The classroom felt… normal... Too normal. Which, at this point was suspicious. Aizawa stood at the front, hands in his pockets, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Today," he started, voice flat as ever, "you'll be observing Class 2 A's training." He paused for a moment scanning the classroom. "Take notes. Pay attention. Try to learn something." A low murmur moved through the room as students gathered their things, energy shifting quickly at the change of pace.
Denki leaned back in his chair slightly, stretching his arms behind his head. Observation. Easy. No pressure. Good. He needed that. Across the room, you were already packing your notebook, slipping it neatly into your bag, expression calm. Focused like always. Denki looked away first. Not today he wasn't doing that today. Behind him Mina turned slowly in her seat eyes locking onto Sero.
That look?
Yeah.
The one from yesterday.
It was back.
Sero raised a brow. "…You thinking what I'm thinking?" he muttered. Mina's smile spread slowly. "Oh, I'm way ahead of you." Across the aisle, Kirishima leaned over slightly. "…I don't like that look," he said. "You're not supposed to," Mina replied sweetly.
"Guys!" Kirishima started.
"We're helping," Sero cut in.
"That does not sound like helping."
Mina stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Relax," she said. "It'll work." Kirishima watched them go. "…That's exactly what someone says before it doesn't."
The training grounds were louder today. Class 2A moved through drills with sharp coordination, instructors calling out commands as Class 1A lined up along the sidelines to observe. Students spread out along the edges, some sitting, some standing, some already taking notes. Denki leaned casually against the railing, arms resting over it. Eyes forward. Focused. For once he didn't look for you.
Mina scanned the area like a general surveying a battlefield. "…Okay," she muttered. "We need timing." Sero nodded slightly. "And separation."
"Obviously."
They both glanced at you. You stood a few feet away, watching the training, notebook in hand, completely unaware. Their eyes moves toward Denki. Still at the railing. Still avoiding. "…This is painful," Mina whispered.
"Agreed," Sero said.
Kirishima stepped up behind them. "…You're not actually going through with this, right?" They didn't answer. That was his answer. "…Guys."
"Trust the process," Mina said.
"I don't trust your process."
It didn't happen all at once. It couldn't. It had to look natural. Effortless. Mina moved first. "Hey!" she called suddenly, turning toward you. "Can you help me real quick? I think I left my notes in the storage room." You blinked, looking over. "Oh, yeah, okay." Denki didn't react. Didn't turn. Didn't notice. "Thanks!" Mina said, already grabbing your wrist lightly and pulling you along. "It's just down the hall."
Sero watched you go then turned toward Denki. "Yo, Kaminari," he called casually. Denki glanced back. "…Yeah?"
"Come with me real quick," Sero said. "I need help grabbing something."
Denki frowned slightly. "…Right now?"
"It'll take two seconds."
Denki sighed. "Fine." He pushed off the railing, following after him. Kirishima watched the whole thing unfold slowly realizing "…Oh no."
The hallway was quieter. Too quiet. Mina pushed the storage door open, stepping inside first. "Should be in here somewhere," she said. You stepped in after her, glancing around at the shelves. "Okay." A second later Footsteps.
Denki.
Sero.
Denki stepped inside, already looking around. "…What are we even-"
click.
The door shut.
Locked.
Silence.
Denki blinked. "…Sero?"
No answer.
Mina's voice from the other side barely contained excitement: "Talk it out!"
Denki froze.
Slowly very slowly he turned and there you were. Standing a few feet away. Just as confused. "…Did they just-" you started.
"Yeah," Denki said.
The space suddenly felt very small. Very quiet. Very unavoidable. And just like that there was nowhere left to run. The silence hit first sitting between you. Denki blinked once. Twice. "…You've gotta be kidding me." He turned quickly, grabbing the handle, twisting it once, twice harder the second time. Nothing. "Okay ha very funny," he called, knocking against the door with the side of his fist. "You can open it now."
Silence.
Denki frowned slightly. Then knocked again. Harder. "Alright, seriously open the door." Nothing. He hit it this time flat palm, louder, sharper. "Sero. Mina. Not funny." Still nothing. The quiet on the other side wasn't teasing. Wasn't muffled laughter. It was just gone. Denki stilled. "…They're not opening it," he muttered. Not really to you more to himself. Like saying it out loud would make it make sense. He let his hand fall from the door slowly.
