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Denki couldn’t quite remember when he met Hitoshi. One day he wasn’t there—then he was, and after that, he just never left.
“Toshiiiiii!!” Denki rudely barged into Hitoshi’s room. He didn’t even wait for a greeting before flopping face-first onto the bed.
Hitoshi sighed, calmly bookmarking the page of his book. “What brings you into my humble abode today?”
Denki groaned into the bedsheet, then turned his head to face him. “Ugh, you won't believe what Mina said to me!” he whined, full drama mode activated.
Hitoshi could already tell—this was going to be another one of Denki’s nonsense rants disguised as tragedy.
With a sigh of surrender, he laid down beside him. “What did she say?”
Denki launched into a long-winded tale of injustice, complete with how Mina was ‘picking on him’ and how Hitoshi absolutely had to fight her to ‘reclaim his honor.’
“If you truly loved me, you'd go fight her!”
Hitoshi bit his lip. He knew Denki meant it as a joke. It was a joke.
But it hit too close to home.
It’s just a joke, Hitoshi told himself. Just a dumb joke.
A joke that had kept him up multiple nights.
A joke that clung to him throughout the day, slipping into his every thought.
A joke.
He should just let it go.
“Toshi?”
Hitoshi snapped out of it. And immediately realized how close their faces were. He shot upright, his face flushing deep red.
Denki blinked at him in confusion, slowly sitting up too. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked gently.
Hitoshi fought to keep his voice steady. “Sorry. Zoned out for a second.”
Denki pouted—and that did things to Hitoshi. “Hm! And here I was about to tell you about the new cat café I found.”
Denki couldn’t remember when he first met Hitoshi—but Hitoshi could. He remembered the day he met Kaminari Denki very well.
Honestly, it was a complete chance that brought them together.
Hitoshi had been transferred to a new elementary school, and he was so terribly lonely. That loneliness only deepened when the teacher, with zero tact, announced to the entire class that Hitoshi had a brainwashing quirk.
Needless to say, children were cutthroat. They excluded him from everything—every game, every group project, every birthday party. They avoided him like the plague, and their parents encouraged it.
That was just the way things were. At least, until Kaminari transferred in.
Kaminari arrived during the last year of primary school. He’d just moved to Japan after growing up in America, and his accent was strange to their ears. But despite that, Kaminari quickly won over both teachers and classmates.
Hitoshi would never admit it out loud, but he’d been jealous of him. In his eyes, Kaminari had it all, a powerful and acceptable quirk, a charming smile, and a personality that just pulled people in. He was like a fire, drawing in all the moths.
And Hitoshi had been one of those moths.
At first, he avoided Kaminari—part out of self-preservation, part bitterness. Not that it was hard; everyone was always pulling Kaminari away from him anyway. They didn’t officially meet until the second semester of their first year in secondary school.
It had been raining heavily that day, and Kaminari was extra buzzy. Everyone knew better than to be near someone with an electricity-based quirk when it was raining—especially during a storm like this one.
Kaminari clearly understood why, but that didn’t stop the look on his face. He seemed dimmer than usual, like the weather had drained the spark right out of him.
When the final bell rang, everyone raced out to beat the storm. Within minutes, the school was nearly empty—just a few faculty members, Hitoshi, and Kaminari remained.
It wasn’t safe for Kaminari to take public transit during storms, especially not the non-insulated trains. So he had to wait for his parents to pick him up.
Hitoshi usually took the train too, but the nearest stop was a twenty-minute walk away, and there was no way he was making it through the storm.
He asked a teacher to call his parents, only to be told they had no way of getting to him in time.
Hitoshi had honestly been close to tears.
That was when Kaminari—sunshine in the middle of a storm—approached him.
“I heard your parents say they couldn’t make it,” he said.
Hitoshi had braced himself, expecting some teasing or smug comment. But instead—
“My parents probably wouldn’t mind if you stayed with us until the rain passes. You’d just have to call your parents first.”
It probably wasn’t the smartest idea to get into a stranger’s car, even if the stranger was a classmate’s family, but Hitoshi and his parents were out of options. So they agreed.
And with that, Hitoshi got into the car with Kaminari.
“And then she flipped me off and rolled away!” Denki was on another long-winded rant—this time about his twin sister. Hitoshi nodded along, showing just enough interest to prove he was listening while trying to finish up his homework.
“I don’t understand how you like her. She’s such a wart,” Denki pouted, arms crossed like a sulking child.
Hitoshi rolled his eyes and circled another answer. “I’m sorry that I’m friends with your sister.”
“You should be! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was your best friend!” Denki flopped back dramatically, like he’d been betrayed.
“She is my best friend,” Hitoshi said flatly.
Denki gasped like Hitoshi had just stabbed him. “Toshi! How could you say something so cruel?!”
He started fake crying—loud, exaggerated sobs. Hitoshi sighed. There was no way he was finishing this homework now. He shoved his papers back into his bag.
“How can you cheat on me like this!? Do you have no shame??” Denki wailed, grabbing Hitoshi by the shoulders and shaking him for effect.
