Chapter Text
About twenty minutes before Game Night was about to start, Kaminari had already broken the one rule Kirishima set for him. He was panicking, and panicking hard. He’d changed his shirt a total of four times, finally settling on the first one he tried on. Now, as he sat on the couch, leg bouncing a mile a minute, Kaminari couldn’t help but worry that this was a bad idea.
Realistically, it was just like any game night. The only difference was that Shinsou would be there. And Shinsou would sit next to him. And maybe Shinsou would look at him or put his arm around him or hold his hand or laugh when he said something funny. Other than that, it was totally normal. The biggest issue was that Kaminari didn’t know how to act around the purple-haired boy.
They’d texted a few times since the night in Kirishima’s room. It was mainly both of them sending memes back and forth, nothing inherently flirty about it. But sometimes Shinsou would send an emoticon smiley face or a selfie and Kaminari would panic. He’d always send something back, but he was never sure what exactly he should be doing. Was this flirting? ‘Was this what it’d been like with Kyouka?’ he asked himself one night, staring at a gym selfie Shinsou sent him. He quickly shoved the idea out of his mind. In the end, he’d sent back a picture of him in bed, throwing a peace sign, which warranted a smiley face from the other boy. Seeing the message turned Kaminari’s face bright red. He was in such a tizzy he threw his phone across the room.
So, yeah. Tonight would be interesting.
As he waited, Kaminari sat on one of the couches in the common room, his leg bouncing a mile-a-minute. Kirishima occupied the other end of the couch. Bakugou was in the kitchen, ordering around a frantic Ashido and a stressed Sero as they finished dinner for the night.
“Bro,” Kirishima said, noticing Kaminari’s leg. “You need to relax. It’s just a game night.” Kaminari wiped his hand down his face and flipped the redhead off.
“I’m getting it out now, asshole,” he muttered.
“No, you’re not, goofus.” Kirishima slid towards his friend’s side of the couch and placed an arm around his shoulder.
“I’m just worried this is all a mistake,” Kaminari said, setting his head in his hands.
“If it is, then it’s not the end of the world, bud.” Kaminari couldn’t help but disagree, but he knew Kirishima would look disappointed in him if he said anything. He really couldn’t handle those puppy dog eyes right now.
“They’re here,” Kirishima said, checking his phone. He patted Kaminari’s shoulder as he walked past. “Everything’s going to be fine, man.”
Oh, how Kaminari wished he believed him.
Contrary to Kaminari’s original belief, the night wasn’t going too terribly. He awkwardly sat next to Shinsou, all too aware of everything around him, how his clothes felt on his skin, how his legs sank into the couch, how his bangs fell into his face, but he was having a good time. Kirishima busted out Cards Against Humanity, a good choice for such a big group, and Kaminari actually won a few rounds. Hell, some of his cards even made Shinsou laugh. Slowly but surely, he could feel his guard coming down.
“I’m gonna go grab some water,” Kaminari said after his turn to judge passed. “Anyone else want anything?”
“Ooo! Can you get me a bag of shrimp chips?” Ashido called out.
“Could you also grab me a bottle of water?” Tetsutetsu asked sheepishly.
“Banana,” Bakugou demanded simply.
“Okay, be back in a sec,” Kaminari said, getting up from the couch. He was surprised to find Shinsou getting up as well.
“Looks like you might need an extra set of hands. I’ll come with,” he offered.
“Okay,” Kaminari shrugged. What had he been so worried about? Everything was going great! He was starting to feel comfortable around Shinsou. Maybe he was overreacting before.
When they got to the kitchen, Kaminari started grabbing everyone’s requests. Shinsou leaned against the counter, watching him.
“I read some of that poetry you leant me,” he finally said.
“Yeah?” Kaminari asked from the inside of a cupboard. Ashido’s chips were shoved in the back somewhere. “What’d you think?”
“I liked it,” Shinsou said evenly. “But I liked your annotations more.”
“That so?” Kaminari teased. He removed himself from the inside of the cupboard, having found the chips, to find Shinsou right next to the cupboard door, a sly smile on his face.
“Very much so,” Shinsou smiled. He was close. Very close.
“What was your favorite poem?” Kaminari asked nervously.
“I liked ‘Tell me not here, it needs not saying,’” Shinsou quietly responded. God, he was close.
“Yeah?” was all Kaminari could find in himself to say as he stared into the shining amethysts Shinsou called eyes.
“Yeah,” Shinsou whispered. “‘For nature, heartless, witless nature / Will neither care not know / What stranger’s feet may find the meadow / And trespass there and go / Nor ask amid the dews of morning / if they are mine or no,’” he recited into Kaminari’s ear.
And then, the building went dark.
“Come on, Kami. It wasn’t even that bad!” Kirishima called from the other side of his door. The redhead had been knocking since Shinsou and Tetsutetsu left, trying to convince the blond to leave his room.
“I short-circuited the building!” Kaminari yelled, his face buried in a pillow. “How is that not ‘that bad?’”
“You know I can’t hear you!” Kirishima hollered, still knocking. Kaminari groaned into the pillow. It looked like he wasn’t getting rid of Kirishima that easily, so he dragged himself out of bed and opened the door.
“I cut off power for the entire building, Kiri. That’s pretty fucking bad,” he lamented, flopping back onto his bed.
