds ago.”

She sighed, dramatic and defeated. “Fine.”

She started singing —quietly at first, but as the chorus hit, her voice got stronger. Smooth, rich, effortlessly on pitch, she was an amazing singer. The kind of voice that made you forget there was even music playing in the background.

Kirishima blinked. “Okay wait—how are you that good?”

“She’s insane, right?” Mina said proudly, like she’d discovered it herself.

“I’ve never even tried singing properly,” you admitted. “Like, how do you even do that?”

Jirou gave you a small shrug. “It’s mostly breathing. Like, singing from your diaphragm, not your throat.”

“Okay explain that like we’re five,” Mina said, already standing up straighter.

Jirou stood up and straightened her back, gesturing you to do the same. “Okay, so when you breathe in, try to fill up your stomach, not your chest. Like—” she placed a hand below her ribs. “Down here. Then push the air out while you sing, slowly. Not like you’re gasping or forcing it.”

You followed her instructions, inhaling deeply and placing your hand where she pointed. It felt… weird. But you tried.

The pre-chorus was about to start. “Now sing,” she said, and you did. Soft at first. But she stopped you.

“Enunciate wider, and sing louder. Don’t be scared.”

You tried again. And this time, it came out smoother. Stronger.

Jirou blinked with a smile on her face. “That’s not bad.”

“Wait—you can actually sing?” Mina turned to you, scandalized in the best way.

“I guess… I don’t suck?” you said, laughing. 

“You definitely don’t,” Kirishima chimed in. “That was really nice.”

“See? This is why we needed a karaoke night,” Mina beamed. “Unleashing hidden talents.”

Jirou gave you a subtle smile. “You’ve got a nice tone. You just need to trust your voice more.”

You looked down for a second, just barely hiding your smile. “Thanks.”

And just like that, you all kept singing along—off-key, loud, and laughing too hard to care. But somewhere in the chaos, a little spark stayed with you. A note you’d hit right. A glance you’d caught. A voice in your ear telling you not to be scared.

When you were almost done with the room, you took a look around. The room was spotless. “I think we did a really good job”

“I guess we did,” Kirishima grinned, standing up from his place, “I think we make a good team.”

“You do?” Jirou turned to him, amused.

“Look at this place!” He motioned with his hands, “It looked like a tornado had struck before we started.”

Mina laughed, “Am I the best matchmaker or what?” She looked very proud of the team she had brought together, “Now I just need you to get with Kaminari and I can officially claim my title.” 

“Well, don't hold your breath,” You turned to her with a sarcastic smile, “That's not happening, girl.” 

Kirishima raised an eyebrow, “I would have thought you had a thing for him, at least.”

You looked at him, “I get why you say that, but it's all just a game,” you looked to your side, “I don't think he ever takes anything seriously.” 

Jirou chuckled, “That's for the better. He seems to be playing the same game with every single girl at school.” 

“He may be,” Kirishima intervened, “but you can't deny, that little game of yours is unique.” 

As you plopped down in the middle of the couch, you remembered every situation where Kaminari had flirted with you and you had followed his game. You hummed at Kirishima’s comment, not really knowing what to say.

“Maybe it’s just fun,” Mina added, sitting down on the couch to your right, “Sometimes a little flirting is just that. Doesn’t have to mean anything.”

You nodded, though a little slower than before. “Yeah. Fun.”

Jirou glanced your way but didn’t say anything. She sat down next to you, stretched out her legs and leaned back, letting the music continue to play in the background.

“You know what’s weird though?” Kirishima asked, sitting on the couch to your left. “I’ve watched Kaminari for a while, but I haven't seen him click with someone like that.”

“That’s just because I’m clever,” you joked, trying to shake off the weird weight in your chest.

“Sure,” Jirou muttered, smirking. “Let’s go with that.”

You all chuckled as you playfully hit her arm, and for a second, the air felt lighter again.

Right then, you heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

“There you are!” Sero poked his head in. “We thought you guys disappeared.”

“No, we’ve just been working our asses off,” Mina grinned. “The place looks amazing now, you’re welcome.”

Sero stepped fully into the room, “Well, if this is what teamwork looks like, I’m here to supervise .”

“Too late, we’re already done,” Kirishima said. “You missed the epic battle against the dust bunny army.”

“Damn. I would’ve brought backup.” He took a seat beside you on the armrest. “So… what’s the vibe now?”

Before anyone could answer, Kaminari walked in behind him. “ Is this where the party’s at?”

You narrowed your eyes. “That depends. Did you come to help clean?”

“Absolutely not,” he said with a wink. “But I did bring snacks.”

“Oh, in that case,” Mina said dramatically, “you may stay.”

“I don't see any snacks” you raised an eyebrow at him.

“I'm right here.” He winked at you, making you chuckle and roll your eyes.

He made his way over and flopped right beside you like it was his usual spot. “So what were you all talking about?”

You opened your mouth, but Jirou was faster. “How much of a flirt you are.”

Kaminari almost choked. “Excuse me? ”

“Don’t act surprised,” Kirishima laughed.

“She said it’s all a game,” Mina added, pointing at you with a teasing grin.

You groaned. “Why are you all like this?”

Kaminari turned to you with mock betrayal. “ Just a game?”

You shrugged. “You started it.”

“And I’ll finish it, too,” he said, flashing that same grin again.

You heard footsteps one last time. You all turned to see Bakugou standing there with crossed arms, looking vaguely annoyed.

“Why the hell is everyone here?”

“Group bonding,” Sero replied, standing up to sit next to Kirishima.

“You want in?” the redhead asked, patting the other spot beside him.

Bakugou stared for a second, then rolled his eyes and walked over, grumbling something under his breath. He didn’t sit too close, but he didn’t leave either. Which was saying something.

“You love us, just admit it,” Mina grinned.

“Shut up.”

Everyone laughed.

You brought one leg up to your chest, letting yourself relax a little more. The six of you settled into a random conversation —music, food, weird school rules. At some point, someone dared to ask Bakugou what his favorite childhood show was, which led to a full argument about theme songs. You were pretty sure none of this made sense anymore, but it didn’t matter. You actually kind of liked it.

After a while, when everyone was done cleaning, someone suggested ordering pizza for dinner. As everyone started heading to get their wallets, Todoroki suggested —more like asked you— to use his dad’s credit card. At first, everyone denied, but since he kept insisting on it, you all agreed.

Midoriya had put a movie on the TV, and because you were still talking, you moved to the kitchen to let the rest watch the movie peacefully. Even Bakugou followed, although according to him “he just didn't want to watch Deku’s stupid movie.” 

The pizza boxes were stacked on the kitchen island now, some already half empty. Kirishima was talking with his mouth half full about a time he got stuck in a tree as a kid, and Jirou was very unhelpfully laughing through every detail.

“Wait— wait— you jumped to impress someone?” Mina asked, cackling.

“It was a really low branch, okay?! I didn’t think I’d get stuck!”

“You called your grandma for help,” Sero added, trying to breathe through his laughter.

Everyone was laughing at this point. Even Bakugou let out an involuntary snort before immediately glaring at anyone who noticed.

The laughter eventually settled into that quiet buzz of contentment. People were still nibbling on pizza crusts or sipping soda, their elbows leaned on the counter. The kind of silence that invites stories.

“What about you, Jirou?” Kaminari asked, nudging her. “Any childhood fails you wanna share with the class?”

Jirou rolled her eyes. “Hmm, okay, I once tried to pierce my own ear with a pushpin and almost passed out.”

“ Why would you do that?!” You laughed.

“I thought it would be cool. It was so not cool.”

“That’s so on brand,” Sero said.

Everyone laughed again. And then the quiet started to creep back in —the soft kind. The kind that feels safe. And maybe it was that, the safeness, or maybe it was just curiosity finally winning over politeness, but Kirishima tilted his head and asked you, gently, “What about you? You got any stories from before Japan?” 

All eyes turned to you. Not in a weird way. Not in a pushy way. Just… genuinely curious. Even Bakugou’s gaze flickered in your direction. 

You blinked, caught off guard for a moment. You hadn’t expected to be asked. You hummed, trying to remember something to share. 

You smiled as you began to speak, “Ok, so you know how in movies they always picture teenagers to be kind of reckless and badass at parties?” 

Everyone nodded, “Like they all get wasted and stuff?” Mina asked. 

“Yeah, that. Well, let’s just say my friends and I used to watch a lot of those movies. At my friend’s quinceañera we thought we would be so cool if we tried a bit of alcohol…” You scrunched your nose, cringing at the memory. “So, we got her sister to bring us a glass of vodka. Like, pure vodka.” You sighed, “We didn't even mix it. It was disgusting as hell, but we felt like such grown ups” 

“Wait—,” Mina said. “Vodka? Straight? That’s criminal.”

“It burned for like, three hours,” you said dramatically. “And we tried to play it cool like it didn’t, but we were literally tearing up.”

“Why does that feel like something Kaminari would do?” Jirou added, glancing at him with a smirk.

“Excuse me,” Kaminari raised his hands in mock offense, “I have taste . I'd at least mix it with something.”

“Like orange soda,” Sero said.

Everyone laughed, and for a moment the air around the kitchen island felt warmer. Softer.

“I’ve got one,” Sero said, grinning. “So back in middle school, some girl I had a big-ass crush on dared me to dye my hair purple—like full-on Barney purple—and I did it thinking it’d wash out in a week.” He took out his phone and started looking through his gallery. “It stayed for months. My mom almost cried,” he said, clearly still amused.

“You have pictures?!,” Mina said through her laughter.

Sero turned his phone to show you the picture. Everyone started laughing again, this time at the picture. Even Bakugou let out a small, almost invisible chuckle. You leaned against the counter, still holding your paper plate. 

The way the group laughed with each other was… nice. It didn’t feel forced. It also didn’t feel like a classroom anymore. It felt like a group of people actually trying to understand each other. Like maybe, just maybe, this place could start feeling like home soon.

Some days passed by, and you were already used to your new routine. Wake up, get ready for school, and have whatever you found in the kitchen for breakfast. Even if it was 7 a.m. the common area was always pretty loud, but then again, it gave the dorms life. 

You were in math class now, and Ectoplasm had given you a few exercises to work on during his class. He wasn’t really that strict, and everyone always worked in pairs or small groups, asking for help from the few students that had actually understood the topic. What made his class hard wasn’t the content itself —it was the fact that he didn’t wait for midterm exams to hit. No, he said he would pop quizzes almost every Friday.

That’s why most of the class was now deeply focused on solving the equations.

Well, most of the class.

You felt someone tap your arm and looked to your right to see Mina pouting at her worksheet like it had personally offended her.

“Okay,” she whispered, sliding her desk a bit closer to yours. “I’m not saying I’m lost but— I am lost.”

Kaminari, sitting to your left, leaned forward dramatically. “Same. It’s like this worksheet is in another language.”

You chuckled and pulled your notebook closer. “What part are you stuck on?”

Mina groaned. “The part with the numbers.”

“That narrows it down.”

You finished explaining the solution to the first equation. You looked to your sides, only to find your friends with the same look on their face —like they were trying to read something in Chinese. 

“You guys got it?” You asked hesitantly. 

“Wait, in which part do letters turn into numbers?” Kaminari asked you, still looking at your notebook. 

“Why are there letters? We’re still in math, aren’t we?” Mina turned to you, looking like a lost puppy. 

“Oh god.” 

“Just one more time! Please?” Mina brought her hands together. 

“Alright, but this time,” You took their notebooks, opening them on their desks. “You guys are gonna try to solve it with me.” You shoved their pencils in their hands. 

About twenty more minutes had passed. This time, you made them start solving the equation by themselves. They had asked you to explain every single step, but at least you were making sure they actually learned how to do it. 

“Ok! I think I got it!” Mina looked at your answer in your notebook. “Yes! I got it right!”

“Wait– I’m still one step behind.” Kaminari said, you could swear if you looked closer, you could almost see smoke bursting out of his head. “Ok, what did you get?”

“16”

“I knew it! We’re gonna ace that quiz!” 

“We’re still missing nine equations.” You turned to them, because you were so busy explaining the first one to them you hadn’t gotten the chance to actually work on yours. Thankfully, Ectoplasm had said if you didn’t finish, you could take it as homework and bring it on Friday before the quiz. 

Your friends whined and spread over their chairs. 

“We’re never gonna finish.”

“We’re gonna grow old before we do.”

Just then, the bell rang.

You sighed and leaned back in your chair, stretching out your arms before finally closing your notebook. Mina and Kaminari groaned dramatically like they’d just survived a natural disaster.

“I need a nap,” Mina said, already standing up.

“I need divine intervention,” Kaminari added.

You chuckled, packing your things.

“Quiz is on Friday,” you reminded them. “We still have tomorrow.”

“Okay but what if we like… studied together?” Mina asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

“I like the we ,” Kaminari said. “Because clearly, we need help.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You mean, you want me to tutor you.” 

“Exactly,” he grinned, unashamed.

Mina nodded enthusiastically. “Say yes. We’ll make snacks. We’ll bribe you with soda. Please.”

You laughed. “Fine. But I need you to at least try and finish those nine equations. I’ll help you with any questions. Tomorrow after school?” 

“Deal,” they both said in unison.

As you walked out together, still laughing about Kaminari’s math meltdown, you couldn’t help but think — Maybe being the smart one in the group wasn’t such a bad thing. Especially if it meant more times like this.

Nope. You were wrong. You could live without more nights like this. 

It was Thursday afternoon, and you were sitting at one of the tables near the kitchen. Kaminari and Mina were already arguing about some part of the solution to the second equation. Needless to say they were both wrong. You ran a hand through your hair, looking at both of their notebooks. It was clear they had tried to solve them, but had only got a couple of things right. 

You sighed, “Guys, neither of you is right.” 

They stopped, and spoke at the same time. “What?” 

“You heard me. Mina, you cannot cancel out letters just because. Kaminari, you missed like, three negative signs.” 

They took their notebooks and peeked at each other’s solutions. You took out your own notebook and opened it. 

“Please, erase what you have in there and pay attention.” 

They both pouted, but obliged to your instructions. You started explaining what you had written in your notebook, pointing as you did. You also addressed the mistakes each of them had made. 

“See? Negative sign number 1, you missed it.” You looked at Kaminari, who opened his mouth in an O shape. “And you,” You said as you turned to Mina, “You need this letter later on, you can’t just make it disappear.”

“Okay okay—don’t yell at us,” Kaminari said, erasing his mess.

“I’m not yelling,” you said, still pointing at Mina’s equations. “But if you cancel out one more variable just because it ‘feels right,’ I might start.”

“I get it,” Mina mumbled, eyes wide as she fixed her answer.

That’s when someone started walking towards the kitchen.

“You guys still alive?” Kirishima asked, taking out two sodas from the fridge. “I’m bringing peace offerings.”

“Help us,” Kaminari whispered dramatically, slumping over the table.

“What’s going on?” Jirou walked in behind him, glancing at the chaotic papers spread across the table.

“Math murder,” Mina said, holding her pencil like a weapon.

“They’re trying to kill the concept of algebra,” you added.

“Can I sit in?” Kirishima pulled a chair over. “I lowkey suck at this too.”

“Oh great,” you joked, “Let’s just start a study group at this point.”

“Wait— are you guys actually doing one?” Jirou sat at the edge of the desk. “Because that quiz is gonna be brutal.”

You nodded. “We kind of already are.”

Sero came down with his notebook and a pencil in hand, like he’d known you would be there. “Did someone say quiz?”

“Oh no,” Mina said. “The whole squad is assembling.”

“No way I’m missing this,” Sero grinned as he joined, casually stealing one of Kirishima’s soda cans.

It didn’t take long before half the table was full —open notebooks, erasers rolling off the table, pencils flying. Everyone shared confusion. Everyone shared snacks. Everyone shared the pain. Thankfully, Jirou was one of the few students who actually understood math, so while you were helping the two worst cases, she did the same with the other two boys.

“You are loud as hell.”

You all turned your heads.

Bakugou was standing near the kitchen island with his usual scowl, arms crossed, looking like he was seriously regretting checking what the noise was about. 

“Hi, Bakugou,” Mina said sweetly, “Wanna join the party?”

He rolled his eyes. “Why would I waste my time with extras who can’t do basic math?”

“Well,” Kaminari grinned, “You could always be our tutor .”

Bakugou made a noise somewhere between a scoff and a death threat, but after a long pause… he walked in closer to your mess.

He didn’t sit with you. He just grabbed an empty chair and dragged it to the corner of the table, far enough to act like he wasn’t part of it —close enough to look over your shoulder.

“No one talk to me,” he muttered. “But if you mess up again, I’m not letting you turn in that garbage.”

You exchanged a look with Mina. She mouthed: Victory.

You tried not to laugh.

Study night had officially begun.

Chapter Text

After that math quiz on Friday —which Kaminari and Mina had managed to pass, just barely—the next week had gone by pretty fast. Everything had been just as usual —hard training, doing homework after school, and watching your classmates make a mess of the common area. 

You heard your alarm go off. You reached for your phone, turned it off, and sighed. Thanks to God, it was Friday again. Just one day till the weekend, and you were truly thankful for that. You finally opened your eyes, and stretched your arms out. As you were getting ready, you got a text from your parents. You smiled as you replied. Since there was a 15 hour difference, you really hadn’t gotten the chance to call them regularly, so you stayed consistent on at least saying good morning to them. 

After wishing you good luck on your day, they had to return to their jobs, so you opened YouTube to watch really anything while you brushed your teeth. You found the Royal Family Dance Crew had posted a new video from their performance at World of Dance, so you pressed play. You actually had grown fond of dancing. First, it was an important part of your culture. You had grown up watching as your mom taught your dad different Latin American music, which each had a different way to dance to. Naturally, you learned the basics to genres like merengue and cumbia, but you weren’t an expert on those. 

Now, what you really loved dancing were more urban styles and some hip hop too. Your mom had shown you recordings of family gatherings where you and your cousins would make up a choreography to basically any song that was trending at the moment. You were always leading your cousins through the dance, and you found yourself enjoying learning choreography. Your mom saw this in you, and signed you up for some dance classes, which you loved. You took them once a week, for about three years of your life, but then your life got busier with school and training with your dad and you didn’t really have the time to attend anymore. Still, you kept practicing alone, self-teaching yourself dances you saw on social media.  

You finished watching the video, and decided to watch the rest of the performances they had on their channel. When you were done getting ready, you plugged in your earphones and walked down to the elevator, still watching the video as you swayed your hips slightly to the beat. The moves were so sharp, so clean, and the energy was infectious. You were so into it, you almost didn’t notice when the elevator door opened. 

As you were walking towards the kitchen, you heard a voice through the music. “Wait—hold on. Is that Royal Fam?” Mina’s voice made you jump a little.

You pulled out one earbud and looked up to see her blinking at your screen, a huge smile spreading on her face.

“Yeah,” you nodded. “They posted new stuff last night. I was watching it while I got ready.”

“No way!” she said, excited. “I freaking love them. I used to watch their World of Dance sets on loop. Like—this one?” She pointed to your screen, “That’s the one with the Rihanna remix, right? That part in the middle? Insane.”

You laughed. “Yes! I’ve been obsessed with this one all week.”

Mina practically bounced in place. “You like dance?”

“More than I admit out loud,” you smiled. “I actually used to take lessons for a while. I mostly learn stuff on my own now.”

“Okay, wait, that’s so cool. Like—actual choreo classes?”

You nodded. “Three years. And then I just kept learning off videos. I’ve done a few contests here and there, but it’s been a while.”

Mina gasped dramatically. “You’ve done contests?! Show me. Show me right now.”

You blushed slightly but you handed her one of the earbuds as you scrolled through your gallery. You found a video from a recent contest and handed her your phone.

Mina watched in silence for a few seconds. Then, “Wait. Hold on. That’s you ?!” Her jaw dropped. “You’re so good! Those moves—girl, you eat. ”

You laughed, a little embarrassed but pleased. “Thanks. I love it. I just… haven’t really danced with someone in a long time.”

Mina looked at you like she’d just found a long-lost soulmate. “Okay, no. This is fate. We have to dance together. Like—today. After school. At the gym. You in?”

You blinked, surprised but kind of thrilled. “Yeah. Totally. I’d love that.”

“Yesss!” she cheered, practically doing a little spin right there. “You can teach me that combo, and I’ll show you some of the stuff I’ve been working on.”

“Deal,” you grinned. “But only if you let me show you some songs I’ve been dying to dance to while we warm up”

“Oh, girl,” she winked, linking her arm with yours as you walked. “This is gonna be everything.”

Throughout the day, Mina and you had been exchanging random choreographies you found on Youtube, clearly excited for that little dance session you had planned for later. So, when Aizawa dismissed you from training at noon, you both practically ran to the dorms to get changed. During your walk to the gym, you both played songs from different genres to find what you wanted to dance. 

The gym was mostly empty, the echoes of your voices bouncing softly off the walls. You were about to start stretching when you remembered the song you wanted to show her. You connected your phone to the speakers and played mi refe by Beéle. 

The beat was calm at the beginning, “Listen, I swear I’ve been replaying it nonstop.”

Mina started bouncing in her place, “It’s giving me summer roadtrip vibes,”

“Exactly!” You smiled. 

When the lyrics began, she turned to you, “It’s in spanish, right?”

“Right, sorry,” You looked for a translation and handed her your phone, “I like the beat more than the lyrics, though.” Still, you sang quietly through the song. 

The chorus started and now both of you were swaying a little to the beat of the song. The second verse hit, and your favourite part was next. 

“I like it–” 

“Wait, wait, here it comes,” You interrupted her, “This part is everything, listen.” 

Mina’s face lit up when the bridge hit. 

“So?” You waited for her response. 

“Oh, girl, finish warming up now! I already have some ideas for that part.” She continued stretching, a smile still on her face. “We’re making our own choreo, that song is amazing.”

“Ok, you ready?” You asked.

About an hour had gone by, but you hadn’t really noticed. You had finally come up with some moves that you both liked, and although it was just like 30 seconds of the song, you really liked how it was going. You were now just cleaning up some moves and rehearsing the choreo. 

Mina started recording on her phone, setting it on the floor, “I was born ready.” She winked, as she backed up to your side. 

The bridge struck once again, and you danced along. You couldn’t stop smiling between takes. Every time Mina or you nailed a move, she’d shout “we ate that!” and it made you laugh. The sole fact that someone shared your interests, and was willing to dance to one of your favourite songs —that wasn’t really what Mina usually danced, as she had told you— was comforting. And the fact that it was her the one sharing this with you made it even better. Again, memories of home started coming to you, but now you were creating new ones, and you liked them. 

“Shit, I think we got it right this time!” Mina exclaimed just as you finished the section. 

“It was good, wasn’t it!” You both started walking towards her phone.

She stopped recording and picked it up, “We’ll see, but I bet my dinner it was great.”

You both watched the recording and, in fact, it was good. Great, even. You had good chemistry that showed in the interactive moves that you had made. It didn’t just look like two people dancing side by side —it looked like two people dancing together , and you felt your heart warming up. 

“I told you, we nailed that!” She turned to you and side hugged you, while playing the video again. “I need to see it again.”

You watched the video again, a quiet smile forming on your lips. Maybe it was the dancing. Maybe it was Mina. But something about it felt like home.

You and Mina were still laughing as you walked back into the dorms, your cheeks flushed from both the dancing and the cold air outside. The common room was mostly empty, except for some guys by the kitchen and Jirou, who was curled up on the couch with her earphone jack plugged in her phone and her notebook in her lap.

She looked up as soon as she saw you, “Where have you two been?” 

You walked towards her, “Hmm, let’s just say we’ve been creating something great.”

“Like, amazing.” Mina added.

Jirou narrowed her eyes, but before she could open her mouth, Mina spoke again, “What’s that?” 

Jirou followed Mina’s eyes and quickly closed her notebook. “Nothing important.” 

You hummed, “We’ll tell you where we’ve been if you tell us what’s in there.”

She doubted for a second before speaking, “Fine, but let’s go to my room.” 

“We’ll be there in a minute, we still gotta take a shower!” Mina quickened her pace, dragging you along with her. 

You disappeared through the hallway, “Do you think it’s like her diary?”

“Nah, she doesn’t look like the type to have one. At least not the type to let anyone see it.”

After you were done showering, you basically ran to Jirou’s room. You knocked, but didn’t really wait for an answer before you opened the door.

“We’re here!” Said Mina bursting through the door.

Jirou was sitting cross-legged on her bed, again with her notebook in hand. “Finally. You two take the longest to shower.” She closed the notebook as she straightened up.

You walked to her bathroom. “Sorry,” You said, plugging in your hair dryer. “We came as fast as we could, we didn’t even dry our hair.” 

She walked towards you, leaning in the doorframe to her bathroom. “So, are you finally gonna tell me where you were today after school?” She looked at you through the mirror. 

Mina took her phone out, “Better. We’re gonna show you.” She looked at you, and you nodded. 

