Chapter Text
If there was one thing Kirishima could give Kaminari’s parents credit for it was for choosing a place that looked great for raising a kid. Within walking distance of Kaminari’s house were schools, elementary, middle, and high, all with lavish playgrounds, fields, and other facilities. Next to them were several small parks perfect for families with small kids or folks with pets who wanted to run around. And then beyond them were arcades, shops, and restaurants, all the essential components of a family-oriented shopping district. In sum, it was easily a place that could keep Kaminari educated, entertained, and well fed. That combination was why he was so brainy, fun-loving, and well thin. If the skatepark they were passing was anything to show, he imagined he and his friends were here after school for as long as they could be.
“Hey wait.” Kirishima grabbed Kaminari’s wrist keeping him from walking.
“What, the place is just up ahead.” Kaminari kept walking even as Kirishima held a hold of him. How he shivered and trembled was alarming. “We’re gonna miss breakfast if you sight see.”
“But, I wanna go there, the stall, with the pancake on a stick.” Lurking close to the edge of the skatepark was an old man dipping sausage sticks blanketed with a pancake in syrup before placing them on a rotating spool in a heated case. Families grabbed them in turn and ate them as they watched a little monkey dance around to accordion music. As they cheered and clapped, Kaminari cracked a little smile. “See.”
“Fine, but don’t take too long.” Kaminari’s eyes shifted to the park beyond the old man, before back to his friend. “Just a performance or two and that’s it, we gotta job to do.”
“Oh who died and made you Cap’n.” Kirishima repositioned his hand until he was holding his and squeezed it.
“Stop it you.”
“Why, I think Cap’n Kaminari has a nice ring to it, don’t you?”
“No.” Kaminari couldn’t help but blush and look aside. “It sounds ridiculous.”
Kirishima hummed and walked a little closer. He brushed his shoulder. “Is that why you’re blushing?”
“I am not blushing, I’m just hot.” Kaminari fanned himself as he did nothing but look at his friend. “See, hot.”
“I mean, I guess you do have a point.” Kirishima leaned close and spoke right into his ear. “You are hot as heck you know.”
“Kirishima!” How loud his voice was brought all eyes and ears to them even the monkey. Realizing he had everyone’s attention Kaminari dug into his pockets and tossed out a plastic card right into the downturned hat sitting beside the monkey. As if triggered, the monkey backflipped until it reached the hat, and grabbed a pair of cymbals set aside. As a carnival-based ditty played, perhaps clicked on by the appreciative vendor, the monkey clapped the cymbals and danced.
Kaminari’s flustered expression faded to one of pure and genuine joy as he stood captivated by the song and dance. Kirishima found himself struggling to focus on the performance as he watched Kaminari’s smile grow and glow. How his expression brightened as the performance went on warmed Kirishima’s heart and sent him smiling softly and tenderly. How Kaminari could look as such was one of the most beautiful things in the world, no, the galaxy. He wished more than anything that he could take his phone out and capture it, commit it to memory, and look at it whenever he wanted.
When the performance was over though, he was looking forward clapping at the monkey and the vendor as if he’d been interested the entire time. A part of him was as seeing how talented the monkey was and how it went up to each and every person high fivving them before scurrying back to its hat as cards were tossed in was entertaining to see.
“I liked it.” Kaminari squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye. He still wore a smile.
“You did?”
“Yeah, a lot, wish we could stay longer though.” Kaminari looked aside with a look of longing. “But, I guess we got a job to do.”
“I mean, we could stick around for a bit, eat our pancake sticks while watching him go at it again.” Kirishima dug out his card from his pocket. “I mean I just toss this.”
He nearly did but Kaminari yanked his arm down. “Dude not that one, that’s like, your entire bank account and then some, you trying to set them up for life, I mean, I assume that’s how much you captains get paid.”
“But you just did?”
“No silly.” Kaminari pulled out another card. Unlike Kirishima’s it was floppy like a disk of old. “This is just a preloaded card for like train fare and other random stuff. Considering how I am, I just get a couple of these whenever I’m home.” He giggled and looked aside.
Kirishima knew what was up. Kaminari could be a little clumsy. He’d spent many a morning helping him look for his holopen. That one time when it was on his head was still fresh on his mind.
“So to keep that from happening, Cap’n, I mean, Midoriya suggested I do this, so I did and it worked. I no longer misplace my money card.”
“I see, so, hm, just toss another to the monkey and lets get our food. I’ll pay you back.”
“Wait no, you don’t have to do that.” Kaminari did as he said. “Really, my treat again.
“Why do you keep wanting to treat?”
“No-no-no-no reason.” Kaminari left his side in a hurry as he got a few pancakes on a stick. When he came back he did everything in his power to stay focused on the monkey’s performance. Kirishima didn’t mind it as he enjoyed eating and enjoying the spectacle, his friend’s face and the joy it emanated as he lost himself in the performance.
“Hey, wait, you see that?” Kirishima interrupted Kaminari’s musings about the arcade they just left as he pointed at something shimmering in the distance.
“What?”
“That, come on, lets go, we gotta check it out.” He grabbed Kaminari’s hand and tugged him across the street ducking and weaving through the e-cars and scooters traversing the roadways.
“Check what.” Kaminari’s words were interrupted by hacking and wheezing.
“Crap.” Kirishima was just as incapacitated. Something in the air was making it difficult to breathe. He tugged Kaminari backwards, out of the alley they’d almost went down and caught their breaths.
