Work it Out - KiriKami

17 ~ Reunion

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Denki lingered behind his friends, his heart racing as he watched them head towards the cafeteria. He clutched his hands into fists, trying to gather his courage.

"Just do it... Just talk to him.. Do it. Do it..." he murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze flickered up to Eijirou, who was walking a few steps ahead of him, completely unaware of Denki's inner turmoil.

Denki studied Eijirou's broad shoulders and the way his usually spiky hair hung casually over his face today. There was so much about him that Denki loved, yet this whole situation was tainted with a feeling of uncertainty and fear.

Denki took a deep breath, forcing himself to take one hesitant step forward. And then another. And another.

Finally, he reached out and grabbed Eijirou's arm, pulling him to a stop.

Eijirou turned back, a bit startled at the sudden pull on his arm. When he saw Denki standing there, looking so small and vulnerable, his expression immediately softened. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice gentle.

For a moment, Denki just stood there, staring up at Eijirou. The words he had practiced over and over in his head seemed to vanish from his mind. He wanted to say something, anything, but it was like his mind had gone blank.

Eijirou turned his attention to their friends, "Go on without us, yeah?"

The others exchanged knowing glances, nodded, and then continued to the cafeteria, leaving the couple alone in the hallway. Their hushed voices and footsteps slowly faded to uncomfortable silence.

Eijirou returned his focus to Denki, his expression now filled with concern. "Talk to me..." he said softly.

Denki's gaze dropped to the floor. Why was this so hard? He had planned what he wanted to say over and over in his head, yet now that the moment was here, it was like all the words had vanished.

Eijirou's hand came down to gently rub Denki's arm, the simple touch bringing a small measure of comfort.

"When?" Denki finally asked.

Eijirou blinked, "When? When what?"

"When did you decide to break your promise?"

Eijirou was clearly startled by the question, his hand stopping mid-motion. "I... I never wanted to break that promise. I meant it when I made it. I... I never should have made that promise. It was stupid. You... You needed help, and I needed to tell someone. I never should've promised to keep quiet about it."

"When?" Denki repeated, Eijirou's response not satisfying him.

"A few hours after we talked," Eijirou answered, "In the moment, when I made the promise, I fully intended to keep quiet and try to convince you to tell someone yourself later. But later, I was venting to Bakugou—vaguely, I didn't give him any details—and he helped me realize you need help now. Not later. I knew you'd be hurt because I broke the promise, but I had to get you help."

Denki's shoulders slumped as he heard the explanation. He knew deep down that Eijirou was only acting in his best interest, but it still hurt. The simple fact that Eijirou had told someone, had broken his promise, felt like a betrayal.

"You didn't lie..." Denki murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eijirou's expression softened even more, his hand resuming its gentle rubbing on Denki's arm. "No, I didn't lie. I fully intended to keep that promise when I made it. I just.... I realized later it wasn't a promise I could keep. Well, I could have, but I would've been a real shitty boyfriend if I knowingly let you keep hurting like this. You need psychological help, Denki. You have trauma and you're not handling it well."

Denki frowned a bit, "I-I know... I started therapy the other day."

A wave of relief washed over Eijirou's face at hearing that Denki had started therapy. It was a step in the right direction, and it meant that he wasn't completely shutting everyone out.

"That's good," he said, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "That's really good. I'm proud of you."

There was a moment of silence as the two boys stood there, the tension between them still palpable despite the slight easing of the situation.

Denki broke the silence with a small sniffle, "Y-you're not mad at me at all, are you?"

Eijirou's free hand raised to cup Denki's cheek, "There is absolutely nothing I could be mad at you for."

"I-I gave you the cold shoulder for, like, a week."

Eijirou chuckled softly, his thumb gently caressing Denki's cheek. "Yeah, you did. And it sucked."
He paused, his expression turning more serious. "But, I get it. You were hurt, and you needed time to process things. I don't blame you for needing space. Hell, I'd probably do the same thing in your position."

Denki leaned into the touch, his face turning to press against Eijirou's palm. He felt so small, so vulnerable, yet so safe and loved in that moment. "I missed you," he mumbled, "I... I hated not talking to you."

Eijirou's heart clenched at the admission, and he gently pulled Denki closer, pulling him into a tight hug. "I missed you too," he murmured, his arms wrapping firmly around the smaller boy. "Every single moment without you was hell. I hated it too."

Denki buried his face in the crook of Eijirou's neck, taking in his boyfriend's scent. It was a familiar and comforting smell, one that he had grown to love and depend on.

The two boys stood in silence for a few minutes, just holding each other, neither wanting to let go. Finally, Denki spoke again, his voice muffled by Eijirou's shirt. "I'm sorry I shut you out."

Eijirou rubbed Denki's back gently, "Just don't do it again. I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

Denki nodded, his hold on Eijirou growing a little tighter. "I won't. I promise." He pulled back just enough to look up at Eijirou, his eyes searching the other boy's face for any signs of doubt or hesitation. He found none. Instead, he saw nothing but tenderness and love in those red eyes.

Eijirou leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Denki's forehead. "We're going to get through this together, okay?" he whispered.

Denki nodded again, a sense of relief washing over him at those words. He knew the road to recovery would be long and difficult, but with Eijirou by his side, he felt like they could tackle anything.

"Okay," he said softly, a hint of a smile on his face. "Together."

Eijirou couldn't help but smile too, his heart swelling with affection for the boy in his arms. He knew they had a lot to work through, a lot of wounds to heal, but he was fully dedicated to supporting Denki through all of it. "Together," he agreed, resting his chin on top of Denki's head. "I'm not going anywhere."

Denki let out a contented sigh, snuggling closer to Eijirou. He could have stayed like that forever, the two of them wrapped in a tight embrace, but a sudden stomach grumble from Denki interrupted the moment.

Eijirou chuckled, "Someone's hungry. Come on. Let's get some food in you." He took Denki's hand in his own and began leading him down to the cafeteria.

Denki allowed himself to be led towards the cafeteria, his hand firmly intertwined with Eijirou's. As they walked, he could feel the tension and heaviness from the earlier conversation starting to fade, replaced by a sense of comfort and familiarity.