Jirou took the phone and pressed play, you couldn’t see, but you could hear the music coming from the device. You weren’t sure why, but you felt kind of nervous —or maybe excited to see your friend’s reaction. 

Jirou’s eyes widened, a smile slowly rising on her face. “Wait, how are you guys so good at this?” She didn’t take her eyes off the screen as she asked. “And you made this? From scratch?”

“Do you like it?” You asked. 

It wasn’t until the video was over when she looked up, searching for your eyes. “I love this!” 

“We’re good, aren’t we?” Mina smiled, wide. “I just found out this morning that she could dance, and we agreed to meet at the gym after class —and this is our baby. Made with nothing more than love.” She mockingly rubbed her belly, pretending she was pregnant.

You laughed at her little act. “We discovered we work, like, really good together. So, yeah.” 

“Wait– I didn’t even know either of you danced.” She handed Mina her phone back, “You guys are great.” She smiled. 

“You wanna join?” Mina asked excitedly. Jirou automatically shook her head no. 

“No way —don’t get me wrong, I would love to. It’s just not my thing. Let’s just say a worm has way more rhythm than I do.”

“That’s a shame,” You pouted. “We could've been, like, the dancing powerpuff girls.” 

A chuckle came out of the two girls, “I think I’ll stick to singing, but thanks for offering.”

You spent the next few minutes finishing drying your hair. Jirou had returned to her spot on her bed. When you were done, you walked out of the bathroom.

“So,” You started, setting down the hairdryer. “Our part of the deal is done. You know our little secret.” 

Mina laid down in the middle of the bed, “Now it’s time for us to know your secret.” 

Jirou got a bit shy before speaking. You walked towards the bed and sat down on the corner, bringing up one leg. “Well… so—you know how I like, really love music?”

Mina hummed and you nodded. “Let’s say I like more than just playing and singing.”

“How so?” You asked, tilting your head. 

She opened her notebook, “I also like to write music.” She said almost in a whisper.

“You what?!” Mina and you said at the same time, she sat up as you leaned closer. 

“It’s not a big deal, I–” She handed you her notebook. “I just scribble whatever comes to mind. Sometimes chords, sometimes words—on my best days, even full songs.” She looked down to her lap.

Mina and you scanned through some of her lyrics. They were really good—just as you had expected from her. Some were really deep, and some were just rhymes. 

“Jirou, these are…” You started, still reading.

“...These are great.” Mina finished, looking up at Jirou, “Sing something to us,” She put her hands together, “Pretty please”

You looked at Jirou and gave her a reassuring smile. “Whatever you want—we would love to hear it.” 

Jirou doubted once again, but finally got up and took her acoustic guitar out. “If you say a word about this, you’re dead.” But as she spoke, she had the smallest of smiles on her face. 

She sat back down again. Mina and you sat in complete silence, waiting for her to start. You were really curious about what she had created—of course you knew it would be great, but still, you wanted to hear it. 

After what it looked like her trying to choose one of her songs to show you, she started strumming her guitar. 

Address the letters to the holes in my butterfly wings
Nothing's forever, nothing is as good as it seems
And when the clouds are ironed out
And the monsters creep into your house
And every door is hard to close

Well, I hope you know how proud I am you were created
With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred
God, I hope that you're happier today
'Cause I love you, and I hope that you're okay

The last chords vanished in the air, and the room fell silent. You hadn’t noticed, but as you swallowed, you felt a tight knot in your throat—Mina wasn’t even blinking.

You tried swallowing once again, and turned to Jirou, “I hope you know that was really, really beautiful.”

You could see a faint blush raise in her cheeks, “Thank you, this one… is really special to me.” She played with the strings, “And because of everything it makes me feel, I feel like it is my best one yet.” 

Mina finally blinked, “You’re truly amazing—-I really hope someday you share this talent of yours with everyone.” 

Jirou smiled, you two followed. After a beat of silence, Mina spoke again.

“Well! What name are we giving our band?” 

You laughed, “Do you even know how to play, like, any instrument?”

“Nope!”, She raised her index, “ I’ll be in charge of, I don’t know, the good vibes?”

This made the three of you laugh. You were really starting to like these kinds of moments. Just your friends and you, sharing little details about your lives—getting to know each other.  It was comforting. You felt a strong bond continuing to form, and you hoped from there it only grew stronger. 

You kept talking about anything, really, when you glanced at the clock Jirou had on her nightstand. It was getting late. 

And as if she could read your mind, Mina spoke as she shuffled on the bed, “Okay but like… can we have a sleepover?”

You blinked. “Right now?”

“Yeah! Like—Jirou’s already in her room, we’re already here, and I don’t feel like walking back to mine,” she whined, getting under the covers like it was her own bed.

Jirou rolled her eyes, but also got under the covers next to her. “I guess I don’t mind. But you better not snore. I will literally kick you until you stop.”

“I don’t snore,” Mina said with a smirk. “But she does.” She pointed at you.

“Excuse you?!”

She laughed as you threw a pillow at her. Jirou asked you to take out two small extra blankets she had in her closet, and when you handed them to her, you walked to turn off the lights. Mina was still blabbing about something when you let yourself sink into the mattress, staring at the ceiling with a soft smile. 

It hadn’t really been part of your plans—but maybe you’d needed it.

Chapter Text

The first week of May ran its course as normally as it could. At school, everyone studied hard, but of course there always was something that caught everyone’s attention. You had noticed a certain blonde still hitting as many shots as he could to, well, almost every girl he saw. The feeling you had felt that first time with someone else had vanished, though. After that time, you hadn’t really paid much attention to his games, you figured it would be best to keep it like that.

It was now Wednesday, and as scheduled, you had training after lunch.

The class gathered in Gym Gamma, and stood waiting for Aizawa to give out instructions. He was already there, of course, arms crossed, tired expression in place, as if he’d rather be anywhere else. Still, you’d come to learn he was always watching —every move, every reaction, every mistake.

“As you already know,” he began, eyeing the class, “today’s session will be a sparring rotation. Pairs will be random.”

A collective groan erupted through the class, which Aizawa ignored entirely.

“The goal,” he continued, “isn’t to win. It’s to push yourself. Learn from your opponent. Test your limits.”

You shifted in your place, rolling your shoulders. Sparring always made your nerves tingle, especially not knowing who you'd go against. Aizawa began calling out names.

“Yaoyorozu with Sero. Tokoyami with Kaminari.”

Your eyes wandered, finding Mina nearby. She gave you a small thumbs up. You smiled back.

“Midoriya with Iida.”

Names kept coming, and your stomach started twisting a little.

“And finally—” Aizawa’s voice made you straighten your back, “Bakugou with Y/N.”

You blinked.

Mina turned to you, eyebrows raised. “You good?”

“I think so,” you nodded, more to yourself than to her.

Bakugou was already cracking his knuckles, his mouth curled into that usual scowl. He didn’t look at you —he just made his way to the middle of the gym, stretching his neck from side to side like this was just another day.

You walked toward him, heart thudding against your ribs. He still didn’t acknowledge you—or anyone, really. You’d learned by now he was a man of very few words. You didn’t even know if he liked you, but the way he hung out with your group —at first dragged by Kirishima, but now almost voluntarily— at least meant he didn’t hate you. Still, when it came to sparring, all friendships were put aside.

“Last group on the floor,” Aizawa called. “Begin when ready.”

You took your stance. Bakugou mirrored it, but there was something too casual in his posture. Loose. Unbothered. You started gathering water from your surroundings as you stepped forward, ready to test the waters —just as he shot toward you with a small burst. Fast, but clearly holding back.

You managed to summon a water shield, barely.

He clicked his tongue. “Don’t freeze up. I’m not even trying.”

Something flared inside you. The shield dissolved back into a shapeless mass. You straightened your spine.

“Then try.”

His eyebrow lifted at your voice —not loud, but sharp.

“I said don’t hold back,” you repeated, eyes locking into his.

He stared for a beat. Then he smirked.

“Fine,” he said, cracking his neck again. “You asked for it.”

The next few seconds moved fast.

This time, he was serious —explosions crackling from his palms as you jumped back, narrowly dodging the blast. The air shifted. No more testing. This was the real thing.

You spread the water you were controlling across the room, surrounding him from all angles. Just as he launched himself up, the water shifted into bullet shapes. You fired. He twisted midair, but one hit his side, throwing him off balance and slamming him into the ground.

Gasps echoed around the room. A few cheers. Even Aizawa’s eyes sharpened slightly.

You saw Bakugou’s face twist. Annoyed. Maybe even impressed.

You gathered your water again as he pushed himself up.

“Oh, you’re dead.”

“Shit.”

He launched forward, and in an instant, you summoned a water platform beneath your feet, lifting yourself off the ground. It held just long enough for you to jump over him, flipping in the air and landing behind his back.

He spun, chasing you with another blast. You slid under it, conjuring a whip and snapping it towards his legs. He jumped —not cleanly, but enough. You shifted the whip, wrapping it around his wrists and up his hands, trying to muffle the explosions.

It worked —for a half-second.

He growled and lunged forward, trying to shake off the water. You quickly summoned more, crafting a rope that connected to the cuffs around his hands, and with a pull, you hurled him up into the air. But just as you were preparing your next move, the water faltered. In a single twist, Bakugou angled himself midair and fired directly at you. The explosion hit near your feet, blasting your balance apart. You staggered —and that was all he needed.

He tackled you, hard —knocking the breath from your lungs as your back hit the ground. His weight pinned you, one hand pressed beside your head to keep himself steady. Face to face. Both of you breathing hard.

You smirked. You hadn’t won. But you’d made him work for it. And that, to you, was a win.

Bakugou stood first. Then —to your surprise— he held out his hand.

You took it.

No words were exchanged, but the small nod he gave you as you walked off the mat said enough.

You still had a faint smile when you walked back to your friends. Mina met your eyes —grinning, wide.

She rushed toward you. “You’re the shit!” she yelled, jumping onto you with both arms and legs. You barely had time to catch her before she wrapped around you like a koala.

“Easy, dude. She’s probably tired,” Jirou said, walking up with a water bottle in hand. “But she’s right. I could literally hear everyone holding their breath.”

Mina slid back down and offered you a high five.

“Thanks, I—” you started, accepting the water from Jirou, “didn’t even have time to think. But I feel great.” You smiled before taking a sip.

“As you should.”

Your eyes drifted toward your opponent —he was catching his breath, guzzling water like it owed him money.

Kirishima clapped Bakugou’s back. “Gotta say, she gave you a tough one.”

“I was holding back,” Bakugou scoffed.

“No, you weren’t,” Kaminari chuckled beside him. “We saw you. Just admit it—she’s great.”

“Tch. Whatever.”

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Sero chimed in.

“I didn’t even lose!” Bakugou snapped.

“You almost did.” Kaminari smirked, his eyes drifting across the room —to you.

You were flushed, suit soaked in water and sweat, hair slightly messy. But you were glowing, laughing at something Mina had said, completely focused on your girls, oblivious to the gaze fixed on you.

“Finally realized you have a thing for her?” Sero teased from behind him.

Was he staring? Maybe. Did he care? Not really.

Kaminari laughed, still watching. “Nah. I’m just impressed.”

“Sure,” Sero chuckled mockingly. “Whatever you say.”

Kaminari had decided he didn’t like you. You were just friends. He’d convinced himself that even if you played along with his flirting, it didn’t mean anything. You wouldn’t take a guy like him seriously. Why would you?

Besides, it’s not like you were the only girl at school.

Were you different from the others, though? From an outsider’s perspective, maybe not.

But if you asked him—yeah. You were.

Maybe that’s what drew him in.

Still, he knew he had no chance. So he kept it light. You didn’t seem to mind him, and if he could have you by his side —even just as a friend— he’d stick to whatever it was he was doing that kept you around.

The mirrors were still foggy when you finished changing after showering. Head wrapped in a towel, you walked towards Mina, who was already patting a serum into her skin. 

“But please tell me you saw his face when you made him drop to the ground.”

Your friends seemed to have a new favourite topic of conversation—your sparring session with Bakugou. They hadn’t dropped the subject since the gym, and even now, post-shower, it was all they could talk about.

Jirou, who was approaching you while drying her face with a towel, laughed audibly. “I thought he was going to break his jaw, it was clenched.”

“The best part was when Sero had to bring Kaminari back to earth at the end,” Mina added, raising her brows as she smirked. “He had his eyes fixed on you.”

You stopped applying your face cream. “Huh?”

Mina turned to you. “You didn’t see?”

“No?”

Jirou glanced at you through the mirror while taking out her skincare products. “Maybe we should get you some glasses.”

Mina laughed, going back to her serum. “Girl, I’m calling it now—maid of honor at your wedding. I already have the speech written.”

You laughed, “And I told you, that’s not happening.” You sighed, rubbing the cream over your face.

You didn’t know why, but you weren’t completely comfortable with this topic. Maybe it was because of that weird way it made your stomach feel. Or maybe you just didn’t want to think about how probably everyone thought you were stupid for playing along with Kaminari’s games. You didn’t really care about what people thought of you though, you had learned it was pretty out of your control. No, the part that bothered you was that even you thought it was a stupid thing to do. 

But, you didn’t really want to stop. For some weird reason you couldn’t figure out, you wanted to play along—you liked the feeling. Maybe you were just another big flirt. Maybe you just liked the attention. And you would’ve convinced yourself of this if it wasn’t because you knew it was a lie. You had never, ever, flirted with someone like this. Most importantly, you had never craved for someone’s attention—for someone to flirt with you like he did. 

You knew it wasn’t real, of course you did. You weren’t stupid. You could see how almost every single day he was talking to a different girl. But, you preferred to ignore it—to ignore the way it made you feel. You’d glance the other way and forget you saw anything. Just like right now. You weren’t even sure about what you were feeling, so why address it? 

So you smiled. Brushed your hair. Pretended like your heart wasn’t being weird. 

“Ugh, I feel human again. That shower healed something in me.” You said, plugging in your hairdryer.

“Oh, don’t change the topic now–”

You turned on the device. “Huh? Can’t hear you! This thing’s really loud!” 

The hallway outside the washrooms echoed with laughter as you made your way back to the dorms, all dressed in your cozy post-shower clothes and still carrying the energy of the day’s events.

“I swear,” Mina said between cackles, “if I had a quirk that let me record moments, I’d replay Bakugou’s face in slow motion on a loop.”

You were laughing too, cheeks slightly flushing from all the laughter. “Stop, I’m gonna choke.”

“I’m just saying,” Jirou chimed in, “you kinda looked badass out there.”

“Thank youuu.” Mina clapped dramatically. “She needs to hear it more! She’s literally out here downplaying the best moment of the week.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled. “Okay, okay. I’ll take the compliment.”

As the three of you turned the corner and entered the common area, the smell of dinner hit instantly. You all hummed in unison.

“Oooh, is that miso ramen?” Mina sniffed the air. “Kirishima’s cooking again?”

When you reached the dining area, the boys were already halfway into serving themselves. Kirishima was finishing pouring broth into all the bowls while Kaminari, Sero, and Bakugou lounged at one of the tables near the kitchen island. Kaminari looked up first and grinned when he saw you three walking over.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the girl who nearly made Bakugou eat cement.”

“I didn’t almost eat cement!” Bakugou snapped.

“Oh, come on.” Sero laughed. “It was like… maybe a small nibble. A taste of it, at best.”

“I will actually murder you.”

The whole table erupted in laughter.

Mina leaned on the back of an empty chair and looked at you smugly. “See? It’s not just us saying it.”

You sighed dramatically and took a seat next to Jirou. “You are never gonna let this go, are you?”

“Not a chance,” Kirishima said cheerfully, handing you a bowl of ramen. “You earned this with honor.”

“Thanks,” You took your chopsticks, and then remembered, “But did you actually hear what he said to me?” You pointed at Bakugou with the chopsticks. 

“What, the ‘oh, you’re dead’?” Sero mocked Bakugou’s voice, a couple chuckles and snorts bursted.

“You heard! Dude, I swear I was like—actually scared for my life” You continued, “I think i shat my pants a little.” 

Everyone laughed again, even Bakugou let out a small snort. 

“I think we all did,” Kirishima added, finally sitting down at the table. 

The rest of dinner passed with more teasing and casual chatter, the kind that made your shoulders relax without realizing it. Eventually, the bowls were empty, and the conversation had started to mellow out. People were leaning back in their chairs, groaning from fullness, or scrolling through their phones.

You stood up to take your bowl to the sink, stretching your arms overhead with a quiet yawn.

“Hey, don’t leave your stuff, dumbasses,” Bakugou barked, already stacking his own dishes.

“Yes, mom,” Sero muttered, earning a flick on the forehead.

As you turned around, you felt someone lightly bump your shoulder. It was Kaminari, also with an empty bowl in hand.

“Hey,” he said, smiling a little. “Guess what?”

You raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. “What?”

“We’ve got cleaning duty together tonight.”

You blinked. “We what?”

“Yep. The board said so.” He tilted his head towards the hallway bulletin. “Your name and mine. Post-dinner cleanup.”

“I totally forgot.” You closed your eyes and shook your head. “That’s what I get for surviving Bakugou.” You sighed, dramatically defeated.

He chuckled. “Think of it as a reward. A chance to spend quality time with me.” He winked.

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t stop the tiny laugh that escaped. “Lucky me.”

“Extremely,” he laughed, then headed toward the sink.

You watched him for half a second too long before snapping out of it and following him with your bowl.

After everyone had taken their dirty dishes to the sink, it was only Kaminari and you left in the common area. You had avoided the post-dinner cleanup chore pretty well, only having to do it for like two times. You hated doing dishes—it disgusted you, so much, you preferred helping with cooking duty. Still, you knew it was unavoidable, so you approached the sink, sighing in defeat. 

Kaminari, who was rolling his sleeves up, suddenly turned to you. And as if he had read your mind, he spoke. “Want me to soap the dishes and then you just rinse them?” 

You looked up, hope in your face. “Wait, really?”

He smiled, “I know you don’t like doing dishes.”

“You noticed?”

“How could I not?” He chuckled. “You basically stare at them like they are insulting you every time it’s your turn to wash them.” 

You laughed, “It’s ok, though, I can–” 

He put his hands around your shoulders and shoved you in front of the left bowl of the sink. “I’m soaping them, I don’t care. I actually love soaping dishes, you can’t take this away from me.” He said sarcastically as he turned on the faucet. 

You just smiled, and took out your phone, “As a thank you, I’m letting you choose the cleaning playlist.”

He glanced at you as he left one soapy dish on your side of the sink. “Why don’t you show me something new? What do you listen to these days?”

You started scrolling down your playlists until you found the one. “Alright, you can thank me later for the best music you’re gonna listen to in your life.”

You played una noche by Alleh and Yorghaki. You put your phone down and started rinsing the dishes. 

“I swear this one’s too good.”

He just nodded, agreeing with you as he continued to bob his head to the rhythm.

You continued with the chore for a few seconds, and then he spoke. 

“So, have you fully recovered from your near-death experience in training today?”

You snorted. “Barely. I’m still emotionally scarred.”

“I don’t blame you,” he said, handing you another bowl. “But that was actually pretty cool.”

You glanced at him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. “Thanks. I was pretty impressed with myself, too.”

He smiled, but didn’t say anything else. The song ended, and now Mónaco by LAGOS and Danny Ocean started playing. The beat was slower, calmer, and you let yourself get carried by it, and started singing softly. 

“Do you miss it?” Kaminari asked casually.

“Hm?” You looked at him, but he was looking down at what he was doing. 

“Home. How are you liking Japan?” 

You turned your gaze back to the dishes. Home. You hadn’t really had the time to actually think about it. If you missed it? Of course you did. It was normal, you had been away for almost two months now, and even if you liked it here, you couldn’t stop yourself from feeling a bit nostalgic.

“It’s great.” You took a deep breath, “Honestly, I don’t miss home as much as I thought I would.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. I’m starting to get used to this. Of course I miss my family, my friends too, but–” You paused, not really knowing what to say. “I guess this is where my future is.”

He hummed. Silence again. But this time, you felt the need to break it, so you spoke.

“I guess there is one thing that I do miss, though.”

“What is it?” He glanced your way. 

“Not having to think twice before speaking.” You realized how it sounded, and you chuckled. “I mean— ok, think about this.” You met his eyes. “If I asked you to have a conversation with me in English, would you be able to speak as fluently as you usually do in Japanese?”

His eyes widened a little, “I guess not.” He tried to figure out your expression, “Is that how you feel here?”

You sighed, your smile slowly fainting. “Kind of.” You turned your gaze back down. “It’s not that I’m not fluent, because if I weren’t I wouldn’t be here. But…” You stopped for a second. “I can’t help but feel like I’m not getting everything I am through, you know?” 

You met his eyes once again, “How so?”

“You don’t actually know how funny, how smart and likeable I can be in Spanish.” You didn’t know why you were telling him this, but it felt right. Talking to him didn’t feel forced, words came out naturally, like he was pulling them out of your body, but you weren’t resisting either.

“Sometimes I will be speaking the most basic Japanese, and I will stumble upon a word I only remember in Spanish, and I will have to scratch the corners of my brain to try and figure out its translation.” 

He nodded, and you shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess that will go away with time. I hope it does.”

“It surely will.” He gave you a reassuring smile. He handed you the last bowl and rinsed his hands. “Have you spoken about this with someone?” You shook your head no, “Why?”

You rinsed the last dish and turned off the faucet. “It’s not like I can bring it up in casual conversation.” He handed you a towel, and you dried your hands. “And I don’t want anyone to pity me.”

“Pity you? Why would anyone do that?” He rested his back against the sink. You mirrored him. 

“Because,” You played with the towel in your hands, “I’m the foreigner kid who had to leave her life behind to be here.” 

“Exactly.” He took the towel from your hands and placed it on the oven handle in front of you, then returned to his spot, this time leaning his hip against the sink, completely facing you. “You’re the foreigner kid who managed to get into U.A. by recommendation, and on top of that, you also managed to keep your grades up, and can communicate not in one or two, but three languages.” He gave you a soft smile, “Do you know how amazing that is?”

You hadn’t thought about it that way. For some reason, you always thought everyone looked down on you, and that’s why you kept this strong facade. Turns out you had been wrong the entire time. 

“You think so?”

“I know so.” His smile grew wider, making you smile too. “And I can assure you, we can see your personality—everything you said, we see it. It’s not your words that get the message through, it’s your actions. We can see that you’re kind, hella smart, and funny.” 

You could feel a knot tightening in your throat. You wanted to say something, but you didn’t. So he continued. “No one here pities you. The opposite, they admire you.” He looked right into your eyes, “At least I know I do.”

You didn’t think it through, and before you knew it you already had your arms around his torso. He hesitated for a moment, before pulling you in just as tightly. 

“I really needed to hear that.” You let out a breathy laugh as you backed off a little, just enough so you could see his face. You couldn’t help a tear drop from falling down your cheek, “I’m sorry, I–”

He reached his hand to your cheek to wipe the tear. You froze for a second. “It’s ok. That’s what friends are for, right?” 

You swallowed hard, and there it was again, that weird feeling in your stomach. You could feel your own expression shift, and he seemed to notice, but before he could say anything you broke the hug—suddenly feeling overwhelmed. 

“Yeah, right, of course–” You nodded as you ran a hand through your hair. You looked around, “We’re done here, right?” 

You looked to the sink, refusing to glance at him. You didn’t know what you expected. You really didn’t. But for some reason, that last sentence made you want to run away and hide. You felt embarrassed, but it wasn’t the kind that came from saying too much—it was the kind that came from feeling too much. So you did. 

“Yeah, but–”

“So we can go now.” You cut him off, and before walking away you turned to him. “Thank you, for everything. Really.” You forced a smile, “Goodnight, Kami.”

He looked at you like he was lost, but replied “Goodnight.”

Chapter Text

After that moment with Kaminari, you went directly to sleep. Between the training and your own confusion with yourself, you were feeling very tired, so you dozed off almost instantly. Unfortunately for you, morning came earlier than expected—with a familiar pain in your lower stomach. It wasn’t like yesterday’s—these were cramps. And really strong ones. 

You slowly opened your eyes, thinking you had dreamed about the pain. You heard a notification coming from your phone. 

Hey!
Are you awake?

My eyelash curler just broke :( 

It was Mina. You stared at the messages for a second before replying.

You can borrow mine

But come down here so I can use it after you’re done

She replied really fast

I’ll just bring my stuff so we can get ready together! 

You turned off your phone and took a minute to stretch and stare at the ceiling. You were still thinking about the night before, how everything had happened so fast, and how abruptly you had reacted. Your door opened to reveal Mina, already dressed in the school uniform and holding her makeup bag.

“Do you always wake up this early?” You asked as you sat up, still under the covers. 

“I like to have an early start to my day!” She went straight into your bathroom, “Where’s your makeup bag?” 

