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"... According to the information Aizawa-sensei gave me, I can only tell you that Bakugo-kun is still in an induced coma. He will be undergoing another surgery by tomorrow..."
While the class representative reports the news about his classmates' health conditions, Kaminari can't stop tapping his leg on the floor. An atrocious fear tightens his chest regarding his friends' well-being; The second war was much harsher than the first, and most ended up seriously wounded.
"... On the other hand, Deku-kun is now in stable condition. Starting tomorrow, he will be able to receive visitors from 2 to 4 in the afternoon..."
Mineta and Kaminari sigh in relief at the news, which also soothes the suffocating sensation in their chests. They share joyful glances, and their fragile smiles widen even brighter when Iida adds that Uraraka successfully recovered from the injuries she got from Toga.
However, no matter how excellent the news was, Kaminari was still intimately concerned about the condition of one person who had not yet been mentioned. According to Iida, Jiro lost an ear assisting Hawks in his fight against All For One. Even though it had not been a life-threatening injury, Kaminari was deeply concerned for his friend. Her quirk depended on her ears, and since she was now missing one...
... How would this affect her heroic future?
The thought raised his anxiety levels even higher. Unconsciously, he starts tapping the floor even faster.
"Kaminari. Stop it." Mineta glares at him and stops his incessant nervous tic by slapping his knee. Embarrassed, he whispers an apology and turns his attention to Iida, who is about to finish his report.
"... Anyway." He adjusts his glasses, and an eternity goes by as he runs his eyes over the last notes in his notebook. A single name is missing, a single piece of news, which has Kaminari clinging with white fingers to the edge of the chair. Iida clears his throat and eventually continues: "Finally, Jiro-san..."
Kaminari focuses his gaze, quick as lightning, on the impassive facade of the class representative.
"... She is now recovered and ready to welcome visitors. You will be able to see her today between 3 and 5 pm."
He yanks his cell phone from his left pocket, and the blue fluorescent digits light up his face as they pierce his heart: it is 3:37 pm.
He doesn't have to apologize to Mineta, who had already peeked at the time on his cell phone. With a wink, the boy gives him a thumbs-up and lets him know that his moment has come. That was all Kaminari needed to bolt out of the hospital lobby with refreshed courage.
His legs run by heart along the corridors to the hospital wing where all his hospitalized classmates are staying.
As he approaches Jiro's room, Kaminari can't help but slow down his step to peek through the tiny windows. He spots a few classmates from other classes who are either sleeping or receiving visitors.
He doesn't spend much time, though, because he has one goal and can't miss a single second. Thanks to Iida, he knows that most of them are stable but aren’t allowed to receive any visitors yet. So he would check on his friends another day when their time had come.
It was Jiro’s moment now, so he would focus on her.
He stops in front of a personalized door with Nirvana and Arctic Monkeys stickers. After a deep breath, he knocks.
"Come in," answers a faint voice from the other side, and Kaminari's heart shrinks.
The door shrieks as it's being carefully opened. Though as soon as he peeks in, he's not surprised to find Jiro alongside her best friend. Yaomomo greets him with a wave, and he waves back.
"Hi," he says an octave higher, addressing Jiro.
"Hi," she replies, and after exchanging a glance with her friend, they both laugh.
Humiliation turns his cheeks pink. He's about to chicken out, leave the room, and run away until his legs fall off and his anxiety is gone before Yaomomo interrupts his train of thought.
"You can come in, Kaminari-san. I was about to leave, anyway."
Kaminari may be a bit of an idiot, but he doesn't miss the half-confused and half-terrified look that Jiro throws at her friend. The mischievous wink Yaomomo gives her back doesn't go unnoticed, either.
His heart automatically raises the frequency of its palpitations, because Yaoyorozu couldn't be more obvious, right?!
Yaomomo stands up from the guest's reserved chair, bends down to kiss Jiro on the forehead goodbye, and strolls like a model toward the exit.
"I'll bring the girls in a little while, Kyoka." She announces, and before closing the door, she whispers to Kaminari: "Remember to send me a text when you are done."
His feet melt to the ground as he remains stoic with his gaze glued to the door.
Really, was it so evident that he was into Jiro?
And was her best friend actually encouraging him to make a move?
He doesn't want to turn around to face the girl lying on the gurney because his cheeks are burning, and he's pretty sure his blush is very noticeable.
"K-Kaminari?"
Crap.
He fills his lungs with manhood, as his good old friend Kirishima would say, and turns to find a pleasant surprise.
Jiro's cheeks are also rosy, and that brings his courage back.
"Jiro." He smiles and raises his voice so she can hear him. "I'm glad you're feeling better." He says with his usual cheerful personality, which brings warmth into the cold room.
"Thanks." Jiro gives a bittersweet half-smile back.
It's excruciating to watch her like that.
Scratch that. It's soul-shattering to see the person you're in love with wearing an extra-large hospital gown, with half of their face covered in bandages and attempting to smile... When it's clear that they're desperately trying to not break down in your presence.
