Morning at U.A. came alive in pieces. Footsteps on pavement. Voices overlapping. The low hum of a day starting whether anyone was ready or not. Denki walked through the front gates like he always did hands in his pockets, posture loose, energy easy. Beside him, Jiro kept pace. "…I'm just saying," Jiro was mid-sentence, one earphone jack swinging lightly with each step, "if you actually studied once in a while, you wouldn't be stressing before every test."
"I don't stress," Denki shot back immediately.
"You absolutely do."
"That's just… pre exam excitement."
"That's not a thing."
"It is for me."
Jiro huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
"…You're unbelievable."
"I've been told that too."
They walked side by side, slipping into that familiar rhythm back and forth, easy, practiced. Jiro glanced at him briefly. "…You're in a good mood," she said. Denki shrugged, kicking lightly at a crack in the pavement as they walked. "Am I not always?"
"No," she said flatly. "You're usually louder."
"Wow. So now I'm getting quieter and that's a problem too?"
"I didn't say it was a problem…Just different."
Denki tilted his head slightly. "…Different how?" Jiro hesitated. Then shrugged it off. "…Never mind." He glanced at her then grinned. "You thinking about me that much?" he teased.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"Too late."
Jiro rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile there. "…You've been hanging around Y/n a lot," she added, trying to sound casual. Denki blinked. "…Have I?"
"Yes."
"…Huh."
He didn't deny it. Didn't really confirm it either. Jiro noticed. "…You don't even realize it," she muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing." She nudged his arm lightly. "Just don't forget your other friends, yeah?"
Denki laughed. "Wow, are you getting sentimental on me?"
"I'm being serious."
"I know," he said, still smiling. "I'm not going anywhere."
Jiro looked at him. Held that for a second longer than usual. "…Good," she said. And for a moment it felt like it was just them. Denki's attention shifted. Mid step. Mid thought. Like something had pulled it. "and then you..." He stopped. Jiro blinked. "…Denki?" But he wasn't looking at her anymore.
Across the courtyard you stood with Mina Ashido, laughing at something Mina had said, sunlight catching just right as you tilted your head back slightly. And just like that Denki lit up. "Y/n!" It came out easy. Natural. He was already moving. "Hey-" Jiro started but he was gone. Jogging across the courtyard without a second thought. Jiro stood still. Watching.
Denki reached you quickly, slowing just enough as he stepped into your space. "Hey," he said, a little breathless, like he'd actually rushed. You looked up and smiled. "Hey." Mina's grin widened instantly. "Well, well look who it is."
"Don't start," Denki muttered.
"Oh, I'm absolutely starting," Mina said, crossing her arms. "You just ditched mid conversation to come over here? That's bold." Denki rubbed the back of his neck slightly. "I didn't ditch, I just-"
"You ran."
"I jogged."
"That was a run."
You laughed softly beside them. "…Good morning to you too," you added. Denki glanced at you. "…Morning," he said again, quieter this time like he hadn't already said it. Mina looked between the two of you. Then grinned. "Oh yeah," she said. "This is definitely something."
"It's not something," Denki said quickly.
"Didn't say it was."
"You implied it."
"I implied nothing," Mina said innocently. "I'm just observing."
You shook your head slightly, still smiling. "…Ignore her."
"Gladly."
"What were you two talking about?" Denki asked.
"Nothing important," you said.
"Wow. So I interrupted nothing?"
"Pretty much."
"Nice. Perfect timing."
You smiled again. And it was the same smile. It was Warm. Denki felt it settle somewhere it hadn't before like it belonged there. Behind him unnoticed Jiro turned away. Not fast. Not dramatic. Just quiet for now. And as the morning carried on as voices blended and the day moved forward something small had already shifted. Denki didn't see it. Didn't feel it. Not yet. He was too busy standing beside you like that was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Mina was still talking loud and dramatic. With full hand gestures like she was presenting to an audience that didn't exist. " And then she literally just stood there like- like this!" Mina froze mid pose, eyes wide, recreating whatever story she was halfway through. You laughed softly beside her. "That's not what happened."
"It is what happened."
"You're exaggerating."
"I am embellishing," Mina corrected.
Denki leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice just enough "…She's definitely exaggerating."
"I heard that," Mina shot back immediately.
"Good."
You shook your head a little, still smiling. Denki didn't notice it at first. Didn't notice the way people drifted in and out of your space like it was natural. It was safe. "Hey, Y/n!" A student from another class stepped closer, holding a stack of papers slightly uneven in their arms. You turned immediately. "Yeah?"
"I...uh I think I dropped one of these earlier, have you seen it?"
