Chapter Text
"Dumbass wake up you're gonna be late!". Kaminari shifted in his sheets but groaned when a pillow was struck against his face. "Hurry up Mina still needs to do her makeup and you need to use the bathroom first" Bakugo yelled from the kitchen.
"Breakfast is on the table idiots! First come first serve!".
Kaminari quickly brushed his teeth before running to the kitchen table, pouncing onto a plate of bacon.
Bakugo was wearing his usual flower apron as he served the last of the food. He handed Kaminari a cup of orange juice as he complained about having to 'feed kids he never even had'.
Sero jogged into the kitchen, grabbing a bowl of rice with a fried egg before heading out the door.
"Give me back my fucking dishes tapeface! You've broken three bowls in the past two weeks!". No answer came from the door and Bakugo was suddenly storming outside, barefoot in the cold of Autumn.
Kaminari stuffed his face with bacon while he listened to Bakugo yelling profanities at Sero.
"You should really eat more than that". Kaminari turned around to see Mina. She hadn't put her makeup on yet and her hair was a mess.
As she sat down, she ruffled his hair before grabbing a box of cocoa powder and a bowl of milk.
"You're not exactly eating healthy either Mina, you're literally having chocolate for breakfast I thought you were on a diet".
She turned to him and smiled brightly in an unnerving manner.
"No point in going on a diet if you're already perfect". Kaminari shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth nodding his head slowly. I guess it didn't work out.
"Fucking son of a bitch" Bakugo exclaimed as he walked through the door. The flower apron Mina had bought him for his birthday was all muddy and Bakugo's hair looked even worse.
"I'm gonna fucking tape his entire fucking body to the fucking kitchen table tomorrow I swear to fucking God". His grumbling trailed off as he went to his room presumably to sleep.
He came stumbling into the kitchen within the next minute to exclaim "I made eggs, rice, fucking everything why the fuck is there still so much food on the fucking table! I worked my ass off only for you bitches to have fucking--he picked up the milk jug-- chocolate milk? Why the fuck do I even bother?". He groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Kaminari ate the last piece of bacon as Mina tried to protest.
"Chocolate milk and toast is a traditional-".
"I don't give a fuck Mina! I thought you were on a fucking diet!". Mina's eerie smile returned to her face. Kaminari saw Bakugo shiver slightly before turning around and walking back up to his room.
"I think Bakugo's gotten tired of your weird French food". Mina just stung her tongue out at Bakugo's retreating figure. Surprisingly, he didn't notice like he usually did.
"Poor thing hasn't seen Kirishima all week because their schedules clash". Kaminari hummed as he dipped the empty dishes into the sink. "That reminds me I'm going on another blind date this weekend! God, I hope he's the one" Mina announced in a dazed state. "Oh, yeah and Sero and his soulmate invited us to come to this big party event going on at his workplace tomorrow! Oh, I can't wait!". Kaminari groaned slightly as he put his plate in the sink.
After dropping out of high school days before graduation, Sero set out to pursue his business. He had more success than anyone else Kaminari knew but still chose to live with the three of them in their crummy apartment.
"Alright well, I'm gonna head off to class Mina". She nodded scooping a piece of toast in her mouth. Kaminari quickly changed his clothes before heading out the door.
****
Kaminari took the bus to college. He was running short on money but he had no doubt Sero would help out with that.
Sero was just generous like that, he even paid for their groceries and food. After years of living with his friends and paying for their necessities, Sero met his soulmate and suddenly, he wasn’t around as much. Kaminari didn’t miss wasting large amounts of money for dumb youtube or tik tok challenges. He didn’t miss going shopping with his best friend for the best pair of sneakers. No, he missed the time they would spend together. He missed going on campaigns together and watching horror movies late at night. But he had his soulmate to tend to now and a fastly growing business. Sero didn’t really have time for Kaminari anymore.
Kaminari took a seat by the window, placing his headphones over his ears as the bus began to move. The slow rhythm of yet another love song had him groaning.
Mina had been going on so many blind dates recently, all to meet ‘the one’ and Bakugo was no better. Once he met Kirishima, he suddenly became calmer, he thought about his actions more and he even had a grin on his face most days.
