The past few days had felt like walking on eggshells.
Kaminari couldn't put his finger on what exactly had changed, but something between the three of them was different. The usual lightheartedness was gone, replaced by a kind of tension that neither of them could ignore. Bakugou had been distant. Kirishima had been quieter than usual. And Kaminari? He was stuck in the middle, watching them both as if he were waiting for someone to make the first move.
Bakugou hadn't even spoken to them much after the training session—just the bare minimum, enough to get by. His usual fiery sarcasm was still there, but it lacked the bite. It was almost as if he was trying to keep his distance, but couldn't quite figure out how.
And then there was Kirishima. The guy who always wore his heart on his sleeve, always upbeat, always ready to crack a joke. But even he seemed unsure of what was going on, like he was walking around with a question mark hovering over his head.
The three of them were sitting together in the common room, though it felt more like three separate people occupying the same space, instead of the usual trio that laughed, argued, and made jokes together. Bakugou had his earbuds in, his arms crossed as he slouched on the couch, staring at his phone screen like it held all the answers to the universe. Kirishima was at the table, picking at his lunch, looking at Bakugou like he was waiting for something to change. Kaminari kept his gaze flicking between the two, trying to figure out what to do.
It was exhausting.
"Dude, are you gonna eat that?" Kaminari asked, pointing at the untouched sandwich on the table in front of Kirishima.
Kirishima blinked, looking at the sandwich, then back at Kaminari. "Oh. Yeah, I guess I lost my appetite." He chuckled, but it sounded forced. "Guess I'm just... thinking about things."
"What kind of things?" Kaminari asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Kirishima hesitated, chewing on his lip for a moment. "I don't know, man. Just... things have been feeling off lately, you know? It's like we're all stuck in some weird place, and I don't know how to fix it."
Kaminari sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I've been feeling that too. It's like we're all... avoiding each other, but at the same time, we're all still right here. It's confusing as hell."
Kirishima nodded slowly, his gaze shifting to Bakugou. "It's mostly *him*, isn't it?"
Kaminari's heart gave a little lurch. He hadn't wanted to say it aloud, but the truth hung in the air, undeniable. Bakugou had been acting so... *off*.
The problem was, Bakugou wasn't talking. He wasn't sharing what was going on inside his head. And that was the hardest part. Not knowing what was bothering him, what was making him pull away from them.
As if on cue, Bakugou pulled his earbuds out and glanced at them both, his usual scowl in place. "What the hell are you two whispering about? Stop acting like I'm not here."
Kaminari and Kirishima exchanged a glance before Kirishima stood up, pushing his chair back with a sigh. "We're not whispering, Kacchan. We're just... worried about you."
Bakugou's expression faltered for half a second before he went back to his usual glare. "Worried about me? I'm fine."
Kaminari raised an eyebrow, though he didn't push it. "You don't look fine."
Bakugou's jaw tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to blow up at them. But he didn't. Instead, he looked away, running a hand through his spiky hair. "I'm just tired, okay? I don't need you two fussing over me."
Kirishima took a step closer, his voice gentle but firm. "That's not it, Kacchan. We've known you long enough to know when something's up. You've been acting... different. More distant, I guess."
Bakugou's shoulders tensed, his fists clenching at his sides. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Kaminari leaned forward, his voice quieter. "We're not trying to make it worse, Kacchan. We're just trying to understand. If something's going on, you know you can talk to us."
The words hung in the air, and for a moment, Bakugou was silent. His gaze shifted between them, conflicted. It was like he was battling with himself, trying to figure out if he should push them away again or finally let them in.
But before he could say anything, Kirishima broke the silence. "You're not alone in this, Kacchan," he said softly. "If something's bothering you, you can tell us. We're your friends, man."
Bakugou stiffened. His fists unclenched, but his face remained unreadable. "I don't need your damn pity, okay?"
Kaminari could see the way his body was coiled tight, like a spring ready to snap. Bakugou's pride had always been his armor, and breaking that down was never easy. But this—this was different. They were talking about something deeper now. Something that involved more than just pride.
Kaminari took a deep breath and stood up, walking over to where Bakugou was sitting. "Look, we're not trying to pity you. We just..." He hesitated, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "We care about you, okay? We care about *both* of you."
Kirishima's gaze softened, and he took a small step forward, joining Kaminari. "We're all in this together, Kacchan. Whatever *this* is, we'll figure it out. But you gotta let us in."
Bakugou's eyes flickered to Kirishima, and for just a second, there was something vulnerable in his gaze. Something *real*.
But then it was gone, replaced by that familiar, stubborn glare. "I'm not some damn charity case," he muttered, standing up abruptly and shoving past them. "I don't need your help."
Kaminari watched him go, his chest tightening. "Kacchan—"
Bakugou didn't stop. He stormed out of the room, leaving a silence in his wake.
Kirishima let out a long sigh, dropping back into his chair. "I don't know what to do anymore."
Kaminari sat down next to him, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "We keep pushing, I guess. We can't just give up on him."
"I know, man. I know." Kirishima's voice was thick with emotion. "But it's hard. I feel like... like we're losing him."
Kaminari shook his head. "We're not losing him. But something's going on, and he's just not ready to talk about it. We have to be patient."
Kirishima was quiet for a long moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was low. "I don't think it's just *him*, though, Denki."
Kaminari blinked, not sure what Kirishima meant. "What do you mean?"
Kirishima looked at him, his expression unreadable. "I think... I think it's all of us. We've been avoiding something. And maybe we need to face it. Together."
The words hung heavy in the air between them, and for the first time, Kaminari understood exactly what Kirishima was saying.
They weren't just dealing with Bakugou's distance. They were dealing with their own.
And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop pretending everything was fine.