You got up and started making your bed, “It’s in the drawers on top of the toilet!” You opened your closet and took out your uniform. “Don’t come out, I’m gonna change.”

“I literally see you change into your hero costume every day.” 

“I don’t care!” 

You continued to get changed, silence spread in your room. Not Mina nor you said a thing for a few moments. You could just hear the music Mina had playing from her phone. As you were buttoning up your shirt, Mina spoke from the bathroom. 

“So, did something happen between you and Kaminari yesterday?”

“What?”

“And don’t lie to me. I basically hear your thoughts.”

You smiled. She was starting to know you pretty well. “Nothing really happened,” You finished getting dressed and you approached your bathroom. “We just spoke while doing the dishes.”

“Spoke about what?” She glanced at you through the mirror, smirk on her face. 

You rolled your eyes, “He asked me if I missed home. And, shockingly I felt comfortable enough to open up about that. I don’t know,” You shrugged as you walked to her side. “I guess I got kind of emotional and we ended up hugging–” 

Mina squealed, “Did he hug you or you did?”

You looked down, “I did. I didn’t even realize what I was doing. Then I looked up at him and he–” You swallowed, “He wiped a tear off my face, like this.” You wiped a fake tear off Mina’s face.

“Ohhh girl, this is it. This is how the love story starts.” She grinned.

You shook your head as you let out a breathy laugh, “But then, I broke the hug because as I thanked him he said something that made me feel weird—made me feel too much.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, “Did he say something bad?”

“No—I mean, he said ‘that’s what friends are for’ and I know it’s true but–”

“You didn’t want him to use the word ‘friends’?” She curled her lips. 

“I don’t know, ok?” You sighed. 

She looked into her makeup bag and took out a tube of mascara. “So what happened after?” 

You tied your hair up and opened the faucet, washing your face. “I just left.” 

“Just like that?” 

“Yeah.” You reached for a clean towel. “I thanked him for everything and I just ran up to my room.” You untied your hair and put down the towel.

She chuckled, “You ran away? Why?” 

Suddenly you felt something in your lower stomach again. The cramps. You widened your eyes. You were not dreaming this time. 

“Get out, I need to pee.” 

“I don’t mind.” Mina said as she continued curling her lashes.

“I do. Go!” 

You shoved her out of the bathroom and sat down on the toilet. And then you saw it—the reason why your feelings had been all over the place. Thankfully, you had sat down just in time, so none of your clothes were stained. You finished what you had to do, and then opened the bathroom door. 

You took out a moisturizer. “I think I know why I was feeling a lot now.” 

Mina looked at you confused. 

“I literally just got my period. That’s why I got all weird last night.” 

She snorted. “Weird as in crying into Kaminari’s chest and then bolting out like the room was on fire?”

You groaned, “Yeah.” 

She turned to you in disbelief, “So you’re telling me the tears, the hug, the whole 'run away before I confess my undying love' moment—was just your uterus?”

“Exactly.” You didn’t look at her, instead you continued applying your moisturizer. “And I’m not in love with him. I don’t even like him like that. I just see him as a friend.”

She hummed, totally unconvinced. “If that helps you sleep at night.”

You kept doing your morning routine as Mina went on a whole tangent about how according to her you and Kaminari sooner or later were going to become a couple and get married. 

It was time for breakfast now, so you opened your door and waited for Mina to walk out. 

“I told you since week one, you two are meant for each other.”

You sighed, locking your door. “Gosh, you’re not letting it go, are you?”

You both turned your heads as the door next to your room opened. 

“You two are really loud in the morning.” Jirou locked her own door and waited for you to head downstairs. 

Mina ran to her side, “Can you please tell her not every single emotion she feels has to do with the fact that she's on her period?”

Jirou turned to you, “What is she talking about?”

You shook your head, but explained shortly what had happened the night before. You reached the common area, and headed towards the kitchen. 

“But I literally just got my period today.” You said as you opened the fridge, looking for milk. “You’re gonna tell me you’ve never had your feelings all over the place because of your hormones?” 

“It’s not like that, though!” Mina reached for three bowls and placed them on the kitchen island. “I can feel it.” 

Jirou opened the cereal boxes and poured a different type into each bowl. “I do get what you’re saying, but sometimes our uterus speaks louder than our brains and messes up our whole system.” 

“No way you’re siding with her.” 

Jirou shrugged, “I don’t know, Mina. Besides, if she says she doesn’t feel anything, then she just doesn’t. Sometimes people just need a hug.”

“But it wasn’t just the hug!” Mina added, trying to defend her case. “If she didn’t feel anything, how come she doesn’t want to be called ‘just a friend’?”

“You do realize I’m still here, right?” You poured milk on the bowls and put the carton back in the fridge. “And I never said I didn’t want to be called just a friend.” 

You three didn’t even bother to take a seat, just started eating there on the kitchen island. 

“You literally ran away when he called you that.” Mina said in the middle of chewing.

Jirou swallowed. “That definitely is weird.” she said, making Mina look at her with hope in her eyes. “I get everything about getting emotional and shit, but why would you care about what he calls you?” 

You opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. You had asked yourself that question ten times already. Why did you seem to care so much about it? It was clear you had felt something when those words came out of his mouth, but why? 

“See? It’s not just me–” 

“It’s just not like that.” You said bluntly, bringing to your mouth the last spoonful of cereal. 

You turned and washed your own bowl and spoon. 

“If it’s not, then I guess you don’t care that he’s literally staring at you like a scold puppy right now.”

You tried hard not to look, but you couldn’t help it. You turned and there he was, with that same look you’d left him with last night. Your stomach did that thing once more, and that was your cue to leave. 

“I really don’t.” You said as you walked out of the kitchen and into the staircase. 

Kaminari had followed you with his gaze all the way from the kitchen to the stairs. Sero noticed, and raised an eyebrow. 

“Did something happen last night?” He asked, walking towards the kitchen. 

“I don’t know, I think I said something wrong.” They went through the cabinets, looking for something to eat. 

“Well, what did you say?” 

Mina and Jirou were still eating on the kitchen island, listening carefully to the two boys speaking behind them.

“I just–” He took two bowls out and placed them on the counter, “I tried to make conversation, but I think I asked something a little too personal.” 

“And did she look uncomfortable?” Sero opened the cereal box and poured it on the two bowls in front of him.  

Kaminari reached for the milk in the fridge, “At first she didn’t. But then she just walked away like she was running away from me.”

Sero furrowed his eyebrows as he rested his back on the counter, now facing the two girls eating in front of him.

“Do you two know something?”

The two girls shared a look before turning to him. 

“About what, exactly?” Jirou spoke. 

“Oh, don’t act like you weren’t eavesdropping” 

“It’s not eavesdropping if you were talking here where anyone could hear!” Mina defended herself. 

“Right. So, do you?” 

Jirou just shoved another spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

“She’s just not feeling her best.” Mina said quickly, “What we want to know is why you were looking at her like a wet puppy!”

Kaminari almost choked on his cereal, “What? I wasn’t!”

“Oh, yes you were,” Jirou added, smiling.

Sero smirked, “Don’t tell me you two really need an answer to that”

Mina smiled, wide, then she shrugged. “No, I just wanted to hear it from him.”

“What’d I miss?” Kirishima said as he approached them, eyes narrowed. 

“We were just talking about how Kaminari literally melts every time he looks at Y/N.”

“I literally don’t melt!”

“Yes you do,” the four of them said in unison. 

Kaminari made a confused face, but then he shoved another spoonful of cereal in his mouth. 

He didn’t melt when you looked at him. Of course not. He was just impressed by you. He had acknowledged it already. But that was pretty much it. At least what he allowed himself to feel. You were cool and funny and way too sharp for your own good. And yeah, sometimes you said things that made his brain short-circuit a little—but that didn’t mean anything.

He flirted with everyone, anyway. That was his thing. 

—

You had gone to your room to brush your teeth after breakfast. It's not like you were running away again. As you reached your door, you sighed and stepped inside, heading straight to the bathroom. You grabbed your toothbrush and toothpaste, going through the motions automatically.

While you did all of this, your mind started wandering again—to that same topic. Mina and Jirou were right, even if you didn’t want to admit it. You thought about all your interactions with Kaminari—and how he treated you basically the same as he did every other girl. Because that’s what you were. Just another girl.

You popped in your headphones, turned on some music, grabbed your bag and left your room. As you were heading downstairs, you peeked toward the kitchen. Seeing it was clear, you stepped out quietly. You wanted to walk to school alone—you needed the space to clear your head.

As you walked, your mind replayed everything that had happened. You needed to understand what you were feeling.

First, that damn feeling in your stomach. Especially after Kaminari had said those words. You are friends, so why did it bother you so much? It’s not like he meant anything by it. Friends hug. Friends stare. Right?

And then it clicked. You didn’t run away because of what he said. Your stomach hadn’t flipped because of it. It was the hug. That was what messed you up—the fact that you had been so touchy, so impulsive. Between the nostalgia and everything else you had felt, you hadn’t even asked if it was okay to hug him. You just did it. Like it was natural. Like it meant something.

And the way he’d hesitated… yeah. That said enough.

It wasn’t about attraction. Obviously not. You were just… embarrassed. Overwhelmed. And getting your period that morning definitely didn’t help. You always felt things ten times stronger during those days. 

Maybe this wasn’t even about him. Maybe it was just the exhaustion of opening up, the vulnerability of being seen for a second too long. And maybe the timing—your hormones, the hug, the silence after—just made everything feel worse than it really was.

That had to be it. Right?

You turned up the volume on your music. You had found your answer. You didn’t need to give it more thought.

—

You were already sitting in your place, scrolling mindlessly on your phone, when you heard noise outside the classroom. Your heart raced a little when the door opened and revealed your pink haired friend. As soon as she saw you she raced towards you, setting her bag down on her desk.

“How are you feeling?” Was the first thing she asked. 

Jirou approached you as she looked into her bag.

“I’m okay now,” you said, unplugging your headphones. “And I’m sorry for earlier,” You looked at them. “I shouldn't have left the room like that. You didn't do anything wrong I just–”

“Oh, it's ok, we both have uterus too, remember?” Jirou laughed, taking out a bag of sour gummies and a bag of chips. “We figured you needed some fuel, even if it's way too early for snacks.”

You accepted the bags and suddenly your throat felt tight, “I don't deserve you guys.” You pouted.

“Stop, you're gonna make me cry.” Mina whined, taking your hand in hers. 

Jirou just looked at you as she shook her head, a soft smile up her face. “You two are like ten times worse together.”

“But you love us, don't you?” You reached for her hand and pulled her into a hug.

—

Classes passed by, but something was off. Kaminari and you hadn’t spoken all morning. Nothing much past politeness, anyway. Even right now, in math, you could clearly see him struggle with the equations, but he still didn’t try to copy off your notebook or tried to convince you into explaining the topic to him for the tenth time. You thought you had really messed up yesterday, and it was time to face it.

He was way too deep into his thoughts when he heard your voice whispering his name. 

“Kaminari.” You tried a second time, a little louder. 

“Hm?” He blinked and turned to you. 

“Hey,” You offered him a soft smile. “You know I’m here if you need me, right?” 

“What?” He furrowed his brows, clearly confused. You looked down at his empty notebook, and as he followed your gaze he spoke again, “Right— Shit, sorry.” 

“Do you need help getting started?” You asked. 

He shook his head, clearing his head. “Yeah—I do, please.” 

You leaned in, quietly walking him through the first equation. He listened, asked questions here and there, and by the time he got to the second one on his own, you felt the tension ease just slightly.

“You’re a good teacher,” he said, scribbling in his notes.

“Maybe you’re just finally paying attention,” you teased, bumping his elbow lightly.

He laughed under his breath. “Touché.”

The air started to ease, so you went for it. 

“Kami?” 

“Yes?” 

“I just wanted to apologize for last night.” You started. 

His body got tense. He thought he should be the one apologizing to you. For making you feel like running away from him. But you spoke before he could. 

“I realized it was wrong of me to just go and invade your personal space like that. Sometimes I forget not everyone is comfortable with physical contact.” You gave him a soft smile, “I didn’t want you to get uncomfortable.”

He blinked. He hadn’t expected that. Had you thought he was uncomfortable with you? Had he made you uncomfortable? It wasn’t like that. 

“What? No, no, no, you didn’t– I wasn’t uncomfortable” He replied, so fast he was stumbling upon his own words. He almost sounded disappointed. 

“It’s ok if you were.” You swallowed. “I just—I didn’t think before acting, and I–”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.” He finally said. You met his eyes, they looked sincere. “I promise, you did not make me uncomfortable in any way.” 

Had he really been ok with it or was he just being polite? 

“Still, I feel like I overstepped, and I shouldn’t have…” You choked on your words when you felt his hand on yours. You squeezed it, “I just don’t want you to think I don’t respect your boundaries.” 

He looked into your eyes and hesitated. You hadn’t crossed a line—if anything, he kept replaying that hug in his head, remembering how natural it felt. How right. Your warmth, your voice, the smell of your shampoo—all of it had stayed with him all night.

But then the bell rang. 

You blinked, breaking the moment. You took a deep breath before speaking.

“Should we go?”

He looked down, his hand still holding yours. He gave it a slight squeeze before releasing it, but he still kept his hand on top of yours. He wanted to speak, to say something, anything. But his brain scrambled for words, and all he could manage was “Sure.” 

When you finally walked forward he noticed how cold his hand felt now. He followed you in silence. Your mind was filled with words of affirmation, trying to convince yourself everything was alright now.

Still, there was something in the air. Something unsaid. 

Something you didn’t want to acknowledge. 

Chapter Text

You were in your room, catching up on some history and language homework you had been procrastinating on. What always helped you focus was to play some music, also to encourage you in whatever chore you were doing. 

You were nearly done with your research on the first Japanese cases of people with quirks. You didn’t really like history, not because it wasn’t interesting, but because you had to basically learn everything from the beginning. You hadn’t grown up hearing stories about Japanese heroes nor its beginnings like your classmates had, so you had to work harder to learn about it and do a little more research than they did. 

Die For You by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande was playing from your laptop, not too loud to disturb your neighbors—even if there was a spare room in between. 

You stretched out your arms—you were finally done. You turned your paper in, and instantly took your phone and started scrolling to distract yourself a little before going to dinner. Ariana’s part of the song came in and you couldn’t help but sing. You wouldn’t admit it, but you had been practicing with the little tips Jirou had given you the other day while cleaning. You could feel your voice getting stronger, on key—you couldn’t compare to her, but it was honest progress. 

The chorus came in, and you continued singing—the base lyrics, not the adlibs. You weren’t good enough for those yet, and your throat would sometimes hurt a little from straining your voice trying to sing them. You were way too relaxed and focused on sounding decent to hear your door opening. 

“So you’ve been practicing, huh” 

“Shit” You jumped in your seat. You say Jirou standing in the entrance, still holding the doorknob. “I didn’t hear you come in.” You said, placing a heart on your speeding heart. 

“Sorry. Couldn’t help it” She shrugged and invited herself in. “You sound good.”

“You were listening?” You asked, standing from your chair to sit with her on your bed.
She smiled and shrugged. “You weren’t exactly whispering. And I was out in the hallway.” 

You nodded, then she spoke again. “You have good potential.” You looked up to her, “Your voice right now, sounded great.” 

You smiled, “Thank you. I have been applying your tips. I have always wanted to be a good singer—a decent one, at least.”

That was true. Even if singing wasn’t your true passion, you had always enjoyed singing literally anything. Back at home, your mom had bought a karaoke machine for holidays like New Year’s Eve, when your whole family gathered at your house. During those events, you had made it a tradition for everyone to sing at least one song while you waited for midnight—of course, with a little alcohol involved, your uncles and aunts took over the karaoke later in the night. 

Your mom didn’t just use the machine for family gatherings, though. She would use it on weekends, on weekdays, or literally any day she felt like singing—and you had always liked being her partner in crime, making it your mission to explode your dad’s eardrums, though he always ended up exploding yours. 

She nodded, perking up. “It’s not only about your voice, though.” She looked around your room, like searching for something. “You have to be able to match your pitch to an instrument. That’s what makes you sound good.” She turned to you, “Didn’t you say you played the piano?”

“I learned most of it by myself, though. And I didn’t bring my keyboard if that’s what you were looking for.” 

“Come with me.”

You followed her to her room, where she motioned for you to sit on her bed while she pulled out the chair from her desk.

She grabbed her acoustic guitar and settled in. “Alright, I’m gonna play a note, and you’re gonna try to match the pitch.”

You sat with your hands tucked under your thighs, rocking your feet slightly, nerves creeping up your spine. “Sure.”

“Remember—sit up straight and engage your core.” She strummed the first note. “Try.”

You hesitated, then sang it softly.

“That’s an A.”

You blinked. “Like... an A-A?”

She chuckled. “Like the note, not the grade.”

You let out a breathy laugh, and she smiled before continuing. 

“Now do it while I strum.”

She played the note again, and you responded almost instantly with your voice.

“Not bad.” She looked at you with a little smirk. “Let’s try it again with another note.”

Her usual expression softened as the minutes passed. There was a quiet joy in the way she listened, nodded, and adjusted her posture to match yours.

You spent the next five minutes repeating the exercise—her playing a note, you doing your best to match it. Sometimes you were close, sometimes a little off, but she never looked annoyed. Just focused, encouraging.

“You’re a fast learner,” she said, watching you with a softer look than usual.

“Thanks,” you said, cheeks warming slightly under her gaze. “How did you learn to play so many instruments?” 

She smiled too, as memories came to her mind. “My parents are really into music too. There’s always something playing at home—music’s kind of the air we breathe.” 

“That’s so cool,” You let out a small sigh, “I always wanted to play guitar, but never actually tried. My school required us to learn an instrument, and since almost everyone else chose the keyboard, I did too.” You shrugged. 

“Do you wanna try?” She handed you her guitar. 

You chuckled. “I don’t even know how to begin, though.” Still, you took the instrument. You placed it on your lap, just like she had done before. 

She took out a notebook from her desk and then sat down to your side. “You said you liked Wallows, right?” You watched as she opened the notebook and stopped on a page that had written ‘Calling After Me’ and some letters on it. She then took out a folded sheet and gave it to you. 

“This is a guitar chord chart,” She began, “The dots on the lines are where your fingers should be while playing each chord.” She then pointed to her notebook, “And these letters here are the chords of the song.” 

You nodded, trying to place your fingers on the strings just as in the pictures from the chart. She stood up and took her electric guitar out. “I don’t have another acoustic, but you can follow me.” She said, offering you a soft smile as she sat back down, this time on the chair.

“The first chord is Bbm.” You looked through the chart and found the chord. 

“What is this black string?”

“Oh, some chords require you to use your whole finger to cover more than one string.” She placed her fingers on the strings, just like on the sheet. “Like this.” 

You mirrored her and then looked up, she nodded in approval. “Now, you’re gonna strum down, up, down—two times until it’s time to change chords.”  

She started strumming to show you how to do it, “Got it?” 

“I think so,” You did just what she had told you to. She nodded, her smile growing on her face. “Ok, the next chord is…” She moved her fingers around the strings, “Eb.” 

“How do you remember all of this?” You said, searching for the chord on the chart. 

She shrugged, “Practice. Like, a lot.”

Your fingers fumbled clumsily against the strings. This was way harder than you thought. How did she make it look so easy?

Jirou kept helping you through the first eight chords of the song, and all you could think of was how patient she was with you. You had learned she wasn’t as expressive as Mina or you—she kept a lot of things to herself, including emotions. Still, she seemed to have warmed up to you a little since you met her, and you were grateful for that. She was great company and a very supportive friend to have around. 

You figured her teaching you something was her way of bonding—and you liked it. You weren’t great at it—not yet—but somehow, playing next to her made you feel like you could be.

You both got carried away with your spontaneous music lesson, and by the time you noticed, there was already a text sent about five minutes ago in your class’ group chat, announcing dinner was ready.

“Shit,” you put down your phone, and handed Jirou her guitar. “Thanks for the lesson,” You gave her a smile.

She smiled back, putting away the guitar on its case. You hesitated before speaking again, “Do you think you could, uh, keep on teaching me? Like, just the basics, please?”

Her smile grew a little, “Sure,” she nodded, but then she bit her lower lip a little. “But we gotta find a way to get another guitar.” She placed the instrument down before walking to the door, “If I’m gonna keep on teaching you, I need to be able to demonstrate things to you.” 

You nodded. “Do you think I should buy one?” 

“I mean, if you want to.” You followed her out of the room, “But they can be pretty expensive.”

It’s not like you didn’t have the money—being Glaciar’s daughter came with its benefits—but you had a limit to your expenses, and you didn’t know if you really wanted to spend it on a guitar. Sure, you had always wanted to learn how to play, and right now you were really into it, but you didn’t know if later on you would keep this as a hobby or if the guitar was gonna end up getting shoved in the corner of your room to never touch it again. 

You reached the common room, where everyone was already sitting at the tables and engaging in conversation while eating. You saw two dishes sitting on the kitchen island, so you took them and approached the two empty seats next to Mina. 

“Hey! I was about to go check on you two.” 

She was sitting with the same four people—Kaminari, Kirishima, Sero and Bakugou. Everyone in the class had made a silent arrangement of the tables, so now everyone had their own spot with the same people they always sat with. 

You took a seat, “Sorry, we got a little caught up on something.” 

Mina raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask anything—someone spoke before she could. 

“Dammit, I thought you wanted room service tonight.” Kaminari said as he winked at you. 

It had been a week and a half since your little after dinner moment with him. Time had gone by pretty quickly—and pretty steady. After your period was gone, your emotions turned back to normal. You hadn’t felt anything weird in your stomach since then, and you were relieved. Turns out maybe it was all about your hormones, and not about your real feelings. 

Things went back to how they were with him, and it was comfortable. 

You scrunched your nose as you smiled, “Yeah, I’ll pass.” 

Sero, who had been in charge of dinner with Uraraka, said, “Do you want me to reheat your food? It must be pretty cold by now.” 

“It’s fine, thank you, I can’t eat if it’s too hot anyway.” Jirou replied. 

You took a bite and hummed. You hadn’t realized how hungry you were until now. “This is amazing as it is, thank you.” 

He just nodded, and after that everyone resumed the conversation they were having before. You were too busy filling your mouth with food to speak, but you still enjoyed every nonsensical thing your friends spoke. 

Since they had started eating before you and Jirou arrived, they finished their plates before. Bakugou, who had cleaning duty with Kirishima, got up and started gathering the empty dishes on the table. 

“Hurry up, I wanna get this over with.” He said to the redhead, dragging him all the way to the sink to start washing dishes. 

You were the last one with food on your plate—you were not a fast eater. As you were taking the last bites of your food, Kaminari stood up with his phone in hand and sat next to you.

“Hey, you said you liked Pierce The Veil, right?” He asked with a smile, still looking at his phone.

You swallowed, “Yeah?” 

“They came out with a great new song,” he finally met your eyes and you heard a song coming from his phone. 

“Did they?” You looked at the screen, reading the song title. “I didn’t see anything announcing a new release.” 

He placed an elbow on the table, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. “It’s the deluxe version of their last album. Listen.”

You finished eating as the song played. Jirou, who was still sitting beside you with Mina and Sero, stood up and offered to take your now empty plate to the sink. You thanked her and watched as your three friends walked towards the common area—leaving you alone with Kaminari on the table. 

You were nodding your head to the song, “It is great,” You glanced at the screen again, taking out your phone to add the song to your playlist. As you were doing this, you perked up and turned to him.

“Do you know Luna Blue?” 

He shook his head, “I don’t think so.” The song finished and he turned off his phone, now glancing at yours. “Why? Who are they?” 

You played 2003 by Luna Blue, and the both of you instantly started bobbing your head to the rhythm. “They are this, like, amazing band. I swear they are too good.” 

You placed your phone on the table, in between you two for him to see. He clicked on the band’s profile, looking through their other songs. 

“Wait, are they the ones from ‘Away with you’?” You nodded, “I do know them! Just that one song, though.” 

You smiled, “You can play any other of their songs and I can promise you, they all sound like heaven.” 

He scrolled through the songs and played Crash My Car. 

You spoke again, “See?” 

He smiled wider, “You’re right.” He turned on his phone again to add the two songs to his own playlist. 

As he did this, you remembered something. “Kami?” 

“Princess?” 

You let out a soft laugh. “You said you played guitar, right?” 

He nodded, still looking down at his phone, “Yeah?” 

You crossed your arms on top of the table, “Do you happen to have an acoustic?” 

He turned to you, “I do.” He furrowed his brows. 

You hesitated before speaking again, looking down at the table. “Could I maybe borrow it?” 

“Do you know how to play?” 

You turned to him and met his eyes, he had a slight smile on his face. “No—not yet”

“Not yet?” He raised an eyebrow. 

“I mean,” You rested your chin on your upper arm, still facing him, “Jirou’s kind of teaching me. And I don’t have one and I kind of don’t want to buy one until I know I like playing it for sure.”