The room felt smaller now. Denki rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling through his nose. "…Of course they did that," he muttered. "…Sorry." The word slipped out before he could stop it. Like this was somehow his fault. Like you got dragged into something because of him. You shifted slightly where you stood, glancing at the door, then back at him. "It's… okay," you said. Soft. Careful. That same tone. Denki nodded once but didn't look at you. "Yeah."
Another pause. Longer this time. No noise from the hallway. No voices. No footsteps. Just the hum of nothing. Denki ran a hand through his hair again, pacing once across the small space before stopping. "…They're probably just waiting," he said. "Like thinking this is helping or something." You didn't answer right away. "…Maybe," you said. Polite. Neutral. That word again. Denki's jaw tightened slightly.
Of course.
Even now.
Same tone.
Same voice.
Nothing different.
He leaned back against the wall, arms crossing loosely over his chest. Put space between you. Not much but enough. Or at least he told himself it was. You stayed where you were for a second longer. Then slowly sat down back against the opposite wall. Giving him distance. Denki noticed. Because now everything felt noticeable. "…They're not coming back anytime soon," he said after a moment.
You nodded slightly. "Probably not." And that was it. No attempt to fill the silence. No nervous rambling. Just acceptance. Denki slid down the wall a second later, sitting across from you, knees slightly drawn up, arms resting loosely over them. Still not looking at you. The space between you wasn't big but it felt wide. Quiet settled again. Not the same as before. Heavier.
Denki exhaled slowly, gaze fixed somewhere near the floor. "…You don't have to just sit there, you know," he muttered. It came out more defensive than he meant. You blinked slightly. "…I'm not," you said. "…I just don't know what you want me to say." That landed. Denki's fingers curled slightly against his arm. "…You don't have to say anything," he said quickly. Too quickly like he needed that to be true. Another pause and this time you didn't let it pass.
"…You've been acting weird all day."
Denki's shoulders tensed slightly. "…I haven't."
You didn't respond right away just watched him. Quiet. Waiting. Denki felt it. That attention. That patience. The same one you gave everyone somehow that made it worse. "…You have," you said softly. Denki let out a slow breath, leaning his head back against the wall. "…It's nothing." You didn't believe that he knew you didn't but you didn't call him out on it. Instead you looked down at your hands. Fingers fidgeting slightly. And when you spoke again your voice was quieter. Different.
"…Did I do something?"
That wasn't the same tone not the one you used with everyone. Not light. Not easy. Something underneath it. Denki's breath caught slightly. Because that felt different for a second he didn't know what to do with it.
You weren't looking at him but he was looking at you now. Really looking this time he didn't look away. "You've been acting weird all day…" Your voice was quiet. Careful. "…and even yesterday."
Denki stilled.
"You didn't sit with me today…"
Each word landed softer than it should've.
"…or talk to me yesterday."
His chest tightened.
"You were being distant."
You tried to steady your voice tried to hold it together "…You didn't come over yesterday…"
It slipped anyway. Just enough.
"…Did I do something wrong…?"
That that did it. Something in Denki shifted. Not loudly. Not dramatically. But completely because suddenly it clicked. Not the overthinking. Not the comparing. The truth. You. The way you laughed at his dumb jokes. The way you teased him back. The way you weren't careful with him. That night. Your house. You weren't just kind. You were yourself. And he'd seen it. He was the only one who had. "…If I did something wrong, please tell-" You didn't get to finish because Denki moved. Fast. Closing the space between you in a single step arms wrapping around you before he could think better of it.
"No," he said quickly, voice rougher than before. "No you didn't do anything wrong." You froze slightly in his arms. "I'm just an idiot." The words came out without hesitation. Denki pulled back just enough to look at you, his hands still resting lightly on your arms like he wasn't ready to let go completely. One hand lifted resting gently against your cheek. Guiding your face just enough so you'd look at him. When you did His breath hitched. Your eyes Glistening. Tears barely held in place.
"…I'm sorry, Y/n."
You looked at him for a second longer. Then smiled. Small. Gentle. Somehow that hurt more than anything else. "It's okay." You leaned forward slightly resting your forehead against his. Close. Warm. And just like that everything softened. Denki let out a quiet breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Then slowly reluctantly he pulled back just enough to sit beside you instead. Shoulder brushing yours. Close. Comfortable. "So," Denki said, glancing at you from the corner of his eye, voice lighter now, "what are you making for us tonight?"
