Once Upon Us ||Kaminari Denki| [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 10

Before I could even question the action, he gave an explanation. "Just in case the movie gets scary."

I was silent before making the comment, "It's a cartoon."

"You've clearly never seen Courage the Cowardly Dog," Kaminari scoffed.

"I haven't actually."

"You need to get out more."

The movie began, but I was not paying it much mind. Instead my brain was focused on what may be occurring at my oh-so happy home.

What if he takes his anger out on Okaasan?

It would not be the first or the last time that he had done that.

Once I assumed he was thoroughly distracted by the movie, I removed my hand from underneath his. Either he didn't notice, or didn't care because he said nothing.

The only words that came out of his mouth were about the movie.

I only say impatiently, waiting for it to end.

"I could've kicked all of their asses," Kaminari boasted on the way out of the theater.

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded. "I'm a real life superhero." He struck a pose, flexing obnoxiously.

"You're not a hero yet," The bitter part of me pointed out.

He shrugged, "I'm closer to being a hero than a lot of people, so I'll take that win."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night."

Kaminari continued, "More like I'll be letting you sleep at night by keeping you safe."

I turned to give him a sarcastic grin, "Fine, whatever lets you power nap during the day."

Somewhere during the conversation a wall had dropped between us. I hated that. I also hated that as I watched out the window, the scenery did not grow familiar.

"I thought you were going to drop me off at home?" His reminder of aim for grass was beginning to sound more appealing.

When I looked at him, I watched him shrug nonchalantly before saying, "You'll see."

"Why can't you just tell me?" I asked.

Kaminari was silent for a second. "It's hard to explain."

I didn't say anything after that. Instead I buried my irritation and fears and decided to let whatever was about to happen, happen.

When the car finally stopped in a small parking lot and I zoned back into my surroundings, the first thing I noticed was how dark it had become. I glanced at the clock on my phone. 8:13.

I killed any remaining hope that I would be getting home at a reasonable hour.

The second thing I noticed was the woods in front of us. A small, dirt trail led into the shady woods that looked harshly foreboding in the lighting.

When Kaminari spoke it was almost overtaken by the sound of crickets. "You coming?" It was only then I realized he was standing outside of the car.

I was aware that if I had told him I needed to go home, he would've gotten back in the car and drove me. But I was intrigued. Maybe it was the gentle breeze that moved the leaves or maybe it was the fireflies that lit up the landscape.

Or maybe it was him and the fact that I had subconsciously began to associate him with being safe from my foster dad.

"Yeah, sorry." I got out of the car and he locked it behind me. "Are we... going midnight hiking?"

Kaminari began walking into the woods, the path leading him. "You could say that."

I rushed for a few paces in order to fall into stride beside Kaminari. "This better not be another surprise," I said quietly.

"Do you dislike surprises or the unknown?" Kaminari asked.

The question left me in silence as I took a moment to consider it despite feeling the urge to shrug it off.

The path was growing narrower and the woods was growing thicker. Scenery like this had never bothered me, but as his question echoed in my mind I noticed my uneasiness that only grew whenever it got dark. Why had I never noticed that before? Maybe it was because I was always uneasy.

"Both," I finally answered.

He was silent for a moment, leaving me to try and figure out how to suck the words back into my mouth.

I glanced over at him, meeting his golden eyes that seemed to be glowing. "Well do not fret," he assured me, "I'm a superhero in training."

I chuckled at his response. However, I never got the chance to say anything myself due to the forest thinning out and a beach appearing on the other side. White flowers appeared across the grass and the moonlight reflecting in the waves made the water dance.

His hand grasped mine to pull me forward, it was only then I had realized that I stopped.

"The bruises on your face are going away," he commented.

His words came out of left field, but something told me that it only appeared that way to me.

I reached my free hand up to feel my face. The burning feeling that I felt when I touched it before had disappeared. My scab had healed as well, not even leaving a scar.

"Yeah, they are," I agreed. I kept my hand there, hiding the marks.

When I noticed Kaminari eyeing my hand I quickly moved it back to my side. "You know, you never told me what that was from."

"Yes I did," I corrected.

"Oh, guess I forgot," He mused. We both know he didn't just forget. "Care to remind me?"

"My cat clawed me."

"What was the cats name?"

"Pumpkin"

"That's right," he dragged the syllables as if the memory had just popped into the front of his brain. "The cat straight from hell."

I slipped my hand from his, feeling a disconnect after spewing my lies.

Something about the way he carried himself told me that even though he dropped the subject that didn't mean he was letting it go. So we stood there, watching the waves crash against the shore for who knows how long. Even though loneliness began creeping in again, I somehow felt at peace for the moment. Like all my worries had somehow vanished.

Maybe the spot had a calming aura to it, or maybe it was because the moment I began doubting everything, was the moment he decided to grab my hand again.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

So Imma be real. I have no idea what to do with the author notes cause so far i think all of them have been from when I wrote it originally which was like... two years ago. For some reason I feel like deleting them is just wrong so imma leave it... and y'all can enjoy messages from past me :)

Past me:
I'm going to give the poll on the last chapter another week. So far Shinso is winning.

(I posted a poll on my other book Against All Odds a Kirishima fanfic sequel to Let Go)

So I have a pretty good idea where this book is going and I hope you guys are liking it so far!

Thanks for reading!