He nodded, then he leaned back on the chair, crossing his arms. “I could let you borrow it.”

You straightened your back, “For real?” 

“Under one condition.” He smiled, “You have to help me with my English homework.” 

You furrowed your eyebrows. “We don’t have any English homework.” 

His smile grew wider, “You’ll help me when Mic assigns one.” 

You chuckled, “Fine, deal.” 

“Wait—I haven’t finished.” He tilted his head, “You gotta help me during the time you have my guitar.” 

You smirked, “Are you deadass?” 

He shrugged, “I gotta get something from this, don’t I? Besides, you’ll get to spend more time with me” He winked at you. 

You rolled your eyes. You helped him every time he asked you to, so why not do it? You let out a breathy laugh, “Sure, Kami, why not?”

He grinned, “Deal.” 

There was a time when being this close to him would’ve made your stomach flip. Now, it just made you smile. You weren’t sure what that meant yet—but you weren’t really rushing to find out.

Chapter Text

The next day rolled around. You were feeling pretty excited to continue your guitar lessons—you even had asked Jirou to send you a picture of her notes on the song you were learning yesterday. You hadn’t asked her to teach you again today, because you figured you could practice on your own once Kaminari gave you his guitar. 

It was Friday, which usually meant you had a math pop quiz. But since midterms had just finished on Wednesday and—surprisingly—no one had failed, Ectoplasm showed you some mercy today and decided to let you off with just five easy equations for you to solve in the hour of class. 

You had helped Kaminari and Mina study for the midterms, and they seemed to have done pretty decently. Of course, they always asked for your help during this type of assignments, and today was no different. 

“Wait, so you crossed out the -2x because?” Mina asked you. 

Thankfully, you were already on the fourth equation. You had noticed they were actually getting better at it, so now you didn’t have to go through every single step with them.

“It’s like a shortcut.” You started, using your pencil to point at the equation, “You have a -2x on both sides,” You wrote one of the -2x on the other side of the equation. “Since we’re solving for x, and you have to write all the x’s on one side, you’ll get this— +2x and -2x.” You pointed and then looked at her. “And you’ll get zero. So it’s just easier to cross it out.” 

“Oh?” She now looked over to her notebook, where she crossed out what you just told her to. She then continued to solve the equation perfectly. “Oh. That makes sense.” 

You nodded and then looked to the boy on your left, “You got it?” 

He proudly showed you his answer. “You bet I did.” 

You chuckled, “Alright, now you do the last one by yourselves.” 

They groaned, but obliged. After a few minutes they already had the answer, and both of them got it correct. 

Mina stretched out her arms, “Finally! I think my brain has gotten bigger from all of this.” 

“At least you understand now,” You said as you closed your notebook. 

You started putting your things away when Kaminari leaned closer to you. “As a thank you, I will give you my guitar later today.” 

“Thanks,” You said as you zipped your bag close. Then you turned to him, “Should I go pick it up in your room?” 

“You wanna come into my room?” He smirked. 

You rolled your eyes, “Nevermind. You can bring it to the common room.” 

He let out a soft laugh. “Sure, I’ll bring it down right after school.”

The bell rang, announcing lunch time. You stood up and thanked him before Mina dragged you out of the class, shouting to Jirou to come along. She linked her arms to yours and Jirou’s as you walked to the cafeteria. 

“I’m so tired and so ready for today to be over!” She cried out loud. 

Jirou chuckled, “You do realize we still have training after lunch, right?” 

“Shh! Don’t remind me.” She whined.

“I don’t even wanna think about what torture Aizawa has planned for today.” Now you were the one whining. 

Jirou just shook her head. “Honestly, I just want to get to my room and sleep for the rest of the day.” 

You reached the cafeteria and approached the buffet. “By the way, I got a second acoustic guitar.” You looked up to her, smiling. 

She smiled as she raised her eyebrow. “Already? Did you buy one?”

“Nope,” You took your food tray and followed Mina to an empty table. “Kaminari’s letting me borrow his.” 

“He plays?” She asked, eyes wide.

“He says he does,” You shrugged. “I’ve never seen him playing, though.”

She nodded, taking a seat in front of you. “I never would have thought he did.” 

Mina cleared her throat, “Hey, what are you two talking about?” she pouted. 

You turned to her, “Remember we were late for dinner yesterday?” Mina nodded as she furrowed her eyebrows. “Well, Jirou’s kind of… giving me music lessons.” 

Jirou added, “I heard her singing yesterday—”

“You broke into my room.” You interrupted her. 

She rolled her eyes with a playful smile on her face. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I heard you. And turns out she has been practicing her singing—she’s becoming a great one, actually.” 

Mina raised her eyebrows. “Really? Sing something to me!” 

You let out a laugh, “Ok, calm down. I’m not good yet—I’m just decent.” 

“And then she asked me to teach her how to play guitar. But since I only have one, I asked her to get another one so we can play together—and Kaminari’s letting her borrow his guitar.” 

Mina, who was about to take a bite, paused. “I didn’t know he played.” 

“Me neither.” Jirou shrugged. 

“He told me once he knew how to play.” You spoke this time, “He’s giving me his guitar today so I can practice the song you taught me yesterday.” You glanced at Jirou, “Don’t worry, you can sleep through the whole afternoon. I’m practicing on my own.” You offered a soft smile. 

“You sure?” 

You nodded. “I wanna see if I can make any progress by myself.” 

She smiled as she nodded. 

“Ok, but when you get it, you have to let me hear it” Mina chimed in. 

“I promise, as soon as I stop sucking at it, I will show you.” 

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly—training flew by, and before you knew it, the final bell rang. Immediately after reaching the dorms, you went down to the washroom to take a hot shower, to relieve all the stress from the week. You got changed, and after doing your usual routine you walked up to your room, waiting for Kaminari to call you. Not long after, your phone buzzed a few times. 

Hey princess

Come downstairs

I’ve got something for you ;)

You smiled, and got up excitedly. Before getting out of your room, you replied. 

Omw! 

You walked down fast, and as you reached the common room you saw Kaminari looking down at his phone, a smile on his face and his guitar in a guitar case on the floor beside him. He heard your footsteps and looked up, turning off his phone. He got up as he put his phone in his back pocket. 

“Hope you know how to treat her right.” He said, looking down at the guitar. 

“I promise I will take care of her.” You smiled. 

He picked it up, but hesitated before handing it to you. “I didn’t check if it was in tune.” He glanced at you, “Do you know how to tune it?”

You pursed your lips, and he took it as a negative answer. “I’ll tune it for you.” 

You were about to take a seat, when you saw him looking around the room. “Something wrong?” 

“It’s a bit loud in here.” 

You also looked around, and almost half of your class was downstairs. It was pretty loud there. You hesitated, but finally you spoke. 

“What about the basement?” 

He turned to you, “First my room, and now you wanna take me to the basement?” He said with a smirk. 

“Oh, shut it.” You hit him playfully on the shoulder. 

“I guess the basement will do.” He said, giving you a smile before carrying the guitar case over his shoulder and walking towards the hallway. 

You followed him in silence, remembering that first time almost two months ago when you first met him. You walked down the stairs to the basement, walking in when you reached the floor. The basement was pretty empty—only everyone’s suitcases and bags stacked against one wall, the drums you had found that first day, and two old couches. 

You dusted off the couch before sitting down. Kaminari mirrored you, taking out the guitar. You watched him as he tuned the guitar just by hearing it.

“How do you do that?” You asked. 

He glanced at you, “When you’ve played for a long time you get used to this.” He said, still tightening the strings. 

You nodded, “How long have you played?” 

He looked up, pensive. “Uh, I started playing when I was nine, you do the math.” He winked at you with a smile on his face. 

“Wait, so,” You furrowed your eyebrows and looked up, meeting his eyes. “You’re, like, really good at this, then.” 

He shrugged, “Wanna find out?” 

“Are you about to serenade me?” You tilted your head as you smiled, eyebrows raised.

He grinned, “It’s up to you whether this is a serenade or not”

He adjusted his position, and played with the strings while he thought of a song to play. When he got it, he met your gaze, and started strumming. 

When he started singing, you immediately recognized the song. It was She Doesn’t Get It by Rec Hall. You hadn’t thought about it, but now that you were hearing it, it was the best song he could’ve played. His voice, his vibe, everything matched it. 

He continued playing, and you realized he was good at it—like, pretty fucking amazing, actually. As you listened, you got lost in his voice, in how his fingers traveled easily from string to string, how he strummed so naturally. 

You wandered on how he seemed to enjoy every part of the song, from the chords to the lyrics. You just sat there in silence—mesmerized by him. You hadn’t noticed until your cheeks started cramping, but you had been smiling since he started playing, and you couldn’t help it. From time to time he would glance up to you, and sing bits of the song looking directly at you, a playful smile that he wouldn’t—or couldn’t—stop from growing on his face. And every time he did, you felt something flutter low in your stomach—something you thought had gone away with your hormones last time.

When he strummed the last chord, you felt like you had just woken up from a dream. You blinked, as he met your eyes, waiting for you to say something. 

After a beat, he finally spoke. “So?”

You shook your head, still stunned at how good he was. “That was– You’re scary good at this.” 

His smile grew on his face, “Did you just fall hopelessly in love with me?” 

You laughed, looking away from his eyes. “You wish.”

He started playing with the strings of the guitar. “So, what have you been learning?” 

You looked down, suddenly feeling shy. He had just played a song perfectly like it was nothing, and now you were supposed to show him the four chords you had learned just yesterday?  

You opened the small notebook you’d brought with you and shrugged. While you were waiting for him earlier, you had written down the chords to Calling After Me, and had also printed out the chord chart. 

“It’s this song by Wallows,” You started, offering him your notebook, still not looking at him. “Jirou taught me, like, the four first chords yesterday. That’s pretty much all I know.”

He nodded, searching for your eyes. “And how did that go?” 

“I still struggle when changing chords. They are pretty fast for me.” You finally looked up, and he had a sincere look on his face. 

He spoke, “I could help you, if you want.” 

You smiled softly, “Would you?” 

He looked back at your notes, “Yeah,” He placed your notebook on your lap as he placed his fingers on the strings. He strummed the first eight counts of the song, then he looked back at you. “I like this song a lot,” he said, starting to strum again, “but I might like it more now that I get to teach you.” He glanced up with a smirk, playful but soft.

You rolled your eyes, he then handed you his guitar. “Your turn now.” 

You could feel your cheeks getting warm. You removed your notebook from your legs and placed it on his, then set the guitar down on your lap. 

He watched carefully as you placed your fingers on the strings. “Wait, before you start,” He said, getting closer to you to grab your hand. “Your hand should be like this—” He moved your fingers, “Like a claw. Your thumb should be facing your middle finger.”

You looked down at your hand, you could feel it cramping up already. 

“Now, you’re gonna place your thumb behind the fret where your fingers are.” He took your hand in his and placed it on the guitar. “So let’s say you wanna play on the second fret, your thumb should be here. Your hand always stays as a claw.” 

You nodded as he explained everything, “I have a feeling my hand is going to go very numb very quickly.” 

He laughed softly, “You’ll get used to it.” He took the notebook and pointed at the first chord. “For this one, Bbm, your index should be covering the first five strings at the same time.” He moved your fingers to place them on top of the strings, “There, and when you strum, you skip the sixth string.”

You strummed only the first five strings. “Like this?” 

He nodded, smiling softly. “That’s your first chord.” 

“Fuck,” You sighed, defeated, “How on earth did you learn to play like that?”   

“With many youtube videos and a hyperfixation.” He smiled, but you furrowed your brows.

“You’re telling me you self-taught yourself how to play like that?” He nodded, your jaw dropped. “No way. That’s insane.”

His smile widened, “What can I say,” He shrugged, his smile turned cocky. “Please save the rest of your compliments for your wedding vows.” 

You shook your head with a smile, meeting his eyes, “Too late, they’re already written.” 

He looked down with the same wide smile, shook his head, and then looked up again. There was a beat of silence—comfortable, but charged. His eyes lingered on yours a second too long, and you felt the weight of it settle in your chest.

He cleared his throat softly, glancing at your fingers still clumsily placed on the guitar. “Alright, Miss Vows,” he said, voice a little quieter than before, “wanna try the next chord?”

You smiled, grateful for the shift back to the music—even if your heart was still feeling heavy.

He reached over to adjust your fingers again, the pads of his fingers brushing against yours. “Okay, so this next one’s a bit trickier,” he murmured, his face a little closer now. “But I believe in you.”

You had ignored it before, but this time all you could concentrate on was how warm his hand felt, and how gently he guided yours. You brushed those thoughts off, sighing before speaking. “If I get this right, you’re legally required to let me pick the next song you’re gonna learn.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Deal. But only if you don’t make me play Olivia Rodrigo or something.”

You raised a brow. “Olivia’s music is great.”

He gave you a faux-serious look. “Whatever you say, princess.”

“I’m starting to regret those wedding vows.” 

You both laughed, and just like that, the tension melted into something softer—something safe.

Time passed by, and you could now handle the first four eight-counts of the song. You still struggled a little between changing chords, but you were getting used to it. Kaminari had stayed down in the basement with you, helping you through every single chord—which weren’t many, but you really appreciated it. 

“Shit, hand-cramp.” You said, letting go of the strings to hold your left hand. 

Kaminari laughed and reached over for your cramping hand, massaging it as you felt that familiar warmness of his hand on yours. “I think that’s enough for today. If you keep practicing, your fingers are gonna rebel.” 

You looked up to him, a playful smile on your face. “Remember what we said if I got this chord—Eb—right?” 

He met your eyes, “What are you gonna make me play now?” 

You reached for your phone with your right hand, going through your playlist. You played so american by Olivia Rodrigo, but you didn’t let him see your phone screen. 

“What about this one?” You looked carefully at him. He stopped massaging your hand—but still kept your hand in his.  

He was bobbing his head to the rhythm, “It’s actually not bad.”

“Ha! See?” You squeezed his hand, and showed him the name of the song and the artist, “Told you.” 

“It’s actually terrible.” 

“Nope, there’s no going back.” You smiled. You finally let go of his hand to look up the chords to the song. When you found them, you handed your phone over to him. 

He scrolled through the page, analyzing the chords and the strumming pattern. “Fine, just because it’s like, only four chords.”

Your smile widened, handing him his guitar back as you held your phone up for him to look at the chords. He started placing his fingers on the strings without strumming yet, just getting used to the changes and chords. You watched him as he did this, the way he focused on it was captivating to you—made it really hard to look another way. He then tried to play it softly, way slower than the actual pace, just as practice. 

Suddenly, he paused. “If I play it, you have to sing it. It’s only fair,” he said, his voice a little too smooth to be casual.

He looked into your eyes, now he was the one smiling widely. You hesitated, “I don’t really know the lyrics that well, though.” 

He laughed, “Tch, not even you believed that.”  

You chuckled nervously, “Fine. But don’t laugh, I’m still new to all of this music world.” 

He hesitated for a moment, looking like he wanted to say something, but he just kept quiet, a soft smile on his face as he nodded. 

“Ready?” He adjusted his position, you straightened your back, remembering every single tip Jirou had given you. 

“Don’t think about it—just feel it.” He spoke again, meeting your gaze. He had a soft and honest look, making you feel safe—so you nodded. 

He started strumming, and not long after you started singing, taking a deep breath before the first verse. 

You started soft, shy—but slowly you started to let it go. You allowed yourself to close your eyes as you sang the next line. 

He says I'm pretty wearin' his clothes

And he's got hands that make Hell seem cold

He raised an eyebrow as he stared at you—he hadn’t taken his eyes off you since he started playing, as if he wasn’t just hearing you sing, but also taking in every single word, every emotion you felt through your singing. 

You opened your eyes, and glanced at him. He had a soft smile on his face, eyes glued to yours. You couldn’t help but smile as you started the second verse. 

God, I'm so boring and I'm so rude

Your smile grew along with his as you sang playfully. 

Can't have a conversation if it's not all about you

You continued singing, except this time you were feeling more confident in yourself—letting the chorus hit as it should. From time to time you would glance at him, enjoying his company, and feeling comfortable about it being him the one you were sharing this moment with. 

Then you turned to him without even realizing it, as if he was a magnet and you were naturally attracted to him. 

I apologize if it's a little too much, just a little too soon

You sang the entire bridge while looking directly into his eyes, both of you smiling wide. 

But if the conversation ever were to come up

I don't wanna assume this stuff

But ain't it love?

You felt your heart skip a beat, and something about the way he was looking at you made it impossible to breathe. You looked away before the next lyrics.

Think I’m in love

Your heart raced, so you closed your eyes as you sang the last chorus. You could still feel his gaze on you, making your heart feel heavy again. Not long after he strummed the last chord, keeping his fingers still on the strings. You opened your eyes, but looked down at your lap, avoiding his eyes. 

After a beat of silence, he spoke. “I didn’t know you could sing this good.”

You looked up at him, but quickly after meeting his eyes you looked away, as if they burned. “I don’t.” You shrugged, “Jirou just gave me some tips on how to, I don’t know, not suck at it.”

He tilted his head, searching for your gaze, “You don’t suck at all—you’re actually great.” You turned to face him, his eyes filled with honesty, and before you could doubt, he spoke again. “I mean it.” 

And you actually believed him. Your eyes were attached to his for what felt like eternity. Suddenly, he blinked, and looked away for the first time since you started singing. 

He cleared his throat before speaking, “You should… do it more often.”

You raised your eyebrows, looking down at your hands.  “You think so?”

He nodded slowly, “I do.” He turned to you as you looked up. You shared a soft smile in silence for a moment, but then you heard your phone buzzing, a notification announcing dinner was ready.

You sighed, “We should go upstairs, I don’t want to eat cold food again.” 

He let out a soft laugh, putting his guitar away in its case. “I’ll leave this down here so you can come whenever you want to practice.”

You nodded, “Thank you.” 

He placed the guitar down on the floor, leaning it against the couch. He stood up and turned to you, offering you his hand. “Shall we, princess?” 

You laughed, but you took his hand without even thinking about it. As you stood up and took the first steps, you noticed he was still holding your hand. 

He looked down at your interlocked hands and immediately let your hand go—not harsh, but fast. 

If it wasn’t for the bad lighting, you would’ve thought his face was a bit blushed.

Just like yours was. 

Chapter Text

You weren’t supposed to be thinking about him. Not again.

And yet, here you were—zoning out in the middle of class, thinking about the way he looked at you last Friday.

It was already the last week left of May. This month had gone by really quick—but you weren’t complaining. 

Present Mic was rambling about some anecdote he had remembered in the middle of English class—supposedly had something to do with what you were learning that day, although you couldn’t really tell—your mind was somewhere else. 

You fidgeted with your pen, looking forward while pretending to care about what your teacher was saying. But in reality, all you could think of was about last Friday—specifically, about those moments with Kaminari and how they had made you feel. 

It hadn’t flipped your world upside down or anything. The feeling wasn’t that strong… just strange. Unsettling. All weekend long your mind kept going back to that memory—to his smile, to his sincere eyes, to the warmth of his hands, to the way your heart had felt so heavy in his presence. 

You had thought those feelings had gone away with your period. It’s not like you were stupid, though—deep inside you knew it was only an excuse you had convinced yourself of. But you couldn’t deny it now. Those emotions were so very real. And very overwhelming. 

You sighed. Ok, you and Kaminari had a moment. 

So what? 

It’s not like friends couldn’t have bonding moments like that. Those times were the ones that brought people closer, right? It didn’t have to be special. Yes, you had felt things, but it was probably because it was the first time you sang seriously in front of someone else. It was completely normal to be nervous and to feel your stomach fluttering. 

But those eyes, those damn eyes. The way they looked so intensely at you, the way his pupils dilated while you sang, the way they felt so heavy but soft at the same time—made you want to look into them forever, made you want him to look at you that way for eternity. 

With this thought your heart started feeling heavy again, making you feel your cheeks warming up. You shook your head, trying to stop the memories from coming back to you. Thankfully, the bell rang, and you could now focus on packing your things. 

The blonde to your left raised from his seat and immediately got out of the classroom. You followed him with your gaze as he left. You sighed once more and zipped up your bag, deciding you too needed some fresh air. You walked out of the classroom, and as soon as you got to the hallway you saw him again—except this time he wasn’t alone. 

He was talking to some other girl, god knows about what. You couldn’t help but to stare—you swallowed hard as your stomach felt weird. He was smiling, and this time, the girl didn’t seem annoyed like the rest of the girls he ever talked to. She actually seemed to be enjoying his company. 

Your heart started racing. When you noticed him turning your way, you quickly looked away, and walked straight as if you hadn’t seen anything. You walked towards the bathroom, your footsteps heavier than usual. When you reached the place, you opened the faucet, letting your hands soak in the running cold water. When they were damp, you placed them over your burning cheeks. 

You looked up to your reflection in the mirror—furrowed brows in confusion, breathing heavy, and cheeks slightly red. You looked down at the sink again. 

Great. You were getting distracted by someone who flirted with every breathing thing. That was just amazing. 

You took a deep breath. Clearly, to him that moment you had been stretching and torturing your mind over had meant nothing. He probably was like that with everyone. It wasn’t special. You weren’t special.  

But it didn’t matter. That was just fine. 

You weren’t expecting to be special—you didn’t want to.     

Right?

What you didn’t know is that he too had been thinking about that moment—and a lot. Yes, he had decided he didn’t like you. But that was way back in April, and only because he never thought he would actually get a chance with you. Now, after that moment, a spark of hope sizzled inside his heart. 

Of course he wasn’t expecting you to have fallen in love with him. You had known each other for two months. Still, he hoped at least you felt something for him—something friends don’t feel for each other. That would be enough for him. 

You hadn’t looked at him once all day, though. 

Not during breakfast, not even when he made that dumb pun in English class that made even Bakugou groan. Usually, you rolled your eyes. Or smirked. Or threw a tiny jab back. But today? Nothing. Something twisted in his stomach. Not jealousy. Not exactly. But definitely something. 

You hadn’t really been present today, and he noticed. You were in your head, and he hoped it was because of him—because of that moment you shared. 

He figured he just had to get your attention. Yes, that would be enough. He needed you to notice him, to feel your eyes on him—he wanted you to look at him just as you had done in that basement, he craved it so badly he was eager to do anything. 

So, naturally, his brain did what it does best: act without thinking. He figured if he talked—flirted—with someone else in front of you, then you would look at him. You would react, and if you did, then it meant he hadn’t imagined what had happened on Friday. It would mean you felt the same way as he did. 

That’s why when the bell rang, he basically sprinted out of the classroom. He needed to catch your eyes. He then found some first year from another department whom he had spoken with before. She was pretty, kind, whatever. He liked her enough—as a friend. He couldn’t really see himself falling for her, she didn’t ignite that spark in him he was looking for. So, he approached her and started talking to her, being very, very friendly. He now just had to wait for you to get out of the classroom to see him. 

While he waited, he kept the conversation going with the girl in front of him. He wasn’t a complete asshole, he wasn’t going for that. So he stayed there, engaging with her enough to pull a reaction out of you. He turned and finally saw you. But you didn’t look his way. 

You didn’t even notice him. 

His eyes followed you as you walked straight in the hallway, waiting for at least a glance. 

Nothing. 

Ouch. Okay. Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool.

He wasn’t going to give up that easily. No. You probably were about to pee yourself and that’s why you didn’t even look around you as you walked out. Yeah, that made sense. 

The bell then rang, announcing your next class. He went back into the classroom, sat, and waited for you to come back.

You walked in after a quick stop at the bathroom, your heart still racing for reasons you didn’t want to name. Kaminari was in his seat, eyes fixed on you as you walked to your seat. The teacher came in and you started taking out your book, until you heard him.  

“Hey,” he whispered, leaning closer. You didn’t turn to him, just hummed in acknowledgment.

“Hm?”

“This girl—first year too, gave me her insta.”

You blinked. Your eyes moved away from the board, heart skipping—from… surprise. Yeah, surprise. You swallowed hard as you turned slightly, just enough to glance at him. He was already looking at you, examining your face, like waiting for something. 

“She did?,” you said, voice cool and collected. He nodded. “Nice. Expanding your portfolio.”

He smirked. “Gotta keep my options open, y’know?”

You nodded, eyes back on your book. “Right. Wouldn’t want to miss out on potential true love.” You forced a smile.

He chuckled quietly. “Exactly.”

But your smile didn’t reach your eyes. And his grin, cocky as it looked, felt a little hollow.

Neither of you said anything else for the rest of the class.

Well, shit. You hadn’t reacted. But he wasn’t going to give up. Not so soon. Maybe all he needed was to try harder. 

So he did. For the rest of that week he tried to get your attention as much as he could. He would ask you more questions during class—even if he didn’t really need help with anything because you had already taught him—, he would purposely leave his English assignments so that he could take them as homework and therefore ask you to help him do it—he was really doing the most. 

