|| Things Will Change ||

Chapter Fourty-One

It was like a silence fell over the room as Denki walked in. Aizawa was asleep on the floor, but would probably get up soon. Kirishima patted Denki's shoulder, who was just standing in front of the class.

This hadn't been idea. Why had he ever thought this would be a good idea? Had he ever? Nope, probably not. He just wanted to turn right back around with a, 'Well this wasn't the bathroom,' and leave. Run far away. Was the forest still an option?

So there he was, just staring at everyone silently, as they stared back at him.

He felt his anxiety build up further until he was sure he was as pale as a ghost, wishing desperately that he'd never gone to that alley.

M*neta opened his mouth to say something but Tokoyami smacked a hand over his mouth, which Denki was unbelievably grateful for. The emo bird nodded to Denki.

"Welcome back, Kaminari," he said. "It's good to have you here."

Denki nearly cried from relief, giving Tokoyami a smile.

"Thanks! It's- it's good to be back."

The rest of the class stared as Denki shuffled slightly closer.

The door slammed open as Bakugou walked in, making a 'tch' sound.

"Oi, extras. You look like gaping fish just standing there. Was all that practice for nothing? Come on, speak, you wimps," he snarled, stalking over to his seat. Denki laughed a little, starting to walk to his chair before Ojiro stopped him.

"Hey- I just wanted to say the same thing. We're all glad you're back, and we're sorry you've been having a hard time, but we can't wait for it to get better for you."

It took the class about ten minutes to deliver little speeches that, according to Bakugou, they'd practiced. He found it kind of sweet, and when everyone was done- minus M*neta, who seemed determined to save his speech for later- Denki gave them all a blinding smile.

"Thanks, guys! I'm glad that I'm back, too- I really missed you all."

And with that, they all settled in their seats, with the addition of a couple 'aww's sprinkled around the classroom.

"That blond bitch said WHAT?!!" Bakugou roared, his hands crackling violently as Kirishima retold the story of- according to him- 'Kamibro being super epic and manly!!'.

"Yeah," Kirishima said nervously, apparently realizing his mistake. "Uh- forget I said anything."

"I'LL BLOW HIS BALLS OFF!!" Bakugou snarled.

"That's what she said," Denki remarked, grinning when Bakugou barked a laugh before playing it off as a growl and stomping away, over to the table where Monoma was sitting. "Ay, ay, wait!!!! I didn't think you actually would-"

"COPYCAT PRICK!!!" Bakugou roared, grabbing Monoma by the shirt collar.

Denki lunged forward and pried Bakugou's hands off, forcing Monoma back down in his seat, looking slightly shaken by the 'sudden' outburst. Part of Denki wanted to cheer Bakugou on as Monoma lost- uh, something important- but he shoved that part down and dragged Bakugou away.

"Alright, Kacchan, we're going over hERE- STOP STRUGGLING BRO- we're going over here to calm down so you don't commit a crime!!" Denki said, smiling nervously and hauling Bakugou away despite the explosions aimed at Monoma. "There we go!! You're with us. Better? No copycat prick."

Bakugou calmed down enough to snort. "Good of you to finally admit what he is, Pikachu."

Denki huffed a laugh before finding Sero, who was walking over with a lunchtray.

"Bro!! You just missed Bakugou trying to blow some balls off!!" Denki grinned.

"That's what she said," Sero replied immediately.

"Hey, that's what I said!!"

"You blow balls?"

"NO-" Denki started laughing hysterically, making Sero laugh as well.

"Okay but seriously man, I wish I'd paid attention. I would pay to see Bakugou explode some balls."

"Mood," Denki hummed, before a tap on his shoulderblade made him turn around.

"So you're basically a girl?" M*neta asked. Denki stared, dumbfounded, like the rest of the squad.

"What?" Denki asked, taken off-guard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you like boys, and you were railed by one, right?"

Denki felt a familiar panic start to grip at his chest, remembering the bruises, the blood, the.... other stuff that he never wanted to think about again.

"Kind of?" Denki said. He could hear his own voice start to go dead, sounding numb and dazed.

"Aye, creep, back off," Mina groaned. "Nobody's up to deal with you today."

"But really!" M*neta insisted. "He's basically a girl!!"

Before Denki could react, M*neta got slapped five times by five different people. Shinsou had apparently been walking over, too, because as soon as the slap-succession was done, and M*neta had run away, Shinsou was standing behind where M*neta had been.

"I'm the better purple," he said, his voice monotone. Mina cheered.

"Yes you are!!!" she hummed. "Heya!!"

Shinsou gave her a wave and walked around the table to sit down with Denki.

"Don't tell them I told you," Shinsou said to Denki, "but my dads are looking to legally adopt you along with the rest of the school staff. They're gonna ask you soon, like in the next day or so, if you're okay with that."

Denki's eyes lit up brightly as the squad started clamoring about who Shinsou's dads were.

"Oh, yeah, they're Aizawa and Mic. I'm surprised you don't already know- Denki couldn't stop talking about the amount of burgers he'd get from winning that bet."

Denki grinned sheepishly, although he was still bouncing in his seat from excitement.

"Awww!!" Mina hummed, hugging Denki tightly. "You thought about us!!!"

Denki grinned. "Always. You guys are- like, my family!"

"Nope. We're better than those asswipes. We're your.... burdens. You're stuck with us," Bakugou finished.

As most of the table snickered, Denki smiled brightly.

"And I'm okay with that!" he responded.

A/N: Sorry this chapter was kind of short, but I tried to make it pretty happy, besides the M*neta thing. Don't worry, Monoma will be redeemed in the next few chapters!!! Have a nice day and I'll see you next update!!