With a Strum of My Heart Strings

The Calm Before the Storm

"Hey, Kiri!" he called as he entered the cafe. A couple of the customers sitting about the shop looked at him. He wasn't bothered and just shrugged off the annoyed looks at his loud volume.

"Hi!" Kirishima greeted him as Denki moved back behind the counter, grabbing his apron. They worked in silence for a little while, making the drinks for the incoming customers.

Once all of the customers had ordered and left with their coffees, Kirishima turned to his coworker. "Can I ask you something?" Denki glanced over at him, placing down the mug he was scrubbing down.

"Yeah, dude. What's up?"

Kirishima looked away for a moment as if contemplating what to say. "I..." He paused again, before, "How did you and Shinsou manage to get together?" Oh, yeah. Shinsou. He'd almost forgotten about him. Kaminari felt his smile waver a bit before he forced it back. He knew it didn't completely reach his eyes, but he hoped his friend wouldn't see that.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I thought he was hot and we went to lunch as bros and came back dating. We just kinda decided the meal would be a date." Kirishima sighed.

"You got lucky that it was that easy for you," he said. Denki placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, maybe so, but I barely knew the guy! You've known Bakugou for a long time now." Eijirou's head shot up at being discovered. The blond just laughed. "Dude, you're, like, really obvious." His friend huffed.

"To everyone but him, apparently." That may have been true. Bakugou was completely oblivious.

"I guess so. But you're not the only obvious one," he said, which caught the redhead's attention once again, who had busied himself with washing the dishes that Denki had stopped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked a bit hesitantly. Kaminari grinned.

"It means exactly what you think it does." Eijirou's face flushed as he looked away again.

"If you mean to say he likes me back—"

"Bingo!" Denki chirped, grinning ear to ear. Kirishima's face was nearly as red as his hair, and the blond had to cling to the counter catch himself from falling over laughing.

"Denki, please!" Kirishima pleaded. Kaminari controlled himself before turning back to his coworker.

"Listen, dude," he started, walking back over to the sink to wash the dishes with him, "I'd tell him. You guys have been pining over each other for ages. You gotta shoot your shot!" He beamed at Kirishima, who returned the gesture.

"I guess you may be right," he said, turning his head back up at him. "But I still can't help but be nervous, ya know?" Denki chuckled, nodding.

"Yeah, I feel you. But this will work out, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Kami," Eijirou said before he noticed Kaminari grab the redhead's phone from his pocket. "What are you doing?" Denki smirked at him mischievously. He pulled up Bakugou's number on the screen, and before Kirishima could do anything about it, it was already ringing.

"Denki!" he practically screeched as the phone was thrust into his hands.

"You'll thank me later. Now tell him how you feel!" The phone rang a few times before Bakugou picked up. Denki quickly put it on speaker mode so he could hear the conversation.

"What?" the ash blond's voice answered through the speakers. Kirishima took a nervous gulp as Denki gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.

"Uh," he stuttered, "I wanted to... to talk to you about something." Kaminari leaned in closer only to receive a strong hand to his face, holding him back.

"I'm listening." Denki noticed Kirishima's hands nearly drop the phone, which he assumed was because his palms were becoming sweaty. When the redhead didn't respond, the two heard Bakugou sigh on the other end.

"Just spit it out, Shitty Hair!"

"Fine, fine! And my hair isn't that different than yours!" Bakugou scoffed.

"You keep telling yourself that." Kirishima laughed, his nerves seemingly dissipating. That was good. Denki really wanted this to go well between his friends. That, and he was tired of having to listen to the endless pining.

"So?" Katsuki asked after a minute. Eijirou straightened his posture, suddenly alert of the situation again.

"Um, yeah, right." He paused for a moment before finally saying, "Look, I don't exactly know how to tell you this, because you're one of my best friends. But... I like you, bro." There was silence from Bakugou, something Kaminari never thought he'd see. "Like, like like you," Kirishima clarified.

Another moment of silence passed before, "You do?" Kirishima's lips turned up slightly.

"I do."

"Cool." Kaminari huffed. Bakugou couldn't just let go of his pride for one second, could he?

"Dude!" the blond nearly shouted so Katsuki could hear him. "Just tell him you like him back already!" He heard Bakugou growl over the phone.

"Dunce Face is there with you?" he asked, voice dripping with anger. He knew that if he were there in person, he'd be good as dead.

Kirishima nodded even though Bakugou wouldn't be able to see him. "He was the one who convinced me to do this." He paused for a moment before adding, "Well, he kinda forced me."

"Eijirou, can you ditch him for a minute?" Katsuki asked. Kirishima looked at Denki as if to ask if it were okay to leave him.

"Yeah, dude, go on," he said, practically throwing him out of the cafe. "I can handle it here on my own!" The redhead mouthed a 'thank you' before exiting and standing outside of the cafe doors. Kaminari kept an eye on them as he worked, and he didn't miss the big, goofy grin plastered across his friend's face. He assumed it was going well.

"Denki!" he heard a voice call as he finished washing the dishes, looking up.

"Oh, hey, Sero!" he exclaimed as the man walked into the shop, grabbing his apron. Kaminari gazed at him, slightly tilting his head in confusion. "I thought Kirishima's shift didn't end for another hour." Sero nodded, tying the article of clothing around his waist.

"I told him that I'd take over his shift early. Besides, I wanted to catch you before Mina took over yours." Denki nodded as he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't see your messages. I was talking with a friend," he said as he walked over to start making himself a mocha frappuccino, his favorite drink, Denki had learned.

"That's okay!" he chirped. Denki had been so caught up in helping Kirishima that he'd completely forgotten to talk to him about Shinsou.

"Did you still wanna talk?" Kaminari felt his grin falter as he completely remembered exactly what he was wanting to talk about. Sero noticed. "You don't have to." Denki shook his head, his lips resting in a small smile.

"No, I would, if that's okay." Sero nodded.

"Good, because there's something I need to talk to you about as well."