But, nothing seemed to change. You were present now, you weren’t in your head anymore. You would laugh at his jokes, continue with his games, answer every single thing he asked. But he wanted something else. You were acting as his friend—of course you were, that’s what you two were anyway. But he needed to get that reaction out of you he so desperately was looking for.

He just knew he couldn’t just have imagined that moment in the basement. That had to mean something. 

So he kept trying even harder. 

“I’m just saying, we need another sleepover.” Mina continued. She had been trying to convince you and Jirou to have a sleepover—not a spontaneous one, this time she wanted to plan it from beginning to end. 

“Yeah, you have already made that pretty clear,” You chuckled, sitting down on an empty table at the cafeteria.

Jirou spoke, “We’ve already had one in my room,” she turned to you, “Can it be in your room now?” 

“Why mine?” 

“Yeah, why not mine?” Mina pouted. 

“Because,” Jirou turned to her now. “If we sleep over in your room, then you will have easy access to all your makeup stuff and you’re gonna wanna do full faces of glittery makeup on us.” She furrowed her brows, “And that shit is impossible to take off.”

You laughed, “That’s true. Alright, we can do it in mine.” 

Mina shrugged with a smile on her face. “You guys act as if I can’t take my makeup bag anywhere.” 

You shared a look of defeat with Jirou. 

You continued eating and talking with your friends, until something caught your eye—a blonde guy to be precise. You had been trying to ignore the feeling in your stomach that appeared every time you remembered that moment. But it was almost impossible to forget when he appeared to be following you like a puppy 24/7 last week. 

You had been spending more and more time with him, trying to keep it casual, normal. But your mind kept drifting away. It was already Tuesday, it had been a week and some days since that Friday, and you didn’t know why you seemed to care so much about it. It was very clear that it had meant nothing to him—the way he appeared to be a flirting machine every time you saw him outside of class, and how nonchalant he was with you. So why did you care?

He was right there, once again, flirting with the same girl from last week. The one he had bragged to you about her giving him her insta. Yeah. They were acting really friendly. They weren’t standing too close, but still. She was laughing way too much. 

You were staring now, but you didn’t realize. You didn’t really care. 

Then she touched his arm playfully, making you raise your brows for a moment, before squinting your eyes. Please, what was this? Fan fiction? Come on now. Was she flirting back? Was she actually interested in him? 

Your heart started racing, and you could feel your cheeks warming up. But you couldn’t take your eyes away from that scene, from the way she laughed with him like he was the funniest person on Earth—from how he looked at her with those eyes. Those eyes that had looked at you as if you were the center of the world were now looking at someone else.

You swallowed. Right. It was all a game. His words, his glances, everything was part of a game you had agreed to play. 

A soft voice brought you back to reality. “You okay?”

“Hm? Yeah.” You answered way too fast, not taking your eyes away from him yet.

“Then why do you look like you’re murdering Kaminari with your eyes?” Jirou spoke this time. 

You now turned to them, blinking. “What?”

Jirou chuckled, “Just now. You looked like you were about to jump and stab him.” 

“...I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Mina grinned. “Sure, whatever you say, princess.”   

The week went in the blink of an eye. Mina, Jirou and you had finally agreed to have your sleepover today—it was Saturday. Mina wanted the sleepover to start early so that you would have more “bonding time” as she called it. 

You were finishing tidying up your room, Read your Mind by Sabrina Carpenter playing from your laptop as you softly sang along, tossing a pillow on your bed and adjusting the blankets. You were mouthing the lyrics almost without thinking, a little too in sync with the emotion behind the words.

“See?” came Jirou’s voice from the doorway, making you jump. “Told you she was getting too good at it.”

You turned quickly, heart skipping. “Shit—don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Mina grinned behind her, carrying a stuffed bag that probably had way too many skincare products for one night. “We knocked! You were just too busy having your own personal concert.”

“I wasn’t—” you tried to argue, but Jirou raised an eyebrow at you.

“Right, right. That’s why you hit the chorus with full diaphragm support,” she teased, plopping down on your bed like she owned the place. “Honestly, I’m impressed. You’ve got actual control now.”

“I don’t know what any of that means, but she’s right.” Mina added, setting her bag on the floor before spinning around, taking in the room. “Okay, okay! This is perfect. Cozy, clean, no glitter ban yet. We can work with this.”

You rolled your eyes with a smile. “We’re literally going to eat junk and talk all night. What do you need glitter for?”

Mina gasped. “Mood enhancement, duh. And because you never know when you’ll want to cry while looking amazing.”

You laughed despite yourself, feeling a wave of warmth as both girls settled in like this was the most natural thing in the world. 

“Alright,” Jirou said, crossing her legs and grabbing a pillow. “We diving straight into emotional chaos, then?”

You paused. “Emotional chaos?”

Mina wiggled her brows. “You know we have to do the classic girl talk part. Crushes, drama, emotional revelations…” she raised a brow at you pointedly.

“Can’t wait,” Jirou muttered, but her smirk betrayed her amusement.

You grabbed a pillow of your own and threw it at her. “We’re starting with snacks.”

But the weight of Mina’s look lingered. Like she knew—like they both knew—that eventually, that conversation was coming. And part of you was ready for it. 

“I swear, I feel like he is the love of my life,” Mina sighed as she laid down dramatically on the floor. 

You chuckled, “That’s what you said about that cute guy passing by last week.”

“And about the other guy the week before that.” Jirou added.

“Ok! A girl believes in love at first sight, sue me.” 

“More like love at the thousandth sight” Jirou teased, making the three if you chuckle. 

You had already been over the gossiping, the singing while munching on chips and gummies, and Mina’s fifth crush of the week. You were sitting cross-legged on your bed, back resting against your bed frame. You had turned the music down since it was getting late—it was almost midnight and you didn’t want Iida to scold you for being loud.

Jirou, who was lying on your bed, rolled on her stomach and turned to you. “Got any comments, stories, revelations you wanna share with the class?” She asked with a smirk. 

You hesitated, “...No?”

Mina sat up, crossing her legs. “Come on, you can’t fool us.”

“What do you wanna know?” You reached over for an open bag of gummy worms. 

Mina grinned, “What about earlier this week, when you were trying to murder Kaminari with your eyes.” 

“Or were you trying to murder the girl he was talking to?” 

You sighed, “I already told you, I was not doing that.” 

“And we don’t believe you.” Mina shrugged, “That wasn’t nothing.” 

You chewed slowly, remembering everything you had been feeling this past weeks. 

“I don’t know—look.” You swallowed glancing at them, “Like, two weeks ago, we kind of… had a moment, I guess.”

Mina screeched, “What? How? When? What happened?” She kneeled closer and rested her elbows on your bed, looking up at you. 

“Remember I said he let me borrow his guitar?” Both of the girls nodded. “Well, I didn’t know how to tune it, and he offered to do it for me. Long story short, we ended up in the basement and he helped me with the song you taught me.” You looked at Jirou. 

After a moment, she asked. “...And?”

You hesitated, “And he—we—were being pretty, uhm, touchy?” You said almost in a whisper, heat rising to your cheeks.

Mina’s grin seemed to get wider. “Wait, touchy how?” 

“Like,” You reached for her hand, “This. We were sitting really close and at first he just helped me adjust my fingers on the strings.” You played with your friend’s fingers as you spoke, “But then he would massage my hand whenever it cramped up,” You mimicked the massage, everyone’s gazes stuck on your demonstration. “And for a moment we kind of just… held hands?” You placed your hand on top of hers, grasping it softly. “Like this.” 

“Oh my god.” She squeezed your hand, “I knew it!” 

“What happened after?” Jirou asked, looking at you expectantly. 

You shrugged, “Nothing much. He played a song and asked me to sing, so I did.” You shook your head, “Then I got this weird feeling in my stomach whenever I looked at him cause he had this… look in his eyes” You hugged your stomach. “I don’t know how to explain it.” 

Mina opened her mouth to speak again, but Jirou placed a hand over it, smiling softly. “Let her talk, gosh.” 

“Whatever, then it was time for dinner and he offered me his hand to get up, I took it and we stayed like that for, like, two seconds. When he noticed, he quickly let go like it had burned him or something.” You finished, looking down to your lap. 

Jirou furrowed her brows, Mina still had a wide smile on her face. “And you say you don’t like him.” She couldn’t help the chuckle that came softly out of her. 

“Because I don’t!” 

Jirou sat up slowly, crossing her legs. “And how many times have you thought about that moment since?”

You brought your knees to your chest. “Just because we had a moment doesn’t mean that I like him.”

“Is that so? How do you feel about him, then?” Mina asked, raising her brows as she rested her chin in the palm of her hands. 

“I don’t like him. He is just ok.” You shrugged. “I mean, he’s really annoying. And way too friendly. But he can be funny. And I feel like I can talk to him about everything.” You felt a smile starting to grow on your face. “He’s just… kind, and warm. And kind of cute…”  You trailed off, suddenly realizing what you just said—what it meant. Your smile faded.

You looked up and both of your friends were smiling way too smugly. “Ssssshit.”

Mina raised and hugged you. “I told you but you wouldn’t believe me!” She squeezed you tight before flopping down beside you. “I think Cupid speaks through me.”

Jirou chuckled. “Are we finally accepting your crush on him, or do we need to spell it out?”

You pursed your lips, cheeks pink and a faint smile creeping up again.

You couldn’t think of any other excuse.

You weren’t on your period. You weren’t singing. You weren’t bored. These emotions were so very real and yours. You couldn’t believe it had taken you this long to realize it—to accept it.

“It’s nothing, though. It's a very small, very manageable crush.” You nodded, as if trying to convince yourself.

Mina gave you a flat look. “Girl—stop it. If it were like that, how come you were dying of jealousy the other day?”

“It wasn’t jealousy!” you defended.

“Then what was it?” she pressed. “What did you feel when you saw him flirting with another girl?”

You furrowed your brows, silent. You frowned, trying to find a better word. Anything but that one. But there wasn’t.

“I don’t know, ok? I really don’t.” You sighed. “But that’s the point too. I can’t like him when he’s just a player. This is all just a game to him, and I’ve been playing along without realizing I’d actually… feel something.”

Mina’s smile faded just slightly. 

“I don’t want to ruin your whole Cupid thing,” Jirou said, glancing at Mina, “but you have to admit—he’s been talking to more and more girls these past two weeks.”

You nodded, the weight of disappointment settling in your chest.

“Doing that right after that moment—like, immediately after— makes me feel like he wants me to snap out of it. Like it was him reminding me it’s all just a game. That this thing that’s been driving me crazy meant nothing to him.”

Chapter Text

After that last sentence, a beat of silence followed. You didn’t have anything else to say, and your friends seemed to be looking for the right thing to say. 

Jirou shifted to your left, now the three of you sitting on your bed, backs rested against the bedframe. 

“That sucks.” Jirou finally spoke

You let out a breathy laugh and turned to her. “No shit.”

She smiled softly, “Still, I don’t think you're crazy for feeling that way. The way you told us about it… the moment did seem very intimate—and not in a friend-bonding-intimate typa way.” 

You rested your head on her shoulder, and she rested hers on top of yours. 

Mina hummed in agreement. “The moment was real,” She nodded at you, giving you a soft smile, “maybe not defined or intentional, or whatever. But that wasn’t the game you’re playing—it was something.”

You chuckled lightly, “I just hope you guys aren't just feeding my delusions.”

Mina rested her head on your shoulder, “So… Now that you do have a thing for him, what are you gonna do?”

You hadn’t thought about it—It’s not like you’ve had time to, anyway. You had just realized how you felt towards Kaminari, and now everything was feeling very real and overwhelming. 

“What I’m gonna do is try to not freak out in front of him.” You said, eyes wide. “Look, I know how I act when I have a crush and…” You trailed off, shaking your head. 

“What?” Jirou furrowed her brows, “Are you gonna start stuttering and flushing like you are in some rom-com?” 

You nudged her arm as you laughed, “Shut up. I’m not, but,” You sighed, “I’m definitely not gonna be able to act all nonchalant.” 

“You don’t have to.” Mina said, straightening up to glance at you, “Maybe if he sees that you care, he’s gonna change.” 

You mirrored her, but looked down at your hands. “I don’t want him to like me just because I like him, though.” 

Jirou turned to you, “There’s a middle ground, y’know.” She shrugged, raising one eyebrow. You don’t have to spell ‘I like you’ across your forehead, but you also don’t have to keep pretending you feel nothing.”

Mina nodded, gazing at the ceiling. “Exactly. Be… present. If he’s worth it, he’ll step up on his own. If he doesn’t—then you saved yourself a headache.”

You let the words settle. You ran a hand through your hair. “So,” you said quietly, “Step one is… what? Survive tomorrow without combusting?”

“Step one,” Jirou corrected, “Is acting normal—well, normal for you,” she added with a teasing smirk. You scrunched your nose at her, mockingly. “Step two? Give it time. You don’t want everything to change in one night.”

“For now,” Mina added, “The night is still young.”

You looked at the time, it was nearly 1a.m. 

You furrowed your brows. “I think we have very different perspectives on ‘young’.”

“Whatever,” She reached over for your laptop, “We need your opinion on something. We can’t agree on what song we should dance to next.” Mina said as she glanced at Jirou. 

You chuckled, “I bet Jirou’s picking my song. She has great taste.” You winked at Jirou. 

Mina pouted, “I have great taste!” 

The mood got lighter, and for the first time in two weeks, you felt at peace. Your mind wasn’t going around some situationship—nope, you got to enjoy the rest of the night with your friends, and it was just what you needed. You could worry about tomorrow when you woke up, but for now you were gonna let everything aside and focus on your sleepover. 

You opened your eyes slowly, adjusting to the lighting. You reached over for your phone, it read 12:14p.m. You stretched out your arms, groaning a little. You ended up going to bed at almost 4a.m., after hours of dancing, parallel tiktok scrolling, snacking, and talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

You looked over to your friends, Jirou was still sleeping peacefully to your left, and Mina was curled up on the other end of your bed, somehow still under the covers. You smiled to yourself, remembering last night’s conversation. It hadn’t made things easier, necessarily—but it had made you feel... understood. And right now, that was more than enough.

You shifted and laid on your side, opening tiktok and scrolling while waiting for your friends to wake up by themselves. 

After five minutes you felt Jirou shifting, you glanced up from your phone and saw her as she opened her eyes, then she turned to you.

“What time is it?” She said in a raspy voice. 

You cleared your throat before speaking, “12:20” 

“Shit, we really slept in.” You both chuckled. She then reached for her own phone, “I didn’t even charge it yesterday.” 

“Me neither—I have like 5% left.“ You shrugged, “Wanna watch tiktok?” You offered, she shifted closer and you laid on your back, holding your phone between you and her. 

Something funny came up and you couldn’t help but laugh, hearing a shush coming from the other side of the bed.

“Shut up, it’s too early,” Mina complained, shifting in the covers. 

“It’s literally the middle of the day.” You looked over your phone. 

Mina jerked her head up, “What?” 

Jirou and you chuckled at the sight of her messy bed hair. 

“I’m starving.” Mina whined again.

Jirou blinked slowly. “We didn’t eat real dinner. Just chips. And gummies. And more chips.”

Mina stretched out her arms and then sat up, snuggling between Jirou and you. “Let’s order something. I’d rather die of hunger than cook right now.”

You smiled as you looked for something to eat. It took you about ten minutes to get your order in since you couldn’t decide what you wanted to eat. When you finally did, your phone died—and this was your cue to get up and make your bed while Mina and Jirou cleaned up the empty bags of chips and cans of soda laying across your room. 

When you finished tidying up, the three of you slipped into fresh pajama pants, sweatshirts and hoodies. You then went into your bathroom to brush your teeth and wash your faces. 

Mina paused mid-brushing. “Are you ready?”

You blinked and stopped applying your moisturizer. “For what?”

Jirou chuckled lightly as she brushed her hair. “Everyone is probably downstairs right now.” 

You pursed your lips. Right. You lived with him. You were going to have to face your emotions in some minutes. 

After a beat of silence, you stared at your reflection in the mirror. “Should I tie my hair up or leave it like this?” 

Your friends looked at you through the mirror, smiling. “Maybe straighten it and do a full face of makeup, too.” Mina teased. She took out your eyelash curler from your makeup bag, and curled her own lashes. She did that every day, and you kind of had taken over that habit of hers. 

You laughed, “Shut up. I’m gonna be insufferable now that I have a crush on him. And you have to put up with me—this is all your fault.” You stuck your tongue out to them. 

“You look just fine. But, since you’re wearing a hoodie, I’d say maybe use a claw clip?” 

Jirou brushed down your hair. “Wear it however you like it.” She placed a piece of hair behind your ear.

Mina handed over the eyelash curler, and you started curling your own. You were really grateful for your friends. They always knew what to say—not too cheesy but also caring, making you feel safe. 

When you were done, you handed the curler over to Jirou, and turned to the mirror again. You put your hair up just as Mina had suggested, then you turned to her and she took out the front pieces and nodded in approval with a smile. 

You sighed, looking at your reflection. “Ok. At least I don’t look like a zombie anymore.” 

“I sure feel like one,” Jirou glanced at you through the mirror. 

“But you loved the sleepover, didn’t you?” Mina smirked. Jirou rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the soft smile rising on her face. 

Some minutes later, you made your way downstairs, untangling your phone charger as you walked. You were going down the steps when you heard voices. Loud and familiar ones.

“—no, I swear, the sauce fell because you elbowed me!” Sero’s voice rang from the kitchen.

“I elbowed you because you were in my way, dumbass!” Bakugou snapped back.

“We now have half of the sauce for all of the chicken.” Kaminari complained. 

“I’m not making any more sauce.” Kirishima spoke. 

You froze for a second at the foot of the stairs.

And suddenly, your hoodie felt too warm. Your hair felt too messy. Your brain scrambled to remember the plan Jirou mentioned. 

“Step one: act normal” 

You took a deep breath. You’re fine. You’ve been around him so many times. You’re not gonna combust. You’ll walk in like it’s any other morning. You’ll say hi. Smile. Laugh. Act normal.

Jirou glanced down at your hands, “Maybe you could use this as a start.” You looked down at your phone and charger in your hands. 

You gave Jirou a half-smile, nodded once before stepping into the common room—pretending your heart wasn’t about to burst out of your chest.

The common room was as chaotic as ever. Sero stood near the kitchen counter, holding up a pan with steaming hot chicken like it was evidence in a trial. “I’m just saying, the sauce-to-chicken ratio is off now.”

“You’ll live,” Bakugou muttered, shoving a paper towel into Sero’s hands.

Kirishima turned at the sound of your footsteps. “Good morning—well, kinda.”

“Hey,” Mina said with a smile. “Rough morning?”

“More like rough sauce incident,” Kaminari answered from the kitchen island.

He looked up at you, and for a moment, your brain froze. He looked... good. He was wearing one of those stupid tank tops that somehow made his arms look better than they had any right to. He had that “I woke up looking this good” air to him, making you swallow hard. 

Shit.

Act normal, act normal, act—

You caught yourself staring and quickly snapped out of it, looking away. 

Jirou handed you her phone, and nodded her head up towards the blonde. You nodded and walked closer, sitting beside him.

He grinned. “Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

You let out a breathy laugh. “Prince charming,” You nodded. 

His smile widened, then you spoke again. “I have a favour to ask you.” He tilted his head and you placed the two phones on the island with the charging cables. 

You smiled softly, pretending your heart wasn’t still racing. “Please?” 

He winked at you, “Whatever you need, princess.” He bit the other end of the cables and the phones instantly lit up. 

You murmured a ‘thank you’, looking away as you felt your face warming up. 

You took your phone in your hands, unlocking it. You saw your order was still a few minutes away, so you opened tiktok again, the last video you had watched played again on your screen. 

You couldn’t help but laugh, glancing towards Jirou. “Oh my god, look.”

She immediately started laughing with you, “I can’t–” 

Most of the group was too busy trying to fix the sauce-chicken problem to care about what you were laughing at. Most of them, except the boy next to you.

He took out the cables of his mouth and instead used his hand to keep charging the phones, then he turned to you with a smile. “What is it?” 

You turned to him, still laughing at the video. “It’s just– look–”

He started laughing just by hearing you laugh, you showed him your phone screen, waiting for his reaction. You didn't need to wait for the video to end to hear him laugh as much as you.

“I think I'm laughing more because you're laughing.” He said in between laughs.

“I swear, it was funnier when we just woke up.”

Then, a notification popped up on your screen, announcing your food was there.

You straightened up. “Oh, that’s us.”

“Finally,” Jirou sighed, standing up.

Mina spun around from the other side of the island. “Thank god, I was literally about to pass out.”

You stood up too, slipping your phone into your hoodie pocket. Kaminari handed you your charger without saying anything, but his fingers brushed yours—just for a second.

You ignored the flutter in your chest. Chill.

As you three walked over to the door, Jirou spoke. “So, how are we feeling?”

You knew what she meant by that. “Honestly, my feelings are not that strong for him… I’m fine.” You said, nodding. 

Now that you had actually acknowledged your crush, you found yourself feeling calm. Of course, the way your heart raced and your face felt warmer when you were close to him was something you definitely were going to have to accommodate to, but it was nothing you couldn’t manage. 

You went to pick up your food, and headed back inside. You accommodated the brown bags and drinks on the table in the living room, and while you sorted out who ordered what Mina turned on the TV and played some musical youtube video from an old Disney movie. 

“This was one of my favourite movies! I swear, I still remember the whole dance to this song.” Mina said as she plopped on one of the couches. 

“I made my mom hate this song, I used to have an unhealthy obsession with it.” You said, smiling as you grabbed a fry. 

“I don’t think I remember this one.” Jirou said, taking a sip from her drink.

You and Mina gasped dramatically at the same time. 

“You never watched Teen Beach?” Mina deadpanned. 

Jirou shrugged, “I think I did but I really don’t remember.” She took the remote and looked up something else. “Now, this was my personal favourite. I would watch it religiously.” 

You immediately recognized Determinate, from Lemonade Mouth.

“Ugh, I wanted to be Hayley Kyoko so bad.” Jirou nodded in agreement as she chuckled, “She was an absolute icon to me. One time in middle school, my friends and I made a dancing group and called ourselves Lemonade Mouth.”

“Oh my god, tell me you recorded it.” Mina laughed. 

“Unfortunately, we performed at a school talent show, and it went so bad we made everyone delete the videos. We never talked about it ever again”

Mina took the remote this time and played Freak the Freak Out from Victorious. “This moment right here changed my brain chemistry.”

She then got up and stood on the sofa, and started imitating Tori’s performance using the remote as a mic—singing terribly off key. 

“Oh my god.” You said as she took her sweatshirt off right when Tori started getting out of her costume. 

“We’re getting a full-on performance.” Jirou laughed. 

Jirou and you laughed as you watched her jump down to the floor and continue dancing and singing to the song—but you both couldn’t help but sing along with her from your spots. 

The chorus ended and she plopped back down again on the couch to your right. 

“I should’ve been cast for that role.” Mina said, browsing for another music video. 

“Maybe for the role of one of the mean girls who don’t know how to sing.” You chuckled, taking a sip from your drink. 

She turned to you. “Then you’d be the friend who also doesn’t sing.” She said mockingly. 

You stuck your tongue out to her. Then she played one more video, this time it was Did I Mention from Descendants. 

“This was the cheesiest thing ever.” Jirou said when the video started. 

“What? Don’t tell me you didn’t love this moment.” Mina said, brows furrowed as she turned to Jirou. 

She just shrugged, and then you spoke. “I used to dream about my future boyfriend singing this to me.” A smile grew slightly on your face. 

Both girls turned to you, and before they could speak you heard another voice approaching. 

“If that’s what it takes, I will gladly do so.” Kaminari said with a grin, walking towards the common area with the other three boys. 

“Is that from Descendants?” Sero asked, sitting beside Mina on the couch. 

“I loved Disney movies.” Kirishima added, standing behind the couch where you and Jirou were sitting. 

“Of course you did,” Bakugou snorted from beside him. “You all have terrible taste.

“Oh, shut up.” Jirou said looking at him, “You’re just mad no one’s ever sung like this to you.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, then Kaminari took the remote and cleared his throat. He started singing the chorus jokingly. 

“No!” Everyone shouted at the same time, Jirou and you throwing pillows at him to make him stop, Kaminari dramatically ducked the pillow, holding a hand to his heart.

“You guys have no taste,” he said, feigning offense. “I was giving you all a once-in-a-lifetime performance!”

“Thank god it was once-in-a-lifetime,” you said between giggles, and Jirou high-fived you.

“I’m just saying,” Sero added, stealing one of Mina’s fries, “If we’re doing throwback Disney, at some point we have to play Camp Rock. That was peak childhood.”

“That,” Kirishima agreed with a grin, walking to the couch on your left “and High School Musical. There’s no escaping it.”

Mina’s eyes lit up. “Wait, wait, wait, can we make this a thing?” She jumped up. “We should totally take turns playing our favorite throwback songs!”

