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“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Kirishima asked, definitely stressed out over the situation. Kaminari sighed,
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.” He said, refusing to meet the other boy’s eyes.
What had happened was, after an accident during training wherein Kaminari had been sent to Recovery Girl and she had been having a heart to heart with Kaminari about the side effects of his quirk. Kirishima had overhead from the hallway, and it wasn’t good.
“I’m supposed to be your best friend, I think I deserve to know that your quirk has been killing you slowly!” Kirishima exclaimed, his voice getting louder and louder as he spoke. Kaminari winced, he hated thinking about what his quirk was doing to him.
“How do you think I feel, huh? All I’ve ever wanted to be a hero and if I end up dead by thirty because of this stupid quirk then at least I accomplished my dream rather than living out a nightmare,” Kaminari said, desperately trying to keep calm. He didn’t want to cry, not now, not like this. “I knew that if I told you about it you’d try to stop me from being a hero.”
Kirishima stopped, causing all of the expression in his face to drain away just like Kaminari wishes he could from this conversation. This school. Maybe if he dropped out and applied at Shiketsu he’d get in and could pretend like he was a completely different person with a quirk that wasn’t going to be the death of him. But he wouldn’t do that. He liked his friends here too much.
“You’re my best friend, Kami,” Kirishima shakily took a deep breath, likely trying to compose his thoughts, “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I don’t want you to die, there's other alternatives-”
“Stop trying to save me! I just said I knew you’d try to stop me. Why is it that Midoriya can have a quirk not meant for his body but I can’t? This is all I’ve ever wanted.”
There was a silence that passed between them. Neither boys wanted to meet the others eyes, and neither knew what to say anymore. No one could possibly walk away from this conversation feeling like a winner.
“Is there anyway to lessen the damage?” Kirishima asked, voice quiet, which was rather unusual for the red haired boy and made Kaminari feel rather awkward. The entire time he’d known Kirishima, he’d approached everything in a bought of passion, how could this be the one thing that made that passion dwindle?
Kaminari shrugged, then shook his head a moment later. Kirishima nodded.
“Then I just have to make sure that you don’t leave my side at all until your time’s up.” Kirishima promised, his voice sounding comparatively less sullen as that passion he was known for slowly slid back into his voice.
Kaminari nodded awkwardly, not quite used to having someone legitimately care for him. He had friends, sure, but he didn’t actually believe that any of them cared enough about him to think of him as anything other than the class clown.
“I didn’t realize anyone cared so much.” Kaminari said, his mouth working before he could even think about what he was saying. Kirishima finally deigned to make eye contact with the other boy, and he looked distraught.
“So you were just gonna let yourself die without telling any of us?”
Kaminari shrugged, “Didn’t really think anyone was gonna stick around after graduation anyways.” Those few words caused Kirishima lunged to wrap his arms around Kaminari in a tight hug, as if he was afraid of letting go. Kaminari reluctantly wrapped his arms around the other boy’s back, albeit rather loosely in comparison. “We’re heroes in training. We’re bound to get into dangerous situations and not all of our class is going to survive until retirement. Why do you care so much about me in particular?”
Kirishima mumbled something inaudible into the crook of Kaminari’s neck. ‘That tickles’ Kaminari’s brain supplied, ‘Not now brain’ he thought in response. “Uhh, wanna say that again, buddy? Didn’t catch it the first time.”
Kirishima pulled away from their embrace and stared intensely at Kaminari. Kaminari had to suppress the urge to turn away from how awkward holding eye contact made him feel.
“I love you.” Kirishima said slowly, “Not in a bro way, either. In a ‘I want to kiss you and never let you go’ way.”
What?
Kaminari was left dumbfounded. Obviously he returned Kirishima’s feelings, but he would never in a billion years have imagined that Kirishima liked him back.
“Is that why you’re so worried about me?” Kaminari said in a hushed tone of voice. Kirishima nodded. Kaminari let a small smile slowly make its way onto his face, pulling his hands up from Kirishima’s back to gently place them on the other boy’s face, cupping his cheeks. Kirishima let his forehead drop lightly against Kaminari’s, letting his eyes flutter shut as he waited for Kaminari to make a move.
“Can I kiss you?” Kaminari asked, voice barely above a whisper, but it’s not like much more was needed, with the lack of distance between the two. Kirishima nodded, and the two’s lips met. Despite waiting for Kaminari to make the first move, Kirishima quickly took control of the kiss.
It was brief, with Kirishima pulling away just as quickly as he had taken control.
“Maybe living is a little more worth it with you by my side.” Kaminari said with a shrug.
“Just a little?” Kirishima replied jokingly, causing Kaminari to practically giggle in response, “At least try to not die immediately, please, dude?”
“As long as you don’t keep calling me dude after you just had your tongue down my throat.” Kaminari said, fluttering his eyelashes in a mock innocent fashion. This time it was Kirishima’s turn to laugh, nodding his head slightly.
“Deal?” The red head said, trying to keep the happier mood that they had established.
“Deal.” Kaminari replied, leaning over to give his… Boyfriend? Bestfriend? Both? Whatever, he gave Kirishima a quick peck on the cheek, glad that the conversation about his quirk was over, or at least for the time being.