So he goes around the stretcher and brings the guest chair closer to Jiro, where he sits.
They hesitate for a moment because Kaminari doesn't know where to start. Would it be too harsh or invasive to bring up the injury? Or should he rather inform Jiro about their friends' well-being? Or had Yaomomo already told her the news?
"How are you doing?" Jiro asks instead, putting a stop to his overthinking brain and saving him from an awkward situation. "I heard you overused your quirk in the war to keep the power running in the arena."
The concern in her voice is evident, and his heart skips a beat. She's gonna drive him crazy! How could Jiro worry about him when she was the one inpatient in a hospital ward?
"I'm fine!" He had yet again raised his pitch an octave higher. A furtive chuckle rings in his ears, and he totally knows his cheeks have become red again. However, he keeps going: "I've been resting for a few days, and now I am feeling better than ever! In fact, Recovery Girl allowed me to help the heroes with some easy tasks.”
Jiro curves her lips into a proud smile, and Kaminari feels she's gonna give him a heart attack. But he holds his ground because there is still a question to be asked. And that will require him to stop beating around the bush.
So he takes a deep breath before getting it done.
"And how are you? I know the surgery was a success. But I wanted to know how you felt about this." He didn't notice how smaller his voice had become. Kaminari fears his question could make her feel uncomfortable, but he needs to know as he worries about her well-being.
But a silent Jiro is the worst-case scenario. He begins to quiver in his seat, so before she can say anything, he desperately adds:
"We can totally change topics if you don't want to talk about this, though!"
A pause. Then, Jiro finally shakes her head, and Kaminari's soul returns to his body.
"Don't worry, it's okay." On the one hand, he feels relieved. But from her emotionless tone, he guesses she is hiding something: "The surgery was successful because they managed to stop the internal bleeding. The fever is gone, meaning they can reduce the medication... But..."
Fuck.
"... I'll never get my hearing back in my left ear. Plus... My Earphone Jack is gone too." Her voice sunk, and so did Kaminari's heart.
However, Jiro's face is unmoved by the emotional weight of her own news. That makes him shift in his seat.
"Do you... want to talk about it?"
She rolls the sheets in her hands and unrolls them again in a silent game.
"There's not much left to say." She whispers.
Kaminari wants to hold her tightly in his arms and envelop her body with his warmth. He wants to support Jiro during her suffering and make sure that she will be okay.
But he's too much of a coward to express his naked feelings like that. Instead, he chooses to stretch out his hand and reach for hers. They share silent glances, and then, she shyly accepts the gesture.
Kaminari caresses her fingers, hoping that Jiro will understand his unspoken support. The tension in his chest faints away as Jiro relaxes her furrowed expression and shows a tenderness that manages to touch Kaminari's soul.
After a while, he gets courageous enough to ask:
"You know, Jiro, we're gonna find a way to sort this out." At that moment, tears well up in her eyes.
Shit, did he choose the wrong words? Did he hurt her? Once again, dread fills his body, and he fears to be squeezing their intertwined fingers a bit too much. So he withdraws his hand and adds: "I-I mean! Mirko lost her limbs and got customized prosthetic limbs from the Support Department! Couldn't they create special hearing aids for you? They always come up with the craziest inventions, especially since Hatsume's in their team, so-"
"Open the second drawer." Her interruption sounds shaky as she points to the nightstand at Kaminari's right side. Confusion furrows his brows, but he follows her instructions nonetheless. However, a gratifying surprise brings a bright smile to his face: inside the second drawer lies a Headset with a metal Earphone Jack attached to the left over-ear.
"Holy shit! Can I?" Kaminari points to the device, and Jiro nods. He takes it out and inspects it with big eyes. It looks tailor-made, as the Headset is small and seems to fit Jiro's head. Plus, it’s dark violet with black and white glitter that matches her heroine's costume. "It looks great!"
"Yeah, it's nice."
"And how do they work?"
"Since they were made last minute, Hatsume said I will only recover 75% of my hearing with them."
Kaminari rolls his eyes. Hatsume could create absolutely dazzling Babies and then talk shit about them even though they worked wonders.
“ … Its software identifies brain vibrations. The Headset recognizes when I want to use my quirk and lets me control the metal Earphone Jack to my will. But Hatsume warned me that it won't work properly until we run a few tests when I get discharged."
As soon as she's done explaining, the welled-up tears in her eyes roll down her cheeks and end up splashing the sheets. Kaminari doesn't understand where these tears come from but guesses that they are a mixture of excitement and sorrow. He can't bear to see her like this. So he puts the device away in its respective drawer and, sending his cowardice to hell, takes a seat next to Jiro on the bed. He's kind of shaking when he reaches to cradle her cheek and wipe away the tears with his thumb.
Jiro doesn't seem to notice his anxiety. Her stare is fixed on the sheets as she looks unmoved. Tears keep welling up in her eyes. Feeling more confident now, Kaminari cups her face with both hands.