“Oh god,” Bakugou muttered, sitting down reluctantly beside Kirishima, arms crossed. “This is gonna turn into musical hell.”

“Welcome to hell, Blasty,” Sero said, tossing a pillow at him.

Jirou turned to the rest of you with a smirk. “Okay but real talk, who here actually knows the dance to We’re All In This Together?”

Kaminari raised his hand immediately. “Unironically, yes. I learned it in fourth grade and never forgot.”

“I believe that,” you said, smiling, and he grinned at you in return.

Your stomach fluttered—just a little.

Before anyone could say more, Mina grabbed the remote and played the first High School Musical song she could find. The opening notes of Bop to the Top filled the room, and suddenly Sero and Kaminari were on their feet, dramatically trying to reenact the choreography.

“Mucho gusto”. Sero started. 

“Ay, qué fabulosa!” Kaminari added, imitating Sharpay. 

They both then continued saying the spanish adlibs—rolling their r’s as much as they could. 

“Are you kidding me right now?” Jirou almost choked on her drink—laughing as she pulled out her phone to record.

“Get it, Sharpay,” you called to Kaminari, making him ham it up even more.

The room then filled with laughter from everyone, even Bakugou couldn’t help the breathy laugh that came out of him. 

As the laughter slowly faded, everyone sank back into the couches, catching their breath.

The TV still played in the background, some random music video rolling, but your mind had drifted elsewhere.

You glanced around the room—Jirou curled up beside you, Mina arguing with Sero over what song to queue next, Kaminari still smiling from his over-the-top performance.

And somehow, you weren’t overthinking. You weren’t spiraling. You were just… there. Present. Like they told you to be.

Your gaze settled on Kaminari for a second longer than it needed to. He caught your eye and shot you a grin—not a flirty one, not a teasing one. Just… real. Warm.

You smiled back, then looked away.

And for now, that felt like enough.

Chapter Text

“Your Provisional Hero License Exam is exactly one month away from today.” 

It was 8 a.m. on a Monday, and everyone was barely even awake enough to process the information Aizawa had just hit you with, right after greeting you with a loud “Good morning”. 

“Listen carefully,” He continued. “About 1,500 students attend this exam, but only 5% manage to actually pass.” 

Everyone inhaled sharply. You could feel the tension settle over the room.

“I’m not trying to scare you,” Aizawa said, clearly trying to scare you. “But I have to be honest: you all have to train real hard for this. It’s not just another exam you can fail and not care about later—this is for your future.” 

He let out a sigh, then rubbed his temples.“That’s why, starting today, we’ll shift training to focus on the exam. First, teamwork, strategy, and combat. Then, decision-making and rescue under pressure.”

He scanned the room, pausing briefly at your stunned expressions. He waved his hand, “That’s it for now. I’ll explain everything in detail this afternoon.” he added, already walking toward the door. “Have a nice day.”

Right as he closed the door, everyone started mumbling and chattering about what had just happened. 

“Have a nice day?” Mina said, turning to you. “How does he expect us to when he just dropped a major bomb of information like he was talking about the weather?” 

You chuckled, running a hand through your hair. “I think I stopped breathing for a minute.” 

“I think we all did.” Kaminari spoke from your left, nodding towards the back of the room. You followed his gaze and saw pretty much all of your classmates either pale or laughing nervously. 

Yeah, this was going to be a tough month. 

The cafeteria was already starting to get pretty empty—students from all courses returning to their after lunch activities. 

You were walking behind your friends, eyes fixed on your phone as you updated your parents on the news of the provisional license exam.  

Then you heard it—his laugh. You intrinsically raised your gaze and searched for the source of that familiar sound. You saw him still sitting down with that same girl from before. 

You stopped walking and stared for half a second, feeling your heart drop. Why was he always talking to her? Was there something special about her? 

Your friends followed your gaze. Kaminari seemed way too interested in the girl in front of him to even notice all the eyes fixed on him.

Jirou furrowed her eyebrows, “Who is she?” 

You shook your head, “First year—apparently gave him her insta.” 

Mina raised an eyebrow. “She did?”

You shrugged, “He bragged to me about it like two weeks ago,” You sighed, “Looks like it’s going great for him.” 

The two girls turned to the scene in front of them again, both with confused looks on their faces. 

You had told yourself it was just a crush—a really small one, even. So, there was no good reason to care about what he did in his spare time, or whom he spent it with. There was nothing you could do about it, anyway. 

You swallowed hard and forced a smile, “Good for them, right?”

And with that, you made yourself walk straight out of the cafeteria. Mina and Jirou shared a look before following you out. 

“So… Do you like her?” 

Kaminari furrowed his brows. “What?”

The girl nodded towards the exit, he followed her gaze and saw you walking out with your friends. 

“I’ve seen the way you look at her, I’m not dumb.” 

He blinked at the girl smiling kindly in front of him. He shook his head but didn’t say a word. 

The girl chuckled, “Why don’t you just tell her?”

Kaminari looked down, letting out a sigh. “It’s just a dumb crush.” 

“And that’s why you’re here instead of talking to her?”

He shrugged. “I just… I thought, maybe, if she saw me with someone else she would…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I just wanted to get a reaction—a sign from her that told me this isn’t one sided.”

The girl nodded. “And?” 

Kaminari forced a smile, meeting her eyes. “She doesn’t even notice me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think that’s true.”

He tilted his head, “What do you mean?”

“Look, us girls can be very good actresses when we want to.” She shrugged, amused by his naiveness. “Still, if you want her to like you, you should stop…” She opened her hand and motioned to the space between them, “This—I know we are just friends, but she doesn’t.” 

“You want me to stop talking to you?” 

The girl rolled her eyes and laughed softly, shaking her head in defeat, “Listen. You trying to make her jealous is not gonna work in your favour—what do you think she thinks when she sees you talking to literally every single girl here?”

He blinked, “That I’m popular?” He joked. 

“Oh my god.” She laughed. “She probably thinks she’s one of the rest—she thinks you’re just playing with her.”

“What? No, she’s– It’s not like that—” 

“I know.” She interrupted him. “But if I were her, that’s what I would think, too.”

Kaminari leaned back on the chair. “Shit.” He placed a hand over his mouth, “So I fucked up my chance?”

The girl rested her chin on the palm of her hand. “Depends. First, if she doesn’t like you, she probably just doesn’t care—still, if you want her to like you, definitely stop, or else she’s just not gonna take you seriously. Now, if she does already like you… at least if it were me, I wouldn’t go after you when you chase everyone but her.” She shrugged, standing up. 

He nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. 

She padded his back, “Make up your mind, and make a decision. It’s your little playboy act or her. Choose whichever you like the most.” 

By the time you reached the locker rooms, the noise from the cafeteria was still ringing in your ears.

It didn’t matter how much you told yourself it wasn’t important—you couldn’t quite shake the image of him leaning forward, smiling at her like that. 

Still, you were forced to push the thought aside when training started.

After the morning’s ominous announcement, Aizawa had made good on his word: training would be dedicated to “teamwork, strategy, and combat”—which apparently meant a series of two–on–two matches, with teams assigned completely at random. He was really making it his mission to assign partners who hadn’t worked together before. 

Some pairings worked shockingly well—Jirou and Tokoyami’s quirks complemented each other almost perfectly, especially against Momo and Tsuyu, who seemed to have trouble with communication. Other couples… let’s just say you’d watched Mina and Bakugou nearly blow each other up in less than two minutes.

Your turn came on.

Aizawa’s voice echoed. “Todoroki, Y/N. You’re up against Uraraka and Kaminari.”

Oh. Ok. 

Cool. Totally cool. You were against your newly acknowledged crush. Cool, cool, cool. 

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, your teammate was someone whom you really, really hadn’t shared much with. 

It’s not like you disliked Todoroki. No, not at all. He was just… cold. Shocker, right? 

Yes, you had seen him share and even let out a small chuckle with Midoriya and Iida, but he wasn’t a very talkative person like your friends were. He was the complete opposite. Though very kind, reserved—rather serious. 

And you had to admit it, he kind of scared you. Not because he was mean or anything—you didn’t even know how to describe him because you didn’t know him. Still, his presence was heavy, you could feel his confidence like it was some kind of perfume he made sure to apply every five minutes. 

You walked towards your partner when you heard a loud voice from across, “Don’t be nervous, princess.” Kaminari winked at you. 

Your chest tightened, but this time you really couldn’t tell if it was from the little smirk on his face or because of how nervous you were about this match. 

You glanced at Todoroki, and when he met your eyes you both shared a nod. 

Ok, if you really thought about it, your quirks could actually work really well together. Even if he was a hell of an opponent, he could be an amazing teammate—you could compliment each other. 

You just had to figure out a way to make it work—quick. 

“I’ll follow your lead.” 

“What?” You furrowed your eyes, head snapping in his direction. 

“Trust me.” He nodded once more. 

You didn’t know why but… you did. You trusted him even if your hands started to feel sweaty and your heart raced. 

You heard Aizawa’s signal, and chaos began. 

You were outdoors, so it was easier to summon greater amounts of water. As you were, the other team didn’t waste time, Uraraka used some debris that laid all over the space and threw it towards you, Kaminari shooting his electricity at it to give it drive and make it a weapon. 

You created four water shields big enough to cover you two, which Todoroki then froze. This helped avoid the impact from your opponents—at least for a second. Uraraka darted to the side, touching Kaminari and making him go up so he could shoot down at you. 

While they did this, you signaled Todoroki to go left as you went to the right. He then froze the ground, making Uraraka loose stability right as you reshaped the shields into two whips, one for each. You moved Uraraka away from Kaminari, and brought the second down from the air. Todoroki froze Uraraka’s whip which had now turned into a straitjacket, letting her immobilized. 

“Not yet, princess.” 

You didn’t even have time to turn when you felt a hand hug your waist—ice then exploded from the ground, lifting both of you off the floor in a jagged platform just as electricity surged from Kaminari’s hands into the ground, racing across the concrete toward you.

You blinked, gripping his sleeve. He didn’t look at you, eyes fixed on Kaminari instead.

“Shit, sorry–”

“You okay?” he asked, calm but clipped.

You nodded, though your pulse was anything but calm.

You glanced down, Uraraka fighting the ice on one side, and Kaminari still on the groud with his arms to his sides, looking up at you—you couldn’t notice from where you were standing, but his breath quickened at the sight of your partner’s hand around you. 

“When we get to the ground, you immobilize him and I’ll take care of her,” He said as he watched Uraraka and Kaminari break free from the ice. 

You nodded again, steading yourself on the platform. You hadn’t noticed his hand still gripping at your waist—his hot hand feeling cold against you. 

You then watched as Kaminari tried one more surge in an attempt to break the ice, Todoroki moving you to his left with a steady turn. 

“Hold on tight.” The column tilted as Todoroki lowered it, ice crunching and melting under his control until your boots hit the ground again. He didn’t let go. If anything, his grip on your waist was firmer, pulling you close just as Kaminari lunged forward.

Electric sparks shot wildly across the floor. It wasn’t controlled—wasn’t calculated like before. This was raw, reckless. His eyes were locked on Todoroki’s hand still on you.

“Kaminari!” Uraraka called, dodging shards of ice that jutted from the ground as Todoroki blocked her path. But he didn’t answer—he surged again, crackling arcs of yellow-white energy exploding from his palms, spreading fast in every direction.

“Now!” he commanded, voice sharp.

Without thinking, you jumped to the ground, your quirk activating in a rush. The concrete shimmered, water spiraling up like chains that snapped around Kaminari’s legs, yanking him off-balance. He crashed down, electricity sputtering uselessly as your water tightened, hardening against the floor.

He made an attempt to raise his hands to shoot, until you landed next to him, turning him around and taking both his hands over his head, pinning him to the ground as you sat on his back, creating water muffling handcuffs over his hands. 

“Done!” You shouted panting from above Kaminari, heart racing.

Todoroki didn’t waste a second—as you were doing this, ice blasted forward, freezing Uraraka mid-charge, locking her feet to the ground in a clean sweep as he gently but firmly froze her hands behind her back.

“Five, four, three, two, one. Match over.” Aizawa shouted. 

You glanced over to your partner with a smile, and he nodded politely. He then started helping Uraraka out of the ice, making you look down at the boy still pinned under your weight. 

“Shit, I’m sorry.” You kneeled beside him, deactivating your quirk to release him. You offered him your hand and he took it, standing up from the ground. 

Your hands stayed together, “You were… great.” He finally said. 

You tightened your grip a little, “You too.” You smiled at him, searching for his eyes. 

When he glanced up he didn’t look at you—he darted his eyes to your side, where a two-tone haired boy was walking towards you. 

He quickly let go of your hand and walked away just like that. Like physical touch, as little as it was, meant nothing to him. Like it meant something to you, and only you. 

You heard a voice from behind, taking you out of your head. “We worked well together.” 

You turned to him, giving him a shy smile. “Yeah, I’m still shocked, to be honest.” 

He nodded, and you spoke again. “Why did you let me take over?” 

“You’re more clever than you think,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His tone was flat, but there was something solid, almost reassuring, in the way he said it.

You blinked at him, a little caught off guard, “For real?” 

He shrugged. “Yeah. You need to believe in yourself more, though.” 

From across the field, Kaminari’s jaw tightened. His eyes lingered far too long on the way Todoroki leaned closer when he spoke to you, the easy way you smiled back at him. He hated it—hated how natural it looked, like Todoroki actually got you in a way he hadn’t been able to. And that smile—the smile you hadn’t given him when he was the one beneath you seconds ago.

He clicked his tongue and looked away, but the knot in his chest didn’t budge.

How come he had to fight for your attention, and you seemed to want to give it completely away to him—a guy as cold and reserved as him? Someone completely different from him.

He had been trying, he really had. But every time, you just ignored him or shrugged him off. Yeah, what his friend told him made a lot of sense—you may see him now as someone who doesn’t even care about you, but that wasn’t true. 

Those moments the two of you had shared together had to had meant something—he wasn’t playing then—it was the real him. He even had dared—without thinking—to be closer to you, to touch you for longer periods of time, even if it was just your hand. He had done whatever he could just to get to feel your skin against his, and now Todoroki just got to wrap his hands around your waist like you belonged to him?

Who even was he to you? 

Nobody. 

He was closer to you than Todoroki was. It was crystal clear. 

He was positive Todoroki didn’t even care about your touch—about you, like he did. Kaminari would give anything to be in his place and embrace you like that even once more. He would actually care about it and not just forget about it later—he would make sure you felt his emotions through his touch. 

He would if he had the chance. 

But you would have to look at him to even get a chance. 

And right now, all your eyes seemed to look at was Todoroki. 

You shared a few words more with your partner and then you walked back to your friends, looking to relieve your dry mouth. 

Mina and Jirou were together, gossiping about something already when you reached their side, gulping at your water bottle. 

“What are you two whispering about?” 

Mina hugged your arm. “GIRL. Are we gonna talk about how he was gripping onto you like a girl clutching her purse in the club?” she squealed, shaking you dramatically.

You laughed at the comparison, amazed by how fast she was with it.

Jirou hugged your free arm, smiling in amusement. “Yeah, that looked… intense.”

You groaned, throwing back your head. “It wasn’t like that!”

Mina only raised a brow, eyes sparkling. “Mhm, suuure.”

“I just know he wasn’t having it.” Jirou said, glancing at Kaminari. 

You shook your head, “You need to stop feeding into my delusions.”

“But she’s right!” Mina spoke, “Didn’t you see him literally lose control when Todoroki protected you?”

You narrowed your eyes. “Yeah, that was… something.” You looked over at the blonde, who was too focused on his own thoughts to notice. “Still, did you see how he avoided me completely when the sparring was over?” 

Jirou nodded, “It reminded me of the time in the basement you told us about.”

“Right?” You looked down at your hands. “It’s like… one second he’s right there, the next he just shuts me out.”

You sighed, “Doesn’t matter!” You lied, “Are you gonna tell me what you were gossiping about or do you hate me now?” You pouted.

Your friends laughed and told you everything you asked. The conversation shifted with the mood, but your heart stayed the same—heavy, quick, and heated. 

Focus. 

One month. 

You had to stop caring so much about everything and zero in on training. 

You needed it.

Chapter Text

The rest of the week ran right as you expected—slow, and exhausting. The pressure was real: you didn’t really see many of your classmates outside of class anymore. Everyone was way too focused on training to do anything else—only going to the dorms for dinner and directly to sleep. You had barely had time to take a breath and relax.

During weekdays, you would go to the gym and lift weights, focusing more on your lower body since you needed the strength to endure the force of your quirk. Then you moved to a sparring session with the robots they had at Gym Gamma, or if it was too crowded you would go outdoors, near the river in one of the fake battle scenarios the U.A. had to practice your control over your quirk. 

Even when the weekend hit, the pressure didn’t go away. No, it just got tighter and tighter. Even Kaminari, who usually joked his way out of everything, was wound tighter than usual. On Wednesday he’d nearly gotten into a screaming match with Bakugou after a spar went wrong—nothing new for Bakugou, but Kaminari rarely snapped back. Bakugou had insulted him for not being “strong enough” along with other curses, and from there on it was obvious the pressure was starting to eat at him—he stopped messing around and got lost on training. 

By Saturday you were already exhausted, so you slept in by mistake. When you finally got out of your room it was nearly 11 a.m., still you thought you had enough time to squeeze a brief workout in, so you walked down to the gym, hoping it would be pretty empty because of the time. 

You reached the gym, and you were right, it was almost empty—except for a certain blonde whom you hadn’t really seen around so much lately. You took one of your airpods out as you approached him, just hoping you could get to talk to him for a few minutes at least. 

The truth was you missed him—you had noticed him drift apart the last few days. Of course, everyone had stopped procrastinating and were busy all day, but still, you felt his absence heavier than anyone’s. 

At least with your other friends you would get to joke and just talk at lunch or dinner, but Kaminari? he seemed… off. 

Quiet, even. Which was way out of the ordinary for him. 

So, it was a miracle that you had even found him here, and you would take any chance you got.

You watched his reflection in the mirror as you walked. He was at the shoulder press machine, breathing heavy and—to your disgrace—looking really, really good. You hated the way he always looked so effortlessly– ugh. His arms were pumped from his workout, and even if you could see drops of sweat around his forehead, that didn’t matter to you. 

He was looking down, eyes fixed on the floor. You could clearly see he was just as tired as everyone, if not more. He didn’t even seem to notice when you came in, so when you kneeled in front of him he jumped a little. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” You said as you smiled softly.

He took one airpod out as he sighed, “Not your fault.”

His expression was stiff, you tilted your head. “You good?”

He shrugged slowly, “Yeah, just a tad tired, but who isn’t?” You could see the ghost of a smile on his face,

“Right.” You nodded. 

A beat of silence followed and you offered water from your bottle, which he accepted. “How long have you been here, anyway?” 

He checked his watch, “Uh… just a couple hours, I guess.”

You nodded slowly, not really convinced with his answer. “Have you eaten anything?” 

He ran a hand through his hair, “I promise I’m alright, I’m just… stressed out, ok?” 

You stood up. Maybe you just needed to give him some space. He handed you your water bottle back and you took his hand before he could place it down. 

“...Just don’t overdo it.” You said as you squeezed his hand slightly, before letting go.

He just stared at the space you’d left, your words looping in his head. Don’t overdo it. The pressure in his chest twisted—because out of everyone in this damn place, you were the only one who seemed to notice.

The next couple of days ran just as the previous ones. After the moment at the gym, you hadn’t really seen Kaminari again. Yesterday, on Sunday, you saw him once, at lunch. And today, you really hadn’t seen him all day. You were on cooking duty with Sato, and since you weren’t much of a chef, you suggested making chicken curry and rice. Thankfully, he accepted, as he was just way too tired to cook something more complicated.

By the time dinner was done, as usual, you texted the groupchat, and everyone started walking down almost zombie like, just to eat and go back to their rooms and finally get some sleep. 

“I feel like I’m living in a pantheon.” Mina said, looking around. 

You chuckled lightly, “I still don’t get how you manage to be so energized.”

She shrugged, “It’s a gift.”

“Or a curse.” Jirou joked, earning a slight hit on her shoulder from the pink haired. 

You looked around once more. It had been around 15 minutes since you had plated the food, and there still was no sight of some of your classmates, including a certain blonde. 

Right after finishing eating, almost everyone went straight to their rooms. You stayed with your two friends at the table, each of you scrolling on your phones and making small talk—a way you had to be present for one another without draining yourselves even more. 

Minutes later you all got up and decided it was time to get some rest. You waved them goodbye, and walked towards the kitchen area. Tokoyami and Momo had already done the dishes, and on the counter laid five plates untouched, from your classmates who hadn’t appeared yet. You wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed them in the fridge, leaving on the island a sticky note with “Dinner’s in the fridge :)” written on it. 

Then you made your way up to your room, and since it wasn’t as late, you decided to get your English essay done—you wouldn’t take too long anyway.  Still, your mind wasn’t really on it. It lingered instead on the boy who hadn’t shown up at dinner, just like the day before. You told yourself he was probably fine, probably training, but… still, the thought sat there. 

After writing a few paragraphs you ran out of ideas to continue, and before you could think about it, you found yourself reaching over for your phone. You opened his chat and paused. 

What were you supposed to say? 

It had been clear he didn’t really want you to pry on his life, by the way he had reacted at the gym the other day. Should you actually say something?

You typed about five different versions of the same message before staring at the screen for a minute. You two were friends, right? And friends care for each other. 

It is totally normal that you would care about him, not because you actually had a tiny crush on him, but because he was your friend. You nodded to yourself, and sent the text. 

Hey, left food in the fridge 

:) 

And with this, you placed your phone face down, trying to ignore the rush you had felt by just sending those texts. 

A while after, you were done with your assignment, but he hadn’t replied. You checked your phone, the time read 9:24 p.m. You already were way too tired for your eyes to stay open longer, so you just went to your bathroom to finish your night routine, and plopped on your bed shortly after. 

Right as you were about to set your phone down on your nightstand, a notification came through. 

Thanks 

Oh. 

You stared at the screen until it turned off by itself. 

You didn’t know what you had expected, but it certainly wasn’t just that. This made your chest tighten—you set your phone down, and finally dozed off still with that heavy feeling.

Two days later you slipped into the classroom a little earlier than usual—there was still plenty of time before homeroom, so the place was almost empty. You really weren’t expecting to see anyone else, but he was there—slouched over his desk with his cheek pressed against his arm, hair sticking out in every direction. 

You slipped the door shut quietly behind you, walking slowly to your place—beside the boy who was fast asleep. You sat down, eyes still on Kaminari, fearing you would wake him if you made a single noise. 

His face looked ethereal there, the early sunlight shining across his face, brightening his blonde hair. Though his brows were slightly furrowed and his eyebags were deeper than usual, he looked calm—at peace. It was the first time you’d finally seen him like this since last week.

You slowly mirrored him, crossing your arms over your desk, letting your cheek rest on your forearm without taking your eyes off him. Pensamientos Intrusivos by Kali Uchis was still playing in your airpods, making the moment feel almost like a dream. You allowed yourself to stare, taking in every single one of his features, watching the slow rise and fall of his shoulders. 

You got a weird feeling in your stomach—and this time they weren’t butterflies or anything else you were used to with him. No, this one was… different. The one you usually got whenever you had a bad feeling about something. 

You couldn’t quite point at the cause—maybe it was because you’d never seen him this vulnerable, this… off. You just knew the sight—as endearing as it was—didn’t settle right.

The day continued and training time arrived. Even if you were outdoors due to the rising temperature every day, you could practically feel the heavy atmosphere as if you were in a closed room running out of oxygen. It was clear everyone was pushing themselves to meet their goals, and though this helped build endurance, you could see some tired and sloppy moves from everyone. 

Or that’s what it seemed like. 

But you couldn’t help noticing him throughout the day. After he woke up from his nap in time for homeroom, you kept an eye on him and noticed small details no one else seemed to. He yawned more than usual, his notebook either stayed pretty empty or he filled it with doodles to keep himself awake—but no one seemed to care. 

Of course, it was Kaminari after all, right?

The boy who usually didn’t really care about school, the boy who would always laugh about his own mistakes and would easily get lost then bored during lectures. Maybe that was the reason everyone had missed those small details, like his smile getting weaker and weaker, or the way his eyes fluttered shut during class, not really out of boredom. That, and the fact that everyone was too tired to care, too. 

Everyone but you. 

It was during training when your gut feeling finally made sense. Aizawa had given you the afternoon to spar against robots, simulating one on one matches. Even if he was keeping an eye on everyone, he couldn’t possibly watch all twenty students at the same time. 

In a fateful moment you had taken to fetch some water, you caught a glance of Kaminari. His shots didn’t have the same force, his electricity faltered and some hits wouldn’t even get to the robot. 

