Smoking cats - shinsero

Unseen Bruises

The Thursday air in UA felt thick, and it wasn't just the usual exhaustion that came with the start of a new week. Shinsou and Sero exchanged glances as they walked through the school gates, a quiet tension between them. Word of the party had spread like wildfire, with rumors swirling in every direction. The most ridiculous ones, of course, targeted Shinsou and Sero.

"Did you hear? Apparently, Shinsou went completely feral at the party," someone muttered as they passed.

Sero frowned, the words getting under his skin. Shinsou, though, seemed indifferent, his hands tucked in his pockets as if shielding himself from the whispers.

But the real concern today was Kirishima. They had barely seen him since the weekend, and now every glance towards him was met with avoidance. His usual boisterous energy was gone, replaced by a heavy silence that was impossible to miss.

They tried catching the redhead between classes but he brushed them off with a half-hearted smile, muttering something about needing to study. It wasn't like him at all. Usually, Kirishima would stop to chat, joke, or at least give them a thumbs-up, but the whole week he had been avoiding eye contact, his shoulders slumped as if carrying something heavy.

"Something's up," Sero muttered to his boyfriend as they made their way to the lunch hall. "Kiri's not acting like himself."

Shinsou gave a small nod, his eyes scanning the cafeteria. "And it's not just him. People are talking... about us. They've been for the whole week." His voice low but steady, as if he was holding back a storm of emotions.

Sero glanced around, catching snippets of conversations here and there. Most of them were about the party, the wild things people did when they were drunk - but then he heard it.

"I heard Shinsou... that purple haired guy... I don't know, man. There's something dark about him. Did you see how he disappeared with Sero that night?"

A cold, nauseous feeling churned in his stomach. He hadn't expected rumors to blow so out of proportion. Sure, they got wasted, but nothing weird happened... right?

"Ignore them," Shinsou said quietly, but there was a tightness in his jaw.

They grabbed their food, but the tension in the room was impossible to ignore. As they sat down, Mina joined them with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her pink hair seemed a little duller today, her usual spark missing.

"Hey, guys." She forced a laugh. "What a weekend, huh?"

Before either of them could answer, a group nearby started snickering.

"Did you hear what they're saying about Kirishima?" One girl whispered loudly. "They say he-"

Mina's face drained of color, her tray slipping from her hands and clattering onto the table. She stood up abruptly, her breath catching as she muttered something under her breath and rushed out of the cafeteria.

The two boys exchanged a quick glance, both understanding without saying a word. Shinsou stood up immediately, following her.

He found Mina huddled in one of the bathroom stalls, sobbing quietly, her knees pulled up to her chest. He gently knocked on the door.

"Mina," he called softly. "Can I come in?"

There was silence for a moment before she unlocked the door. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hands trembling as she tried to wipe away the tears. "I can't... I can't take it anymore," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm a terrible girlfriend. This is all my fault. I'm not good enough for him, Shinsou."

He crouched beside her, his expression softening. "Mina, don't say that. You're not the reason for any of this."

But the girl shook her head, the tears falling harder now. "You don't understand... I'm useless. He's avoiding me because he hates me, because I messed up."