There it was. That shift. Not forced. Not fake. Just them. You huffed a quiet laugh, shaking your head slightly. "I don't know," you said. "Depends… are you inviting yourself over again?"
"'Inviting' is a strong word."
"You literally just did."
"Okay, but respectfully."
You rolled your eyes smiling now. Actually smiling. "Wow. How polite of you."
"I try."
A small pause settled between you. But this one wasn't heavy. Wasn't awkward. It felt…full. Because something had shifted. Not just back to normal. No something deeper. Quieter. Stronger. Neither of you said it you didn't need to both of you felt it this time it was different.
The quiet didn't last forever. It never did with you two. "…So you're just inviting yourself over now?" you asked, glancing at him with a small smile. Denki leaned back slightly, one knee bent, shoulder still brushing yours. "I prefer to think of it as… consistent presence."
You blinked. "…That's not better."
"It sounded better in my head."
"It didn't sound better out loud."
"Okay, wow tough crowd."
You laughed. Actually laughed and Denki felt something in his chest settle. There it was that sound. "…You're annoying," you added lightly. "Yeah?" he shot back, turning toward you more fully now. "You still let me come over though."
"That's because I feel bad for you."
He gasped. "Wow. That's crazy. I thought we had something real."
"We do."
A beat.
"…You're just still annoying."
Denki squinted at you. "…Say that again."
"No."
"You definitely just said-"
"I didn't."
"You did."
"I didn't."
"You're lying."
You smiled just slightly. "Prove it."
That did it.
"Oh, you're bold now," Denki said, shifting closer.
"Maybe."
"Okay, okay."
Before you could react Denki reached out you yelped softly as he grabbed your wrist. "Denki-!"
"Say it again."
"No-!"
You twisted slightly, trying to pull away laughing now "I'm not saying it again!"
"Say it."
"No!"
He leaned closer, trying to catch your other wrist you shifted back. "Denki, stop!"
"I will when you admit-"
Your back hit the wall lightly. You both froze for half a second. Too close. Way too close. Denki blinked. You blinked. You pushed at his shoulder. "Get off!"
"Make me!"
That was his mistake. Because you did.Grabbing his arm and pulling throwing him slightly off balance and suddenly you were both moving. Uncoordinated. Laughing.
thud.
Denki landed on the floor. With you. Under him. Not the awkward kind the realization kind. Denki's hands caught himself just barely, braced on either side of you. Your hands were still loosely gripping his shirt. Faces too close. Breathing a little uneven. "…Okay," Denki said quietly. "…Okay," you echoed.
Neither of you moved.
Not right away.
Because for a second it didn't feel like a joke anymore. It felt like something else.
click.
The door flew open. "ALRIGHT TIME'S U-" Mina froze in the doorway Sero froze behind her. Both staring at you. On the floor. With Denki very much on top of you. "OH MY GOSH!" Mina lunged forward immediately, grabbing Denki by the collar and yanking him off you with surprising force. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she snapped, pulling you up gently right after. "I-wait-no it's not-" Denki stumbled, completely thrown off. Sero pointed at him, eyes wide. "Dude! What the hell?!"
"I didn't! We weren't-!"
Mina crouched slightly in front of you, hands on your shoulders. "Are you okay?!" she asked quickly. "Did he-"
"No!" you said immediately, flustered. "No, it wasn't like that-!"
"He tackled you!"
"I didn't tackle her!"
"You were on top of her!"
"We fell!"
"You fell on her?!"
"That's not okay, yes, but not like-"
Sero shook his head, already disappointed. "Unbelievable, man." "It's not what it looked like!" Denki insisted, running a hand through his hair, completely flustered now. You were trying not to laugh. "It really wasn't," you added, smiling despite yourself. Mina looked between you both suspicious. "…You're smiling." You covered your mouth slightly. "…I know."
Denki groaned. "This is not helping my case."
Sero crossed his arms. "You don't have a case."
"I do have a case!"
Mina narrowed her eyes. "…We leave you alone for ten minutes-"
"It wasn't ten!"
"and this is what happens?"
"We were talking!"
"On the floor?!"
Denki paused. "…Yes."
That did not help. You laughed again softer this time and when Denki glanced at you really glanced. You were still smiling. At him. Not at the situation. Not at them. At him. And just like that Everything felt warm again. Even if it was completely chaotic. Even if it was completely misunderstood. Even if Mina was still glaring at him like he'd committed a crime.
Because underneath all of it something had settled.