“I’m joking. Calm down—you’re making me dizzy.”
Denki stopped, but something shifted in the air between them. A strange, quiet tension settled.
“You do know I’m only playing, right?” Hitoshi asked, a little hesitant.
“I do!” Denki answered quickly. “I do, I just… um—okay, promise you won’t take this the wrong way?”
Hitoshi blinked and nodded, giving him his full attention.
“I love you, man—”
Hitoshi’s brain short-circuited. His mouth opened instinctively, ready to spill everything he’d kept buried. But Denki kept talking.
“—you’re the bestest best friend anyone could ever ask for.”
And just like that, it felt like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over Hitoshi’s head.
Denki flushed, clearly nervous, waiting for a response.
Hitoshi rapidly blinked, recovering just enough to answer. “Yeah, man, I— I love you too.”
Denki lit up like a thousand-watt bulb and immediately launched himself at Hitoshi. Hitoshi caught him without hesitation.
Denki crushed him in a hug. “I’m so glad! I’ve been wanting to tell you that since, like, forever!”
He looked up and beamed.
And slowly, Hitoshi relaxed.
It wasn’t the kind of confession he wanted—but somehow, it still meant everything. Because before anything else, Denki was his best friend. And that friendship was something Hitoshi had come to treasure completely.
The Kaminari household was warm—both literally and figuratively. The air practically buzzed with energy.
“Shinso, darling, let me grab some of Denki's clothes so you can change out of your uniform,” Kaminari’s mom, Ayumi, said as she finished toweling off her son’s hair.
“You really don't have to, Ayumi-san,” Hitoshi said politely.
“Oh, but I'd feel tremendously guilty if I let you stay in those wet clothes. You'll catch a cold!” Ayumi shook her head firmly. “The bathroom’s right down the hall, honey. Go take a nice warm bath, alright?”
It was clear she wasn’t taking no for an answer. Hitoshi nodded and shuffled off to the bathroom.
After a bath and a change into Kaminari’s too-bright clothes, Kaminari came bounding over. “Mom says your parents probably won’t be here till at least nine ‘cause of the storm, so you’re eating dinner with us!”
“Oh, I really shouldn’t. I don’t want to ruin your family dinner.” Hitoshi squirmed.
“Nonsense—come join us, sport.” Tadashi, Kaminari’s dad, set a plate on the table. “Ayumi would never forgive herself if we invited you in just to let you starve.”
“He’s too skinny, Tashi!” Ayumi walked in carrying a pot of soup and placed it on the table with practiced grace. She turned to Hitoshi. “Please, I insist. Join us for dinner, okay?”
He knew when he was fighting a losing battle. “If you’re sure, ma’am.”
Hitoshi took a seat, and Kaminari helped his mom serve the food before plopping down next to him.
Dinner came to life quickly. Hitoshi expected the usual—“How was your day?” followed by generic polite nods—but to his surprise, Ayumi and Tadashi actually listened to their kids. They asked follow-up questions. They laughed. They teased. And they included him in everything.
“Wow, Shinso-kun, you’re so cool! I’ve never actually kept a plant alive for more than a couple days!” Kaminari grinned, clearly impressed.
Yua, his twin sister, snorted. “Yeah, probably because you never remember to water them.”
Tadashi laughed and then winced as Ayumi kicked him under the table. “Well, at least I remember to take my meds.” Kaminari shot back.
The table descended into chaos. Hitoshi just sat back, amused. There really never seemed to be a dull moment in this family.
Eventually, things calmed down, and dinner ended on a warm, light note. Hitoshi offered to help clean, but Ayumi waved him off and sent him to go play with the twins.
In the living room, Kaminari and Yua were setting up a board game. Yua rolled her wheelchair toward Hitoshi with a mischievous grin. “We’re playing Uno No Mercy. You in?”
“You’re… fine with me playing games with you?” Hitoshi asked quietly, unable to keep the doubt out of his voice.
Yua tilted her head. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Hitoshi hesitated. She didn’t know. Of course she didn’t know.
“I—I have a brainwashing quirk,” he blurted. “Aren’t you worried I’ll… use it to cheat or something?”
Yua stared at him a second before bursting into laughter. “Trust me, I know about your quirk. Denki never shuts up about how cool it is.”
Cool? Kaminari thought his quirk was cool?
Hitoshi didn’t have long to linger on the thought before Kaminari started whining loudly.
“Yuaaaa, where did you hide my star plushie?!”
Yua gave him her most innocent smile. “I have no idea what toy you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do! It’s my lucky charm! I always win No Mercy when it’s beside me!”
The twins bickered for two full minutes until Ayumi came in, gave them both A Look, and made Yua give the toy back.
Hitoshi fiddled with the hem of his sweater. He was supposed to pick Denki up in ten minutes for their not-date. A part of him—one he kept very tightly shut—hoped it could lead to a real date. But he wouldn’t push anything. If Denki looked even remotely uncomfortable, he’d drop the whole thing.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He should probably get going if he wanted to be back before curfew. He made his way to Denki’s dorm, steadying his nerves with each step.
