This is my first story in a long, looong time, and for me, it's also a writing exercise. Please keep that in mind, ok?

Though Kirishima Ejiro's quirk was hardening, he sure as hell was soft. Growing up and overcoming his insecurities about his powers and emotions wasn't easy, but he seemed to manage it just fine beside the occasional ups and downs. He was a teenager, after all, and entitled to question everything that he thought he knew about himself and who he wanted to be, right? Except for one thing. One little thing, crawling through his thick skin, itching.

-His touch. The crescent warmth between our fingers.-

Growing, spreading into his veins like poison, the slow realization was unbearable. And, like poison, it was slowly killing him. This kind of thought wasn't manly, nor these sensations traveling every nerve he had. Kirishima felt something emerging, as the cold shower water drip onto his naked skin.

-Oh, no. Oh. NO. OH NOONONONO. For God's sake you're in the locker room, GET DOWN.-

"Yo, Kirishima, I-"As if a lightning had stroked him, the red-haired boy activated his quirk full-force, happily for him, turning down the action on the lower part of his body.

"Geez Kaminari! My heart came to my throat, bro!"

"Sorry, sorry! Didn't meant to startle you, I was only going to ask you if you have some deodorant I can borrow…"

"Sure thing, man! Hold on a sec."

The boy turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, afraid that any of these thoughts could run into his mind again if he continued further. Kaminari didn't seemed to notice his issue in the bath, and he thanked all the gods for it. It would be incredibly embarrassing even try to explain his body behavior lately. They talked about random stuff in the way to his locker, and once there, the strange atmosphere of paranoia around him disappeared completely. He fetched the tiny can and a change of fresh clean clothes, relieved that none of these tingling sensations seemed to appear near Kaminari. Maybe he wasn't like that after all. Maybe he was only overthinking everything because all the trauma of the recent events. That was certainly it.

"Hey man, today in the shower…" Kaminari started, a little embarrassed.

"What?!" Kirishima jumped out of his train of thought almost instantly. Oh no. He definitely saw it. DAMN.

" I'm sorry that I startled you… again. And… I'm worried about you, man. When I called you your quirk was on almost instantly? Do you want, you know, to talk about it or anything?"

-Oh, that. Yeah, that was unexpected even for me.-

"I don't know bro, I think my body just reacted… With all these villains surprise attacks and stuff, I think one's reaction can jump a little faster, you know?" His forte was not lying, he thought to himself.

"I know, that's why I wanted to talk about it, actually."

Silence fell hard between them. Ejiro could feel his blood stop, knowing that their chat wasn't going anywhere comfortable.

"What do you mean?" Right now, he wasn't able to measure how sensitive Kaminari was about things. He actually believed he was doing a great job pretending everything was okay, smiling and being energetic as always. But maybe he wasn't that great, maybe he wasn't good at keeping his secrets at all.

"Since that day at the hero camp… You've changed. You're blaming yourself after what happened with Bakugo, right?" His friend asked, serious frown on his face, eyes attached to his.

-So he noticed. I wonder if someone else did it too.-

"I'm not…" He could not proceed, for Denki knew him better.

"Don't lie to me, bro. That day... It haunts me too, you know? I'm scared too."

Scared? So is that's what he was cautious about? Well, it does make sense.

Kaminari was facing the floor, his voice trembling.

"I don't think any of us could do better at the time, since even the pros had a hard time defeating them there was nothing we could..."

"It's not like that." Kirishima cut him off, almost icy. Can I tell him? He carefully analyzed his colleague disappointed face. I don't think so. "I'm just dealing with some other stuff right now."

With a gentle expression, the blonde hero tried to convince him a last time.

"You know I'm here if you want to talk… right?"

"Yeah bro, thanks." Kirishima smiled widely, trying to wipe away any trace of concern of his face.

-If only it was that simple.-