"Hey." He calls out loud enough for her to hear him and meet his gaze. "Jiro. What you got is amazing."
"I know... And don't get me wrong, I am grateful!" She murmurs but then lets a nervous chuckle out. "God, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry." And that steals a little smile from the blond.
"It'd worry the hell out of me if you didn't."
That's when Jiro looks up, pupils vibrating because it's clear she wants to cry. Then, she leans forward and hides her face in Kaminari's chest. He embraces her with the utmost gentleness, and as soon as he lays a finger on her hair, she bursts out crying with soul-crushing sobs.
She calms down a while later, only a few sniffles interrupting the silence. Kaminari never stopped running his fingers through her hair while she clung to his shirt as if he were her lifeline... Until some knocks shatter the moment into a thousand pieces.
Immediately, both move as far away from each other as they can. And Kaminari, clumsy as he is, loses his balance, misses the chair, and ends up crashing with it on his butt.
The silence that fills the room afterward vanishes as soon as Jiro bursts into laughter. Kaminari joins her to ease his own misery. They completely forget that someone knocked on the door until it happens again, this time alongside a voice.
"Kaminari-san? Kyoka? Are you all right?" Yaomomo sounds worried from the hallway, and they share joyful glances before starting to giggle again.
"It's all right, Yaomomo!" Kaminari stands up and puts the chair back in its place.
"Geez, it sounded like someone smashed their head!" Says another voice. As soon as Jiro recognizes Mina, she can't help but genuinely grin. "Can we come in?"
"I'll leave in a minute!" Kaminari says and is glad the girls didn't burst in.
He wants to say goodbye to Jiro before leaving, and the fact that the door is closed gives him a slight advantage. He wonders if Yaoyorozu restrained the girls from bursting in to grant him the upper hand.
"I'll be back tomorrow."
Seizing the opportunity, Kaminari kisses her on the cheek. He lingers there for a second longer than he should. The saltiness from her tears tickles his lips.
As he is about to leave, Jiro grabs him firmly by the wrist.
"Wait."
They share a long glance, which lasts a millisecond in real life.
"Thank you for coming. Thank you for... Everything."
"It's nothing." He grins at her with all his charisma.
That's enough for Jiro to pull him in and peck unintentionally the corner of his lips. And as quick as it is, it burns like crazy.
The look they share afterward, with their faces centimeters apart, turns their stomachs upside down. Kaminari can feel Jiro's warm breath mingle with his own. The moment gets so intimate it raises goosebumps on his arms, back, and nape.
She hesitantly leans in, and as they brush their noses together, their eyelids fall and engulf them into comforting darkness. There's an unspoken question floating through thin air, restraining them from finally closing the distance.
But he can't keep this painfully pleasant slow burn going anymore.
So he kisses her, and a mixture of euphoria, joy, and passion ignites his chest and sends electric sparks throughout his body. Kaminari deepens the kiss by pulling her closer by the nape, and Jiro holds him firmly by the waist. Slowly, she forces him to lie down with her. He has to lean one arm against the wall to avoid crushing her, and oh god, it feels like starring a goddamn Hollywood movie. When they pull away to catch their breaths, Kaminari doesn't hesitate to kiss her again and explore her mouth this time.
The fact that Jiro lets him be in command, even though he has no clue what he's doing, makes him feel like being in heaven. He never thought a kiss could spark such fantastic sensations in his body. But it's Jiro he's kissing!
Everything's going wonders until a fucking call from Mina forces them to break apart, panting.
"Come on, dude! We don't have all day to visit Kyoka-chan!"
It's bittersweet to have to part away like this. Neither of them wants to, though.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Jiro insists, and god, how could she sound so seductive?
It makes him want to take her breath away again. He has to restrain himself from doing so.
"Y-Yeah. I'll see ya." He tries to sound seductive, too, turning his voice a little deeper but the fucking nerves play tricks on him, even though he's supposed to feel more confident after the make-out. And Jiro, obviously, laughs at him.
He pouts in response, and Jiro steals a peck before shoving him away. Kaminari almost falls but manages to catch himself from the chair.
"Come in!" Jiro says, so he can't try anything else. Almost instantly, the girls enter like a whirlwind through the door.
Hagakure, Tsuyu, and Mina dodge Kaminari and crowd around their friend. Before leaving, he exchanges looks with Yaomomo.
"Thanks," Kaminari says to her, and Yaomomo bows her head.
"You are welcome." She responds sweetly. But then, her expression becomes severe, like every time she reprimands her classmates as a class representative. "But next time, please try not to take so long. You are not the only one who wants to visit her. And if you are planning on taking longer than expected, remember that I asked you to send me a text for a reason."
"Aight. Don't worry. It won't happen again."
And they know that’s bullshit, but they share understanding smiles anyway, and then they say goodbye.
Kaminari leaves the room with tingling lips and trembling hands from how much he loves that girl.