“Was that the stuff that knocked you out?”
“Just about.” Kirishima’s breathing relaxed. “Though this packed much more of a kick, wow.”
“What do we do?” Kaminari looked at him as if he had the answer. “We don’t have gas masks on us and I don’t think any shop here sells something like that.”
“Hey.” Kirishima touched his lapel mic establishing communication with Monoma. “Did you pick up something on the scanner?”
He and Kaminari quickly put their earpieces on and listened intently. One moment, two moments, and three moments passed and there was nothing.
“Yo Monoma, you got me?” Kirishima pressed his hand harder as if he was making sure he had the mic button depressed. “Monoma, yo, Monoma.”
Still nothing came through.
“I don’t get it. Is this thing bugged or something?” Kirishima looked at his friend worriedly.
“Nah.” Kaminari shrugged and smiled. “I guess he’s sleep or something, you know he runs himself ragged for us.”
“I guess you got a point.” Kirishima remembered how he did go the distance for Midoriya and well now for him making sure he had all that he needed for any and every mission they partook. Even if he made a show of it and poked fun at the prodigies around him, he was still dutiful and determined to establish his place in the crew. He and Kirishima were grateful for it. “Still, this is unlike him though, he’s usually on top of things.”
“Surveillance isn’t exactly the most exciting part of this.”
Kirishima nodded. “Well, I guess we’re on our own for a bit.” Kirishima looked around. “You know your way around here, don’t you?”
“Dude, who you asking? I’ve lived most of my life here. I know it like the back of my hand.”
“Good then you lead and I follow. We gotta catch the brat while we can. Who knows what he has planned for Shoto and his family.”
“Yeah.” Kaminari grabbed his pocket almost pulling the holopen out but Kirishima’s hand was on his wrist.
“Nah just use what’s up here, we don’t got any time for that.” Kirishima pointed to his head. “Come on lets go.”
“But.”
“Dude, you got it, I know you do.” Kirishima grinned as he pushed him forward into a run.
Kaminari did as such as he looked straight ahead before he ducked into an alley, headed down it, and turned to head down the next major road. Kirishima was right on his heels and spotted the teen ducking and weaving through a crowd. A scream or two and some pointed fingers urged both teens to pick up the pace.
“That squirts the brat?” Kaminari mentioned as he dove into a nearby alley.
“Yeah.”
“Looks like a middle schooler.”
“Or just short.”
“That too but his outfit, I’m sure I’ve got it buried in my closet somewhere.”
Kirishima wondered what would cause a kid like that to resort to a life of crime like this. What was he after or rather what was he getting in return? Was he in the same situation that Kaminari was, living at home with parents barely in the picture? Or worst, had he got in with the wrong crowd? It was the only reason to still be in the clothes he was in when he probably ran away from home, no school. “Come on, we gotta get him, I wanna ask him some questions.”
“Not so fast, this way.” Kaminari yanked him down a different alley.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, or would it be by myself.” Kaminari mused as he exited yet another alley.
“Got him.” Kirishima leapt pouncing upon the brat.
“You again?” The kid sounded genuinely surprised as the bags in his hands fell out spilling their contents on the ground.
“I said it didn’t I?” Kirishima pinned him doing his best to keep him splayed unable to reach his belt and deploy gas like he’d done before. “I’d be the one to bring you in.”
The kid sucked his teeth as he squirmed about caring little about getting his arms mixed in with the overturned food around them.
“Nuh-uh, not again.”
“Curse you.” The kid squirmed even more furiously before. Wry, Kirishima struggled to keep him down, however, with Kaminari by his side, Kaminari focused on his shoulder pushing him down.
“Quit yer yapping, or else I won’t get to read you your rights.”
“Screw reading me my rights, screw it.” The kid shifted his body just enough to make something chink on the ground below and roll.
Kirishima saw it and jumped off the kid’s body tucking it between his own and shielding Kaminari from it. Surprised, Kaminari fell off the kid as the kid was up, dashing away and laughing.
“Go after him, now!” Kirishima remained as he was as he gestured his head towards the teen. “Before it’s too late.”
“But you, Cap’n.”
“And as your captain I order you to go.” Kirishima remained just as forceful as heat warmed his body. He squirmed as it became uncomfortable fast. “Hurry, I don’t know how much longer I can keep this from escaping.”
Kaminari looked ready to run off, he really did but he turned around, shedding his jacket, his shirt, and crouching, doing his best to get his arms beneath his friend.
“What are you doing?!”
“Saving you!”
“Kaminari, no, go, go now, I got this.”
Kaminari ignored him as he kept getting his hands and the clothes beneath his friend.
“Kaminari it’s too dangerous, go on now, its gonna go off any time now!” By now the heat was so unbearable that it took Kirishima all his willpower to speak through clenched teeth.
“All the more reason for me to stay.”
“Kami-”
As if all heat erupted from that ball, Kirishima found himself screaming in pure agony as it went off like a bomb. He was lifted several meters off the ground before he landed several storefronts away. He writhed in agony on the ground as his body still felt warm, now bloody, and aching. What hurt more was the sight of Kaminari tumbling backwards as if he was hit by a rocket. Blood streamed down his face, dripping onto his bloodied arms. He was unmoving.
“Kaminari!” Kirishima uttered as he tried to stretch forward as if to reach him, but it hurt. It hurt so bad that all he could do was cry, lower his hand, and fall unconscious as if his body was doing its best to quell the pain.