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It was the little things that gave it away.
Midoriya had grown up paying attention to the details. From the way All Might’s smile faltered ever-so-slightly when he transformed back to his weakened state, to how Bakugo’s fists clenched before an explosion—he had learned to read people, especially those closest to him. So, when Kaminari started acting out of character, Midoriya noticed.
At first, it was subtle. Kaminari was usually the type of person who filled the room with his energetic personality, always cracking jokes or complaining dramatically about schoolwork or hero training. But lately, he had been quieter. He laughed less, stayed out of the usual friendly arguments, and seemed content to linger at the back of their group instead of being at the center of attention.
Midoriya didn’t think much of it at first—everyone had their off days. Hero training at U.A. High was intense, after all, and they were all under a lot of pressure. But after a few more days of watching Kaminari fall behind during their exercises, he couldn’t help but feel concerned.
It all came to a head one afternoon during combat training with Aizawa-sensei. The class had been paired off for sparring matches, and Kaminari had been paired with Sero. Normally, Kaminari would have given him a challenge, using his electric quirk to keep Sero on his toes. But today, Kaminari was sluggish, his movements slower than usual, his quirk fizzling out before he could even land a proper hit.
Midoriya watched from the sidelines, frowning as Kaminari staggered, barely dodging one of Sero’s attacks. Aizawa-sensei called an end to the match shortly after, but not before Kaminari collapsed to one knee, visibly pale and shaking.
"Kaminari!" Midoriya was on his feet before he even realized it, rushing over to his friend.
Aizawa gave Kaminari a hard look, his voice low and serious. “Kaminari, are you feeling unwell?”
Kaminari tried to wave it off, forcing a weak grin. “I’m fine, sensei! Just— Just a little tired is all.”
His voice was airy and hoarse. It was quiet but just loud enough to be heard.
Midoriya didn’t buy it for a second. “That’s not just ‘tired,’ Kaminari. You’ve been acting off for days now.”
Kaminari chuckled weakly, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. “C’mon, Midoriya. Don’t go all analyst on me. I’m fine.”
But even as he said it, his knees wobbled, and Midoriya quickly stepped forward, grabbing his arm to steady him. He could feel the heat radiating off Kaminari’s skin, a clear sign that his friend was running a fever.
Aizawa’s eyes narrowed. “Midoriya, take Kaminari to Recovery Girl. I don’t want to see him in class until he’s cleared.”
Kaminari tried to protest, but a harsh cough wracked his body, and Midoriya’s hold on him tightened. There was no way Kaminari was getting out of this.
“Come on,” Midoriya said softly, slipping an arm around Kaminari’s shoulders to help him stand. “Let’s go.”
Kaminari didn’t say anything, just nodded and allowed Midoriya to lead him out of the training grounds and toward the nurse’s office.
The walk to Recovery Girl’s office was quiet, the air between them filled with unspoken words. Midoriya could feel Kaminari leaning more heavily on him as they went, his usual spark and energy completely drained. Kaminari wasn’t the type to show weakness. If anything, he usually masked his vulnerability with humor. For him to admit—even through his silence—that he was feeling this bad, it must have been worse than Midoriya originally thought.
"Why didn’t you say anything earlier?" Midoriya asked softly, glancing sideways at Kaminari.
Kaminari sighed, his breath shaky. "I didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s just a cold or something, y’know? Figured I could push through it."
Midoriya frowned, his heart heavy with concern. "Pushing yourself too hard when you’re sick can make it worse."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I just... didn’t want to be a burden," Kaminari mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
Midoriya blinked in surprise. "A burden? Kaminari, you’re never a burden. We’re friends. We’re supposed to look out for each other."
Kaminari smiled faintly, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Guess I’m not used to that."
Midoriya’s chest tightened at the words. Kaminari was so open and friendly, always the life of the group, but maybe that was part of the problem. He was used to being the one everyone relied on for a laugh or a distraction, not the one who needed help.
By the time they reached Recovery Girl’s office, Kaminari was shaking, his skin clammy and cold despite the fever. Recovery Girl took one look at him and immediately shooed Midoriya out, telling him to wait outside while she checked Kaminari over.
Midoriya paced in the hallway, wringing his hands nervously. His mind raced, going over every possible worst-case scenario. What if Kaminari had overexerted his quirk? What if his illness was something more serious than just a cold?
After what felt like an eternity, Recovery Girl finally emerged, her expression calm but stern.
"He’s going to be fine," she said, and Midoriya let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. "It’s just the flu. He’s dehydrated and exhausted, so I’m keeping him here overnight for observation."
Midoriya nodded, relief washing over him. "Can I see him?"
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Just for a little while. He needs his rest."
Midoriya entered the small room where Kaminari lay on a cot, looking even paler under the fluorescent lights. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow but steady. His face was redder than usual from the fever.
Midoriya pulled up a chair next to the bed, sitting down quietly. He felt a pang of guilt as he watched Kaminari sleep. He should have noticed sooner. He should have said something earlier, done something to help before Kaminari had gotten this bad.
"Midoriya?" Kaminari’s voice was raspy and quiet as his eyes cracked open, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "You’re still here?"
"Of course I’m still here," Midoriya replied softly. "I’m not going anywhere."
Kaminari chuckled, though it turned into a cough. "You’re too nice, you know that?"
Midoriya smiled, reaching out to gently place a hand on Kaminari’s arm. "I’m just worried about you. You should’ve told someone you weren’t feeling well."
Kaminari sighed, closing his eyes again. "I didn’t want to be the guy who holds everyone back. We’re training to be heroes. We don’t have time to get sick."
"We’re training to be heroes, not robots," Midoriya said gently. "Heroes get sick, too. It’s okay to take a break when you need it."
Kaminari didn’t respond right away, but after a long pause, he muttered, "I guess I’m still learning that part."
Midoriya squeezed his arm reassuringly. "That’s okay. We’re all still learning."
For a moment, the room was quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the fluorescent lights. Midoriya stayed by Kaminari’s side, watching as his friend drifted off into a more peaceful sleep. His heart ached for Kaminari, not just because of his illness, but because of the way he had been shouldering everything on his own.
Kaminari had always been the one to lighten the mood, the one to crack a joke when things got tough. But even the brightest sparks could flicker out if they burned too hot for too long.
Midoriya promised himself then and there that he wouldn’t let Kaminari go through this alone again. They were a team, and part of being a team meant looking out for each other, even when it wasn’t easy.
When Kaminari woke up the next morning, he was feeling a little better, his fever having broken sometime during the night. Recovery Girl had given him strict orders to rest for the next few days, and though he grumbled about it, he knew better than to argue with her.
Midoriya had stayed with him the whole time, even bringing him some of his favorite snacks from the dorms. Kaminari teased him about being clingy or overprotective, but deep down, he was grateful.
As they sat together, sharing a quiet moment in the nurse’s office, Kaminari smiled, his usual spark returning.
"Thanks, Izuku. For everything."
Midoriya smiled back. "Anytime, Denki."