A\N: The headcannon that Denki had freckles is so cute. Anyways updates may not be every single day anymore, I'm working on an Acting AU that'll be posted later on. Don't worry though I will keep updating!
Kaminari didn't necessarily enjoy having electric freckles that moved around on his face, but there was nothing he could do about it. Of course, those rude asses in middle school told him he could always wear a mask, or even worse just to cut his own face off. But he paid them no heed, after all bullying someone for something that was out of their control was uncalled for.
Before coming to UA, he decided to change his looks, learning how to cover his freckles with expertly blended makeup. It wasn't noticeable enough for people to point it out, but it hid the bright glitter-like freckles that dotted his face.
Before her death, his mom would always ask him never to feel embarrassed by his freckles. She said that they looked like a tiny universe on his face. Of course, he was ashamed that he didn't listen to her words now, but he couldn't bring himself to show anyone else his freckles.
But the day had to come eventually, and three weeks into his second semester is when it happend.
"Shit" Kaminari cursed as he pulled his shoes on in a rushed struggle, fumbling over his uniforms tie. It was a stormy Monday, and he didn't wake up to his alarm clock. Of course he was an hour late to class.
He snatched his phone, seeing multiple messages from his friends, asking where he was. He shot them back a quick reply that he wasn't feeling so well, and slept it off.
Kaminari shoved a peace of toast in his mouth as he rushed out of the door, no doubt looking very disheveld. Halfway through his mad dash in the harsh rain, he realized that he didn't even put on his makeup.
Well, there's no going back now. He thought, trying his best to shake off his insecurity and the ball of anxiety that settled at the base of his throat. Maybe he wasn't feeling so good after all. Maybe he should go back-
Too late for that now. How long had he been standing in front of class 1-A's door? A few students who roamed the corridors gave him weird looks, but he ignored them. They were just class skippers anyways, no need to have any association with them.
He sighed, steeling himself before knocking on the locked door. He could hear Aizawa stop his lecture mid sentence, footsteps approached the door, the only background noise being the scribbling of pens against paper. It must have been a note taking day.
The door flung open, revealing his homeroom teacher. Kaminari waved awkwardly, grinning sheepishly. Aizawa's tired eyes studied him for a few seconds before he sighed, gesturing for him to come in. "Yaoyarozu, will you please make a towel?"
The student looked up from her paper in suprise, noticing Kaminari's soaked appearance before nodding. Luckily no one else noticed his face, he almost forgot he wasn't wearing makeup until Momo walked up to him, passing him the towel.
"Kaminari what are these?" She asked, reaching out to trace a line of freckles along the bridge of his nose. When she noticed Kaminari's uncomfortable look, she immediately pulled back, bowing in apology.
" N-no it's okay. " He laughed, drying his hair before wrapping the towel over himself. As he walked to his normal seat, he felt the stares of his other classmates. They weren't discriminatory looks, but rather curious. He knew for sure the freckles were sparkling more than normal, they did that when he got nervous.
Before they could say anything, Aizawa resumed his lecture.
As Kaminari shoved food into his mouth to cover the uncomfertable silence, Mina poked his cheek, leaning over from across the table. "Since when did you get freckles?" She whined, puffing out her cheeks.
" Oh- I always had them, just covered them up. " He answered, food still in his mouth.
"Don't fucking talk with food in your mouth, it's dusgusting." Bakugo growled as he but down into his salad. Kaminari knew his gaze was lingering on the freckles that dotted on the upper part of his cheeks.
"Wait, wait, wait, hold up. You've been wearing makeup all this time? You must be really good at blending for my trained eyes not to see it!" Mina huffed, stabbing at her own food.
" Mina, you don't even wear makeup, your skins too pink. " Sero chuckled as she elbowed him harshly.
Kaminari was thankful that his friend group didn't judge his appearance at all. Even when some people from the other courses stared, Bakugo only glared at them, making them avoid any eye contact.
As they placed their treys in a stack, a hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned to see the familiar smile of Kirishima. "Sup bro, something you need?"
" Actually yeah" Kirishima's smile turned into a small frown. "I wanna know the real reason why you hide your freckles."
Kaminari felt fear prick at his heart. He wasn't sure how he would approach this. He didn't want to tell his friend about the bullying, but knowing Kirishima, he would probably find a way to worm his way to the truth.
Kirishima must have noticed him looking around, biting his thumb anxiously, because he furrowed his eyebrows even more. "If you don't wanna talk about it-"
"No" Kaminari cut him off. "I'll tell you, you just - can't tell the others."
The red head nodded in agreement as they made their way through the crowd and to the restroom. "Sooo" Kirishima leaned against the sink, water trickled from the faucet in a steady beat, filling the silence. Suprisingly, no one occupied the restroom at the moment. "Why didn't you tell any of us- or me- that you have freckles?"
"I mean, it's not too big of a deal" Kaminari's fingers curled around the hem of his blazer. "I just got shit for it in middle school, decided to change things up in his school."
Kirishima looked on in understanding. He understood, he himself changed a lot before entering high school. Kirishima in middle school was a shell that he broke from a long time ago, they were two different people now. But he got the feeling that Kaminari had a different reason for changing.
"What kind of shit?"
Denki looked down to the tiled floor, letting the steady dripping of the water soothe him, steadying his breathing. Kirishima narrowed his eyes.
"No one in middle school really liked me, my freckles were just an excuse for them to pick on me since I was diffrent. "
Kirishima raised an eyebrow. "Bro, People have dupla arms, sparkling freckles aren't really that diffrent. Besides, there's nothing wrong with your face or anything."
" Yeah" Kaminari's chuckle lost its usual ring, sounding dull against the restroom walls. "They- they wanted me to rip my face off. Weird right."
The other students eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Thats-thats pretty shitty Kami. Did they...do anything to you?"
The blonde shifted under his taller friends gaze, eyes locking on the mirror. His freckles shimmered under the restrooms lighting. "They cut my face a few times" his fingers ghosted over the phantom scars on his face, feeling the dull pain that wasn't there.
Kirishima winced, studying his friends face, seemingly deciding something. "It doesn't matter what they said, you don't have to hide your freckles anymore. If anything, they make you look manly."
Denki snorted. "Right, point taken."
" I'm serious dude, those freckles are like tiny universes on your face! I'd love to have my face sparkle like that! "
Kaminari froze, no longer fidgeting. His lips pulled into a tight line, eyes slowly meeting Kirishimas. "What-what did you say?"
" That I want my face to sparkle? "
"No, the other thing."
"...That you have a tiny universe on your face? "
At hearing the phrase again, Kaminari put a hand up to his mouth to hide his quivering lips. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he sniffled.
"Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry bro, that might have sounded insensitive -"
" No" Kaminari waved off Kirishima's apologies, the boy clamped his mouth shut. "It's just... My mom used to tell me that before she... You know. "
No, Kirishima didn't know. Kaminari never talked about his family, so he assumed everything was alright. Maybe he should stop assumung. For now, he smiled softly as he hugged Kaminari, who sobbed into his shoulder.
Suddenly two of the bathroom stalls shot open, slamming against the wall. Bakugo and Sero stomped out of the stalls, making Kirishima and Kaminari jump in suprise.
"What the hell-"
"How long were you there-"
"Don't fucking worry about it." Bakugo grumbled, Sero smiled shamelessly as he pulled Kaminari and Kirishima in a hug, dragging Bakugo into it. Yes, Kaminari's secret was out, but he didn't know that things would work out so well in the end.
Why was he so worried in the first place?