"Oh," you said softly, already crouching slightly to pick up a paper near your feet. "This one?"
Their face lit up. "Yeah thank you."
"No problem," you said, handing it over like it was nothing. Like it didn't cost you anything at all. They smiled, a little relieved, before heading off. Denki watched. "…You always do that?" he asked.
You glanced at him. "…Do what?"
"Just help people like that."
You blinked. "…Yeah?" Like it was obvious. "Why wouldn't I?"
Denki opened his mouth then closed it. "…No reason," he said. Mina bumped your shoulder lightly. "Because she's secretly a saint," she said.
"I'm not," you replied immediately.
"You kind of are."
"I'm really not."
Denki huffed a quiet laugh. "Yeah, no, Mina might be right on that one."
You gave him a look. "…You're both annoying."
"Yet here we are," Mina grinned but before she could say anything another voice cut in "Y/n, do you know if we have training later or?" You turned again. "Yeah, it's after lunch."
"Oh okay, thanks!"
"No problem."
Another small moment. Another easy kindness. Denki watched it again this time he noticed. The way your voice softened. The way you turned fully toward people when they spoke. The way you didn't rush them. It wasn't just him. It wasn't just sometimes. It was everyone. "…Huh," he muttered under his breath.
"What?" Mina asked.
"Nothing." But it wasn't nothing.
The conversation drifted back naturally. Like it always did. Mina launched into something else you added something small, something soft and it all fit. But Denki felt it now. Not wrong. Not bad. Just different. "…You're quiet again," you said, glancing at him. "I'm not," he replied automatically.
"You are."
"I'm literally talking."
"Not as much."
Denki huffed lightly. "…Wow. I can't win with you."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is?" You tilted your head slightly, studying him for half a second longer than usual. "…Nothing," you said finally and let it go. But Denki didn't because his attention drifted again not away from you but around you. The way people waved when they passed. The way you waved back. The way your smile didn't really change. Same warmth. Same ease. For everyone. Something in his chest shifted. Small. Quiet. But there. "…You're like this with everyone," he said before he could stop himself.
You blinked. "…Like what?" He hesitated then shrugged it off. "…Nothing." But it wasn't nothing Mina glanced between the two of you, sensing something then deciding not to poke at it "Anyway," she clapped her hands lightly, "we should head in before we get yelled at."
"Good call," Denki said quickly. You nodded. And just like that the moment moved on. But Denki felt it linger. As you walked. As you talked. As everything stayed exactly the same. That thought stayed, too. Quiet. Persistent. Because now he couldn't unsee it. The way you were. The way you treated people. The way you smiled. And for the first time something unfamiliar crept in.
Not doubt. Not exactly. Just a question.
If you were like this with everyone…
Then what made him different?
The hallway buzzed between classes lockers slamming, voices overlapping, footsteps weaving in every direction. Jiro stood near the classroom door, one shoulder resting lightly against the wall, earphone jack looped loosely around her finger. She wasn't waiting. Not really. Her gaze drifted down the hall anyway and found him.
Denki.
He was with you and Mina again. Of course he was. Jiro watched the way the three of you moved together Mina talking, you responding, Denki somewhere in between it all. But not really in between. Closer to you. Always a little closer. "…Huh," she murmured under her breath. It wasn't new she'd seen it before. The way Denki leaned in when you spoke. The way he stayed focused when it was you talking even when Mina was right there being louder about it.
But today something was different. He wasn't as loud. Not as animated. Still there. Just quieter. Jiro narrowed her eyes slightly. "…That's new." Down the hall, you said something soft, quick and Denki smiled like it slipped out without him trying. Jiro felt something settle into place. "…Oh," she said quietly. It wasn't about you being kind. That part was obvious. You were like that with everyone. No. This was about him.
The way he chose where to stand. The way he stayed even when he didn't have to. The way his attention kept drifting back to you. Like it belonged there. Jiro looked down for a second, adjusting her bag strap over her shoulder. "…Right," she muttered.
That explained it most of it. Her gaze lifted again just in time to catch something else. Denki went to say something. Paused. Then didn't. The moment passed. You didn't seem to notice. Mina kept talking. But Jiro did. That hesitation. Small. Barely there. But enough. "…What was that?" she murmured.
Denki shook his head slightly, like he was brushing something off. And then he smiled again jumping back into the conversation like nothing had happened. But it wasn't the same. Not quite. Jiro pushed off the wall slowly. Because now it wasn't just obvious. It was complicated. By the time you all reached the classroom she was already inside.
Not waiting this time. Not watching. But even as she took her seat her thoughts lingered. On you. On him. And on that brief, almost invisible moment where something didn't quite line up.