Dear Denki (Kirikami)

love & disaster

Kirishima POV

"I can't believe you talked me into this."

Bakugou, still in his pajama bottoms, mutters to himself as we walk across campus. The sun still hasn't come up yet, and it won't for a few more hours. It's chilly outside, hence why my friend is so grumpy beneath his winter jacket and hat. Well, that, and the fact that it's five in the morning.

"Come on, man," I say. "It'll just be a few minutes, then you can go back to sleep."

"Tch. I still think this whole thing is stupid."

"Then why are you helping me?"

He sighs. "I accepted a long time ago that my best friend is an idiot. Plus, I'm cooking breakfast for me and Todoroki this morning, so I needed to be up early anyway."

I smile at him as I stuff my hands in my jacket pockets, keeping them warm. "Three days and you've already turned soft. You really like him, don't you?"

"Be quiet," he mumbles. "At least I'm not afraid to be honest about my feelings."

Groaning, I open the door to the academic building, allowing Bakugou to go in first. "I told you, there are no feelings. I'm just helping Denki as a friend."

Now in the warm halls, Bakugou stops walking and turns to me. "We're sneaking into the school hours before class even starts so you can drop a damn love letter on his desk without getting caught. Be in denial all you want, but this is way more than friendship and you know it."

I brush my fingers against my newest letter for Denki in my jacket pocket. "I'm telling you, it's not! I'm just taking drastic measures here. I thought yesterday he was going to figure out I'm the one who's been writing these."

We continue walking. "Well, you're the idiot who wrote about being in the same math class as him. What the hell were you thinking?"

I scratch the back of my head. "I was sleep deprived when I wrote that."

It's true, I hardly slept two nights ago. One, because my mind was consumed by the thought of Denki and how much happier he seems since he got my letters. And two, because I woke up early yesterday to drop a letter on his desk before meeting him for breakfast. I figured if we walked in together, he'd never suspect I'd be the one to leave it there.

But then my stupid exhausted self forgot not to include any specific details about my identity, so all of that was pointless anyway.

Still, I can fix this. Denki already has his list of suspects for his secret admirer, and I'm not on that list. So, everything should go well.

I asked Bakugou to join me this morning to keep lookout. When I came by myself yesterday, I ended up running into the janitor and he gave me a lecture about sneaking into school outside of operating hours. It was only after I explained the situation that he agreed not to report me to Principal Nezu. He said something about romance being the air, which I ignored.

Scurrying through the halls, Bakugou and I finally reach the 2-A classroom. Bakugou's cranky self opens the door with so much anger it's almost impressive. He motions for me to enter and leave the note on Denki's desk while he guards the door.

Peering in, Denki's desk is right there. Why is my heart beating so fast all of a sudden? All I have to do is drop the letter and get out. I did it yesterday just fine. No, thinking back, I was nervous yesterday too. I know Denki says these letters make him happy, which in theory should make it easier to write them. Instead, it does the opposite. I feel like if the letters aren't perfect, maybe he won't like them anymore or he'll be disappointed I didn't write more. Ugh, my brain hurts from thinking too much.

Bakugou's glaring at me now, probably getting impatient that I still haven't stepped inside. So, after taking a deep breath, I enter the classroom, note in hand.

However, I only make it two steps before tripping over something on the floor. Plummeting to the ground, I stick out my forearms just in time so I don't land on my face.

"What the-"

Just then, something grabs my ankle. No, not something, someone. Someone who's hiding in a yellow sleeping bag so I can't see their face. All that's sticking out is their arm that's clamped around my ankle. Still, that has to be Aizawa in there right?

A muffled voice erupts from the sleeping bag. "Got you!"

Okay, that's definitely not Aizawa, but I still can't tell who it is. Regardless, I shove the note back in my jacket pocket so this mystery person doesn't see it.

They finally let go of my ankle and slip out of the sleeping bag. "Nowhere to run now. I've been waiting ever since the first letter to find out who you- wait, Kiri?"

"Denki?"

My heart drops as Denki reveals himself. He's already dressed in his school uniform, though his hair is disheveled from confining himself to a sleeping bag. I smile when I see it. Denki's bedhead is really cute. But then I stop smiling when I remember the situation at hand.

"What are you doing on the floor Sparky?" Bakugou calls from the doorway.

Denki keeps his eyes on me as he answers, his golden eyes filled with confusion. "I was hiding in here so I can catch my secret admirer when they drop off a letter. W-What are you guys doing here?"

Bakugou stares at me, indicating he's letting me take the reins on this one. Tell him the truth, the look says.

My brain, however, tells me something different. I let out a giggle that sounds way more nervous than I mean for it to. "What a coincidence, that's why we're here as well!"

"WHAT?" Bakugou yells.

"Well, that's why I'm here," I say, ignoring him. "Bakugou's here cause I kind of forced him to come."

Denki's eyes soften. "Really? You really got up early to sneak in here to try to find out who's been leaving me these letters?"

A shy smile tugs at my lips as I shrug. "You're my friend, Denki. I'd do anything for you."

"Excuse me while I gag," Bakugou says.

I purse my lips at him. "Oh, just go cook breakfast for you and your boyfriend."

Bakugou mutters a few curse words before leaving to head back to the dorms. Now that it's just me and Denki, I move to sit next to him against the wall. Denki kicks the sleeping back toward Aizawa's desk.

"I got it from his bottom drawer," he clarifies. "I guess he keeps a spare one on him just in case the first one rips."

"Not surprising," I tell him. "So...now what?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Aren't we just going to wait here until my secret admirer shows up?"

My eyes widen. "Oh, right. Yeah, I guess we can do that."

"Yay!" Once I remove my jacket, Denki hugs my arm and leans his head on my shoulder. "My stomach's in knots right now. Even though I'm excited about finding out who my admirer is, I'm still really nervous."

I rest my head on top of his. "I think that's normal."

Denki nods. "Yeah, you're probably right. Still, I'm glad you're here to help me. You're the best."

"Stop," I say, heat rising to my cheeks.

"I mean it." He lifts his head to look me in the eye. "You're seriously the best friend I could ever ask for. I don't know what I'd do without you." A huge grin overtakes his face. "I love you Kiri."

Pain wells in my chest as soon as the words leave his lips. I don't know why. Denki's just offering his gratitude to me for being his friend. He didn't say anything mean, quite the opposite. Yet looking in his eyes, our faces dangerously close to one another, I feel sad for some reason.

I don't want to dampen his happiness, so I smile back at him. However, my voice is shaky as I mumble my response. "I love you too Denki."