Kaminari forwarded his music until heavy metal drowned his ears.
The bus came to a stop and Kaminari found himself seated in his first class. He was not in the mood for a three-hour-long lecture but suffered through it anyway.
After class, Kaminari decided to walk around town for a while. He was depressed. He couldn't stop his mind from racing with questions about his soulmate. Who were they? When would they meet? Would it be love at first sight or would it take time?
Kaminari figured he was okay with whatever. Just as long as he had them.
He found himself stumbling into an old record store. Dusty instruments hung on the walls and the place was stacked full of CDs, records, art for album covers, concert posters and more. Hardly any light streamed through the filthy windows and the room felt stuffy and hot.
Kaminari browsed through some of the records being a big fan of music. A lot of the records were vintage but looked unused. He looked around for a store attendant but didn't find one. After about twenty minutes of browsing, Kaminari walked out of the store. He loved music, even wanted to learn to play the guitar one day but he didn't feel like he'd be able to. Reading music notes was difficult and he was known for being a dumbass.
He chuckled to himself as he walked into McDonald's, grabbing a Happy meal before heading home.
"Eijirou you left the stovetop on!"
"Sorry!".
Kaminari was surprised to see Bakugo not blow up for once. I guess he's just happy to see Kirishima again.
They were all sat down in the living room. Sero and Mina were playing some games on the switch while talking about tomorrow’s party and Kirishima and Bakugo were very busy cuddling on the couch. When asked, Bakugo denied it but the way Kirishima's arm was wrapped around his shoulders and his head placed on Kiri's chest made it look like cuddling. Kaminari was trying to figure out this problem for class. He had to take remedial courses since he did so poorly on...well...everything.
"Hey Bakugo, you mind helping me out with this?". Bakugo snatched up his paper to take a look.
"Your dumbass can't even figure this out? This is the basics and I'm not even in your class". Kirishima glanced at the paper before answering.
"Yeah Kaminari we went over this not too long ago, don't you remember?".
Kaminari felt stupid. He had spent fifteen minutes on this when his friends already knew it by just a glance. "C'mon Kami, I'll show you how to do it again". Bakugo cursed something as Kirishima went to sit beside Kaminari.
"Dammit, Mina! I almost had it!".
"Like hell you did Sero! You haven't won a single round since we started!". Sero groaned as he put the controllers away.
Kirishima had been actively helping Kaminari with his work while Bakugo sat by, sipping tea and commenting on a few things.
"We having a study session a day early? Mina asked. "Lemme grab my stuff".
That evening turned into a much-needed review and study session. Moments like these should have made Kaminari happy but for some reason, it didn’t. Everyone else was sat around laughing, learning, and even throwing notes shaped into paper airplanes.
He couldn’t feel what they felt in that moment. Kaminari glanced at the way Bakugo looked at Kirishima. Love. He looked at Kirishima’s smiling face as a paper airplane Mina had thrown accidentally hit Bakugo’s hair. Kirishima went to calm his soulmate down, smiling at his red face. Adoration. Mina giggled at how easily Bakugo’s temper dissipated when his soulmate was by his side. Amusement. He watched as Sero rolled onto the floor laughing as Bakugo’s face turned red from Kirishima’s peck on his left cheek. Joy.
Why couldn’t he feel those things? Why did it instead feel like there was a barrier between him and his friends? As if he was in a different room entirely. He could see the happiness they felt but could not enjoy it for himself.
“Hey guys, I’m tired. I think I’m gonna get an early night”. Mina stopped giggling.
“But it’s Friday night” she reasoned. Kaminari just gave them a sheepish grin before grabbing his stuff.
“Okay well, goodnight Kami”. Mina began chortling again when Sero threw a cushion at Bakugo’s face. And just like that, Kaminari was forgotten.
He listened to their bouts of laughter as he lay in bed. Today was a depression day but tomorrow will be better, he said to himself. He wanted to believe it, he tried to. But he was left with a sick feeling and a wet pillow as he attempted to sleep.