You paused for a second. Maybe it wasn’t your business. Maybe he was fine and your eyes were deceiving you. Maybe you were reading too much into it and it was your own exhaustion making you imagine things—still, the way he blinked slowly and his hands seemed to shake from time to time didn’t let you at ease. 

“Sensei!” You called, Aizawa turned to you as you approached him quickly but trying not to bring anyone’s attention to you. 

“I just… I have been watching Kaminari and… I just know he’s not fine.” You explained to him as you watched his unreadable expression shift into concern once those words left your mouth. 

You spoke again, playing with your fingers. “I know it’s not really my business, but–”

“Thank you,” he cut you off, instantly making your chest feel lighter. “You did the right thing by coming to me.” He gave you a reassuring nod before walking towards the blonde. 

You followed him with your gaze as you walked back to your spot, and as you did you caught the moment right when Kaminari surged again, this time gathering more electricity than before—really pushing himself. 

Sero was already walking towards him when Kaminari lost balance after that last attack, so when his feet and knees trembled, he rushed towards him to catch him.

“Hey, easy, dude.” 

“I’m fine, I–” He tried standing up, but his knees almost gave away once again. 

“You’re not.” Aizawa spoke, then turned to the dark haired. “Please, take him to Recovery’s and make sure he does as she says.”

As you watched them walk out of the field, something inside you shifted. He walked slowly to keep himself steady, his breath quicker and hands shaky from all that training—and in that minute he didn’t seem like the Kaminari you knew.

“So he passed out?”

“No, but he almost did.”

“Shit, I didn’t even think out of everyone he would be the one to get sick from training so much.”

You were already back at the Alliance, it was almost time for dinner. Your two girlfriends and you were all sitting on one of the couches, speaking low and really close, almost as if you were gossiping. 

After training, you hadn’t been able to shake your concern off your face nor your mind, and Mina was the first to notice. When she pointed it out, Jirou immediately saw it, too, and between the both of them peer pressured the words out of you. Without disclosing too much, you told them what you knew and what had happened.

“I can’t believe you guys didn’t notice.” 

Jirou raised an eyebrow, “Or maybe you just noticed because you like him.”

You nudged her arm, “It’s not like that.” 

“So, are you gonna take care of him now that he’s sick?” Mina asked with a sly smile on her face.

You narrowed her eyes at her, but then paused. “Should I?”

They let out a chuckle, “Where even is he, anyway?” 

“I saw him go up to his room when I got out of the washrooms,” Mina answered, “I think he’s still up there.” 

Soon enough, dinner had come and gone, and Kaminari never showed up. You tried to act normal, but your eyes kept drifting to the stairs every time you heard footsteps, half-expecting him to walk in. He didn’t.

The food tonight was heavy—rice, karaage, even curry—and you couldn’t imagine him stomaching any of it after nearly collapsing during training. By the time the chatter around the table died down and people began drifting upstairs, you stayed behind, restless.

The kitchen was quiet now, just the faint hum of the fridge and the clatter of you pulling out a pot. You didn’t think too hard about it—your hands moved on instinct, chopping, pouring, stirring. Something light. Something warm. Something he could handle.

Steam curled up in the stale dorm air and carried the soft, reassuring scent of chicken and cilantro. It felt like a tiny, warm map back to home.

You were too in your head to hear the soft footsteps approaching you.

“What’s that?” Sero said, leaning in on the other side of the island.

You flinched at the sudden sound of his voice, raising your head to face him. 

“It’s, uh, caldo de pollo…” You said almost in a whisper, trying to remember the Japanese words. You snapped your fingers when you got them, “Chicken broth.” 

Caldo de pollo. But not any recipe, it was your mom’s. Every single time you had gotten sick as a child, she would make sure you ate her caldo de pollo—and it always worked like a charm. 

You didn’t know if it was because your mom made it with so much love for you, a placebo effect or just because it was very nutritious, but it instantly made you feel better. 

So, before moving to Japan, you learned a couple of your mom’s recipes just so you could take a piece of home with you—and also because you needed to know how to cook at least one meal by yourself. 

Sero’s mouth tugged to a grin and nodded. “You noticed before Aizawa did, didn’t you?”

You stopped, blinking. He moved towards the cabinets. “I just… happened to notice something was off.” You said, stirring a little too intently. 

He hummed in response, taking out a glass and filling it with water. “I also happened to notice you whispering to sensei while glancing at a certain someone.” He said casually. 

You nearly burned yourself with the steam.

You stayed silent, turning the stove off and reaching for a bowl. 

“So, am I wrong?” He pressed, smirking. 

“I’m his friend too, remember?” You said, trying to ignore the heat rising up to your cheeks. 

“And are you making chicken broth at,” He checked his watch, “9 p.m., after everyone’s had dinner, just for this friend?”

A shy smile rose on your face, “I am. What about it?” He had caught you, yeah, but you were not going to give it away… not that easily, at least.

He stared for a second before shrugging. “Nothing.” He pulled out a blister of pills from his pocket. “Mind giving him these too? Saves me the trip.”

You let out a soft laugh, “Sure.” 

He handed you a wooden tray he found at the back of the lower cabinets, you placed the bowl and the glass of water on it as he reached for a spoon. 

“Sero?”

“Hm?” 

“Where’s his room?”

“...Deadass?”

You shrugged as you furrowed your eyebrows, then he spoke again. “It’s on the same floor as yours.”

You blinked, “What?”

He took the tray and nodded his head to the side, “Come on, I’ll walk you there.” 

You thanked him quietly, following him to the elevator. 

“Do you think this is a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He said as he pressed the button to the third and then the fifth floor. 

You shrugged, “I just… don’t want to pry.”

He snorted lightly, “Trust. He won’t think you are.” 

The doors opened and you took the tray from Sero’s hands. “It’s the second room, that one.” He pointed, holding the elevator door open. 

You nodded and thanked him once again before saying goodnight and stepping out. 

Once in front of his room, you shifted the tray to hold it with one hand, knocking softly with the other one. 

You felt your heart flip when you heard his voice from the other side. “It’s open.”

You took a few seconds to open the door, struggling to hold the tray with just one hand, hearing Kaminari’s voice again before you could get it. 

“Dude, I swear my head’s about to–”

“Sorry.” You said, as you slowly closed the door behind you, your eyes fixed on the tray.

When you finally lifted your gaze you saw him laying down—in one of those damned tank tops and shorts. You swallowed when he straightened up on his bed, eyes drifting from yours to your hands. 

“I thought– Sorry, I–”

“I know you weren’t expecting me,” You offered a soft smile, “Sorry.”

“No, no, I–” He tried to get up but you shook your head, walking closer to him. “What’s this?”

He shifted on his bed, leaving you some space so you could sit down next to him. You crossed your legs and placed the tray down on your lap. 

“I figured… since you didn’t come down for dinner, you wanted room service?” You joked, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. 

He let out a breathy laugh, nodding. “Right. You got me.” 

You took the blister of pills and placed them on his nightstand, “Sero told me to bring you these, but I think you should eat something before taking them.” 

You placed a hand on the bowl, checking the temperature. Then, you took the spoon and stirred the broth, blowing a little on it. 

Kaminari watched you thoroughly as you did, eyes fixed on your soft expression. His eyes wandered from that strand of hair falling graciously—accodring to him—across your face, to your pursed lips as you blowed. His face warmed up, possibly from the rising fever he just had, but his eyes were locked on how carefully you moved—he swallowed hard. 

“I think it’s fine now,” You said, still looking down. “Wanna try?”

You lifted the spoon towards him, eyes meeting his. He blinked twice before nodding quietly. He accepted the first bite, humming as he swallowed. 

“Did you make this?”

“Depends. Is it good?”

He chuckled, “Yeah, it is.” 

“Then I did.” You smiled, making him smile too.

“Does the room service also include you feeding the patient?” He smirked and gosh, had you missed that. His smile, his voice, his jokes—him. You stared into his eyes for a beat before answering. 

You rolled your eyes, “Just because I’m in a good mood.” 

“Oh, it’s my lucky day.” 

You stayed quiet for a moment, silence filling the room—but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt warm, cozy even. Your heart wasn’t racing, your stomach wasn’t flipping—your chest felt at ease. 

“How are you feeling? And don’t lie to me, please.” You asked, searching for his eyes. 

He swallowed, “I’m better.” He nodded, “I promise.” 

You looked down to the half empty bowl, hesitating before speaking. “You also promised the other day…” 

“I know.” He shook his head, “I’m sorry.” 

“You know you can count on me, right? I’m always right here.” 

You scanned his face and watched his expression shift. You could almost see fear in it. 

“Kami?” His eyes met yours, “What’s going on?” 

He sighed. “It’s just… I feel like everyone’s improving so much and I’m… they’re leaving me behind. And I see everyone train harder and harder everyday, but when I do…” He trailed off. 

“You feel like no matter what you do, you never actually improve.” You finished. He nodded. “I understand.” 

“Do you?” 

“More than I’d like.” You tilted your head and looked down, reaching for his hand to play with his fingers. “Back at home, when I started training with my dad, this cousin had a similar quirk than mine, but she never showed signs of wanting to be a hero, like I did. Still, her quirk was… more like my dad’s than mine.” 

You sighed, smiling bittersweetly. “I would hear him talk and talk about her like she was his own daughter, and praise her while trying to convince her to train with him, so maybe one day she would actually want to be a hero.”

You looked up at him, “I would train for hours, every single day of the week, just so I could be like her.” His gaze softened, taking your hand in his. “I never got it, though. No matter how much I tried, my quirk could only do so much.” You laughed softly, “I slowly realized I would never be her, or even like her. And I had to learn that it was ok.” 

Without even thinking, your hand raised to move one strand of hair out of his face. “You don’t need to follow anyone’s footsteps.” You could feel heat rising to your cheeks, but you kept combing his hair with your fingers. “You need to create your own journey. It will never be the same as anybody else’s. Better, it will be yours.” You let your hand fall onto your lap, finally meeting his eyes again. 

He stayed quiet for a beat. Your eyes were still locked on his, him looking like he was trying to say everything with just his gaze. His expression was soft, vulnerable—a mix between a soft smile and glassy eyes. For a second you hesitated if you had talked too much, or if you had made the conversation about yourself. And as you were about to apologize, he just squeezed your hand softly.

“...You always know what to say, huh?” His voice sounded kind of raspy, almost in a whisper. Then, he smiled. “You don’t even know how much I needed to hear that.”

And before you could answer, he leaned his head on your shoulder—soflty, careful, as if you were made out of glass and he didn’t want to break you.

“Thank you, Y/N, really. For everything.”

You reached a hand to the back of his head, caressing him softly. You both just hoped the other couldn’t hear how fast your hearts were racing. After a moment he raised his head, facing you a little closer now. You both stared right into each other’s eyes.

“And I’m sorry for all the trouble, you didn’t have to–”

“I didn’t.” You cut him off, “But I wanted to.” The words slipped out before you could think them through. 

You felt your cheeks getting warmer and warmer as he slowly widened his eyes. You cleared your throat, “I mean, we’re friends, right? That’s what friends are for.” You smiled nervously, and for a moment the words hung between you, heavier than they should.

He straightened, swallowing hard. “Right.” He nodded, “Of course.” He forced a smile. 

You could feel your hands start to get sweaty, and out of pure instinct, you let go of his hand so he wouldn’t notice how nervous you were getting. 

“You, uhm, wanna finish this?” You asked, looking down at the bowl. 

He cleared his throat, “I’m good, uh, thanks.”

You nodded, reaching for the pills, still avoiding his gaze, “How many are you supposed to take?”

“Two.”

You took out two pills and handed them to him along with the glass of water. He muttered a “thanks” as he accepted them, and swallowed them. He placed the glass on his nightstand. 

“Do you need anything else?” You asked, finally looking up to him. 

He looked into your eyes, pausing before answering. “No, I think I’m good.” 

You nodded, offering a soft smile, “Whatever you need, I’m here.” 

He smiled back, and this time he couldn’t help but tuck that one piece of hair behind your ear. “I really appreciate it.” 

You were positive your cheeks were as red as Kirishima’s hair at that moment, but you just couldn’t take your eyes off his. You swallowed hard when he caressed your cheek as he moved his hand down, placing it unintentionally on top of yours.  

You blinked, remembering why you were there—he was sick. He was tired, feverish, and sleepy, which was probably why he was acting this way. 

You inhaled sharply, “Sorry, I’ll…” You cleared your throat again, “I’ll let you rest now.” 

He squeezed your hand in his before you could get up. “Thanks again. I mean it.” 

You nodded, standing up as you squeezed back his hand one more time, “Anytime.” You smiled before letting go. 

As you stepped out of his room and pulled the door shut behind you, you leaned your forehead against the wood for a second, inhaling deeply. Your hand was still tingling from where he’d held it.

Get it together.

Chapter Text

“You said what?” 

You covered your face with your hands, letting your back fall onto your bed. “I know.”

“Last time you were a complete wreck when he said you were just friends, but now you’re the one who said it?” Mina looked completely dumbfounded as she spoke. 

Your arms fell to your sides. “I didn’t think it through, ok?” A sigh came harshly out of you, “Besides, what was I supposed to say? ‘Oh, don’t worry, I do it because I have a raging crush on you?’”

Mina laughed, “Well, that would’ve been better!”

“It absolutely wouldn’t have.” You deadpanned. 

Mina and you were in your room, supposedly finishing an English assignment in pairs—but it was the last thing you were even thinking about. You had filled your friend in on what had gone down Wednesday night when you had gone over to Kaminari’s after she watched your face completely morph when she had casually mentioned the boy’s name.  

You two had almost gone down the five stages of grief as you recounted the events of that night—acting and describing it as much as possible. 

“Well… how did he react?”

“He…” You started, going over the memory once again, “he acted almost as I did the time he said it.” 

Mina perked up, “Almost?” 

You nodded, straightening up on your arms. “Yeah, he leaned back and then we stayed quiet for a second. But as I was about to leave, he tucked my hair behind my ear and, uh…” You trailed off, trying to find the words to explain it. 

“And?” Mina pressed.

“Wait, I don’t know how to explain it.” You reached and reenacted the moment, tucking a piece of hair behind her left ear and caressing her cheek as you lowered your hand. 

Before you could place your hand on the bed, she squealed. “He did that?!”

You nodded, placing your hand on top of hers. “And then he did this, too. Even when I stood up he hadn’t let go of my hand, he even…” You squeezed her hand. 

“Oh. My. God.” She took your hand in hers, “Girl.” 

You couldn’t help the smile rising up on your face. “What?”

“Are you blind?” She grinned, “I have told you ever since day one…”

“He acts the same way with everyone, though.” You interrupted. “And we both know it’s true.”

Mina sighed, “Have you ever seen him act that way with anyone else?” She shrugged, “Have you ever actually seen him doing more than just talking with another girl?”

No, you hadn’t. He would laugh, tell jokes, even compliment girls—but he would never, ever even lay a finger on them. 

“How…” You started, your brain scratching its corners to find the right words, “... how do you know he–”

“Y/N, girl,” She cut you off, softening her gaze. “What is it that’s scaring you?” 

You furrowed your brows. “What? I’m not scared.” 

“Really?” She crossed her arms and raised her brows at you, “So why are you pulling excuses out of your literal ass?”

Your mouth opened, and as you were about to speak… nothing came out. You could feel the little hamster in your head running a hundred miles per hour through your mind. The words were definitely there, the want and need to speak were also there, but it was like your brain had just short–circuited and forgotten every single Japanese word you knew. 

Mina watched you carefully, tilting her head as she tried to read your mind. 

“I…” You sighed, closing your eyes and finally giving up. “I’m just… tired.” 

Mina leaned back on the bedframe, pulling her notebook to her lap. “Fine, but you’ll see Jirou shares my take on this.” 

The next day, after your—now—usual weekend morning workout, you came right back to the Alliance, took a long hot shower and changed into something comfortable for the rest of your Saturday. 

You were walking down the stairs to the common room, watching something on your phone. The space was pretty quiet, almost none of your classmates were around, making you partly miss the usual chatter and partly grateful for some peace. 

As you reached the end of the stairs you walked over to the couch without even looking away from your phone, smiling at the cute cat tiktok you were watching—until you heard noise from the couch. 

And there he was. 

After so many days missing your casual interactions out of school, he was finally there. Just sitting down on one end of the couch, one leg up as his head laid back on the back of the couch. 

As he heard your footsteps approaching, he lifted his gaze from his own phone—only to be met with your eyes. He smiled widely at you, making you smile, too. 

“You have to watch this.” You said as you walked over to him, plopping down on the free spot next to him, bringing both your legs up on the couch. 

You leaned closer for him to get a look at your phone as he shifted on his place towards you—your cheek resting on his shoulder as you watched the video. 

“Isn’t that the cutest cat you’ve ever seen?” You looked up to him, meeting his eyes once again. 

“The one I sent you yesterday was way cuter.” 

You hummed in response, glancing back at your phone. “Debatable.” 

You continued to watch videos on your phone with him now—you had ended up resting your head on his shoulders, and he was now resting his over yours. 

He didn’t say anything about it. You didn’t say anything about it. Neither of you ever did. 

Some minutes later, Mina, Kirishima and Sero came through the elevator, their voices filling the common room as usual. They glanced your way, but they didn’t say anything either. 

Nobody really had to. 

Because this wasn’t the first time. 

But it’s not like you acted like this all the time—it was kind of a recent thing that had shortly become… comfortable. 

After that night at his room, both of you started acting really touchy with each other—but the friendly kind of touchy. 

Like on Thursday, when you leaned over to explain an equation and he brushed a strand of hair out of your face. Then Friday, during History, when he dragged his desk closer just to doodle on your hand. Or at training, when you rested your head on his shoulder and he rested his on yours. Even at dinner—when you somehow ended up playing with his fingers under the table until everyone left.

Or– well, you get it now.

But it wasn’t like any of you meant for it to happen—it just casually did. 

Besides, these were completely normal things to do with your friends, right?

You always walked down the hallway with your arms locked with Mina’s or Jirou’s. They had also rested their heads on your shoulders on several occasions. God, you had even slept with Mina wrapped around you like she was a koala. None of this had to actually mean anything—how could they?

You had literally just friendzoned him without even knowing if he liked you back. 

So, they just couldn’t mean anything else more than pure affection between friends. 

Even if your heart still raced every time he even glanced your way. 

Sero threw himself on the couch to your right as Kirishima reached for the TV remote, both of them talking about some scary movie they wanted to watch. 

“A scary movie in the morning?” Mina deadpanned, sitting down next to you. 

“What, like you don’t get scared if there’s light?” Sero spoke back. 

“What movie is it, anyway?” You chimed in, turning your gaze to the boys without moving your head from the blonde’s shoulder. 

Kirishima answered this time, “Annabelle 2.” 

“Can you believe he’s never watched it?” Sero had a dumbfounded look as he turned to you.

You widened your eyes. “Are you for real?” 

“Even I’ve watched it, dude.” Kaminari added.

The redhead shrugged, “Are we watching the movie or you gonna keep on non-watched-movie-shaming me?”

“Oh, oh, let’s get some snacks.” Mina turned to you with a smile, taking your wrist, “I think I saw the gummies you like in the pantry.”

She hadn’t finished talking when she pulled you up from the sofa, making you drop your phone where you were just sitting. 

“Do you guys want anything?” You looked back and watched Kaminari spread his legs over the couch, as you listened to everyone’s requests for drinks and chips. 

As you reached the kitchen, you saw Jirou and Yaoyorozu sharing a bag of chips while they spoke, glancing over you when you approached them. 

“What are you doing over there?” Jirou asked you as you looked into the cabinets for snacks. 

“We’re about to watch Annabelle, wanna join?” Mina said from almost inside the fridge. 

“Oh no, I’m not good with scary stuff.” Yaoyorozu spoke this time, shaking her head.

Jirou straightened up and turned to her with a soft smile, “I swear it’s not even scary, come on.” 

The darkhaired doubted for a second before agreeing, offering to help you carry everything back to the living. 

When you got everything you needed—which, if someone asked you, was way too much food for seven people— you returned with your hands full of beverages and snacks. 

Mina now sat down next to Sero on the couch, Jirou and Momo sat together on the couch to Kaminari’s left. When everyone was already sitting down, Kaminari sat up and crossed his legs, freeing the spot next to him—glancing over to you and smiling as he did. 

You didn’t notice, but to your right the two boys and the girl nudged one another as they watched the scene in front of them unfold. 

You caught on and plopped down on the now free spot with a soft smile on your face—a little too close to the boy, just enough for your arm to brush his. 

You reached for a bag of gummies and opened it as you brought your legs up on the couch, close to your chest. You then offered some to Kaminari, who gladly accepted. You placed the bag in the small space between you, taking gummies with one hand and unlocking your phone with the left while you waited for the movie to start. 

A smile crept up on your face without even noticing, too focused on your phone. The blonde to your left noticed and leaned closer to you to spy on what you were watching. You straightened up a little when you felt his temple brush the top of your head. 

You brought your phone in between you two, and when you thought he was going to lean back, he shifted a little in his place to rest his head softly on yours once again, without letting any of his weight on you. 

Almost 20 minutes into the movie you had put your phone down, now watching the movie as you kept eating the little gummies left in the bag. You and Kaminari had shifted just enough for your head to lay on his shoulder, his head still on yours. 

Your hands would keep on brushing from time to time—none of you addressing it, though. When you reached over for the last gummy, you softly raised your head to look at him. 

“Last one.” You offered it to him. 

“It’s yours.” He spoke almost in a whisper.

“Do you want it?” 

“They’re your favourite.” 

You then brought the gummy to your mouth and bit it exactly in the middle, cutting it in half before bringing the other half up to him. He smiled softly before biting lightly the gummy from your hand. With a soft smile you rested your head back on his shoulder as he returned his head back on top of yours. 

You swallowed hard as you felt your heart race once more.

You had now watched a little over half of the movie, and you two had shifted a little—Kaminari was now sitting with one leg crossed and the other up to his chest, and you had moved your feet to your left, hugging a pillow as you leaned on the boy next to you—but your heads stayed together. 

Everyone had their eyes fixed on the TV, the movie had started to get way too suspenseful for everyone’s good—Mina was hiding behind a pillow, Kirishima had one clenched to his chest, and Momo was gripping Jirou’s arm like her life depended on it. 

A few minutes later a jumpscare came on and made everyone jump, some more than others, Momo and Mina letting out a small squeal. You jumped and brought the pillow closer to your face with your left as you used your right to straighten back up a little. 

There you accidentally placed your hand on the couch, right next to Kaminari’s, your fingers brushing slightly—but neither of you moved them away. Instead you felt your heart skip a beat when he grazed the side of your hand, slow and steady, making your skin tickle. When he was sure you wouldn’t pull away, he softly caressed the side of your pinky with his before hooking them together—barely there, just enough for your cheeks to start burning. 

Neither of you looked down, neither of you said a word. On the screen, the movie kept blaring—Mina squealed again, but all you could focus on was the silent game at your sides. 

When you turned your attention back to the movie, a loud jumpscare popped on the screen, making everyone flinch once again—including you. As you did you couldn't help but bring your hand back to the pillow, but without letting go of Kaminari’s pinky. He then was the one to let go of you, but only for a brief second—he shifted in his place and moved his arm ever so slightly in front of you, enough for you to hug it softly.

Not really knowing what to do and with your heart about to burst out of your chest—from both the movie and his touch—your hand traveled to his watch, playing with the band as you tried to focus again on the film. 

Mina then reached for her drink, looking around until her eyes caught a glimpse of the way you were sitting. Slowly, she took out her phone, snapping a few pictures without anyone noticing before typing on her phone. 

Your phone buzzed a few times, and with your free hand you unlocked it. 

So

We’re cuddling now? 

Your eyes widened as you brought your phone to your chest, afraid the blonde would look down at the screen. You glanced over at Mina, furrowing your brows. 

Since she texted your groupchat with her and Jirou, the purple haired replied after discretely glancing your way. 

Hello?

Did i miss a chapter? 

You typed fast, cheeks burning and hands slightly shaky. 

Stfu 

You looked up from your phone, only to find the both of them grinning. 

You watched as Mina typed something with a mischievous look before your phone buzzed again. 

Please just kiss already

You read the message, and even if your stomach felt like a kaleidoscope was flying lightspeed inside, you couldn’t help the smile tugging at your lips. You glanced over to your right, where Mina was watching the whole scene, very much amused. You shook your head slightly before glancing to your left, where Jirou exchanged a look with Mina before turning to you with a raised eyebrow. 

Then, your phone buzzed one last time—it was Jirou this time. 

Idk what’s going on, but u two owe me the whole season i missed 

You weren’t sure how long you stayed there, with his head on yours and the movie forgotten, but the memory still lingered on Monday morning.

