Second Chance -Shinkami book 2-

16. For You I'd Do Anything

The Bakusquad had gathered in Kaminari's room to play video games and just hang out. It had been a while since they got to just enjoy each other's presence. Kaminari and Shinso sat on the bed, Bakugo was on the bean bag chair with Kirishima in his lap, and Mina and Sero sat in front of the bed.

"Bakugo did you just kill my dog?" Mina asked looking over to where the blond alpha sat with a smug look.

"Chill out raccoon eyes, I didn't mean to, and it's just a game," Bakugo said. They were playing Minecraft since that was the only game Kaminari had that could have more than just two people playing. "You have three others anyway."

"That's not an excuse! That was scruffy! My first dog!" Mina flopped back against the bed and tilted her head back to look at Kaminari. "Bakugo killed my dog," she whined.

Kaminari put his hands up. "I had nothing to do with that, why are you looking at me?"

Mina huffed and looked back at the tv and then Bakugo. "How would you like it if I killed your dog, Hu Bakugo?"

"I don't think Kat has any dogs," Kirishima noted looking back at his boyfriend who was now glaring at Mina.

"You know I picked this game partly because I didn't think anyone could find a way to pick a fight with it but I have been proven wrong," Kaminari muttered laying his head on Shinso's shoulder.

"We're playing with Bakugo, what did you think would happen?" Shinso asked kissing the top of Kaminari's head.

"Correction: we're playing with Bakugo," Sero pointed between himself, Mina, and Kirishima. "You guys are watching and cuddling."

They only had four remotes so they were taking turns playing. Kaminari had already had his turn and Shinso wasn't that much of a gamer so he didn't mind just watching. "Got a problem with that?" Kaminari asked in a teasing tone. "Or are you just upset you don't have someone to cuddle with?"

Sero shot a small glair back at the omega who just stuck his tongue out at his friend. "I've said it before, I don't need a relationship," Sero muttered looking back to the screen.

"Doesn't mean you don't want one," Mina said with a smirk. "You gotta have someone you have at least a small crush on." The pink omega leant over her friend slightly in a teasing manner.

A small smirk could be seen on Kirishima's lips. "I think he does," he said.

"Aww, Sero's got a crush!" Mina said happily. "Who is it?"

Sero's cheeks tinted pink. "I never said I have a crush," Sero muttered turning his head away from his friends. "And what about you Mina, I'm not the only single one in the group, you got a crush?" They all knew he was just trying to get the focus off of himself but everyone in the room except for Mina knew about the alpha's crush on her.

"Ah ah ah," Mina said shaking her finger in front of the alpha's face. "You gotta answer my question first.

Kaminari was struggling to hold in his laugh as Sero's face managed to match Kirishima's hair colour.

"I-Uhh, I gotta use the washroom so Kami, you take my remote," Sero said getting up and avoiding the question completely.

"Sure you don't wanna answer Mina's question first?" Kaminari asked with a smirk as he took the remote. Sero just shot him another small glair and went into Kaminari's attached washroom presumably to calm down and not to use it.

"Man I thought he was going to tell me," Mina whined. The others just snickered.

It was quiet for a moment as they continued to play. Sero poked his head out of the washroom once he finished, confusion was written on his face. "Uhh, Kami?"

"Yeah?" The omega asked, not looking away from the tv.

"Not trying to be rude or anything but uh... why was there a blanket over your mirror?" Sero asked.

Kaminari visibly stiffened. "Oh, uhh, it's nothing," he said slowly. A week or so ago he was having a bad day for memories from the mirror maze and... let's just say every reflective surface that day had to be covered after he had a break down in the washroom, possibly breaking that mirror.

They all looked at Kaminari confused. Shinso rubbed his arm reassuringly, catching on only slightly to why it had been covered.

Sero gave him a curious look. "Right, and the mirror is also broken because...?"

Kaminari curled into a tight ball. "I... may have... punched it?"

The room fell silent. "You punched your mirror?" Kirishima asked confused.

Kaminari buried his face into his knees and leant against Shinso. The alpha put his arm around Kaminari's back. He had an idea of what had happened.

"I was having some flashbacks, I don't want to talk about it," Kaminari's slightly muffled voice came. Shinso's hand rubbed up and down Kaminari's side in a calming manner.

"Can you guys leave us be for a minute?" Shinso asked their friends softly.

They all shared a look but nodded. "Yeah, see you guys later," Mina said.

"Bye," Kirishima added quietly.

They cleared out of the room, Kaminari still curled in on himself. Shinso turned off the TV before pulling the omega into his lap so he could hug him better. "Is everything ok?" Shinso asked quietly.

Kaminari shook his head. "I-I'm trying not to think about it," he muttered. "I-I shouldn't be like this, you don't freak out so why-why do I?"

Shinso held his boyfriend closer. "People handle trauma differently," he muttered. "And if it makes you feel better I had to cover the mirrors in my room too." Shinso had had his own problems with what happened with Takahashi, but the majority had been more internal than external.

"But you didn't have a panic attack and end up punching a mirror."

Shinso hugged him tighter. "Denki, I'm not handling this as well as you think I am," he muttered. He had struggled mostly when it came to the two being separated, his instincts were telling him to stay with Kaminari all the time but he can't always do that and it killed him inside.

Kaminari snuggled his face into Shinso's neck, taking in the alpha's scent. "You never talk about it. You're always listening to me but you never talk about it."

"You want me to tell you how I feel?" Shinso asked. Kaminari nodded. As sad as it would be that Shinso was also struggling with this, it would make him feel better to know he's not the only one. "Well, for starters, I hate being separated from you, my brain links it with being separated in the maze. And... I had to put a nightlight in my room as well, and I already said I had to cover the mirrors."

Kaminari lifted his head slightly. "A nightlight?"

The alpha nodded. "Ever since that night I couldn't be in the dark without remembering everything that happened in the maze, I start feeling claustrophobic."

Kaminari realized that his boyfriend had been hiding all this from him, though he didn't know if it was on purpose or just because he didn't talk about his feelings often. Kaminari hugged Shinso tightly, moving so he had a leg on either side of the alpha's hips so it was more comfortable.

Shinso found himself nuzzling his nose into Kaminari's scent gland the way the omega was doing with him. It was so calming. The lemon scent made Shinso feel so much calmer, and his lilac one doing the same for Kaminari.

"I want you to tell me how you feel more often," Kaminari said quietly. "I can't be the only one to do that."

Shinso nodded. "For you, I'd do anything," he muttered. Communication had never been his strong point, but for Kaminari... for Kaminari he would do whatever it takes.

(Published April 23, 2021)