“Okay, well that part wasn’t great.” Kaminari punched his friend’s leg. “Ow! Stop, you dickhead. As I was saying,” Kirishima continued, sitting on the bed. “That wasn’t great, but Shinsou didn’t seem too put-off. He was really understanding.”
“Then how come he hasn’t texted me yet?” Kaminari mumbled, staring at the ceiling.
“His phone was dead when he left. All of ours were.”
“I took out everyone’s phones too?” He bolted upright, eyes wide.
“Dude!” Kirishima put a hand on his shoulder. “Chill. No one’s mad at you and no one thinks you’re stupid. Give it some time if you need to.” Kaminari nodded.
“Okay. Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” The two laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
“Did you figure it out?” Kirishima asked after a few seconds of silence.
“I think so. I think short-circuiting an entire building because a cute guy is too close to you is a sign.” Kirishima snorted.
“What’d he do that made you freak out, anyway?” the redhead asked. Kaminari groaned and ran his hands over his face.
“He recited poetry from the book I leant him.” He heard Kirishima chuckle lightly from his side.
“Whipped.”
“Bite me. At least I didn’t grip the table so hard I got stuck after a certain angry blond fell asleep on me.”
“I’m never helping you again.”
“Likewise.”
Kaminari was thankful for the beautiful Saturday afternoon. It was a good excuse to get out of the house. He couldn’t take all the pitying looks from his classmates, the gentle pats on the shoulders, the telling him, “It’s really no big deal.” So, after lunch, instead of hiding in his room, Kaminari slid out the front door with his water bottle and Terayama Shuji’s ‘When I Was a Wolf’ and made his way to his favorite tree.
After an hour or two, Kaminari closed the book and leaned his head back against the tree. He sighed, running his hands down his face. How did he even get here? Thank God Shinsou was in Class B and he didn’t have to see him every day. Kaminari hadn’t turned his phone back on since the incident. He was too scared of what Shinsou might say. He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to look Shinsou in the eye now, much less talk to him about what happened. Maybe he’d never see Shinsou again and he could forget about everything.
“Hey,” a familiar voice called from next to him.
Shit.
Kaminari lifted his hands from his face and plastered on a smile.
“Hey.” Shinsou stood before him, shifting awkwardly from leg to leg, holding Kaminari’s Housman collection. They looked at each other in silence for a few moments, unsure where to start.
“I think I owe you an apology,” Shinsou finally said.
“What?” Kaminari asked, incredibly confused. Why was Shinsou apologizing? He wasn’t the one who made a fool of himself and blacked out an entire building and multiple phones.
“Yeah.” Shinsou sat on the ground next to the blond boy. He was about two feet away. If Kaminari wasn’t worried he’d blow out the power grid, he’d want Shinsou closer. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again,” he said earnestly.
“Oh,” Kaminari said, not entirely sure how to respond.
“Yeah. I promise it won’t happen again. I’m sorry for misunderstanding the situation,” Shinsou said.
“Shinsou, I…” The purple-haired boy looked at him, amethyst eyes shining in the afternoon sun. “I wasn’t uncomfortable.”
“Oh.”
“Or, like, I was, but not because of you. Well, kind of because of you, but not really.”
“I don’t think I’m following,” Shinsou said, confused.
“Yeah, I don’t think I am, either,” Kaminari laughed. Shinsou chuckled, too.
“I like you. I think,” Kaminari tried to clarify.
“I like you, too,” Shinsou smiled.
“I got… overwhelmed. I’ve never done this before. I didn’t even know I liked guys until last week,” Kaminari explained as best he could. “I’m just not sure about all this stuff yet. I don’t think I’m ready for anything.” Shinsou nodded.
“I get it. I forget not everyone is on the same page as me,” he said. “If you’re comfortable, let me know? When you’ve figured your stuff out?” Kaminari smiled.
“Yeah, yeah. Will do.”
“Thanks,” Shinsou smiled back. “Oh! Here’s your book back. I finished it last night.” He handed the book over.
“How’d you like the rest of it?” Kaminari asked.
“It was definitely something. I don’t think I got all of it, even with your annotations,” Shinsou said sheepishly.
“Poetry's like that,” Kaminari assured him. “It can mean whatever you want it to.”
“Cool,” Shinsou commented.
“Hey, creeper! Stop hitting on Kaminari!” A voice called, coming closer to the two.
“Shut up, Monoma,” Shinsou yelled back. The blond boy stood in front of them, arms crossed, a sly grin on his face.
“We have study tables in ten,” he said to Shinsou.
“Oh shit.” Shinsou started to get up, dusting off his jeans.
“You guys do study tables?” Kaminari asked, watching the other boy.
“Oh, so does the amazing class A not have organized study tables? And I thought you guys were supposed to be the best of us.” At this point, Monoma’s taunts were venomless. Class A regarded him more like an eccentric uncle than an enemy.
“Shut up, doofus,” Shinsou scolded lightly. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Whatever,” Monoma said, lightly. He nodded to Kaminari before booking it back to wherever study tables were held.
“I never really pictured you and Monoma getting along,” Kaminari teased. Shinsou shrugged, smiling.
“When people say shit to me, Monoma… well, he says shit back.”
“Love that,” Kaminari commented.
“Yeah,” Shinsou agreed. “I’ll see you later?” he asked.
“You will,” Kaminari confirmed.
“Cool.” With that, Shinsou ran to wherever he needed to be.
And Kaminari let himself feel okay about missing him.