[UNDER CONSTRUCTION] The Fire of my Childhood

• 23 •

1279

4:36 pm

Mina had texted me a bit earlier that her and Denki would be over soon. Sero had told us he wasn't able to make it as he had to help out his family clean up around the house.

We were all laughing and joking a bit when Bakugo's mom yelled up the stairs again to let them know more guests had arrived. As soon as her sentence was finished, Mina and Denki came barreling through the door yelling 'surprise!'

"Tch, not really a surprise if we knew you were coming." The hot-head crossed his arms over his chest and scowled, but we all could tell he was just joking. The two new arrivals plopped onto the bed bedside my brother and I, giggling and relaxing.

"Yo, Shoto, what are you wearing, dude?" Denki had sat up to get a good look at the dark clothes Kiri and Bakugo put on him. Shoto sighed and shrugged before pointing at the boasting Kirishima and the smug Bakugo.

"They set me up. They said something about my 'preppy aesthetic'? I don't know, ask them." My brother shoved his pale hair aside, and folding his arms across his lap. Once in a while he would pick at his collar, or rub his wrist.

Mina had sat down next to me, squeezing me into a constricting hug. It scared me at first so I took a deep breath to calm myself but she pulled away before I could feel any worse.

"Hono! Your shirt is so cute! Where'd you get it?" Her face was inches from mine, excitement written all over.

"I-i uh, got it from the th-thrift store," I stammered. My heart was beating faster as I was NOT expecting this closeness. I didn't notice the others quiet down until the heat of their gazes were too much. I stood up and rubbed my arm.

"I'm gonna use the restroom, I-i'll be back." I smiled anxiously at the group before leaving the room, hearing someone-presumably Denki- say, "but we just got here."

I quietly closed the door and sighed, pushing my bangs out of the way and leaning against the counter a bit. I bit my lip and turned the faucet on to pat some cold water on my face. The moment it hit my hands I swear I melted. I felt goosebumps and a shiver run down my spine, it was so refreshing to feel.

I turned the faucet off soon after that and let the heat of my body dry my myself, which didn't take too long. I felt sort of dizzy after that situation and sat on the edge of the tub. I held my head and took a deep breath.

You only just met Mina and you're breathing heavily over that? Get your head up and figure this shit out.

I groaned softly and clasped my hand to my mouth after I heard a soft knock on the door. I shakily stood up and replied a 'hello?'

"Hey, It's Eijirou. We just wanted to know if you're alright? Can I come in?" 

I sighed softly and relaxed a moment, pursed my lips, and went to unlock the door. I took a step back and leaned against the counter with my arms crossed, still pursing my lips.

"You okay? We didn't tell them about earlier, but we asked Shoto what was up and he didn't know. Are you alright?" He pushed the door softly behind him and leaned on the wall, blocking my exit.

"O-oh uh.. Yeah.. I'm just not used to people being.. th-that close to me." I pushed my bangs back and glanced into his crimson eyes, empathy and a reassuring nod was heading my way. He scooted closer just as I was looking away so I barely had noticed the small movement.

He sighed softly and we sat in silence for just a moment before he turned to me.

"Are you sure it's not something else? Like.. Do you like Mina?" I confusedly looked up to him, not surprised by the question though.

"W-what do you mean? Of course I like her, she's already one of my best friends." I simply explained and took a quiet deep breath in.

"No like.. Oh, wait, you're not really familiar are you? I meant uh, as in a crush. You know what a crush is, right? It's kind of hard to explain." He spoke quietly as to not be heard by the others in the room.

"Isn't that when you feel something towards someone? Then no, not to Mina." I had glanced up to his red-tinted orbs just as he looked down at the ground. Was he nervous? To talk to me?  I'm nothing special, I don't understand why.

"N-not to her? But to someone else? Is it Baku-bro? I totally understand i-if it is! I mean, sort of.. He did attack you," he seemed jumpy and put his hands up in defense, "-but the world works in mysterious ways, s-so I get it!" He pulled at the collar of his shirt and smiled awkwardly.

"Uhm, Eijirou, are you okay? You seem to be sweating a bit.." I pointed out and leaned forward a bit to see the perspiration forming on his forehead. I leaned back against the counter again and he took in a deep breath.

"Oh uh, yeah, I-i get warmer than.. usual.." He looked down at the ground but soon looked up with a more genuine smile.

"Hono, it's really nothing, but I just came to check up on you. M-maybe tell you something if y-you wanted to hear it." I saw the twitch in his lip and raised a fiery eyebrow at him, my arms still crossed over my chest.

"Uhm, go ahead."

"Look I..  This is harder t-to say than I thought, especially to someone like y-you.." He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck and flinched, bringing it forward to reveal it was hardened.

"You know what-" His tone caught me off guard, but I was really shocked when he reached for my shoulders and pulled me forward. My eyes widened in realization as he kissed me, his some-what hardened lips pressed against my soft ones. I didn't know how to react, I didn't know what to think, I just stood there, in shock. My heart fluttered but the pit in my stomach I didn't know I had expanded until it felt like it was weighing me down, my cheeks burning with a different warmth.

I couldn't move, even after hearing footsteps approach the bathroom we were both in. I could only feel the beating of my heart intensifying as they grew near. I guess Kirishima had barely heard them, because by the time the door opened to reveal us, he was starting to pull away.

I could see ash-blonde, spiky hair over the boy's shoulder, then looked a bit south to meet another pair of crimson eyes; the shock and anger they held were scarily immense, almost like the anger I seen in my father's eyes before.

"Baku, wait!" Kiri rushed to turn around and, I assume, explain what had happened before Bakugo had left the room. But he was already leaving. 

Kirishima landed a hand on his shoulder and Bakugo flipped. His other hand was raised so fast to let off an explosion that Kiri cried out. By then, the rest of the group had begun trickling out of the room to see what had happened.

I was still standing in the middle of the bathroom, my mouth slightly ajar, Kirishima still heading after Bakugo who was already in his room. 

Shoto jogged over, Mina on his tail, and worriedly held my burning hands in his cool ones.

"Hono, what just happened in here?"