You were on cloud 9—your steps felt lighter, like you weren’t walking on ground but on cotton candy. In the back of your mind Corazón by Danny Ocean played on loop as your day unfolded, humming along to the song in the middle of class without even realizing. Mina didn’t even try to hide her smirk when she caught you practically skipping down the hallway, but you didn’t even care—not even when Jirou mocked you with the pinkhead. 

Kaminari, for his part, didn’t really seem any different—he leaned on you casually between classes, tugged at your sleeve when he wanted your attention, made dumb jokes with that stupidly cute grin. But to you, every single slight brush of his hand felt electric—ironic, isn’t it?

When the bell announcing lunch rang, you were dragged outside by Jirou, who was also dragging Mina with her. 

“You’re breaking down this whole I’m-an-idiot-in-love scenario to me right now, I can’t keep watching you throw up rainbows without even knowing what the hell is going on with you.”

You smiled to yourself, “Fine, but I’m not in love.” 

“Yet.” Mina added, grinning. 

You filled your food trays as quickly as possible, sitting down at an empty table at the cafeteria. 

“Speak.” Jirou said, ever so serious. 

You laughed softly, beginning to recount every single event since you had gone over to Kaminari’s room. 

“Don’t tell me you kissed.” She interrupted you. 

“What? No!” You defended, but your smile was still plastered over your face. 

“Worse.” Mina chimed in, “She basically friendzoned him.”

“What? How?” Jirou asked, furrowing her eyebrows harshly, “Why?” 

Your smile faltered, making you look down to your fingers on the table. “I didn’t know what to say, alright?” 

You continued with the story, reenacting it using Mina as your prop, just like you had done when you told her—until Jirou interrupted you again. 

“Wait, so you friendzoned him and continued to act like a couple ever since? How the fuck does that make sense?” 

“It doesn’t.” Mina added, “What I’d like to know is exactly what is going on between you two.”

You shrugged, “Honestly… I don’t know.” You shook your head, every single moment with him coming back to you. “I just…” You lifted your gaze to your friends, a soft smile tugging at your lips.

“Oh my god.” Jirou spoke with a grin on her face before you could finish talking. “You are so disgustingly in love it’s sickening.”

“Again, I’m not in love. It’s just a crush.” 

“Tell that to your face, then.” Mina rested her cheek on the palm of her hand, grinning at you. 

The truth was you didn’t even know what you truly felt—you definitely had feelings for him, you had already accepted that some time ago.

But being in love?

That was a completely different story. 

You’d had other crushes in your life, of course. You had felt this way with other boys before. But you weren’t sure if you had ever been in love with somebody.

You ran a hand through your hair, “I swear, I’m not.”

“Then why are you acting like you are?” Mina raised an eyebrow at you. 

“Am I?” 

“Are you for real right now?” Jirou deadpanned. 

“What?”

“When you’re in the same room, you’re practically glued to each other.” 

“Don’t be dramatic now.”

Mina spoke this time, “What about Saturday when you were practically cuddling while watching the movie?”

You rolled your eyes, “One, we were not cuddling. Two, I have slept with both of you wrapped around me like I’m just another pillow.”

“Yeah, but we’re not Kaminari, are we?” Jirou smirked. 

“So what?” You looked down, playing with your chopsticks. “It’s basically the same thing.”

“You don’t have a crush on us, do you?” You laughed at Mina’s question, “Then it’s not the same thing.”

You shook your head before looking up, “I admit we’ve been… we’ve grown closer to each other, but that’s pretty much it.” You said, though your chest betrayed you with the way it fluttered just at the thought of him.

Then, as people kept coming in through the cafeteria’s doors, you saw him. 

Unconsciously your smile started to widen, eyes glued to him as he walked in—with someone else. 

A girl. 

But not any girl—that girl. 

Your smile faltered, making your friends turn to follow your gaze to him. 

He was walking to her side with a shy smile you had only ever seen a few times. You gulped, swallowing down every single emotion you were just feeling, your face starting to heat up. 

They were walking extremely close to each other, him speaking passionately about something you couldn’t quite make out. She looked up to him with a smile, like they were sharing something private—something only they knew about. 

You looked back down to your food tray, reality hitting you like a bucket of ice. 

Right, you had said he was just your friend. 

He had even said it before you did. 

So why would anything that happened matter? 

It was nothing more than affection between friends.

You shook your head, trying to get out of your head. Lunch continued with you changing the topic, and trying to engage in the conversation with your friends as naturally as possible. As you finished eating—which wasn’t much due to the strange feeling in your stomach—you glanced one last time to where they were sitting. 

They sat at a table across from yours, not in front but next to each other—awfully close together. Your stomach dropped when she leaned in and said something to him that changed his whole expression—his eyebrows raised slightly, eyes widened a little, and a smile slowly grew on his face at the same pace his cheeks turned a soft pink, almost unnoticeable. 

Then, the girl turned to you, as if she had felt your eyes on her. Your eyes met hers and for a second you froze. 

Until she smiled. 

Not in a mocking or demeaning way—a real, soft, honest and warm smile. 

And that was just great. She was pretty and nice. Like a cherry on top. 

You forced yourself to smile back, though the knot in your stomach only tightened.

“I thought about what you said last time. A lot.”

Kaminari walked down the hallway with Hana—he had texted her to get lunch together since he needed her perspective on a specific situation that hadn’t left his mind. 

“Did you?” She asked, looking up at him expectantly. 

“Yeah.” He kept his gaze forward as they entered the cafeteria, not knowing how to talk about this stuff. “I– last week, I got sick, right? And–” 

“And she took care of you?” Hana asked as she grinned, eyebrows slightly raised. 

Kaminari smiled shyly, tilting his head to the side. “How’d you know?”

The girl chuckled, “The sixth sense, boy.” 

They both walked over to the buffet in silence until Hana spoke again. “So, you’re not gonna tell me what happened?”

Kaminari let out a breathy laugh, “I– shit, it’s just…” He took his food tray and walked over to an empty table. 

“You guys kissed or what?”

His eyes widened, “What? No! Why would we?”

She sat down beside him, “I don’t know, because you like each other?”

Kaminari furrowed his brows as he played with his chopsticks, “That’s the thing, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“She doesn’t like me back.”

Hana stopped chewing and looked at him like he was speaking latin. “Did she say that?” 

“Basically. When I asked her why she had come to… take care of me, she said ‘because we’re friends, and that’s what friends are for.’” 

She blinked for a beat, trying to make sense of everything in her head. “What happened after?”

Kaminari let out a sigh, “When I asked her that we were, like, really, really close.” 

“Like, physically?” Hana raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah,” He nodded as he took one chopstick on each hand and placed them about 15cms apart. “Like, this close.” 

The girl raised both eyebrows quietly, waiting for him to continue. “After the question, I leaned back a little and she pulled her hand away from min–”

“You were holding hands?!” 

“Uh, not exactly—I had one hand on top of hers–”

“So you were!” Hana grinned. 

He felt his lips tugging into a smile, “Whatever, that’s not the point. She pulled away and for a second everything felt tense, awkward...” 

“...aaand?” She pressed.

Kaminari shook his head, “You know…” 

“I literally don’t.” She deadpanned.

He placed his elbows on top of the table, covering his face with his hands. “I brushed her hair behind her ear, and, uh… kind of caressed her cheek for a second?” He brushed both hands through his hair, looking down at his food. “Then I lowkey held her hand…” He trailed off. 

“The hell you mean by lowkey?”

He glanced over at her. “Fine, I held her hand again. Happy?”

“That’s better,” Hana smirked, “And what did she do?” 

“She squeezed it before leaving my room.”

“Ok, that’s… that’s actually great.” She furrowed her brows and turned to the blonde, “Why do you look like it isn’t?”

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? She basically friendzoned me!” 

“But that didn’t stop you from holding hands, did it?” 

Kaminari stopped, “No, but…”

“What happened after that day?” She stopped him. 

“Nothing, really.” Kaminari chewed slowly, “We just kind of… got closer, I guess?”

Hana chuckled lightly as she shook her head, “I’m gonna need you to start elaborating, you talk like a preschooler.”  

Kaminari bumped her arm slightly, “I mean, we have been talking more and… uh, we’ve been… touchy?”

She stopped chewing and turned to him, eyes widening as he kept quiet. She nodded, asking him to continue speaking. 

“There’ve been moments when we will… ok, wait.” He shifted in his place and turned to her, “It started with me doing the hair thing again, and that evolved into me doodling on her hand, uh, her playing with my fingers…” He didn’t notice, but a smile slowly grew on his face as his cheeks turned a soft pink, “...and last time, we were watching a movie and she rested her head on my shoulder, and I rested mine on hers and… uh, she ended up hugging my arm.”

Hana had stopped eating somewhere along his story, staring at him in disbelief. After a beat, she spoke. “Just friends, my ass.”

Kaminari let out a laugh, “What?”

“I can’t believe you two are so damn dense, gosh.” She ran a hand over her face and let out a sigh. “By the way, I’m guessing you’ve decided on her instead of your little game.” 

He turned back to his food, “I… should I?” 

“I swear I will punch you in the face so hard you’re not gonna be able to talk to anyone, not even her.” 

He chuckled lightly, “Can you stop roasting me?”

“Can you stop messing around?” Hana sighed once more, “Why wouldn’t you drop it for her? It’s so painfully obvious you like her…”

“Because,” He swallowed hard, “That doesn’t matter. She doesn’t like me back.”

“And how are you so damn sure?”

“Didn’t you hear my whole storytime? Besides, as I told you last time, I’ve been trying to get her attention for a while, and nothing has worked.”

“That’s because you’ve– I thought we’d already been over this.”

“I get it, I fucked up, but still. I can’t get past the fact that she sees me as just her friend.”

Hana rolled her eyes in annoyance, sighing before speaking. “...She doesn’t.”

“And how exactly do you know that, Sherlock?”

She leaned closer, “Don’t look, but I can tell by the way she keeps glancing over at you.”

Kaminari’s eyes widened slowly, fighting the urge to search for you among the cafeteria crowd. He could feel his own face start to heat up, smiling slightly. 

Hana lifted her gaze, only to meet your eyes. She smiled softly at you, and when you smiled back she blinked and turned to the blonde. 

She raised an eyebrow at him, watching his expression carefully. “Still having trouble making a decision?”

Kaminari shook his head, “I… What am I supposed to do?”

She shrugged, leaning back. “First? Accept that you like her for real and it’s not just a ‘dumb crush’. Then? You stop playing around.”

A little over a month ago, he had decided he didn’t like you. 

That he would keep it light because he didn’t have a chance. 

He even had told Sero he was just impressed by you. And he had convinced himself that it was something that would pass if he ignored it long enough. 

Dumb crush.

That’s what he had called it a couple of weeks ago, even if the weight on his heart had said otherwise. Even when he had tried everything his oblivious mind could come up with just so he could get your attention. 

Even when his chest felt full when he managed to pull that mesmerizing laugh out of you, when you would look at him dearly every time he asked for your help in class, when you would explain the same equation over and over to him with the same patience and kindness you started with.

Even when he felt warm every time your hand even brushed his, when every time he looked into your eyes he felt like he could melt right there, when your head was on his shoulder he wanted to ask you to never move away from his side.

Was any of that dumb?

No. It wasn’t. 

Hana’s words lingered on his head, not able to shake them off. 

Were you really interested in him? Did he actually stand a chance? Should he try?

That little spark of hope sizzled once more inside his heart. 

Chapter Text

Affection between friends.

Yeah, right.

You stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror, eyes unfocused as you slowly zoned out—your brain running a marathon you hadn’t signed up for.

It was 6:45 in the morning on a Tuesday, and your mind had already sprinted eight laps around the same topic—well, the same boy.

Did he really not like you at all?

Was he treating you the same way he treated all of his girl friends?

Did any of it mean something to him the way it did to you?

You exhaled sharply, opening Spotify and letting Love Language by SZA fill the room. Perfect timing, really.

You splashed water on your face, trying to wash away the thoughts with it.

You’re just tired, you told yourself. That was easier to live with. Easier than admitting you were overthinking Kaminari again.

And to be fair… you were tired.

Your personal training paired with Aizawa’s vigorous sparring sessions and drills were killing you. And honestly? Thinking about Kaminari before sunrise should’ve counted as a whole other workout because by the time you arrived at Gym Gamma, you were already exhausted.

You tried focusing on stretching, on your breathing, on anything else, but your mind kept drifting.

Which was probably why you didn’t notice Todoroki walking over until he spoke.

“Your stance is off,” he said simply.

“Hm?” You blinked, grounding yourself back to reality. Right. Training.

This, at least, was something you could deal with.

His comment wasn’t unusual—not anymore. It wasn’t the first time he corrected you like that. Ever since Aizawa had paired you with him a couple of weeks ago, your interactions had become… a thing.

At first it was just a quiet “good morning” when you passed each other in the hall. Then he started giving you tips during open training sessions.

Short, blunt, but specific notes. “Keep your guard up.” “You hesitate with your left side.” “You’re getting faster.”

Nothing dramatic, but enough for you to feel weirdly… seen.

Naturally it turned into small talk—usually initiated by you, but surprisingly never shut down by him. You’d learned by now that he was cold, dry spoken—but he meant well. If you gave him a chance, he was actually someone kind and interesting to talk to, even about trivial stuff. 

“Are you alright?”

You shook your head softly, tightening your ponytail. “I’m fine,” you said quickly. “Just tired from all the extra training.”

He studied you for a moment, clearly unconvinced but choosing not to push—just nodding his head as Aizawa entered the room, giving his usual tired look before speaking, “Pair up. Same as yesterday.”

Your eyes met the boy’s beside you. He gave a tiny nod—barely there, but familiar by now.

Great.

Another sparring session.

Exactly what you needed to stop thinking about Kaminari.

…or so you hoped.

You jumped from your water platforms, landing harshly on the ground, eyes focused on your opponent.

“Don’t hold back.”

You furrowed your brows. “I’m not.”

Todoroki stared at you—calm, unreadable, but sharp. “You’re distracted.”

“I’m not.”

“Then try harder.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Your mind was blank.

You rolled away just in time as a wave of ice shot toward you. Instinct kicked in—you dissolved it into water, forming two whips and sending them forward. Or trying to.

He didn’t even blink. Instead, he dropped low and froze the ground beneath you, a slick sheet of ice that nearly took your feet from under you.

You conjured water platforms again—bad call. You’d trained with him enough by now to know what was coming.

Sure enough, a burst of fire washed over them, evaporating them instantly and forcing you back onto the slippery floor and before you could regain balance, a wall of ice shot up and locked around you—cold, solid, immediate.

Sparring: over.

Four minutes and twenty three seconds. 

That’s how long it had taken Todoroki to defeat you today. Usually you would put on a show for the rest of your classmates—there had been times when you had gone over fifteen minutes sparring, attacking back and forth, Aizawa even had called it a draw a couple of times for your own sakes. 

You even managed to immobilize him one time, giving you the win after nine minutes or so. 

But less than five minutes? That was just depressing. Embarrassing. 

It was even worse knowing that you hadn’t even really been there. Of course, you were physically present—but you couldn’t recall the battle at all. 

You had moved out of pure instinct. Didn’t even strategize, didn’t recall all of your previous battles, didn’t even try out those new moves you had been practising lately. Gosh, didn’t even try to evaporate the ice immobilizing you.

Nothing. 

It was mediocre. 

You felt your face heat up as your breathing quickened. Soon enough, your opponent was right in front of you, his left hand on the ice prison he had created, slowly melting it away. 

He searched for your gaze, “You didn’t even try to get out.” 

You let out a short, breathy, defeated laugh. “Yeah. I–,” You inhaled sharply as you looked over to your side, where your classmates had all their eyes on you, making you feel even more ashamed of yourself. 

The boy followed your gaze, then turned back to you without saying anything. He offered you his hand to finally get out of the battle area, which you accepted without hesitating—just long enough to make sure you were steady on your feet before stepping back.

Aizawa called the next pair, and the two of you moved toward the sidelines, away from everyone’s line of fire.

You sat down on the bench, still catching your breath as you watched Todoroki stand for a second, then walk away.

You brought your knees to your chest, hugging them as you lowered your head for a minute. 

“This one’s yours, right?”

You looked up—Todoroki was standing in front of you, both his and your water bottle in hand. 

“Yeah,” You smiled softly, “Thanks.”

He nodded as he sat down beside you—but then again said nothing. 

Usually, when you finished training with him, you both would go back to your usual hang out groups, or exchange a few words and tips, but that was tops. Him staying by your side was… new. Unexpected. A little grounding, actually. 

“He shouldn’t have waited for Bakugou to attack first.” 

“Wha–” You turned to the pair battling in front of you, Tokoyami and Bakugou were up against each other, and it seemed like the battle wouldn’t take long. 

You huffed, “Yeah, but at the same time, it’s Bakugou—he’s gonna find a way to offense first.”

You turned to the two-toned hair, and you could've sworn you could see a faint smile on him. “Fair.” 

You then turned your attention back to the battle, letting your shoulders unstiffen a little as you rested the back of your head on the wall. 

Minutes passed with almost complete silence—just a few comments here and there about the upcoming pairs. 

Then he spoke again, “You’re better than that.”

You furrowed your brows, not taking your eyes off from your classmates. “Trust me… I’m aware.”

He nodded in silence without glancing your way either, “What happened?” 

“I just– I–” And there it was again. Your mind—completely blank. The hamster running your brain was, once again, scrambling and searching in the corners for the words, any words. They just weren’t there, in Japanese, at least. 

“I don’t know how to explain it.” Was all you managed to get out. 

“We can go again after class.” He said, “If you want.”

You dropped your head to your side, “Like a rematch?”

He shrugged, “Sure. But not because you lost—because you weren’t focused.”

That was… nice of him, really nice. You smiled softly, nodding as you took in his sudden initiative toward you. 

“I’ll take it,” you sighed before speaking again, “maybe I do need it.”

Then again the two of you just watched the fight in front of you. As you had learned, Todoroki wasn’t much of a talker—those times you had small talked with him were mostly you talking and him making short but insightful comments—and right now he didn’t seem bothered by the silence, at least. 

After a beat, he spoke again, “You’ve improved your reaction time, by the way.”

You raised an eyebrow, finally turning to face him. “Did… you just compliment me?”

“Just stating a fact.”

You laughed—an actual, honest laugh this time. And god help you, it felt good. Normal. Light. 

Light enough to make you forget, for one small moment, everything that had been eating at you.

Across the gym, someone didn’t miss that moment.

“Kaminari,” Sero murmured, nudging him with his elbow. “Watch.”

The blonde followed his gaze, eyes landing on you and your previous spar partner. “What?” he asked, looking at Sero for clarification—but his gaze snapped back to you before his friend could answer.

Sero’s grin was way too knowing. “Nothing, just…” he shrugged, casual in the least casual way possible. “Didn’t know those two were friends.”

Kaminari nodded as he watched the two of you talk. “Me neither.”

“Shit!” You shouted as you quickly rolled on the ground, barely dodging the big flames your opponent was throwing your way, evaporating the water you had just collected.

Think fast. You have got to think fast. 

Looking around you but without leaving your opponent unattended you finally had an idea that left Todoroki phased for a minute: you ran away. 

At least that’s what it looked like. 

You turned your back to him and ran away, the boy quickly running behind you without even knowing what was going through your mind. 

He tried a couple of times to shoot flames and ice at you, trying to get you to stop running, but you had managed to create a water shield to cover your back long enough to get to the verge of the river. 

Then you jumped in. 

Todoroki seemed to finally realize your plan, but unfortunately for him it was way too late. 

You emerged from the river, water waves spiraling around you as a water platform carried you forward—towards him. 

He tried once, twice, thrice to evaporate the water surrounding you, but as he realized it wouldn’t work, he then tried to freeze it—being met with the same result. 

Whatever he froze you quickly destroyed, summoning more water, faster thanks to your proximity to the river. 

Soon enough, you managed to shoot multiple water bullets his way, not actually hitting him though—just surrounding him. With this, in the blink of an eye you had trapped him inside a bubble, lifting him up from the ground and bringing him closer. 

But he hadn’t given up just yet—he used the height as an advantage to quickly evaporate the bubble and shoot an ice wave your way, catching your water platform and turning it into slippery ice, without even caring if he was falling down all the way to the ground.

Catching you by surprise, you quickly lost your balance and fell like a kid on a slide. Just as you reached the ground by rolling uncontrollably, his back did too, causing you both to groan in pain. 

Beep. Beep. Beep. 

And those were twenty minutes.

“No! Already?” You shouted from the ground, “I thought this could be the one!”

Todoroki sat up from where he was laying, “For a second I thought so, too.”

You extended your arms and legs and let out a defeated sigh, “Dammit, I almost had you.” 

You heard a soft, faint chuckle before watching the boy reach the phone. He turned your way as he spoke, “At least you lasted sixteen minutes more than earlier today.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his teasing, sticking out your tongue to him anyway. 

“We should probably head back.” He spoke again, “Dinner’s in less than an hour.”

“What? What time is it?” You looked up, meeting the already orange and yellow sky. 

“Six thirteen.”

You nodded, standing up as you dusted some dirt and grass off you. Silently you walked towards your bags and picked them up, starting your walk back to the Heights Alliance with Todoroki by your side. 

The sun was setting as it painted the sky orange, only the sounds of birds chirping, cicadas and your footsteps filling your ears. You didn’t know if it was because you had just finished training, but your chest felt unexpectedly warm—calm. 

For the first time all day, your mind wasn’t sprinting ahead of you.

You could actually hear yourself think.

A smile creeped up your face, “Thank you.” 

“Why?” 

You shrugged, looking up at the sky. “For helping me.” 

His brows furrowed, “You mean the spar?” 

“Not only the spar– I completely shut down earlier today.” 

“I noticed.” he said, but without a hint of judgment—just quiet understanding.

“I think everyone did.” You laughed softly, making him smile with you. “But, you were the only one to say something.” 

Todoroki hummed, “I could tell you were in your head. Just figured some training could help with it.”

“Does it happen to you?” You asked before even thinking, “I mean– You don’t have to tell me–”

“It happens to everyone, I guess.” He nodded, “It’s not like we can control our thoughts. Sometimes they are louder than actual noise.” 

You sighed, “Tell me about it.” 

“But,” He continued, “even if you can’t control them, you can acknowledge them and work with them.”

You looked down at your feet, letting silence fill the air for a minute. 

Acknowledging and working with your thoughts. 

He spoke again, “If you do, eventually they just stop consuming you.”

You nodded. Guess that makes sense. 

“In the meanwhile, you just… focus on something tangible—real.” 

“Like training.”

“Precisely. It grounds you.” 

You hesitated for a second, but asked anyway. “Do you think… If you don’t mind, could we train together again sometime?” 

He turned to you, “Sure.” He nodded, “You’re becoming a tough opponent.”

“Like I wasn’t before?” You brought your hand to your chest acting hurt. 

His eyes widened, “No– I mean–”

You laughed at his naive reaction, making him realize you were joking—shaking his head in amusement and relief. 

You felt warmth bloom in your cheeks—not like a romantic blush, no, just the soft feeling of someone noticing you needed support without making a big deal out of it. 

It was… nice. Having someone who got you just like that—no questions, no unnecessary drama, no nothing. Just the most unexpected person at all, helping you in the most comfortable silence you could have asked for. 

As you approached the 1-A dorms, you could start hearing the usual chatter from inside. People laughing, some screams—Bakugou, probably—, and the TV playing in the background. 

Todoroki reached for the door and waited for you to come in before doing so himself—and as you did, you could already sense a couple of curious eyes on you. 

Once inside, you walked straight to the elevator, choosing to ignore your friend’s stares—that was something you could deal with later. 

Todoroki walked close behind you, “Thanks again.”

“You don’t need to thank me. It helps me too.”

“If I wasn’t half as good as I am now, would you still spar with me?” You asked, half joking, half curious. 

Ding. 

He paused as he waited for you to get in the elevator. “I would. It would count as a light workout, anyway.” 

An honest and quite loud laugh escaped from you, “Arrogant much?”

He smiled, “Did I lie?”

You shrugged, still with a smile on your face. “I guess you didn’t.”

And you couldn’t hear it, but as the elevator doors closed, the chatter began near the kitchen island. 

“Did they–”

“Yeah…” Mina answered Jirou’s half question. 

They shared a look before glancing at the two boys in front of them. The electric blonde was still staring at the elevator, while the dark haired watched him in amusement with a smug smile on his face—he then turned to the girls, who raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Watch out, dude! You’re gonna burn dinner!” Kirishima reached for the pan and snatched the spoon out of Kaminari’s hand. 

“Shit, shit, shit—Sorry.” He turned off the stove, blinking like he was waking up from a trance.

Sero tilted his head. “Someone looks… surprised.” 

The blonde looked up, “Huh—me?” he furrowed his brows and scoffed, “Why… why would I? I’m not surprised at all.”

But the high pitch in his voice gave him away completely. 

“He looks stupid.” Bakugou added. 

Kaminari threw his hands up. “What did I do!?”

“You’re a shitty liar.”