Kaminari reflected back on the past few years as he groggily opened his register. Thanks to Jiro's help, he'd survived community college and was ready to move on to University. But his ACT scores weren't the best, despite her best efforts to help him study. Luckily, there were gen-eds available for him to take over the summer, which just started. But it would mean he'd have to cut back his hours at the mall.

Kaminari looked over at Bakugo, the store manager of Hot Topic as he unlocked the metal window and pushed it up for customers. He winced at the ferocity with which Bakugo thrust it up. Yeah, I won't tell him just yet.

He pushed up the metal window and stood frozen in place, staring across the aisle where kiosks (or islands, as we called them) rested in a row.

Kaminari rolled his eyes and shook his head. Ever since he'd started working there, Bakugo's routine hadn't deviated once. A flush rose to his face when he remembered his first day of work.

~.~

"What's Bakugo staring at?"

Tokoyami shook his head disapprovingly. "Cinnabon's cashier."

Kaminari raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I suppose it's because he's cute or something. I wouldn't know. Courtship isn't exactly my level of interest." These were his last words before the brooding textbook goth gamer boy scuffled into the back room with his nose in an H.P. Lovecraft novel.

Kaminari stared at Bakugo's back, fascinated. Then shifted his weight so he stood on one foot, peeking around his manager's form.

Sure enough, there was a boy with green hair and freckles running around the Cinnabon counter set up. He wiped down the glass display. Darted in and out of the kitchen to refill trays. The sweet aromas of sugar and cinnamon wafted in their direction, overwhelming every other smell. Even the horrific perfumes and colognes they sold.

After a few moments, Bakugo seemed to remember himself and he growled under his breath with agitation. "Hibachi," he declared darkly before stomping off past Kaminari.

Tokoyami, who'd been working there even longer than Bakugo, left the backroom and held the door open just in time for Bakugo to march through it. Then he walked back behind the counter. He walked around clothing racks, the pop figure tower, and the jewelry cases all without bumping into anything once or looking up from his book.

"Why did he say - "

" - It's code," Tokoyami muttered darkly. "If Bakugo says that...you leave the back room and you don't go back until he leaves."

"Why?"

Tokoyami shuddered. "You don't wanna know. Just take my word for it."

"Does Jiro know?"

Tokoyami laughed. "Of course. She's the one who coined the term."

DISCLAIMER: CREDIT FOR THE TERM HIBACHI GOES SOLELY TO SYLVIE MCSPICY WRITER.

"Mornin' kiddos," Keigo called from the entrance. "Anyone hungry?"

Kaminari's stomach gurgled. He'd missed breakfast. "Um, that's kind of you sir, but we aren't supposed - "

" - Keigo's not a customer, sparkplug," Jiro chuckled as she entered, grabbing Keigo's takeout bag and fist-bumping his shoulder. "He's the shift lead at Spencer's."

"And your designated parent-away-from-parents." The ash-blonde twenty-something wore a crimson red tank top that showed off his arms and the tops of his shoulders, tattooed with a pair of Hawks wings. Red square-shaped studs pierced his ears, and his golden eyes were emphasized with sharp black liner.

"So eat up." Jiro handed Kaminari a plastic fork and one of the containers.

"It's my mom's recipe," Keigo assured. "Best Hot Pot you'll ever have in the state. Even if it's leftovers."

They all sat on top of the cash wrap and ate their "breakfast" while Kaminari posed his question. "So...what does hibachi mean?"

Jiro smirked at him before throwing back the last bite of her rice. "What do people do at a hibachi place, hun?"

Kaminari squinted at her. "Uh...eat I guess? It's a restaurant."

Keigo chuckled knowingly, leaning against the T-shirt table. "Yeah...after they watch a guy toss a bunch of hot meat around."

Kaminari blinked as he thought. His mind was still coming up blank. "I don't get it."

Jiro snickered, ruffling his hair. "Let's just say over the past few years dear old Bakugo has developed a taste for cinnamon rolls." Her gaze darted off to the side, then back at him.

Kaminari glanced in the direction of Cinnabon. Then it hit him. "You're not saying - "

" - Yes. She is." A tall man with black hair answered. He walked in and stood next to Keigo. "What happens in the backroom, stays in the back room."

Keigo nodded in agreeance. "If that storeroom could talk," he sighed. "Thank god it can't."

Dabi crossed his toned arms, which were tattooed with blue flames. "Ours would be worse."

Keigo playfully pinched Dabi's cheek. "That horndog makes use of that place every day. How would ours - "

" - Our store sells sex toys," Dabi interrupted.

Keigo sighed, snapping his fingers in defeat. "Shit. You got a point."

"OH WOW LOOK IT'S TIME TO OPEN!" Kaminari exclaimed overexcitededly in an octave higher than his normal voice. "Thank you for the food Keigo and it was lovely to meet you!"

Jiro and Tokoyami spoke together without even looking up. "Give him time."

Keigo nodded. "Welcome to the family, kiddo."

Dabi walked up to him and stared into his face with tired eyes and scrutiny. "What's your name?"

"Denki Kaminari," he answered, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"Have any tats?"

"A lightning bolt under my eye."

"So that's not makeup."

"No sir."

"What's your body count?"

Kaminari's gaze darted to his very attractive best friend and then back at him. "Um...well, what exactly do you - "

" - Okay so a few hookups but nothing serious," Dabi mumbled to himself. "Favorite drink?"

"I don't drink really," Kaminari answered, growing progressively more confused with each question.

"It's either a tequila sunrise or jungle juice."

"I don't like tequila," Kaminari admitted.

Dabi nodded. "Wasn't expecting that. Then yours is an amaretto kiss."

"I've never had one of those before."

"You will."

For a while, Dabi just stared at him, mere inches away from his face. Kaminari blushed redder as the longer it went on, the more awkward it became. It's like he's searching my soul! He thought. Finally, he pulled away and shrugged, leaving the store.

Keigo grinned. "Congratulations. He likes you."

~.~

That marked his first morning at the Loav & Sechz Mall.

Now, two years later, he was sad to say it was almost time for him to leave his job for good. It was never meant to be permanent. In fact, he'd applied on a whim. But after his parents kicked him out and Jiro helped him get this job, these people really did feel like his family. Even Bakugo, rough around the edges and short-tempered as he was.

He always looks so miserable all the time, Kaminari thought. I hope even after I'm gone...things change.