Before he could even knock, the door flew open.
“Toshi!” Denki blinked in surprise. “I was just about to come get you!”
He beamed, and Hitoshi’s heart did an embarrassing flip.
“But looks like you beat me to it,” Denki added with a grin.
“Seems I have,” Hitoshi said, trying to sound cool—calm. He wasn’t sure he succeeded.
Denki giggled and hooked his arm around Hitoshi's, “Let’s go!”
The cats at the café were all really cute. Hitoshi felt like he was in heaven, surrounded by so many fluffy, purring creatures. He cooed softly, lifting a calico cat that had curled up against him like they were old friends.
In front of him, he heard Denki snickering—then the familiar sound of a camera shutter.
“I guess I have a new lock screen picture,” Denki teased. His grin was audible.
Hitoshi looked up just in time to see Denki changing it on his phone without much fanfare. The previous photo had been one Hitoshi knew well—too well. It was of the two of them at one of Mina’s infamous sleepovers, faces smeared with green face masks and matching alien antenna headbands perched on their heads.
Hitoshi remembered it clearly. Probably because he had that exact same picture as his lock screen too.
Hitoshi shook his head fondly and the waitress came to take their orders. They ordered food and chatted for a while.
After a while they had gotten their food, by then the café had quieted down. Most of the afternoon rush had cleared, leaving only the quiet hum of conversation and the occasional soft meow. Hitoshi was still petting the calico in his lap, but his mind was elsewhere.
Denki was sitting across from him, grinning at his phone, probably reading one of his silly meme videos. Hitoshi watched him laugh at something dumb he’d just seen, and suddenly, it hit him all over again. How warm Denki made everything feel. How safe. How wanted.
Hitoshi cleared his throat.
Denki looked up. “What’s up?”
“I, uh…” Hitoshi paused, fingers tightening just slightly in the cat’s fur. “I’ve been thinking about something.”
“Did one of the cats pee somewhere weird again?” Denki asked with mock seriousness.
Hitoshi snorted. “No. Not this time.”
He looked down, then back up, eyes locking with Denki’s for a moment too long.
“I’ve just… I’ve been trying to figure out when I started feeling this way,” he said slowly. “And I think I’ve always known. I just didn’t really know how to say it.”
Denki tilted his head, smile faltering slightly. “Toshi?”
“I like you.”
The words hung in the air. Not rushed. Not loud. Just honest.
“I like you, Denki,” Hitoshi repeated, quieter now. “And not just as my best friend. Not just as someone I’ve known forever. I mean… like-like. In the way that makes my chest feel tight when you smile. In the way that makes me want to make you laugh just to see your stupid face light up.”
Denki blinked. Once. Twice.
“I’m not trying to make things weird,” Hitoshi added quickly. “I just… couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t feel something. You don’t have to say anything, I just—”
Denki stood up, nearly knocking over his drink.
Hitoshi flinched. “Sorry—forget I said—”
Denki crossed the small space between them and sat right next to Hitoshi, thigh bumping his, close enough that the cat grumbled and hopped off.
“You’re an idiot,” Denki said, voice trembling just a little.
Hitoshi opened his mouth, but Denki cut him off by grabbing his hand.
“I’ve been in love with you since middle school. I just thought you never felt the same way.”
They sat there, stunned silence slowly melting into something soft, something new.
“…So this is a date,” Hitoshi said eventually.
Denki laughed. “Yeah. It is.”
The walk back to the dorms was quiet, but not in a bad way. Their hands brushed once, twice, before Denki just grabbed Hitoshi’s fingers and held on. No teasing, no jokes. Just steady warmth between their palms.
The sky was that deep navy color right before midnight, the world dim and hushed, like it was giving them space to figure out this new version of them.
When they reached the front of Denki’s dorm room, they both paused.
Neither of them let go.
Denki turned first, thumb brushing over the back of Hitoshi’s hand like he didn’t want to stop touching him. His eyes searched Hitoshi’s face for a beat, just… looking, and Hitoshi felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest.
“So,” Denki said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Do I say goodnight like usual? Or… is this the part where things change?”
Hitoshi swallowed thickly, eyes flicking to Denki’s lips before he could stop himself. “Only if you want it to.”
Denki’s smile was a little lopsided. A little shy. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since forever.”
“Then do it,” Hitoshi whispered.
Denki leaned in—slow, nervous, like he was waiting for Hitoshi to pull away. But Hitoshi didn’t. He tilted his chin down, just enough to meet him halfway.
Their lips touched.
It was gentle. Warm. The kind of kiss that felt like an exhale after years of holding your breath.
Denki’s free hand came up to Hitoshi’s cheek, tentative, like he still couldn’t believe this was real. Hitoshi tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss just a little. His other hand found Denki’s hoodie and curled into the fabric, anchoring himself there.
When they pulled back, they were both breathless—foreheads resting against each other, grinning like idiots.
“…That was okay?” Denki asked, voice hushed and a little dazed.
Hitoshi laughed, the sound quiet and disbelieving. “Yeah. That was way more than okay.”