The Quiet of Us (Denki Kaminari x OC)

The Return Home

The clock on the wall ticked softly, each second feeling like an hour as Kaminari sat on the couch, his leg bouncing nervously. It had been nearly an hour since his call with Aiko, and though she had promised to come home, the silence that followed had only heightened his anxiety. His mind raced with worry—what if she changed her mind? What if she decided that leaving was the best option?

He reached for his phone, his thumb hovering over her name, ready to call her again. But before he could press the button, the sound of the door creaking open made him freeze.

Kaminari's heart leaped into his throat as he turned toward the door. There she was—Aiko, standing in the doorway, her eyes red and puffy from crying, her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her. For a moment, they simply stood there, staring at each other in silence.

Aiko's gaze flickered over him, taking in the scratches and bruises that littered his body, the exhaustion etched into his features. Her heart sank at the sight of him—he looked like he had been through hell, and she hated that she hadn't been there for him when he returned. But at the same time, her own heart was breaking, the weight of everything that had happened—her job, the media, the overwhelming guilt—pressing down on her.

The silence stretched on, heavy and tense, until Kaminari finally broke it.

"Aiko..." he said softly, taking a small step toward her. "I don't care what the media says. I don't care what they write or how they try to twist things. None of that matters to me."

Aiko's chest tightened at his words, her throat constricting with emotion. "But it's cost me my career, Denki. Everything I've worked for, everything I've built—it's gone. And it's because of that article." Her voice wavered, the raw pain in her words cutting through the air.

Kaminari's heart ached as he watched her struggle, knowing that nothing he said could change what had happened. He could see it in her eyes—the internal war she was fighting, the pull between wanting to stay with him and feeling like she needed to leave to protect him.

"I know," Kaminari said quietly, his voice full of empathy. "I know it's not fair, and I know you're hurting. But I'm here. We can work through this together. You don't have to go through this alone."

Aiko bit her lip, her hands trembling as she stood frozen in place. She wanted to believe him—wanted to trust that they could get through this—but the fear of being a burden, of dragging him down with her, gnawed at her insides. She was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of feeling like everything was slipping away.

Kaminari could see her hesitation, the way she was battling with herself. He couldn't bear to let her keep doubting. Taking a deep breath, he closed the distance between them and gently pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a warm, protective embrace.

"I love you, Aiko," Kaminari whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I've loved you for a long time. And I don't care about the media or rumors or anything else. I just care about you. Please... don't leave. We can get through this. I need you."

For a moment, Aiko stood stiff in his arms, her heart racing as she fought the urge to pull away. The doubt, the guilt, the fear—it all swirled inside her, threatening to tear her apart. But then, slowly, she felt the warmth of Kaminari's embrace, the steady beat of his heart against her chest, and something inside her began to soften.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she let out a shaky breath, her arms finally wrapping around him, holding him close. "I love you too," she whispered, her voice breaking as the words left her lips. "I'm so sorry, Denki. I love you."

It was the first time she had said it, and the moment the words left her mouth, the weight she had been carrying seemed to lift—if only slightly. For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to lean into him, to let him hold her, to let herself be vulnerable.

Kaminari tightened his arms around her, his own tears threatening to spill as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for staying. We'll get through this, I promise."

Aiko nodded weakly against him, her tears falling freely now as she clung to him. She didn't know what the future held—didn't know how they would navigate the mess their lives had become—but for now, in this moment, she was home. And with Kaminari by her side, maybe—just maybe—they could find a way to heal together.